Me too. And my revulsion extends in equal measure to each of the 77 million Americans who voted for him. They, not him, are the cause of this catastrophe.
Let us not forget those in a position of power, congress, are deserving of even greater revulsion for abdicating their power and responsibility to the constitution and therefore the American people. That is You and me. Keep calling, writing, emailing not just you representatives but all of them to let them know your position. Let them feel your rage and strength. You will not submit to their lies. All it would take is for someone to call for a vacate of the speaker to get him out and some of the bills to the floor to take back this country.
For the life of me, I don't understand why the Congress, a co-equal branch of the Executive, has rolled over and played dead for all these months.
If the Republicans in Congress are afraid of being primaried by the GOP, they should be even more worried about being voted out of office by their energized constituents who are all manifestly unhappy with the way this administration is conducting the business of this country.
The mid-term elections are the purview of the states. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution. It's not up to Orange, nor any body within the federal government.
David, as I commented at length a day or two ago, Donald has a long business history with Bratva, the Russian mob. Organized crime syndicates enforce their power through threats and violence, including, but not limited to blackmail, threats against family, property damage and sometimes, maiming or murder.
Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski obliquely commented on this at a recent informal talk. She admitted that at times, she is afraid for her safety, and she is not alone.
In the past, I have worked with a few political candidates' campaigns. I was shocked to discover the kinds of activities campaign funding pays for. It's not all TV ads and yard signs.
At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I'll assert that not everyone who commits acts of violence is necessarily acting of their own volition.
The violence at the Pelosi home, the PA governor's mansion and even the so-called "assassination attempt" in Butler, PA, could easily be understood as proof-of-concept; that any politician can be attacked at any time by various means. The point is to scare everyone, not just the opposition.
Money, money, money, pee-pee tapes, fear of seeing their tax records made public, there could be a lot with some of these…of course the main fear is being ‘Primaried’ by someone with 10 million dollars from F Elon.
Ukraine is at war. Elections were also suspended in WWII by UK and France, and in Israel during various hostilities. Ukraine suspending elections during an active war is hardly a pearl clutching moment.
I’ve been wondering the same thing Barbara, and it terrifies me. Why would a supposed representative of the people let this carnage, on a daily bases, of the Constitution continue?
But it's not all that hard to understand. Thanks to gerrymandering and one-sided media coverage, many Republicans in Congress come from lopsided, uncompetitive districts. This "energized constituents" thing is brand-new to them, and who knows how long it's going to last?
Too many USians only started paying serious attention when Trump was elected the first time. The GOP has been headed in this direction at least since Reagan, and more likely since Nixon's "southern strategy," but it's been getting worse and worser since the rise of Newt Gingrich. I recommend Dana Milbank's THE DESTRUCTIONISTS: The 25-Year Crackup of the Republican Party (Doubleday, 2022) as a pretty good review of how it happened.
It's in my library and worth the read. What I find interesting is the fact this started so long ago that I doubt the Republicans at the time thought it would get this bad or even if it was the outcome they were looking for. It's here now and it is ugly and it's hurting and hitting everyone.
Great comment, and I agree 100%. Too many of us either vote along party lines or decide based on a single issue. I'm betting that few of us look much beyond the current election or can do a reality-test on campaign promises. (Trump et al. are going to fix inflation? Seriously?) Most of the electorate probably never heard of Project 2025. Even the wonks among us didn't really believe that a Trump administration would start trying to implement it on day 1.
That's why we need to concentrate on our state and local elections -- Elon and the other 99 billionaires that bought seats in Congress and the Presidency aren't interested in most of the elections being held this year.
We need to encourage young Democrats to run for these offices.
In states like iowa (which used to be purple), Kentucky and Arkansas they do not see Democrats as a threat. We need t show them that they are wrong. Until we do, they will play dead.
Arkansas was once a Democratic stronghold. But with that statement, one must also note that the Democratic Party used to be the pro-slavery, pro-oligarchy party until the two parties swapped platforms.
To my mind, the Democratic Party of Arkansas is a microcosm of the DNC, disorganized, tone-deaf and, as Mrs. Slocombe used to say, "weak as water!"
In most ways, Arkansas is a stark example of the U.S. as a whole: mostly rural, poorly educated, racist, misogynist and predominantly evangelical, which begets homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia. With these winds at her back, Sarah Huckleberry Sanders sailed into the governor's mansion without even bothering to campaign.
Little Rock is a spot of blue in a pond of deep, ruby red.
Arkansas Democrats have fielded a handful of excellent candidates recently, but it's hard to compete with hundreds of trusted evangelical preachers who campaign for Republicans from their pulpits.
Growing up in Iowa my take was progressive Republicans and cautious Democrats made Iowa purple. Outside money and propaganda slowly turned Iowa to a republican state(read: fascistic state).
Marla they call me Grumpa, I'm trying to change and I'm 76 so bear with me for a bit here, please. I have to be very direct, hell I might not wake up in the AM.
At 76 I have some wisdom to impart, I sincerely hope.
I will not preach as much as try to explain my advice.
My generation, IMHO failed to act and do what would have been right. Choosing instead top to enrich themselves with not a thought to the environment, enjoy with excess the fruits and pleasures of life.
For all of my life after getting out of the Army I have bored most because "You are always to serious Bob, relax!", sorry it's in my DNA!
Here is the advice, choose your own way in life based on your true analysis of the experience, don't lie to yourself ever!
To, wit, for over 2O years now I have been disgusted with the two major political parties, they have become worthless for the most part. In my very-strongly held opinion. Look around and the next time someone tells you it does not make any difference who the POTUS is remind them of dear Donal.
Your government has failed you and I repeatedly-fact! Korea, JFK death, Vietnam War, overturning freely elected governments around the world, Iraq and Afghanistan war, 911, Ukraine you name it.
Hold the republican Congress to blame for giving Lease dealer- POTUS a blank check allowing him to destroy the country. The democrats have as much blame in this mess as the republicans by compromising themselves using politics to enrich themselves same as the republicans have. Instead of fulfilling their obligations to serve those who elected them, they have bowed to the lobbyist to enrich themselves. This MUST stop!
Get involved in you government, get your family involved also and hold them close.
Time now to remember the true Son's Of Liberty - google them - they were the only true 'Tea-baggers' in U.S. History. And the republican who claim the moniker were cheap opportunists,IMO. We need this new breed of them desperately and they are out there. Warning the group on the u toob are mostly young veterans who are madder than an old wet dog and rather, um course in some of their language, but you need to know they exist and they are pretty damned smart for the most part. Veterans you know those who fought for the country, the guys trump called suckers and losers! Well Not so much.
Y' all have a nice afternoon!
The SCOTUS screwed us poor folks with the reversal of the Citizens United VS F.E.C. ruling Jan 21, 2010. We now live with the results of this ruling claiming money was the same as speech. This MUST .change
Resist these people and demand change very loudly, we all are in deep dodo and the time has come to fight like your life depends on it, because it does. Our government has lost it's balance because too many deals are made to service the demands of the deep state.
The problem is that those districts are so red that the majority would vote for any republican rather than any democrat. The primary is the election in those districts.
You wonder “ For the life of me, I don't understand why the Congress, a co-equal branch of the Executive, has rolled over and played dead for all these months.”
It’s because Republicans place and value their politically partisan interests over the national interest.
I think they believe they've gone too far, and that if they don't continue on this path of insanity now, they are all going to wind up in Nuremberg trials.
Clear, decisive action is what is required on all levels. Yes, he is a madman and a clear and present danger, and no, our country, the world, the planet - cannot stand four more years (!) of this disaster.
People lament that we apparently do not have an Abraham Lincoln or an FDR to take charge and lead us out of danger, but! Our nation is strong only if our people are strong. And strong we are, we Americans, who have proven again and again in our history.
So, Yes, Chris: Write. Call. Show up. And as JB Pritzker has said: "Don't give them a moment's peace!"
That 44% number may be correct, but they are going to get fucked over just like the 56% on the other side. So, that 44% will have a hard decision to make and I think that number will shrink.
I agree and hope you're correct, Bill. Yet, it's astounding that so many in this country don't believe in the values the country was founded upon. Yes, they are a minority (barely), but we are still being ruled by them. Of course, this is all due to the Republican Party, whose members are all cowards or traitors or both. They could fix this disaster in a day.
Give it a month or 2. When a loaf of bread costs $15 and the water coming out of our faucets is a pinkish-brown. I'll be looking for the percentages then. I believe damn near all of the 44% will start rethinking their values.
Yes, Chris. We can justifiably complain about Trump and those who voted for him. But right now it is congress that is in a position to do something about this disaster. Trump has now explicitly defied the Supreme Court by saying that he could facilitate Kilmar Garcia's return but that he refuses to do it. Defying the Supreme Court is by itself ample grounds for impeachment.
I can think of plenty of reasons: voter suppression, crappy news coverage, limited polling hours and polling places . . .
For most of us regular voters, especially those who don't vote in local elections, voting is mostly a ritual and/or an act of faith. I understand why for many, many Americans elections are thunder rumbling in the distance -- and if you're in a swing state, it's like the circus coming to town.
It's also worth noting that even politically savvy people (not to mention the Democratic Party) have been taken aback by the speed by which the Trump/Musk/Miller administration has moved to implement Project 2025.
celeste k., We talked about this last night with our neighbors. Part of this was voter suppression making it difficult for people to vote or scaring them away in some way. Some live in very gerrymandered districts, so it is hard to get them out. Quite a number feel that their vote doesn't matter, so why bother. Many of them actually have no idea what government does for them and they are now finding out. Then we still have people who voted for Jill not green Stein. WTH is the matter with them. I imagine some felt that they could not vote for either one, so they didn't. Then there are those who voted for death star calculating that they would not be hurt....wrong. Or like the Arabs in Michigan they were angry with Biden over Israel. Now they have Israel basically destroying Gaza to the extent that it will be ready to be cleared for death star to build spendy resorts. I would say that this is a very complex situation and some nonvoters do not deserve a blanket condemnation.
I just cannot comprehend how the Michigan voters(non-voters) could think that the WH felon would do anything other than what he has? Its NOT surprising to anyone who has been paying attention!
I"M ANGRY with Biden and anyone who is using the antisemetic excuse for the slaughter in Gaza. WTF would make ANYONE believe its better NOW!
Sorry dont usually use so many CAPS - sometimes necessary!
Bryan, methinks you have completely discounted the effects of all the R’s did to gerrymander & suppress voting by their multiple efforts at intimidation at the polls, refusal to count mail-in ballots arriving late (thanks to Louis DeJoy) or inadequately signed or dated, outright burning of some ballot boxes after severely reducing the numbers of them in districts of color, the in-person intimidation, the excessive demands for voter identification and finally the highly suspicious products of ballot enumerator machines at the top of the ballot in the seven swing states. SO MANY of those “who did not vote at all” were results of Republican machinations and you serve the interests of the Republicans by describing them as “did not vote!” It is not unlike saying Kilmar Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 gang member because the President said so with a photoshopped picture of tattoos.
JohnM, I agree with everything you and Michelle posted. It easy to castigate non-voters when one lives in an area where voting is easy and meaningful.
H O W E V E R ...
There is one group of non-voters who deserve our ire: those who couldn't vote for the orange felon and WOULDN'T vote for a woman of color because of their racism and misogyny. Those are the people who swung the election and they deserve maximum condemnation.
I would like to add the discarding of votes where the signature is determined to be a mismatch of the one on file.What a slick way to eliminate masses of votes.
They wouldn’t vote for a woman - they have other excuses, but I’ve heard it before. If I suggest Chris Murphy of Connecticut, they’ll say they would have voted for him.
They voted as their Party told them to vote. My revulsion echoes Washington's view of political parties and his prescient foretelling that they would destroy this nation.
A democracy controls its parties. In something less, the parties control the people. The existence of a party or two and the ritual of voting does not mean one lives in a democracy. Plenty of examples of non-democracies governed by parties exist. The USA has been rated as a "flawed democracy" for a while, and we are about to become rated as even less. We are not even starting out in the top 20 <https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/democracy-index-by-country#title>.
Fascinating data Ed! On perusing the charts I noticed that the top 6 rated democracies and 7 of the top 8 all had crosses as part of their flags, Ireland being the only one without a cross. Any idea why the cross would figure so prominently in the World Population Review's rating scale of democracies?
Thank you, John. It is just as interesting to research "World's happiest countries," and "World's safest countries," "Healthiest," "Best Educated," etc. at one stop. Go to https://index.prosperity.com/rankings. Sites like this are why so many partisan stooges are now telling their adoring disciples how dangerous and stupid it is to "Do your own research." Our parties' operatives are not enthused that citizens would succeed in becoming informed enough to discover the truth about the quality of stewardship these parties have enacted on the USA in comparison to others nor questioning the hollow arrogance behind our "exceptionalism."
The truly outstanding countries at serving their nation and citizens are indeed democracies--ones that have PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, more than two parties, and they don't use our "First Past the Post-Winner-Take-all" to determine their government. Our system invariably leads to one or two parties corrupted and owned by a wealthy ruling class of plutocrats.
Ed, I appreciate your frustration, but I think your comment oversimplifies the issue.
Working backwards through your comment, Washington was right about political parties, but he ignored a scientific reality. Humans are hard-wired to seek out and congregate with others who make them feel comfortable and included. Also, unlike most other animals, humans are hard-wired to sort or organize. We cannot resist forming groups, whether religious, political or some other interest. Where the governed are permitted to choose their governors, political parties will develop.
Our mistake in the U.S. is embracing only two parties; this creates an us-versus-them environment, which left unmoderated, precludes anything resembling compromise, the only means by which people who disagree can coexist.
Your assertion that the parties tell their adherents how to vote isn't quite right, in my opinion. It is true that most voters vote in a partisan manner, but I don't think they're following orders. Rather, I believe they are "voting for their team" out of blind allegiance, then use programmed talking points to justify their voting.
Instead of blaming the parties (which deserve plenty of blame), I blame corporate media, especially the television networks. Corporate TV has transformed our elections from solemn rituals into nothing more than professional sporting events. With dazzling graphics and colorful commentaries, they emphasize the competition rather than the consequences. Voters choose their teams, wear their colors and cheer for them, oblivious to what their teams are doing.
This reveals how successfully OUR two cartel party system has done its stewardship relative to others. I don't know that it will always be available given the current destruction of access to information, databases and archived records.
My sense is that you are ignoring how much OUR parties control, corrupt and exploit. They ARE the government. Oligarchy controls both, and no government comes to the people but through these parties. Not an easy thing to face as reality given our conditioning.
Washington, to my knowledge, was certainly cognizant of human need for organization, groupings, and our tribal tendencies. After all, he maintained a citizen army under very brutal and improbable conditions.
Read Fears of a Setting Sun.... by Rasmussen.Washington and other founders later realized they had not done enough in writing the Constitution to allow a democratic government to control and prevent the abuse of the parties. I believe time proved him correct. Ours is a system that has now imploded, and other democracies have done better by their nation and citizens. The downloadable report will show who these nations are and how they do in comparison to us.
Thanks, Ed. That's a sizable document and I've saved it to my hard drive, so I can read it when I have time.
I'm not here to argue with anyone, so I'll drop this in a minute. Perhaps the first sentence in your original comment should have been structured differently, because I still don't think the parties are telling their voters how to vote, as you stated. I still believe America's voting is a "team spirit" exercise and not a thoughtful evaluation of what will happen if I vote for Candidate X vs. Candidate Y or the outlier, Candidate Z.
I think your point is that the major parties are controlling who is allowed to run for office, thereby limiting the electorate's choices. If that is your point, I wholeheartedly agree. There's no better example than the 2016 election.
We agree on most things, which is amazing for a discussion on parties and politics at this time. Glad you did the download. I don't know how much longer Americans will have access to it. I'm going to pin the link on my Blue Sky site if I can.
Yesterday The 1A radio show interviewed voters on how they were feeling at the 100 day mark. I tuned in in progress, so probably missed some good stuff. The man talking when I tuned in sounded reasonably informed on how things are supposed to work, but then ended by saying "I like what he's doing."
The other voters were very clear by their answers, whether they had voted for Trump or Harris, that they are totally clueless as to how separation of powers, legislation creation, etc. is designed to work, and just how OUTSIDE the bounds of normalcy this all is. And yet they vote! (They vote on buzz words, bits of gossip they hear on their favorite podcasts, heck, maybe even what they read on a public bathroom wall!)
This is what the 30 year removal of Civics from our classrooms, not to mention 20 years of Fox propaganda, has wrought.
Sandra, I did teach government in the 90s for a few years. Those who would probably need government services the most were pretty apathetic. I assigned them an essay to talk about what would happen without government. A few of the males thought running wild would be great, but even they came around. In a discussion of the flat tax, all I did was put up numbers that they provided and they came to the conclusion on their own that the flat tax was not a good idea. In high school my civics teacher was hired as a coach.
Michele, That’s heartening to hear. My daughter was in middle and high school during the’90s, mostly in AP classes (just shows how inadequate even those classes were in NC. I specifically asked her last weekend about any Civics instruction she had and learned it was”rolled into” Social Studies and only taught in elementary grades!! She graduated from college with a political science degree so she’s very interested in how little her cohort learned. Good on you for your dedication and foresight.
At that time, government was a required class, so students who wanted to graduate had to take it and pass. I did remind them of that. I was required to teach it; they were required to pass it, so we might as well make the best of it. I focused on the Bill of Rights and lots of library research. My favorite class had no college prep kids, but they did want to graduate.
How do so many people say “it’s still quiet, still safe, for me, for mine. Don’t panic. Don’t fret. It will be fine”?
Not for everybody.
People living close to me have been violently taken by strange men arriving suddenly at night. That’s not right. That sounds like an issue for the police. Are the police catching these guys? I don’t feel very safe anymore, and I’m not particularly skittish.
I do not want to live in the “ghetto” as some put it, a “bad neighborhood.” Is this the ghetto now? Where’s America?
No, they are not the cause. We the People includes this group of your estimated 77 million. We ALL are affected by the “catastrophe” being welded against democracy and against ALL the people of this country.
The current administration is acting in a lawless manner; its lead a man who acts as a cruel king.
They bought the drugs, used the drugs, need drug treatment…they are the Fentanyl buyers after all. But need a day of reconciliation…offer them treatment that works.
Unfortunately it is not just Trump who is revolting, but all the Republicans in Congress, the Republicans running States, and the line of succession to the president with 18 people who are all horrid, horrid people. Scroll down here and see the list.
I have no confidence that it will be a fair election. I can see Trump posting ICE outside polling places to intimidate brown Americans. He will start screaming from the Office of the Presidency that the election will be rigged against him, and he will summon all those traitors he freed from the J6 riot. God help us!!
I’m guessing there will be no election. Some “trump-ed up” reason to declare martial law will occur so that he or his successor will deny us that right. Didn’t he say we would never need to vote again? I’m certain that’s the plan given the level of discontent across our nation.
You are right about the line of succession. While gratifying that he would be gone, that alone would not end the nightmare. You don’t have to go far in the line of succession, Vance in some ways would be worse.
Vance is one nasty person but...... but..... but he is not a mentally un balanced as Asshole is.... plus he does not have the mob behind him so he could be fought more effectively.
JD Vance and Mike Johnson are two peas from the same rotten religious pod. Both are "nobodies who came out of nowhere" and suddenly have too much power (albeit Vance is currently in a holding pattern).
One man – Mike Johnson – has the power to utterly paralyze the legislature, and that is what he is doing.
A president Vance would be merely the tool used by Thiel and Yarvin to turn the U.S. into the oligarchic theocracy they desire.
Too late! Ban , impeach this group of grifters from our land! Jesus gave us a call to stand up for truth.
What we are known for world wide is that the people in our government can lie about anything and everything, and do!
Is that the reputation you want the world to believe. Is that what you teach your children? Lying is ok????? Everything that comes out of the maga shit is lies. Have we no pride. Get furious America! Prove you give a crap about this country and this planet,
Make it illegal to tell bold face lies. Take them down!
On the Wrong Family home invasion in Oklahoma by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Unit. I note that "TRAVIS PICKARD, a 20-year veteran was recently selected as special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Dallas"[Texas].
Oh, there needs to be an investigation alright by a Grand Jury.
We need to "out" the terrorists that work for ICE.
They come to your door with dressed completely in black and no ID with hoodies up and you're supposed to just let them in?
Good thing so many people are armed because sooner or later someone is going to take out several of these thugs. And it will be "stand your ground" and self defense.
I know cops that are afraid they will be busted for aiding immigrants. This is war and we need to fight back.
And let us not forget his supposed heel spurs which got him off of serving in the military – Viet Nam era – but does not stop him from golfing, From the internet just now, “…. it would be the 24th day that the American president has spent playing golf since being sworn in for his second term, according to Trump Golf Track, a website that tracks how often Trump plays a round.” That is 25% of the time – and think of the cost – I saw one figure but it might be wrong $141million.
That's probably about right Linda ($141 million). And don't forget the military parade Trump wants to give himself -- just a little $100 million gift from us to him.
And the trip to the Super Bowl that we paid for. The list goes on and on. DEFUND the President. Cut the Secret Service budget and fire all of the Doge morons.
I wish I could find it, but probably a month ago, there was a clip on YouTube that showed the MASSIVE motorcade of his going into Mar a Largo or a golf course. It went on and on and on--seriously there must have been 50 vehicles.
People are going to be really perturbed when shelves are empty. Perhaps Ivanka got 30 dolls at Christmas. Parents, children ... everyone is going to be pretty perturbed when they can't get what they want when shopping.
And the rich will continue with their fine dining and entertainment at the White House and Mar-a-Lago. Life is just peachy as they rake in the money they take from us.
Same here -- and the GOP members of the House and Senate who are sitting on their hands (and bank accounts). And to Fox News and other right-wing megaphones that spread the lies. And to the people who hate anyone who doesn't look just like they do and continue to believe the lies.
HUGELY insensitive to real people. The plastic Barbie doll (not the one in Greta Gerwig's film) is his own personal toy. He can twist the arms and legs to do whatever he wants. That press conference of high praise, brought to you by chips planted in every cabinet head, topped off by a red baseball cap. The whole MAGA team, off-base and striking out.
Ahh, I think I'm understanding where the 30 dolls comes from. There's Ivana, Ivanka, Marla, Stormy, all of the interchangeable press secretaries and Faux newscasters, the teenage beauty contestants....
The disease that is the MAGA-hatted Sewer Circus has never been seen before in American History! We used to have mostly skilled and thoughtful folks in the cabinet, yes a few ‘clunkers (Betsy), but mostly people whose experience and skills sets fit their job of administering the massive and critically important Federal workers and congressional approves programs at Make America America!
Now we have clowns with not one related experience, selected to be nothing but the Donny dick-tator’s chorus!
Wow! If I was a member for the GOP I would be sickened!
This is beyond gross incompetence, this is intentional incompetence!
I hope that we can bring this to a sift end..although the pragmatic process moving forward isn’t clear.
Step One is making sure that all American see and note just how wrong this is!
Step Two is to make sure that the weaseling doesn’t shift ‘blame’—they own this!
* They Wanted This!
* They say they Love This!
Step Three is to rally and fight, to be impatient about the complete BullShit he spews!
He will go down the Golden Toilet of his dreams…make it soon!
Gore Vidal once wrote that half of Americans don't read a newspaper and half of Americans don't vote. He hoped for everyone's sake they were the same half. Sadly, they're not and so Trump continues to get away with this kind of nonsense.
I mean, yeah, what kid gets “30 dolls” for Christmas?….wonder if the guy ever bought his kids/grandkids holiday presents. Just like he doesn’t shop for “the groceries”….wonder when the last time HE actually drove himself anywhere. What a privileged a-hole!
Has anyone ever bought a family food for Christmas? Like milk and bread and boxes of mac and cheese snd canned soup. Dolls? 30 dolls? 1 doll? Prople are at ghe point where a box of staples would be more welcome. DT is clueless.
Maybe he, like William in free to be You and Me, always wanted a doll and his nazi sympathizing pappa locked him up in the chokey for his request. Maybe all this tariff chaos is about his repressed longing for a doll of his own and his reflexive desire to deny others what he was denied? 🙃
Neither of those two authoritarian abusers have the right to tell people what to do with their private life. In China it's a tradition. In the US it's a didgrace.
Free Trade is just Geopease for no barriers for monopolizing markets. Monopolized societies, either politically or economically (and they tend to be both) are in no meaningful sense "free".
That is one reason why I opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I figured if the U.S. and Japan got in, they would pound the smaller nations with the strict intellectual licensing provisions to work around compulsory licensing laws and strangle the emerging economies in pharmaceuticals while the U.S. would get cheap imports.😱
The T.P.P. conflated a N.A.T.O.-like security treaty with a European Common Market accord.🤝🏻
The two agreements should be separate and equal (in stature) so the smaller countries get the security they need vis à vis China while enjoying a sympathetic environment for development. After World War II, the European economies, destroyed by the war were emerging economies, like many of the Pac-Rim today.⚖️
I am ignorant of the nuances of the T.P.P. . My sense of it was that it transferred unaccountable powers into plutocratic hands, and that whatever it's pros and cons it was not only created in secret (which might of might not be justifiable) but lacked a process of extended and detailed examination and debate about the devils in the details. The whole initiative seemed to be inimical to the democratic process from top to bottom.
In my view, one of the few incidental benefits of Trump was the demise of the TPP initiative, though I suspect that Trump's objection would have been for a transfer of power he had no way to personally dominate.
The Investment Monitor produced this report four years ago on this very question and the answers are more complicated than just blaming the import of cheap goods (which incidentally Americans like).
Whatever you think about the causes of the decline in US manufacturing (that is manufacturing that occurs in the US), Trump's prognosis is absurd. High tariffs will only harm US importers and consumers and trade deficits are a normal function of an economy.
I think the share US manufacturing could be bolstered by policy in more reasonable ways, as Biden was attempting; but Trumps pathetic attempts at mass extortion are not one of them.
Encouraging investment in renewables would draw in huge amounts of investment but thanks to Trump the US may miss the boat altogether. Last year, 84% of new energy investment in the US was for solar, wind and battery storage. Trump is trying to browbeat law firms who have promised pro bono work into supporting the case for "beautiful clean coal". It's madness.
As usual, I am ambivalent from my narrow perspective of personal experience. Growing up in Pittsburgh and working in a steel mill for three summers, the collapse of the steel industry broke my heart. So, tariffs sounded like a good idea in the 1970s to protect the industry and later on to re-build it. 🛑
The difficulty with that logic is that cheap imports were a challenge, not a problem.🤫
The problem was that senior management of many manufacturers became complacent in the 1950s an 1960s. This generation of leadership failed to make the large investments of time and money required to keep up with emerging technologies and higher quality standards demanded by the market. 🫣
The main reason the steel industry collapsed in the 1970s was that instead of putting profits into innovations, the companies bought other companies. We had state of the art steel mills in the 1940s and 1950s, but then the Japanese built new steel mills that were more efficient (mainly because they reduced the number of times the steel had to be reheated). So by the 1970s it was Japan that had state of the art mills, not America.
Good point, Mary. Conglomerates (e.g., G.E., Gulf & Western et many al.) were a product of B-school portfolio theory. 'Idiosyncratic' (i.e., company-specific risks) would cancel each other out so execs could play of industry-specific business cycles against each other for smooth, predictable, and growing returns. Computers taking off in the 1960s aided this process.
✍️💡🥳
There were two consequences, one unintended and the other passively intended. The unintended consequence was a wide variety of businesses to manage taking the focus off of the core business. The passively intended complicity was the complacency as well as greed that you, J.L. (close to J.&L., where l worked for three summers) and Russell mention.
😳🤬
As the nerd reich of Curtis Yarvin, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, J.D. (Jr-Duce) Vance starts to surface with the promises of eliminating democracy for pure technocracy, let us take the fate of fat, dumb, happy, optimizing, and numbers-crunching conglomerates of the mid-1950s to 1970s as a portent of what reich's perfect government will be like for the private sector. 🤢
Between kindergarten and HS diploma I lived in Northern Ohio, and watched prosperity drain from the region. And yeah, as with the US auto and electronics industries, successful CEO got lazy and focused on milking their cash cows rather than (actually) do the core capitalist thing and innovate. `That said, CEOs typically exit a once successful but thence poorly led business with millions, while employees depend on unemployment insurance; the engine of the Subprime Crisis.
All those immigrants bringing specialized skills from all over, unexploited resources, and a decent educational system help make US manufacturing dominant for a spell. but greed overcame prudent resilience. The Invisible Hand kinda works where there a certain balance is maintained, and money alone won't provide it; in fact it tends to snowball toward monopoly when unrestricted.
And haven't societies that lack strong, innovative, and widespread educational systems tended to lag against foreign competitors? We have excelled at producing specialists. but do we invest enough in education of the masses?
Trophy? What contest in hell was she the prize? There are desperate, opportunistic, pretty, call girls who aren’t soulless and lacking any warmth. That woman is the worst First Lady. Like a prison guard who would step over any American to collect a dollar, ruble, weird crypto meme.
I cannot stand when these women get a pass as if they aren’t just as bad. Plenty of women are as good looking, if not better and actually care about this country. Or anything. She’s just as narcissistic, greedy, hypocritical and sociopathic as he his. Remember HER parents jumping the immigration line. Or have we seen her visa status when she was sent on her call to trump? Please. It’s why they’re trying to erase Epsteins investigation.
She’ll rob America blond along with the rest of the Trumps and not think twice….”she doesn’t care, do you?”
At least people he sees aren’t completely zombies. They evidently know really bad breath when they encounter it. And the they do that Christian thing for the poor fellow.
I would like to see the head-to-toe tattoos on every ICE agent, with an explanation for each. Do I need to use the Freedom of Information Act, or can I just ask politely?
Maybe they're the masked "agents"? 😈 Per Rachel Maddow last night, there's a (new?) HSI, Homeland Security Investigator, the ones that raided the home in OK.
Seeing the coverage of what happened in OK, I wondered if folks will now take to “hardening” their domiciles against intrusion. I fear none of this plays out well for all those involved.
I dislike liking this but I do agree. Violence is the only recourse since the guardrails of Congress, SCOTUS, and local law enforcement are completely complicit in this Nazi regime. Never thought I’d say “violence is the only recourse”… I’ve never even touched a gun in all my 66 years-but I do see that coming.
Guess what a DEA agent got up in front of Congress today and actually confirmed not that it really mattered. Abrego’s tattoos on his knuckles were MS 13 not to mention that now they have uncovered the second report from the wife where he quote where she quotes something like this, he said he was continued to beat me and he could even kill me and nobody would ever find out or charge him. That’s the report you gave to police. So you guys keep supporting him. Lololol
Of course it was fake. I guess it’s difficult to understand humor, in print.
By the way, you’re the one who only listens to one side of the ledger which mandates you to gullibility since there’s no way you can check it out and validate it
Come on Kathy I don’t even have to try go back and check all my links. They’re all their quotes from every single politician that did exactly what Trump is doing in their term including Schumer Pelosi, Bernie, Sanders, Clinton, Obama, etc..
This is unproven. But let’s go with your logic. According to you, it’s fine if people are deported to a foreign concentration camp without due process because they are accused of - or even might be- very shitty people. Would that include an adjudicated rapist and convicted felon who wants to fuck his daughter and who incited an insurrection? How about a drunk who sexually assaulted women and leaked classified information over Signal- who also has white nationalist tattoos? Or an attorney who openly flouted the law and took a $ 25,000 pay off to ditch a case? I could go on and on… I’m assuming you’re fine with those people being dragged out of their homes, shaving their heads and booting them to a foreign hell hole without due process.
Yep I Am. And 60% of Americans agree according to a recent CNN poll I believe. Not that I trust any polls.
Concentration camp? You are woefully ignorant.
Let me put it plainly since apparently English is foreign to you. Coming over the border illegally is “illegal”. And those that do so should be removed and sent back to wherever they came from. Is that clear enough for you. That’s exactly what your God Obama did he sent back 3 million and was considered the DePorter in chief by liberal legacy media. and the like And I’ve sent over a link that confirms that of all the 3 million he sent over only 25% of them had hearings or due process. So 2.25 million just got sent back Didn’t hear you whining or complaining then ? We send one gang member back and the mice come out of the woodwork sad. He;s a wife beater and you should be ashamed taking his side. btw. The latest poll shows 90% approval rating over abrego’s being deported.
Stop the nonsense re; ajudicated rapist. So pathetic. It’s over and gone.
I’ll only suggest that if ANY of the cases were held in a different “venue” a different story would have emerged in Btw ANCIENT HISTORY’. All the cases are GONE but one. And that will also begone as welll. Next case.
Do you have any other insignificant info of interest to post. ? The signal chat did nothing…except show the successful, though expensive attack on the Houthi’s. That were firing on US SHIPS.
If only Mexico would have enforced their immigration laws. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. are you familiar with their immigration laws AT ALL?
Entering Mexico illegally is a felony and punishable by two years in prison and a significant fine on a daily basis….ooooops.
Can’t find any posts on your profile. Just a lot of MAGA restacks. Does your “healing” include denigrating people you don’t know by insulting them with pithy jabs like : “English is foreign to you” and “is that clear enough for you” “whining and complaining” “ insignificant info”… Do tell about your “healing the country” plan.
Whose hand is it? This so-called evidence “turns up” now when the pressure on Trump has not relented. Trump is a liar. People in his administration are liars.
Go watch the hearing. BUT it’s not on ANY network you watchhhh
ar Abrego Garcia had a history of violence and was not the upstanding “Maryland Man” the media has portrayed him as.
According to court filings, Garcia’s wife sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, claiming he punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt, Show more
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From snopes. But you can go read her filings. Twice found guilty in an immigration court. AND SHE STATED. not quoting but you can find the quotes online. He threatened to beat me to death and NO ONE WOULD CONVICT HIM BECASUE OF WHO HE IS AND AFFILIATED WITH. sorry pal. You;re going to have to do better. The hand proof is not only there but is verified by a dea agent and two immigration=ration judges.
Funny contrast between Trump’s cabinet slavishly praising him and the reporter confronting and contradicting Trump at the end of this HCR’s letter. Trump’s reaction when called on his BS is kind of weird. He acts hurt. There’s ’how dare you’ and ‘you’ll pay for this’ but also a funny kind of dismay. Same thing when Governor of Maine talked back to him. He seems lost.
That's how narcissists act... he's trying to manipulate Moran and regain control of the situation and narrative. Narcissists do not deal well with having their B.S. called out.
The reporter handled Trump the way he needs to be handled, and didn’t try to flatter or defer to him. We need more reporting like that. Of course, a narcissist and sociopath like Trump will never take responsibility for anything they do.
He probably meant, No, Terry, YOU can’t do that.” Trumo really believes no one is now allowed to contradict him in any way. He probably didn’t mean, “you can’t photoshop”.
He truly thinks people now just believe what he says. I’m not surprised why since we have allowed any bozo on the bus to say whatever bat shit crazy thing they want and give it an audience. Podcasters “just asking wuestions” to an audience of a million for two hours spouting off nonsense and wrapping it in a bow as valid.
WhenFOX decided fair and balance was the ruse to get their whacked out shot out as valid ideas, the media started letting moron spit out nonsense, unchallenged. I guess letting ten American public decide for themselves was not the best course of action.
PSST…..Americans look to and pay for news organizations to get to the truth, not just air people talking. The WH press Corp is like a bunch of court reporters instead of actual reporters. They just type every utterance…..and air or print it without a fact check. People actually do believe it.
Trumo claimed to have the greatest successes in 100 days. 5 bills got passed. 4 of which were Biden’s, either reversed or signed and taken credit for. Enough is enough being polite to our friends, neighbors and nodding, “oh, ok, that’s interesting.” Time to say, “no, that’s complete and total bull shit and the reality is x, y and a is happening and here’s the evidence.
Ever ask a MAGA to back up their crap….lots of um, um, um ,Biden, um, trans, um, um, um. Their leaders can’t even support their ideas or defend their messes. We need to stop allowing this to just hang in the air like a bubbling sewer.
Oh please. It was one of the best things we have seen in quite awhile. The part where Trump whines “you’re not being very nice’? Classic narcissist. And apparently he can pick up a phone, snap his fingers, and Albrego Garcia will return. I’m sure the judge on the case found that interesting.
It’s more than simple bravado, it was Trump attempting to bully Terry Moran. Trump failed to do so, so resorted to belittling insults, another classic Trump tactic.
Now it seems that when you sign on as a candidate for this MAGAized Republican Party the job description is not public service. They see the importance of their job being to pave the way for the Trump regime’s unmaking of democracy. They want to hold onto their federal salaries, retirement plan, untracked expense accounts, insider trade information, and, now most likely, actual kickbacks.
What is with all your people you can’t think of honest words to use you have to use the word regime like Biden machine was any different or Obama’s regime or bushes regime? They’re all the same. The only difference is if you don’t like something that they’re doing a call in a regime if you like something what they’re doing you stand up and applaud them even though they’re doing it the same way. Executive orders, etc.
The authoritarian behavior of the Biden administration fits the definition of regime. “ Dictionary Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more noun 1. a government, especially an authoritarian one. "ideological opponents of the regime" Similar: government authorities system of government rule reign dominion sovereignty jurisdiction authority control command administration establishment direction management leadership 2. a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above. "detention centers with a very tough physical regime"
Like defined the Supreme Court and canceling student loans and opening the border to allow 15 million people in when our quota is only 1.4. See, I can do the same thing as you
Not what happened see this is what happens when you get the story they want you to hear but not the full story. Why don’t you take a few minutes use a search engine and find the full story and then maybe you’ll understand and won’t make a fool of yourself blaming people you shouldn’t be blaming for a crime that never happened
Every time I see Rick Sender's name on a post, I go to the 3 little dots at the far right & tap the word " Collapse", & his comment disappears. It's hugely satisfying. Try it.
Do you know Lisa you probably need a mirror and here’s why and I’m not trying to insult you. I’m just trying to prove a point if you look above and in all the history of what’s going on here in Heather‘s post, you will see the same names repeated over and over and over and over again day after day after day, talking to one another patting each other on the back commiserating with each other, telling how great everybody others Post is. Not once did you call them trolls I wonder why
Rick, you’ve posted 20+ times today just to provoke people. This isn’t about discussion — it’s about your need for attention. You’re not proving a point; you’re hijacking threads, insulting others, and playing victim when called out.
This group doesn’t need your faux-reasonable trolling. Take it somewhere else.
Provoke people. ? I could give a shit about attention. This is about a group of liberal lemmings commiserating with each other hearing only one side of the story believing everything that said here with nobody contradicting a single thing. Juries don’t make good decisions. Based on only one side of the hearing they have to hear both sides in order to be able to weigh the evidence that’s not happening here. All I’m doing is adding vision perspective and girth to the discussion. And many of the people that are here post a lot more than 20 times a day, but I’ve never heard you call them trolls and I’ve never heard you call them needing attention.
I never played the victim. I’m not a victim of anything. I’m a victim of what my own thoughts are and been an independent voter and thinker my entire life don’t try to put words in my mouth
Now let me give you some perspective the left prize itself on free speech except when they don’t like what they hear and they want to shut it down. Sounds familiar. ? Got a mirror.
And lastly, I am proving a point many many many points just you don’t wanna hear them. You don’t want to see them most of the people here as I’ve said before only hear out of their left ear and only see out of their left eye.
You obviously haven’t seen some of the posts that I received telling me to F off or get the F off or shut the F up or as you put go elsewhere so that we don’t have to hear your differential opinion I back up most of my opinions with links and facts deal with that. You don’t like it you go somewhere else free speech, invoke it believe it and accept it
Rick - Please explain how that two hour "imitation Kim Jung il" kiss-up cabinet meeting is supposed to inspire confidence and respect among our allies and trading partners.
How much of our products did they try to stock up on to beat the tariffs, and what happens when they think about who the more dependable future suppliers will be, and what they can do for themselves better than what we try to force them to buy or supply?
Get a hold of yourself there Jim. First, let me post this so everybody can get a glimpse.
Concerning the latest gdp numbers. Trump’s .03 was not as bad as Biden’s .9 or 1.2. And that’s after Biden had three years to fix it. Lmao. Don’t know where the hell you’re getting rising prices but every price is down eggs gas groceries mortgage rates and inflation from 7% to 2.5. Maybe you’re worried too much about the euro or the pound that means shit in the world. Lmao. You can’t dish it out, but you certainly can take it.
NOW RE; the cabinet meeting. I’ll tell you what. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours? Yikes. Would you prefer the cabinet meetings Biden NEVER SHOWED due to a TOTAL lack of transparency or….perhaps you would prefer the cabinet meeting by President JILL…..CANT STOP LAUGHING. how many cabinet meetings did the semi-cadaver show on national tv AT ALL. Let alone in their entirety? And the hypocrisy and double standards persists…..
Every president who has lived has their sycophants… dummy. Although at least Trump has two democrats in his cabinets which historically is unheard of.
Perhaps Trump Should put pelosi or schumer or booker in his cabinet? Man you are out there….
Ps…. Putting a cabinet meeting in tv and actually getting answers as to their progress on topics should impress you. Dont remember Biden doing ANY like that. Nor bush nor Obama.
It;s called Transparency. Something you are not accustomed to having. Aka the border is closed…Kamala is the border czar. And here’s all the progress she;s made. It’s a grand soft morning for me. You make it soooo easy.
You wrote “ Well, you guys are changing the definition of a president when you called Biden one”
That’s lame even for you.
By the way, professional presidential scholars (that’s your cue to disparage scholars) have rated Trump the worst president in American history (45/45). They rate President Biden in the top third (14/45). No kidding.
Is this true? You’re actually defending Biden as the president of the United States you’re worse than the freaking media and everybody around Biden who lied about his condition. Yikes. By the way, I wake every morning and live and breathe by the historical ratings of presidents. I’m able to do my own reading as good 77 million others. now closer to 100 million. And if that big beautiful Bill passes, the Democrat party may just as well to fade into history.
Barking mad. Does Putin pay you by the word, post or reply, or some combination? I expect Putin does not pay you directly, but he has made arrangements for others to conduct those sorts of transactions.
“ American company, Russian propaganda: New Kremlin tactic reveals escalating effort to sway US vote
“ WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has long sought to inject disinformation into U.S. political discourse. Now, it’s got a new angle: paying Americans to do the work.
“This week’s indictment of two Russian state media employees on charges that they paid a Tennessee company to create pro-Russian content has renewed concerns about foreign meddling in the November election while revealing the Kremlin’s latest tactic in a growing information war.
If the allegations prove correct, they represent a significant escalation, analysts say, and likely capture only a small piece of a larger Russian effort to sway the election.”
Don’t be jealous there Ed and yes, Vladimir and I talk at least once a week. For some reason he doesn’t any longer wish to talk to me since Ukraine and Trump have come to a minerals agreement, which should basically stop Putin from further incursion into the country although Putin could’ve dominated the country two years ago if he wanted to…. thanks for Billy C’s f up .
By the way, I voted for Billy C twice. One of the best presidents in the last 75 years or so ? And of course, he only did it under Obama‘s watch, and under Biden’s watch. And now you fools want to dump the problem in Trump’s lap, hah. …..not gonna fly.
I guess you don’t consider the Steele dossier intrusion into our election system either…. suffering from Democratphilia where as they say in Russia is a full blooded PARTISAN. lololol. And Hillary’s 31,000 emails that disappeared or her phones that disappeared or the computer in the bathroom in colorado that disappeared. Well, i’m sure glad you have a sense of humor.
Someday you may get something right I still have hopes for you
Well your post is very informative and as a typical liberal post, no content whatsoever. No contradictory remarks no witty retort. Lol.
Where is your congratulations on closing the border? Where is your congratulations on egg prices since you guys were freaking out about tripping eight prices the day Trump took off. Literally freaking out.
Now that they’re down three dollars I hear nothing
Where is your comment on the rebound of the stock market because the day it took a hit you were blaming Mark and Trump and jumping up and down and lighting matches Three days later after I suggested immediately that you should just be patient look what’s happening now where’s your congratulations? Where’s your comments on the fact that the NASDAQ is now in a positive for the month for the entire month of April and the And the Dow Jones is only down 4% And coming back.
Maybe you want to freak out about the one gang member that’s locked up somewhere that beat his wife senseless and threatened to kill her in a beating and that he wouldn’t get caught even if he did
I don’t understand liberals you continue to dig yourselves a hole while backing the wrong pony time after
A massive recession is in the making. Unfortunately, destruction must occur in order o rebuild. This is the pendulum of human history. Noah’s Ark will eventually see land.
Just migrate over to the 3 dots on the far right, over the word "Share ". Press the dots & you'll see the word " collapse". Click on that word & Rick Sender's post will disappear. Do this to every one of his comments. It's extremely satisfying!
He was ignored a day ago. He’s quintupling down today. I violated my personal rule of ignoring him yesterday by replying with an emoji to a response he made to one of my posts which garnered a reply from him.
I regret my engagement. He really diminishes the quality of this comments section. We’ve lost one reader over it, and I’m sure there will be others.
There’s a surreal tension in the Trump narrative Dr. Richardson outlines tonight. On one hand, we’re told he’s a Unitary Executive—an all-powerful leader whose will must prevail unchecked. On the other hand, we’re asked to believe he’s a helpless bystander, too clueless to be held accountable. Sometimes he’s Julius Caesar; other times he’s Mr. Magoo.
That cognitive dissonance isn’t just absurd—it’s strategic. It’s how authoritarian movements dodge responsibility while demanding obedience. Trump’s defenders want him to have all the power and none of the consequences.
But democracy doesn’t work that way. Authority without accountability isn’t leadership—it’s danger.
I agree David. I keep replaying that ABC exchange about the photoshopped tattoo. My guess is that his handlers have convinced him that they are real letters and numbers. He does get these surreal images in his mind like the giant faucet in Canada holding back water to California. He fixates on this scenario of a boat, electric battery and shark.
But he may have been just outraged that the reporter would not accept a version of ‘fact’ that he was presented with by the President after being granted an interview.
Or both.
The real crux is that he is now boxed into a corner and all the fawning yes people around him will never set him right as to the photoshopping.
And the kicker is that the guy is STILL entitled to a pre deprivation hearing even if the tattoos were real. We also have yet to have judicial resolution of whether or not the AEA has been validly invoked.
The unitary executive is unconstitutional. The president is violating the separation of powers, and the SCOTUS majority is ignoring settled law, including the basic principles that the president isn’t above the law and is subject to the law. Our constitutional system has broken down.
"On one hand, we’re told he’s a Unitary Executive—an all-powerful leader whose will must prevail unchecked. On the other hand, we’re asked to believe he’s a helpless bystander, too clueless to be held accountable. Sometimes he’s Julius Caesar; other times he’s Mr. Magoo."
Extra double doublethink. Trump is the measure of all things.
He's a criminal, this fat, fat, waddling fat guy with the orange-greasepaint face.
A criminal, obliviously pushing his stupid tariffs, criminally hurting America and the world.
Oh, sure, fine -- Putin's happy. Putin wants every democracy to tank, every country to fall that in his own idiot, contorted imagination offends his Russia's white racial purity.
So the bing-bing-boing-bong guy rakes in more, more, more profit for himself huckstering from the White House. Has his bimbo blonde head of the DoJ run interference for his ongoing, upping criminality, his fool at DoD compromising U.S. security, his cabinet full of the billionaire callous all scurrying toadying.
He’s only in charge because the billionaires behind the Republican Party want an enforcer. Immigration is what keeps the poor motivated to vote R, dismantling regulations as well as tax cuts for the big corporations.
Can we pass on the body shaming? There are folks of every body type out on the streets resisting this lawless regime. Trump’s body type is not the problem. His heartlessness and cluelessness is the problem.
Can you kindly come up with a different insult? Thanks.
Use this spreadsheet to call/email/write any of our representatives as often as possible. Not just your own state reps, reach out to those in other states. Be as loud as you can and share this. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”
Long direction please read my post. Stop the hate give him credit for what he did and criticize him for what he did do that you didn’t like. Assumably you liked the border closed, but who the hell knows with you people
It seems that we probably don’t agree with what’s happening right now. Either way though, I’m constantly reaching out to those in Congress and hoping others will as well because what’s happening right now is straight out of Project 2025 plans (read about it here: https://redwine.blue/project2025/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4j3zDfPRRp32wWenRQYI04kuNtJkm9Ju2-CfHZEMAsUVtTG7GEJO3bHKCs3A_aem_KH8i1M2nWqYX4O0IIVYHxw#repro-rights), I do not approve of an authoritarian leadership, we have 3 branches of government which are not being appropriately followed right now, and I do not agree with all the lies, deceit and tear down of the average American.
Megan, I voice text everything so obviously you’re new here and I could give a shit about punctuation or spelling necessarily this is not my college thesis. It’s all about you ready. CONTENTS OVER FORM. Now that we have that out-of-the-way he is no more territorial than Biden or Obama or Clinton or Bush just that you don’t like the EX or the policies he has but he’s not any less authoritarian or any more authoritarian than any former president oooopsie. Biden opens the border and lets 11 million people cross without vetting. Biden decides to forgive student loans against the Supreme Court. Wtfu. And if the big beautiful bill passes, guess what he will be giving middle America the biggest tax cut that he’s given that this country has ever seen. No tax on tips no tax on Social Security no tax on overtime targeted directly specifically at middle and lower income people
By the way, it’s getting warmer I know but it’s time you took project 25 and threw it in the fireplace It’s a meaningless document to Trump stop listening to your media
Russell Vought (OMB Director) remains rusted on to Project 2025 and I haven't heard JD Vance (VP) row back his support for it, and it's still being implemented as far as I can see.I think someone is telling you porkies pies.
So read my last question what is being implemented in project 2025 that you have a problem with assuming that the policy even came from project 2025 which has nothing to do with Trump. But let’s see what you have to offer.
Sandra , there are hundreds of precepts and policies in project 25 many of them have been implemented by every president that’s been in office both left and right. Many of them are basic American precepts, like keeping men out of women’s sports and respecting the flag and basic American values. There is good and And bad in the book, Trump could give a shit about project 25. He uses his brain to figure it out. And he does what’s best for America. Why don’t you explain to me what’s in project 25 that he’s done that you don’t like Maybe like securing the border ? 😉
You see, you would not make a good juror you only hear other your left ear and see out of your left eye and you never see both sides of the story. Look what Biden did as an authoritarian and a lot more is coming out every day not to mention that he lied about the border he lied about Hunter. He lied about his Russian partnerships, his Ukraine partnerships, his Hawaii involvement, and that’s why he had to pardon everybody in his family all the way down the line. But that’s OK with you and it’s fine with me cause I could give a shit it just that you can’t only look at one side of the ledger and actually have people believe you.
I hope you have a good night. And while I hope it won’t happen, if Trump’s administration gets their way, you’ll watch those big tax cuts that you think are coming to the average American all go to billionaires/big corporations. I will continue to use my voice against Trump and his administration.
It’s not about Trump! it’s about congressional Republicans aiding and abetting, encouraging and empowering Trump. They own the mess we’re in more than the fat orange puffball. They could stop this nonsense in a day.
Democrats, with an eye toward the’26 midterm elections, need to pound the point home over and over; it’s about the Republicans!
Yes. The saying is usually "Cut the snake off at the head." In this case it's "Cut him off at the knees!" ALL the trump enablers need to be cut down and thrown out - from his North Korean cabinet to companies that give him money. Trump on his own couldn't take a trash can out.
Congress and the senate are failing at their duty to hold the president accountable. They have no spine and they and their state colleagues will do whatever they can to dampen Democratic turnout.
I applaud Terry Moran. He is the type of journalist lacking in the media. Unfortunately, now Trump will have a vendetta against ABC like he does with CBS.
Terry Moran did a spectacular job in asking tough questions Trump didn’t want to answer. He exposed the real Trump, and it didn’t flatter Trump. Mary Trump did a good YouTube commentary on the interview.
My revulsion at his existence knows no bounds.
Me too. And my revulsion extends in equal measure to each of the 77 million Americans who voted for him. They, not him, are the cause of this catastrophe.
Let us not forget those in a position of power, congress, are deserving of even greater revulsion for abdicating their power and responsibility to the constitution and therefore the American people. That is You and me. Keep calling, writing, emailing not just you representatives but all of them to let them know your position. Let them feel your rage and strength. You will not submit to their lies. All it would take is for someone to call for a vacate of the speaker to get him out and some of the bills to the floor to take back this country.
For the life of me, I don't understand why the Congress, a co-equal branch of the Executive, has rolled over and played dead for all these months.
If the Republicans in Congress are afraid of being primaried by the GOP, they should be even more worried about being voted out of office by their energized constituents who are all manifestly unhappy with the way this administration is conducting the business of this country.
I wonder if they think that Trump will not allow the mid-term elections to take place?
The mid-term elections are the purview of the states. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution. It's not up to Orange, nor any body within the federal government.
If he decides to declare war, there will be no elections. He could declare war on a small defenseless country for some made up reason.
Thank you Maria, I feel better.
I wonder if they are being physically threatened by Trump.
David, as I commented at length a day or two ago, Donald has a long business history with Bratva, the Russian mob. Organized crime syndicates enforce their power through threats and violence, including, but not limited to blackmail, threats against family, property damage and sometimes, maiming or murder.
Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski obliquely commented on this at a recent informal talk. She admitted that at times, she is afraid for her safety, and she is not alone.
In the past, I have worked with a few political candidates' campaigns. I was shocked to discover the kinds of activities campaign funding pays for. It's not all TV ads and yard signs.
At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I'll assert that not everyone who commits acts of violence is necessarily acting of their own volition.
The violence at the Pelosi home, the PA governor's mansion and even the so-called "assassination attempt" in Butler, PA, could easily be understood as proof-of-concept; that any politician can be attacked at any time by various means. The point is to scare everyone, not just the opposition.
Money, money, money, pee-pee tapes, fear of seeing their tax records made public, there could be a lot with some of these…of course the main fear is being ‘Primaried’ by someone with 10 million dollars from F Elon.
No doubt. That's what bullying criminal thugs do, David!
More like politically and financially strong-armed. Frump is too much of a coward to be physically threatening. IMO
My thoughts exactly.
Maybe hanging around Zelensky might give Trump ideas about banning elections. Ukraine is a democracy.
Ukraine is at war. Elections were also suspended in WWII by UK and France, and in Israel during various hostilities. Ukraine suspending elections during an active war is hardly a pearl clutching moment.
No, Trump will pull something else out of his a**, just like using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to take control of tariffs.
But Z remains in office having suspended elections due to the war with Russia. Does that give you any ideas?
I’ve been wondering the same thing Barbara, and it terrifies me. Why would a supposed representative of the people let this carnage, on a daily bases, of the Constitution continue?
But it's not all that hard to understand. Thanks to gerrymandering and one-sided media coverage, many Republicans in Congress come from lopsided, uncompetitive districts. This "energized constituents" thing is brand-new to them, and who knows how long it's going to last?
Too many USians only started paying serious attention when Trump was elected the first time. The GOP has been headed in this direction at least since Reagan, and more likely since Nixon's "southern strategy," but it's been getting worse and worser since the rise of Newt Gingrich. I recommend Dana Milbank's THE DESTRUCTIONISTS: The 25-Year Crackup of the Republican Party (Doubleday, 2022) as a pretty good review of how it happened.
It's in my library and worth the read. What I find interesting is the fact this started so long ago that I doubt the Republicans at the time thought it would get this bad or even if it was the outcome they were looking for. It's here now and it is ugly and it's hurting and hitting everyone.
Great comment, and I agree 100%. Too many of us either vote along party lines or decide based on a single issue. I'm betting that few of us look much beyond the current election or can do a reality-test on campaign promises. (Trump et al. are going to fix inflation? Seriously?) Most of the electorate probably never heard of Project 2025. Even the wonks among us didn't really believe that a Trump administration would start trying to implement it on day 1.
I fear that with all the voter suppression tactics the Rs are employing that the 2026 election will not be a free and fair one.
That's why we need to concentrate on our state and local elections -- Elon and the other 99 billionaires that bought seats in Congress and the Presidency aren't interested in most of the elections being held this year.
We need to encourage young Democrats to run for these offices.
In states like iowa (which used to be purple), Kentucky and Arkansas they do not see Democrats as a threat. We need t show them that they are wrong. Until we do, they will play dead.
Arkansas was once a Democratic stronghold. But with that statement, one must also note that the Democratic Party used to be the pro-slavery, pro-oligarchy party until the two parties swapped platforms.
To my mind, the Democratic Party of Arkansas is a microcosm of the DNC, disorganized, tone-deaf and, as Mrs. Slocombe used to say, "weak as water!"
In most ways, Arkansas is a stark example of the U.S. as a whole: mostly rural, poorly educated, racist, misogynist and predominantly evangelical, which begets homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia. With these winds at her back, Sarah Huckleberry Sanders sailed into the governor's mansion without even bothering to campaign.
Little Rock is a spot of blue in a pond of deep, ruby red.
Arkansas Democrats have fielded a handful of excellent candidates recently, but it's hard to compete with hundreds of trusted evangelical preachers who campaign for Republicans from their pulpits.
Mrs. Slocombe has some "hit the nail on the head" sayings!!
Ky has a Democratic governor, who may be a senatoral candidate.
Growing up in Iowa my take was progressive Republicans and cautious Democrats made Iowa purple. Outside money and propaganda slowly turned Iowa to a republican state(read: fascistic state).
They fear the safety of their families is the only thing ALMOST worth considering?
Their rollover will cause their own defeat, if we get that opportunity?
Marla they call me Grumpa, I'm trying to change and I'm 76 so bear with me for a bit here, please. I have to be very direct, hell I might not wake up in the AM.
At 76 I have some wisdom to impart, I sincerely hope.
I will not preach as much as try to explain my advice.
My generation, IMHO failed to act and do what would have been right. Choosing instead top to enrich themselves with not a thought to the environment, enjoy with excess the fruits and pleasures of life.
For all of my life after getting out of the Army I have bored most because "You are always to serious Bob, relax!", sorry it's in my DNA!
Here is the advice, choose your own way in life based on your true analysis of the experience, don't lie to yourself ever!
To, wit, for over 2O years now I have been disgusted with the two major political parties, they have become worthless for the most part. In my very-strongly held opinion. Look around and the next time someone tells you it does not make any difference who the POTUS is remind them of dear Donal.
Your government has failed you and I repeatedly-fact! Korea, JFK death, Vietnam War, overturning freely elected governments around the world, Iraq and Afghanistan war, 911, Ukraine you name it.
Hold the republican Congress to blame for giving Lease dealer- POTUS a blank check allowing him to destroy the country. The democrats have as much blame in this mess as the republicans by compromising themselves using politics to enrich themselves same as the republicans have. Instead of fulfilling their obligations to serve those who elected them, they have bowed to the lobbyist to enrich themselves. This MUST stop!
Get involved in you government, get your family involved also and hold them close.
Time now to remember the true Son's Of Liberty - google them - they were the only true 'Tea-baggers' in U.S. History. And the republican who claim the moniker were cheap opportunists,IMO. We need this new breed of them desperately and they are out there. Warning the group on the u toob are mostly young veterans who are madder than an old wet dog and rather, um course in some of their language, but you need to know they exist and they are pretty damned smart for the most part. Veterans you know those who fought for the country, the guys trump called suckers and losers! Well Not so much.
Y' all have a nice afternoon!
The SCOTUS screwed us poor folks with the reversal of the Citizens United VS F.E.C. ruling Jan 21, 2010. We now live with the results of this ruling claiming money was the same as speech. This MUST .change
Resist these people and demand change very loudly, we all are in deep dodo and the time has come to fight like your life depends on it, because it does. Our government has lost it's balance because too many deals are made to service the demands of the deep state.
The problem is that those districts are so red that the majority would vote for any republican rather than any democrat. The primary is the election in those districts.
You wonder “ For the life of me, I don't understand why the Congress, a co-equal branch of the Executive, has rolled over and played dead for all these months.”
It’s because Republicans place and value their politically partisan interests over the national interest.
I think they believe they've gone too far, and that if they don't continue on this path of insanity now, they are all going to wind up in Nuremberg trials.
Yes, Chris -
Clear, decisive action is what is required on all levels. Yes, he is a madman and a clear and present danger, and no, our country, the world, the planet - cannot stand four more years (!) of this disaster.
People lament that we apparently do not have an Abraham Lincoln or an FDR to take charge and lead us out of danger, but! Our nation is strong only if our people are strong. And strong we are, we Americans, who have proven again and again in our history.
So, Yes, Chris: Write. Call. Show up. And as JB Pritzker has said: "Don't give them a moment's peace!"
44% of "Americans" don't believe in American values. 44% of "Americans" still support trump.
That 44% number may be correct, but they are going to get fucked over just like the 56% on the other side. So, that 44% will have a hard decision to make and I think that number will shrink.
I agree and hope you're correct, Bill. Yet, it's astounding that so many in this country don't believe in the values the country was founded upon. Yes, they are a minority (barely), but we are still being ruled by them. Of course, this is all due to the Republican Party, whose members are all cowards or traitors or both. They could fix this disaster in a day.
Er, if it's 44%, then the other number is only 56%
Unfortunately.
Give it a month or 2. When a loaf of bread costs $15 and the water coming out of our faucets is a pinkish-brown. I'll be looking for the percentages then. I believe damn near all of the 44% will start rethinking their values.
Yes, Chris. We can justifiably complain about Trump and those who voted for him. But right now it is congress that is in a position to do something about this disaster. Trump has now explicitly defied the Supreme Court by saying that he could facilitate Kilmar Garcia's return but that he refuses to do it. Defying the Supreme Court is by itself ample grounds for impeachment.
So is selling out to Putin.
Trump dissent brewing as Republicans fear midterm defeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX7JWLJ0-cY
Signal Gate is also treasonous.
So many impeachable offenses, so little spine...
It's not about spine. It's about design.
And, the 75 Million who did not vote at all.
These are the ones I am am angry with the most. To know the man is a rapist and a con artist and to sit back and do nothing? No excuse.
I can think of plenty of reasons: voter suppression, crappy news coverage, limited polling hours and polling places . . .
For most of us regular voters, especially those who don't vote in local elections, voting is mostly a ritual and/or an act of faith. I understand why for many, many Americans elections are thunder rumbling in the distance -- and if you're in a swing state, it's like the circus coming to town.
It's also worth noting that even politically savvy people (not to mention the Democratic Party) have been taken aback by the speed by which the Trump/Musk/Miller administration has moved to implement Project 2025.
Psy ops. If one voter was intimidated it was a crime.
They are the ones that anger me the most too.
celeste k., We talked about this last night with our neighbors. Part of this was voter suppression making it difficult for people to vote or scaring them away in some way. Some live in very gerrymandered districts, so it is hard to get them out. Quite a number feel that their vote doesn't matter, so why bother. Many of them actually have no idea what government does for them and they are now finding out. Then we still have people who voted for Jill not green Stein. WTH is the matter with them. I imagine some felt that they could not vote for either one, so they didn't. Then there are those who voted for death star calculating that they would not be hurt....wrong. Or like the Arabs in Michigan they were angry with Biden over Israel. Now they have Israel basically destroying Gaza to the extent that it will be ready to be cleared for death star to build spendy resorts. I would say that this is a very complex situation and some nonvoters do not deserve a blanket condemnation.
I just cannot comprehend how the Michigan voters(non-voters) could think that the WH felon would do anything other than what he has? Its NOT surprising to anyone who has been paying attention!
I"M ANGRY with Biden and anyone who is using the antisemetic excuse for the slaughter in Gaza. WTF would make ANYONE believe its better NOW!
Sorry dont usually use so many CAPS - sometimes necessary!
No need to apologize; Read and you will see that you are in good company.
https://www.michaelmoore.com/p/why-today-april-30th-should-be-a/comments
I am equally angry at the non-voters and those who vote far right
How's about them Rushkies???/?
100%agree.
Bryan, methinks you have completely discounted the effects of all the R’s did to gerrymander & suppress voting by their multiple efforts at intimidation at the polls, refusal to count mail-in ballots arriving late (thanks to Louis DeJoy) or inadequately signed or dated, outright burning of some ballot boxes after severely reducing the numbers of them in districts of color, the in-person intimidation, the excessive demands for voter identification and finally the highly suspicious products of ballot enumerator machines at the top of the ballot in the seven swing states. SO MANY of those “who did not vote at all” were results of Republican machinations and you serve the interests of the Republicans by describing them as “did not vote!” It is not unlike saying Kilmar Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 gang member because the President said so with a photoshopped picture of tattoos.
JohnM, I agree with everything you and Michelle posted. It easy to castigate non-voters when one lives in an area where voting is easy and meaningful.
H O W E V E R ...
There is one group of non-voters who deserve our ire: those who couldn't vote for the orange felon and WOULDN'T vote for a woman of color because of their racism and misogyny. Those are the people who swung the election and they deserve maximum condemnation.
I would like to add the discarding of votes where the signature is determined to be a mismatch of the one on file.What a slick way to eliminate masses of votes.
92 million.
Hear hear, Bryan!
They wouldn’t vote for a woman - they have other excuses, but I’ve heard it before. If I suggest Chris Murphy of Connecticut, they’ll say they would have voted for him.
Happy now, guys?
And the republicans of Capitol Hill who ignored the proceedings of two impeachments and refused to convict?
There's always hope. Remind them about the tax collector who was on his way to Damascus when....SHAZZAM!
Which of them support breaches of national security?
Support hatred of our number 1 trading partner, Canada?
Support enlistment in an axis of evil?
Support dismembering NATO?
Support turning over the government to Musk?
Exactly!! We should never have been in this horrible spot to begin with !!!
They voted as their Party told them to vote. My revulsion echoes Washington's view of political parties and his prescient foretelling that they would destroy this nation.
No democracy operates without political parties.
A democracy controls its parties. In something less, the parties control the people. The existence of a party or two and the ritual of voting does not mean one lives in a democracy. Plenty of examples of non-democracies governed by parties exist. The USA has been rated as a "flawed democracy" for a while, and we are about to become rated as even less. We are not even starting out in the top 20 <https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/democracy-index-by-country#title>.
Overturn Citizens United, for starters.
Then address income inequality and racism.
Fascinating data Ed! On perusing the charts I noticed that the top 6 rated democracies and 7 of the top 8 all had crosses as part of their flags, Ireland being the only one without a cross. Any idea why the cross would figure so prominently in the World Population Review's rating scale of democracies?
Thank you, John. It is just as interesting to research "World's happiest countries," and "World's safest countries," "Healthiest," "Best Educated," etc. at one stop. Go to https://index.prosperity.com/rankings. Sites like this are why so many partisan stooges are now telling their adoring disciples how dangerous and stupid it is to "Do your own research." Our parties' operatives are not enthused that citizens would succeed in becoming informed enough to discover the truth about the quality of stewardship these parties have enacted on the USA in comparison to others nor questioning the hollow arrogance behind our "exceptionalism."
The truly outstanding countries at serving their nation and citizens are indeed democracies--ones that have PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, more than two parties, and they don't use our "First Past the Post-Winner-Take-all" to determine their government. Our system invariably leads to one or two parties corrupted and owned by a wealthy ruling class of plutocrats.
I advise downloading the latest report at https://docs.prosperity.com/9616/7756/5038/The_2023_Legatum_Prosperity_Index_report.pdf because I sense our Freedom of Information and free press is not something either of our two cartel parties seems interested in our having access to the degree we once did.
Very interesting. Ty.
Ed, I appreciate your frustration, but I think your comment oversimplifies the issue.
Working backwards through your comment, Washington was right about political parties, but he ignored a scientific reality. Humans are hard-wired to seek out and congregate with others who make them feel comfortable and included. Also, unlike most other animals, humans are hard-wired to sort or organize. We cannot resist forming groups, whether religious, political or some other interest. Where the governed are permitted to choose their governors, political parties will develop.
Our mistake in the U.S. is embracing only two parties; this creates an us-versus-them environment, which left unmoderated, precludes anything resembling compromise, the only means by which people who disagree can coexist.
Your assertion that the parties tell their adherents how to vote isn't quite right, in my opinion. It is true that most voters vote in a partisan manner, but I don't think they're following orders. Rather, I believe they are "voting for their team" out of blind allegiance, then use programmed talking points to justify their voting.
Instead of blaming the parties (which deserve plenty of blame), I blame corporate media, especially the television networks. Corporate TV has transformed our elections from solemn rituals into nothing more than professional sporting events. With dazzling graphics and colorful commentaries, they emphasize the competition rather than the consequences. Voters choose their teams, wear their colors and cheer for them, oblivious to what their teams are doing.
Dale, thank you for the good thought and discussion.
First, Download https://docs.prosperity.com/9616/7756/5038/The_2023_Legatum_Prosperity_Index_report.pdf while you still can.
This reveals how successfully OUR two cartel party system has done its stewardship relative to others. I don't know that it will always be available given the current destruction of access to information, databases and archived records.
My sense is that you are ignoring how much OUR parties control, corrupt and exploit. They ARE the government. Oligarchy controls both, and no government comes to the people but through these parties. Not an easy thing to face as reality given our conditioning.
Washington, to my knowledge, was certainly cognizant of human need for organization, groupings, and our tribal tendencies. After all, he maintained a citizen army under very brutal and improbable conditions.
Read Fears of a Setting Sun.... by Rasmussen.Washington and other founders later realized they had not done enough in writing the Constitution to allow a democratic government to control and prevent the abuse of the parties. I believe time proved him correct. Ours is a system that has now imploded, and other democracies have done better by their nation and citizens. The downloadable report will show who these nations are and how they do in comparison to us.
Thanks, Ed. That's a sizable document and I've saved it to my hard drive, so I can read it when I have time.
I'm not here to argue with anyone, so I'll drop this in a minute. Perhaps the first sentence in your original comment should have been structured differently, because I still don't think the parties are telling their voters how to vote, as you stated. I still believe America's voting is a "team spirit" exercise and not a thoughtful evaluation of what will happen if I vote for Candidate X vs. Candidate Y or the outlier, Candidate Z.
I think your point is that the major parties are controlling who is allowed to run for office, thereby limiting the electorate's choices. If that is your point, I wholeheartedly agree. There's no better example than the 2016 election.
We agree on most things, which is amazing for a discussion on parties and politics at this time. Glad you did the download. I don't know how much longer Americans will have access to it. I'm going to pin the link on my Blue Sky site if I can.
Yesterday The 1A radio show interviewed voters on how they were feeling at the 100 day mark. I tuned in in progress, so probably missed some good stuff. The man talking when I tuned in sounded reasonably informed on how things are supposed to work, but then ended by saying "I like what he's doing."
The other voters were very clear by their answers, whether they had voted for Trump or Harris, that they are totally clueless as to how separation of powers, legislation creation, etc. is designed to work, and just how OUTSIDE the bounds of normalcy this all is. And yet they vote! (They vote on buzz words, bits of gossip they hear on their favorite podcasts, heck, maybe even what they read on a public bathroom wall!)
This is what the 30 year removal of Civics from our classrooms, not to mention 20 years of Fox propaganda, has wrought.
Sandra, I did teach government in the 90s for a few years. Those who would probably need government services the most were pretty apathetic. I assigned them an essay to talk about what would happen without government. A few of the males thought running wild would be great, but even they came around. In a discussion of the flat tax, all I did was put up numbers that they provided and they came to the conclusion on their own that the flat tax was not a good idea. In high school my civics teacher was hired as a coach.
Michele, That’s heartening to hear. My daughter was in middle and high school during the’90s, mostly in AP classes (just shows how inadequate even those classes were in NC. I specifically asked her last weekend about any Civics instruction she had and learned it was”rolled into” Social Studies and only taught in elementary grades!! She graduated from college with a political science degree so she’s very interested in how little her cohort learned. Good on you for your dedication and foresight.
At that time, government was a required class, so students who wanted to graduate had to take it and pass. I did remind them of that. I was required to teach it; they were required to pass it, so we might as well make the best of it. I focused on the Bill of Rights and lots of library research. My favorite class had no college prep kids, but they did want to graduate.
How do so many people say “it’s still quiet, still safe, for me, for mine. Don’t panic. Don’t fret. It will be fine”?
Not for everybody.
People living close to me have been violently taken by strange men arriving suddenly at night. That’s not right. That sounds like an issue for the police. Are the police catching these guys? I don’t feel very safe anymore, and I’m not particularly skittish.
I do not want to live in the “ghetto” as some put it, a “bad neighborhood.” Is this the ghetto now? Where’s America?
And the entire Republican Party - the party of enablers.
Both are the cause Rex.
Don't forget the GOP
They no longer exist. They are NAZIs now. Through and through
No, they are not the cause. We the People includes this group of your estimated 77 million. We ALL are affected by the “catastrophe” being welded against democracy and against ALL the people of this country.
The current administration is acting in a lawless manner; its lead a man who acts as a cruel king.
We, all of us, must be united, not divided.
Salud, Rex.
🗽
United we Stand / Divided we Fall
Abe Lincoln knew we needed to improve our less than perfect Union.
As Janet Reno said,” democracy is a fragile form of government.
Handle it with care
They bought the drugs, used the drugs, need drug treatment…they are the Fentanyl buyers after all. But need a day of reconciliation…offer them treatment that works.
Unfortunately it is not just Trump who is revolting, but all the Republicans in Congress, the Republicans running States, and the line of succession to the president with 18 people who are all horrid, horrid people. Scroll down here and see the list.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession
The only hope is 2026 getting a Democratic Congress.
What's the unemployment tipping point Linda? 5% - 6%?
How many American citizens have to be deported before the fucking Republicans in the House and Senate do something?
And the Supreme Court are totally complicit in taking down the democracy.
People are starving because Trump is with holding over $400 billion in Congressional allocated funds,
What will John Roberts do next? He approved this mess.
And all of this to justify extending the huge tax break for billionaires?!
Not sure there is a tipping point. They have all been cowered into a corner.
I have no confidence that it will be a fair election. I can see Trump posting ICE outside polling places to intimidate brown Americans. He will start screaming from the Office of the Presidency that the election will be rigged against him, and he will summon all those traitors he freed from the J6 riot. God help us!!
I’m guessing there will be no election. Some “trump-ed up” reason to declare martial law will occur so that he or his successor will deny us that right. Didn’t he say we would never need to vote again? I’m certain that’s the plan given the level of discontent across our nation.
Good. The worse it gets, the stronger the opposition. Politics 101.
You are right about the line of succession. While gratifying that he would be gone, that alone would not end the nightmare. You don’t have to go far in the line of succession, Vance in some ways would be worse.
Vance is one nasty person but...... but..... but he is not a mentally un balanced as Asshole is.... plus he does not have the mob behind him so he could be fought more effectively.
This is true, but I think Thiel and Leo will be able to manipulate him more. Take one more step and after him MAGA Mike is next.
They are all traitors.
JD Vance and Mike Johnson are two peas from the same rotten religious pod. Both are "nobodies who came out of nowhere" and suddenly have too much power (albeit Vance is currently in a holding pattern).
One man – Mike Johnson – has the power to utterly paralyze the legislature, and that is what he is doing.
A president Vance would be merely the tool used by Thiel and Yarvin to turn the U.S. into the oligarchic theocracy they desire.
I put together an 11 part series called the Entirety of Conservative Leadership pointing this out how they all are in on the destruction of America.
Nope, with help from a couple of Republicans we can do it TODAY. Feathers of hope.
I post again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX7JWLJ0-cY
Too late! Ban , impeach this group of grifters from our land! Jesus gave us a call to stand up for truth.
What we are known for world wide is that the people in our government can lie about anything and everything, and do!
Is that the reputation you want the world to believe. Is that what you teach your children? Lying is ok????? Everything that comes out of the maga shit is lies. Have we no pride. Get furious America! Prove you give a crap about this country and this planet,
Make it illegal to tell bold face lies. Take them down!
Every single Republican is a horrible disgusting piece of garbage
He’s the symptom not the disease. But I hate him too 😡
He's a symptom, a carrier, and even a virus. But, yes, there is a lot more to the story.
That's right J L.
On the Wrong Family home invasion in Oklahoma by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Unit. I note that "TRAVIS PICKARD, a 20-year veteran was recently selected as special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Dallas"[Texas].
Oh, there needs to be an investigation alright by a Grand Jury.
We need to "out" the terrorists that work for ICE.
They come to your door with dressed completely in black and no ID with hoodies up and you're supposed to just let them in?
Good thing so many people are armed because sooner or later someone is going to take out several of these thugs. And it will be "stand your ground" and self defense.
I know cops that are afraid they will be busted for aiding immigrants. This is war and we need to fight back.
DEFUND ICE!!!
Bounds that are unimaginable yet they just keep coming. It’s exhausting and sickening the depths of my revo
He’s The Grinch who stole Christmas.
And let us not forget his supposed heel spurs which got him off of serving in the military – Viet Nam era – but does not stop him from golfing, From the internet just now, “…. it would be the 24th day that the American president has spent playing golf since being sworn in for his second term, according to Trump Golf Track, a website that tracks how often Trump plays a round.” That is 25% of the time – and think of the cost – I saw one figure but it might be wrong $141million.
That's probably about right Linda ($141 million). And don't forget the military parade Trump wants to give himself -- just a little $100 million gift from us to him.
And the trip to the Super Bowl that we paid for. The list goes on and on. DEFUND the President. Cut the Secret Service budget and fire all of the Doge morons.
Oooooh, my new protest sign "DEFUND the President". 🤗 Actually, I'll edit a bit to Defund FOTUS.
I wish I could find it, but probably a month ago, there was a clip on YouTube that showed the MASSIVE motorcade of his going into Mar a Largo or a golf course. It went on and on and on--seriously there must have been 50 vehicles.
The ego of this monster is beyond all belief!
People are going to be really perturbed when shelves are empty. Perhaps Ivanka got 30 dolls at Christmas. Parents, children ... everyone is going to be pretty perturbed when they can't get what they want when shopping.
And the rich will continue with their fine dining and entertainment at the White House and Mar-a-Lago. Life is just peachy as they rake in the money they take from us.
Let them eat cake
I have to wonder how all the retailers are feeling now that Trump appears to be going full-on anti-consumerist.
Same here -- and the GOP members of the House and Senate who are sitting on their hands (and bank accounts). And to Fox News and other right-wing megaphones that spread the lies. And to the people who hate anyone who doesn't look just like they do and continue to believe the lies.
HUGELY insensitive to real people. The plastic Barbie doll (not the one in Greta Gerwig's film) is his own personal toy. He can twist the arms and legs to do whatever he wants. That press conference of high praise, brought to you by chips planted in every cabinet head, topped off by a red baseball cap. The whole MAGA team, off-base and striking out.
I thought Trump's Barbie Doll was Pam Bondi.
nah the lying press secretary bimbo
Ahh, I think I'm understanding where the 30 dolls comes from. There's Ivana, Ivanka, Marla, Stormy, all of the interchangeable press secretaries and Faux newscasters, the teenage beauty contestants....
Our language which has the ability to describe almost anything totally fails when it comes to his depravity.
OMG: so true. What a despicable fat man.
I was going to use other language; however, I would seriously doubt if HCR would allow me the pass to post it.
That’s because you have a big heart.
That’s the nicest thing I’ve been told all day!
✊✌️
The disease that is the MAGA-hatted Sewer Circus has never been seen before in American History! We used to have mostly skilled and thoughtful folks in the cabinet, yes a few ‘clunkers (Betsy), but mostly people whose experience and skills sets fit their job of administering the massive and critically important Federal workers and congressional approves programs at Make America America!
Now we have clowns with not one related experience, selected to be nothing but the Donny dick-tator’s chorus!
Wow! If I was a member for the GOP I would be sickened!
This is beyond gross incompetence, this is intentional incompetence!
I hope that we can bring this to a sift end..although the pragmatic process moving forward isn’t clear.
Step One is making sure that all American see and note just how wrong this is!
Step Two is to make sure that the weaseling doesn’t shift ‘blame’—they own this!
* They Wanted This!
* They say they Love This!
Step Three is to rally and fight, to be impatient about the complete BullShit he spews!
He will go down the Golden Toilet of his dreams…make it soon!
Your statement is perfect for my sentiments as well! Thank you Mark.
Ditto
Perfectly stated.
Can you repeat that in a Doc Holiday accent?
Same
China had its one child policy and Trump has his two dolls policy.
Maybe the little girl who would have had one doll will get no doll.
Yes! What average American parent buys 30 dolls for their child for Christmas?!... Trump obviously doesn't know anyone average in America
He didn't address that complication. One does wonder though whether Ivanka and Tiffany both had thirty dolls apiece. Where did this even come from?
Ivanka said she didn’t want dolls - she wanted Lego building sets like her brothers got. She had only one Barbie.
Perhaps he was thinking of his own childhood.
Who knows? I can’t climb into this man’s brain. He probably wasn’t the one buying presents in the first place.
I just found that it was a very strange example to give of the effects of inflation, but he does struggle with concepts like inflation -
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8L9OhIUgLM8
Gore Vidal once wrote that half of Americans don't read a newspaper and half of Americans don't vote. He hoped for everyone's sake they were the same half. Sadly, they're not and so Trump continues to get away with this kind of nonsense.
I mean, yeah, what kid gets “30 dolls” for Christmas?….wonder if the guy ever bought his kids/grandkids holiday presents. Just like he doesn’t shop for “the groceries”….wonder when the last time HE actually drove himself anywhere. What a privileged a-hole!
Who cares about dolls Barbara? As long as his base can buy 30 guns, they'll be happy.
Except soon, they will have so little money that they won't even be able to buy food.
😢
“…wonder when the last time HE actually drove himself anywhere.” That would be last Sunday, from the clubhouse to the first tee in a golf cart.
I don’t think he even drives the cart.
🤣🛺
Has anyone ever bought a family food for Christmas? Like milk and bread and boxes of mac and cheese snd canned soup. Dolls? 30 dolls? 1 doll? Prople are at ghe point where a box of staples would be more welcome. DT is clueless.
Maybe he, like William in free to be You and Me, always wanted a doll and his nazi sympathizing pappa locked him up in the chokey for his request. Maybe all this tariff chaos is about his repressed longing for a doll of his own and his reflexive desire to deny others what he was denied? 🙃
Neither of those two authoritarian abusers have the right to tell people what to do with their private life. In China it's a tradition. In the US it's a didgrace.
Lauren — that never occurs to them, or if it does, they find glee in it. We’re talking severely damaged folks
Or breakfast.
Or boy.
It’s May Day go out and protest.
I am. Will be protesting in Vancouver, WA. Thank you Indivisible for facilitating this and working so hard.
Protester in red and crazy Texas
Stay safe, pls
Will do!
Bill, it's another day in America under trump, go out and protest.
Will be on street protesting in 1/2 hr here in ME!!!!
I will be in Livingston, MT indivisible rally at 5:30
I’ll be out on Reno, NV, at the federal building. Can’t decide what to put on my sign - there’s so much!
Interesting article about whether 'free trade' undermined U.S. manufaxuring.
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2025/04/25/did-international-trade-really-kill-american-manufacturing
'The Economist' disagrees with Trump's tariff policy.
Free Trade is just Geopease for no barriers for monopolizing markets. Monopolized societies, either politically or economically (and they tend to be both) are in no meaningful sense "free".
That is one reason why I opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I figured if the U.S. and Japan got in, they would pound the smaller nations with the strict intellectual licensing provisions to work around compulsory licensing laws and strangle the emerging economies in pharmaceuticals while the U.S. would get cheap imports.😱
The T.P.P. conflated a N.A.T.O.-like security treaty with a European Common Market accord.🤝🏻
The two agreements should be separate and equal (in stature) so the smaller countries get the security they need vis à vis China while enjoying a sympathetic environment for development. After World War II, the European economies, destroyed by the war were emerging economies, like many of the Pac-Rim today.⚖️
I am ignorant of the nuances of the T.P.P. . My sense of it was that it transferred unaccountable powers into plutocratic hands, and that whatever it's pros and cons it was not only created in secret (which might of might not be justifiable) but lacked a process of extended and detailed examination and debate about the devils in the details. The whole initiative seemed to be inimical to the democratic process from top to bottom.
In my view, one of the few incidental benefits of Trump was the demise of the TPP initiative, though I suspect that Trump's objection would have been for a transfer of power he had no way to personally dominate.
The Investment Monitor produced this report four years ago on this very question and the answers are more complicated than just blaming the import of cheap goods (which incidentally Americans like).
https://www.investmentmonitor.ai/manufacturing/who-killed-us-manufacturing/?cf-view
Whatever you think about the causes of the decline in US manufacturing (that is manufacturing that occurs in the US), Trump's prognosis is absurd. High tariffs will only harm US importers and consumers and trade deficits are a normal function of an economy.
I think the share US manufacturing could be bolstered by policy in more reasonable ways, as Biden was attempting; but Trumps pathetic attempts at mass extortion are not one of them.
Encouraging investment in renewables would draw in huge amounts of investment but thanks to Trump the US may miss the boat altogether. Last year, 84% of new energy investment in the US was for solar, wind and battery storage. Trump is trying to browbeat law firms who have promised pro bono work into supporting the case for "beautiful clean coal". It's madness.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-nearly-60-countries-have-dramatically-cut-plans-to-build-coal-plants-since-2015/
J.L. and Russell,
As usual, I am ambivalent from my narrow perspective of personal experience. Growing up in Pittsburgh and working in a steel mill for three summers, the collapse of the steel industry broke my heart. So, tariffs sounded like a good idea in the 1970s to protect the industry and later on to re-build it. 🛑
The difficulty with that logic is that cheap imports were a challenge, not a problem.🤫
The problem was that senior management of many manufacturers became complacent in the 1950s an 1960s. This generation of leadership failed to make the large investments of time and money required to keep up with emerging technologies and higher quality standards demanded by the market. 🫣
The main reason the steel industry collapsed in the 1970s was that instead of putting profits into innovations, the companies bought other companies. We had state of the art steel mills in the 1940s and 1950s, but then the Japanese built new steel mills that were more efficient (mainly because they reduced the number of times the steel had to be reheated). So by the 1970s it was Japan that had state of the art mills, not America.
Good point, Mary. Conglomerates (e.g., G.E., Gulf & Western et many al.) were a product of B-school portfolio theory. 'Idiosyncratic' (i.e., company-specific risks) would cancel each other out so execs could play of industry-specific business cycles against each other for smooth, predictable, and growing returns. Computers taking off in the 1960s aided this process.
✍️💡🥳
There were two consequences, one unintended and the other passively intended. The unintended consequence was a wide variety of businesses to manage taking the focus off of the core business. The passively intended complicity was the complacency as well as greed that you, J.L. (close to J.&L., where l worked for three summers) and Russell mention.
😳🤬
As the nerd reich of Curtis Yarvin, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, J.D. (Jr-Duce) Vance starts to surface with the promises of eliminating democracy for pure technocracy, let us take the fate of fat, dumb, happy, optimizing, and numbers-crunching conglomerates of the mid-1950s to 1970s as a portent of what reich's perfect government will be like for the private sector. 🤢
"instead of putting profits into innovations, the companies bought other companies."
Bingo!
Between kindergarten and HS diploma I lived in Northern Ohio, and watched prosperity drain from the region. And yeah, as with the US auto and electronics industries, successful CEO got lazy and focused on milking their cash cows rather than (actually) do the core capitalist thing and innovate. `That said, CEOs typically exit a once successful but thence poorly led business with millions, while employees depend on unemployment insurance; the engine of the Subprime Crisis.
All those immigrants bringing specialized skills from all over, unexploited resources, and a decent educational system help make US manufacturing dominant for a spell. but greed overcame prudent resilience. The Invisible Hand kinda works where there a certain balance is maintained, and money alone won't provide it; in fact it tends to snowball toward monopoly when unrestricted.
And haven't societies that lack strong, innovative, and widespread educational systems tended to lag against foreign competitors? We have excelled at producing specialists. but do we invest enough in education of the masses?
Remember the family portrait in golden
Trump Tower with sexy Mania and young Baron sitting on a lion? Two dolls indeed.
You know, Becky, I hadn't seen that one before, but this one absolutely screams 'trophy wife' -
https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/trump_benson_time_0011.jpg?quality=75&w=828
omg.....
Ah. The President of the United States. With the First Lady. What a sweet, dignified couple.
Such a happy couple, it warms the heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZxsNexkTfU
My thoughts exactly.
but there ain't no way to hide those lying eyes,
Kudos HCR…thank you for your daily updates on the agonizing and ongoing chaos in the USA!😮
She thought she caught the golden ring. Instead she caught the car. No sympathy.
Ick.
https://images.app.goo.gl/sBKWZ9dbjvjMyTdL7
Trophy? What contest in hell was she the prize? There are desperate, opportunistic, pretty, call girls who aren’t soulless and lacking any warmth. That woman is the worst First Lady. Like a prison guard who would step over any American to collect a dollar, ruble, weird crypto meme.
I cannot stand when these women get a pass as if they aren’t just as bad. Plenty of women are as good looking, if not better and actually care about this country. Or anything. She’s just as narcissistic, greedy, hypocritical and sociopathic as he his. Remember HER parents jumping the immigration line. Or have we seen her visa status when she was sent on her call to trump? Please. It’s why they’re trying to erase Epsteins investigation.
She’ll rob America blond along with the rest of the Trumps and not think twice….”she doesn’t care, do you?”
In the dictionary, under “shit-eating grin,” is this photo
Baron looks sad…
Got a real scary Annabelle voodoo doll for Donold the tiny handed mad kingtwit!
If someone normally got 30 dolls and now they can only afford 2, the dolls obviously cost higher than a “couple dollars” more
Trump is obviously not going to be everyone's go-to guy on dolls.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/25/trump-sexual-misconduct-allegations-timeline
Right. Used to be the 30 Dolls Policy. Ivanka can certainly confirm.
If someone remarks on this, Drumpf will drag her out in front of a camera along with 21 dolls as proof.
It was a highly unusual example to give to illustrate his point about the effects of inflation. But then he's prone to this sort of thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAMvSfOnRG4
At least people he sees aren’t completely zombies. They evidently know really bad breath when they encounter it. And the they do that Christian thing for the poor fellow.
Russell...SNL must use this one! I can't stop laughing.
Good one!
I would like to see the head-to-toe tattoos on every ICE agent, with an explanation for each. Do I need to use the Freedom of Information Act, or can I just ask politely?
Under US administration policy it would be impossible to get Peter Hegseth back from a Salvadorian concentration camp with his aggressive tattoos.
That would be a good thing Christopher 😝
hmmm, good point.
Proud Boys and so forth are their own "gang"
Domestic terrorists
I've noticed a conspicuous absence of reporting on what pardoned Jan. 6 rioters are currently doing.
Maybe they're the masked "agents"? 😈 Per Rachel Maddow last night, there's a (new?) HSI, Homeland Security Investigator, the ones that raided the home in OK.
Maybe . . .
I’ve wondered the same.
Several of them are back in jail already due to new crimes committed after their release.
A lot of them are back in jail for other things.
It’s coming that citizens arming themselves to protect against government agents.
Seeing the coverage of what happened in OK, I wondered if folks will now take to “hardening” their domiciles against intrusion. I fear none of this plays out well for all those involved.
I dislike liking this but I do agree. Violence is the only recourse since the guardrails of Congress, SCOTUS, and local law enforcement are completely complicit in this Nazi regime. Never thought I’d say “violence is the only recourse”… I’ve never even touched a gun in all my 66 years-but I do see that coming.
Guess what a DEA agent got up in front of Congress today and actually confirmed not that it really mattered. Abrego’s tattoos on his knuckles were MS 13 not to mention that now they have uncovered the second report from the wife where he quote where she quotes something like this, he said he was continued to beat me and he could even kill me and nobody would ever find out or charge him. That’s the report you gave to police. So you guys keep supporting him. Lololol
That was fake. You are real gullible and stupid. Return my book. I convinced you to buy it this is how stupid you are.
PS you didn’t convince me to buy it. It was my curiosity and I turned to the first page and I couldn’t stop laughing.
🙄
Of course it was fake. I guess it’s difficult to understand humor, in print.
By the way, you’re the one who only listens to one side of the ledger which mandates you to gullibility since there’s no way you can check it out and validate it
go away. you are boring.
Well your post was quite provocative. Lol.
🙄
Try harder jerk.
Come on Kathy I don’t even have to try go back and check all my links. They’re all their quotes from every single politician that did exactly what Trump is doing in their term including Schumer Pelosi, Bernie, Sanders, Clinton, Obama, etc..
🙄
This is unproven. But let’s go with your logic. According to you, it’s fine if people are deported to a foreign concentration camp without due process because they are accused of - or even might be- very shitty people. Would that include an adjudicated rapist and convicted felon who wants to fuck his daughter and who incited an insurrection? How about a drunk who sexually assaulted women and leaked classified information over Signal- who also has white nationalist tattoos? Or an attorney who openly flouted the law and took a $ 25,000 pay off to ditch a case? I could go on and on… I’m assuming you’re fine with those people being dragged out of their homes, shaving their heads and booting them to a foreign hell hole without due process.
Yep I Am. And 60% of Americans agree according to a recent CNN poll I believe. Not that I trust any polls.
Concentration camp? You are woefully ignorant.
Let me put it plainly since apparently English is foreign to you. Coming over the border illegally is “illegal”. And those that do so should be removed and sent back to wherever they came from. Is that clear enough for you. That’s exactly what your God Obama did he sent back 3 million and was considered the DePorter in chief by liberal legacy media. and the like And I’ve sent over a link that confirms that of all the 3 million he sent over only 25% of them had hearings or due process. So 2.25 million just got sent back Didn’t hear you whining or complaining then ? We send one gang member back and the mice come out of the woodwork sad. He;s a wife beater and you should be ashamed taking his side. btw. The latest poll shows 90% approval rating over abrego’s being deported.
Stop the nonsense re; ajudicated rapist. So pathetic. It’s over and gone.
I’ll only suggest that if ANY of the cases were held in a different “venue” a different story would have emerged in Btw ANCIENT HISTORY’. All the cases are GONE but one. And that will also begone as welll. Next case.
Do you have any other insignificant info of interest to post. ? The signal chat did nothing…except show the successful, though expensive attack on the Houthi’s. That were firing on US SHIPS.
If only Mexico would have enforced their immigration laws. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. are you familiar with their immigration laws AT ALL?
Entering Mexico illegally is a felony and punishable by two years in prison and a significant fine on a daily basis….ooooops.
Cross the border ILLEGALLY you’re gone.
Donald, is that you? 😂
Well, now let’s confirm that you’re reading none of my posts
Yesterday I put forth a six point missive on how to heal this country. Why don’t you read that and then get back to me.
Can’t find any posts on your profile. Just a lot of MAGA restacks. Does your “healing” include denigrating people you don’t know by insulting them with pithy jabs like : “English is foreign to you” and “is that clear enough for you” “whining and complaining” “ insignificant info”… Do tell about your “healing the country” plan.
Whose hand is it? This so-called evidence “turns up” now when the pressure on Trump has not relented. Trump is a liar. People in his administration are liars.
Go watch the hearing. BUT it’s not on ANY network you watchhhh
ar Abrego Garcia had a history of violence and was not the upstanding “Maryland Man” the media has portrayed him as.
According to court filings, Garcia’s wife sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, claiming he punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt, Show more
Image
From snopes. But you can go read her filings. Twice found guilty in an immigration court. AND SHE STATED. not quoting but you can find the quotes online. He threatened to beat me to death and NO ONE WOULD CONVICT HIM BECASUE OF WHO HE IS AND AFFILIATED WITH. sorry pal. You;re going to have to do better. The hand proof is not only there but is verified by a dea agent and two immigration=ration judges.
🙄
Most of them would be "deported" Greg. You have a point there.👌
Funny contrast between Trump’s cabinet slavishly praising him and the reporter confronting and contradicting Trump at the end of this HCR’s letter. Trump’s reaction when called on his BS is kind of weird. He acts hurt. There’s ’how dare you’ and ‘you’ll pay for this’ but also a funny kind of dismay. Same thing when Governor of Maine talked back to him. He seems lost.
That's how narcissists act... he's trying to manipulate Moran and regain control of the situation and narrative. Narcissists do not deal well with having their B.S. called out.
The reporter handled Trump the way he needs to be handled, and didn’t try to flatter or defer to him. We need more reporting like that. Of course, a narcissist and sociopath like Trump will never take responsibility for anything they do.
When told that pic. was photoshopped, he said " No, you can't do that ". Does he not know what "photoshop " is?
Probably not. It's a bit too technical for him.
He probably meant, No, Terry, YOU can’t do that.” Trumo really believes no one is now allowed to contradict him in any way. He probably didn’t mean, “you can’t photoshop”.
He truly thinks people now just believe what he says. I’m not surprised why since we have allowed any bozo on the bus to say whatever bat shit crazy thing they want and give it an audience. Podcasters “just asking wuestions” to an audience of a million for two hours spouting off nonsense and wrapping it in a bow as valid.
WhenFOX decided fair and balance was the ruse to get their whacked out shot out as valid ideas, the media started letting moron spit out nonsense, unchallenged. I guess letting ten American public decide for themselves was not the best course of action.
PSST…..Americans look to and pay for news organizations to get to the truth, not just air people talking. The WH press Corp is like a bunch of court reporters instead of actual reporters. They just type every utterance…..and air or print it without a fact check. People actually do believe it.
Trumo claimed to have the greatest successes in 100 days. 5 bills got passed. 4 of which were Biden’s, either reversed or signed and taken credit for. Enough is enough being polite to our friends, neighbors and nodding, “oh, ok, that’s interesting.” Time to say, “no, that’s complete and total bull shit and the reality is x, y and a is happening and here’s the evidence.
Ever ask a MAGA to back up their crap….lots of um, um, um ,Biden, um, trans, um, um, um. Their leaders can’t even support their ideas or defend their messes. We need to stop allowing this to just hang in the air like a bubbling sewer.
He says they're nasty.
Dementia
He will come after the reporter Terry Moran. His main motivation besides money and power is revenge.
Did you actually see the interview with Terry Moran? It was an embarrassment for Moran and the network.
Oh please. It was one of the best things we have seen in quite awhile. The part where Trump whines “you’re not being very nice’? Classic narcissist. And apparently he can pick up a phone, snap his fingers, and Albrego Garcia will return. I’m sure the judge on the case found that interesting.
The bravado at the beginning: "Frankly, I've never heard of you before".
It’s more than simple bravado, it was Trump attempting to bully Terry Moran. Trump failed to do so, so resorted to belittling insults, another classic Trump tactic.
Yep. Reminds me of the Axios interview during Trump 1.
🙄
So Republicans are changing the definition of a “day”?
Up is down and down is up.
We've followed Alice through the Looking Glass
Except this one into Mordor, which is charmless.
Been dragged, actuality.
Does being dragged kicking and screaming qualify as followed? Sort of, but it misses the point.
That maneuver was palpably outrageous and would strikes most people as looney if it wasn’t so politicized. But now the republicans on the house judiciary have said that…despite the constitution…Trump’s regime can deport US citizens. https://substack.com/@beverlysteiner143/note/c-113440269?r=4445c&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action. The day not a day stunt seems quaint (although the resulting tariff terror is not).
Except these jokers have a very important job to do, and they are blowing it off, of not blowing it up.
Now it seems that when you sign on as a candidate for this MAGAized Republican Party the job description is not public service. They see the importance of their job being to pave the way for the Trump regime’s unmaking of democracy. They want to hold onto their federal salaries, retirement plan, untracked expense accounts, insider trade information, and, now most likely, actual kickbacks.
What is with all your people you can’t think of honest words to use you have to use the word regime like Biden machine was any different or Obama’s regime or bushes regime? They’re all the same. The only difference is if you don’t like something that they’re doing a call in a regime if you like something what they’re doing you stand up and applaud them even though they’re doing it the same way. Executive orders, etc.
The authoritarian behavior of tge Trump administration fits the definition of regime.
“ Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
noun
1.
a government, especially an authoritarian one.
"ideological opponents of the regime"
Similar:
government
authorities
system of government
rule
reign
dominion
sovereignty
jurisdiction
authority
control
command
administration
establishment
direction
management
leadership
2.
a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above.
"detention centers with a very tough physical regime"
The authoritarian behavior of the Biden administration fits the definition of regime. “ Dictionary Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more noun 1. a government, especially an authoritarian one. "ideological opponents of the regime" Similar: government authorities system of government rule reign dominion sovereignty jurisdiction authority control command administration establishment direction management leadership 2. a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above. "detention centers with a very tough physical regime"
Like defined the Supreme Court and canceling student loans and opening the border to allow 15 million people in when our quota is only 1.4. See, I can do the same thing as you
Not what happened see this is what happens when you get the story they want you to hear but not the full story. Why don’t you take a few minutes use a search engine and find the full story and then maybe you’ll understand and won’t make a fool of yourself blaming people you shouldn’t be blaming for a crime that never happened
Yup!
And Lindsay Graham is all for Trump being Pope - bonkers bananas indeed.
Well, you guys are changing the definition of a president when you called Biden one
Please go away. It is obvious you are just a troll.
Do not feed.
I really did get nauseous when I saw cabinet members kissing trumps ass. They shouldn't show porn on the news. It was overwhelming.
Every time I see Rick Sender's name on a post, I go to the 3 little dots at the far right & tap the word " Collapse", & his comment disappears. It's hugely satisfying. Try it.
Do you know Lisa you probably need a mirror and here’s why and I’m not trying to insult you. I’m just trying to prove a point if you look above and in all the history of what’s going on here in Heather‘s post, you will see the same names repeated over and over and over and over again day after day after day, talking to one another patting each other on the back commiserating with each other, telling how great everybody others Post is. Not once did you call them trolls I wonder why
Rick, you’ve posted 20+ times today just to provoke people. This isn’t about discussion — it’s about your need for attention. You’re not proving a point; you’re hijacking threads, insulting others, and playing victim when called out.
This group doesn’t need your faux-reasonable trolling. Take it somewhere else.
Provoke people. ? I could give a shit about attention. This is about a group of liberal lemmings commiserating with each other hearing only one side of the story believing everything that said here with nobody contradicting a single thing. Juries don’t make good decisions. Based on only one side of the hearing they have to hear both sides in order to be able to weigh the evidence that’s not happening here. All I’m doing is adding vision perspective and girth to the discussion. And many of the people that are here post a lot more than 20 times a day, but I’ve never heard you call them trolls and I’ve never heard you call them needing attention.
I never played the victim. I’m not a victim of anything. I’m a victim of what my own thoughts are and been an independent voter and thinker my entire life don’t try to put words in my mouth
Now let me give you some perspective the left prize itself on free speech except when they don’t like what they hear and they want to shut it down. Sounds familiar. ? Got a mirror.
And lastly, I am proving a point many many many points just you don’t wanna hear them. You don’t want to see them most of the people here as I’ve said before only hear out of their left ear and only see out of their left eye.
You obviously haven’t seen some of the posts that I received telling me to F off or get the F off or shut the F up or as you put go elsewhere so that we don’t have to hear your differential opinion I back up most of my opinions with links and facts deal with that. You don’t like it you go somewhere else free speech, invoke it believe it and accept it
You claim to be an independent thinker, but your posts read like a MAGA Mad Lib. We’ve heard it all before — louder doesn’t make it smarter.
So, as Heather does - list the references to back up your statements! (and list them in 'clickable' form). Then folks may start to take you seriously.
RS. You wrote “I could give a shit about attention.”
That’s a real coffee-out-the-nose knee slapper!
🙄
To quote the late George S. Kaufman: " Rick, do you have any unexpressed thoughts?"
None you would care hearing. ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH LINKS AND BACKUP. ps quit quoting. Come up with your own quotes.
🙄
Rick - Please explain how that two hour "imitation Kim Jung il" kiss-up cabinet meeting is supposed to inspire confidence and respect among our allies and trading partners.
How much of our products did they try to stock up on to beat the tariffs, and what happens when they think about who the more dependable future suppliers will be, and what they can do for themselves better than what we try to force them to buy or supply?
How about comments on a full transcript of the whole meeting of the mindless instead of just the top twelve stars of the circus at https://www.mediaite.com/news/12-most-painfully-sycophantic-comments-from-trumps-kim-jong-il-style-cabinet-meeting/
Get a hold of yourself there Jim. First, let me post this so everybody can get a glimpse.
Concerning the latest gdp numbers. Trump’s .03 was not as bad as Biden’s .9 or 1.2. And that’s after Biden had three years to fix it. Lmao. Don’t know where the hell you’re getting rising prices but every price is down eggs gas groceries mortgage rates and inflation from 7% to 2.5. Maybe you’re worried too much about the euro or the pound that means shit in the world. Lmao. You can’t dish it out, but you certainly can take it.
NOW RE; the cabinet meeting. I’ll tell you what. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours? Yikes. Would you prefer the cabinet meetings Biden NEVER SHOWED due to a TOTAL lack of transparency or….perhaps you would prefer the cabinet meeting by President JILL…..CANT STOP LAUGHING. how many cabinet meetings did the semi-cadaver show on national tv AT ALL. Let alone in their entirety? And the hypocrisy and double standards persists…..
Every president who has lived has their sycophants… dummy. Although at least Trump has two democrats in his cabinets which historically is unheard of.
Perhaps Trump Should put pelosi or schumer or booker in his cabinet? Man you are out there….
Ps…. Putting a cabinet meeting in tv and actually getting answers as to their progress on topics should impress you. Dont remember Biden doing ANY like that. Nor bush nor Obama.
It;s called Transparency. Something you are not accustomed to having. Aka the border is closed…Kamala is the border czar. And here’s all the progress she;s made. It’s a grand soft morning for me. You make it soooo easy.
You wrote “ Well, you guys are changing the definition of a president when you called Biden one”
That’s lame even for you.
By the way, professional presidential scholars (that’s your cue to disparage scholars) have rated Trump the worst president in American history (45/45). They rate President Biden in the top third (14/45). No kidding.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_presidents_of_the_United_States
Is this true? You’re actually defending Biden as the president of the United States you’re worse than the freaking media and everybody around Biden who lied about his condition. Yikes. By the way, I wake every morning and live and breathe by the historical ratings of presidents. I’m able to do my own reading as good 77 million others. now closer to 100 million. And if that big beautiful Bill passes, the Democrat party may just as well to fade into history.
Barking mad. Does Putin pay you by the word, post or reply, or some combination? I expect Putin does not pay you directly, but he has made arrangements for others to conduct those sorts of transactions.
“ American company, Russian propaganda: New Kremlin tactic reveals escalating effort to sway US vote
“ WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has long sought to inject disinformation into U.S. political discourse. Now, it’s got a new angle: paying Americans to do the work.
“This week’s indictment of two Russian state media employees on charges that they paid a Tennessee company to create pro-Russian content has renewed concerns about foreign meddling in the November election while revealing the Kremlin’s latest tactic in a growing information war.
If the allegations prove correct, they represent a significant escalation, analysts say, and likely capture only a small piece of a larger Russian effort to sway the election.”
https://apnews.com/article/russia-trump-harris-putin-election-disinformation-13b15fcd42e52d77c22454c223e85b95
Don’t be jealous there Ed and yes, Vladimir and I talk at least once a week. For some reason he doesn’t any longer wish to talk to me since Ukraine and Trump have come to a minerals agreement, which should basically stop Putin from further incursion into the country although Putin could’ve dominated the country two years ago if he wanted to…. thanks for Billy C’s f up .
By the way, I voted for Billy C twice. One of the best presidents in the last 75 years or so ? And of course, he only did it under Obama‘s watch, and under Biden’s watch. And now you fools want to dump the problem in Trump’s lap, hah. …..not gonna fly.
I guess you don’t consider the Steele dossier intrusion into our election system either…. suffering from Democratphilia where as they say in Russia is a full blooded PARTISAN. lololol. And Hillary’s 31,000 emails that disappeared or her phones that disappeared or the computer in the bathroom in colorado that disappeared. Well, i’m sure glad you have a sense of humor.
Someday you may get something right I still have hopes for you
And this is the definition of an informed comment? Really?
Well your post is very informative and as a typical liberal post, no content whatsoever. No contradictory remarks no witty retort. Lol.
Where is your congratulations on closing the border? Where is your congratulations on egg prices since you guys were freaking out about tripping eight prices the day Trump took off. Literally freaking out.
Now that they’re down three dollars I hear nothing
Where is your comment on the rebound of the stock market because the day it took a hit you were blaming Mark and Trump and jumping up and down and lighting matches Three days later after I suggested immediately that you should just be patient look what’s happening now where’s your congratulations? Where’s your comments on the fact that the NASDAQ is now in a positive for the month for the entire month of April and the And the Dow Jones is only down 4% And coming back.
Maybe you want to freak out about the one gang member that’s locked up somewhere that beat his wife senseless and threatened to kill her in a beating and that he wouldn’t get caught even if he did
I don’t understand liberals you continue to dig yourselves a hole while backing the wrong pony time after
Get off this site!!!
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Amid sadness and occasional terror, thank you once again Heather.
A massive recession is in the making. Unfortunately, destruction must occur in order o rebuild. This is the pendulum of human history. Noah’s Ark will eventually see land.
Bill I don't know why are you so concerned, after all it's all Biden's fault and he is no longer president. Aren't you relieved by this news?
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Derek, this is quite a day in the comments section, isn’t it. Holy Moly!!!
May 1st brings out the crazies. We need more Maypole dancing with dirndl-clad virgins and a side order of Morris dancers.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_dance)
My favorite Morris character is the hobby horse. The Wikipedia article has a pic of a painting from 1620 showing a hobby horse in situ.
Administrators can we get Rick Sender some help? He seems to have had too much kool aid.
Can someone make him go away? He is talking nonsense.
I've never seen anyone so desperate for attention.
Specially for someone that says he rules the world. 🥴
Just migrate over to the 3 dots on the far right, over the word "Share ". Press the dots & you'll see the word " collapse". Click on that word & Rick Sender's post will disappear. Do this to every one of his comments. It's extremely satisfying!
You can always report him like I did.
I just scroll past his comments. Life is too short and we have more important things to do.
He was ignored a day ago. He’s quintupling down today. I violated my personal rule of ignoring him yesterday by replying with an emoji to a response he made to one of my posts which garnered a reply from him.
I regret my engagement. He really diminishes the quality of this comments section. We’ve lost one reader over it, and I’m sure there will be others.
Block him from your personal substack page. Simply go to your account page, search for him, and chose block. Poof! No more Rick.
You can block him so you don't have to read his shite.
I’ve blocked him twice—he has two accounts!
He’s been gone from my feed for months. Blocked through my substack account page.
I've blocked him so many times (more than 25 or so) that he doesn't show on my feed anymore! Yay!
As the saying goes, “a dog does not improve a pool of rose water.” (Persian, I believe)
Yes, I blocked him months ago, and it’s been heavenly without him.
Families won’t be able to afford ONE DOLL, let alone THIRTY! He is so out of touch with the reality of working people!
Maybe children will have two dinners a month instead of 30, you know?
Most likely scenario J L.
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There’s a surreal tension in the Trump narrative Dr. Richardson outlines tonight. On one hand, we’re told he’s a Unitary Executive—an all-powerful leader whose will must prevail unchecked. On the other hand, we’re asked to believe he’s a helpless bystander, too clueless to be held accountable. Sometimes he’s Julius Caesar; other times he’s Mr. Magoo.
That cognitive dissonance isn’t just absurd—it’s strategic. It’s how authoritarian movements dodge responsibility while demanding obedience. Trump’s defenders want him to have all the power and none of the consequences.
But democracy doesn’t work that way. Authority without accountability isn’t leadership—it’s danger.
I agree David. I keep replaying that ABC exchange about the photoshopped tattoo. My guess is that his handlers have convinced him that they are real letters and numbers. He does get these surreal images in his mind like the giant faucet in Canada holding back water to California. He fixates on this scenario of a boat, electric battery and shark.
But he may have been just outraged that the reporter would not accept a version of ‘fact’ that he was presented with by the President after being granted an interview.
Or both.
The real crux is that he is now boxed into a corner and all the fawning yes people around him will never set him right as to the photoshopping.
And the kicker is that the guy is STILL entitled to a pre deprivation hearing even if the tattoos were real. We also have yet to have judicial resolution of whether or not the AEA has been validly invoked.
The unitary executive is unconstitutional. The president is violating the separation of powers, and the SCOTUS majority is ignoring settled law, including the basic principles that the president isn’t above the law and is subject to the law. Our constitutional system has broken down.
"On one hand, we’re told he’s a Unitary Executive—an all-powerful leader whose will must prevail unchecked. On the other hand, we’re asked to believe he’s a helpless bystander, too clueless to be held accountable. Sometimes he’s Julius Caesar; other times he’s Mr. Magoo."
Extra double doublethink. Trump is the measure of all things.
👉🏼 Mr. Magoo is my impression!!!! Great comparison David!
Thank you for the Julius Caesar/Mr. Magoo comparison!
He's a criminal, this fat, fat, waddling fat guy with the orange-greasepaint face.
A criminal, obliviously pushing his stupid tariffs, criminally hurting America and the world.
Oh, sure, fine -- Putin's happy. Putin wants every democracy to tank, every country to fall that in his own idiot, contorted imagination offends his Russia's white racial purity.
So the bing-bing-boing-bong guy rakes in more, more, more profit for himself huckstering from the White House. Has his bimbo blonde head of the DoJ run interference for his ongoing, upping criminality, his fool at DoD compromising U.S. security, his cabinet full of the billionaire callous all scurrying toadying.
We've a criminal in charge.
Criminality and recklessness rampant.
He’s only in charge because the billionaires behind the Republican Party want an enforcer. Immigration is what keeps the poor motivated to vote R, dismantling regulations as well as tax cuts for the big corporations.
Do you even see how much hate you have Phil ridiculous Biden was a freaking corpse.
The cool thing about the comments section is the ability to hide repugnant posts. I routinely hide poor Rick Sender.
Another liberal free speech advocate , I see
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Phil-
Can we pass on the body shaming? There are folks of every body type out on the streets resisting this lawless regime. Trump’s body type is not the problem. His heartlessness and cluelessness is the problem.
Can you kindly come up with a different insult? Thanks.
Keep being loud!
Use this spreadsheet to call/email/write any of our representatives as often as possible. Not just your own state reps, reach out to those in other states. Be as loud as you can and share this. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit
Please read my six point post on how to dissolve and resolve the issues between the parties and help all Americans.
Long direction please read my post. Stop the hate give him credit for what he did and criticize him for what he did do that you didn’t like. Assumably you liked the border closed, but who the hell knows with you people
Well, it said wrong direction and then re-corrected it. Wrong. Is the initial word I chose
I get typos, happens to the best of us.
It seems that we probably don’t agree with what’s happening right now. Either way though, I’m constantly reaching out to those in Congress and hoping others will as well because what’s happening right now is straight out of Project 2025 plans (read about it here: https://redwine.blue/project2025/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4j3zDfPRRp32wWenRQYI04kuNtJkm9Ju2-CfHZEMAsUVtTG7GEJO3bHKCs3A_aem_KH8i1M2nWqYX4O0IIVYHxw#repro-rights), I do not approve of an authoritarian leadership, we have 3 branches of government which are not being appropriately followed right now, and I do not agree with all the lies, deceit and tear down of the average American.
Megan, I voice text everything so obviously you’re new here and I could give a shit about punctuation or spelling necessarily this is not my college thesis. It’s all about you ready. CONTENTS OVER FORM. Now that we have that out-of-the-way he is no more territorial than Biden or Obama or Clinton or Bush just that you don’t like the EX or the policies he has but he’s not any less authoritarian or any more authoritarian than any former president oooopsie. Biden opens the border and lets 11 million people cross without vetting. Biden decides to forgive student loans against the Supreme Court. Wtfu. And if the big beautiful bill passes, guess what he will be giving middle America the biggest tax cut that he’s given that this country has ever seen. No tax on tips no tax on Social Security no tax on overtime targeted directly specifically at middle and lower income people
By the way, it’s getting warmer I know but it’s time you took project 25 and threw it in the fireplace It’s a meaningless document to Trump stop listening to your media
Russell Vought (OMB Director) remains rusted on to Project 2025 and I haven't heard JD Vance (VP) row back his support for it, and it's still being implemented as far as I can see.I think someone is telling you porkies pies.
So read my last question what is being implemented in project 2025 that you have a problem with assuming that the policy even came from project 2025 which has nothing to do with Trump. But let’s see what you have to offer.
Sandra , there are hundreds of precepts and policies in project 25 many of them have been implemented by every president that’s been in office both left and right. Many of them are basic American precepts, like keeping men out of women’s sports and respecting the flag and basic American values. There is good and And bad in the book, Trump could give a shit about project 25. He uses his brain to figure it out. And he does what’s best for America. Why don’t you explain to me what’s in project 25 that he’s done that you don’t like Maybe like securing the border ? 😉
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You see, you would not make a good juror you only hear other your left ear and see out of your left eye and you never see both sides of the story. Look what Biden did as an authoritarian and a lot more is coming out every day not to mention that he lied about the border he lied about Hunter. He lied about his Russian partnerships, his Ukraine partnerships, his Hawaii involvement, and that’s why he had to pardon everybody in his family all the way down the line. But that’s OK with you and it’s fine with me cause I could give a shit it just that you can’t only look at one side of the ledger and actually have people believe you.
I hope you have a good night. And while I hope it won’t happen, if Trump’s administration gets their way, you’ll watch those big tax cuts that you think are coming to the average American all go to billionaires/big corporations. I will continue to use my voice against Trump and his administration.
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On Lawrence O’Donnell’s program this evening he gave Trump a “Soprano’s” (mafia) name…made me guffaw….”Donny Two-Dolls”. Excellent.
"But you're the President!" Aye, there's the rub. The worst possible candidate for our White House is this creature. My disgust knows no bounds.
Thank you, Heather, for your superb post. You are a very effective, intelligent author.
Rue-er words were never spoken.
“You’re the president!” Moran replied.
And not a god???
Trump, Trump, Trump. All the time Trump!
It’s not about Trump! it’s about congressional Republicans aiding and abetting, encouraging and empowering Trump. They own the mess we’re in more than the fat orange puffball. They could stop this nonsense in a day.
Democrats, with an eye toward the’26 midterm elections, need to pound the point home over and over; it’s about the Republicans!
Yes. The saying is usually "Cut the snake off at the head." In this case it's "Cut him off at the knees!" ALL the trump enablers need to be cut down and thrown out - from his North Korean cabinet to companies that give him money. Trump on his own couldn't take a trash can out.
Congress and the senate are failing at their duty to hold the president accountable. They have no spine and they and their state colleagues will do whatever they can to dampen Democratic turnout.
I applaud Terry Moran. He is the type of journalist lacking in the media. Unfortunately, now Trump will have a vendetta against ABC like he does with CBS.
That was such a rare and important interview. I wonder if anything like it will happen again
Terry Moran did a spectacular job in asking tough questions Trump didn’t want to answer. He exposed the real Trump, and it didn’t flatter Trump. Mary Trump did a good YouTube commentary on the interview.
They better not cave when the suit lands and/or a new EO in ABC is inked and sharpied.