38 Comments

Unbelievable. What is going on is simply unbelievable. I cannot in any realm come to terms with the thoughts of either of these factions of the Republican party. Simply completely selfish, ungrateful. These individuals are thinking only of their narrow universes.

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It's turning into a classic case of cutting off one's nose to spite their face. It's the nuts and bolts of the whole damn situation - this need for power and money. 🙄

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Ignorant to the fact that all of this stuff, the money, the power and all the trappings are ephemeral. It will evaporate in an instant.

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It feels to me that those "in charge" are trying to create some new US government that is a hybrid of Apartheid S. Africa and modern Russia. It's an atrocity and to think that the American people did this to themselves is just the most ludicrous thing there ever was.

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🖕🏼MAGA..... The entire RedPartyCult is one "YUGE" SCAM on America as we've known it since inception. They want to go back to "Kings Rule" where only tax paying citizens must submit to the rule of law while the RightWing elites, million & billionaires hold sway over the many. To these HEATHENS, only they will and can benefit from this autocratic regime of wealthy swing dicks. I get that this requires ignorant minions to continue voting against their own interests but they will not stop their war to indoctrinate and squeeze the rest of America into compliance. They are the new American Nazi Overlords. Unless we stop them NOW, at EVERY TURN, they will accelerate their quest to FORCE us to submit, surrender and sacrifice our rights and futures. WAKE THE FUCK UP PEOPLE.

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As much as many would like this to be a sign of weakness and disunity, this may be only the beginning. It is not unusual for authoritarian governments to go through these growing pains. Be it the Nazi's Night of the Long Knives or Russia's Stalin exiling of Trotsky. An internal fight may just be the elimination of the political competition and raise of a truly horribly ideologue.

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We do not have an authoritarian government yet, thank you. On the other hand this internal fight could very well be the necessary 21 century growing pains of democracy, coming so close to losing it. It would be good to read that this can go either way instead of resignation, or what sounds like resignation. Yes for sure the internal contradiction will not hold this together. It could crumble.

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Although this election has made me lose faith in the American electorate I hope you right.

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Yes I am concerned about the electorate.

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It's a touchy subject but the Framers warned against "too much democracy". They believed direct democracy would create the the circumstances by which a populist ideologue would arise and play the part of a king. And here we are.

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Thank you Heather Cox Richardson. You keep me current and educate me with history. I quote you and share your information frequently, with my family , friends, young people, even my ministers at Christ Church Cranbrook (Bloomfield Hills, MI).

If only you had been my history teacher…💭 Happy New Year!!🍾🥂🥳🎉

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I am surprised that swear words still get 'bleeped' out...so silly.

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I was thinking the same thing. She could have simply said "bleep" or "eff" or "effing" if she's trying to save some puritans from hearing "fuck". We have been assaulted with that word and it should be meaningless by now. It still shocks some. But it says more about the feelings of who is saying it and who is refusing to repeat it. I don't like to hear it either but.... It's crude. But it's supposed to be an in your face strong expression. I guess it's had lasting power. Some overuse it, like every other word.. makes them feel boss, no nonsense...gets attention.

That's my bit about it.

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The irony is that DOGE want H1 visas yet hates regulations and rules in general. Eons game

Is really about bankrupting ICE manufactures

Like Ford and GM leaving only an unregulated Tesla. A cheap project that only cost $250m.

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Musk is claiming that that H1 visa was his ticket in to the country but he actually came in a students visa and never attended Stanford and started working as an illegal immigrant/ signed contracts under false premises etc/

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I suppose Musk would consider the H-1B visa a necessary relaxation of immigration restrictions rather than a regulation because it suits him to do so. He must, however, be rather worried about Trump's avowed opposition to electric cars.

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Musk isn’t afraid of what Trump said because Trump just says whatever is in his head at the moment and whatever campaign cried he was shilling it to.

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And yet he backed down on the H-1B issue, despite Trump's apparent endorsement, removing his gratutiously offensive remarks from X and conceding that the visa system was broken. I think he's beginning to realise that he has to navigate through some treacherous MAGA waters.

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A debt of gratitude to Dr. Richardson’s wide reaching and deep analysis of the machinations of these opposing factions. How fortunate we are to have such a resource to demythologize this morass of megalomania.

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Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson. You are one of my present day heroes. You bring together so much history and real time, critical information and tell a story so clearly and understandably. I am immensely grateful for your talent and relentless dedication. I just became a paid subscriber so that I can also lend my monetary support. I wish you great success in the New Year. Thank you. Thank you.

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It’s so crazy. I know my role as a member of this democracy is to stay engaged and not to shut down. I am just not hearing what the plan is to amplify what Dr. Richardson sees and reports. I need to know how to clearly present the easiest argument to my own parents who are brainwashed and live in a Trump bubble. I’d like to know how to support members of Congress who will be fighting back. I want to help, and I don’t know what to do. Last time it felt good to march and make noise. To be seen. I’m not hearing any plan for a protest.

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Talking to relatives is maybe the hardest. Trying to convince may be useless and counterproductive. I sympathize.

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Welcome to WWIII if this administration decides to invade any of these counties which are a part of NATO. Under NATO agreement they will be obligated to take up arms in support of any of our aggression. What a bunch of idiots. Elon, your money cannot buy everything.

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How many people caught Elon’s Tropic Thunder comedy movie reference? He tweeted a line by Tom Cruise ‘s character Les Grossman, “Take a big step back and literally …”

Elon doesn’t have many of his own ideas.

https://youtu.be/lKxYuMIW-_8?si=Y7CWKlNRzopkqO1H

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wants attention, wants to be a movie star, wants power, wants...

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Do your home work.

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We usually admit our ignorance with people more calmly.

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As usual with Trump, it's almost impossible to discern a clear policy direction from his startling declamations and this must of be of some concern to the technocrats who have supported him in the expectation that he will act as an enabler for them. Musk's Tesla is a case in point. Trump has vowed to remove government support for electric cars. He's pledged to “end the electric vehicle mandate on day one” and said that electric vehicles and their chargers are a part of “the Green New scam”. Yet in August he said: “I’m for electric cars...I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly.” Maggie Haberman and her colleagues at the NYT reported yesterday that since election day Musk has been staying at a $2,000-a-night cottage at Mar-a-Lago, giving him easy access to the president-elect. This story is going to run and run because Trump will continue to do what best secures his own interests.

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This is the second time I have pursued the same request: please please please send me Dr. Richardson’s letters,in PRINT FORM!!!!

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4dEdited

One more try.. in the upper right hand corner there is a blue dot. Click on it. Scroll down to Manage Subscription. There you will have choices to turn on or off either the podcast (spoken) version or the letter post version.

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Elizabeth,

I just DM'd one of the contributors, Heather is evidently looking into a publisher. The copies in the links are galleys it appears.

Tim

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Be clear about what you are asking for here. Tim responded with a link to the print version. You can sign up for that if you have not. If you want something on paper that is another thing.

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actually, I originally received all of her letters and print. Then I went to her site one night and I could only hear it, which I refrain from doing. I contacted someone online at her column and begged them to show me how to get it in print. Then I received two letters and t

was subsequentlysent to this “Substack“ something Which is not helpful at all and returned me to her podcast – along with several other unsolicited ones.

I am most appreciative and very grateful for those of you reaching out to help me! (And just when I had lost faith in the human race).

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3dEdited

did this solve your problem??

HCR is excellent.. I cannot imagine she has time to read us or solve our problems. At times *in general* here at Substack it seems like nobody's home.

To get around and learn about this I keep clicking buttons and/or selecting from drop down menus.

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4dEdited

Elizabeth,

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-30-2024 is the "Print" version but I think you mean "PRINT".

The letters have been compiled in print but aren't marketed as far as I am aware. ==>https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-31-2023?utm_source=publication-search

I too would buy that series and subscribe but that isn't how HCR experiences her Letters project. I have searched a bit to find this publisher - as they are in Richland Washington but I haven't snooped enough yet. I will DM you if I root them out.

In the meantime her agency is ==>https://garamondagency.com/rights/

They might understand the dollar bills if enough people contact them.

Happy New Year!

Tim

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You are so gracious to take a moment to help a grandma out. I just prefer to Read. Thank you!

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4dEdited

Scroll up to this audio version for the transcript if that is what you are asking for. I notice that the bleeped word is just left out... probably AI generated.

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Dear Heather,

Please keep breaking down what makes these extremist factions tick. I'm in my 80's. It's a lot to ask of oldies to keep track of developing autocratic divisions within the Republican party but we must. It's really not about Trump who is "out of it" having gotten what he wanted (no prison term) -- but it certainly is about ruthless power struggles. We are headed for isolationist craziness! Suggestions for what we can DO, please! I do call congressional reps and senators. They better get "crackin" in resistance to extremist agendas.

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