In El Salvador today, authorities denied Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) a meeting or a phone call with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man the Trump regime sent by “administrative error” to the terrorist prison CECOT.
So is the Southern Baptist Convention, the NRA and the Catholic Church. Trump's foundation was tax exempt, but it was shut down because he was laundering money through it. They should all lose their tax exempt status as well as may of the white Christian nationalist organizations. Eventually, Trump will come for the FFRF (Freedom from Religion) organization.
I am a paying member of the FFRF and it rigorously and usually successfully pursues policies to keep religion out of government. There was a bill here in Maryland which I opposed where some school districts wanted to bring in religious personnel to counsel students. (Probably to proselytize to students. We know their motives....)
Some years ago,in NH, religious councilors were allowed into schools to help ease the shortage of guidance councilors there. It didn't work out very well, as the faith-based councilors had very uneven training (meaning most sucked at the job) and many seemed to have an agenda that was not compatible with secular education institutions (meaning telling kids not to worry about abusive parents because the rapture was coming...).
I know of a case that ended in a 40 year prison term. Christian pastor, school kids but not school counselor, thankfully. We were required to report any abuse to CPS.
Stephanie, good for you. As a former public school employee, I wanted to keep religion out of the school. And as a taxpayer, I do not want to pay for religious indoctrination. We did have a Catholic school next door and we did provide them with special ed services and use of materials from the Education Service District which I think was required by law. I could write a book.
Yes, special ed funds go to and are managed by the public schools but they have to set aside a (small) portion of those funds for children who do not attend public schools. I do agree on keeping religion out of the schools - I'm retired now but would have strenuously rejected any idea of placing the ten commandments on a poster in my classroom. Instead, every teacher has a duty to put forward those habits that make a good citizen – respect for others, respect for our environment, be it the larger community or the smaller one of the classroom itself, etc.
I guess putting up a poster with hands of different colors on it doesn't count as being a tolerant and thoughtful citizen. It has come to my attention that a lot of these school vouchers are being used at Catholic schools. Less money for the public schools for those who do not have private or catholic schools available to them ( like the rural areas) I guess no one noticed that someone put the Bible on one of the ban book list.
Not to mislead you - I am not a legislator, but I belong to the Md. League of Women Voters and as a group, we wrote to legislators to oppose any religious infiltration into our public schools.
As a retired Special Educator, it is required by law that we provide services for special needs students in private schools. Who knows what will happen now. No Department of Ed, to watch over the states and no federal funding.
As far a your book Michele, I attended Catholic School from 1951-1959.
However, my input and experiences would turn it in to a horror story. I did learn how never to speak or treat a student.
Yes, who knows what will happen now with special ed students. Btw, I thought it was right that we served their special needs students. We had services for pregnant students within our school. However, one mother from the Catholic school wanted our district to pay to send her daughter to the Salem district. I do not think that happened since we had the services in house. We couldn't hide her however.
I know that our town sends special ed students to another town and pays a fee for that and bussing. We are now looking into building our own school and perhaps have paying students come to us, yet serving our own students.
I had a buddy, Jim Buie, a very talented Black man who was my "soul mate," both of us being confirmed agnostics/atheists (agnostic about how all of this came to be and atheist as to whether we have souls along with the existence of a personal transcendental God.) Jim passed away in 2014. It was Jim's position that indoctrination of children with religious dogma was a form of child abuse. I think that Jim was correct.
Yes, the Republican Arizona legislature is currently working on a similar bill to provide religious counselors in schools because we need to return God to our schools. I wonder which religion will get that contract.
Religion is a very old technology for defining social norms and moral behaviors. I will be glad when a newer social technology becomes the standard. Then churches will be more like old car museums...
De Santis sure doesn't know what our founding fathers were doing when they wrote out the rules for the US. Wonder if he ever read all of the constitution & other important works.
Florida, why am I not shocked. Don’t mean to offend anyone, but I live and taught there for 25 years. When I was a child, currently 79, the 10 Commandments were taught in church.
Stephanie, I was raised in a small rural town in NC in the 50’s & 60’s. Picture this: A church on every corner of town and in neighborhoods. Most were Baptist churches with a Methodist, Lutheran, and a Catholic Church mixed in. The New Testament was introduced to everyone in junior high as a mandatory course called “Bible Study”. Well, my parents were Holocaust victims and they went to the school and told the principal that their daughters would not be taking that course under any circumstances. We didn’t and I was/am grateful to them!
I have a religious story too: While preparing for my (Catholic) Confirmation, we had to memorize 3 long prayers. The Monsignor from Ogdensburg (NY) came down to my hometown to hear us recite these prayers. One girl could not get through them, so the Monsignor would continuously tap her with a ruler. I looked at the nun to see if she would intervene. She did not. After my Confirmation, I told my family I would no longer be a Catholic (I was 12). They accepted. From that day forward I have been an atheist and a humanitarian. I reject the intellectual and moral pretensions of Christianity....
Gary, it seems Toddler-Trump is doing his spaghetti act again, throwing stuff against a wall to see what wil stick. We have seen that there are law firms he could intimidate, so he knows they are vulnerable. Columbia capitulated, so he knows there are universities, even ones with stature that will fall before his own stupidity, hypocrisy, and bratty proclamations. He has had numerous people kidnapped and "disappeared" trying to see just how much he can get away with. It seems he can get away with a lot, now threatening American citizens for that disappearance. Trump is not doing this alone as the judge in the Garcia case has noted. I am guesssing the rabid toddlers Miller, JD Vance, and the other bottom-feeders in this administration are orchestrating this.
I asked a Duke professor who wrote “Democracy in Chains” if the Duke faculty could annul Miller’s diploma. She wrote they could not. (As a UNC-CH graduate, I thought it appropriate that a tobacco school could gain some stature. In this context: UNC is even older than Harvard. It opened, was closed by Native Americans. In the interim, Harvard was founded. So we had a public university even before the private one and in North Carolina, the most purple state imaginable when I was there in the ‘50’s).
Because it uses the money for educational purposes. And it does not pay profits to any shareholders. If you want to see what a tax-exempt charity is, look at 26 USC Sec, 501(c)(3). Other kinds of tax-exempt organizations are defined in the rest of Sec. 501. Oh, and have fun.
As a retired academic and associate dean in a business school I can also add that endowments are donations and most are restricted as to what the funds can be used for. The restrictions are part of the donation. One reason Harvard's endowment is so large is because it's been an educational institution longer than the US has been a separate country. Because of that, it has huge numbers of alumni who donate, and many other donors who encourage the research being done at Harvard. Some of the endowment goes into scholarships to broaden the base of students. And, Harvard is not known for its sports teams, so massive donations aren't going for those teams. If you want to look at universities' tax-exemption maybe you should look into schools (mostly state schools) who get tremendous funds, donations and taxpayer dollars, to pay football and basketball coaches and all the entourage and stadiums that comes with those teams. I'm not against sports, but solutions for cancer are coming faculty researchers, not football coaches.
A major difference is in Government grants to Universities for educational and research efforts compared to Alumni donations for sports vs all the other education, research, and categories of students the donors want to support.
How many of the best athletes could they lose if the weird and creepy DEI manipulations impact them?
Patricia, thank you for this post which explains endowments. I confess that we watch football and basketball games, but with the NIL and the transfer portal, it is now who can pay the most to athletes. Here in Oregon we have two major state schools, one of which is the alma mater of Phil Knight known as Uncle Phil. The other school does not have that kind of money. I just read an article on their woes. Personally, I would like to see sports removed from all educational institutions....yes, I know, in my dreams. And I am not against sports either.
Personally, I'd like to have all universities with ranked sports teams spun-off as separate entities and taxed like the minor leagues they are. No university has listed having a major sports team as part of its mission. I understand how so many people enjoy watching these teams play, and I'm glad that the players now realize some of the profits. I just wish they weren't paid for by students (through fees) and taxpayers.
I have long been a proponent of intramural sports. They give all students an opportunity to learn about their abilities/capabilities. I spent a lot of time covering study halls with the "losers" while the "winners" were out winning glory for the school.
Now you have me thinking about how many endowment contributions are for only certain groups like descendants of Revolutionary War Veterans, DAR, etc, though the anti-DEI actions would seemingly try to deny the use for Black descendants of Revolutionary War Veterans. How complicated would it be to separate the recipients, and what should happen to the funds (and interest earned) from contributions that had restrictions that the current administration wants applied?
I can't find the references to back up what I first heard from my mother about Bronson Alcott having his Temple School fail with the final loss of other students after he accepted the Black granddaughter of a Black Revolutionary War soldier.
My mother had worked as a maid for Clara Endicott Sears around 1940 at "the Peragolas" her summer cottage and property that included what she turned into the Fruitlands Museum. Louisa May Alcott's family spent time at before moving to Concord, so [my mother] knew a bit more than most, at the time, about the Alcott family
It is also a principal and principled research university that we ALL need to stay competitive with the rest of the world's scientific activity. Even though the maga people disdain science and methodologies of research in many fields.
I'm not a big fan of Harvard, but they accumulated the endowment largely because they're tax exempt and donations were deductible for the people who made them. A better way of going after some of that money would be allowing the 2017 tax cuts to expire and funding the IRS so they can audit high income individuals and companies to ensure that they are paying the taxes they owe.
There is also something in most states called an 'unrelated business tax'; this provides that any revenue from activities unrelated to the central mission of a tax exempt organization is subject to the same taxes we pay. It's complicated, but it does work.
I understand that, and I call my Congresswoman and Senators about it every day. Just one of Trump's many poor policy decisions based on what he thinks is best for him.
Harvard is an older institution than the United States government. Harvard researchers brought us vaccines, heart, surgery, cures to terrible diseases, and just plain enlightenment. Stop going after Harvard and its endowment. Don’t believe the horrific lies of this regime. Free speech begins with free thought. And there is such a thing as truth. Go after it. Don’t give up.
An early inspiration for the meaning of the separation of Church and State for me was the Pelham Massachusetts placement of the oldest Town Hall in continuous use in the US, next to the Church, making me think they were more serious than most in keeping the two separate.
Puritans were far from supporting the separation according to my mother who described our ancestors like Ethan Allen and Thomas Jefferson were strongly against the mixing of the two.
"...Reverend ED BACON (Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church): Therefore, synagogues, temples, mosques, and churches across America have no more guidance about the IRS rules now than when we started this process over two long years ago.
JAFFE: That's when retired Pastor George Regas preached the sermon framed as a debate between George W. Bush, John Kerry and Jesus. In case you are wondering, Jesus wins. Regas stated he wasn't telling anyone how to vote and that a person's faith might lead him or her to choose either candidate. Mostly, the sermon strongly condemned the war in Iraq and the government's treatment of the poor.
This is a typical Sunday morning at All Saints. The Church has been active in anti-war and civil rights issues for decades, leaving the Reverend Ed Bacon to wonder…
Rev. BACON: Whether we will be investigated again. The next time anyone of us is called to preach about the war, poverty or any other social and moral issues as they relate to governmental policies.
JAFFE: While the IRS was investigating All Saints, the church's attorney did some investigating of his own. Marcus Owens obtained government documents through the Freedom Of Information Act. He found e-mails indicating the IRS had been conferring with the Justice Department on how to proceed in the case.
Mr. MARCUS OWENS (Lead Attorney, All Saints Episcopal Church; Former Head of IRS Exemption Office): That seemed to indicate a level of coordination with the Department of Justice that I've never seen before, and I worked at the IRS for 25 years.
JAFFE: And, says Owens, this coordination could be a violation of laws that were adapted in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
Mr. OWENS: And they're designed to keep tax administration free of political influence..."
It seemed to me that the main reason the Bush 43 admin seemed to reconsider cancelling tax exemption for the church was that far more "conservative" churches would be at even greater risk of loss of exemption due to trying to influence the members politically.
In the late 18th century, the founders -- who knew their history -- had seen plenty of what the NON-separation of church and state had done in Europe. Martin Luther's 95 theses (1517), challenging the corruption of the then-ubiquitous and very powerful Catholic Church, helped launch the Protestant Reformation. It also gave a crucial tool to rulers like Henry VIII, who had political reasons for defying the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Voilà! the (Protestant) Church of England was born. In the 17th century, continental Europe was torn apart by the Thirty Years' War; religion was a factor in that one too.
The Puritans, of course, fled England because of religious persecution, and promptly started persecuting religious dissenters as soon as they had the power to do so. They absolutely did NOT support the separation of church and state once the church in question was THEIR church. Fwiw, I don't know enough about the circumstances in Pelham, MA, which was founded in 1743. Having a church next door to town hall doesn't strike me as a good sign, especially if most of the town fathers are members of that church.
The church and Town Hall weren't originally next to each other, but 65 years or so ago, I thought they had intentionally done that to keep the two distinctly separate (compared to other towns that used the churches as non-religious meeting houses for the residents). I had thought the original Town Hall had been used as a church, so that building the church was done when people were more determined to keep the two separate. (Mistaken optics on my part, but had the affect of strengthening my views on the need for separation.)
Pelham was where Daniel Shays lived, but most of the Shays' Rebellion was planned in Conkey's Tavern, in a section of town that has long been under the waters of Quabbbin Resrvoir (built between 1930 and 1939).
In my poorly informed youth I had thought they planned it in the Town Hall, not as I later learned was far more frequent political adventures being started and planned in taverns (and fueled by alcohol).
Susanna, in addition to Henry III's political reasons for defying the Roman Catholic Church, he had personal reasons. He wanted out of his marriage to devout Catholic Catherine of Aragon because he had the hots for Anne Boleyn.
Dale, yes, he was attracted to Anne and her sister had been his mistress, but his main concern was a male heir. He had been married to Catherine of Aragon for years and she had only produced a daughter who survived and was getting long in the tooth. Henry did have a bastard son with one of his mistresses and perhaps Mary Boleyn's Carey children were his. When Anne, who was not a quiet little wife, failed to have the required male heir, her enemies found a way for Henry to execute her. Then Thomas Cromwell saw a way to get all that church wealth and land, hence the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Jane Seymour provided the required male heir and promptly died. In the end his daughters, once declared bastards, were back in the line of succession. I would say that most royal marriages in those days were about politics and nothing else.
Nanny, I enjoyed Wolf Hall, but I thought that the portrayal of Thomas Cromwell made him too principled. He, like all people in politics in those days, was busy running after wealth and power. Also he was not an aristocrat and had humble beginnings.
I noted in my OP that he had "political reasons." That was one of them. Also Catherine hadn't produced a male heir. Anne didn't either, of course, but she did produce Elizabeth, the first of that name, and that had a major impact on English history (to put it mildly).
P.S. For kings and aristocratic and/or wealthy men, "having the hots" for a woman did not generally lead to marriage. What they wanted, they could take without long-term commitment. The lack of a male heir, OTOH. was very, very serious. Look at what happened after Elizabeth (the "Virgin Queen") died. The crown passed to James of the House of Stuart and before long all hell broke loose.
"The National Rifle Association is indeed a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. To be specific, it has 501(c)(4) status, meaning it is regarded as a "social welfare organization" by the Internal Revenue Service:
To be operated exclusively to promote social welfare, an organization must operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community (such as by bringing about civic betterment and social improvements.)"
The arrogance of the Heritage Foundation angers me. These are a bunch of billionaire funded wingnuts who think they have the right to undermine our government and the common good to enable the oligarchs to stuff money in their already overloaded pockets and to dictate to the rest of us how we should be governed, think, behave, and believe. They should lose their tax-exempt status for trying to undermine our government.
A number of entities have created this monster: the Republicans, the Christians, the wealthy, the Roberts Court, conservative judges like Aileen Cannon --- and the Voters!!
This is a result of the oligarchs playing the long game. Pushing money, buying a media network to promote the narrative, creating division, stacking the courts from cultivated right wing attorneys. It was all planned for decades. The left predictably played into their plans… here we are.
Absolutely. The Heritage Foundation is tax exempt under section 501c3 of the IRC, which forbids 501c3 organizations from spending more than an "insubstantial amount" of their revenues on lobbying. I looked at a recent Form 990 filed by the Heritage bunch, and it disclosed that it spent over 60% of its revenues for that year on lobbying. To complain to the IRS about this infraction, file IRS Form 13909 and attach copies of Form 990s showing excessive lobbying expenses.
Addendum ( to the class action impeachment ) please.
Such amazing summing up Heather…different day, same old threats. You can’t run the country with incompetence , but 🎶they’re not listening now and perhaps they never will🎶, Vincent.
Are you writing down their names, just a little note or date beside these to refer to the loyalty malfeasance , reference which state they’re from…we.need.to.keep.scores.
Yes, the illegality is (even for me ) is starkly obvious, but again …nobody getting away with all this is going to care …while the marshals/judges/law get their acts together …and I’m thrilled to see it beginning as if we didn’t know it would happen…but heretofore noting the voices also speaking up/denouncing ‘not what I voted for’ are -and will much further increase.
Spoken is the time frame to recuperate (12 years) from what the continuing/next months charades/lies/illegal actions/chaos will guarantee….BEFORE THEY ARE STOPPED.
Standing up to a bully takes time, dedication, and a LOT of supportive ‘hands’. I’m in!!!!
YES!! I was just about to type the same exact thing! Take the sentence that starts.....
Trump posted “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity.....". Take out the word Harvard and insert "evangelical churches, X, Y, and Z who are blatantly political and pro MAGA.
Why raise false equivalencies? This is retribution not fairnes. I'm sure we could get an amendment granting presidential retribution added to the constitution.
Who is this goon in the White House who holds the Constitution so in contempt?
Didn’t he take an oath to defend the Constitution – in full public view?
Does he think he’s a mini-Putin already, just because he and Putin both share Elon as their private, also-above-the-law, lawless asset?
Or do billionaires understand they’re all above the law – as the fat, orange, convicted criminal imagines he can just blow off the Supreme Court’s unanimous, 9-0 ruling against him and his illegal rendition of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to that Salvadoran death prison?
Does he think we don’t hear and see his canned-laughter audience of Vance, Bondi, and Rubio all yucking it up in the oval office as if it’s funny when he tells the Salvadoran dictator Bukele we’ll need five more prisons to begin next renditioning U.S. citizens?
He has never had any consequences for anything he has done in his entire life. He was correct that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not have any consequence except that his minions would cheer.
As Kathy Hughes (I think it was) calls deportation without due process -- human trafficking. Just another one of Trump's myriad crimes added to the list.
You say that but he has lost dozens of lawsuits and is exposed to many more and has had to pay many times. His auditors would say he has contingent liabilities.
I cannot find any reporting that Donald has paid a dime of his half-billion dollars in legal judgments. Those judgments are meaningless if he doesn't actually pay.
This is probably why Donald doesn't worry about his legal exposure. He's lived a penalty-free life, and as long as he remains in the White House, that will not change, thanks to the Roberts court.
They must have better courts than we do, and still ample supply of lawyers (with no conscience) who are in it for the money regardless of the obvious guilt of their client. I know, I know. Every person deserves as trial unless you are an illegal in the States, but still..
This should be an argument for having consistent laws/policies throughout the country. Felons cannot vote in Florida. As a matter of fact, several were arrested because they believed that they could vote. Evidently, they had received lots of encouraging literature. But here's the ticket. There's is a swarmy little clause that says a person CAN vote if the state allows felons to vote. Unfortunately, NY is one of them, hence a felon was allowed to vote.
He always slithers out of any possible punishment. He has never been prevented from doing whatever he wants to whomever he wants....a spoiled toddler with a big mouth and a big bag of cash...who conned a whole pile of folks with his "charm" and his pet Fox....
It's in the process Susan. Unfortunately it takes time for many people to realize and is painful to recognize mistakes. We'll get there, hopefully on time to salve something to rebuild.
I think there are still too many Americans who either are oblivious to what's going on, support it, or just can't fathom that Democracy will fall off the cliff. By the time someone has the balls to do something solid--meaning physical violence will occur, it will be too late. It's coming soon, I think.
Your comment suggests that you have hope that there will be a SOMEBODY to stop this cruel tyrant. But we, you and me, all of us, must stop him together. The only way to stop tyranny is to fight it head on. Together. Are you seeing the numbers of normal people who are going out to listen to AOC and Bernie?
And there isn't a single competent attorney left in the WH and what firms are going to defend Trump and his illegal actions? He'll end up with other nutcases like Guiliani again.
I thought one of the 3 firms he said couldn't practice in federal court met with him and agreed to give him a Million dollars of free legal service for him to allow them to practice in federal court.
And his MAGats still love it. Are there any repubs in Congress who are not
MAGats? I used to think so. That a collection of Congress flew to the prison to have their pictures taken sickens me. Every one of the convicted January 6 rioters had a trial. Donnie had 2 trials and most republicans paid no attention to the proceedings. Now they can’t step out of line because they know Donnie and the Minions will come for them, but they should start noticing that even after giving in to his demands, Donnie still comes after them because he enjoys hurting people.
No Gigi, There are not republicans left in Congress, only maga horde eager to comply with every cruel order coming from the scumbag president and his handlers.
Trump has never believed or kept any oath he’s taken. He only cares about himself his bank accounts, and being dictator to our country. We didn’t ask for this, but have it anyway.
But they had a lovely candlelit prayer service! candles on every table! (Table? did they feed them food as well)? Applauded him for five minutes before he actually appeared. Where's the fire and brimstone? He might like to make a quick trip to Alaska...take the problem right out of our hands.
Actually in the ritual of Holy Werk the concept off that type of service at least in the RC religion not at all appropriate. Wednesday has a Tenabrae service from the Latin meaning dark. It actually is quite good when done well. The lights and candles of the church after several canonical readings are slowly turned off. Inn the silence of the darkness a loud drum or noise is heard. Then quiet and all walk out. Always maddens me that a religion that is smeared with sins both moral and venial or horrors can still have some great rituals and sustenance but never can use them en masse well. If I were the bishops have had a Tenebre service all over of the main cathedrals and all churches and had diverse non canonical writings. The use of religion and spirituality as tools can go both ways for good or evil.
Laurie, I saw that and smiled. That was the best I could muster. I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud at anything. Probably some time in 2015.
Phil, didn't you notice that he didn't put his left hand on the Bible at the time of his oath. I bet you he had his hand in his pocket wit his fingers crossed...or fondling his very small balls and other parts.
Phil, if they start rounding up every citizen who openly criticizes him, they're going to need a lot more than just five new prisons. There's not enough land or building materials to house all of us.
One note: we need to remember that at this last inauguration trump DID NOT HAVE HIS HAND ON THE BIBLE! Now, I'm not a big believer in any god or faith so for me the Bible prop doesn't mean much. BUT there are millions of people that do believe that swearing an oath on the bible is sacrosanct & that desecrating that oath would be an anathema. But trump, can say, truthfully(for once) that he did not have his hand on the bible so that absolves him from following that "oath" because it was an empty gesture not backed by swearing on the "word of God" that he would uphold the Constitution. So no one can accuse him of desecration of the Bible. See how that works?
I'm quite sure he took his oath of office as seriously as he took his marriage vows, all three times. It isn't him alone - it's the Republican Congress that gave up its power to him, and is erasing any separation of powers, as directed by the Constitution.
Phil, here's my take on that oath thing: What little religious training Donald had came during his youth from the Presbyterian Church, the religious tradition followed by his mother, Mary Anne. At some point, a Sunday School teacher probably told him that if you break an oath to God, you will go to hell. It was no accident that Donald failed to place his hand on the Bibles held by Melania when he was sworn in. It's the childish equivalent of crossing one's fingers behind one's back while telling a lie.
In Donald's feeble mind, he didn't actually take the presidential oath because his hand wasn't on the magic Bibles, so he is free to do whatever he pleases.
As a Methodist Sunday school teacher we never taught about Hell. We emphasized living what Jesus taught us and the Bible, following the 10 commandments. There was no fear taught in our classes, just live to be a good person. All sin was forgiven if you just asked God, except suicide, and I threw my whole church into disarray when I demanded to know why suicide wasn’t forgiven if you asked before you did it.
Sharon, my dad was an evangelical pastor, so I was born into that tradition. Evangelicals spend about half their time warning others they're going to hell, and the other half, worrying about going there, themselves.
Evangelicalism originated in the U.S. through the mixture of anabaptism and Calvinism. John Calvin's teachings led to Presbyterianism. Baptists trace their roots to John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, but their theology is similar to Calvinism, with the exception of a sharp difference about baptism. Presbyterians sprinkle babies and Baptists insist that the believer must reach the "age of accountability" and request baptism. Only full immersion is acceptable.
In recent times, Baptists and other evangelicals regard their Presbyterian cousins as "liberals," and reckon they're all going to hell, along with all other "mainline" denominations, including Catholics.
My "spiritual journey" originated in evangelicalism, progressed into Presbyterianism, followed by many years as a United Methodist. I finally concluded that the Judeo-Christian deity is no more real than those imagined by the Norse, the Romans, the Greeks, the Eastern cultures and countless other cultures around the world.
Since the beginning of time, humans have imagined personages who are bigger and more powerful than themselves to explain the inexplicable and discourage their neighbors from harming them.
I thought my Study of Religions class was the most interesting in college and when my grandson took it a few years ago during Covid home schooling I read and discussed it all with him. I was raised to focus on doing good works for God and not the fear stuff. My ex-husband was Lutheran and his family hated that I wasn’t. He took me to services once and they were doing holy communion but I wasn’t allowed because I hadn’t been through their approval process. I found that to be most unchristian and went back to my Methodist church.
At the end of the day, religion is about exclusion. Although I found modern Methodism to be nearest both the word and spirit of Jesus' teachings, even they stumbled on the LGBTQ issue. And while the Book of Discipline preempts many of the disputes that occur in evangelical churches, it can be a straitjacket.
Native American spirituality is probably the most authentic and least hypocritical. I attribute this to its being an oral tradition with no sacred text to use and abuse. Also, Native American spiritualists practice with the knowledge that their belief systems are based on myth and legend, which seems more honest to me.
By the way, what type of anti-depressant do you take? Mine doesn't seem to be working.
I always read your post to catch up with things. Anyone who has a bibliography as long as yours HAS to be researching! However, reading it sometimes reminds me of having to look at a dead animal on the side of the road. You want to know, you need to know, but the sight is still cringe worthy. It makes me sad to see the death of once was a beautiful creature.
Here in the mountains of Kyushu, Japan, Karen, I teach kids.
Adults, too, but mainly kids -- of all ages.
In the 1952 novel, "Twenty-four Eyes," by Sakae Tsuboi (also a great 1954 movie version of it) the new teacher for the 12 kids expresses amazement at the beautiful light in all their eyes. Says she wants never to see the light in any of them go out.
My kids (adults, too) have that beautiful light. It infuses me.
Also, Karen, I accept pain -- face it. Please see Joseph Brodsky's great essay, "Speech at the Stadium." It's in his volume, "On Grief and Reason." In it he urges the new grads at the U of Michigan not to take anti-depressants, but instead to buy a good dictionary. Learn to name feelings, in detail, for all their nuances, and how they connect elsewhere, in all honest reality.
Also, I hate standardizes testing, one of whose key components in slavish fealty to linearity. And anti-depressants come from the molecular version of biology, which reduces all life to 1-2-3 chronology, and all health to nothing more than simpleton causality, with pills for everything.
Sadly, I believe the answer to all your rhetorical questions is a resounding yes. And why would Trump and his thugs do anything differently since they are getting what they want .And as any kid from years gone by knows when some punk like Trump pulls this crap and says “ you don’t like it? Try and stop me “. You better be goddamn prepared to do what is necessary to stop them and make the consequences so severe that they will never or can never try again.
I am so afraid the neither we nor that poor man’s family will ever see him again. El Salvador - the Savior ! - and during Holy Week too - that pissant banana republic thumbs it’s nose at us and a US Senator and the Federal Courts ? Previous Presidents would have wiped up the floor with that doll sized dictator !! Does anyone remember the pilot of that spy plane, Francis Gary Powers or the Cuban Missile crisis ? Or Salvador Allende or the dozens of murderous thug South and Central American dictators we propped up because they were “anti Communist ? Not all at once like the current Trump crisis but over decades !!! And with different Presidents. Now 47% ( what a weird number)of polled Americans have not changed their good opinion of Donald Trump ? He, who still cannot bring himself to comment on the fire bombing of the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg, PA ?
The churches are shrouded and even tho I know Christ rose on Easter Sunday ( movable as it is) I am already dreading Trump’s Easter message.
Unfortunately, as you know, our elected President has no respect for the Constitution nor do the lawless "lawyers" by his side nor the people of faith whom he loves to use...."blind guides".
They care nothing for the American citizens nor for those who have most recently come to America for its excellent education opportunities, or for the hope of finding good jobs, a place to worship as one may or may not choose, a place to raise their families....hope for their futures...etc.
I look at the colors of skin, the choice of faith or no faith, human beings blessed with various and many gifts and talents, who bless our country with the goodness and strength of character needed to lead within our government...men and women who are humble as well as knowledgeable, who care not only for the great and beautiful persons who populate this country but also respectfully care for the weak. There are also great citizens who care for our resources....not for personal gain but out of respect and with the knowledge that when we care for nature...it cares for us ie water, air...the guiding lights of the night, ie the moon and the stars.
We also see in plain sight "takers"..."robbers"...."living life for themselves"....some wearing the Cross...a Cross representing the brutal sacrifice of Jesus Christ...someone who poured out His life for each and all WHO BELIEVE.....tender and patient with those who in their honesty or fear have chosen not to believe.
Christ was tortured and killed by government officials and by religious leaders who were afraid of losing power. Christ and His goodness are eternal. His goodness lives within the lives of men and women and children in this country and if you look....you can see His true followers responding to their faith...doing His work with wisdom, with love, with hope for a good future.
"Goodness" may get knocked down and jerked around but it never dies. His light is eternal. "Goodness" is powerful.
"Didn’t he take an oath to defend the Constitution – in full public view?" Yes, he did. He could say he did not promise this and that while he was campaigning. But, taking an oath could not be dismissed like campaing promises. As president, he must obey laws, or he must resign or be impeached.
Phil I’m surprised at you….😉of course they did/are/will..as the old saying goes fools and their money soon part…I’m not interested in revenge..that’s for petty minds…our standing world order , poverty rates cut in half, discoveries short periods away how to end yet another reaper of some loved one..pick your preference and one can NOT be ‘’getting rich”
That anyone who was raised ‘rich to upper middle class’ should spend a period of time working for/in the ghettos of the disenfranchised SHOULD BE COMPULSORY but not limited to just the ‘better off’. Several HS/College programs offer such ‘exposure’.
This would half the stupid/ignorance ratio. I.E: Peace Corp/apprenticeship programs/big brother/sister/Vista…get the point?
If this system can’t be bettered by mistakes someone lied.
5 of the 9 SCOTUS justices attended Harvard Law School. Let’s see how the regime fares when Harvard appeals for relief before the Supreme Court. This will put the Supremes face-to-face with the monstrosity they created.
It's not just Harvard either. Trump is illegally withholding funding from hundreds of universities. Most of them are folding because he is only taking away a small portion of what they were allocated by Congress and they can't afford to jeopardize even more.
We have shifted the R&D functions that many of the pharmaceutical and chemical companies used to do almost totally to the universities. And now Trump is fucking them over.
Maine has 2 transgender athletes competing this year in women's sports. That's for all schools. There's a similar pattern across the entire country. Historically, transgender athletes don't over achieve in their sports. In fact, they are at a disadvantage in many sports once they transition.
1. SCOTUS Harvard alumni John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, and Ketanji Brown Jackson should recuse themselves from a Harvard case. That would leave Clarence Thomas (Yale), Samuel Alito (Yale), Sonia Sotomayor (Yale), Brett Kavanaugh (Yale), and Amy Coney Barrett (Notre Dame) left to hear the case. Yale is siding with Harvard.
2. Rachel Maddow reported that the "Big Ten" (actually about 18) and numerous other universities are forming NATO-type alliances in a mutual defense compact that if one is attacked, the others will share their resources.
4. Credit goes to Harvard Professors Steven Levitsky and Ryan Enos who "wrote a letter, cosigned by 800 of their colleagues, calling on Harvard to defend itself and academic freedom against attacks by the Trump administration."
5. Harvard president's taking a stand and the new threat to disallow enrollment of international students: Harvard homepage now highlights the myriad contributions of its researchers. Nose around to make a token donation of appreciation for taking a stand. I did, and when I let a graduate student know, I got some heartwarming thank you notes from real life international students there--who must be terrified for their research, their work toward their degree, their livelihood, and being incarcerated without due process.
Except, in #2, Ohio State has been silent. I'm ashamed and furious their football team bent the knee, and I don't expect anything different from the University.
I saw that "The" Ohio State University had been added to the visual that Rachel shared. I noted that the University of Oregon had done some namby-pamby less than full on joining. Shame on the Ducks.
Ellie, I wonder if Columbia University is having second thoughts regarding having a deal with the scumbag president, that he already broke by adding more demands. I wish that following that exemplary leadership of Harvard they grow a spine and fight back.
The supreme Court needs to take away his immunity for everything he does while president.. Roberts court those who voted to give him this power are 100% responsible for his actions.
99%. Half the country has to take at least some responsibility for voting for tyranny. Let’s face it, a few months ago they were literally asking why we need democracy at all. Where do you begin? Not by trying to educate these republicans. They’re full to the gills with Kool-Aid. But there are more of us than them. We must gather together, find courage in our community, and fight back through the courts. There is such thing as truth. There is such a thing as truth. Repeat after me.
Photographs of Republican House members standing in front of caged prisoners in CECOT may well become powerful campaign material for Democrats challenging them in 2026. If Abrego Garcia dies in that prison, he will become a martyr and a powerful symbol of Republican cruelty and indifference to human rights and the Constitution. If they had any brains, getting Garcia out of that prison alive would be a Republican priority. But, alas….
I was just thinking he is like George Floyd but, so far, still alive. I can't believe anyone in this country thinks it is a good idea to incarcerate people out of the country without trial and with no chance of return.
I am pretty sure he is already dead or so beat up that if they showed his face people would be in an uproar. It is beyond appalling to me that this group of leaders would go there and not being him (or his body) back to his family. It will not be long before “homegrown” terrorists (read anyone against what the Trump administration is doing) will be swept up and shipped off to concentration camps (let’s call them what they are… places people are sent to die). This never would have happened if McConnell had had the balls to impeach AND remove from office this moron the first time around. We knew this was coming (anyone who was paying attention knew this was coming) and we didn’t stop it. I blame the uninformed and the democrats who didnt vote. Is what we are seeing now better than having a woman in office? REALLY?!
Don't forget, Lorie, that these people are unhinged at the thought of a transwoman participating in women's sports. OF FREAKING COURSE this is better than a woman of color in the Oval Office. <please note the angry sarcasm font here.>
Ally, good job. Always attack racism and sexism. This morning I was wishing for Al Franken, remembering that it was Roger Stone, another Republican criminal, who got him to be a victim of MeToo (I cringe when the NY senator appears onscreen).
As a former motion picture cameraman I was trained to watch the way people moved, mostly so I would be ready for what they would do next. I have been observing those men from the time they got off the airplanes, every one of them had the shit beaten out of them while in transit, the way they trembled as they moved with their faces hidden from the cameras, how much they were shaking as they had their heads shaved, even the way their hands were shaking as they had the handcuffs removed showed that they had all suffered a major trauma. I think that is why they don’t want any of them released, if the people in our government knew what had been done to them there would be an uproar. These bastards have been willing to defy the SC in order to hide what they have done. I would like to think that he is still alive, but I’m beginning to doubt it, if he’s allowed to come back and talk about what happened to him there will be hell to pay, and they know it. There is going to be hell to pay, every single one of them that in any way helped make this happen, will wish they had never been born.
They will never tell us of his death because that would make what they did even worse. Somewhere down the line they’ll claim it was a suicide or prisoners fight.
I feel so much hurt for him and his family. A group of bastards that want to claim Christianity are grabbing up innocent people for one demented pervert’s cruelty.
A GOP delegation want to the prison at the same time as Van Hollen yet did not include him in their tour, did not ask to see Garcia, tucked it up like they were at a high class party. So disgusting.
If I were the ACLU, I'd hire a civil rights lawyer in El Salvador.
From AI: In El Salvador, habeas corpus is a legal remedy to ensure personal freedom and prevent illegal detention. The Supreme Court of Justice, and in some cases the Appellate Court, are responsible for protecting constitutional rights, including habeas corpus. The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over habeas corpus claims.
If he gets out, he will become a hero, likely in another country. Chump can’t have that. He said in 2005,, never admit it if you do anything wrong. Always blame somebody else. That’s his modus operandi
I pray he is alive. The only reason not to let him be visited or returned is he's been murdered already. My prayers for all who were send there. Cecot is Trump's concentration camp. His first wife said he loved Hitler. Yep, she understood. I wasn't surprised when she "fell down the stairs" and died right before he was going to court.
For us old people, Kristie Noem standing in front of the prisoners behind bars brings back memories of "Hanoi Jane" Fonda visiting North Vietnam in 1972. Jane Fonda wouldn't have won popularity contests for fraternizing with the enemies.
It’s curious, now looking back on it. The opprobrium she received was not universal but it was severe. Now it seems odd that so many felt the Vietnamese were enemies. After all, it was we who attacked them. Before us, it was the French.
The Republican base(less) lawmakers took a field trip to El Salvador for a photo-op in front of CECOT. The depravity of this taxpayer boondoggle has no other words. Meanwhile, Mr.
Albergo-Garcia’s senator is denied access, and is basically told El Presidente will never meet with him. As was duly noted by Ron Filipkowski, we have traded Europe for the Trump-Bukele bromance. And Mr. Albrego-Garcia is a pawn in their game. And let us not forget the spectacle of Karoline Leavitt adding new and unsubstantiated lies to her daily lie-fest. Trafficking? My disgust for her is boundless.
Perhaps shamelessness has become a requirement for representing the Republican Party.
I think it’s clear that they represent the Party, a corporation, rather than their home constituency. After all, for any who remain puzzled, that’s a major factor in how we got here now.
What ever they accuse others of, they are doing. The kidnapping of people and taking them out of the country, without due process, not knowing why they were grabbed or what was happening is HUMAN Trafficking.
Rachel's on-air interview of Senator Van Hollen last night: Sen. Van Hollen: "I may go back again next week". Alone. 🙏
Ali Vitali on 'Way To Early" this morning broadcast Senator CHRIS VAN HOLLEN words succinctly stated in the bright El Salvador sun🌞 yesterday in Nuesca, El Salvador:
"So, we have an unjust situation here."
"The Trump Administration is liyng about Abrego Garcia."
"They had no legal authority to arrest him ... no justification to detain him ..."
"Let alone deliver him one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere".
what part of what he told us he would do were people trying to ignore. People voted VOTED for him with these steps predicted. Did anyone truly believe him when he eschewed Project 2025? Come on, people.
A test of intelligence, believing anything the cretin said. Morons had their own agenda and he just tapped into that, whether it be racism, fear, money, misogyny, or just stipidity.
And as Professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. says in his interview with Wajahat Ali: "the evidence is clear", that we in fact are destroying ourselves. How can any nation survive that tolerates such an imbalance in human interaction? How can any nation survive that tolerates such gross imbalance in human intellect? If a nation decides, solely on the strength of its population to employ "greed and racism", it will have to eliminate all of "the other" in order to do so. That idea though, is so Pollyannish, that no nation could survive anyway, as it would economically destroy itself out of business simply due to other nations refusing to enjoin with them in any way. The world is not getting bigger; it's getting smaller. The natural wonder of population additions **demand** inclusion in order for survival to continue. That Trump and his sycophantic lesser intellects don't understand this point is so obviously suicidal for our nation, that, that point alone, is cause for articles of impeachment to be written. That any republican voluntarily withholds the will do so, only alienates them into the corner of traitors.
Just listened to that link and then the one with Professor Eddie Glaude Jr in the previous post at 1.5x speed (with the help of the excellent transcript, with the minor exceptions of "and Yahoo" for Netanyahu and "Magat" for Wajahat). Much great stuff to digest between both of Ali's video's (HCR and Professor Eddie Glaude Jr).
I'm trying to catch up after passing a small protest in Freeport, heading for a protest near the Frances Perkins Center, but ending up taking the back roads to Augusta for the Farmer Day of Action, Tractor Brigade & Rally the Capitol.
We'd been to Chellie Pingree's In-person Town Hall in Westbrook where we got to talk a bit with an interesting other attendee (that was able to ask the 2nd question). My bad ear (hyperacusis) and consequentially imperfect understanding from not hearing the speakers clearly was made worse by forgetting my earplug for my too sensitive ear.
Anyways, I got to Augusta late and found the weak sound system didn't help with my hearing so I worked my way around to the left side to get close to the speakers, without realizing until just before she spoke that I had been standing behind Chellie and her daughter. I did at least hear (I believe) that Chellie was the 1st apprentice signed up for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), back when it was formed.
If I understood correctly, MOFGA was started in Unity, Maine, right next to Clinton, Maine where we had picked up seeds for our daughter from the Organic Growers Supply company she uses.
So, more importantly, what I'm working on is using the relative safety of being an older white person (going on 79), who's ancestors through marriage go back to Captain Henry Fleete who could have brought the second ship of slaves, captured from a Portuguese ship, to the Jamestown area, to compliment those most threatened in speaking for themselves on the principles we all can agree on (to me the ideals in the Declaration of Independence).
Two more personal examples to me are Walter Reuther who supported Martin Luther King, Jr, especially with what is commonly known as the "I have a Dream Speech" on Aug 28, 1963, and, given the current threats to Universities, Springfield College President Dr. Glenn Olds who ignored threats and turned down a $1,000,000 donation to cancel the invitation to King to deliver the 1964 Springfield College commencement speech.
I have no degree, but about 18 years of technical training, including 6 as an instructor/researcher/supervisor at the Space Systems Command and Control School and 10 as a semi retired, part time, Aeronautics Teaching Assistant/Lab Tech at a Community College.
I've mostly watched the climate changes starting with weather satellite ground station operations from 1975 and 10 years of listening to climate scientists at monthly meetings (and discussions before and after the meetings), and am now more interested in seeing the actual people most affected by climate (and political science denial) in more than just threats to their individual homes (fires, floods, anything that is becoming less insurable).
Farmers, especially small farmers, seem one of the most critical "canary in the coal mine" indicators we should be paying attention to.
It's recorded. Try watching again. I too have problems with Substack live videos dropping out when thousands of people are trying to get the live feed, and I'm in the US. At the end of the live stream, THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali, had over 34K people watching the interview. Ali said this was his largest audience ever and noted the Heather Cox Richardson effect. Kari posted the link above.
I don’t think Trump distinguishes between his own property and the government’s property. He thinks because he barely won a contested election, he now owns the government and it’s his own to do what he wants to do with it. Mary Trump has observed her uncle Donald thinks that the U.S. Treasury is his own personal piggy bank and he and the other billionaires have the right to take the people’s money to fatten their own bottom lines.
He treats the Department of the Treasury like his own checkbook.
You can tell if a personis a moron by whether they still support Trump. His unfavorables are at 53% with 4% to 6% not willing to say one way or the other.
Maybe some Republicans will grow a pair when his unfavorables hit 66%. Or maybe not?
I don't understand how his favorability is so high. I just can't believe that many people support this. While I know we always had differences, which is fine and to be expected, I always thought my neighbors or even strangers believed in the rule of law and due process, which are what made America great. All that is gone and now I wonder if my neighbor would turn me over to the government for incarceration and torture.
We need to thank the 7 Republican cosponsors to the senate bill that would strip Trump of tariff authority. S.1272 — 119th Congress (2025-2026) Cantwell, D, WA is main sponsor.
Kathy, it is their information sources. They believe what they are spoon fed, and suck it down because it feeds their hate and and anger (which is probably fear...)
While it's unfortunate and concerning that Senator Van Hollen wasn't able to get Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from CECOT, it was a very admirable thing to do and to bear witness to. Much respect to him for trying and for actual diplomacy. Such a vast difference in service to our country and common decency than the contemptible Republican delegation taking selfies in front of detainees imprisoned at what is probably the definition of a concentration camp.
I'd like to find the Hollywood script writer who could come up with a story like the one we are in right now. I'll keep hoping the continuing protests will have some effect on the MAGA minions, but when a large Republican delegation goes to CECOT for a photo op, and only one Democratic Senator makes the trip to get at least one of the disappeared back and is turned away, I have to think protests are just not going to be enough. A few weeks ago, I gave us four months before civil war breaks out. I may have to revisit that estimate. The weather is getting warmer. And the carnage in DC continues. We have to stop this regime. And remove it.
Thank you for that Anne-Louise. That is something positive. We're heading to New Brunswick today to look for property. We are going to pass by the Roosevelt-Campobello International Park which is closed for the season. Thank you Canada for recognizing one of the great US Presidents. We respect your choice to sell your FL properties and to staycation in Canada until the orange blimp is gone or until he ends the chaotic tariffs.
I love the teaming up of AOC and Bernie -- it's just what the Democratic party needs -- the older, experienced person united with the younger, energetic person -- and their chemistry together is great. They both speak their minds; they are both so articulate; and they are both really working for the people.
Neither felt rejected by the voters in Nov. the ones who felt that string need to get over it and help. They likely feel that they would be rejected again, but hell, the current coma will aid the enemy.
Gary, our wonderful neighbor Canada is a great choice. They know that many of us, and I’m guessing a majority of us despise the maga tranny. By the way, as a blonde, I’m considering dying my hair brown or white now as I watch Bondi and the orange slimes press sick sec spread lies.
70,000 in Montana, plus thousands outside the sports ground who queued for hours and couldn't get in but contentedly followed everything on their phones. Said it was worth it just to be there.
I was astonished to see how many people were applauding at Marjorie Taylor Gangrene's town hall. Two people were tased for protesting as they were thrown out. She is the epitome of despicable - and yet people in that room were cheering. What is wrong with them?
Yarvin talks about "foaming people". Genocide . Apparently, that's how they kill infected livestock. The foam suffocates them. The US has 350 million but if there were only 50 million, there would be plenty of resources for those left. Yarvin, Heritage are scary people.
I keep asking what are they going to do once they 'own' a lib....is their life automatically better? How do? They will never feel better about themselves....
The crowds of MAGAts are a curiosity, but I'm more worried about the laughter in the Oval Office when the two dictators joked about building more prisons in El Salvador. And were thanked by those two extraordinary women, Fluffer Pam Bondi and cosplayer Kristi Noem.
Perhaps they are family members or she pays them like Donnie did when he came down the golden escalator. What a drama queen he is. Police using tasers needs an investigation!
The veil is lifted, we no longer have a Constitution, and soon probably no democracy as well.
And the Democrats? Postcards and fundraising emails are a sadly inadequate way to resist this coup. Historically speaking, it’s like bringing pitchforks to counter a Gatling gun.
I think we resist like the rest of the world is resisting... with our dollar. Stop spending your money on company's that work to demonize the poor and vulnerable. Just like food service wages during the pandemic, when we band together we get it done. Just like game stop stocks, when we focus our efforts we magnify our impact. The power they have is power we have bestowed them. We join the peaceful resistance in everyway we can. And we keep calling on our congressional representation to do better, to fight harder, to uphold the constitution.
Strive for solidarity of purpose! Are you striving toward that end? In whatever small or big way? Please cling to it! Lend a hand toward it. All is not lost! We CAN and MUST weather this attack upon us! Si! se pueda
In regards to paragraph 4, it seems to me - not an expert - that the U.S. executive branch is engaging in human trafficking. What are the U.S. laws in regards to engaging in human trafficking?
And what is the response of the representative asking to see his constituent held in the prison? If it was his wife or child, he might stage a sit-in at the prison until his request is met. Instead, is he just going to fly back home and say, "Oh, well, I tried."?
Actually, after a little bit of digging, human trafficking involves taking someone in order to have them do some kind of work for you. Sex, making sneakers, whatever. Is the accepting country getting something from this crime?
Kidnapping might also be a more applicable crime. It is a federal offense when the person is taken across state or international borders against their will, which seems to be the case here.
Kidnapping has a legal definition which seems to me to be at work here. It can also involve others who conspire to kidnap. Perhaps cabinet members, communications directors, etc. who are aware and approve of the kidnapping might all be considered complicit in the federal offense. ICE employees who participate could also be involved. There are harsh penalties for kidnapping and conspiring to kidnap.
I'm retired but my former colleague was the head of the DOJ office that tried human traficking cases. If it makes it through a grand jury, it may be a viable crime. But we don't control DOJ so all this hypothetical stuff is speculation.
Yesterday Joyce Vance discussed bribery vs a vis the law firms.
"Being wrongfully identified as dead in Social Security records “can lead to benefit termination … and severe financial hardship and distress to affected individuals.” Because the DMF is leveraged by many federal and state agencies to determine eligibility — and by the Treasury Department’s government-wide “Do Not Pay” system to prevent improper payments — false inclusion of a death date can lead to an individual losing their health coverage through Medicare, having their tax return delayed, or having their Social Security or other eligible benefit payments cancelled, among other harms.
"The DMF is also used by some private-sector companies with a legitimate business or anti-fraud need for the data — including financial institutions, credit agencies, insurance companies, and pension administrators. As a result, being inappropriately listed as dead can result in severe financial consequences like disruption in bank account access, credit cards being cancelled, pension benefits being paused, insurance coverage being cancelled or claims being denied, rejected employment applications, or denial of credit.
"The first group of people to be wrongfully and knowingly declared dead by the Trump Administration are reportedly being targeted in an immigration enforcement effort focused, at least in part, on people who were lawfully present and eligible to work until the Trump Administration abruptly terminated their lawful status. These individuals would have been correctly issued Social Security numbers (SSNs) upon obtaining their lawful immigration statuses, and any change in those statuses should not limit their access to their own financial resources in U.S. banks."
It is good to have this conversation of speculation here, Daniel. I suspect the answer to your question will be found here:
"(22 U.S.C. § 7102(11)(A)). Forced labor is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C.)
We had cases like that, i.e. slavery, in Florida agricultural contexts in the 1980s.
Felony murders,probably are also state crimes. In a state like Florida we send defendants to be executed....
In another context, whereas Judge Boasberg is determining contempt, I add it could be the federal charge of perjury. Anone who lies on the record, even in a judicial proceeding ordinarily can be prosecuted. What if it's the AG?
I can go on for a month. Operatives like Musk and the cabinet should be liable for a multitude of ongoing crimes.
To think a delegation of US representatives went to CECOT for a photo op is obscene. Ruth Ben-Ghait’s Lucid substack on CECOT has photo’s of the prisoners that would turn your stomach…
We should remember their names for when their go to jail and invite we the people to take pictures in front of them as if it were the zoo. Pure cruelty coming from this bastsrds. And they are proud of it. Unbelievable.
But who is going to put them in jail? And when? What more has to happen before someone with the connections and guts goes in and arrests them all? Who? When?
As I see it, it's high time for civil disobedience. General strike. An extension of the present protests. Fight back with their own weapons, as Xi is doing in China.
I’m with you on this. I was at a protest in Maryland yesterday urging Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return. The rally was thrown together in a matter of hours, but about 200 showed up. Good. But only recurring mass demonstrations and general strikes will make a difference. I’m very troubled by the seeming lack of coordination among churches, synagogues, mosques, unions, universities, law firms, and other organizations, like the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, even AARP. Nobody is coming to save us, certainly not Congress or the courts, and the military’s allegiance hangs in the balance.
Biggest moron in history, stop bankrupting our country morally and financially. This is not one of your casino. Just o home and let us rebuild after the ashes left by you, the worse president ever and your horde .
Trump’s a phony and a fraud, but he can’t restrain himself from wrecking our country any more than he can stop lying and acting above the law. There is no one to hold him accountable for it.
In what sense does “visiting [El Salvador] to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss initiatives that promote economic development and mutual cooperation” entail visiting a maximum security prison and using prisoners for photo-ops? The sycophancy, shamelessness, and mendacity of House Republicans are boundless.
The Heritage Foundation is also a tax-exempt organization. Clearly it should lose its tax-exempt status...
So is the Southern Baptist Convention, the NRA and the Catholic Church. Trump's foundation was tax exempt, but it was shut down because he was laundering money through it. They should all lose their tax exempt status as well as may of the white Christian nationalist organizations. Eventually, Trump will come for the FFRF (Freedom from Religion) organization.
I am a paying member of the FFRF and it rigorously and usually successfully pursues policies to keep religion out of government. There was a bill here in Maryland which I opposed where some school districts wanted to bring in religious personnel to counsel students. (Probably to proselytize to students. We know their motives....)
Some years ago,in NH, religious councilors were allowed into schools to help ease the shortage of guidance councilors there. It didn't work out very well, as the faith-based councilors had very uneven training (meaning most sucked at the job) and many seemed to have an agenda that was not compatible with secular education institutions (meaning telling kids not to worry about abusive parents because the rapture was coming...).
Good luck in MD.
I know of a case that ended in a 40 year prison term. Christian pastor, school kids but not school counselor, thankfully. We were required to report any abuse to CPS.
Steve, OMG, don't worry about a bad home situation because the rapture was coming. I want to vomit.
I'll hold your bucket!
I am smiling. Thank you.
That’s appalling, Steve. What abusive parenting can do can’t be cured by raptures! 🥹
Stephanie, good for you. As a former public school employee, I wanted to keep religion out of the school. And as a taxpayer, I do not want to pay for religious indoctrination. We did have a Catholic school next door and we did provide them with special ed services and use of materials from the Education Service District which I think was required by law. I could write a book.
Yes, special ed funds go to and are managed by the public schools but they have to set aside a (small) portion of those funds for children who do not attend public schools. I do agree on keeping religion out of the schools - I'm retired now but would have strenuously rejected any idea of placing the ten commandments on a poster in my classroom. Instead, every teacher has a duty to put forward those habits that make a good citizen – respect for others, respect for our environment, be it the larger community or the smaller one of the classroom itself, etc.
I guess putting up a poster with hands of different colors on it doesn't count as being a tolerant and thoughtful citizen. It has come to my attention that a lot of these school vouchers are being used at Catholic schools. Less money for the public schools for those who do not have private or catholic schools available to them ( like the rural areas) I guess no one noticed that someone put the Bible on one of the ban book list.
Not to mislead you - I am not a legislator, but I belong to the Md. League of Women Voters and as a group, we wrote to legislators to oppose any religious infiltration into our public schools.
I did not read this as your being a legislator....just someone who was pressuring the legislature.
Ok excellent
Write the book! Please!
As a retired Special Educator, it is required by law that we provide services for special needs students in private schools. Who knows what will happen now. No Department of Ed, to watch over the states and no federal funding.
As far a your book Michele, I attended Catholic School from 1951-1959.
However, my input and experiences would turn it in to a horror story. I did learn how never to speak or treat a student.
Yes, who knows what will happen now with special ed students. Btw, I thought it was right that we served their special needs students. We had services for pregnant students within our school. However, one mother from the Catholic school wanted our district to pay to send her daughter to the Salem district. I do not think that happened since we had the services in house. We couldn't hide her however.
I know that our town sends special ed students to another town and pays a fee for that and bussing. We are now looking into building our own school and perhaps have paying students come to us, yet serving our own students.
I had a buddy, Jim Buie, a very talented Black man who was my "soul mate," both of us being confirmed agnostics/atheists (agnostic about how all of this came to be and atheist as to whether we have souls along with the existence of a personal transcendental God.) Jim passed away in 2014. It was Jim's position that indoctrination of children with religious dogma was a form of child abuse. I think that Jim was correct.
Yes, the Republican Arizona legislature is currently working on a similar bill to provide religious counselors in schools because we need to return God to our schools. I wonder which religion will get that contract.
Is the Arizona legislature veto proof?
I assume the AZ Governor (Democratic) would veto such a bill.
There is only one God, isn't there? Allah.
Religion is a very old technology for defining social norms and moral behaviors. I will be glad when a newer social technology becomes the standard. Then churches will be more like old car museums...
Ah, great analogy.
Old car museums never interested me at all! LOL!
There are no gods, Richard.
That is all fantasy (with apologies to the believers here, you are entitled to your opinion, even if you are wrong :-) ).
There are idols, but that is not the same as a "god".
Scary indeed, the missionaries are all ready…
Florida has such a bill…
https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/18/gov-desantis-signs-public-school-chaplains-bill-says-satanists-need-not-apply/
De Santis sure doesn't know what our founding fathers were doing when they wrote out the rules for the US. Wonder if he ever read all of the constitution & other important works.
Florida, why am I not shocked. Don’t mean to offend anyone, but I live and taught there for 25 years. When I was a child, currently 79, the 10 Commandments were taught in church.
So much for separation of church and state.
Stephanie, I was raised in a small rural town in NC in the 50’s & 60’s. Picture this: A church on every corner of town and in neighborhoods. Most were Baptist churches with a Methodist, Lutheran, and a Catholic Church mixed in. The New Testament was introduced to everyone in junior high as a mandatory course called “Bible Study”. Well, my parents were Holocaust victims and they went to the school and told the principal that their daughters would not be taking that course under any circumstances. We didn’t and I was/am grateful to them!
I have a religious story too: While preparing for my (Catholic) Confirmation, we had to memorize 3 long prayers. The Monsignor from Ogdensburg (NY) came down to my hometown to hear us recite these prayers. One girl could not get through them, so the Monsignor would continuously tap her with a ruler. I looked at the nun to see if she would intervene. She did not. After my Confirmation, I told my family I would no longer be a Catholic (I was 12). They accepted. From that day forward I have been an atheist and a humanitarian. I reject the intellectual and moral pretensions of Christianity....
Gary, it seems Toddler-Trump is doing his spaghetti act again, throwing stuff against a wall to see what wil stick. We have seen that there are law firms he could intimidate, so he knows they are vulnerable. Columbia capitulated, so he knows there are universities, even ones with stature that will fall before his own stupidity, hypocrisy, and bratty proclamations. He has had numerous people kidnapped and "disappeared" trying to see just how much he can get away with. It seems he can get away with a lot, now threatening American citizens for that disappearance. Trump is not doing this alone as the judge in the Garcia case has noted. I am guesssing the rabid toddlers Miller, JD Vance, and the other bottom-feeders in this administration are orchestrating this.
Ruth, I see the hand of the Nazi ghoul Miller in a lot of this. Just seeing him makes me sick.
He is seriously mentally unbalanced.
I asked a Duke professor who wrote “Democracy in Chains” if the Duke faculty could annul Miller’s diploma. She wrote they could not. (As a UNC-CH graduate, I thought it appropriate that a tobacco school could gain some stature. In this context: UNC is even older than Harvard. It opened, was closed by Native Americans. In the interim, Harvard was founded. So we had a public university even before the private one and in North Carolina, the most purple state imaginable when I was there in the ‘50’s).
Michele, thank you for “Toddler-Trump.” Exactly the term I’ve been looking for as some readers don’t remember the British balloon.
Does tRump & his cohorts have orgasms when they sit & think up ways to go after us?
I said this very thing to a friend yesterday. Harvard has a 52 billion dollar endowment- why the hell is it exempt from paying taxes and I am not?
Because it uses the money for educational purposes. And it does not pay profits to any shareholders. If you want to see what a tax-exempt charity is, look at 26 USC Sec, 501(c)(3). Other kinds of tax-exempt organizations are defined in the rest of Sec. 501. Oh, and have fun.
As a retired academic and associate dean in a business school I can also add that endowments are donations and most are restricted as to what the funds can be used for. The restrictions are part of the donation. One reason Harvard's endowment is so large is because it's been an educational institution longer than the US has been a separate country. Because of that, it has huge numbers of alumni who donate, and many other donors who encourage the research being done at Harvard. Some of the endowment goes into scholarships to broaden the base of students. And, Harvard is not known for its sports teams, so massive donations aren't going for those teams. If you want to look at universities' tax-exemption maybe you should look into schools (mostly state schools) who get tremendous funds, donations and taxpayer dollars, to pay football and basketball coaches and all the entourage and stadiums that comes with those teams. I'm not against sports, but solutions for cancer are coming faculty researchers, not football coaches.
I live in a state and city with a university that eats and drinks sports. I like college sports but it gets a bit tedious.
ML, it is very tedious now with NIL and the transfer portal. Plus the fact that game times are ruled by TV.
A major difference is in Government grants to Universities for educational and research efforts compared to Alumni donations for sports vs all the other education, research, and categories of students the donors want to support.
How many of the best athletes could they lose if the weird and creepy DEI manipulations impact them?
Patricia, thank you for this post which explains endowments. I confess that we watch football and basketball games, but with the NIL and the transfer portal, it is now who can pay the most to athletes. Here in Oregon we have two major state schools, one of which is the alma mater of Phil Knight known as Uncle Phil. The other school does not have that kind of money. I just read an article on their woes. Personally, I would like to see sports removed from all educational institutions....yes, I know, in my dreams. And I am not against sports either.
Personally, I'd like to have all universities with ranked sports teams spun-off as separate entities and taxed like the minor leagues they are. No university has listed having a major sports team as part of its mission. I understand how so many people enjoy watching these teams play, and I'm glad that the players now realize some of the profits. I just wish they weren't paid for by students (through fees) and taxpayers.
It was one thing when sports were for fun. It’s quite another when they are for money, built on a star system like Hollywood.
I have long been a proponent of intramural sports. They give all students an opportunity to learn about their abilities/capabilities. I spent a lot of time covering study halls with the "losers" while the "winners" were out winning glory for the school.
Now you have me thinking about how many endowment contributions are for only certain groups like descendants of Revolutionary War Veterans, DAR, etc, though the anti-DEI actions would seemingly try to deny the use for Black descendants of Revolutionary War Veterans. How complicated would it be to separate the recipients, and what should happen to the funds (and interest earned) from contributions that had restrictions that the current administration wants applied?
See https://www.history.com/articles/black-heroes-american-revolution
I can't find the references to back up what I first heard from my mother about Bronson Alcott having his Temple School fail with the final loss of other students after he accepted the Black granddaughter of a Black Revolutionary War soldier.
My mother had worked as a maid for Clara Endicott Sears around 1940 at "the Peragolas" her summer cottage and property that included what she turned into the Fruitlands Museum. Louisa May Alcott's family spent time at before moving to Concord, so [my mother] knew a bit more than most, at the time, about the Alcott family
It is also a principal and principled research university that we ALL need to stay competitive with the rest of the world's scientific activity. Even though the maga people disdain science and methodologies of research in many fields.
I'm not a big fan of Harvard, but they accumulated the endowment largely because they're tax exempt and donations were deductible for the people who made them. A better way of going after some of that money would be allowing the 2017 tax cuts to expire and funding the IRS so they can audit high income individuals and companies to ensure that they are paying the taxes they owe.
There is also something in most states called an 'unrelated business tax'; this provides that any revenue from activities unrelated to the central mission of a tax exempt organization is subject to the same taxes we pay. It's complicated, but it does work.
Re: No tax cuts and IRS audits.
Trump is committed to tax cuts and they’ve laid off the IRS workers (or some of them) that do audits on high value returns.
I understand that, and I call my Congresswoman and Senators about it every day. Just one of Trump's many poor policy decisions based on what he thinks is best for him.
Harvard is an older institution than the United States government. Harvard researchers brought us vaccines, heart, surgery, cures to terrible diseases, and just plain enlightenment. Stop going after Harvard and its endowment. Don’t believe the horrific lies of this regime. Free speech begins with free thought. And there is such a thing as truth. Go after it. Don’t give up.
An early inspiration for the meaning of the separation of Church and State for me was the Pelham Massachusetts placement of the oldest Town Hall in continuous use in the US, next to the Church, making me think they were more serious than most in keeping the two separate.
See https://www.pelhamhistory.org/locations/pelham-historical-complex/
Puritans were far from supporting the separation according to my mother who described our ancestors like Ethan Allen and Thomas Jefferson were strongly against the mixing of the two.
The most threatening use of withholding of tax exemption I had seen was for a church I often drove past on my way to meetings in Altadena, CA and coworkers attended. It is described at https://www.npr.org/2007/09/26/14715290/irs-clears-california-church-but-dispute-isnt-over
"...Reverend ED BACON (Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church): Therefore, synagogues, temples, mosques, and churches across America have no more guidance about the IRS rules now than when we started this process over two long years ago.
JAFFE: That's when retired Pastor George Regas preached the sermon framed as a debate between George W. Bush, John Kerry and Jesus. In case you are wondering, Jesus wins. Regas stated he wasn't telling anyone how to vote and that a person's faith might lead him or her to choose either candidate. Mostly, the sermon strongly condemned the war in Iraq and the government's treatment of the poor.
This is a typical Sunday morning at All Saints. The Church has been active in anti-war and civil rights issues for decades, leaving the Reverend Ed Bacon to wonder…
Rev. BACON: Whether we will be investigated again. The next time anyone of us is called to preach about the war, poverty or any other social and moral issues as they relate to governmental policies.
JAFFE: While the IRS was investigating All Saints, the church's attorney did some investigating of his own. Marcus Owens obtained government documents through the Freedom Of Information Act. He found e-mails indicating the IRS had been conferring with the Justice Department on how to proceed in the case.
Mr. MARCUS OWENS (Lead Attorney, All Saints Episcopal Church; Former Head of IRS Exemption Office): That seemed to indicate a level of coordination with the Department of Justice that I've never seen before, and I worked at the IRS for 25 years.
JAFFE: And, says Owens, this coordination could be a violation of laws that were adapted in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
Mr. OWENS: And they're designed to keep tax administration free of political influence..."
It seemed to me that the main reason the Bush 43 admin seemed to reconsider cancelling tax exemption for the church was that far more "conservative" churches would be at even greater risk of loss of exemption due to trying to influence the members politically.
In the late 18th century, the founders -- who knew their history -- had seen plenty of what the NON-separation of church and state had done in Europe. Martin Luther's 95 theses (1517), challenging the corruption of the then-ubiquitous and very powerful Catholic Church, helped launch the Protestant Reformation. It also gave a crucial tool to rulers like Henry VIII, who had political reasons for defying the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Voilà! the (Protestant) Church of England was born. In the 17th century, continental Europe was torn apart by the Thirty Years' War; religion was a factor in that one too.
The Puritans, of course, fled England because of religious persecution, and promptly started persecuting religious dissenters as soon as they had the power to do so. They absolutely did NOT support the separation of church and state once the church in question was THEIR church. Fwiw, I don't know enough about the circumstances in Pelham, MA, which was founded in 1743. Having a church next door to town hall doesn't strike me as a good sign, especially if most of the town fathers are members of that church.
The key words in your post.... "who knew their history". Unfortunately, so many - including those in Congress - don't know history, and don't care.
Amen! mostly ignorant people who just go with whatever sounds exciting instead of questioning.
The church and Town Hall weren't originally next to each other, but 65 years or so ago, I thought they had intentionally done that to keep the two distinctly separate (compared to other towns that used the churches as non-religious meeting houses for the residents). I had thought the original Town Hall had been used as a church, so that building the church was done when people were more determined to keep the two separate. (Mistaken optics on my part, but had the affect of strengthening my views on the need for separation.)
Pelham was where Daniel Shays lived, but most of the Shays' Rebellion was planned in Conkey's Tavern, in a section of town that has long been under the waters of Quabbbin Resrvoir (built between 1930 and 1939).
In my poorly informed youth I had thought they planned it in the Town Hall, not as I later learned was far more frequent political adventures being started and planned in taverns (and fueled by alcohol).
Thanks for the history primer.
Susanna, in addition to Henry III's political reasons for defying the Roman Catholic Church, he had personal reasons. He wanted out of his marriage to devout Catholic Catherine of Aragon because he had the hots for Anne Boleyn.
Dale, yes, he was attracted to Anne and her sister had been his mistress, but his main concern was a male heir. He had been married to Catherine of Aragon for years and she had only produced a daughter who survived and was getting long in the tooth. Henry did have a bastard son with one of his mistresses and perhaps Mary Boleyn's Carey children were his. When Anne, who was not a quiet little wife, failed to have the required male heir, her enemies found a way for Henry to execute her. Then Thomas Cromwell saw a way to get all that church wealth and land, hence the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Jane Seymour provided the required male heir and promptly died. In the end his daughters, once declared bastards, were back in the line of succession. I would say that most royal marriages in those days were about politics and nothing else.
Did you write "SIX The Musical"? Lol!
That drama WAS the politics of the day. Just ask Thomas Cromwell. You can find him on PBS in Wolf Hall, et al. 😁
It's also not a bad reason to revisit Robert Bolt's A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, about Sir Thomas More. <g>
Nanny, I enjoyed Wolf Hall, but I thought that the portrayal of Thomas Cromwell made him too principled. He, like all people in politics in those days, was busy running after wealth and power. Also he was not an aristocrat and had humble beginnings.
I noted in my OP that he had "political reasons." That was one of them. Also Catherine hadn't produced a male heir. Anne didn't either, of course, but she did produce Elizabeth, the first of that name, and that had a major impact on English history (to put it mildly).
P.S. For kings and aristocratic and/or wealthy men, "having the hots" for a woman did not generally lead to marriage. What they wanted, they could take without long-term commitment. The lack of a male heir, OTOH. was very, very serious. Look at what happened after Elizabeth (the "Virgin Queen") died. The crown passed to James of the House of Stuart and before long all hell broke loose.
I think you meant Henry VIII!
Someone please explain why the NRA is tax exempt.
This is from Snopes Cindy-
"The National Rifle Association is indeed a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. To be specific, it has 501(c)(4) status, meaning it is regarded as a "social welfare organization" by the Internal Revenue Service:
To be operated exclusively to promote social welfare, an organization must operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community (such as by bringing about civic betterment and social improvements.)"
https://media.snopes.com/2018/02/28279595_1587525534636468_3340780032362375062_n.png
Cindy, this is more to your point I think.
Exactly.
The arrogance of the Heritage Foundation angers me. These are a bunch of billionaire funded wingnuts who think they have the right to undermine our government and the common good to enable the oligarchs to stuff money in their already overloaded pockets and to dictate to the rest of us how we should be governed, think, behave, and believe. They should lose their tax-exempt status for trying to undermine our government.
Can't wait for that to happen Kathy. This is also a race against time.
Wingnuts!! HEH! HEH!
Gregg, on a trip to Europe, I used the word wing nuts and had to explain to our Brit tour guide what that was.
Kathy wins the best Thursday idea. TY , Kathy👏
When Simpson Thatcher caved to Trump I was astounded - and they have one of the most respected Exempt Org teams in the country.
And the churches.
A number of entities have created this monster: the Republicans, the Christians, the wealthy, the Roberts Court, conservative judges like Aileen Cannon --- and the Voters!!
Give discredit where discredit is due: and the hackers, Russian and and MusKovite.
This is a result of the oligarchs playing the long game. Pushing money, buying a media network to promote the narrative, creating division, stacking the courts from cultivated right wing attorneys. It was all planned for decades. The left predictably played into their plans… here we are.
And we need the voters to reverse course and start rebuilding Stephanie.
Nailed it Stephanie!!
All of them please. No exceptions.
Absolutely. The Heritage Foundation is tax exempt under section 501c3 of the IRC, which forbids 501c3 organizations from spending more than an "insubstantial amount" of their revenues on lobbying. I looked at a recent Form 990 filed by the Heritage bunch, and it disclosed that it spent over 60% of its revenues for that year on lobbying. To complain to the IRS about this infraction, file IRS Form 13909 and attach copies of Form 990s showing excessive lobbying expenses.
Oh, but t's people will make sure those details are well hidden!
They are like the constitution to Repubs. Didn’t they write P2025?
Protect 2025 is their new Bible JD.
Ricardo, but Heritage Foundation has not claimed a religious exemption, so bible or not, they should be unable to have any kind of tax-exempt status.
Proudly so, Jesus was kicked to the curb.
JDinTX, Project 2025 itself should be enough to get their tax-exempt status removed.
If they are tax-exempt, the rules are really ridiculous. Political all the way…
Addendum ( to the class action impeachment ) please.
Such amazing summing up Heather…different day, same old threats. You can’t run the country with incompetence , but 🎶they’re not listening now and perhaps they never will🎶, Vincent.
Are you writing down their names, just a little note or date beside these to refer to the loyalty malfeasance , reference which state they’re from…we.need.to.keep.scores.
Yes, the illegality is (even for me ) is starkly obvious, but again …nobody getting away with all this is going to care …while the marshals/judges/law get their acts together …and I’m thrilled to see it beginning as if we didn’t know it would happen…but heretofore noting the voices also speaking up/denouncing ‘not what I voted for’ are -and will much further increase.
Spoken is the time frame to recuperate (12 years) from what the continuing/next months charades/lies/illegal actions/chaos will guarantee….BEFORE THEY ARE STOPPED.
Standing up to a bully takes time, dedication, and a LOT of supportive ‘hands’. I’m in!!!!
Thank you all …long haul ahead 🇺🇸🇪🇺🇺🇦🇨🇦
absolutely.
YES!! I was just about to type the same exact thing! Take the sentence that starts.....
Trump posted “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity.....". Take out the word Harvard and insert "evangelical churches, X, Y, and Z who are blatantly political and pro MAGA.
Hmmmmm….Tax Exempt…..Hmmmmm…. It would appear that Trump is “tax exempt” too. Does AVERSION to paying taxes qualify as Tax Exempt?
Absolutely. They are not serving the public interest. They only serve the right-wing.
Please
Why raise false equivalencies? This is retribution not fairnes. I'm sure we could get an amendment granting presidential retribution added to the constitution.
🤣🤣🤣 (To Merrill.)
Yes it is totally political
Yes! Considering the lies they continue to spread & their crazy reasoning for what they support, they ought to pay taxes to clean up their mess!
I'd like to be tax exempt. I think I just paid more than Musk. And I am a retired teacher on Social Security......
Who is this goon in the White House who holds the Constitution so in contempt?
Didn’t he take an oath to defend the Constitution – in full public view?
Does he think he’s a mini-Putin already, just because he and Putin both share Elon as their private, also-above-the-law, lawless asset?
Or do billionaires understand they’re all above the law – as the fat, orange, convicted criminal imagines he can just blow off the Supreme Court’s unanimous, 9-0 ruling against him and his illegal rendition of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to that Salvadoran death prison?
Does he think we don’t hear and see his canned-laughter audience of Vance, Bondi, and Rubio all yucking it up in the oval office as if it’s funny when he tells the Salvadoran dictator Bukele we’ll need five more prisons to begin next renditioning U.S. citizens?
He doesn't care. He can do anything he wants because NOBODY IS STOPPING HIM. Has that not penetrated yet?
He has never had any consequences for anything he has done in his entire life. He was correct that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not have any consequence except that his minions would cheer.
He's a convicted criminal.
Yet he walks among us….
While non-criminals are deported to disgusting regimes.
As Kathy Hughes (I think it was) calls deportation without due process -- human trafficking. Just another one of Trump's myriad crimes added to the list.
That isn’t a consequence since he doesn’t care about that, neither does minions, and he lost nothing
You say that but he has lost dozens of lawsuits and is exposed to many more and has had to pay many times. His auditors would say he has contingent liabilities.
Here's the Peruvian equivalent to his exposure -- and he knows it. https://globalpost.com/stories/former-peruvian-president-sentenced-for-money-laundering/?lh_aid=35942&lh_cid=lsni4ncffg&lh_em=apaalj%40gmail.com&di=c69977a72c4d072bb4356ee493f49da8
I cannot find any reporting that Donald has paid a dime of his half-billion dollars in legal judgments. Those judgments are meaningless if he doesn't actually pay.
This is probably why Donald doesn't worry about his legal exposure. He's lived a penalty-free life, and as long as he remains in the White House, that will not change, thanks to the Roberts court.
I can hope orange turd gets the same handling as Peru's president.
They must have better courts than we do, and still ample supply of lawyers (with no conscience) who are in it for the money regardless of the obvious guilt of their client. I know, I know. Every person deserves as trial unless you are an illegal in the States, but still..
This should be an argument for having consistent laws/policies throughout the country. Felons cannot vote in Florida. As a matter of fact, several were arrested because they believed that they could vote. Evidently, they had received lots of encouraging literature. But here's the ticket. There's is a swarmy little clause that says a person CAN vote if the state allows felons to vote. Unfortunately, NY is one of them, hence a felon was allowed to vote.
He always slithers out of any possible punishment. He has never been prevented from doing whatever he wants to whomever he wants....a spoiled toddler with a big mouth and a big bag of cash...who conned a whole pile of folks with his "charm" and his pet Fox....
It's in the process Susan. Unfortunately it takes time for many people to realize and is painful to recognize mistakes. We'll get there, hopefully on time to salve something to rebuild.
I wish I had faith in the process. I fear l will not live to see it.
I think there are still too many Americans who either are oblivious to what's going on, support it, or just can't fathom that Democracy will fall off the cliff. By the time someone has the balls to do something solid--meaning physical violence will occur, it will be too late. It's coming soon, I think.
Your comment suggests that you have hope that there will be a SOMEBODY to stop this cruel tyrant. But we, you and me, all of us, must stop him together. The only way to stop tyranny is to fight it head on. Together. Are you seeing the numbers of normal people who are going out to listen to AOC and Bernie?
Yes Phil, he took an oath to the constitution, and as most of what this moron does, had not idea what he was doing or why.
And there isn't a single competent attorney left in the WH and what firms are going to defend Trump and his illegal actions? He'll end up with other nutcases like Guiliani again.
Hopefully this ends badly for Trump.
This is where the firms that blended to the knee and fell for his extortion come into play. Remember the pro bono?
Good point
They promised to defend T💩p, et. al. but they can do a really bad job of it.
That ran through my mind, as well. Would they be able to even tell, as look at Alina Habba's "skill" and Trump make her an Attorney General.
Habba is an interim US Attorney in New Jersey. The equally reprehensible Pam Bondi is the Attorney General of the US. Major Deity help us.
Another trump DEI employment.
I am hopeful that is the plan.
I am hopeful that is the plan.
His Barbie doll AG keeps firing them.
I thought one of the 3 firms he said couldn't practice in federal court met with him and agreed to give him a Million dollars of free legal service for him to allow them to practice in federal court.
Maybe those law firms who caved to his demands and will have to provide pro bono legal service to him at his command. Truly dystopian times we are in.
Wasn't he going after lawyers and law firms who represented people who opposed him, like the Jan 6th lawyers?
Hopefully this ends with our country in tact. How it ends for him...death finds us all
he lies effortlessly and shamelessly. It is his métier.
And his MAGats still love it. Are there any repubs in Congress who are not
MAGats? I used to think so. That a collection of Congress flew to the prison to have their pictures taken sickens me. Every one of the convicted January 6 rioters had a trial. Donnie had 2 trials and most republicans paid no attention to the proceedings. Now they can’t step out of line because they know Donnie and the Minions will come for them, but they should start noticing that even after giving in to his demands, Donnie still comes after them because he enjoys hurting people.
No Gigi, There are not republicans left in Congress, only maga horde eager to comply with every cruel order coming from the scumbag president and his handlers.
Shocker!!😳😱🤯🙀⚡️
He's been practicing all his life J L. He is almost perfect at it.
Thanks for the new word. Métier
Trump has never believed or kept any oath he’s taken. He only cares about himself his bank accounts, and being dictator to our country. We didn’t ask for this, but have it anyway.
But they had a lovely candlelit prayer service! candles on every table! (Table? did they feed them food as well)? Applauded him for five minutes before he actually appeared. Where's the fire and brimstone? He might like to make a quick trip to Alaska...take the problem right out of our hands.
Optics, like a set in a horror movie just before the monster appears. Michael Deaver was Reagan’s set designer. Repubs learned from the master
That was so sickening in its saccharine hypocrisy. As Cher said in "Clueless" - As If.
Actually in the ritual of Holy Werk the concept off that type of service at least in the RC religion not at all appropriate. Wednesday has a Tenabrae service from the Latin meaning dark. It actually is quite good when done well. The lights and candles of the church after several canonical readings are slowly turned off. Inn the silence of the darkness a loud drum or noise is heard. Then quiet and all walk out. Always maddens me that a religion that is smeared with sins both moral and venial or horrors can still have some great rituals and sustenance but never can use them en masse well. If I were the bishops have had a Tenebre service all over of the main cathedrals and all churches and had diverse non canonical writings. The use of religion and spirituality as tools can go both ways for good or evil.
He took the oath without a hand on the Bible of which he claims to love. His oath was a lie like everything else he says and does
Citizen, don't forget he wrote "The art of a deal", subtitled 'The art of Lying'
Just kidding:).
oaths mean nothing to him and now the republican leaders don't care.
Rickey, the are no republican leaders anymore, they all follow the maga script now.
Take it from another Rickey :).
He knew
For a brief moment of humor amidst the horror - here is Stephen Colbert with Alan Cumming: "Billionaires are Actually Good" -- starts at minute 2.15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J-9JzV5wfQ
Thanks for the link. We need to ridicule the Billionaire Elites. Good job Colbert!
Laurie, I saw that and smiled. That was the best I could muster. I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud at anything. Probably some time in 2015.
Phil, didn't you notice that he didn't put his left hand on the Bible at the time of his oath. I bet you he had his hand in his pocket wit his fingers crossed...or fondling his very small balls and other parts.
I was thinking about that too. Intentional, no doubt.
Helsinki just bonded them closer. Yes, he is Putin’s puppet. Has been for decades
Phil, if they start rounding up every citizen who openly criticizes him, they're going to need a lot more than just five new prisons. There's not enough land or building materials to house all of us.
One note: we need to remember that at this last inauguration trump DID NOT HAVE HIS HAND ON THE BIBLE! Now, I'm not a big believer in any god or faith so for me the Bible prop doesn't mean much. BUT there are millions of people that do believe that swearing an oath on the bible is sacrosanct & that desecrating that oath would be an anathema. But trump, can say, truthfully(for once) that he did not have his hand on the bible so that absolves him from following that "oath" because it was an empty gesture not backed by swearing on the "word of God" that he would uphold the Constitution. So no one can accuse him of desecration of the Bible. See how that works?
I'm quite sure he took his oath of office as seriously as he took his marriage vows, all three times. It isn't him alone - it's the Republican Congress that gave up its power to him, and is erasing any separation of powers, as directed by the Constitution.
Phil, here's my take on that oath thing: What little religious training Donald had came during his youth from the Presbyterian Church, the religious tradition followed by his mother, Mary Anne. At some point, a Sunday School teacher probably told him that if you break an oath to God, you will go to hell. It was no accident that Donald failed to place his hand on the Bibles held by Melania when he was sworn in. It's the childish equivalent of crossing one's fingers behind one's back while telling a lie.
In Donald's feeble mind, he didn't actually take the presidential oath because his hand wasn't on the magic Bibles, so he is free to do whatever he pleases.
As a Methodist Sunday school teacher we never taught about Hell. We emphasized living what Jesus taught us and the Bible, following the 10 commandments. There was no fear taught in our classes, just live to be a good person. All sin was forgiven if you just asked God, except suicide, and I threw my whole church into disarray when I demanded to know why suicide wasn’t forgiven if you asked before you did it.
Sharon, my dad was an evangelical pastor, so I was born into that tradition. Evangelicals spend about half their time warning others they're going to hell, and the other half, worrying about going there, themselves.
Evangelicalism originated in the U.S. through the mixture of anabaptism and Calvinism. John Calvin's teachings led to Presbyterianism. Baptists trace their roots to John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, but their theology is similar to Calvinism, with the exception of a sharp difference about baptism. Presbyterians sprinkle babies and Baptists insist that the believer must reach the "age of accountability" and request baptism. Only full immersion is acceptable.
In recent times, Baptists and other evangelicals regard their Presbyterian cousins as "liberals," and reckon they're all going to hell, along with all other "mainline" denominations, including Catholics.
My "spiritual journey" originated in evangelicalism, progressed into Presbyterianism, followed by many years as a United Methodist. I finally concluded that the Judeo-Christian deity is no more real than those imagined by the Norse, the Romans, the Greeks, the Eastern cultures and countless other cultures around the world.
Since the beginning of time, humans have imagined personages who are bigger and more powerful than themselves to explain the inexplicable and discourage their neighbors from harming them.
I thought my Study of Religions class was the most interesting in college and when my grandson took it a few years ago during Covid home schooling I read and discussed it all with him. I was raised to focus on doing good works for God and not the fear stuff. My ex-husband was Lutheran and his family hated that I wasn’t. He took me to services once and they were doing holy communion but I wasn’t allowed because I hadn’t been through their approval process. I found that to be most unchristian and went back to my Methodist church.
At the end of the day, religion is about exclusion. Although I found modern Methodism to be nearest both the word and spirit of Jesus' teachings, even they stumbled on the LGBTQ issue. And while the Book of Discipline preempts many of the disputes that occur in evangelical churches, it can be a straitjacket.
Native American spirituality is probably the most authentic and least hypocritical. I attribute this to its being an oral tradition with no sacred text to use and abuse. Also, Native American spiritualists practice with the knowledge that their belief systems are based on myth and legend, which seems more honest to me.
By the way, what type of anti-depressant do you take? Mine doesn't seem to be working.
I always read your post to catch up with things. Anyone who has a bibliography as long as yours HAS to be researching! However, reading it sometimes reminds me of having to look at a dead animal on the side of the road. You want to know, you need to know, but the sight is still cringe worthy. It makes me sad to see the death of once was a beautiful creature.
Here in the mountains of Kyushu, Japan, Karen, I teach kids.
Adults, too, but mainly kids -- of all ages.
In the 1952 novel, "Twenty-four Eyes," by Sakae Tsuboi (also a great 1954 movie version of it) the new teacher for the 12 kids expresses amazement at the beautiful light in all their eyes. Says she wants never to see the light in any of them go out.
My kids (adults, too) have that beautiful light. It infuses me.
Also, Karen, I accept pain -- face it. Please see Joseph Brodsky's great essay, "Speech at the Stadium." It's in his volume, "On Grief and Reason." In it he urges the new grads at the U of Michigan not to take anti-depressants, but instead to buy a good dictionary. Learn to name feelings, in detail, for all their nuances, and how they connect elsewhere, in all honest reality.
Also, I hate standardizes testing, one of whose key components in slavish fealty to linearity. And anti-depressants come from the molecular version of biology, which reduces all life to 1-2-3 chronology, and all health to nothing more than simpleton causality, with pills for everything.
Sadly, I believe the answer to all your rhetorical questions is a resounding yes. And why would Trump and his thugs do anything differently since they are getting what they want .And as any kid from years gone by knows when some punk like Trump pulls this crap and says “ you don’t like it? Try and stop me “. You better be goddamn prepared to do what is necessary to stop them and make the consequences so severe that they will never or can never try again.
I am so afraid the neither we nor that poor man’s family will ever see him again. El Salvador - the Savior ! - and during Holy Week too - that pissant banana republic thumbs it’s nose at us and a US Senator and the Federal Courts ? Previous Presidents would have wiped up the floor with that doll sized dictator !! Does anyone remember the pilot of that spy plane, Francis Gary Powers or the Cuban Missile crisis ? Or Salvador Allende or the dozens of murderous thug South and Central American dictators we propped up because they were “anti Communist ? Not all at once like the current Trump crisis but over decades !!! And with different Presidents. Now 47% ( what a weird number)of polled Americans have not changed their good opinion of Donald Trump ? He, who still cannot bring himself to comment on the fire bombing of the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg, PA ?
The churches are shrouded and even tho I know Christ rose on Easter Sunday ( movable as it is) I am already dreading Trump’s Easter message.
Phil Balla,
Unfortunately, as you know, our elected President has no respect for the Constitution nor do the lawless "lawyers" by his side nor the people of faith whom he loves to use...."blind guides".
They care nothing for the American citizens nor for those who have most recently come to America for its excellent education opportunities, or for the hope of finding good jobs, a place to worship as one may or may not choose, a place to raise their families....hope for their futures...etc.
I look at the colors of skin, the choice of faith or no faith, human beings blessed with various and many gifts and talents, who bless our country with the goodness and strength of character needed to lead within our government...men and women who are humble as well as knowledgeable, who care not only for the great and beautiful persons who populate this country but also respectfully care for the weak. There are also great citizens who care for our resources....not for personal gain but out of respect and with the knowledge that when we care for nature...it cares for us ie water, air...the guiding lights of the night, ie the moon and the stars.
We also see in plain sight "takers"..."robbers"...."living life for themselves"....some wearing the Cross...a Cross representing the brutal sacrifice of Jesus Christ...someone who poured out His life for each and all WHO BELIEVE.....tender and patient with those who in their honesty or fear have chosen not to believe.
Christ was tortured and killed by government officials and by religious leaders who were afraid of losing power. Christ and His goodness are eternal. His goodness lives within the lives of men and women and children in this country and if you look....you can see His true followers responding to their faith...doing His work with wisdom, with love, with hope for a good future.
"Goodness" may get knocked down and jerked around but it never dies. His light is eternal. "Goodness" is powerful.
"Didn’t he take an oath to defend the Constitution – in full public view?" Yes, he did. He could say he did not promise this and that while he was campaigning. But, taking an oath could not be dismissed like campaing promises. As president, he must obey laws, or he must resign or be impeached.
Phil I’m surprised at you….😉of course they did/are/will..as the old saying goes fools and their money soon part…I’m not interested in revenge..that’s for petty minds…our standing world order , poverty rates cut in half, discoveries short periods away how to end yet another reaper of some loved one..pick your preference and one can NOT be ‘’getting rich”
That anyone who was raised ‘rich to upper middle class’ should spend a period of time working for/in the ghettos of the disenfranchised SHOULD BE COMPULSORY but not limited to just the ‘better off’. Several HS/College programs offer such ‘exposure’.
This would half the stupid/ignorance ratio. I.E: Peace Corp/apprenticeship programs/big brother/sister/Vista…get the point?
If this system can’t be bettered by mistakes someone lied.
Didn't you notice he did Not put his hand on the Bible while taking the oath? I knew that was trouble right away!
5 of the 9 SCOTUS justices attended Harvard Law School. Let’s see how the regime fares when Harvard appeals for relief before the Supreme Court. This will put the Supremes face-to-face with the monstrosity they created.
It's not just Harvard either. Trump is illegally withholding funding from hundreds of universities. Most of them are folding because he is only taking away a small portion of what they were allocated by Congress and they can't afford to jeopardize even more.
We have shifted the R&D functions that many of the pharmaceutical and chemical companies used to do almost totally to the universities. And now Trump is fucking them over.
Maine has 2 transgender athletes competing this year in women's sports. That's for all schools. There's a similar pattern across the entire country. Historically, transgender athletes don't over achieve in their sports. In fact, they are at a disadvantage in many sports once they transition.
2 transgender athletes in the entire state and trump wants to punish every other child in Maine! The stupidity and the cruelty is astounding!
Deborah Holt,
Trump and his minions search to find ways to separate us.
Joe Biden, a great though, as each of us, imperfect human being looked for ways to bring us together.
Together is better. Kindness is better.
When you remember that cruelty is the point, it makes sense.
It is just an excuse to try and break us. Stand strong!
1. SCOTUS Harvard alumni John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, and Ketanji Brown Jackson should recuse themselves from a Harvard case. That would leave Clarence Thomas (Yale), Samuel Alito (Yale), Sonia Sotomayor (Yale), Brett Kavanaugh (Yale), and Amy Coney Barrett (Notre Dame) left to hear the case. Yale is siding with Harvard.
2. Rachel Maddow reported that the "Big Ten" (actually about 18) and numerous other universities are forming NATO-type alliances in a mutual defense compact that if one is attacked, the others will share their resources.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/rutgers-protests
https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-Amherst-Faculty-Senate-calls-on-Chancellor-Reyes-President-Meehan-to-form-compact-with-universities-across-country-to-confront-Trump-administration-actions-60628306
3. Threat to pull Harvard's tax exempt status--take a look at those megachurches:
https://bsky.app/profile/jonsawyer.org/post/3lmy4cavbrs2r
4. Credit goes to Harvard Professors Steven Levitsky and Ryan Enos who "wrote a letter, cosigned by 800 of their colleagues, calling on Harvard to defend itself and academic freedom against attacks by the Trump administration."
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-04-16/harvard-professor-dictatorships-trump
5. Harvard president's taking a stand and the new threat to disallow enrollment of international students: Harvard homepage now highlights the myriad contributions of its researchers. Nose around to make a token donation of appreciation for taking a stand. I did, and when I let a graduate student know, I got some heartwarming thank you notes from real life international students there--who must be terrified for their research, their work toward their degree, their livelihood, and being incarcerated without due process.
https://www.harvard.edu/
Except, in #2, Ohio State has been silent. I'm ashamed and furious their football team bent the knee, and I don't expect anything different from the University.
Yeah Daniel, OSU bent their knee and it broke their trophy! : >)
Displayed what an incompetent boob vance is, and how corrupt and fascist the state of Ohio is. Two things the nation needed to see, in one display!
I saw that "The" Ohio State University had been added to the visual that Rachel shared. I noted that the University of Oregon had done some namby-pamby less than full on joining. Shame on the Ducks.
THE Ohio State thinks it's better than all the others. Much like Notre Dame, their stuff don't stink...just ask them
Michigan also caved on DEI.
Booo
Ellie, I wonder if Columbia University is having second thoughts regarding having a deal with the scumbag president, that he already broke by adding more demands. I wish that following that exemplary leadership of Harvard they grow a spine and fight back.
He will always demand more. What’s that saying; if you give an inch they’ll take a mile.
He won't stop at the mile mark if there's more to take. He is an very sick individual Sharon. Thanks for your reply 👍
One can hope...
What do you have to lose Ally. Keep hoping, who knows 🤷♂️
The supreme Court needs to take away his immunity for everything he does while president.. Roberts court those who voted to give him this power are 100% responsible for his actions.
💯 % right Patty.
99%. Half the country has to take at least some responsibility for voting for tyranny. Let’s face it, a few months ago they were literally asking why we need democracy at all. Where do you begin? Not by trying to educate these republicans. They’re full to the gills with Kool-Aid. But there are more of us than them. We must gather together, find courage in our community, and fight back through the courts. There is such thing as truth. There is such a thing as truth. Repeat after me.
Harvard didn’t screen did they.
Neither did Penn. obviously. I am embarrassed to be an alumna.
Yep, Harvard’s Reputation headed for the toilet
David this is great information! Thanks for sharing! Very important to know!
Didn't know they were alums!
Photographs of Republican House members standing in front of caged prisoners in CECOT may well become powerful campaign material for Democrats challenging them in 2026. If Abrego Garcia dies in that prison, he will become a martyr and a powerful symbol of Republican cruelty and indifference to human rights and the Constitution. If they had any brains, getting Garcia out of that prison alive would be a Republican priority. But, alas….
I was just thinking he is like George Floyd but, so far, still alive. I can't believe anyone in this country thinks it is a good idea to incarcerate people out of the country without trial and with no chance of return.
And the GOP celebrated Kyle Rittenhouse -- who actually committed crimes -- they proclaimed him a hero. It's sick.
That should have been a clue.
He’s already dead, that’s why they won’t produce him. I have no doubts about this. I’d love to be proven wrong, though.
I fear you are right. I hope his wife sues the heck out of the federal government.
I can't like your comment, but I agree.
Dead or definitely dying. Nobody walks out of that place.
I’m very happy to report I was wrong. Very wrong. I hope he’s able to return to his family.
I am pretty sure he is already dead or so beat up that if they showed his face people would be in an uproar. It is beyond appalling to me that this group of leaders would go there and not being him (or his body) back to his family. It will not be long before “homegrown” terrorists (read anyone against what the Trump administration is doing) will be swept up and shipped off to concentration camps (let’s call them what they are… places people are sent to die). This never would have happened if McConnell had had the balls to impeach AND remove from office this moron the first time around. We knew this was coming (anyone who was paying attention knew this was coming) and we didn’t stop it. I blame the uninformed and the democrats who didnt vote. Is what we are seeing now better than having a woman in office? REALLY?!
Don't forget, Lorie, that these people are unhinged at the thought of a transwoman participating in women's sports. OF FREAKING COURSE this is better than a woman of color in the Oval Office. <please note the angry sarcasm font here.>
Ally, good job. Always attack racism and sexism. This morning I was wishing for Al Franken, remembering that it was Roger Stone, another Republican criminal, who got him to be a victim of MeToo (I cringe when the NY senator appears onscreen).
As a former motion picture cameraman I was trained to watch the way people moved, mostly so I would be ready for what they would do next. I have been observing those men from the time they got off the airplanes, every one of them had the shit beaten out of them while in transit, the way they trembled as they moved with their faces hidden from the cameras, how much they were shaking as they had their heads shaved, even the way their hands were shaking as they had the handcuffs removed showed that they had all suffered a major trauma. I think that is why they don’t want any of them released, if the people in our government knew what had been done to them there would be an uproar. These bastards have been willing to defy the SC in order to hide what they have done. I would like to think that he is still alive, but I’m beginning to doubt it, if he’s allowed to come back and talk about what happened to him there will be hell to pay, and they know it. There is going to be hell to pay, every single one of them that in any way helped make this happen, will wish they had never been born.
They will never tell us of his death because that would make what they did even worse. Somewhere down the line they’ll claim it was a suicide or prisoners fight.
I feel so much hurt for him and his family. A group of bastards that want to claim Christianity are grabbing up innocent people for one demented pervert’s cruelty.
A GOP delegation want to the prison at the same time as Van Hollen yet did not include him in their tour, did not ask to see Garcia, tucked it up like they were at a high class party. So disgusting.
If I were the ACLU, I'd hire a civil rights lawyer in El Salvador.
From AI: In El Salvador, habeas corpus is a legal remedy to ensure personal freedom and prevent illegal detention. The Supreme Court of Justice, and in some cases the Appellate Court, are responsible for protecting constitutional rights, including habeas corpus. The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over habeas corpus claims.
If he gets out, he will become a hero, likely in another country. Chump can’t have that. He said in 2005,, never admit it if you do anything wrong. Always blame somebody else. That’s his modus operandi
... no brains.
I pray he is alive. The only reason not to let him be visited or returned is he's been murdered already. My prayers for all who were send there. Cecot is Trump's concentration camp. His first wife said he loved Hitler. Yep, she understood. I wasn't surprised when she "fell down the stairs" and died right before he was going to court.
I sort of doubt that he is still alive.
Valerie, nobody in that prison, especially if you are guilty of nothing is really "alive".
Put yourself in their shoes if it's possible.
No brains…….🤷♂️
For us old people, Kristie Noem standing in front of the prisoners behind bars brings back memories of "Hanoi Jane" Fonda visiting North Vietnam in 1972. Jane Fonda wouldn't have won popularity contests for fraternizing with the enemies.
It’s curious, now looking back on it. The opprobrium she received was not universal but it was severe. Now it seems odd that so many felt the Vietnamese were enemies. After all, it was we who attacked them. Before us, it was the French.
The Republican base(less) lawmakers took a field trip to El Salvador for a photo-op in front of CECOT. The depravity of this taxpayer boondoggle has no other words. Meanwhile, Mr.
Albergo-Garcia’s senator is denied access, and is basically told El Presidente will never meet with him. As was duly noted by Ron Filipkowski, we have traded Europe for the Trump-Bukele bromance. And Mr. Albrego-Garcia is a pawn in their game. And let us not forget the spectacle of Karoline Leavitt adding new and unsubstantiated lies to her daily lie-fest. Trafficking? My disgust for her is boundless.
Riley Moore of West Virginia posed for a picture with thumbs up before CECOT. It was disgusting and shameless.
For every decent person Kathy, it's very painful and sickening on top of disgusting and shameless.
Perhaps shamelessness has become a requirement for representing the Republican Party.
I think it’s clear that they represent the Party, a corporation, rather than their home constituency. After all, for any who remain puzzled, that’s a major factor in how we got here now.
Reminiscent of the depravity and dehumanization at Abu Ghraib, esta horrible...
https://www.acluwv.org/en/news/our-statement-rep-riley-moore-does-not-belong-congress
Leavitt and Bondi with their little gold crosses prominently displayed around their necks while lying and supporting cruelty! Hypocrisy on steroids!
What ever they accuse others of, they are doing. The kidnapping of people and taking them out of the country, without due process, not knowing why they were grabbed or what was happening is HUMAN Trafficking.
Indeed it is, especially since money is also exchanged in the process.
The folks at The Bulwark have taken to calling him Nayib Bukkake. (If you are easily offended, don't look it up.)
Rachel's on-air interview of Senator Van Hollen last night: Sen. Van Hollen: "I may go back again next week". Alone. 🙏
Ali Vitali on 'Way To Early" this morning broadcast Senator CHRIS VAN HOLLEN words succinctly stated in the bright El Salvador sun🌞 yesterday in Nuesca, El Salvador:
"So, we have an unjust situation here."
"The Trump Administration is liyng about Abrego Garcia."
"They had no legal authority to arrest him ... no justification to detain him ..."
"Let alone deliver him one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere".
You bet Bryan he is coming back alone. There's no emphaty, just cruelty coming out of this regime.
Several American law firms practice in El Salvador -- know the lay of the land.
what part of what he told us he would do were people trying to ignore. People voted VOTED for him with these steps predicted. Did anyone truly believe him when he eschewed Project 2025? Come on, people.
I find it mildly amusing when people post about getting what they voted for. Oh, your soybean prices are cratering? Thoughts and prayers.
They deserve no financial compensation from our taxes this time Valerie.
You screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.
Thanks for your sharp comments. :)
A test of intelligence, believing anything the cretin said. Morons had their own agenda and he just tapped into that, whether it be racism, fear, money, misogyny, or just stipidity.
“Wow, we really did have everything…” W. Ali, quoting the movie, Don’t Look Up.
It’s all being destroyed right before our eyes 😢😠🇺🇸
https://open.substack.com/pub/thelefthook/p/america-undone-how-our-inability?r=9vmv5&utm_medium=ios
And as Professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. says in his interview with Wajahat Ali: "the evidence is clear", that we in fact are destroying ourselves. How can any nation survive that tolerates such an imbalance in human interaction? How can any nation survive that tolerates such gross imbalance in human intellect? If a nation decides, solely on the strength of its population to employ "greed and racism", it will have to eliminate all of "the other" in order to do so. That idea though, is so Pollyannish, that no nation could survive anyway, as it would economically destroy itself out of business simply due to other nations refusing to enjoin with them in any way. The world is not getting bigger; it's getting smaller. The natural wonder of population additions **demand** inclusion in order for survival to continue. That Trump and his sycophantic lesser intellects don't understand this point is so obviously suicidal for our nation, that, that point alone, is cause for articles of impeachment to be written. That any republican voluntarily withholds the will do so, only alienates them into the corner of traitors.
Yes, Riad Mahayni, the world is getting smaller…and a world of inclusion and co-existence is our only hope…may it be so🙏
Heather Cox Richardson was inspiring in her discussion with W. Ali on The Left Hook! Watch it here:
https://substack.com/@thelefthook/note/c-109487162?r=9vmv5&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Just listened to that link and then the one with Professor Eddie Glaude Jr in the previous post at 1.5x speed (with the help of the excellent transcript, with the minor exceptions of "and Yahoo" for Netanyahu and "Magat" for Wajahat). Much great stuff to digest between both of Ali's video's (HCR and Professor Eddie Glaude Jr).
I'm trying to catch up after passing a small protest in Freeport, heading for a protest near the Frances Perkins Center, but ending up taking the back roads to Augusta for the Farmer Day of Action, Tractor Brigade & Rally the Capitol.
See https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-04-16/maine-farmers-call-on-usda-to-restore-funds-and-staff
We'd been to Chellie Pingree's In-person Town Hall in Westbrook where we got to talk a bit with an interesting other attendee (that was able to ask the 2nd question). My bad ear (hyperacusis) and consequentially imperfect understanding from not hearing the speakers clearly was made worse by forgetting my earplug for my too sensitive ear.
Anyways, I got to Augusta late and found the weak sound system didn't help with my hearing so I worked my way around to the left side to get close to the speakers, without realizing until just before she spoke that I had been standing behind Chellie and her daughter. I did at least hear (I believe) that Chellie was the 1st apprentice signed up for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), back when it was formed.
If I understood correctly, MOFGA was started in Unity, Maine, right next to Clinton, Maine where we had picked up seeds for our daughter from the Organic Growers Supply company she uses.
So, more importantly, what I'm working on is using the relative safety of being an older white person (going on 79), who's ancestors through marriage go back to Captain Henry Fleete who could have brought the second ship of slaves, captured from a Portuguese ship, to the Jamestown area, to compliment those most threatened in speaking for themselves on the principles we all can agree on (to me the ideals in the Declaration of Independence).
Two more personal examples to me are Walter Reuther who supported Martin Luther King, Jr, especially with what is commonly known as the "I have a Dream Speech" on Aug 28, 1963, and, given the current threats to Universities, Springfield College President Dr. Glenn Olds who ignored threats and turned down a $1,000,000 donation to cancel the invitation to King to deliver the 1964 Springfield College commencement speech.
See https://www.masslive.com/history/2015/01/martin_luther_king_jr_defies_threats_and_prejudice_to_deliver_springfield_college_commencement_speec.html
I have no degree, but about 18 years of technical training, including 6 as an instructor/researcher/supervisor at the Space Systems Command and Control School and 10 as a semi retired, part time, Aeronautics Teaching Assistant/Lab Tech at a Community College.
I've mostly watched the climate changes starting with weather satellite ground station operations from 1975 and 10 years of listening to climate scientists at monthly meetings (and discussions before and after the meetings), and am now more interested in seeing the actual people most affected by climate (and political science denial) in more than just threats to their individual homes (fires, floods, anything that is becoming less insurable).
Farmers, especially small farmers, seem one of the most critical "canary in the coal mine" indicators we should be paying attention to.
At first, Link to Wajahat Ali’s interview with HCR failed.. Keep trying…it’s really motivating…join the caravan!
What I could see was first-rate, but the connection kept failing (Australia too far, I guess).
It's recorded. Try watching again. I too have problems with Substack live videos dropping out when thousands of people are trying to get the live feed, and I'm in the US. At the end of the live stream, THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali, had over 34K people watching the interview. Ali said this was his largest audience ever and noted the Heather Cox Richardson effect. Kari posted the link above.
Move closer Anne-Louise !!!!
Thanks for the link - good good stuff!
I'd planned to comment here, but everything I would have said was covered during their discussion. Well done!
Like he did with his casinos Kari. Doesn't he realize this is our country and not one of his properties?
I don’t think Trump distinguishes between his own property and the government’s property. He thinks because he barely won a contested election, he now owns the government and it’s his own to do what he wants to do with it. Mary Trump has observed her uncle Donald thinks that the U.S. Treasury is his own personal piggy bank and he and the other billionaires have the right to take the people’s money to fatten their own bottom lines.
Well and completely said Kathy. 🫠
He treats the Department of the Treasury like his own checkbook.
You can tell if a personis a moron by whether they still support Trump. His unfavorables are at 53% with 4% to 6% not willing to say one way or the other.
Maybe some Republicans will grow a pair when his unfavorables hit 66%. Or maybe not?
I don't understand how his favorability is so high. I just can't believe that many people support this. While I know we always had differences, which is fine and to be expected, I always thought my neighbors or even strangers believed in the rule of law and due process, which are what made America great. All that is gone and now I wonder if my neighbor would turn me over to the government for incarceration and torture.
Check out Jerry Weiss Feathers of Hope.
We need to thank the 7 Republican cosponsors to the senate bill that would strip Trump of tariff authority. S.1272 — 119th Congress (2025-2026) Cantwell, D, WA is main sponsor.
Cosponsor Date Cosponsored
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]* 04/03/2025
Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]* 04/03/2025
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] 04/04/2025
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] 04/04/2025
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN] 04/04/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] 04/04/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] 04/04/2025
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] 04/04/2025
" I would rather a thousand times be a free soul in jail than to be a sycophant and coward in the streets." Eugene V. Debs Convict No. 9653
Kathy, it is their information sources. They believe what they are spoon fed, and suck it down because it feeds their hate and and anger (which is probably fear...)
They would need more than a pair GJ, maybe three of them would make a difference 😉
Exactly.
Don’t disillusion him.
Brilliant interview - thank-you for sharing. I wonder if Heather is re-invigorating an interest in studying history?
While it's unfortunate and concerning that Senator Van Hollen wasn't able to get Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from CECOT, it was a very admirable thing to do and to bear witness to. Much respect to him for trying and for actual diplomacy. Such a vast difference in service to our country and common decency than the contemptible Republican delegation taking selfies in front of detainees imprisoned at what is probably the definition of a concentration camp.
I'd like to find the Hollywood script writer who could come up with a story like the one we are in right now. I'll keep hoping the continuing protests will have some effect on the MAGA minions, but when a large Republican delegation goes to CECOT for a photo op, and only one Democratic Senator makes the trip to get at least one of the disappeared back and is turned away, I have to think protests are just not going to be enough. A few weeks ago, I gave us four months before civil war breaks out. I may have to revisit that estimate. The weather is getting warmer. And the carnage in DC continues. We have to stop this regime. And remove it.
Bernie and AOC are drawing enormous ecstatic crowds in red States.
Thank you for that Anne-Louise. That is something positive. We're heading to New Brunswick today to look for property. We are going to pass by the Roosevelt-Campobello International Park which is closed for the season. Thank you Canada for recognizing one of the great US Presidents. We respect your choice to sell your FL properties and to staycation in Canada until the orange blimp is gone or until he ends the chaotic tariffs.
I love the teaming up of AOC and Bernie -- it's just what the Democratic party needs -- the older, experienced person united with the younger, energetic person -- and their chemistry together is great. They both speak their minds; they are both so articulate; and they are both really working for the people.
Neither felt rejected by the voters in Nov. the ones who felt that string need to get over it and help. They likely feel that they would be rejected again, but hell, the current coma will aid the enemy.
Gov. Walz and Beto O'Rourke are also still in the game.
Gary, our wonderful neighbor Canada is a great choice. They know that many of us, and I’m guessing a majority of us despise the maga tranny. By the way, as a blonde, I’m considering dying my hair brown or white now as I watch Bondi and the orange slimes press sick sec spread lies.
We're in Lubec spending the night. Amazing sunset. Properties on Campabello were amazing. On the St. Stephen tomorrow.
The Canadians are sooooooo nice and hesitate to talk bad about Trump but the tariffs have been really hard on many of them.
I envy you the option. A vacation there a few years ago, in COVID times, was memorable. Wonderful people.
If they do what they are doing but in blues stares, the ground would not support such a huge crowd. Thanks for your concern Bernie and AOC. 🫠
70,000 in Montana, plus thousands outside the sports ground who queued for hours and couldn't get in but contentedly followed everything on their phones. Said it was worth it just to be there.
And that is in Montana! At one time purple but turned very red. Glad to hear that!
Those are good news for a change. . Thanks.
Thank God for them. They give me hope that the goodness of people will help us survive this horrific time.
I was astonished to see how many people were applauding at Marjorie Taylor Gangrene's town hall. Two people were tased for protesting as they were thrown out. She is the epitome of despicable - and yet people in that room were cheering. What is wrong with them?
Georgia has pockets of insanity, as do most states. The cult is like roots, digging in everywhere.
Rhizomial noxious weed infestations.
For this batch, I think I'd reconsider my RoundUp ban.
Yep, Rachel Carson is spinning in her grave…
Our Kudzu, as almost as much damage as the insane cult.
These people don’t want to just “own the libs” they want to “kill the libs.” That’s what comes next.
Yarvin talks about "foaming people". Genocide . Apparently, that's how they kill infected livestock. The foam suffocates them. The US has 350 million but if there were only 50 million, there would be plenty of resources for those left. Yarvin, Heritage are scary people.
I keep asking what are they going to do once they 'own' a lib....is their life automatically better? How do? They will never feel better about themselves....
Insider trading. Jail. She's now worth 22 million. Martha did not sell out her country
The crowds of MAGAts are a curiosity, but I'm more worried about the laughter in the Oval Office when the two dictators joked about building more prisons in El Salvador. And were thanked by those two extraordinary women, Fluffer Pam Bondi and cosplayer Kristi Noem.
I have also heard the sobriquets of "MTG", "Marjorie Taylor Goon", and "Maggie Three Names".
What is "wrong with them" is that they buy the MAGAt creed in full.
Perhaps they are family members or she pays them like Donnie did when he came down the golden escalator. What a drama queen he is. Police using tasers needs an investigation!
It's a reprise of the Victor Orban story.
Or Pinochet.
Victor Orban, Vladimir Putin, Erdogan, Netanyahu.....our new role models. The scumbag president has put the world upside down.
The veil is lifted, we no longer have a Constitution, and soon probably no democracy as well.
And the Democrats? Postcards and fundraising emails are a sadly inadequate way to resist this coup. Historically speaking, it’s like bringing pitchforks to counter a Gatling gun.
I think we resist like the rest of the world is resisting... with our dollar. Stop spending your money on company's that work to demonize the poor and vulnerable. Just like food service wages during the pandemic, when we band together we get it done. Just like game stop stocks, when we focus our efforts we magnify our impact. The power they have is power we have bestowed them. We join the peaceful resistance in everyway we can. And we keep calling on our congressional representation to do better, to fight harder, to uphold the constitution.
Hang your sign at your home or on your body…and stand up for the world to see YOU as for human rights for all of us.
Strive for solidarity of purpose! Are you striving toward that end? In whatever small or big way? Please cling to it! Lend a hand toward it. All is not lost! We CAN and MUST weather this attack upon us! Si! se pueda
In regards to paragraph 4, it seems to me - not an expert - that the U.S. executive branch is engaging in human trafficking. What are the U.S. laws in regards to engaging in human trafficking?
And what is the response of the representative asking to see his constituent held in the prison? If it was his wife or child, he might stage a sit-in at the prison until his request is met. Instead, is he just going to fly back home and say, "Oh, well, I tried."?
Asking for a friend.
Actually, after a little bit of digging, human trafficking involves taking someone in order to have them do some kind of work for you. Sex, making sneakers, whatever. Is the accepting country getting something from this crime?
Kidnapping might also be a more applicable crime. It is a federal offense when the person is taken across state or international borders against their will, which seems to be the case here.
Kidnapping has a legal definition which seems to me to be at work here. It can also involve others who conspire to kidnap. Perhaps cabinet members, communications directors, etc. who are aware and approve of the kidnapping might all be considered complicit in the federal offense. ICE employees who participate could also be involved. There are harsh penalties for kidnapping and conspiring to kidnap.
Are there any lawyers out there?
I'm retired but my former colleague was the head of the DOJ office that tried human traficking cases. If it makes it through a grand jury, it may be a viable crime. But we don't control DOJ so all this hypothetical stuff is speculation.
Yesterday Joyce Vance discussed bribery vs a vis the law firms.
If you want to eliminate this stuff read Feathers of Hope. We have the capacity to stop it. How about -- " at the direction of DOGE, [SSA] has begun knowingly adding living people to SSA’s death records — the Death Master File (DMF) — by assigning them false “dates of death” to “terminat[e]” their “financial lives.” " https://www.cbpp.org/blog/trump-and-doge-claim-power-to-falsely-list-living-persons-as-dead-in-social-security-records
What member of Congress supports that??????
"Being wrongfully identified as dead in Social Security records “can lead to benefit termination … and severe financial hardship and distress to affected individuals.” Because the DMF is leveraged by many federal and state agencies to determine eligibility — and by the Treasury Department’s government-wide “Do Not Pay” system to prevent improper payments — false inclusion of a death date can lead to an individual losing their health coverage through Medicare, having their tax return delayed, or having their Social Security or other eligible benefit payments cancelled, among other harms.
"The DMF is also used by some private-sector companies with a legitimate business or anti-fraud need for the data — including financial institutions, credit agencies, insurance companies, and pension administrators. As a result, being inappropriately listed as dead can result in severe financial consequences like disruption in bank account access, credit cards being cancelled, pension benefits being paused, insurance coverage being cancelled or claims being denied, rejected employment applications, or denial of credit.
"The first group of people to be wrongfully and knowingly declared dead by the Trump Administration are reportedly being targeted in an immigration enforcement effort focused, at least in part, on people who were lawfully present and eligible to work until the Trump Administration abruptly terminated their lawful status. These individuals would have been correctly issued Social Security numbers (SSNs) upon obtaining their lawful immigration statuses, and any change in those statuses should not limit their access to their own financial resources in U.S. banks."
I recommend that MSM interview Ed Weir, PhD, Former Social Security Manager. https://www.youtube.com/@MyGovExpert
Interesting take Kathy. If it walks like a duck.....
Sign for a protest? DONALD TRUMP - HUMAN TRAFFICKER
How about felony murder? What if someone deported is murdered?
All this stuff is speculation.
It is good to have this conversation of speculation here, Daniel. I suspect the answer to your question will be found here:
"(22 U.S.C. § 7102(11)(A)). Forced labor is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C.)
We had cases like that, i.e. slavery, in Florida agricultural contexts in the 1980s.
Felony murders,probably are also state crimes. In a state like Florida we send defendants to be executed....
In another context, whereas Judge Boasberg is determining contempt, I add it could be the federal charge of perjury. Anone who lies on the record, even in a judicial proceeding ordinarily can be prosecuted. What if it's the AG?
I can go on for a month. Operatives like Musk and the cabinet should be liable for a multitude of ongoing crimes.
That is now going to be my protest sign!
El Salvador is not a friendly country. I personally was concerned for the senator's safety
As am I.
To think a delegation of US representatives went to CECOT for a photo op is obscene. Ruth Ben-Ghait’s Lucid substack on CECOT has photo’s of the prisoners that would turn your stomach…
https://open.substack.com/pub/lucid/p/bukeles-bodies-authoritarian-aesthetics?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios
We should remember their names for when their go to jail and invite we the people to take pictures in front of them as if it were the zoo. Pure cruelty coming from this bastsrds. And they are proud of it. Unbelievable.
But who is going to put them in jail? And when? What more has to happen before someone with the connections and guts goes in and arrests them all? Who? When?
And they are proud for the photo op. That's disgusting
The newly updated Fourth of July in Moscow crowd
As I see it, it's high time for civil disobedience. General strike. An extension of the present protests. Fight back with their own weapons, as Xi is doing in China.
I’m with you on this. I was at a protest in Maryland yesterday urging Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return. The rally was thrown together in a matter of hours, but about 200 showed up. Good. But only recurring mass demonstrations and general strikes will make a difference. I’m very troubled by the seeming lack of coordination among churches, synagogues, mosques, unions, universities, law firms, and other organizations, like the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, even AARP. Nobody is coming to save us, certainly not Congress or the courts, and the military’s allegiance hangs in the balance.
Biggest moron in history, stop bankrupting our country morally and financially. This is not one of your casino. Just o home and let us rebuild after the ashes left by you, the worse president ever and your horde .
Never a president - a fraud.
Always a fraud.
Trump’s a phony and a fraud, but he can’t restrain himself from wrecking our country any more than he can stop lying and acting above the law. There is no one to hold him accountable for it.
In what sense does “visiting [El Salvador] to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss initiatives that promote economic development and mutual cooperation” entail visiting a maximum security prison and using prisoners for photo-ops? The sycophancy, shamelessness, and mendacity of House Republicans are boundless.
Good point.