Gary Kleeblatt
@kleebs.bsky.social
I’m a writer interested in how semiotics (how signs mean) and ideology (what we believe) explain our politics.
Telling the truth doesn’t matter in a culture that expects politicians to lie: www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/p...
Fact check: Trump denies saying something he said on camera five days ago | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump on Monday falsely denied making a comment he had made on camera just five days prior. Then he launched a personal attack against the reporter who had accurately repeated his pre...
www.cnn.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Telling the truth doesn’t matter in a culture that expects politicians to lie: www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/p...
Democrats’ political incompetence is responsible for our country electing a felon for president TWICE.
Democrats act like they are talking to a liberal country. It is not and here is the proof: differencesdrivedecisions.substack.com/p/dems-dont-...
Democrats act like they are talking to a liberal country. It is not and here is the proof: differencesdrivedecisions.substack.com/p/dems-dont-...
August 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Democrats’ political incompetence is responsible for our country electing a felon for president TWICE.
Democrats act like they are talking to a liberal country. It is not and here is the proof: differencesdrivedecisions.substack.com/p/dems-dont-...
Democrats act like they are talking to a liberal country. It is not and here is the proof: differencesdrivedecisions.substack.com/p/dems-dont-...
Interesting that being a “proud American” is so dominant in our country and yet these same “patriots” largely hate the American government. It reflects our fundamentally conservative ideology, and Democrats don’t understand this central fact of American political life.
August 17, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Interesting that being a “proud American” is so dominant in our country and yet these same “patriots” largely hate the American government. It reflects our fundamentally conservative ideology, and Democrats don’t understand this central fact of American political life.
Trump gained his political stature by being the anti-Democrat, anti- woke, anti-liberal. Because what we are against defines us.
But if Democrats are always against Trump and what he does and says, aren’t they just reinforcing exactly what Trump wants in relation to defining the differences?
But if Democrats are always against Trump and what he does and says, aren’t they just reinforcing exactly what Trump wants in relation to defining the differences?
August 9, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Trump gained his political stature by being the anti-Democrat, anti- woke, anti-liberal. Because what we are against defines us.
But if Democrats are always against Trump and what he does and says, aren’t they just reinforcing exactly what Trump wants in relation to defining the differences?
But if Democrats are always against Trump and what he does and says, aren’t they just reinforcing exactly what Trump wants in relation to defining the differences?
Gallup says 25% of Americans identify as liberal.
Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
Does anyone else see the problem?
Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
Does anyone else see the problem?
July 13, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Gallup says 25% of Americans identify as liberal.
Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
Does anyone else see the problem?
Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
Does anyone else see the problem?
Gallup says 25% of Americans identify as liberal. Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
This boils down the D dilemma in 2 numbers. Doomed to put forward liberal candidates in a country that is not by any means liberal.
This boils down the D dilemma in 2 numbers. Doomed to put forward liberal candidates in a country that is not by any means liberal.
July 2, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Gallup says 25% of Americans identify as liberal. Pew says 54% of Democrats identify as liberal.
This boils down the D dilemma in 2 numbers. Doomed to put forward liberal candidates in a country that is not by any means liberal.
This boils down the D dilemma in 2 numbers. Doomed to put forward liberal candidates in a country that is not by any means liberal.
What they are thinking and projecting with their expressions:
JD - I hope MAGA doesn’t get mad at me. So I better look troubled.
Hegseth - Maybe Trump won’t fire me if I look tough enough.
Marco - Do I really want to be standing here with these clowns?
Trump - Do I look like a president?
JD - I hope MAGA doesn’t get mad at me. So I better look troubled.
Hegseth - Maybe Trump won’t fire me if I look tough enough.
Marco - Do I really want to be standing here with these clowns?
Trump - Do I look like a president?
June 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
What they are thinking and projecting with their expressions:
JD - I hope MAGA doesn’t get mad at me. So I better look troubled.
Hegseth - Maybe Trump won’t fire me if I look tough enough.
Marco - Do I really want to be standing here with these clowns?
Trump - Do I look like a president?
JD - I hope MAGA doesn’t get mad at me. So I better look troubled.
Hegseth - Maybe Trump won’t fire me if I look tough enough.
Marco - Do I really want to be standing here with these clowns?
Trump - Do I look like a president?
Ideology exists where no one asks questions or seeks evidence. “Waste, fraud and abuse.” Everything perhaps can be more efficient. But trillions of dollars? Can we see some evidence please?
June 1, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Ideology exists where no one asks questions or seeks evidence. “Waste, fraud and abuse.” Everything perhaps can be more efficient. But trillions of dollars? Can we see some evidence please?
This poll says only 1 of 3 Democrats are optimistic about their party’s future. This is a positive contrary indicator. The party needs to realize it is lost so that it can establish a new identity. The old identity is so aligned with “government” as to become untenable.
apnews.com/article/poll...
apnews.com/article/poll...
Democrats are deeply pessimistic about the future of their party, an AP-NORC poll finds
A new poll finds Democrats are deeply pessimistic about the future of their party. And neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party is viewed favorably by the majority of U.S. adults.
apnews.com
May 18, 2025 at 12:29 PM
This poll says only 1 of 3 Democrats are optimistic about their party’s future. This is a positive contrary indicator. The party needs to realize it is lost so that it can establish a new identity. The old identity is so aligned with “government” as to become untenable.
apnews.com/article/poll...
apnews.com/article/poll...
Trump takes position supporting HIGHER taxes on the wealthy illustrates how to establish winning differences by taking them away from the opposition. Explanation follows here:
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
Whataboutism - Semiotics Explains How this Logical Fallacy Elected Trump
“Whataboutism” - when someone dismisses a scandal or allegation by arguing that others engaged in the same behavior - gets criticized as a “logical fallacy.” That’s because the fact that others engage...
substack.com
May 8, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Trump takes position supporting HIGHER taxes on the wealthy illustrates how to establish winning differences by taking them away from the opposition. Explanation follows here:
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
Trump supporting HIGHER taxes on people earning $2 million a year. Another example of him mastering the process of creating differences - by nullifying differences opponents want to establish. This negates a key difference that Dems rely on: support the middle class by taxing the rich.
May 8, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Trump supporting HIGHER taxes on people earning $2 million a year. Another example of him mastering the process of creating differences - by nullifying differences opponents want to establish. This negates a key difference that Dems rely on: support the middle class by taxing the rich.
Semiotics Shows How Dems Served Up Winning Contrasts - For Trump - And Gave MAGA The Election
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
Democrats Won Election For Trump: Semiotics Shows How Biden-Harris Handed MAGA The Winning Contrasts
By Gary Kleeblatt
substack.com
April 1, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Semiotics Shows How Dems Served Up Winning Contrasts - For Trump - And Gave MAGA The Election
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
Dems won the election - for Trump: Semiotics shows how Biden-Harris gave MAGA the winning contrasts
open.substack.com/pub/differen...
open.substack.com/pub/differen...
Democrats Won Election For Trump: Semiotics Shows How Biden-Harris Handed MAGA The Winning Contrasts
By Gary Kleeblatt
open.substack.com
March 30, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Dems won the election - for Trump: Semiotics shows how Biden-Harris gave MAGA the winning contrasts
open.substack.com/pub/differen...
open.substack.com/pub/differen...
Resistance to Trump should not be the goal of the Democratic Party. The Dems job is to make life better for regular people (those of us who are not billionaires) and to win the ‘26 and, most important, ‘28 elections so that there is a Democratic Party left to even care about.
March 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Resistance to Trump should not be the goal of the Democratic Party. The Dems job is to make life better for regular people (those of us who are not billionaires) and to win the ‘26 and, most important, ‘28 elections so that there is a Democratic Party left to even care about.
Whataboutism: #Smerconish doesn’t know how Semiotics influences politics
Among the best, Smerconish is right that “whataboutism” doesn’t excuse wrongdoing. But it does explain Trump’s political success.
It’s the same reason people don’t react to a tiger bearing stripes - they expect it.
Among the best, Smerconish is right that “whataboutism” doesn’t excuse wrongdoing. But it does explain Trump’s political success.
It’s the same reason people don’t react to a tiger bearing stripes - they expect it.
Gary Kleeblatt | Substack
I write about how political communication functions. Largely applying my grad studies in semiotics (how signs create meaning), ideology (how we collectively think) and public address (how we talk) to ...
differencesdrivedecisions.substack.com
February 21, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Whataboutism: #Smerconish doesn’t know how Semiotics influences politics
Among the best, Smerconish is right that “whataboutism” doesn’t excuse wrongdoing. But it does explain Trump’s political success.
It’s the same reason people don’t react to a tiger bearing stripes - they expect it.
Among the best, Smerconish is right that “whataboutism” doesn’t excuse wrongdoing. But it does explain Trump’s political success.
It’s the same reason people don’t react to a tiger bearing stripes - they expect it.
Problem? What problem?
GOP has largest advantage over Dems on favorability in history of Quinnipiac U polling.
poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
Dems need to understand that this is a STRUCTURALLY CONSERVATIVE country. Wake up please!
GOP has largest advantage over Dems on favorability in history of Quinnipiac U polling.
poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
Dems need to understand that this is a STRUCTURALLY CONSERVATIVE country. Wake up please!
Trump Begins Second Term Stronger Than The First,
6 In 10 Voters Approve Of Sending U.S. Troops To Southern Border,
Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds;
Majority Disapprove Of Elon Musk's Rol...
"The huge deployment of boots on the ground is not to a dicey, far away war theater, but to the American border. And a majority of voters are just fine with that," said Quinnipiac University Polling A...
poll.qu.edu
February 2, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Problem? What problem?
GOP has largest advantage over Dems on favorability in history of Quinnipiac U polling.
poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
Dems need to understand that this is a STRUCTURALLY CONSERVATIVE country. Wake up please!
GOP has largest advantage over Dems on favorability in history of Quinnipiac U polling.
poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
Dems need to understand that this is a STRUCTURALLY CONSERVATIVE country. Wake up please!
Dems Don’t Understand America: This is a Structurally Conservative Country
substack.com/@differences...
Please consider a free subscription to my Substack page for more analysis using communication theory (semiotics and ideology critique) to take a fresh look at American politics.
substack.com/@differences...
Please consider a free subscription to my Substack page for more analysis using communication theory (semiotics and ideology critique) to take a fresh look at American politics.
January 29, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Dems Don’t Understand America: This is a Structurally Conservative Country
substack.com/@differences...
Please consider a free subscription to my Substack page for more analysis using communication theory (semiotics and ideology critique) to take a fresh look at American politics.
substack.com/@differences...
Please consider a free subscription to my Substack page for more analysis using communication theory (semiotics and ideology critique) to take a fresh look at American politics.
My parents met in a WWII concentration camp and nearly my entire family was murdered. I couldn’t dislike Trump and Musk more than I do, BUT calling them Nazis is (1) inappropriate because Nazis killed millions and (2) ineffective because few will believe the exaggeration. Don’t make Trump a fetish.
January 22, 2025 at 10:24 PM
My parents met in a WWII concentration camp and nearly my entire family was murdered. I couldn’t dislike Trump and Musk more than I do, BUT calling them Nazis is (1) inappropriate because Nazis killed millions and (2) ineffective because few will believe the exaggeration. Don’t make Trump a fetish.
What you are against is very critical because it is a powerful defining force. Dems would be smart to think hard about what they want to be against. Being against Trump might not be working too well. Is being anti-Trump the best position for Dems? It’s not entirely clear but it’s a good question.
January 17, 2025 at 3:31 PM
What you are against is very critical because it is a powerful defining force. Dems would be smart to think hard about what they want to be against. Being against Trump might not be working too well. Is being anti-Trump the best position for Dems? It’s not entirely clear but it’s a good question.
Andrew Cuomo - he resigned as NY Governor following sexual misconduct allegations involving 11 women - is reportedly gonna run for NYC mayor. That didn’t hurt Trump so …
it will be an interesting test of the thesis that scandal doesn’t hurt politicians because voters expect it.
it will be an interesting test of the thesis that scandal doesn’t hurt politicians because voters expect it.
January 16, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Andrew Cuomo - he resigned as NY Governor following sexual misconduct allegations involving 11 women - is reportedly gonna run for NYC mayor. That didn’t hurt Trump so …
it will be an interesting test of the thesis that scandal doesn’t hurt politicians because voters expect it.
it will be an interesting test of the thesis that scandal doesn’t hurt politicians because voters expect it.
The blame game. As noted in my last article, the press quickly pivoted to stories pointing fingers at L.A. and California government and politician “failure” in the wildfires story. Another example of the news media as a conservative force eroding faith in government.
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
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January 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
The blame game. As noted in my last article, the press quickly pivoted to stories pointing fingers at L.A. and California government and politician “failure” in the wildfires story. Another example of the news media as a conservative force eroding faith in government.
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
The news media is a CONSERVATIVE force as watchdog role erodes faith in government. See the proof in my new Substack article.
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...
Home | Substack
Discover and discuss great writing with the world’s smartest readers on Substack.
substack.com
January 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The news media is a CONSERVATIVE force as watchdog role erodes faith in government. See the proof in my new Substack article.
substack.com/@differences...
substack.com/@differences...