It would have been wicked awesome if you talked about election discrepancies seriously for even one whole podcast instead of defending yourselves as not being conspiracy theorists.
It's time to play hard ball.Call out all those crazy mega people. The Republicans need to be really exposed. Very upsetting our attorney General did not do his job. Supreme Court has not been doing there job. 7 of them need to be fired
2. This also has a through line of logic since it actually benefits them to make our lives worse:
By distracting us, they continue to hoard wealth and resources through our taxes AND through overpricing while burning millions and millions to make sure we they dont have to pay us more for our labour
Damn right we don’t! we are literally wired for repetition so it’s absolutely crucial!! This fight might be uphill and longer than we could ever fathom but I know we can win and keep on winning. Now is the time to get our shit together :)✊
Ironic,since the source material is literally metaphor for the left wing Populist movement of the 1890s. The story's characters, setting, and themes reflect the Populist dream of a united working class and farmers, and their desire to challenge the power of the financial and corporate establishment.
Don’t demonize populism. Right wing populism is bad as it’s based on misconceptions and lies. Left-wing populism is good as it’s based in the reality of the working classes. Left populism pushes for reforms to end working class struggles. Right populism blames scapegoats for working class struggles
Left-wing populism is the byproduct of educated masses. Right wing populism is the byproduct of miseducated masses. Populism isn’t monolithic. There is a dichotomy. Left-wing populism is a positive influence and should be embraced by the Democrats to counter the Right wing populism of the autocrats.
Populism is essentially the addressing of the needs and struggles of the impoverished, the poor, and working classes. The strategy of demonizing populism is political suicide. The only people populism doesn’t pander to is a tiny sliver of the population, that is relatively well off financially.
I would say the anti-populist sentiment is actually the smoking gun of what destroyed the Democratic Party in 2024. It’s this elitist backlash against the policies of Bernie Sanders. For 8 years little by little it’s been pushing the Democratic leadership in favor of the status quo.
People want radical change. Whoever campaigns for that always wins. That is the dynamic of elections in the 21st-century. Dems won big with Obama, he was seen as radical change but it was all rhetoric. When it started to become policy with Sanders suddenly, the party seemed to be abandoned progress.
Despite compelling essays to that effect, L. Frank Baum always denied he meant any kind of political allegory and swore he was just writing a children’s story.
That doesn’t really matter. The author may not have meant that kind of nuance, but the misconception has shaped the expanded lore. I mean, look at turn to Oz. The emerald city gentrified into a crystal town.
Brett, I love this! That is what kept thinking during the whole movie! People also looked at me like I had 3 heads! My 2nd post on BlueSky was that the world needs more Elphabas 💚
With that comment, you earned another follow. I read your bio. I had a limited opportunity to study in a forensic unit of a psychiatric hospital. Fascinating cases and case law.
Imagine DT's dogs for government efficiencies DOGE, acronym for dogecoin, given full access to Fort Knox to turn crypto into gold bars and vice versa. Another musical themed the Raiders of the Lost Ark 2.0 will be the next Broadway box office.
Billionaires and greedy politicians played along with the crypto evolution to benefit themselves if they can help monetize these worthless duds into their own pockets. Their 'currency' is helping launder dark money as legitimate fronts to accept financial transactions by circumventing the banks.
Imagine a Chinese crypto player pumping $30 million into DT's crypto venture which are "dimes" or simply pocket money if they are funnelled from unknown financial sources to corrupt the US system from inside out. Nefarious interests are trying hard to push crypto into the financial ecosystem.
While we are distracted by his antics, he is helping to legitimize the crypto lotteries for Monopoly money to be sandwashed into real US dollars. Bettors who hold these uncovertible coins speculate a face value into these worthless memes by pricing them to a fait currency like the US dollar. A scam.
I do think the more appropriate word is revolutionary. The entire system, and parties have to go. Simply cross the Southern, or Northern border or paddle across the Atlantic to relearn democracy, election process, constitution, laws, well approx. Everything which has to do with citizens over ecorp.
We must stop being the nice guys of govt. Use similar tactics as the MEGA Madness (Little Trumpy's cabinet & MAGA sycophants) by locating loopholes & using them to our advantage, point out the audacity of their acts so the protests get coverage and clicks; be unrelenting in presenting our truth.
How is it that not one of our current leaders or media is questioning the election? 60+Russian bomb threats at polling places? Richest man on the planet teams up with the biggest fraud on the planet, helped by foreign enemies. Evidence, facts,not conspiracy theory. But media and leaders? Crickets
I’m with you on this. I didn’t even feel this way in 2016, but this year it felt like alarm bells were going off left and right. Yet, how were no recounts asked for? No conspiracy theories needed, just wanting to make sure the votes were counted accurately.
Protecting our savings and treasuries is rule number one. We have a felon and a whole bunch of billionaires coming into Rob the government of all of its treasuries they must be protected
I think the Democrats need to take off the kid gloves and get off the high horse on the high road and fight dirty like the GOP does. Look what that has caused!
Oralè Resisters
Trump to issue an
Executive Order ending US Birthright to children of illegal aliens in America.
Unconstitutional under
The 14th Amendment!
#NoTamales4Trump
#Citizenship #USDemocracy #Latinos #SheSePuede
Can we PLEASE get back to the most basic of questions?
How exactly has an INSURRECTIONIST become the President elect?
It is CLEARLY against the rules laid down by our forefathers.
I don’t think many people really care enough at the moment. There are many people hurting, feeling left out of opportunities and when the OrangeMan tells them he cares and will help them, they believed him - out of desperation possibly (?!)
Sounds like Wicked was written by an American politician. Love your analogies of how the story and the events in our country go hand in hand. Great article!
When autocrats play dirty, it’s time to break the rules of politeness and fight fire with fire. Being “wicked” means standing up, speaking out, and refusing to be silenced in the face of propaganda and fear-mongering. Let’s own it.
My daughters have been drinking the MAGA kool-aid since Bernie Bros dropped Bernie. They see the message too but aren’t connecting the dots. The stoked fear is deep and wicked. (See what I did there?)
The book was better, by miles. But definitely not for the kiddies.
And quit spamming this column with your "animal rights" meme, charles. That's not what it's about.
Time to be strong not wicked....maybe promote what tools there are available to fight with....like calling for a ballot recount in swing states...meidas touch, however feels that this will make liberal democrats look conspiratorial...ignoring it makes you look like cowards...
As far as “war crimes,” ugh , you ain’t seen nothing yet. Just wait until Jan 20 when Trump officially gives free rein to Neatnyahu to “do whatever the hell he wants” to Gaza.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. If the Democrats can’t deal with what Biden did to Gaza, they will not survive. What Republicans do is out of our hands. But if we let the Democrats get away with genocide, there’s no bottom there. I can’t vote for the Democrats again until they fix that.
But in reality, The Biden Administration is not committing the actual genocide. They might be facilitating it with the weapons, because they seem to think that Israel wouldn’t be taking the offensive. But Israel is doing the genocide. We may have seen a different stance with Harris post-election
I’m proud to be “wicked”. It’s sometimes a lonely road, but better than falling for the illusion. I just shake my head in wonder that so many people can’t see how they’re being manipulated. Thanks, Brett.
This election has proven that the MAGA propaganda machine is an absolute juggernaut and has become far too powerful. They are firing on all cylinders 24/7 365 to every corner of the internet and social media
The answer: You beat right wing propaganda with left wing propaganda! There is NO other way
None of what we say needs to be untruthful though. We don’t need to lie like they do. We just need to REACH more people. Easier said than done, of course, but that’s what the problem is. The MAGA propaganda has far greater reach, far wider distribution, than the truth. We’ve got to change that.
I can appreciate you're approach. But I see no other way than fighting fire with fire. MAGA is cancerous. They can lie faster than fact-checkers can keep up, and even if fact checkers correct them it doesn't matter because the entire concept of fact-checking is a liberal plot.
Agreed. We must fight fire with fire. We need to reach the people who only watch Joe Rogan or TikTok. We need more of Pete Buttigieg’s brand of directly confronting MAGA lies/distortions.
What we *don’t* need is to fight BS with more BS. Not simply because it’s wrong, but because it *won’t work*.
Agreed. Some of my acquaintances voted for trump because they lacked true information in our language. They don’t read English, but there’s only disinformation in our language. So try to give facts to different cultures and languages.
Wizard of Oz, convinced me that the wicked witch of the west never had power in munchkin land, she only had bluster from that forest. The wizard never had power only boasting behind that screen. That is the definition of a Trump Republican government they will never hold power
Assuming you mean right winged populism? Because the populism of Bernie and some at TYT speaks to left winged populism which is very different and absolutely on point. The 1% and corporations (Citizens United) ARE the problem in the US.
Uh… I’m not seeing that at all. In fact I haven’t seen them veer ONCE from their existing stance. At all. I’m an open minded person so feel free to share examples?
Nah. I watch them regularly and she isn’t left or right. She has left leanings but is an Independent. You can’t watch other people‘s opinion of someone, adopt it, then say it’s fact. People are also allowed some thoughts outside a far left mantra.
I consider myself a populist (left winged) and am forever changed after this election. If we take the 100k foot view of politics in the US, it’s corporate greed, money in politics buying our SCOTUS, President and Representatives. I see Bernie, AOC, Elizabeth Warren all fighting the good fight.
It’s not wicked, it’s just, it’s vengeful, it’s unified, it’s defy, dismantle, destroy.
We’ve all been betrayed, beaten, starved, turned on each other for their personal gain and entertainment.
It’s time to show them our fangs as a final warning and let nature take its course. Eat the Rich.
This is of course a quote from a fictional poem in a Dr Who episode and I always think about the 19 yr olds and 42 yr old parents that went off fight WWIi Good Men fighting evil fascists for the WORLD.
I am happy to see you in Bluesky. I am a big fan of the show. Elon Musk turned Twitter into 4Chan. You can’t post anything there without having all the Nazi zombies attack you.
Excellent article. You’ve articulated exactly what I was thinking in the movie theater Friday night. This film is very timely! I hope a lot of people get the point.
Something has changed within me.
Something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.
It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap.
It's time to try defying Depravity.
I know I'll try defying Depravity.
And they can't pull me down.
While the book came out of the Bush presidency, the Broadway show is a product of the W years. The wizard can certainly be interpreted as Trump, but it seems the book is aimed more at the sham of American politicians.
So many comments suggesting lies must be countered with lies. Lies require no effort, which is why Trump uses them. Do not lie, do not be weak. Do hard research, pay attention, arm yourself with truth.
We are organizing a huge national March on Jan 20th in defiance of Trump being sworn in. Can you help get the word out. We will be meeting early around 6:30 Am between the US Capital & the Visitor Center on that day. All are welcomed to attend.
I read an article where the author complained that the producers were pushing a woke agenda at the audience. The producers never said it, but it was perceived that way by the writer. He basically proved the movie's alleged subtext about racist society by not critiquing it face up.
I was misty-eyed through the last 20 minutes or so.
When the last note on Defying Gravity died out I couldn’t contain myself anymore, kept out of my seat whooped and clapped. I don’t think I ever had a similar experience at a movie.
You don't know me. I've voted every election so blame it on the people who didn't vote or voted against their own best interests. And I'm not going to quit fighting against the oligarchy!
Comments
Their propaganda is effective because it elicits strong emotional reactions through pointing blame at the “Other”
We can shift the Narrative by shifting blame back to them. Most of our problems are their fault
By distracting us, they continue to hoard wealth and resources through our taxes AND through overpricing while burning millions and millions to make sure we they dont have to pay us more for our labour
-The grandiose but empty rhetoric that rallies people but accomplishes nothing.
-The use of fear, grievance, & scapegoating
-It's authoritarian tendencies.
Elphaba tried to expose this & was demonized.
"Like Trump and his MAGA followers, reality in Oz is subjective"
From Google:
"The Broadway musical Wicked premiered on October 30, 2003"
Trump is the largest Rorshach test in history
Trump to issue an
Executive Order ending US Birthright to children of illegal aliens in America.
Unconstitutional under
The 14th Amendment!
#NoTamales4Trump
#Citizenship #USDemocracy #Latinos #SheSePuede
Sound super familiar.
How exactly has an INSURRECTIONIST become the President elect?
It is CLEARLY against the rules laid down by our forefathers.
http://www.londoncitynights.com/2013/09/wicked-at-apollo-victoria-23rd.html?m=1
#HardPass
And quit spamming this column with your "animal rights" meme, charles. That's not what it's about.
But I couldn't help but be sad at how disinformation can stick to the good people like Elphaba.
Like how the Biden crime family label has stuck in Magatonia/Oz.
Spineless fucking liberals..
Where in hell have you been?...41...43...44...46
The answer: You beat right wing propaganda with left wing propaganda! There is NO other way
MAGA isn't just against Democrats, MAGA is against Truth itself. And that's what makes it so dangerous.
What we *don’t* need is to fight BS with more BS. Not simply because it’s wrong, but because it *won’t work*.
Let’s Go America 🇺🇸
https://youtu.be/7wLUjEjRSWo?si=EP1JFdbgCREnlHwG
In order to save the republic - there needs to be a balanced populism with a rich democratic story restoring faith in gov institutions
Right wing populism is "post truth" where truth & logic don't matter. But to defeat its strong emotion - we must counter with emotion
We’ve all been betrayed, beaten, starved, turned on each other for their personal gain and entertainment.
It’s time to show them our fangs as a final warning and let nature take its course. Eat the Rich.
Elphie = exceptional black people
Oz = government
Animal professors at school = gay people
Now watch it again.
Defyyyyyyy
Dumb-ass-ery...🎶
🎶Maybe he'lll dieeeee
(Beforethey) tryyyy
Dumb-ass-ery..."🎵
Yeah, it works.
I'm in
Something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.
It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap.
It's time to try defying Depravity.
I know I'll try defying Depravity.
And they can't pull me down.
I was misty-eyed through the last 20 minutes or so.
When the last note on Defying Gravity died out I couldn’t contain myself anymore, kept out of my seat whooped and clapped. I don’t think I ever had a similar experience at a movie.
Either way - time to be Elphaba!!!
All you needed to do was vote, and you couldn't do that.
We are tired of hearing yall whine and complain.