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To the editor:
Gaslighting, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is a sophisticated and deceptive technique used to manipulate and psychologically control an individual over time.
The goal is to make the victim unable to tell truth from lies, so they depend on the manipulator’s judgment of what’s valid. This makes them intellectual and emotional slaves to a narcissistic manipulator.
During the Biden administration, gaslighting was used to convince the public that inflation was temporary and the southern border was secure, despite thousands of people crossing weekly.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas repeatedly declared the border secure on major news programs. In 2017, Kamala Harris claimed illegal border crossings weren’t crimes, but during the 2024 presidential campaign, she vowed to prosecute them.
Critics accused her of gaslighting the public due to this contradiction.
The most blatant attempt to gaslight the public was to convince Americans that President Biden was sharp as a tack. Biden apologists dismissed clips of Biden shaking hands with the air, wandering off at events, and being escorted by a bunny at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll as illusions, akin to the 1944 film Gaslight, where a man manipulates his wife into believing she’s going insane.
Fortunately, the American public did not buy it.
Robert Sica
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krell1349
The Trump administration are the biggest gaslighters ever. We see things with our own eyes and they twist it around. Trump's cognitive functions are failing and it's so obvious, slurring words, walking around aimlessly and not walking too well. And that's not gaslighting, it what we see with our own eyes.
Thursday, February 19 Report this
Valete
You’re spot on if you’re talking about former President Joe Biden! I appreciate your honesty and observant eye.
Thursday, February 19 Report this
fcannisi
To add to krell1349's first sentence - and Robert Sica(phant) is a cautionary tale in Trump gaslighting.
Thursday, February 19 Report this
Valete
Thanks for the compliment reenroe!
Thursday, February 19 Report this
fcannisi
I'm happy to compliment Robert Sica on his being a victim of Trump's gaslighting.
Thursday, February 19 Report this
krell1349
Remember, I am talking about Trump not Biden. Don't twist my words.
Friday, February 20 Report this
Valete
You’re talking about Trump, but you are defining #47, Joe Biden!
Friday, February 20 Report this
Valete
Try writing something intelligent, stylish, and engaging for the reader; it only hurts a little!
Friday, February 20 Report this
krell1349
Wrong Word Man, stop twisting my words. I'll write whatever I want. I don't need to write a lengthy diatribe to get to my point.
Saturday, February 21 Report this
fcannisi
@ krell1349, Word Man thinks volume equals quality. As I have said before - an empty barrel makes the most noise.
Saturday, February 21 Report this
Valete
I appreciate your one-liners, but it would be great if you could back up your political views with some facts—that way, I can really consider them.
Read articles from different political perspectives and form your own opinion. Avoid political gaslighting!
It’s true that information can be tailored to fit political views, but it also sparks more interesting and thoughtful conversations.
Letter-writers share their thoughts, insights, letters, and commentaries with The Chief weekly.
Why?
The Chief welcomes all political opinions from the left, right, and center.
Saturday, February 21 Report this
Valete
Krell1349
Oops, that’s not Krell 1349! To really make your points stand out, it would be great to back them up with some solid information.
I appreciate your repartees, but I think adding some facts to your quips would liven things up. To say that Mr. Trump is the cause of the country’s social and financial divides is politically-correct, but without evidence, your comments fall on deaf ears.
AOC at the Munich Security Conference put her foot in her mouth.
In February 2026, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) faced significant criticism for her performance during a discussion on China and Taiwan at the Munich Security Conference.
Critics and political opponents highlighted several key "flops" from the exchange:
Non-Committal Stance on Defense: When asked directly by Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua if the U.S. "should and would" commit troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Ocasio-Cortez failed to give a definitive "yes" or "no" answer.
“
Word Salad" Delivery:
Her response was widely mocked for being unpolished and filled with frequent pauses and filler words, such as "Um, you know, I think that—this is such a, you know...". Vice President JD Vance described the exchange as “the most uncomfortable 20 seconds” of television and labeled it "embarrassing”.
Factual Misstatements:
Ocasio-Cortez asserted that committing U.S. troops to defend Taiwan is a "very long-standing policy of the United States." Fact-checkers and columnists noted this is inaccurate, as the U.S. has historically maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" rather than a formal commitment to deploy troops.
Questioned Readiness for 2028:
The performance sparked debate among veteran Democrats and media panels regarding her readiness for a potential 2028 presidential run, with critics arguing the "gaffe" exposed a lack of foreign policy depth.
Naturtally, her left leaning supporters and some panelists argued that the criticism was overblown for a 20-second stumble and that she correctly identified the ultimate goal of avoiding military confrontation through economic and global positioning.
Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt:
AOC’s debate performance at the Munich Security Conference sparked debate among veteran Democrats and media panels about her readiness for a potential 2028 presidential run. Critics argued that her “gaffes” revealed a lack of foreign policy depth, casting doubt on her readiness for a potential 2028 presidential run.
Saturday, February 21 Report this
wpeakes
It's hilarious to read criticisms of Biden's mental acuity when we're still trying to figure out what Trump meant by "covfefe" and what streams of consciousness he's floating down during some of his news conferences...LOL!!
Saturday, February 21 Report this
Valete
This one gaffe by former President Biden is a classic gaffe.
The end of the NATO summit in Washington on July 11, 2024, was billed as the most important moment of Biden’s career.
He had not even faced his first question when he made his first mistake, as he introduced Volodymyr Zelensky to the world’s media.
“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”
Keep laughing!
Sunday, February 22 Report this
fcannisi
If you want to understand how Gaslighting works, I offer the following statements from Trump followed by verbatim quotes from R. Sica/Word Man/J. Donne/000:
Trump press release from 4/15/26 - “illegal aliens are still a $150.7 billion net fiscal burden.”
R. Sica/Word Man post from 4/25/25 - “The annual cost of illegal immigration to the American taxpayer is $150 billion”
Trump on Truth Social 6/12/25 - “Our great farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. That is not good…. Changes are coming!”
R. Sica/Word man post on 6/18/25 “We are a nation with a rich immigrant history. Consequently, law-abiding immigrants who have immigrated to America in pursuit of a better life should receive a warm welcome ( bienvenidos )”
After Trump flip-flops back to “very aggressive” immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, Word Man posts on 2/19/26: “Hello! Illegal immigration is illegal, and a country that fails to manage its borders is not a true country. All immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. must comply with immigration laws or be repatriated.” In short, a warm welcome is replaced with a cold get lost!
That is gaslighting 101.
Sunday, February 22 Report this
Valete
The first paragraph of my letter defines the term “gaslighting.”
Former President Joe Biden’s administration engaged in a prolonged campaign of misinformation and deception aimed at the American public. The Biden administration’s policies regarding open borders are in direct violation of federal immigration law.
Illegal aliens who violate federal immigration law are subject to criminal prosecution and should not be rewarded. Such actions undermine the integrity of the American legal system.
Providing illegal aliens with free healthcare, housing, and education is an excessive demand that disregards the established American legal framework.
Your post exemplifies gaslighting. You have been gaslighting the Chief’s readership for years.
If you are uncertain about the concept of gaslighting, please refer to paragraph one of my letter. If you still lack comprehension, I recommend rereading it repeatedly until you achieve a clear understanding.
Monday, February 23 Report this
fcannisi
If I were Word-y Man I would post more judiciously. He is likely to be forced to eat his own words when Trump flip-flop-flips as demonstrated in my last post.
Monday, February 23 Report this
Valete
Reen’roe,
You’re all about gaslighting the readership!
Have a great day!
Monday, February 23 Report this
Valete
If I were Reen’roe, I’d stop posting misinformation. But then again, if he did, he wouldn’t have any information to post.
Cheers, Reen’roe
Monday, February 23 Report this
Valete
Bemused, Bothered, and bewildered
Former US President Biden was synonymous with the word gaffe.
His usual daily blunders caused many people to heartily laugh.
Well-known for walking about in large unconventional circles,
Joe Biden, Democrat, avoided countless legal hurdles.
Often bemused, Biden blithely played the cello.
He assigned White House duties to Mary and Marcelo.
A man for all seasons, Pal Joey was not.
For he ruled America akin to Pol Pot.
Monday, February 23 Report this
fcannisi
Hey, Word-y why don't you tell again about the article you read in the Florida Times Union citing Trump's 156 I.Q.
Oh, I forgot you never really read the article because if you had you would have realized that the article found the claim that Trump has an I.Q. was FAKE NEWS. Don't look now, but your lights are flickering.
Tuesday, February 24 Report this