Thanks for the breakdown Jack! My first thought when I read his “kill them all” statement was “spoken like a coward”. He wasn’t doing actual killing. But I heard Rachel Maddow on Nicole Wallace today talking about Hegseth and she actually well described what I have been saying to my husband since the first boat strikes. That when I envision Hegseth, he has a video game controller in his hand and he is behaving like he is playing a war video game with these strikes. The difference is that this is real life, with real people. He confirmed it when he posted that disturbing animated meme with the turtle. This is a power trip game to him. Real People’s lives be damned. I can’t remember her words, but it described what I have been saying. The guy is monstrously dangerous and needs to go. Will Congress finally do something?
Michele...you’re exactly right...and Maddow’s framing matches the psychological pattern perfectly.
Men who say “kill them all” from a distance are spectators...not warriors. It’s bravado with no risk. Video-game psychology applied to real human lives.
Hegseth treats war like content...dopamine...explosions...memes...with zero emotional cost to the man holding the metaphorical controller.
Real combat veterans don’t talk that way because they know the consequences. He doesn’t. That’s why he’s dangerous.
Will Congress act?
Some know he’s a liability. Most are afraid of crossing Trump. Meanwhile...an ass-clown who treats death like a highlight reel...is getting a bigger megaphone.
Thanks Jack, I feel if we are living in an insane asylum, not a country. Appreciate your analysis everyday. It helps me to sort out the crazy into manageable columns. In the meantime, working full time as a paralegal (watching the legal aspect and rule of law breakdown by this administration appalls me) and trying to live my life, sometimes it all feels surreal. I don’t want to give up my country as it was, flaws and all. I fear it will take a long time to fix this mess and restore trust. One thing that gives me hope is the people of this country. The people are finally waking up and standing together and that is the America I love. I think that Republicans thought Americans would roll over for this mess and thought they could keep the lies going, start a civil war while they raped (figuratively and now we know literally) the country. Surprise, we are strong and this won’t stand, but we do need to keep fighting. Thanks for listening. It helps! Have a great day!
There was a time when most people either served in the military or had a family member that did. Those days are gone. The majority of Americans think it's like tv or movies: Shoot first, ask questions later. In reality, most military members are in support positions, at least four to anyone in a combat position. These include food service, supply, finance, admin, personnel, and medical. All of us except chaplains had to qualify with a weapon, usually an M-16, but shooting people was not our primary task. I joined during the first Gulf War, but it was over before I made it to Basic Training and training to operate a secure communications device, a job I ended up never doing. I found myself at V Corps HQ in Germany working as an Administrative Specialist for a Special Operations liaison unit to V Corps. It was the best time in my life.
This is such an important perspective, AD...and it’s one most Americans simply don’t have anymore.
You’re right...when fewer people serve...the public’s understanding of war gets replaced by TV logic...movie heroics... and social-media chest-thumping. That vacuum is exactly what men like Hegseth exploit.
Your point about support roles...is spot-on:
The overwhelming majority of service members keep the machine running...food...finance...admin...medical...comms...and they carry discipline... responsibility...and teamwork...not a fantasy of nonstop firefights.
Your background at V Corps HQ..says it all.
People like you actually saw how the military works...the complexity...the professionalism... the chain of command...the reality.
I do so appreciate this breakdown of Hegseth’s high seas murder(s) because I learn so much about our military and our laws. I can totally understand your enthusiasm for writing at this moment in time. What you say means a lot to me and a lot of other resistors to the Trump regime. We value your expertise! Thank you for your steadiness during rocky times, you give me a second wind many times. There is a commercial on local tv here in KC for a plumbing company. A young boy is playing with his toys, screaming, ‘Pow, pow, pow!’ having a mock battle with the toilet, flushing them down. That is Little Petey Hegseth in a nutshell. He should be impeached for treason along with Trump. 🥰❤️. #HOLDFAST
Thank you, Elizabeth...truly. Messages like this are exactly why I write as hard...and as often as I do right now.
If what I’m producing gives you (or anyone else out there fighting the good fight) a second wind...then every late night and every early morning is worth it.
And yes...your analogy is perfect.
The “Pow! Pow! Pow!” plumbing-commercial kid is...exactly the psychological level Hegseth operates from...juvenile...performative...zero understanding of law...zero respect for life...and totally disconnected from the discipline and restraint the real military lives by.
This is why breaking his behavior down matters.
People need to see the difference between leadership...and cosplay… between lawful authority...and childish fantasy… between warriors...and men who desperately pretend to be one.
Your voice matters in this moment.
Your resistance matters.
And I’m right here in the trenches with you...steady as ever!
Jack
P.S. I'd bet anything...depending on how many years you've lived in the KC area... can hear the jingle that goes along with these words: "Call 321-2277 Anytime Night or Daaaaay!" :)
Thank you so much Jack for this analysis. You help me retain my insanity by helping me to analyze events better - I don't have your skills of analysis, but I admire your abilities and trust your analysis. You make me remember what a CPO told me as a young ensign - you can order your men to do anything, but that is all you will get, however, if your men trust you, then you will not have to order anything, because your men know what has to be done and will respect you for recognizing that. While I only served 8 years during the Vietman War, that advice has been one of my guideposts. That is why I appreciate so much your analysis and insights.
Allen...his means more than you know...and your CPO’s advice is exactly the kind of wisdom...that separates real leadership...from the hollow performance we’re seeing from people like Hegseth.
You lived it. You’ve seen the difference.
What you said is the whole story:
Orders can force action.
Trust creates unity.
And unity is what keeps people alive.
That’s why I break these moments down so fiercely. Not to add noise...but to help people see what’s actually happening beneath the surface...the way a seasoned officer reads a room...a unit...or a threat before...anyone else notices the shift.
Your 8 years of service during Vietnam gave you a lens most Americans will never have. And the fact that you still hold onto that guidepost...that trust > force...is a testament to who you are.
Thank you for saying this.
Thank you for your service.
And thank you for trusting my analysis...I don’t take that lightly.
Jack, thank you for your ability to take complex ideas and distill them down for people like me to understand. You are using your gift wisely. I don’t know anything about politics or the military, but I do know Kids’ books. Kids Can Press issued a statement about Hegseth’s horrible misuse of Franklin the turtle. What he did was outrageous. I think they should sue! #HoldFast
Joanne, thank you...that means a lot. And honestly...the fact that someone who doesn’t live and breathe politics...or military structure...can still instantly recognize how outrageous Hegseth’s behavior was… tells you everything.
Real leadership communicates clearly. Real wrongdoing...is obvious across disciplines.
And yes...Kids Can Press...speaking out was a perfect indicator of how far over the line he went. When a children’s publisher has to publicly distance itself because a grown man...in public office...used a beloved character to glorify violence?
That’s not politics.
That’s not “strength.”
That’s immaturity and irresponsibility at a level that embarrasses the nation.
As for suing...I don’t know what the legal path looks like there...but I completely understand the sentiment. When you misuse a character millions of kids grew up with… to cheer on real-world death… you’ve crossed into territory that should concern everyone... regardless of party or politics.
And that’s why breaking this down matters.
People need to see the full picture...clearly...simply...and without the fog.
I was saddened to read this post, not because you’re wrong - far from it. Your psychological insights, on which I’m qualified to comment, touch it with a needle. I’m saddened because you had to write it. You’ve said nothing contentious. There is such a thing as a legal or an illegal order. But I’ve read comments from even respectable sources where even discussing this is seen as a kind of treason. The opposite is true.
Another psychological point is the creation of an out-group that allows ‘us,’ the in-group to bind together against the enemy out-group (‘them’), cementing - or trying to cement - allegiance to our leaders. Foreign adventures are ideal. One recent example was Argentina in the late 1970s, where the ruling military junta, in trouble at home, ‘united’ the country by invading the Falkland Islands. We know what happened then. OK, it’s not Venezuelan drug dealers, who are a Bad Thing, but it makes you think (hopefully). Great work! With gratitude.
Mike...thank you... especially coming from someone who understands the psychology behind this as deeply as you do.
And...I share your sadness. The fact that even discussing the legality of orders...or the psychological patterns behind dangerous rhetoric... is treated by some as disloyalty… is exactly how healthy democracies start to slip. In reality... it’s the opposite...refusing to question power is the true danger.
Your point about in-group/out-group dynamics is spot-on.
Authoritarian psychology...thrives on manufacturing an enemy...any enemy...to create cohesion...obedience...and emotional shortcuts in the in-group.
When leaders feel shaky at home...they often look outward for a distraction. History is full of examples...and the Falklands is a sobering one...a failing regime...a foreign adventure... and a public pulled into a story...designed to tighten allegiance.
It’s a timeless tactic.
And it’s why analysis matters so much...not because we’re looking to provoke...but because shining a light on the pattern is the only way to stop it from gaining momentum.
Thank you for bringing your expertise into this space.
You spelled it out for those that do not understand military rules. I know because of family. I am hoping that congress does its job with this as they bring up the investigation . It sounded like some of the repubs are not buying this. All we can do is wait and see and contact our reps to bring this to an investigation at least. This guy is a loose cannon for sure. And of course all this is about the "oil" that they are not mentioning .Thanks for this breakdown. I to have a similar social life of a few close neighbors and spouse and $ dogs and son with his family 2 streets over since I live in a residential area built in the 50-60's. #HOLD FAST
Thank you, Teri...and you’re right...a lot of people outside the military truly don’t understand the rules...the codes of conduct...or the level of restraint that’s supposed to come with that kind of responsibility.
That’s why breaking this down matters so much.
And yes...even some Republicans seemed uneasy with what happened...which tells you this isn’t a partisan issue so much as a basic-standard-of-duty issue.
Whether Congress follows through...will depend entirely on whether people keep pressure on their representatives...which is exactly...what you’re doing.
As for motive...I’ll stay careful about speculation...but you’re right that there are strong geopolitical interests at play in that region...and that context is absolutely part of the story.
And your social life? Sounds a lot like mine. A few close neighbors...a spouse...dogs...and family nearby; honestly...that’s the kind of world worth protecting.
#HoldFast...we’ve got a lot of work ahead...but we’re not doing it alone!
Thank you Jack for continuing to offer a clear understanding of what we are facing.
I just watched the IHIP gals, Jen and Angie, discuss Hegseth and his psychotic sociopathic desires for our country's military. I wanted to vomit when they showed a clip of Megyn Kelly saying she wants those blown up by Hegseth to suffer longer, lose an arm or leg and bleed, suffer more. Jesus H F'ing Christ. Not one of these murdered souls has been charged, tried or convicted. And even if they had been, trump and Hegseth don't have the right in any form to murder them.
We truly have entered the Twilight Zone. Laura Looney has been given a desk in the Pentagon and we have Republican congresswoman, Maria Salazar on Fox News:
"We're about to go in to Venezuela and the main reason is oil.
For American oil companies it will be a field day, generating more than a TRILLION DOLLARS in economic activity.”
Sue, I hear you...and your reaction is completely human. When public figures start speaking casually about suffering...mutilation...or extrajudicial violence...it crosses a line that healthy democracies cannot afford to ignore.
That kind of rhetoric isn’t strength...it’s moral decay. And it’s exactly why clarity and analysis are so necessary right now.
What you saw from Megyn Kelly is part of a broader...deeply unhealthy pattern:
The normalization of dehumanizing language.
Because once a group of people is framed as less-than-human...or “deserving” of pain...it becomes frighteningly easy for certain political actors to justify abuses of power...cruelty... and violations of both domestic and international law.
That’s the psychological danger.
And you’re right...people speaking as if public officials have unilateral authority to harm anyone without due process is not just wrong...it’s legally impossible.
No one in this country...not a president...not a secretary...not a TV host...gets to bypass the law.
Dehumanization + celebration of suffering = an authoritarian warning signal.
Your reference to Laura Loomer being given access to Pentagon spaces...and Rep. Salazar’s comments about Venezuela...reinforce the same theme:
Reckless rhetoric...overheated fantasies of force...and a total disregard for the real-world costs of conflict.
And when someone says the quiet part out loud...“the main reason is oil… a trillion dollars in activity”...they’re revealing the underlying incentive structure.
It’s not national security.
It’s not justice.
It’s not democracy.
It’s profit, power...and projection.
You’re not wrong to feel like we’re in a Twilight Zone moment...because this is what happens...when political actors...become so insulated...unrestrained...and performative... that they start treating war and suffering like content.
But...here’s the important part:
You’re not losing your mind.
You’re seeing the pattern clearly.
And calling it out...is exactly what keeps it from becoming normalized.
This is why I stay loud on X. Strategic provocation isn’t just noise...it’s a tool. It moves the fight for democracy forward… and it keeps my own mental gears...from locking up.
Thank you for staying engaged...thank you for paying attention...and thank you...for refusing to let this kind of rhetoric pass unchecked.
Thank you Jack. Your breakdowns are SO worth reading and digesting. These days are difficult but you make it more understandable. I appreciate your deep analyses. Kegstand HAS to go. #HOLDFAST
Thanks for the breakdown Jack! My first thought when I read his “kill them all” statement was “spoken like a coward”. He wasn’t doing actual killing. But I heard Rachel Maddow on Nicole Wallace today talking about Hegseth and she actually well described what I have been saying to my husband since the first boat strikes. That when I envision Hegseth, he has a video game controller in his hand and he is behaving like he is playing a war video game with these strikes. The difference is that this is real life, with real people. He confirmed it when he posted that disturbing animated meme with the turtle. This is a power trip game to him. Real People’s lives be damned. I can’t remember her words, but it described what I have been saying. The guy is monstrously dangerous and needs to go. Will Congress finally do something?
Michele...you’re exactly right...and Maddow’s framing matches the psychological pattern perfectly.
Men who say “kill them all” from a distance are spectators...not warriors. It’s bravado with no risk. Video-game psychology applied to real human lives.
Hegseth treats war like content...dopamine...explosions...memes...with zero emotional cost to the man holding the metaphorical controller.
Real combat veterans don’t talk that way because they know the consequences. He doesn’t. That’s why he’s dangerous.
Will Congress act?
Some know he’s a liability. Most are afraid of crossing Trump. Meanwhile...an ass-clown who treats death like a highlight reel...is getting a bigger megaphone.
And that should be very concerning to everyone.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Thanks Jack, I feel if we are living in an insane asylum, not a country. Appreciate your analysis everyday. It helps me to sort out the crazy into manageable columns. In the meantime, working full time as a paralegal (watching the legal aspect and rule of law breakdown by this administration appalls me) and trying to live my life, sometimes it all feels surreal. I don’t want to give up my country as it was, flaws and all. I fear it will take a long time to fix this mess and restore trust. One thing that gives me hope is the people of this country. The people are finally waking up and standing together and that is the America I love. I think that Republicans thought Americans would roll over for this mess and thought they could keep the lies going, start a civil war while they raped (figuratively and now we know literally) the country. Surprise, we are strong and this won’t stand, but we do need to keep fighting. Thanks for listening. It helps! Have a great day!
There was a time when most people either served in the military or had a family member that did. Those days are gone. The majority of Americans think it's like tv or movies: Shoot first, ask questions later. In reality, most military members are in support positions, at least four to anyone in a combat position. These include food service, supply, finance, admin, personnel, and medical. All of us except chaplains had to qualify with a weapon, usually an M-16, but shooting people was not our primary task. I joined during the first Gulf War, but it was over before I made it to Basic Training and training to operate a secure communications device, a job I ended up never doing. I found myself at V Corps HQ in Germany working as an Administrative Specialist for a Special Operations liaison unit to V Corps. It was the best time in my life.
This is such an important perspective, AD...and it’s one most Americans simply don’t have anymore.
You’re right...when fewer people serve...the public’s understanding of war gets replaced by TV logic...movie heroics... and social-media chest-thumping. That vacuum is exactly what men like Hegseth exploit.
Your point about support roles...is spot-on:
The overwhelming majority of service members keep the machine running...food...finance...admin...medical...comms...and they carry discipline... responsibility...and teamwork...not a fantasy of nonstop firefights.
Your background at V Corps HQ..says it all.
People like you actually saw how the military works...the complexity...the professionalism... the chain of command...the reality.
Hegseth markets a cartoon.
You lived the real thing.
And that difference...is the entire story!
#HoldFast
-Jack
I do so appreciate this breakdown of Hegseth’s high seas murder(s) because I learn so much about our military and our laws. I can totally understand your enthusiasm for writing at this moment in time. What you say means a lot to me and a lot of other resistors to the Trump regime. We value your expertise! Thank you for your steadiness during rocky times, you give me a second wind many times. There is a commercial on local tv here in KC for a plumbing company. A young boy is playing with his toys, screaming, ‘Pow, pow, pow!’ having a mock battle with the toilet, flushing them down. That is Little Petey Hegseth in a nutshell. He should be impeached for treason along with Trump. 🥰❤️. #HOLDFAST
Thank you, Elizabeth...truly. Messages like this are exactly why I write as hard...and as often as I do right now.
If what I’m producing gives you (or anyone else out there fighting the good fight) a second wind...then every late night and every early morning is worth it.
And yes...your analogy is perfect.
The “Pow! Pow! Pow!” plumbing-commercial kid is...exactly the psychological level Hegseth operates from...juvenile...performative...zero understanding of law...zero respect for life...and totally disconnected from the discipline and restraint the real military lives by.
This is why breaking his behavior down matters.
People need to see the difference between leadership...and cosplay… between lawful authority...and childish fantasy… between warriors...and men who desperately pretend to be one.
Your voice matters in this moment.
Your resistance matters.
And I’m right here in the trenches with you...steady as ever!
Jack
P.S. I'd bet anything...depending on how many years you've lived in the KC area... can hear the jingle that goes along with these words: "Call 321-2277 Anytime Night or Daaaaay!" :)
Unfortunately " juvenile and performative" describes the core traits of MAGA so they eat it up!
Thank you so much Jack for this analysis. You help me retain my insanity by helping me to analyze events better - I don't have your skills of analysis, but I admire your abilities and trust your analysis. You make me remember what a CPO told me as a young ensign - you can order your men to do anything, but that is all you will get, however, if your men trust you, then you will not have to order anything, because your men know what has to be done and will respect you for recognizing that. While I only served 8 years during the Vietman War, that advice has been one of my guideposts. That is why I appreciate so much your analysis and insights.
Allen...his means more than you know...and your CPO’s advice is exactly the kind of wisdom...that separates real leadership...from the hollow performance we’re seeing from people like Hegseth.
You lived it. You’ve seen the difference.
What you said is the whole story:
Orders can force action.
Trust creates unity.
And unity is what keeps people alive.
That’s why I break these moments down so fiercely. Not to add noise...but to help people see what’s actually happening beneath the surface...the way a seasoned officer reads a room...a unit...or a threat before...anyone else notices the shift.
Your 8 years of service during Vietnam gave you a lens most Americans will never have. And the fact that you still hold onto that guidepost...that trust > force...is a testament to who you are.
Thank you for saying this.
Thank you for your service.
And thank you for trusting my analysis...I don’t take that lightly.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Jack, thank you for your ability to take complex ideas and distill them down for people like me to understand. You are using your gift wisely. I don’t know anything about politics or the military, but I do know Kids’ books. Kids Can Press issued a statement about Hegseth’s horrible misuse of Franklin the turtle. What he did was outrageous. I think they should sue! #HoldFast
Joanne, thank you...that means a lot. And honestly...the fact that someone who doesn’t live and breathe politics...or military structure...can still instantly recognize how outrageous Hegseth’s behavior was… tells you everything.
Real leadership communicates clearly. Real wrongdoing...is obvious across disciplines.
And yes...Kids Can Press...speaking out was a perfect indicator of how far over the line he went. When a children’s publisher has to publicly distance itself because a grown man...in public office...used a beloved character to glorify violence?
That’s not politics.
That’s not “strength.”
That’s immaturity and irresponsibility at a level that embarrasses the nation.
As for suing...I don’t know what the legal path looks like there...but I completely understand the sentiment. When you misuse a character millions of kids grew up with… to cheer on real-world death… you’ve crossed into territory that should concern everyone... regardless of party or politics.
And that’s why breaking this down matters.
People need to see the full picture...clearly...simply...and without the fog.
#HoldFast
-Jack
The Turtle book is a long loved young child’s book (Canadian author).. Canada is some pissed at pisshead Pete 🐢
I was saddened to read this post, not because you’re wrong - far from it. Your psychological insights, on which I’m qualified to comment, touch it with a needle. I’m saddened because you had to write it. You’ve said nothing contentious. There is such a thing as a legal or an illegal order. But I’ve read comments from even respectable sources where even discussing this is seen as a kind of treason. The opposite is true.
Another psychological point is the creation of an out-group that allows ‘us,’ the in-group to bind together against the enemy out-group (‘them’), cementing - or trying to cement - allegiance to our leaders. Foreign adventures are ideal. One recent example was Argentina in the late 1970s, where the ruling military junta, in trouble at home, ‘united’ the country by invading the Falkland Islands. We know what happened then. OK, it’s not Venezuelan drug dealers, who are a Bad Thing, but it makes you think (hopefully). Great work! With gratitude.
Mike...thank you... especially coming from someone who understands the psychology behind this as deeply as you do.
And...I share your sadness. The fact that even discussing the legality of orders...or the psychological patterns behind dangerous rhetoric... is treated by some as disloyalty… is exactly how healthy democracies start to slip. In reality... it’s the opposite...refusing to question power is the true danger.
Your point about in-group/out-group dynamics is spot-on.
Authoritarian psychology...thrives on manufacturing an enemy...any enemy...to create cohesion...obedience...and emotional shortcuts in the in-group.
When leaders feel shaky at home...they often look outward for a distraction. History is full of examples...and the Falklands is a sobering one...a failing regime...a foreign adventure... and a public pulled into a story...designed to tighten allegiance.
It’s a timeless tactic.
And it’s why analysis matters so much...not because we’re looking to provoke...but because shining a light on the pattern is the only way to stop it from gaining momentum.
Thank you for bringing your expertise into this space.
And thank you...for reading with such depth.
#HoldFast
-Jack
You spelled it out for those that do not understand military rules. I know because of family. I am hoping that congress does its job with this as they bring up the investigation . It sounded like some of the repubs are not buying this. All we can do is wait and see and contact our reps to bring this to an investigation at least. This guy is a loose cannon for sure. And of course all this is about the "oil" that they are not mentioning .Thanks for this breakdown. I to have a similar social life of a few close neighbors and spouse and $ dogs and son with his family 2 streets over since I live in a residential area built in the 50-60's. #HOLD FAST
Thank you, Teri...and you’re right...a lot of people outside the military truly don’t understand the rules...the codes of conduct...or the level of restraint that’s supposed to come with that kind of responsibility.
That’s why breaking this down matters so much.
And yes...even some Republicans seemed uneasy with what happened...which tells you this isn’t a partisan issue so much as a basic-standard-of-duty issue.
Whether Congress follows through...will depend entirely on whether people keep pressure on their representatives...which is exactly...what you’re doing.
As for motive...I’ll stay careful about speculation...but you’re right that there are strong geopolitical interests at play in that region...and that context is absolutely part of the story.
And your social life? Sounds a lot like mine. A few close neighbors...a spouse...dogs...and family nearby; honestly...that’s the kind of world worth protecting.
#HoldFast...we’ve got a lot of work ahead...but we’re not doing it alone!
-Jack
Thank you Jack for continuing to offer a clear understanding of what we are facing.
I just watched the IHIP gals, Jen and Angie, discuss Hegseth and his psychotic sociopathic desires for our country's military. I wanted to vomit when they showed a clip of Megyn Kelly saying she wants those blown up by Hegseth to suffer longer, lose an arm or leg and bleed, suffer more. Jesus H F'ing Christ. Not one of these murdered souls has been charged, tried or convicted. And even if they had been, trump and Hegseth don't have the right in any form to murder them.
We truly have entered the Twilight Zone. Laura Looney has been given a desk in the Pentagon and we have Republican congresswoman, Maria Salazar on Fox News:
"We're about to go in to Venezuela and the main reason is oil.
For American oil companies it will be a field day, generating more than a TRILLION DOLLARS in economic activity.”
Sue
Sue, I hear you...and your reaction is completely human. When public figures start speaking casually about suffering...mutilation...or extrajudicial violence...it crosses a line that healthy democracies cannot afford to ignore.
That kind of rhetoric isn’t strength...it’s moral decay. And it’s exactly why clarity and analysis are so necessary right now.
What you saw from Megyn Kelly is part of a broader...deeply unhealthy pattern:
The normalization of dehumanizing language.
Because once a group of people is framed as less-than-human...or “deserving” of pain...it becomes frighteningly easy for certain political actors to justify abuses of power...cruelty... and violations of both domestic and international law.
That’s the psychological danger.
And you’re right...people speaking as if public officials have unilateral authority to harm anyone without due process is not just wrong...it’s legally impossible.
No one in this country...not a president...not a secretary...not a TV host...gets to bypass the law.
Dehumanization + celebration of suffering = an authoritarian warning signal.
Your reference to Laura Loomer being given access to Pentagon spaces...and Rep. Salazar’s comments about Venezuela...reinforce the same theme:
Reckless rhetoric...overheated fantasies of force...and a total disregard for the real-world costs of conflict.
And when someone says the quiet part out loud...“the main reason is oil… a trillion dollars in activity”...they’re revealing the underlying incentive structure.
It’s not national security.
It’s not justice.
It’s not democracy.
It’s profit, power...and projection.
You’re not wrong to feel like we’re in a Twilight Zone moment...because this is what happens...when political actors...become so insulated...unrestrained...and performative... that they start treating war and suffering like content.
But...here’s the important part:
You’re not losing your mind.
You’re seeing the pattern clearly.
And calling it out...is exactly what keeps it from becoming normalized.
This is why I stay loud on X. Strategic provocation isn’t just noise...it’s a tool. It moves the fight for democracy forward… and it keeps my own mental gears...from locking up.
Thank you for staying engaged...thank you for paying attention...and thank you...for refusing to let this kind of rhetoric pass unchecked.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Thank you for delivering clarity from the fog.
Julia...you are most welcome.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Thank you Jack. Your breakdowns are SO worth reading and digesting. These days are difficult but you make it more understandable. I appreciate your deep analyses. Kegstand HAS to go. #HOLDFAST
Thank you, Pamela...that means a lot.
These are hard days...and the only way to stay steady...is to understand exactly what we’re looking at.
If my breakdowns help cut through the noise...and make the terrain clearer...then I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
And yes… Kegstand’s behavior is a flashing red warning light.
Accountability isn’t optional...not now.
#HOLDFAST...we’re not backing off. Not ONE damn inch.
-Jack
This nose bloodying lip splitting theater is among the most reliable evidence there is of underworld control of our government.
Powerful. Thank you Jack.
Here’s what I found Jack
https://apple.news/AydW1r3U-QsifyYqLD9iQDQ