560 Comments

Good for Hunter - saying that the Emperor has no clothes! We all need to keep doing that over and over again about whatever made-up crap the Republicans are spouting. Their double-talk needs to be called out every time they speak it.

Expand full comment

It’s about time some[one] from the left really begin to play ‘hardball’!

Expand full comment

And interesting that scaredy cats like Jim Jordan and James Comer don't dare have their flim-flammery seen by the public at large without the curation of Fox.

Expand full comment

Yes, we got the sound bite on BBC radio news this morning! So proud.

Expand full comment

Hunter Biden is represented by the capable Trial Attorney, ABBE LOWELl. Counsel did in fact offer Hunter up for deposition yesterday knowing the Committee would not take 'Yes' for an answer & knowing there were defects in the Comittee's subpoena powr

Yesterday,the House R's quickly passed House Resolution 917 to cure subpoena power defects and "other things" to impeach President Biden smear Hunter sponsored by a R-ND Gang Member.

Expect more Court filings this week by Counsel ABBE LOWELL for Hunter

Expand full comment

Thank you for keeping your professional eye on this, Counselor. I am glad Hunter Biden has good counsel.

Expand full comment

"With no comparable Biden Organization, Republicans are trying to invent one."

This says it all....

Expand full comment

Bryan, what’s your take on this take?

https://scheerpost.com/2023/12/14/patrick-lawrence-that-new-hunter-biden-indictment/

Expand full comment

I am familiar with Special Counsel David Weiss' Los Angeles multi count Hunter criminal indictment.

I have already commented on the Gun charges. Those are the Counts that Lowell has attacked with a Motion to Dismiss. Lowell's Motion anticipates a SCOTUS ruling on a controlling case on or before June 2024. The Supreme s ruling could possibly come earlier. Perhaps the Professor will address the merits.

On the Tax matters it has been widely reported that Hunter has already paid the amounts due. I cannot imagine full payment absent a settlement agreement aka an "accord & satisfaction" or otherwise the matter was resolved by the Doctrines of judicial estoppel, equitable estoppel and/or Federal Rules of Evidence for payments made in full.

I have not gone down into the Rabbit hole of "Hunter's Laptop". I generally stick with admissible evidence or matters lawfully accepted by the Courts on proper Judicial Notice rulings.

No doubt that following the Court docket entries will prove fruitful.

Expand full comment

Hypothetically, if the specifics and ‘admissible evidence’ were the same, but the name Hunter Biden was replaced by, say, Donald Trump, Jr., would your response be the same?

Curious also why you consider the laptop story a rabbit hole.

Expand full comment

C'mon Tom,

"The Defendant engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed"

When was the last time Trump paid any taxes to any government that paves the roads for him? That's right. NEVER.

Gimme a break. Rich white folks in Murca? None of them pay taxes and it is NEVER a crime. It is just the way it is in Murca.

So, to pull "taxes" out of the rabbit hat for Biden means there really is no case against him.

Expand full comment

He didn’t answer the question. Is that a legal tactic? Sure the rich get away with everything in America; they write the law, make sure whatever law they don’t like isn’t enforced, and elect the politicians and appoint the judges to do their bidding. I was trying to get at whether or not he was tribal in his application theory. My take is that Garland, with regards to any DoJ investigation of either Biden, is every bit as capable of being politically biased in his investigatory zeal as was Barr in dealing with Trump grift. The Biden Ukraine grift smells just as rancid as the Trump Saudi variety.

When Democrats fail to prosecute donors (see Holder, Eric, and Wall Street CEOs), notwithstanding the ‘probability’ of winning a guilty verdict, they undermine trust in the legal system every bit as much as Trump thumbing his nose at creditors or the

IRS. I think Biden has pressured DoJ to keep investigations of Hunter as compartmentalized as possible to prevent a deep investigation of Joe’s involvement in all things Ukraine. The attempt by Hunter’s lawyer in the tax plea noted in the Scheerpost link to give him immunity from further prosecution of things unrelated to the tax case smelled rotten, and the presiding judge agreed.

There is, it seems to me, a difference between no case, a provable case, and a case that won’t see the light of day due to influence, political or otherwise.

Expand full comment

Tom, I am not familiar with the "ScheerPost":Platform or their Terms of Use standards. Good photo of Hunter & ABBE though.

Expand full comment

It’s a curation site, run by Bob Scheer, longtime journalist. You can check their info/FAQ section here - https://scheerpost.com/about-us/frequently-asked-questions/

Expand full comment

I do know of Robert Sheer from my LA Days decades ago.

Expand full comment

Compare and contrast.

Expand full comment

Hunter was damned impressive.

Expand full comment

Hats off to those in the Senate voting for the National Defense Bill that allowed the much needed and overdue 5.2% raise to the military…and a bid razzberry to the 13 who didn’t. As for the republicans, whose hate-filled “wish list”, meant to deny the basic freedoms of every American, including abortion, LGBQT+ rights and diversity, well…my reply will be more polite than they deserve; and how can any POC, including elected representatives, vote for or defend any attack on diversity?

Expand full comment

The clowns can torpedo the 5.2 raise by shutting the country down entirely next month. Military personnel won't be paid at all then. Remember, they are doing just as trump tells them to do, and that he is intent on retribution against his enemies, using any means possible.

Expand full comment

It was sickening to see Jim Jordan threatening all sorts of penalties for H. Biden who was willing to give testimony but only in an open hearing, when Jordan himself is in violation of a subpoena from the Jan 6th Committee. Why do theses people’s heads not explode?

Expand full comment

Possibly because there's nothing in them.

Expand full comment

There is, but don't look at it on a full stomach.

Expand full comment

Worse Talia - malevolence. Malevolence is worse than ignorance or stupidity.

Expand full comment

Which sets up the possibility of implosion- I'll take it!

Expand full comment

Perfect

Expand full comment

Bulls eye!

Expand full comment

Sky777, I honestly wish those evil and corrupt people's heads would explode so we could all be rid of them for once and for all. My outrage toward these mentally incompetent thugs in the Fascist GQP is over the top. It is a total disgrace that these supposedly adult fools that are Congress members. They aren't fit for anything. They are useless and sorry excuses for human beings.

Expand full comment

John, my outrage has almost taken control of my life since the first time I heard and saw Donald J Trump. It's inconceivable to me that people have elected, and continue to support people like him who have no spine to stand up for what they SHOULD know is right.

In my outrage, I have tried to find some sort of silver lining. I used to be a person who believed that "right would win". Evidently the things I see and have seen as "right" are being buried under a cloud of hatred, ill-will, selfishness, and holier-then-thou attitudes,

Sometimes I'm afraid we'll never see a silver lining. If Trump's "Truth" wins our, there will be dark clouds of upheaval, doom and gloom. We can say goodbye to tolerance and inclusion.

Yes, I too am outraged, but where are the people that I thought should be outraged too? They see in Trump the hatred and racism that's been in their hearts. They have finally seen someone who they think validates those feelings. Can you believe that they are outraged by those of us who want to keep our democracy intact and who look for the light of peace, acceptance, and harmony.

My outrage could say so much more, but I'll shut up and read on.

Expand full comment

As someone who moved from a blue state to a red one, I'd add they're largely close minded and long for things to be the way they used to be. The world is changing rapidly and many lack the education and training to deal/adjust to it. I get how they feel about things, while not condoning most of their beliefs. What I don't get is they largely don't realize their feeling 'left behind' is a result of voting against their own interests.

Expand full comment

"What I don't get is they largely don't realize their feeling 'left behind' is a result of voting against their own interests." That really sums it up well.

Expand full comment

DL, thanks for your reply. I totally agree..

Trump supporters are those people who are very uncomfortable with beliefs that are different from theirs. They DON'T want change. They're afraid that the lives they've lived full of racism, sexism, and bigotry will be

challenged and, heaven forbid, changed.

I shake my head in sorrow and frustration.

Expand full comment

The sad thing is that they don't want change but that is exactly what they are going to get. They just haven't realized it yet. And the change will be much more than they bargained for.

Expand full comment

Jeanne, sure hope so!!

Expand full comment

DL Johnson, i want to give you a good example of what your just said about, ''voting against their own interests'' I was on the ''Daily KOS'' comment site back in 2020 just before the election, and there was this guy that said he had a ''so called'' friend that was a huge TUMP fanatic and he had tried to reason with him about the dangerous Donald TUMP, and he told his deluded friend, '' I know you are on Social Security, and TUMP and the Rethugs have said they were going to end it, and what are your going to do when you can't pay your mortgage?'' His friend replied, '' I don't care, i will just move into a homeless shelter and no one is going to change my mind about the greatest President ever'' These kind of idiots seriously need psychological evaluation. They are sick!!

Expand full comment

And desperate. And inable to comprehend how bad that situation would be. Probably doesn't know trump wants to round up the homeless and do God knows what with them so he doesn't see them during his limo rides.

Thank you for the feedback!

Expand full comment

It's exactly what happened after World War ll when all of those German citizens that worshiped Adolf Hitler were standing in front of what used to be their homes now destroyed and laying in ruins and crying and wondering how they were conned into all of his lies and deceit and then wonder how they were taken in by his propaganda. . I have watched almost all of the documentaries about Hitler several times and what Hitler did was well beyond horrifying, especially the scenes of heaped up piles of the dead bodies of Jewish people that were starved and beaten to death. Actual film footage was used in these documentaries i have watched. Donald TUMP admires dictators like Hitler, Mussolini, Orban, and Putin. Sickening!!! Thank you too for your feedback.

Expand full comment

I'm reminded of William Manchester's description of the Dark Age when people suffered "impenetrable mindlessness." This describes the MAGA Republicans I'm acquainted with.

Expand full comment

You said it for me, just wrote a screed and it disappeared in a puff of digital miasma, I guess. Thank you. As the first term came to an end, I thought, now people will see and be repulsed. After all, his horror was front page news for five years, despite the foxification of every event. That so many are in the cult can only mean that our MSM failed and the hearts and minds of so many have followed the path of Germany in the 30’s.

Expand full comment

Pam Taylor and Jeri Chilcutt. I also find it hard to comprehend how so many people are so blind to the utter depravity and complete failure to do anything to help anyone in this country that is the continuing legacy of Trump's first attempt at dictatorship. We must not give him another chance!

I am particularly concerned about Ukraine. Failure to continue supporting them is not only a danger to freedom everywhere in the world, but would also bring terrible shame upon our country. It sickens me that Trump maggots have infiltrated our government enough to cause such great harm! And yes, maggots! They feed on the garbage FOX and OAN and NEWSMAX dish out daily.

Expand full comment

Agree with every syllable. It's beyond an outrage that so many are blind to the horrendous danger. maggots they are, by their own definition

Expand full comment

Cheryl. can you believe that we have come to the point of letting a handful of lunatics hold captive our need and desire to help other countries, who, if, Trump gets back in, will fall to the likes of Putin. One country after another will fall if we don't stop the madness now.

I write to my senators and representatives nagging them to come to their collective senses and kick these crazy extremists out the Congressional door.

Expand full comment

It is hard to believe that this lunatic minority weilds so much power. It shows that our institutions need reforming. For example, it is insane that 1 Senator, Tommy Tuberville, has been able to cripple our entire military by refusing to confirm promotions! In a dem8cracy, NO ONE OERSON should have the power yo do that! And then, of course, there's the Electoral College. And the filibuster. These hinder the proper functioning of our democracy.

Expand full comment

Biden should just declare a state of emergency and send the funds to Ukraine. Russia threatens NATO therefore the US. Not that difficult.

Expand full comment

That is a great comment, Cheryl. You speak the exact truth.. Spot on!!

Expand full comment

"Foxification"!!! What a great word to describe what Fox does to reality. Thank you, Jeri.

Expand full comment

First term? Surely you meant only term. Isn’t that enough of a blot on the nation’s history?

Expand full comment

Indeed, thank you. Second term is my worst nightmare.

Expand full comment

True for us all!

Expand full comment

First term was my worst nightmare. Should a second term somehow come to be, then that will be the apocalypse. No joke!!

Expand full comment

You said it too! :)

Expand full comment

Your frustration echoes across the world. You are not alone. But, here is how I get through the day. There are lot more of us than "them". And.... there are millions of independents and young people who are in the middle - who don't pay attention to the Orange Menace. They don't watch cable TV. They just get on with their lives trying to ignore the insanity. They may not even want to vote.

I will find some of them between now and November 5, 2024. I will get someone to vote who might not have been inclined to. Of course, I live in a super blue state. If you live in a swing state, you could be a big part of the solution.

Anyway, as Joyce says, "We are in this together". I feel your pain.

Expand full comment

Bill, thank you so much for your reply! I live in a town, county, and state where the red MAGA caps wave high in the air. I am surrounded by Biden haters. I confronted a neighbor who said, "If Biden walked through this door, I'd shoot him right between the eyes." I was outraged at this, and told him so, risking our friendship, but he is a bully, who believes that if you don't support Trump and his "policies", you are, as he called me, a "poor misguided child."

Someone told me when Trump was "president"- I use that term loosely, that if people in my county knew how I felt about him, they come and hang me. WHAT?? Doesn't that say something about the people, not me?

That's why I'm so grateful to be able to read Dr. Richardson 's posts and the comments that like-minded people share. I do feel not so alone and I do need to keep hoping that there ARE enough of us who can save our democracy, because that's what we will be fighting for.

Expand full comment

I am sorry that that is the situation where you are. I live in a liberal state that is dominated by its liberal urban population with a very upset minority rural population that has, in some areas of the state, taken over and tends towards MAGAt "philosophy". I have watched my former work cohort (almost all of us retired cops, although some are still working) go bugnuts crazy over MAGA and what it stands for. These are people I worked with, faced some crazy danger with, and once trusted. No longer.

I used to hope they would see the crazy for what it was and come around. Nope, they double down on the rhetoric.

Expand full comment

Aly, thank you for your reply AND for your service!! I'm hooked on watching "Cops" and "Entitled people who get arrested and owned." The majority of police people stand quietly and listen patiently as those people rant and rave. "You're not the law'." " I know my rights!" Tlhese men and women who endanger their lives everyday to protect us have so much more patience than I would have. I feel like, as my mother said, " "ringing their necks."

I have found that those entitled, pushy, "christian" people are bullies just like Trump. They scream, use racial slurs, say, "Go back to your country. We don't want you here."

They make fun of and degrade people who speak their native language in public. "You're in America. Speak English"

They have no patience and they have mental instabilities . Sound like someone we know?

No wonder they love Trump. He has encouraged their behavior, by displaying HIS behavior, as if that's the only way to behave to get your point across.

I blame Trump for encouraging all of this intolerance, and entitlement.

Expand full comment

We volunteer for OPRD during the summers so we spend 6 months living in some of those rural areas every year. Yeah, there's trump signs and t-shirts, but there are also plenty of people quietly going about their days who are frightened to speak out because the trumpnuts are armed and dangerous. We've all been given Verbal Judo training which helps, but this summer is sure to be "interesting".

Expand full comment

It is just unbelievable, except that what you say is true.

Expand full comment

As we made our way through the Covid pandemic, I kept thinking that people would wake up and see how bad the tfg was making the situation. So many people died needlessly because tRump and his minions, like Jared, politicized and weaponized a disease, for crying out loud! Who in their right mind suggests ingesting bleach???!!!! Then in the 2020 election, more people voted for that stupid, orange fool. I have wondered since 1980 and Reagan, how on earth people could vote against their own interests, but they did and continue to do so. That a mentally unstable, traitorous criminal is the leading candidate in the R field just boggles the mind. He is not fighting for an idea; he is running to try to avoid prison!!! His only goal is to save himself and enrich himself in the process. If the morbidly rich think the tfg wouldn't use the powers of government against them if he so chose, they are not paying attention. If the tfg were re-elected, what would stop him from nationalizing Koch Industries and draining its profits? Then tfg would be like his hero, Putin.

Expand full comment

My terror is that all those idealistic young people will vote for third party candidates thus, inevitably, handing the election to Trump. This is especially dire with the Israel-Gaza war playing out and so many young people rallying for Palestinians. They should be given the long history of the Israel occupation and settlements , but all that will translate to anti-Biden. The Democratic Party must start now to counter that possibility. I can never forget that Hillary lost Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes and 49,000 mostly or all young PA voters voted for Jill Stein.

Expand full comment

These years of TFG and even before that with the rise of extreme right wing fascism have taken years off our lives. Were it not for Professor Richardson, Jay Kuo, and lately Simon Rosenberg on Hopium, our despair would overtake us. Even so I’m deeply saddened by the Republicans destructive stance and the number of family members and friends who endorse it. Couple that with a spouse who has totally bought it, and some days are beyond tolerable. I live in a non-voting red state, but I keep fighting for my nine grandchildren who truly are this country’s future. They are the reason I keep up my advocacy for local, state, and federal candidates who would turn this lunacy around. Why else am I still here at 75? I challenge all of you who believe in democracy to do the same. Get involved and get out the vote.

Expand full comment

Marcia, I am also 75 and all my life I didn't think I could have an opinion, much less express it. Boy have I changed! It's never to late to let your voice be heard by those who agree, and, most importantly, by those who don't agree. Maybe we'll get through to some people who refuse to understand that what THEY want is NOT, and doesn't have to be, what ALL of us want.

I too went through years of frustration and anger because my husband absolutely loved Trump. Everytime I would bring up something outrageous that Trump said or did, he would say, " Get used to it." I couldn't believe his insensitivity, and he was surprised that I would express my opposite opinion so vehemently. He would say, "Don't talk so loud. You're scaring the dog!" Ha!

Thank goodness, he has finally seen the true Trump. He doesn't like Biden, but he now sees how dangerous Trump is and was.

We have reached an agreement that we would not bring up politics, because he knows what I'm going to say, and I know what he' going to say.

And never the twain shall meet.:)

Expand full comment

what in the world was there to love?

Expand full comment

Katjy, I'm still trying to figure that out.

Expand full comment

I too feel that the frustration and anger has taken years off my life, especially dealing with family and life long friends. But I find when I try to talk to them they just don’t listen or spout off Fox or right wing propaganda

Expand full comment

I have been sickened too. But I am heartened that the ugly has finally gotten to where the likes of even Three Twits on a Couch’s Steve Doocey seems to think there’s no there there with this impeachment.

Maybe they’re finally starting to eat themselves.

Expand full comment

Jen, we can always hope and work to make them see how their attitudes are setting this country up for a downfall. They're pushing as hard as they can, while not realizing that they are going down too.

Expand full comment

Thank you Pam for putting into words what I am feeling.

Expand full comment

Jeanne, thank you for YOUR words!

Expand full comment

I am with you about the outrage and sorrow. I think a lot of the thinking, empathetic people are feeling this too. We are under a national umbrella of sadness, rage and horror at what we see every day from this man, his putinistas and the sickening"base". Where will it all end? I will continue to do what I can as many will also do. Sometimes though it does get to me and I have to take a brief time out.

Expand full comment

Victoria, I found that my outrage was consuming me, so I had to back off a bit too.

We'll fight for the future!

Expand full comment

Yes, it is an awful time and we are very worried.

Expand full comment

George, are there enough of us who understand the NEED for worry?

Expand full comment

yes

Expand full comment

Yes indeed! :)

Expand full comment

For me the answer is crystal clear--ALL Republicans are willing to vote against any principles they might have because they are terrified of losing their jobs and incurring trump's wrath. Similar reason why all the presidential candidates but Christie will never say anything bad about trump--because they are auditioning for cabinet positions. And above all, there is no shame....

Expand full comment

I totally agree! They don't want to lose their jobs, plus, I believe that many fear for the safety of themselves and their families if they express any opposition to Trump. His misguided thugs have and will threaten them.

I wonder if they remember when they first "sold out."

Expand full comment

I can no longer say Republican without inserting a pejorative adjective before it.

Expand full comment

Yes, the Republican party has become one big pejorative adjective.

Expand full comment

Same here, and when i see a photo of that heap of orange lard, TFG, i really let loose with the pejorative adjectives.

Expand full comment

I am with you 100% Pam

Expand full comment

Helen, thank you for your reply! It's so nice to know that I'm not alone, in my feelings, although it does feel that way at times.

Expand full comment

You definitely are not alone. Thank you Pam

Expand full comment

Thank YOU!

Expand full comment

For a year after the 2016 election, I was a regular a our Freedom Friday protests on a street corner in Redlands California. It took place in front of a friendly business, and was friendly enough, with mostly senior Veterans of decades of protests, Professors and Professionals that many senior and middle aged stopped to talk to us or even join us. I learned to use business cards sized handouts that copied an Anthropologist's sign that said

"Who You Voted For

is not as important as

What You Stand For

(with references to non-partisan sources on candidates and offices information)

which I would hand to any who challenged us with senseless bumper sticker type remarks or those who felt differently and could be encouraged to talk with us about real issues.

Most would respond with at least serious discussion on some topics. Only a very few couldn't think of something to actually discuss with willing listeners, but they at least stopped disrespecting us when they noticed we didn't disrespect them. I think we made progress and helped understand each other better, whether or not we could agree on too much.

My anger came out over the media hype and resulted in a lot of angry yelling at the radio in the car since I couldn't face the speaker in person. I realized how unhealthy that was when I forgot I had another child left in the car after I dropped one off, and responded to the outrageous double talk of a Trump appointee with language that would make a sailor blush ( bit like the Drill Instructors used to "motivate" us). I was so troubled by the lack of control that I signed up for $500 worth of anger management. That helped me a lot to stay more civil in public and private, but I did notice the counselor had a hard time herself, controlling her anger over some of the same issues.

Expand full comment

Jim, i totally understand how your anger almost consumed you. I commend you for getting help, which is what those unhinged extremists in Congress need to do. I had to calm myself down, and bite my lip on several occasions to avoid having a stroke. I tried to bury my anger to prevent out-of-control discussions with neighbors and friends who tried to argue the merits of Trump and his "policies." But, I found that burying my anger didn't help. That could lead to a stroke too.

Just think about what Donald J Trump and his cronies-in-crime have caused. Strokes.

Expand full comment

You have it in one, Pam. They see in death star their own feelings. This has been simmering below the surface at times and at times, it is and has been blatant. Right now, thanks to death star, we are living through a period where it is blatant. They are the party of death and it is my hope that they do not prevail. That means that all of us must do what we can to see that does not happen.

Expand full comment

Pam, everything in your comment is exactly the same as my way of thinking. It's an unending mystery to me that so many people have this strong attraction to Donald TUMP. I had the illusion that at least 80% of the citizens would express outrage about what that orange pile of excrement is wanting to convert our nation into. An authoritarian dictatorship. I would estimate that 50 years ago, or maybe less, this kind of thing would not have been acceptable here in America by a large majority of our fellow citizens and would have been put down in a short timespan. World War ll was fought to prevent this from happening and millions died to protect our Democracy from Adolf Hitler and his NAZI regime to conquer the world.

I am just appalled and disgusted that there are so many gullible, ignorant, and just plain stupid citizens here that have been conned by the most notorious con man that has ever existed in history. That last statement by me includes most of my close relatives that are not a part of my immediate family. We haven't been on speaking terms since the heap of orange excrement came onto the scene 7 years ago.

Expand full comment

John, thank you for your heartfelt reply.

During Trump's first year in office, someone of political importance, can't remember who, called Trump "The most dangerous man in America,"

A truer statement has never been made.

I'm sorry about your estrangement from your family.

I have ONE friend in my town who has felt like I do about Trump since he emerged on the scene, We commiserate with each other everytime Trump gets excused from his insane comments and actions. Her hairdresser of 40 some years kept bragging about Trump, after my friend told her to please stop. She continued until my friend had to find a beautician who wouldn't spew their worship of an unhinged person to her customers,

I even sat through a church sermon (only because I'm the pianist) when a visiting preacher kept ranting, from the pulpit, that Biden is sinful and has permitted so many abortions, that voting for Biden will be a sin. He kept saying, DO NOT vote for Biden. Only a few inches church were outraged. The majority are Trump lovers.

I'm surrounded by people whio i never would have thought would succumb to such an unhinged, selfish man, He could care less about them, He's never cared about anyone but Donald J Trump and they refuse to believe it,

I stand amazed every day that so many people accept his vulgar, immoral, illegal, and dangerous acts.

I have said that there should be two stickers available on voting day,

I VOTED! or I Voted for a CRIMINAL!

Expand full comment

Thank you so much Pam for your great and informative reply. Speaking of the religious fanatic part of the TUMP worshiping, my next door neighbor is big into church activities and an avid Donald TUMP worshiper is a deacon at a large church just a mile or so up the road we live on that has cheated multiple times on his wife and is a two faced hypocrite to the extreme. He comes on as an overly friendly guy and then insults his friends and my family behind our backs. He made snide remarks about our ''BIDEN/HARRIS sign before the election in 2020. I haven't spoken to him since then. The entire membership of that church i mentioned are hard-core Fascist Rethugs.

I am also surrounded by people who i never would have thought would succumb to the unhinged, arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, racist, evil, homophobic, sorry excuse for a human being. 75% of the 100,000 people in the county i live in are Donald TUMP fanatics. Thank goodness my grown daughter, grandson, and my oldest son that live here with me are solid Democrats. All of us feel somewhat isolated from other people in my area because of TFG. It is a sad situation that he has caused so much division in our nation.

TUMP is horribly vulgar, immoral and an extremely evil person, even though he has raped women, and make vulgar remarks about grabbing women in their private parts, these so called religious fanatics still defend him and worship him like he is their God and ultimate savior.

I have one to add to a sticker, I VOTED, or i voted for a RAPIST CRIMINAL.

Expand full comment

John, I believe they would wear that sticker you suggested with pride! Why in this world would they, or could they do that? Trump has them where he wants them. Waving their MAGA hats in the air and proclaiming him "Messiah." An immoral, racist, hate-filled Messiah? What would Jesus himself have felt about that? Didn't he admonish the tax collectors who were in the temple that they had turned it into a "den of thieves." How about all those " christians" who hide behind the church and try to use their faith and "good works" to justify their prejudice and fear of losing their hold on a society that should never change, in their opinions.

I'm sure I'd get in trouble, but I'd love to stand as legally as far as possible outside polling sites and offer my sticker choices. My life would be in danger for daring to call Trump a criminal. After all, he's a Messiah.

Expand full comment

Read "The Great Leveler".

Do think there IS a virtuous cycle in history, and it will bend (back) toward justice, but that cycle is much longer than most lives.

Expand full comment

As Mark Twain observed back in 1873: "consider a congressman, then consider an idiot. Bah! I repeat myself."

Expand full comment

I know this statement is made with good in mind, but it is too cynical. To me it is not appropriate. When I confront a person I know, when discussing what we are seeing in our nation's politics, I invariably hear "they all do it". An excuse to vote for the bad guys - the ones who align with conservative views. Or, in the case of many young voters, an excuse to just tune out and sit out. "They all do it". Well they don't. AOC, as an excellent example, is no "idiot". I can go down a long list of congresspersons who are not "idiots". Quite the contrary - many are the best representative one could imagine - how about Raskin?

Expand full comment

Yes!

Raskin-MD

Porter-CA

Schiff-CA

Levin-CA

Jacobs-CA

And many more

Expand full comment

Thanks for including Rep. Sarah Jacobs from San Diego. She has greatly impressed me as well.

Expand full comment

Yes, and the good ones who earn their paychecks all seem to be Democrats.

Expand full comment

Every House Republican voted to waste our tax dollars and their precious time (with urgent national security matters needing to be done) on an impeachment inquiry on our current POTUS knowing full well there is no THERE there. There is not a single decent Republican House Representative. Not even one!!

Expand full comment

Yep. Their behavior is despicable.

Expand full comment

Credit where credit is due - Liz Cheney earned hers, even if we differ on most politics.

Expand full comment

Largely correct Linda - and I have a theory about that. It is somewhat akin to the notion that a truth teller has a much simpler life than a liar, since the liar must remember what he lies about and manage the lies. Most Republicans are corrupt because their world view is not consonant with the real world. A constantly changing real world. And very importantly, today's Republicanism represents the rich and jealous and greedy among us all. The "haves" versus the "have nots". The cruel versus the compassionate. For that to be in and stay in power in a democratic nation that increasingly is composed of "have nots", as the wealth gap continues to increase, nefarious means must be employed to win elections. Including lies, misrepresentation, cheating (of which gerrymandering is a great example), bribery, and sedition. A world view that embraces change, is compassionate, and cares about the world we live has nothing to hide. Less need to resort dishonest and nefarious stunts to be popular. So less corruption. That, I believe, is why we progressives have such an embarrassment of riches in superstars in our government. Far less so with the conservatives. But the bad guys are powerful and devious. We have our work cut out for us.

Expand full comment

Interesting that when I read the quote, my mind automatically inserted “Republican” in front of “Congressman”. Such are the times in which we live.

Expand full comment

Only the GOP Congress- please no both sides

Expand full comment

Looking at the replies to your post, all I can say is that Twain was fortunate to live in a time when everyone could take—and laugh at—a clever witticism.

I have to return to my policy of never reading a post that begins with the word “So…”

Expand full comment

We don’t want to be ruled by Putin. And in my almost 7 decades I have never seen a time when our words mattered more. Humor is always welcome but the wiser we are with it the more likely we’ll still have a chance of continuing “real” elections after 11/24

Expand full comment

So you are lumping

together Republican and Democratic members of Congress for the sake of a cheap quip?

Does the wreckage heaped on wreckage of making false equivalencies mean nothing?

Expand full comment

Oh so true, and not so cheap of a quip, lin. In my opinion. I agree with Mark Twain. Who referenced exactly what the role of a congressman has become in the MAGAt party.

No thanks. Takes the role of We the People out of the equation. And THAT is idiotic.

Salud.

🗽

Expand full comment

Seriously. You are asserting that in 'the age of MAGA' there is no significant difference between the Freedom Caucus and the Progressive Caucus. Either in policy or persons.

No difference between: voting against protecting the civil rights of voters and voting for protecting the civil rights of voters; voting for tax breaks for the wealthy and voting for equitable taxation; voting against access to affordable healthcare and voting for access to affordable healthcare.

No difference between Matt Gaetz and Jamie Raskin, between Lauren Boebert and AOC?

That is what you are asserting in support of a clever quip. Surely you can easily see examples of significant and substantial difference. For the well being of or damage to our most vulnerable neighbors, fragile planet, and endangered democracy.

Expand full comment

You miss the point. The quip applied to those in Congress that insist on changing the role and duties of the chamber. Specifically the House of Representatives. No all, but enough to sully the rule of law.

Salud!

🗽

Expand full comment

👍

Expand full comment

Oh dear! I took would love to see exploding heads in the Republican side of the house BUT, do you realize that the chamber then would need to be closed down & deemed one of those super, duper pollution sites where we'd need every form of hazmat capabilities deployed. It could close the Republican side down for who knows how long!

Oh! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! What am I saying? That would be fantastic that would leave the Dems in charge**with Hakeem at the helm. My bad, sure go ahead, republicans, blow yourselves up!

** Just one caveat. Please, Dems, don't let this go to your heads as there will be plenty of MAGA/trump viruses floating around & you certainly don't want to contract THAT disease where power goes to your head & you become the ogre you once fought against. While I'm not a believer there are a few passages from various religious texts that warn of hubris!

Expand full comment

Just wait--Rebs will blow themselves up when they can't find any evidence to impeach Biden.

What about this Christian bs that Mike Johnson is espousing? The Lord told him to wait out candidates trying to be speaker because he was the chosen one and that he will become a Moses-like figure who will save us all from a Red Sea situation? This guy's third in line for the presidency? God needs to save US!!

Expand full comment

Yes, already wondered how he was going to handle the plague of frogs, & bloody water. Do you think he'll be willing to lead his Magats around the desert for 40 years?

Expand full comment

Ha Ha! I'm sure he will present us with his version of the ten commandments....

Expand full comment

Be afraid. Be very afraid!🫣😵‍💫🤮

Expand full comment

Though shalt not vote for Biden will be top of his list?

Followed by:

Thou shalt not take the Lord our god, trump's name in vain!!!!

Expand full comment

😂😂😂😂😂👍

Expand full comment

AIAO - Adult In Age Only

Expand full comment

Jamie Raskin was again priceless, proclaiming that finally the House republicans will prove that Hunter is President Biden’s son.

Expand full comment

Jamie Raskin is a national treasure. I hope he runs for President someday

Expand full comment

God bless Jamie Raskin! We need humor to save us from both despair and insanity!

Expand full comment

I wonder why he’s not running for Ben Cardin’s open Senate seat...he’d be a wonderful addition to the Senate.

Expand full comment

S

Expand full comment

Health issues? I agree that he would be a good Senator.

Expand full comment

There is no lower form of human than JJJJ-jacketless Jim Jordan the jerk.

Expand full comment

I'll see you a JJ and raise you a Texas AG Ken Paxton. 😊

Expand full comment

No, he’s just evil.

Expand full comment

Is there anyone dumber than Comer, with the exception of former Rep. Goemert

Expand full comment

I wish they would. 🤯

Expand full comment

I want to see more of their lies popping like soapsuds in a stiff breeze.

Expand full comment

I'm taking a 'stab' at your last sentence. I read so many substacks that I cannot recall who said this, but I have a better understanding of the Evangelical movement, which has all eight tentacles on our democracy. Think of their three vows: 1)Certitude. No matter how the majority of Americans may think, Evies are unwavering in their beliefs. They have no intention of listening to reason, not even a medical reason for abortion. 2) Ferocity. Gone are the Christian precepts of yesterday: kindness, charity, and the beatitudes. Now they are God's Christian soldiers. In warfare only victory matters. 3) Solidarity. Never speak against a fellow Evie. It doesn't matter how corrupt Trump is because he will do their will.

Expand full comment

Hope, let's cite the brilliant David French piece for the Certainty, Ferocity, Solidarity hattrick :

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/opinion/donald-trump-fundamentalists-evangelical.html

or, "Why Fundamentalists LOVE Trump".

Expand full comment

Gratefully, Mark. Thank you. I thought it was a brilliant piece, and it helped me understand. I apologize for thinking I read it on substack. Everyone, the acknowledgment goes to David French of the NYT,

Expand full comment

Sky 777: Jim Jordan -- it is hard to look at, much less listen to, a wrestling coach who turned a blind eye towards sexual abuse of young members of the college team. I make a practice never to listen to Jim Jordan before a meal, so as not to lose my appetite.

Expand full comment

We watch PBS Newshour during dinner. I often lose my appetite. Good for the waistline. I call it the “I can’t stand these a$$—-es” diet.

Expand full comment

Well, they're sure making mine explode....

Expand full comment

Only emotive terms come to my mind about the god-awful party. Hypocritical, anti-democratic, selfish, power-hungry, don’t care about the common good, liars and religious fanatics. I continue to be absolutely amazed at Trump supporters who vote against their own interests. Nothing less than democracy is at stake. Forgive me herein I just had to vent.

Expand full comment

With you on that. My better self feels empathy for these deluded souls. And then they open their mouths and empathy takes a backseat to WTF?

Expand full comment

I'm not sure why their heads don't explode...I know mine is over their treachery!

Expand full comment

Because this isn't Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Expand full comment

I am (as they say) incandescent with rage that a pissant like JD Vance walked out of a planned meeting with Vlodomyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine, an independent nation, who is at war with an enemy of the United States.

And JD Vance is one of 100, a Senator from Ohio who has never done a day’s work in his life. He has a law degree from Yale (I believe) wrote a book in which he lied about, or embellished, the poverty in which he grew up and obfuscated the facts of his life, all the while claiming heartland values. In short, JD Vance is a big, fat fraud. Just like they all are.

But he had the temerity to walk out of a meeting with Zelenskyy, claiming that he didn’t need to hear any more. The sheer arrogance of this twerp!

Expand full comment

“Twerp” is a very kind word for this SOB, Marla. He’s a proud Maga. That’s what we know and despise him for.

Expand full comment

I didn’t vote for him, and Peter Thiel bought him for us.

Expand full comment

And that is a very big problem.

Expand full comment

Interesting to hear Vance explain his views while under truth serum. Same for Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley.

Expand full comment

MAGgot

Expand full comment

That's why I use MAGAt. Pronounced the same...

Expand full comment

Marla,

And, having read Vance's book, I can say, he is an exceptionally poor writer. Further, the life he describes as a youth is not exactly a tough life as experienced by millions of Americans who actually grow up in tough circumstances, like poor farms or inner cities, etc., without access to opportunity. To my reading he was raised in the bottom half of the middle class by a mother who cared about him and some other support systems as well.

He never missed a meal, or went to work with his father on the night shift to help him lift 70 lb bags of concrete into trucks for eight hours. Then, came home and fed all the barn animals then went to school. Then, did it again. And again.

Vance was basically a spoiled kid, by his mother and others, who grew up without much responsibility placed on him and then, applied to Ohio State and got in. Then, with his girlfriend's help and encouragement, applied to Yale Law School and got in on poor white affirmative action. Yale was just beginning to diversify its long time policy of only admitting rich whites to (the whole school) by admitting a few poor whites. They were not, yet, admitting blacks if I get my time frame correct.

Vance is just a guy who rolled down easy street, wrote a book about spending time alone in his house while him Mom worked, and then, because he cannot do anything else, became a politician.

A loser made good by Democracy.

Expand full comment

Im I pressed you managed to read such garbage. Life’s too short.

Expand full comment

It was often highly rated on the NY Times bookseller list.

But, I agree with your summary of the book.

Expand full comment

I watched the snippet of Rep Guy Reschenthaler, from the county that neighbors Allegheny Co in western PA, try to answer the question, ‘On what evidence are we voting on an impeachment inquiry?’

‘Ugggghhh, well that’s why we need an inquiry - to find out. You just wait and see.’

Expand full comment

`Let the jury consider their verdict,' the King said, for about the twentieth time that day.

`No, no!' said the Queen. `Sentence first--verdict afterwards.'

`Stuff and nonsense!' said Alice loudly. `The idea of having the sentence first!'

`Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple.

`I won't!' said Alice.

`Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

`Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) `You're nothing but a pack of cards!'

Expand full comment

perfect. Another one:

"Fury said to

a mouse, That

he met

in the

house,

'Let us

both go

to law:

I will

prosecute

you.—

Come, I'll

take no

denial;

We must

have a

trial:

For

really

this

morning

I've

nothing

to do.'

Said the

mouse to

the cur,

'Such a

trial,

dear sir,

With no

jury or

judge,

would be

wasting

our breath.'

'I'll be

judge,

I'll be

jury,'

Said

cunning

old Fury;

'I'll try

the whole

cause,

and

condemn

you

to

death.'

-- The Mouse's Tale

Lewis Carroll

Expand full comment

Bravo!

Expand full comment

Perfect!

Expand full comment

If this was a series on TV, we'd be praising the writers for coming up with the most ridiculous, unbelievable shit. But the reality is that it's really happening and these people are ruining our country! I don't know how they can even look themselves in the mirror. Lord, please save us from this cult.

Expand full comment

Fishing expedition anyone? They find nothing because there is nothing to find.

Expand full comment

Ugh is right

Expand full comment

🤬🤮

Expand full comment

"who is at war with an enemy of the United States"

"who is at war with an friend of the MAGA Republicans".

There, fixed that for ya...

Expand full comment

I agree 100%! Vance isn't worthy to lick Zelenskyy's boots!

Expand full comment

Has anyone listened to Ambassador McFaul lately?? My goodness, he lays out the scenario if we do not authorize additional monies to Ukrainian, it’s frightening ...

Expand full comment

What a POS!

Expand full comment

Need to pair the Republican aversion to acting for government programs to something also sinister.

Read Heather Cox Richardson's friend Jane Mayer's book, "Dark Money." It shows U.S. billionaires with many foundations and lobbyists to stop U.S. action on workplace safety, the environment, the gun scourge, health needs of working Americans, homelessness, and many more needed areas.

The billionaires want Republican policy inaction, as Putin and his oligarch fellow murderers want U.S. inaction for military aid in Ukraine.

The world's worst dictators, ideologues, and nationalists all want America to be as silent as Trump, Putin, the ayatollahs, and the Chinese communist cadres want the impotence U.S. Republicans model.

Expand full comment

MSNBC reported this morning that this House is the 2nd least productive of all time having passed only 22 bills several of which were really meaningless drivel.

Plus they have found no wrongdoing in any of their hit job committees.

Expand full comment

One of the best eye opening books I ever read.

Expand full comment

Thank you Heather. The GOP is counting on the willful ignorance of their base, their rabidly power-mad obscenely wealthy donors, and a Supremely corrupted court to continue their “burn it all down” approach to governing. Where Trump is potentially correct is how it will translate into the suffering of vulnerable Americans -seniors, the working poor, students, and the impoverished. (As well as Ukrainians, Palestinians, Israelis who know Netanyahu to be their version of Trump and want peace, and the rest of the world who count on a stable United States partner instead of corrupt incompetent sociopaths).

Unfortunately, American voters tend to have a very short attention span. While all who consume Heather’s Letters and other important global news will long remember this dark time in the US, my worry is the majority of Americans working paycheck to paycheck who have largely disconnected from toxic and polarizing politics where now you don’t even need facts or evidence to begin something as substantially profound as impeachment, you can do it because the individual you are targeting is actually governing for the majority and not for your wealthy Harlan Crow, Robert Mercer, Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Koch base. No need for a scintilla of fact. Why not just start an impeachment into the next Democratic president as a yet to be named defendant?

Expand full comment

Reagan's killer ploy was to demonize the government as something alien to liberty, justice and the public will. But if OUR government is to be "of the people, by the people, for the people", then where be this enemy? Maybe BAD government has been the real problem all along, and I have not seen much good come out of recent "GOP" regimes.

Isn't government-by-road-rage getting old?

Expand full comment

It is old, and yet -entertaining, until people are directly impacted in ways that Fox 'News' can't pass off as the fault of teachers, women, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, the BIPOC community, or wokeness. When Putin is invading Poland and Finland, when Social Security checks aren't processed, when people lose all access to Medicaid, when physicians don't accept Medicare because the payments are too low, when it is illegal for any US-based physician to provide healthcare to women, when martial law is declared and voting is suspended, when Aileen Cannon is elevated to the Supremely Corrupt court, and so on.

Grover Norquist wanted a Government so small (and presumably ineffective) it could be drowned in a bathtub. As you noted, Reagan joked "I'm with the government and I'm here to help." -and of course nuclear war was hilarious to Reagan as he joked about it on a hot mic. Paul Weyrich -a co-founder of Heritage -the "think tank" now responsible for the project2025.org comprehensive plan of attack upon representative democracy famously said he didn't want people to vote -generations ago.

The only way to counter government by road rage (inspired by Rupert Murdoch and catering to so many of the willfully ignorant) is through an educated, informed, and engaged society. The reason we see growing classroom sizes, attacks on curriculum, unaffordable higher education is the last thing the GOP wants is an educated society that will first laugh when the subject of "trickle down" is offered as economic theory (instead of mass fraud), and subsequently a well-educated society will throw heavy objects at the GOP.

Expand full comment

"he last thing the GOP wants is an educated society that will first laugh when the subject of "trickle down" is offered as economic theory"

Very sadly, "trickle down" sold like free beer to Americans at the twilight of a time in America when college was free, or close to free, at most state schools. At the time I voted for Reagan when he first ran, I was paying $64 per semester for tuition at A&M.

The real problem was many University newspapers ran George Will and William F Buckley constantly, thereby indoctrinating young people like me into the ranks of "conservative". (help me understand how a word like "conservative" can be attached to nut like George Will, who is a Nazi).

The real problem is the propaganda machine the far right has carefully built nationwide.

The trope/lie that Reagan told about the woman (who he intimated was black) in Chicago pulling down 15 welfare checks (again, this was a lie) really sold like hotcakes among my college school mates. And, it sold well nationwide to white folks.

Reagan won 49 out of 50 states against Mondale. Lies and Propaganda led to that outcome .... and white people lapped those lies up like kittens lap up warm milk. And? THEY STILL DO. Think Fox News.

So, I am not sure education fixes all the problem George. George Will is well educated at no less than Oxford and Princeton. His writings have influenced millions of Americans and he is a complete nutcase.

Expand full comment

I do think education provides a foundation. For example -how can you use unfettered information (or even determine it to be largely unfettered) without a reasonable education. There are many examples of well-educated, who use their own narrow expertise to convey perspectives or opinions that are grounded in personal interest. When people can watch a debate between William Buckley and Noam Chomsky, or Milton Friedman (I throw up a little typing thinking of him) and John Kenneth Galbraith, that is critical for a society that is intended to be self-governing. There will (sadly) always be "scientists" who are bought and paid for by tobacco companies, or big oil and coal -to render opinions they know are blatantly false because of self-interest. There will be intellectuals who will argue a position they know as false, because it feeds their popularity as "against the grain" because that's the persona they believe will allow them to stand out in a crowd.

Not to take anything away from your early years, you applied your education, and with experience gained wisdom to better understand the playing field. My opinion over the years changed on the death penalty -once I understood how it is unfairly applied to BIPOC and the impoverished -those for whom justice cannot be bought (or delayed and delayed and delayed). Without your education you might have simply formed an entrenched view of the world in which others are to blame. Your education provided a framework.

In the Lewis Powell memo, he expressed dismay that most colleges and universities maintained faculty who were liberal in the views and perspectives. He articulated that since the wealthy contribute the most to society (arguable then, more so now) there should be more conservative perspective taught in the academic community. To me that is a significant admission, such that when well-educated intellectuals are left to form their own world view they become, dare I say, woke? GOP attacks on the "intellectual elite" and subsequently "woke" is because, I argue -that's the last thing they want. A society predicated upon community, empathy, and compassion is not going to embrace the "ME FIRST" mantra of the conservative mindset (or worse, the "BUT HER EMAILS" mindset of the MAGA lunatics).

Expand full comment

I disagree that "most colleges and universities maintain faculty who are liberal in their views and perspectives." I know several engineering and science professors from living or attending college in cities like Lincoln, NE, Ames, IA, Rolla, MO, Omaha, NE, Davis, CA and Champaign, IL. Most of them are conservative or are too busy to give a rip about politics.

I have worked for a company in New Haven, CT and only met a few professors there who, were admittedly liberal. But in all of the classes I took at 4 different universities, politics never came up. PERIOD.

How many of your professors talked politics in any of your classes outside of maybe political science?

Expand full comment

The Powell Memo I refer to was written in 1971, and was in reaction to the 1960's. While there were always conservative professors, the memo stated the majority (which Powell was reacting to) were liberal or liberal-leaning -which he viewed as a threat to an economic system predicated upon blind obedient hyper-consumerism.

Expand full comment

"There will be intellectuals who will argue a position they know as false, because it feeds their popularity as "against the grain" because that's the persona they believe will allow them to stand out in a crowd."

True enough, and even if they blunder into a position that pleases a certain audience, they will be celebrated bereft of supporting evidence. Friedman was telling the 1% exactly what they wanted to hear, and they did their best to turn up his volume so that was mostly what anyone got to hear without digging deeper.

" since the wealthy contribute the most to society (arguable then, more so now)"

Who "makes" money and who controls it? At a certain point, there are just not enough hours in a day, nor a skill so critical that you can make outsized fortunes without primarily controlling money. I do this on a more modest scale myself, with stocks and bonds, by means of control of money, not labor. Feudal lords could not tie their own shoes without assistance, but by sharing a tiny portion of their vast holdings with tenant serfs (for a substantial price) they told each other that they were the indispensable benefactors of all society. That conceit has not changed, but need to be examined much more thoughtfully. At least the Founders rejected inherited titles.

Expand full comment

Again, you can have multiple advanced degrees and lack wisdom. There is no shortage of examples. Sometimes a school child, there was one in Sweden, is wiser that rooms filled with educated adults. So it's what we learn as well as that we learn. Republicans see liberating education (which distinguishes it from indoctrination) as a threat to their propaganda-based control, so they legislate blinders to education and try to undermine public education, distracting from their fraud by using Orwellianesque Newspeak to label everything the very thing it is not. This has been in the news quite a lot lately.

One of their favorite tricks is to attempt to pull the rug from under public services that bring no comfort to the billionaire class by suggesting we can have our cake and eat it too. "Tax cuts pay for themselves." The Reagan Administration even suggested that tax cuts would actually bring in even more tax revenue, by expanding the economy. Local citizens where shocked when they voted not to renew funding for ambulance service that it would affect the delivery of services. They had voted to cut taxes, not service.

I am sure a lot of those who got on the Reagan bandwagon were also shocked when their kids needed indenturing student loans for a more-than-ever-needed degree. Aah, but we are now in the age of "austerity". More tax cuts required to climb out of the hole. Meanwhile billionaires fly into space on a joy ride.

Expand full comment

Your final sentence is a great summary!

Expand full comment

"Well educated" in terms of focus, as well as sufficient content. Is there a common root or dependency to our current and expected arrays of problems? If we want to go from here to there, what is the first most likely necessary step? It seems to me that useful conclusions involve cultivated habits of mind more than more usual quiz-show-like, multiple choice recall.

Enduring, stirring phases of speeches of past presidents and other leaders seem to have brought something important into focus. Movements, such as "Suffragettes" and Civil Rights brought something into focus; in preparation for needed actions.

Manipulators tend to be masters of distraction. Reagan's celebrated one-liners were of this ilk. Sen. Joe McCarthy, and his current school of bogus scandal mongers are also.

What, in "adult" mode, are our present circumstances? How, judging from available evidence, did we get to our current circumstances? What, based on a coherent chain of logic, can we expect to follow from this if we continue on the present course? What is it that we in aggregate really, really want? And what's involved in an empirical, "business plan" to get there?

Focus.

Expand full comment

I think you hit it on the head when you ask “What is it in the aggregate do we really want.”. I think there is great potential in refocusing on defining the societal outcomes we agree upon, and then developing prescriptive plans to work collaboratively to codify into law and policy. It’s an important part of the civ.works effort.

Expand full comment

Agree with you about the attack on education, but I think there are additional ways to counter government by road rage. One is with a consistent, full-throated defense of labor.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/13/i-want-a-roof-over-my-head/#and-bread-on-the-table

Good news for workers here; Stoller on the Google case - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK_rT43wFGE&t=262s

Expand full comment

JL, “Isn’t government-by-road-rage getting old?”—perfecto, you nailed it!

Expand full comment

Great turn of phrase, JL. I hope the "government by road rage" burns itself out, leaving the real public servants to clean up the mess.

Expand full comment
Dec 14Edited

Well said George. "Willful ignorance"...

Expand full comment

As a good friend has said for a long time: "That vaccine for Willful Ignorance can't come soon enough."

Expand full comment

It's not willful ignorance, it's faux news talking points.

Back when Obama was President, an ex friend would spout the faux talking points that Obama could have brought this country together because he was half black, but he didn't and so he was a bad president.

And every time we would talk, she always had those talking points ready.

Faux news has done so much damage to this country.

I wish I knew if I could

start a class action lawsuit for all their lies and brainwashing so many people.

Sad isn't it.

Expand full comment

"Faux news has done so much damage to this country."

Fox news takes advantage of a white America that WANTS to be nasty, that WANTS to be bigoted, that WANTS to find someone to hate and blame for their own middling or failed outcomes.

Fox News feeds dogfood to the dogs.

Expand full comment

And the social media sites are much more evil.

Expand full comment

Rupert Murdoch and other obscenely wealthy individuals behind Clear Channel, Sinclair, and other propaganda distribution media owners) have significant responsibility in the erosion of democracy (as Noam Chomsky warned in Manufacturing Consent). The reason I still consider it willful ignorance is because facts and evidence are readily available for anyone willing to go a bit deeper than propaganda talking points.

Expand full comment

"The reason I still consider it willful ignorance is because facts and evidence are readily available for anyone willing to go a bit deeper than propaganda talking points."

I completely agree.

Fox News feeds dog food to the dogs.

Expand full comment

Of course, "The Dogs" has a completely different meaning in Apple TV's "Slow Horses" predicated upon Mick Herron's "Slough House" series, admittedly a guilty pleasure here in the Polisner house!

Expand full comment

Agreed! A good series.

Expand full comment

They are incapable of arguments they involve more than two steps deep in logic.

Expand full comment

"Unfortunately, American voters tend to have a very short attention span."

George, thanks for pointing out one root cause of our troubles with Republicans. I might broaden it to say "American voter ignorance and willingness to consume propaganda underpins our current trend toward dictatorship".

Expand full comment

George, I wish Biden (and crew) would take a page out of TFG’s playbook and, when they visit a new project, state “I and my administration fought for this project to give you good paying jobs because we’ve heard your complaint that the federal government never does anything for you. We care about you and we’re trying to make your life better.”

Expand full comment

Very good point Mary. I think he and Kamala have been doing as much of that as they can -I am not sure the mainstream media covers it as often as they should (especially when benefiting districts where GOP Congressional Reps voted against the bill (like the Chips or Infrastructure legislation).

Expand full comment

The GOP is also counting on a cold winter, people too busy with holidays, political fatigue and their actual need to wake up each day and function. Too many similarities with other countries that have struggled and are struggling with forms of Democracy that are not sustainable or strong enough to overcome the corrupt and cruel repub or opposition party. Counting on our burnout and our exhaustion. Finding quotes is the easy part. Especially historical words: “ Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Jorge Santayana.

Expand full comment

Hunter is doing exactly what everyy other citizen and elected person should be doing when confronted by Congressional bullying - he's calling their bluff and resisting them openly.

When confronted by their hypocrisy and the emptiness of their actions all they have to fall back on is rage. This was exemplified by Gym Jordan's hastily assembled presser after the younger Biden's public appearance today. In every way, they continue to show they have zero moral authority.

Later, during the ramp-up for the vote to formall investigate, Joe Neguse stumped them all over again when he repeatedly asked the proponents to identify the president's High Crimes. They had no answer, and they deeply resented having their obvious boondoggle be called out.

- There truly should be some kind of way to penalize political malpractice.

Expand full comment

Neguse was brilliant. He never let up on his questioning. I do wish that after all is said and done (if ever), that the laws in our country tighten up a lot. That a rogue member of Congress cannot continue to hold a seat when they have been proven to be a liar and a thief, such as Santos. Our that someone like MGT be ousted immediately. It is my wish that Congress functions like it should without anger or hate.

Expand full comment

My wish is that every member of Congress and every other person with a civic responsibility (AKA citizens) especially those who are trusted and have accepted elevated responsibilities for the fates of others, take their duties seriously. Stunts my score points or one sort of another, but reality is not amused.

Expand full comment

I agree, J L Graham, and think that every member of Congress ought to be able to pass an exam about the Constitution before being allowed to serve. And furthermore, when being sworn in, it should be on the Constitution, rather than the Bible. After all, it is the Constitution they are being called upon to support.

Expand full comment

Carol, you may have hit upon the root of the problem. We (the USA) say we believe in the separation of church and state, yet the oath of office is sworn to with a hand on the Bible, instead of the Constitution. No wonder so many of our elected leaders are confused about where their allegiance lies.

Expand full comment

Thanks for your comment, Julia. Separation of church and state is an issue I feel passionate about as well.

Expand full comment

Swearing in on a Bible just turns my stomach. I know that for many years (and perhaps still in other parts of the country) when being sworn in to testify in open court, a bible was proffered and the words "so help me God" were added at the end. Thankfully, that was gone by the time I was called (frequently) to testify.

There is a cool scene in "Fried Green Tomatoes" where one of the chief witnesses is called to testify, and asks to be sworn in on the family Bible (I believe this is the cop that was friend to Izzy and Ruth). He gives patently false testimony that results in acquittal. Here is the scene described:

https://clip.cafe/fried-green-tomatoes-1991/if-judge-looked-any-closer/t/1/

Expand full comment

Swearing on a copy of the Constitution make far more sense, in effect "signing " a contract, which is what the Constitution is in a sense. The social contract. And that's the same whatever your religion or lack of it. The person "sworn in" might or might not attach any significance to the Bible, but swearing on the Constitution is an oath to rule of law.

We have all read and heard it, but ain't it beautiful?

" “We are unique among the world’s militaries,” Milley said. “We don’t take an oath to a country, we don’t take an oath to a tribe, we don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen, or a tyrant or a dictator.”

“And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator,” he spat. “We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” Gen. Mark Miley

Expand full comment

Agreed!!

Expand full comment

Ally, I appreciate your mentioning this movie. I had eye surgery recently and have been listening to books on tape and decided to listen to the book that the movie was based on by Fannie Flagg. I had just heard this very scene! Perhaps that is what unconsciously inspired me to make my comment about using the Constitution rather than the Bible.

Expand full comment

Works for me!

Expand full comment

Gym Jordan shouldn't have a even a molecule of justification to offer, since he defied a Congressional subpeona, himself. Hard to criticize Hunter's defiance without having your own pointed out, innit Gymmie?

Expand full comment

Particularly pre-meditated malpractice.

Expand full comment

Throughout his time in office, Trump touted the stock market as THE marker of his success at running the economy. Now that the Dow has climbed thousands of points higher under President Biden, I'll be watching for TFG to claim that the market is a meaningless measure.

Expand full comment

Remember when Trump would speak every day at noon in the early days of the pandemic? Most news organizations had a stock ticker in the runner, and you could watch it free fall with every sentence Trump uttered! They had to move the pressers to after 5pm, because the optics were so bad.

Expand full comment

I don't remember that. What I do remember is that he lied/ranted/bragged/lied for two hours-- right up to the day when he suggested giving oneself a bleach enema and Sarah Cooper began her run of hilarious videos.

Expand full comment

Hoover had - gave America - the “Great Depression” … W(Bush) gave us the “Great Recession” … and now the twice impeached “orange j” wants a second opportunity to make our lives (those that survived his first term shenanigans) - worse; … politics and politicians are occupying much too much of - or some of our - daily lives!!!

Teddy Roosevelt stated it correctly - although applying, I believe more so to the country - “speak softly and carry a big stick” … this is an African proverb!

Expand full comment

The RNC will call it a disaster.

Expand full comment

Whew! Nothing like a real circus. At least reality might be enough to show the buggers for who they are. Hold on tight folks and try to get a good nights sleep while we can.

And thank you again, as always Heather. You probably need to catch up on somesleep too.

Expand full comment

When talking about America, why are movies like The Godfather often mentioned for comparisons? Did that just begin with Trump’s presidency?

Reading today’s Letter, I thought of Marty Scorsese’s ‘Mean Streets’ and ‘Goodfellars’ -- haven’t seen ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ yet.

Why? Hollywood movies certainly aren’t exact replicas of America, but the violence, revenge, strongmen, kooks, crooks and crazies – the societal breakdown - there is some resonance between them…and then there are the Bidens, Joe and Hunter.

Oh, have we got stories to tell! Just read today’s, December 13, 2023, Letters from an American. It’s a real-life picture of American politics by the noted historian, Heather Cox Richardson.

Expand full comment

Trump behaves like a caricature of a mob boss.

Expand full comment

Kathy,

Trump grew up with Roy Cohn in NY City and actively worked with the mob in that city as part of his inherited real estate business. Roy Cohn was also lawyer to mobsters.

Trump and the mob were not separate entities.

Trump sought out publicity unlike the Mob bosses of that time.

Expand full comment

Trump tries to behave like a mob boss. He has the same attitude as one, and reminds me of Gotti before Gotti’s publicity hound ways sent him to jail.

Expand full comment

Gotti, his exemplar.

Expand full comment

Kathy, did you intentionally omit the words: ‘tries to behave’?

Expand full comment

No, I didn’t. Let me find the comment.

Expand full comment

Just saw "Killers of the Flower Moon", altho had read the book several years ago. This happened.

Expand full comment

Kathy, can you tell us more?

Expand full comment

You bet. The Osage Indians in Oklahoma struck oil, 1920s, on their land. Greed resulted in many Indian murders, white men marrying Indian women so that when the women died (hurried along), the while husbands would inherit their money and land, and a general lack of good luck for the Indians. Indian men were killed also, and children. Mollie (Osage) married a white fella and then realized he was trying to kill her as well as that he had killed others. It is a story of white men swindling the Indigenous people of this country and treating them like animals, while using their connections to stay above and out of the reach of the law. Hoover's FBI did come calling, however. Diabetes and drink were portrayed pretty accurately, I thought.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Kathy.

Expand full comment

Thank you Heather.

We have pretty much reached the plateau of alternate universe with the GOP. How ridiculous our country looks to other nations as its very clear the tail is wagging the dog.

This absurd position the GOP has made us look to others is not one we can likely overcome, not in my lifetime.

Today marks my 65 time around the sun. Did I think we would be looking at impeaching the most successful President we have had under the guise of pushing through a dictator for life?

No, I didn't.

Yet, here we are.

Be safe. Be well.

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday, Linda.

Expand full comment

Thank you Kathy.

Expand full comment

Happy 65th, Linda! I hope, in spite of everything, that your day was lovely.

Expand full comment

Thank you Marlene!

Expand full comment

Hope you didn't let this spoil your birthday. Belated Happy B'Day to you.

Expand full comment

Thank you Jeanne. My Birthday is actually today. Whether I want it to be or not. 😁

Expand full comment

Happy 65, stay strong, keep the truth coming!

Expand full comment

Thank you Carol

Expand full comment

Happy birthday Linda!

Expand full comment

Thank you Helen

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday, Linda. Welcome to 65. I've been here for just under 3/4 of a year. I also did not expect the things I have seen in my 65th year.

Expand full comment

Thank you Ally.

I know, who would have ever anticipated this. 🤷‍♀️

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday Linda! “Be safe. Be well”.

Expand full comment

Thank you Gail.

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday Linda Bailey!

Expand full comment

Thank you Mary Ellen

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday, LInda!

Expand full comment

Thank you Miselle

Expand full comment

Professor I àm not surprised by this self,-serving idiocy. Wish I was.

Heartened that this letter will be read and shared with millions Professor ⭐ Thank you.

Expand full comment

So, maybe this is what it will take to pass any legislation through Congress; The House Repugnants will load up any bill with a bunch of insipid anti-everything garbage, the Senate will scrub it clean of the garbage and send back a clean bill which the House can pass with "plausible deniability" for the Repugs to their constituents over the removal of their MAGA litmus tests by the Senate. It's a shit-show wrapped in a daytime television script, but if that's the only way forward, I'll take it. We're now a short 11 months from their reckoning, which I fervently hope will include a bunch of pink slips for the House Repugnant caucus. What once took place in smokey back rooms is now front page news for Congress, but then, it makes for a great parade when they ALL show up wearing the Emperors new clothes

Expand full comment

Not sure we can count on their constituents to issue them pink slips. We have to hope the Democrats regain a sufficient majority that the insane clown posse no longer has any real influence.

Expand full comment

I think it will require a historic GOTV effort by the Dems in purple states to flip the House back into Democratic leaderships' hands. Sadly, the extreme branch of the Repugnant caucus may well survive within the minority and continue to blow a lot of smoke, even if they can no longer light any real fires.

Expand full comment

And Jessica Craven's Substack newsletter, "Chop Wood, Carry Water."

Expand full comment

I think you are correct...and I further think that regardless of however big the turnout is, we will have to be ready for the hatefully persistant republiMAGAs to attempt a replay of 1/6/2021 and try to interrupt vote counts by "civil unrest" (riots) or subversion of the official roles of election officers or challenges at the ballot boxes or everything, everywhere, all at once (in other words, all of the above). The MAGAts won't give up their quest for absolute power easily.

Expand full comment

They can blow all they want - the No fire is key.

Expand full comment

Eww

Expand full comment

The redistricting in New York is encouraging.

Expand full comment

The Republicans are like an engineering firm that has submitted an impossibly low bid on building a bridge. They have justified the contract by denying the facts of gravity, by attacking science and ignoring common sense. They won the contract on lies, deception and misinformation. But now they have to build the bridge …

Expand full comment

Excellent metaphor.

Expand full comment

The sad truth is that they will NOT have to build the bridge, because no one intends to cross it, or even inspect it.

Just look at The Wall they actually claimed they wanted to build, and then claimed they did build.

Expand full comment

Joe Biden was elected, in part, because his years of experience meant he knew many of the players as well as how the system works. Sadly, Mike Johnson only became a member of Congress in 2016. And today’s GOP is nothing like the GOP Joe Biden knew before Trump became POTUS... or before Obama became POTUS, which I see as when the GOP changed from a party seeking to govern to a party seeking to make sure the POTUS fails.

Joe Biden says he can beat Trump because he did so in 2020. But the combination of Biden being labeled as a failure by GOP lies (which the mainstream press dutifully reports using its “horse race” reporting philosophy) and Biden being saddled with two wars, makes it clear to me that the election dynamics are very different this time around... and will only get worse if the GOP shuts down the government. It will blame Biden for that too, which the news media will report.

Am I concerned Biden could lose? Yes.... especially now that I’ve watched new reporting on the collapse of the Biden wish list for how things might go in Gaza. I invite you all to watch Beau of the Fifth Column’s very sobering analysis. Things will be worse not better over there in the months ahead... including possibly on our Election Day. I think we need to be clear about how different the election is going to be compared to 2020 in all respects!

Here’s Beau ...

https://youtu.be/Ggj-Gf60akA

Expand full comment

The unspoken part of "government of the people, by the people, for the people" is that it's NOT just a come-as-you-are party where you verbally joist over beer. I means that the quality of government we get is largely determined by the quality of effort we put into it. If we don't know what the hell we are talking about when make our choices, the prognosis is poor. If we tap fiduciaries who really don't know anything either, or are only in it for their own gain, we are heading for disaster.

Expand full comment

Thank you for starting this part of the conversation. Our younger generations are pissed off. They see Biden supporting Israel and are speaking out against him and his "friends across the aisle". We are losing their support as they speak out for change and an alternative besides Biden.

Expand full comment

You’re welcome. I wish there was more open discussion about how and why 2024 is not anything like 2020.

Expand full comment

Beau is excellent! I am amazed that he doesn't have millions of followers yet.

Expand full comment

It's pretty easy to come up with reasons to worry about Biden losing 2024. But what is to be gained by that? You don't change people's hearts and minds by telling them what's wrong and how they need to change. That's finger-wagging. Instead, those of us who are adamant and clear about Biden needing to win should be describing the world that Biden's wisdom and steadiness has accomplished in such a difficult political and economic climate. Paint the picture of the world that can only be built by an experienced, serious, and honest person.

Expand full comment

I too have grave concerns about this.

Expand full comment

We have no idea what will happen in ‘24. I still wouldn’t bet my house on either Biden or Trump still being in the race. Here’s an analysis of MAGA world, with an excerpted passage.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/12/13/magas-revanchist-roots-a-tale-of-tropes/

“When Donald Trump’s ultra-rightest Make American Great Again (MAGA) movement ignited racist and authoritarian sentiments in the late twenty teens, efforts to explain its popularity focused on recent and superficial news and entertainment trends, leaving unaddressed the cancer left by the lost war in Vietnam. Continued inattention to the fountainhead of Trumpism cradled in the war’s wake portends a post-Trump life for the MAGA movement.

But warning against the dangers of revanchism is not enough. MAGA offers an alternative to the economic insecurity, political corrosion, and cultural degradation that weighs heavily on Americans across the ideological spectrum. But MAGA’s exit from the dismaying present would take us out the back door of history to societal norms that preexisted the modern era, ways of life dominated by loyalties to figures with religious and martial authority.

The failure of the left to imagine a front door out of the country’s end-of-empire anomie is complicit in the appeal of Trumpist nihilism. A left vision is needed, one that rejects both MAGA’s apocalyptic impulse and the liberal establishment’s campaigns to shore up its global perimeters (read Ukraine) while narcotizing its minions with the spoils of empire (read consumer capitalism) and the narcissism of identity politics.“

Expand full comment

Alas the poor Republicans! Reality refuses to cooperate with their talking points and inuendo, and the same, usually reliable smoke and mirrors isn’t as effective The Biden Recession refuses to materialize. Any half-aware student of history could tell them it’s Republicans who cause recessions and Democrats who clean them up, along with various other messes Republicans tend to leave behind when they, inevitably, get voted out of office.

“Who ya gonna believe? Me? Or your lyin’ eyes?” sez tfg in Iowa. How long before the lack of a farm bill, with those fat farm subsidies, begins to bring pain to Iowa and other red state farmers?

Democrats! You have ample ammunition. Get out the megaphones, aim well, and shoot!

Expand full comment

Thanks for the optimism Ralph! Will the farmers blame the lack of governance on Biden? That would be quite a torturous path.

Expand full comment

The Republicans of course will blame the Dems. That why the Democrats need to step and be loud about where the roadblock is.

Expand full comment

I am glad Hunter Biden had a press conference to inform the American people about the truth regarding his Dad. Kudos to the senate for passing a bill that would increase military pay. It is long overdue.

Republicans are literally reaching for straws. They have nothing and no evidence against President Biden. It's ridiculous and a waste of taxpayers money. Instead they should focus on governing this country.

Expand full comment

Straws and "straw-men".

Expand full comment

Exactly!!!!

Expand full comment

I posted this on another Letter, maybe yesterday's, but what about this?

Start a kickstarter campaign for aid to Ukraine. The campaign could stipulate what portion goes to civilian aid or military aid, by choice of the donors. My calc on the previous comment was to get 200 million donations across nations around the world, for an average of $100 each. Billionaire philanthropists who care about this issue can bring up the average donation to $100 or even much more! That would yield $20 billion in aid to Ukraine, which is still not enough, but would also make a major political point.

Elon Musk and Bill Gates are you listening? You could afford to give multiples of this if you really cared.

Expand full comment

I believe it is a good suggestion, however, it simply won’t happen. There are many charitable organizations to give money to Ukrainians but they cannot give for military aid. Those are underground operations that work in secret to provide weapons and ammunition. The US has the most superior drones, spy equipment, etc. and that has been given to them after they have trained their pilots and tech people. Biden said if this Congress does not resolve the funding for Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, we may be forced to put OUR boots on the ground. This is not what Biden wants to do nor do Americans but what choice is there?

Expand full comment

Here is what Chat GPT says, for what it is worth :-):

Providing financial support directly for military use in a foreign country can be a complex and potentially legally sensitive matter. Generally, it's important to note that individuals are subject to the laws and regulations of their own country when it comes to financial transactions and contributions, and these laws can vary widely.

In many countries, there are strict regulations governing the provision of funds for military purposes, and such activities are typically the responsibility of government agencies. Providing direct financial support to a foreign military as a private individual could potentially run afoul of laws related to arms exports, sanctions, or other restrictions.

If you're interested in supporting a cause related to a conflict or humanitarian situation, it's advisable to do so through established and reputable organizations, such as humanitarian aid agencies or NGOs, that work within the legal framework and have experience in providing assistance in conflict zones.

Before taking any action, it's crucial to research and understand the relevant laws and regulations in your jurisdiction and seek legal advice if needed. Consulting with legal professionals or relevant authorities will help ensure that any assistance provided is legal, ethical, and directed towards the intended purpose without violating any laws.

Expand full comment

Does anyone else think this is simultaneously scary and amazing that AI is giving this advice? To be even more freaked out about what Chat GPT is currently capable of, here is the link to my "chat".

https://chat.openai.com/share/d5016bc2-c35a-450a-a778-90c881afae8e

Expand full comment

Matt, the whole AI reality both intrigues and scares me. So much potential on a razor’s edge….benefit or harm? Or both? We humans, largely, have shown we don’t always use powerful “inventions” wisely. Writing these words, the image of a toddler with matches came to mind. Sigh, time will tell….

Expand full comment

Marlene, given this aid stalemate in the House, I really hope that our allies, especially in Europe, will step in together and fill this gap until we can get funding through. They are, after all, closest to the “fire” & I imagine it behooves them to keep it from spreading closer to them.

Expand full comment

Thanks for your reply. It may be a hair-brained idea! But could you give for military aid and just not claim a tax credit? Or is that actually illegal?

Expand full comment

Elon do the right thing, surely you jest

Expand full comment