Stopping the Steal

A comprehensive and narratively gripping recount of MAGA's attempts to pressure, intimidate, and smear Republican election officials into overriding the will of the American people. If you know anyone who didn't follow the events of the last election closely and still isn't quite sure what happened, I implore you to show this to them.

Behind the act, the man portrayed in the testimonies here is the real Donald Trump. A dangerous, self-obsessed narcissist who would have never taken no for an answer - even if he'd decisively lost every state in the nation.

Let it be a warning of things to come should we make the same mistake again.

Anyone can make a film where they embolden confirmation bias by interviewing people and presenting evidence that only supports their own position. That is part of the disease of today's social media culture. The strength of this film is that it presents a hypothesis-that Donald Trump knew he lost the election, and there was no evidence to support it and proceeded anyway, from the position of pre-Trump supporters, State Officials, and Washington insiders. These people all wanted Trump to win, but they believed in truth more, The film shows how they were systemically targeted and vilified as they could not find any viable evidence to support the outrageous allegations made by the President's election team. It really is heart-wrenching to watch. Mike Pence, whom I was never a fan of, is a hero. He is a hero, for not only not overturning the election, but, as you will see, by not abandoning The Capitol while under siege, as he could have. This is a must watch.

How does anyone say this is a biased doc when there are no Dems, only Republican insiders that are interviewed? One really has to wonder about their critical thinking skills.

I mean really, Bill Barr is part of a conspiracy? When he has admitted that he's voting for Trump in 2024? He's straight up telling the truth here. Everyone is, except the conspiracy theorists (who believe they're telling the truth). The doc has to include the conspiracy theorists in order to show why they believe the Big Lie. So be prepared to either be frustrated (left and ind) or confused (right and ind).

I hope this doc gains traction because there are a ton of people (half the country) that need to be deprogrammed. They also need to watch the 60 Minutes segment on fake electors - it's what made me understand why this "steal" conspiracy is so insidious and egregious. It's really scary how easily they could have been successful. It behooves all of us to understand history, lest we repeat it.

Thank god for Republican officials who have a moral compass and still believe in facts. Honestly, it's nice to see, because I had lost all faith in members of the GOP.

As "Stopping the Steal" (2024 release; 90 min) opens, we are in Arizona, a key swing state in the 2020 presidential election, and the Maricopa Board of Supervisors, controlled by Republicans, are facing increased pressure to declare Trump the winner, even though he lost. At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: most critical in this documentary is that it is entirely seen and assessed from the Republicans' perspective. Not a single Democrat or independent voice is heard. Indeed, the remarkable thing is that the open and blatant attempt by Trump and his crew to throw out the will of the voters is thwarted primarily by... elected Republicans. We hear them time and again lamenting "we're simply doing our job". The documentary captures all the classis moments from election day to January 6, and to see it laid out so clearly is both chilling and horrifying. Of course we all know that Trump never has been, or is, or will be, a Republican. He simply hijacked the GOP for his own purposes and interests, and the GOP just let him do it. The timing of this documentary, released less than 2 months before the 2024 presidential election, is no coincidence of course. Already we see Trump cast doubt, every single day, that the election is "rigged". The fact that there is no evidence of that is of course nothing but a minor inconvenience, just like in 2020. It remains to be seen if our Republic can survive another open and blatant attempt to overthrow the will of the people...

"Stopping the Steal" started streaming on Max 10 days ago, and I finally found the time to watch it the other night. If you have any interest in politics, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Stopping the Steal is a gripping documentary that exposes the dangerous consequences of lies and manipulation in American politics. The film takes an unflinching look at the insidious "Stop the Steal" movement, spearheaded by none other than Donald Trump, a man who has shown a complete disregard for truth, democracy, and the American people.

What makes this film so compelling is how it meticulously unpacks the events that followed the 2020 presidential election. It showcases how Trump's baseless claims of a rigged election were not only detached from reality but also a cynical ploy to cling to power. Watching his supporters-misled, emboldened, and manipulated-unfolds like a slow-motion train wreck, but the real tragedy is the damage done to the nation's democratic fabric. Trump, a man whose ego apparently outweighs any concern for the country, comes off as nothing more than a sore loser who weaponized lies for personal gain. His rhetoric has inflicted irreparable harm on trust in American institutions, leaving a trail of division, chaos, and violence.

What elevates this film beyond mere documentation of events is its careful dissection of how Trump's narcissism fueled the entire movement. His refusal to accept responsibility is shocking but unsurprising. Stopping the Steal expertly captures his ability to exploit fear and stoke the flames of division-something he has been doing throughout his entire career.

While the subject matter is disturbing, the filmmakers deserve immense credit for their sharp narrative and focus on the facts, driving home how easily the fragile nature of democracy can be shaken when leaders like Trump act without integrity or accountability.

The only reason it's not a perfect 10 is that I wish they had gone even further in highlighting the ongoing repercussions of Trump's actions. The stain he's left on American politics, unfortunately, goes far beyond January 6th.

In short, this is a must-watch for anyone who values truth and democracy, and a sobering reminder of what can happen when a man like Trump is given power.