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Who’s even worse for responsible public discourse and the protection of our information pathways than Elon Musk?

What about… Leonard Leo? 

You may recall him as the man behind the long-term plan to take over the Supreme Court and ruin justice in America for all but the wealthy. 

He knows how to get his way. Like when trying to force a Republican governor’s representative to reject a potential judicial pick, he threatened “fury from the conservative base, the likes of which you and the Governor have never seen” — if these GOP officials defied him.

Though he is widely reviled, opposition only gets his juices flowing for more conquests that move society in a catastrophic direction. Now, Leo has set his sights on taking over… the media. 

That’s right. The reclusive Leo, who is almost never interviewable, gave an interview to the Financial Times (which I suppose he rightfully considered a possible ally), and told them of his billion dollar plan: 

We need to crush liberal dominance where it’s most insidious, so we’ll direct resources to build talent and capital formation pipelines in the areas of news and entertainment, where leftwing extremism is most evident.

Expect us to increase support for organizations that call out companies and financial institutions that bend to the woke mind virus spread by regulators and NGOs, so that they have to pay a price for putting extreme leftwing ideology ahead of consumers.

In another key passage, Leo said he “intends to invest in a US local media company in the next 12 months, although he has not decided which.”

I think it’s a safe bet that he won’t be content with “just” being an owner of “just” another outlet. Meanwhile, it’s imperative that we not sit back and let Leo destroy yet another democratic institution — in this case, journalism. 

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I also want to introduce you to another individual doing his part to wreck civilization: A billionaire Texan who is out to bankrupt the hard-working, idealistic environmental group Greenpeace USA. 

Kelcy Warren.

He owns a “castle-like” $30 million house in Dallas, an 8,000-acre Texas ranch, a $46.5 million Colorado ranch, a $13.9 million estate in Ireland, a golf resort and spa, and his own private island in the Caribbean, and needs nothing at this point in his life. 

Yet, even though he got his Dakota Pipeline, despite tribal protests, he’s out to destroy Greenpeace just because he’s upset they dared to challenge him. 

Sounds a little like Donald Trump, who, in an interview years ago, described his satisfaction in getting revenge and destroying those who are insufficiently loyal to him. 

I was thinking about how such a person meets the criteria for some kind of mental illness. 

So many rich people — who never have enough money or personal “victories” — think nothing of destroying others or the world we all share. 

Come to think of it, they’re the core of Trump’s funding. 

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Moving on to other transgressions of the rich and mighty…..

Last week I shared with you my extraordinary (ordinary?) dealings with customer service at the electronics company Dyson. My update is… NO update. Neither Dyson nor UPS followed up on their deeply sincere promises to get back to me immediately with an update and corrective action. 

Anyway, as we contemplate why we don’t want Trump in office in January — getting government off business’s back, as he and the GOP are so fond of promising — here’s another example of what happens when government is not involved, or even when it is: The hideous conditions at a Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, VA, that led to nine people dying of listeria, and the hospitalization of dozens of others. 

A Boar’s Head spokesperson said the company is working with food safety experts to conduct an “extensive investigation” into how liverwurst produced at the Virginia facility tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria. How? Here’s how: 

With live beetles creeping about in the halls… flies in pickle containers… green and black mold, and heavy meat buildup on walls… a rancid smell in the cooler… unsanitary water dripping down… old food residue and rust on the equipment… floors filthy with puddles of blood…

But the Boar’s Head spokesperson said its plant team “immediately remediated” noncompliance notifications issued by inspectors. Immediately?

Turns out the company had been told about all that years before the outbreak of listeria. 

Government inspectors were doing their jobs but somehow the company did nothing to fix the revolting conditions.  

Friday the 13th of September, Boar’s Head announced it was closing the Virginia plant. For the moment. But, the company said in a letter to consumers, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers and to the safety and quality of our products. We are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger.” 

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And then of course there is the man Big Money loves…

Have you seen Unfit? It’s a great documentary from 2020 on Trump’s malignant narcissism and how it helps him play into the longing within the public for another Mussolini or Hitler. Must watch!  

It would be great to get this film out to voters in swing states — though I’m unsure whether those who still haven’t made up their minds, or have but still might not vote: (a) would watch a documentary, or anything longer than a few minutes/seconds, no matter how engrossing; (b) would even understand the historical context of what is happening now, or how and why people gravitate towards a “strong leader” who vilifies others, blames those “others” for society’s ills, and seeks to panic and anger the masses. 

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All of which raises the question: If the rich are the only ones really to benefit from Trump, why is it that the rest of his supporters don’t get it? ? 

A majority of military veterans support Trump. His well-reported contempt for the military and those who served in combat, his tasteless misuse of a military cemetery for campaign purposes, his embrace of America’s and democracy’s enemies — none of this seems to upset them. 

It’s worth recalling that when Don Junior thought of enlisting in the army, Donald threatened him with disinheritance… Of course, it worked. 

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Finally, we never hear nearly enough about the actual policy Trump and his funders actually represent. Like constant mayhem. Beginning and ending, of course, with the proliferation and easy access to guns. 

The Georgia school shooting, with all its new twists on previous grotesque tragedies and new variations on what failed in our system, was described in one newspaper as “the deadliest U.S. school shooting of the year and the first since June.”  

Hmm. What happened between June and September? Let’s see: NO SCHOOL AT ALL.

One major revelation that needs attention by all schools was how a greater tragedy was averted through the good luck that, just a week earlier, the school had begun using a new security system. Apalachee High School personnel were wearing special badges made by Centegix, an Atlanta-based firm. They feature panic buttons and, because these were pressed at the first signs of trouble, law enforcement was on the scene almost immediately.  

Gun-control advocates consistently report that Georgia’s gun laws are among the nation’s weakest. 

The nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety ranks Georgia 46th in the country for gun law strength, in a tier of states referred to as “national failures.” The Giffords Law Center, another organization that advocates for stricter gun measures, gives Georgia an F rating on its annual scorecard, faulting the state for lacking rules such as universal background checks and red-flag laws.

During his term as governor, Brian Kemp (R) has expanded gun rights, including signing a 2022 bill that allows residents to carry a concealed handgun in public without a permit.

When Giffords delivered Georgia its failing grade, Kemp replied: “I’ll wear this ‘F’ as a badge of honor.”

I’d say Centegix’s badge is a badge of honor. I have a feeling Kemp isn’t feeling too good right now about his. It’s worth reminding him. And maybe showing him this interactive demonstrating the horrific damage that readily available AR-15s do to the human body. 

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