How is it that the mainstream press isn’t making sure the public knows about Trump’s many costly golf outings and time spent at Mara-largo and that both those things are directly lining Trump’s pockets while jobs and budgets are being slashed, National Parks are suffering, etc.
I just sent an email to Musk. It’s nasty but bear with me. I’m exercising my 1st amendment right.
Dear Mr Musk,
As a federal employee, I just sent you my manure from my asshole for you to eat. Please reheat, add salt and pepper, and enjoy lunch. This is what I have accomplished for the past few weeks.
A great example of macro-dosing and a fecal transplant all in one..rude yes, but I am sick of ‘playing nice’ with people who are a literal demonstrable danger to hardworking people everywhere! Imagine what the world would be like right now if Kamala and team were here instead! To say it pales by comparison isn’t enough!! She would not be fucking around with people lives and respect! No, she would actually care/like people…those messy organic things, warm and human. No AI spokesdroids, no Mucky Musky smell.
I’m sorry if some are upset by my disgusting chat. My disrespect has or is complete. We will not be able to survive 4 years. Bearly a month and days and the nation have been turned upside down by a very bad person. His family members likely agree silently.
This is cool..I always thought that Donny had the “reverse Midas” touch where all the gold turns to shit! So somehow this seems appropriate! Now we have to get rid of FAUX as they apologize for their role in trying to destroy America! And instead play Classic Rock.
I like the idea of him retiring to play golf….sooner rather than later! What I would most like is to remove JD first! Replace him with the Governor of Maine, then retire Donny-John the ‘Sewer Circus’ barker. Let him play all the golf he wants!
That's great, but the cost to the US government, as HCR enumerated, should also be there as a cumulative chart. Also, where the heck does a dozen eggs cost over $7? Is that common everywhere else?
Egg price will depend on whether the regional mega-factory farm supplying eggs has been hit with bird flu or not. Small flocks supplying your local farmers market are less likely to be affected by bird flu but aren't immune. Controlling bird flu is essential to bringing down the price of eggs but that involves science and an honest reporting of where the outbreaks are occurring.
Here in Oregon, buying from local small farmers is not much cheaper because their costs have gone up too. It took a long time for the local pols some years ago to allow people to have chickens in urban areas. We have long paid more for local eggs and do so because we want to support these farmers. I eat an egg for breakfast nearly every day. I have a good supply in the fridge right now. I realize that many people cannot afford to do the same.
I guess my overall point is that having smaller and more numerous farms creates a more distributed farming system. Concentrating food production into fewer and fewer spaces may lower prices but at the same time, such concentration also makes mass disease outbreaks more likely … and then mass outages/ shortages.
I have noticed that the heritage eggs I like best haven't gone up much. They were high to start with but haven't gone up. They have been available more often than other supplies as well here in Woodstock, GA
Seriously? Stop worrying about the price of eggs. Don't get stuck in the minutiae. When we prevail we can fix things.
"Are you attending a meeting with your elected official or trying to get them to schedule one? Let’s talk about it in the comments and get our stories circulating! Are you a federal employee? Make sure we know about your work and what you do to help other Americans. Courage is contagious and we need as much of it as possible right now.
Barbara, to my mind, many folks here are "focusing" on eggs because that was one of the things that ffpotus "promised" to fix (at least that is how I read it).
Barbara, people need to let off steam by focusing on what they can, which is a human feature that allows despots to distract and divide. Yet, this IS human nature, and fighting it wastes energy. If somebody drops a distraction, let the ripples dissipate by themselves and move on. In fact, trying to suppress normal human sharing, musing, or even whining will suppress human communication. That's exactly how too many MAGA voters have been feeling. Ignore that frustration and you get Mump. That's why I'm so mad at the leadership of the Democratic Party. They left too many of their constituents behind, or at least didn't make the effort to communicate better and bring more of them along.
Aside from that, the discussion on egg prices is important because it highlights how variable such things are. Your experience is different than mine, and sharing information this way gives us insights into others' experiences and motivations. I just paid 4.58 or so for free range organic eggs in my local grocery store, in Houston, so my experience is very different from just about everyone else's on this forum. This is not a distraction from our mission. This is building a coalition through understanding.
And truly the price of eggs has nothing whatsoever to due to anything except for a major outbreak of Avian Flu that has been relentlessly going on for several years although, we could tack on large Ag and climate change.
I pray to God that nobody commenting here is shopping at the trustifarian owned Walmart. The Walton family are Trumpian oligarchs that underpay their workers and overcharge their customers. They are evil.
On the road one day I needed something and the motel was across the street from a Walmart, I had never been in one…now I have a weird skill, I remember prices for random stuff. I noticed that Walmart, for basic stuff, was actually more expensive than our local BiMart, a lot more! Sure they has a stack of $24.99 microwaves, I learned later we’re empty boxes, but who in their right mind buys that!
They don’t..it’s just the scam to get you in and as you assume the prices are a good deal you shop! They lie! you lose…
I will tell you Sam Walton is crying in his grave!
Gary, in rural areas all across this country, Walmart put our local grocers out of business, then priced out their competition until they were the only grocer around. For all intents and purposes Walmart turned rural America back into an effing company store economy - no different than coal mining towns that trapped miners and their families in poverty and debt for generations on end.
Kroger managed to keep a small store open in our town here in Kentucky, but it only has about half the product of its big stores in cities.
I drive 45 miles to get to a mom and pop grocer, with a real butcher who sells locally grown beef, pork and poultry. I drive 35 miles in the opposite direction to a hog farmer who has a small butcher shop where I can get aged and smoked products. From spring to fall I buy any fresh produce I don't or cannot grow myself, at the local farmers market.
Nonethless, I buy stuff like toilet paper, aspirin, bandaids and soap at Walmart cause its cheaper there and I live on social security. I also cook and bake almost everything we eat, from scratch.
When it comes to rural America, urban Americans are ignorant AF. Like it or not, agree or not, understand it or don't, rural America is, and always has been, an 'internal colony" controlled by corporations engaged in resource extraction, cheap labour and pollution. While corporations export rural wealth to urban Americans, other corporations export urban filth to rural America - including sludge (sewage), toxic waste, human waste and urban criminals.
I am doing as much as I can, so don't go gettin' high and mighty with me. In fact, I think it high time for urban Americans to start doing their share of the work Demcracy requires of its people. They can start by making sure Democracy finally reaches rural America.
I understand. I live in rural ME now, but my wife went to school in rural MO. My father-in-law took us to a Walmart in Springfield, MO in 1984. He was so proud that Spfld had a Walmart. Back then, Sam was still running things and they had buy American signs throughout the store. I'm not sure when Walmart switched to buying mostly Chinese crap, but they were already putting many mom and pop stores throughout the South out of business with their targeted predatory pricing including K-mart and Sears.
ME has several Walmarts in the rural towns and they are the only grocery store and pharmacy for miles around in many places just like through out the rest of the US.
Walmart sued several towns in ME to lower their property taxes. They lost every case. But that's who they are.
I apologize for being judgey about shopping at Walmart. Most of us have a choice on where to buy our staples and when you're on a fixed income you go where you can save money. My wife and sister-in-law keep a garden every year which may not save us a lot of money, but it's nice to have fresh produce.
We're fortunate we live in places with options Ally. Walmart really screws over people like Raffey that are on fixed incomes and it is their only choice. Obviously, I tend to get "judgey" about people that shop at Walmart and Amazon, but thanks to the lax enforcement of anti-trust legislation regarding mergers and acquisitions Walmartor Amazon are the only reasonable choices for many people.
I almost never shop there, something like once ever 15 years, when no one else has what I need. I quit shopping there after one of our aeronautics department students had their dairy farm taken for next to nothing by eminent domain, for a planned supercenter (that seems to have never been built).
The only sort of positive thing was a really sharp elderly lady in the electronics section that found the best item of the type I couldn't find anywhere else. I asked her where she learned so much and found she had worked for Sears for decades before Mnuchin's college roommate, Eddie Lampert mangled it through K-Mart restructuring (and buying Sears). That was what seemed 15 years after when the extreme competence of the (multi decade experienced Sears), lady at Walmart was compared to my last, decade plus, experience at a K-Mart when the employees seemed particularly weirdly experienced (in the wrong type of sales techniques). Maybe they were reasonably technically competent, but were trying too hard to sell me on low quality stuff I wanted to avoid. A recent follow up seems good evidence or justification, see https://www.cfo.com/news/sears-accuses-ex-ceo-of-looting-2b-in-assets/657936/
Interesting Jim. Mnuchin is a real piece of excrement. He has screwed over so many people over the years. No wonder Trump likes him. I was complaining to a friend about Harold Hamm and how he ripped off so many people and then abandoned his methane spewing oil wells when they were depleted, leaving the clean-up for others (meaning us).
My friend said, "You could have done the same thing." And he's right, many of us could have, but we never would.
Sears was another predatory company but they tended to rip-off their suppliers and employees more often than their customers.
I'm tens of miles from the nearest farms, and farmers markets in Houston are more expensive than Whole Foods. I'll shop at my closest cheap-enough and most-convenient grocery store, thank you.
Are you attending a meeting with your elected official or trying to get them to schedule one? Let’s talk about it in the comments and get our stories circulating! Are you a federal employee? Make sure we know about your work and what you do to help other Americans. Courage is contagious and we need as much of it as possible right now.
I pay $4.00/doz to a co-worker who has chickens. The eggs are amazing. The local farmers market prices range from $4 - 6.00/doz. At a local chain market, eggs are $7.25 and there is a limit of 2 cartons per customer. We NEVER had to ration eggs here before - not even during the depths of COVID.
I dono. Costco has 2 dozen eggs for $8-$12 I didn’t look because I can afford them and I wanted eggs. The marketplace has priced them. If too much I could always go get a hotdog and soda with one refill for a buck fifty. Cheeses.
I wish I could buy the eggs my sister's flock are producing--she feeds her hens kale and all kinds of other vegies and the yolks are a gorgeous deep orange. Alas, she lives at the other end of the state and it's a three hour drive to get theah.
Hint: My friend is using eggs she preserved in pickling lime, 18 months ago. She says the yolks are "runny". but fine for baking. I just checked on an egg that was in that brine of over a month, and in my fridge for over a week. Cracked it open, and it looked/smelled fresh. You do need fresh, unwashed eggs for this process. Just think, if your sister did this for you, you visit her and pick up a year's supply of eggs!
Meanwhile. There is a sustained coup going on against the United States of America. We are at an extremely dangerous point never seen in our history as a Democracy.
A "coup"? You mean the election that recently gave Trump a definitive mandate? THAT coup? OK, but first I have a hangnail to deal with. Then I'll get right on it.
Yes, eggs at Albertsons in Las Cruces, New Mexico are often over $10. $7.00 is a real deal. And being in the borderland, just wait if all Mexican produce has a tariff added.
Can we stop obsessing over the price of eggs, the house is on fire! If you had any awareness of what is happening, you would know that a new strain of bird flu has infected millions of hens and they are being culled.
The price of eggs is the result of climate change (growing chicken food—primarily grains), bird flu, and the failure of the administration to set up price controls and rationing (as during WWII).
I would like to defend all Presidents: A little over 25% of seven days is not quite two days. Normally working people get two days off a week. Eisenhower, Obama, etc all were entitled to two days off a week. And all were derided for it.
The mainstream press is owned by Trump sycophants. I suspect that they are soft-pedaling their coverage out of fear of retribution from Trump and his MAGA cult members.
Maybe they should read the Bible a bit more closely..
I snitched this from FB last night - don't know who the author is -
“The car in front of me had a bumper sticker on it. It read: "Pray for Trump Psalm 109:8." When I got home l opened my bible to the scripture and read it and started laughing.
Psalm 109:8 -"Let his days be few and brief; And let others step forward to replace him."
The Letters in this issue are unbelievably beautifully composed and superb! I plan to re-read at least 3 times to have all of HCR’s statements gel in my mind.
Christian Nationalist minister Wiley Drake started using this particular psalm against President Obama, and it obviously failed where President Obama was concerned. It may be amusing where the faux “Christian” is concerned but I don’t want imprecatory prayer. Wanting justice for the nation and people is a different matter. It seems our system isn’t really capable of true justice anymore.
I understand your concern regarding imprecatory prayer, but imprecatory psalms do exist and the Bible thumpers for trump champion the whole Bible, bad wishes and all. Besides, perhaps wishing trump a few days might just mean impeachment and conviction; there's nothing there about defenestration.
Where I used to live over the years numerous biblical references on lawns abd bumper stickers. I always thought how could one use to support my thinking? Well finally someone did!
Although, to my surprise and immense disappointment, I saw where CPAC attendees preferred Vance as the prez candidate for 2028 (as opposed to Bannon, Noem, Ramasmarmy, DeSantis and a few others) but since this is an assemblage of the kookiest crazies in Repubbieland, I kinda don't think a "Vance for President" campaign is going to be all that successful.
Community, I think the major message of tonight's LFAA is that the Trump-Musk-Vance & Maga Boat is taking on water fast.
The Musk memo,"What Do You D?o" is X spam and essentially a nullity. Employees of the the VA, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs which is the 2nd largest department behind the DOD, the State Department & FBI are all U.S. Govt. personnel.
As I posted last week the lawsuit filed at SDNY by the Association of Administrative Law judges & Others lays out the origin story of 4 fictitious 'DOGE names. Elon Musk is a named Defendant. Paragraph 3 of Case No. 1:25:cv-01237 spells out the sordid Trump-Musk shell game named 'DOGE'.
When the MAGA Boat sinks don't get sucked down as it plummets to the bottom.
Unfortunately, Brian too many comments here today appear to be ignorant of the crisis. There are extended threads about the price of eggs, silly middle school talk about revenge bible verses and complaining about the media.
Unless. Unless people stop fooling around and get scared enough to actually do something we will lose.
I started out as a political scientist so I refer to "doing something" as 'PRAXIS': meaning actual practice as distinguished from theory or shits & giggles.
I like PRAXIS! How do we convince people that complaining about the price of eggs, his golf game or the New York Times is being manipulated? How do we rewire people's brains away from the mind-numbing junk spewed out on their smart phones and onto the really serious work to be done?
I guess one tiny part is to keep calling out the junk on these comments to HRC.
Neurologists, that's's MD's not JD's, advise me that the Neurons that Fire💥💥💥 together Rewire together. There are many, many ways to 'fire neurons together'.
Putting your Eyeballs 👀 on a cell phone screen is something like allowing your mind to be manipulated by a marketer's Algorithm. in a word "programming" -- someone else's Program. 👎
Perhaps it is trending towards being a tad more aggressive, but it is long overdue and still insufficient. For example, it has taken forever for the NYT to label what Trump utters as “lies” when any sane person has known this to be the case for years.
Compare the headlines when trump fired general brown; the guardian called it for what it was “trump fires black join chiefs…” where as NYT & wapo made it sound like just another federal worker losing their job. And the LA times didn’t even bother to cover it!
I would imagine Gen. Brown is a far more capable and experienced leader than either Trump or Hegseth, and Gen. Brown’s capabilities brought out Trump’s insecurities. Sometimes when Trump is in public and ”speaking,” Trump comes across as one of the most insecure people I’ve ever seen.
Great point. Off script is where the MI is really obvious. The script is from Heritage ,Theil , and those planners. The convenience is the polished con tactics, evade, divide,bluster. Behind the scenes continues the advance into control …oh so inconspicuously . And it works!
While people focus on the petty pushed , the ‘smoke screens’ aptly named, the sleight of hand -not even close to slight- progresses.
Lots of law suits. Some action of appeasement? Not really ..just other illegal moves done changing the focus (conveniently) catch me if you can game.
Who will stop the feet from walking us right to the punch line …the autocratic take-over?
When whoever has broken the law they need arrested…jailed not delayed by they might have ‘broken the law ‘ pointedly giving the excuse/excuses -the clever manipulation of FACTS..again- the benefit.
Yes. But they are the last I sections I look at on occasion, when I have the time. And I only have to read a few sentences to determine if I will keep on reading. Far too many other places at my finger tips to get the unadulterated facts and truth.
Their article headlines tend to be along the lines of - "Trump disrupts conventional process" Beige and bland. Although yesterday the NYT did have an article headline about Trump's perpetual lying - so maybe they are finally coming around.
Yesterday by this time these comments were hopping at the posting of the shocking video of three black-shirted-and-panted and unidentifiable thugs man-handling a woman to little visible public protest let along outrage. I sent a plea to Public Citizen do something to investigate and report. As of this moment, no response. After lunch I'll get on the horn direct to them to pursue it. I'll report back.
I agree. Just recently I've noticed it seems the gloves are off at NYT.
I had been tempted to cancel my subscription, but I heeded HCR's advice not to abandon the mainstream press or the Dem party, because they are the ones with the deep pockets and capable of mounting opposition. And support independent outlets at the same time!
ive seen all kinds of not so friendly to Trump over the while, and two pro Dem editorial board supports for the Dems during the campaign, first Biden, then Kamala.
I've been getting those since I jettisoned the NYT in January. Same with the local gazette. Maybe they'll listen someday, and start calling a spade a spade.
You have nothing to suspect Mark, you can risk betting a dozen eggs and be the sure winner about the mainstream press being own by the scumbag president and his band of oligarchs.
Yes Mark. It's not just fear of reprisals by the powerful as mentioned above. Follow the money and your own common sense. Their judgement and strategies are corrupted by greed. It's the carrot and the stick.
Because they are afraid. If they stop bowing down before the Ogre, what will happen? Will they lose their broadcast license? Will they be caught in a web of nefarious law suits? We are not dealing with a group that believes in democracy. These are the same kind of characters who brought down the Roman empire. And the Ides of March is soon upon us.
I like Vance for Brutus. Angus King could, I think, deliver "We come to bury, not to praise." That's the tougher role to play, as it should really be a staunch Republican. Chris Christie? Michael Luttig?
I agree… he is a phony along the lines of a patent medicine salesman with a slick delivery. Low information voters like him because he speaks “good English” but he is “one of the boys”.
I absolutely agree, Ricardo, that Vance would be a terrible president, and he's also most likely to turn on the boss. That's why I like him for Brutus. Musk would be interesting in the role, though.
I see your vision, Anne-Louise, but I can't imagine Jordan EVER saying he "comes not to praise." If we're following Shakespeare, it should be an associate... for shock value though, how about Bill Barr?
There are no real Republicans left. Every shred of decency has been threatened out of them or they believe the slime that is being peddled. This is the culmination of master plan turning a decent opposition party into a bunch marauding, selfish, traitors who care only for money, having a foot on the neck of those less fortunate - because we always need economic slaves, yes?- firmly believing that they are superior to all who are not like them and will persecute them. God help those who are women, a different skin color, are not the same gender they were born, or came to this country to escape death, starvation, and oppression.
Marc Anthony? Can you trust anyone with a "R" behind their name? They are all too scared.
MLM, it's pretty simple. The more you have, the more you have to lose. The larger your potential loss, the greater your fear.
In my lifetime, I've had friends and acquaintances from every socio-economic level. It seems counter-intuitive, but the super-wealthy are, by far, more filled with worry in their daily lives than people in poverty. Granted, the wealthy can buy things, like alarm systems and security personnel, to assuage their anxiety, but then they worry that their alarms will fail or their guards are crooked. The worry never goes away.
In his song from "Porgy and Bess," "I got plenty of nothin'" Gershwin characterized the rich as "'fraid somebody gonna steal all their money while they're out a-makin' more."
More to the point, the rich deep down fear that they're just like the rest of us: mortal humans. Montaigne pointed out that the most powerful king still sits on his ass. Money doesn't bestow freedom from illness or death, and that haunting fear may drive the ultra-rich to try to prove that wrong. Uh, uh.
"The more you have, the more you have to lose. The larger your potential loss, the greater your fear."
Wealth brings a wider range of choices and cushioning against many of the vicissitudes of life. Life is hard at the edge of homelessness and starvation, as well as in it. It is great, even life-saving to get good medical care. I recall reading about a study conducted some years ago that claimed a correlation between income and happiness up to a certain point, beyond which it became more questionable, and obviously some people do more with less. I have a friend who did humble gig jobs all his life who literally travels the world (he is in Mexico right now, then off to Europe) who seems to be welcomed wherever he goes, frequently sleeps in somebodies mansion or on a beach, and charms perfect strangers with fearless openness. I could not begin to do it. He has a rare (and apparently benign) power and resilience. He does without a lot of "things". I like "things" but for sure they tie you down. All the more so if the only thing you love is money.
J L, I have a friend who followed a path similar to your friend's. He had an established professional practice, lived in the top neighborhood in town and enjoyed all the toys affluence buys. He closed his office, sold his house and all the toys, and on a Saturday morning, showed up at my house in a gold Volkswagen Beetle, packed to the window sills. "I just came by to say goodbye," he said.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Austin, Tacious," he replied (his nickname for the Texas capital).
"What are you going to do there?" I asked.
"I'm going to work on Ann Richards' campaign," he replied.
"Do you have a place to stay?" I asked.
"No," he replied breezily.
"Hotel reservation?"
"No ..." just as breezily.
"Where will you sleep?" I asked, with a bit of alarm.
"I'll visit the local bars and grills, and hopefully make a new friend who has an unused bedroom."
And that's exactly what he did. Richards was elected governor and hired him to screen and select all the candidates for cabinet appointments. He worked for her until she left office. He returned to look after his elderly mother until she died. Now, he roams the globe, making friends everywhere. I have no idea where he is today.
I couldn't possibly live life as he does, but I admire him for doing it his way.
My friend (really my wife's friend from her teens) in his 70s and so am I. He is still kicking up a storm. It's more excitement and more risk than I can handle, but it sure works for him. He seems semi-manic in a good way.
Hard to believe Ann Richards was governor of the political hellhole Texas has seemed to become.
The MSM has made it clear they have no interest in doing that. We need to simply walk away and abandon them to their fate. The majority of Americans do not get their news from them. What are we doing to get true news to folks who need it? That’s a more fruitful question than hoping in futility that the MSM will get it together. They’re irrelevant at this point.
God bless Heather Cox Richardson and every other journalist in the world who is shouting the truth! Congress must use their legitimate power to stop these maniacs.
Yes! I discovered them in 2016 and have continued to learn from them. It’s there I see Lawrence Tribe, Andrew Weissmann, Rachel Maddow, just for starters.
With today’s events in Ukraine I plumb forgot. I listen to her M-F. (“Listen” because I’m back to writing GOTV postcards and repeating the same three points time after time produces automatic writing. Addresses get done first to make this possible.)
If you are calling the 4th estate irrelevant, at least cite the most important aspect why, mention the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are consuming their news on Facebook and their FB news feeds.
Facebook was a great way of reconnecting with old friends and distant relatives for me. I've lost track of how many times I deleted my account. in 2011 I thought Google Plus was going to be superior. But eventually they broke their promises and followed the popular trend and switched to an algorithm feed and they couldn't get enough users to stay with them, including myself. The Cambridge Analytica scandal related to the 2016 election was a big deal for me and deleted my Facebook account again. Then during the 2020 election a friend convinced me that my anti Trump voice was needed and I got back on. But not long after the January 6th failed coup attempt I could no longer stand behind associated with fans of treason. I'm not going back.
Riversong, when you say 'MSM' my mind automatically reverts to Rush Limbaugh's "lame stream media" (For years it was impossible for me to get away from RL's radio show at work). I much prefer the term 'legacy media' which reminds me of HCR's educated, reasonable, and knowledgeable description. That's just my humble opinion. No offense intended.
Donald's entire life has been a scam. Bend the law. Break the law. Grab and steal and cheat and lie and deceive. This is not news. But when he speaks, he lies. And the Press repeats it as true. They used to ask Why but they avoid digging for Reasons in Trump stories. Trump makes money with every lie. So does the Press.
Can we just say, out loud, This is Wrong. It's way past time for all of us, the grownups, the news media, the elected representatives, all of the free people of America: This is Wrong.
Burke, Yes, and this is a huge problem because we need honest information. I like that you use the word press, as it is called in the First Amendment. Obviously that was important to founders. Dan Rather (Steady on Substack) also prefers the word press. We need to know what is going on in our country and the rest of the world. One solution that I'm using now is that I joined BlueSky, where I have attempted to curate a news stream and notification system that is somewhat broader than my own belief system, but not so broad that I have to tolerate a lot of 🐂💩.
BlueSky does have a sort of algorithm, but at least there are methods you can use to adjust it. It requires a little effort, but I think it's worth it as a way to stay properly informed.
The headlines remind me of when Trump had his former VP Pence stay at his Trump resort in Western Ireland, entirely across the country where Pence was to meet with the Irish PM.
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
People are running scared; that is why. Being a life-long bachelor in my late sixties leaves me with few attachments outside immediate family and cherished cousins to get whussy over. Dr Richardson enjoys every right to take pride in your home-state. ✍️ https://www.c-span.org/clip/us-senate/user-clip-senator-king-i-me-shows-us-what-an-independent-really-is/5154666 ⚖️ Here is the speech by Senator King; the particularly poignant passage that you cite runs roughly from the sixteen minute twenty-second mark until the twenty-three minute, fifteen second mark. 🪞
Time for the blue states to break the bank-transfer links from employers to D.C.; to collect the taxes in their capitals; and, withhold tax funds. Release to D.C. AT MOST the receipts from D.C. in the previous year (to eliminate the overage that blue states send to D.C. to subsidize red states). 🛑
Additionally, when Trump tries to drumpf a blue state of disaster relief funds, for example, then that state applies withheld tax funds to fund said relief. and forwards the net balance to Washington. Many people, will undoubtedly blow a gasket. (Like the Trumpanzee fake news about water released in California.) ⚖️
They may not understand human nature and conflict. They fail to account for stated Trumpian behavior and to anticipate where that authoritarianism is headed. 😵
The hearing for the nominee to direct the O.M.B. revealed open talk within the M.A.G.A. brain-drain, if not yet practice, of impoundment (e.g., suspending or ending F.E.M.A. operations). 😲
Now, with his diktat from the O.M.B., that practice has started the Trumpian attempt to shred the Constitution in favor of divine-right insanity. Where will funds for grants and agencies relegated to formaldehyde go? 🤢
Theorizing about what might cause a civil war over a wire transfer mechanism, when such civil disorder has likely started, is as brilliant as trying to bail out the Titanic with a tea-spoon. The Great Civil War of the nineteenth century did not start at Fort Sumter or even with secession; its started five years earlier with Bleeding Kansas. 😰
Now, this particular idea may not work. But some form of it can at least support initiatives. We need ideas to break down and re-assemble or refine in muscular non-violent responses if we are to avoid civil war. Or, maybe John Brown was right, after all. 😱
Attacking someone's proposed response right now is about as helpful as Florence Nightingale handing out LSD for a head cold. 💔
No do not hector me, s.v.p., about the finer points of the law that are NOT in the Constitution; 🙏 pedantry while I pee my pants gets me nowhere. 😰 This resistance may never need to come to pass to re-balance the republican separation of powers at the heart of our Republic's rule-of-law; ⚖️ the threat, however, must be credible and people willing to follow through. 🛑 In short, call the bully's bluff. 🤬
Although I appreciate Maddow, Melber, Reid and others, I stopped watching when Mr. and Mrs. Scarborough scampered down to Mar-a-Lardo to kiss Donald's whatever. I expect MSNBC to moderate or even reverse its anti-Trump stance in time.
MSNBC is a property of NBC, a property of Comcast, chaired by billionaire Brian L. Roberts, who has a lot to lose if he crosses anyone in Trump World.
Democracy shares power while autocracy captures it. The "yes master" attitude of billionaires and the social apparati they control is seems as much about the stick as the carrot, and despots show no hesitation to use the former. Justice Brandeis' comment that:
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both”
It's no secret, I had heard it. The real question is when will people admit they were wrong, they do not want an autocrat if that is the cost of 'owning the Libs'? When will Americans have their 1950-Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME) moment and put an end to this crap? In reality, nothing undemocratic has happened in the Trump administration. It has followed every court order, so far, and he is doing exactly what he told people he would do. That's democracy.
Not entirely. They are finding workarounds for some things, like having to “review and approve” research projects before funding. The review never happens.
Because the biggest news source in the country is Fox news and Fox is not talking about illegal, unconstitutional actions of Trump and Musk. If you hear only lies, distortions, and smears, if you do not listen/read multiple sources and viewpoints how do you know you are being bamboozled? SD Auburn CA
That's how control of information works, of course, and more of us should have seen it coming. It's not like the plots Republicans were hatching were secret or historically unprecedented. Even canny fiction sounded warnings, beginning with "Chicken Little."
Thank you for this, as a proud Mainer. Maine's state motto is "Dirigo"--I lead. Hopefully the rest of the country will follow Senator King, Governor Mills, and other conscientious Mainers.
I live in CA now but lived for 45 years in Maine. Mainers are not easily cowed by bullies and are ferocious defenders of what is right. Susan Collins may have strayed but Governor Mills and Angus King will never give in to the dark side.
Angus King is a true statesman and I would love to see more attention given to him and his gift of oratory. He needs to say more if they will give him the time of day. He clearly knows the Constitution unlike so many in Congress in this day and age, surprisingly. He is inspirational and motivational.
His speech was wonderful and inspiring. I’m impressed with him and your governor. Why does it seem that it’s more women who are standing up to trump? Why are the R men such cowards!
I once spent a summer in Tenants Harbor, became a good friend of a lobster farmer. A beautiful but totally cold sea, great people, miss the place and the people.
Collins pledged, in her initial run for Senate, that she wouldn't serve more than two terms and claimed to support term limits. Apparently, the lying just gets easier and easier...
Right? Mills stands for 860 medals going to 290 trans women across 29 sports. These trans women should take away scholarships from inferior female athletes. And certainly fully intact trans women with pensis should go into open area changing rooms with underage women to get ready for a competition or everyday practice.
If Maine loses its federal funding that’s okay. We are in favor of XY chromosomal men competing in women’s sports if they feel like a woman. Even if the majority of the country is against this. We need to show men who want to be women can kick ass in all women’s sports. Too bad if trans men can’t ever win, that’s their problem.
I hope those of us who reside in other states will quickly be as well represented by the representatives we sent to Washington as the people of Maine are currently being represented by theirs.
Ed, I count myself among the lucky ones; Ron Wyden and Jeff Markley are my senators and Val Hoyle is my representative (I hated losing Peter DeFazio, but I sure understand why he wanted to retire...he was my county commissioner when I first moved to Eugene in 1984.)
With such fierce politicians like King and especially Mills, why have Mainers put up with Collins for so long? I genuinely do not understand why she and her weasely ways have not been voted out yet.
I had hoped Senator King would have spoken out earlier. And both senators elderly. Where are the young Maine people? What is the role of colleges to support and create strong adult citizens?
Thank you for your words of praise for the state of Maine and praise to the bravery of Senator Caine and Governor Mills!!!! True Patriots!!!!
It is about time to stand up to a Dictator and to his minions who would destroy this great country...steal and disrespect the use of our resources for personal gain, including UKRAINE's! Ukraine is fighting for a Democracy...for freedom for its people!!! Russia is the invader. We know in our hearts and minds who we need to support!!!
Trump and his supporters do not care for your future....they are eager to rob our citizens....ruin the education of our children....overtax hardworking citizens ,seek to remove benefits/support for our older citizens for their personal benefit....Trump and his minions are working to destroy the Democracies of our faithful friends....treat human beings who come here seeking a better life with disrespect and cruelty!!!
I would like to ask "Dictator" Trump if he knows the names. of the masses he has had thrown into prisons....does he understand the struggles they have lived through to get here? Only those who have been legally proven to be guilty should be in Jails.......How about YOU....Dictator Trump....You HAVE BEEN PROVEN guilty of multiple crimes???? Is there room at Guantanamo for YOU? You are a Dictator, hiding behind the Presidential seal of the USA!!!!!
When will the rest of our country wake up to the realization that our hard fought for freedoms are being stolen from us!!!
Those who believe they are gaining from Trump's administration have surrendered their very souls. History has proven that evil leaders kill and destroy but in the end, evil is overcome by the actions of courage, bravery, the steadfastness of wisdom and goodness.....often from "average" citizens who love freedom, family and fairness, as did those who came before us. We have been "called out" to be caretakers of this earth, our home. Let's honor those who
came before us and those present and those who will come after, by heeding the sacred words of heroes, written within the Constitution.
Sadly, he's been impeached twice already and the Republicans - all but s brave couple - refused to vote him out. I wouldn't expect more of them third time around.
If you haven’t heard, their rallying cry is, this is our last chance, we will never have another chance to stick it to the libs. Or words to that effect. That gets the wafflers lined up. Just defeat the libs. Rush told them so. Last chance…
Elected Republicans (like Democrats) are totally dependent on campaign money. Musk has used the “primaried” threat to keep them in place. I’m not sure why they want to stay in Congress as slaves of Trump and Musk, but their silence so far suggests they can tolerate the shame.
Presumably they will not have to show their faces in public
There is a way out for both parties in campaign finance vouchers, but our democratic leaders are too embarrassed by their past life of grubbing for dollars from the liberal 20% to raise the banner.
It seems from the performance that we are getting from Angus King and Bernie Sanders, we would do well by electing far more independents. They seem to show more integrity, MUCH more courage, and we citizens need both to be represented at all. I don't intend to passively remain represented by stooges selected for me by Musk and AIPAC.
Angus and Bernie have public profiles that minimize their need for campaign finance flows. Your average republican senator does not. They and republican house members shake in fear of “being primaried” because they cannot count on funds coming directly from ordinary voters. That is why vouchers would set them free to represent their voters instead of just their donors. The fat cats who currently threaten them would have far less influence.
My my. These "house members" so fear losing their job titles. Their party picked the right people to maintain a system of corruption, which requires two parts: high capacity buyers and willing sellers.
I’m afraid it is worse than that. BOTH parties house members are forced to spend most of their time fund raising. That is why the Democrats were so surprised by the results this past November. The “people’s house” has become a house only for donors. And donors, generally speaking, are either special interests (especially big banks) or members of the upper 20% income groups.
Hence a big, if sometimes subtle, bias in which policies get enacted or ignored.
My last essay has a long appendix that addresses some of the leading areas where the 80% were shafted by this bias.
Trump is president for a reason and that reason has a lot to do with Democratic leadership blindness imposed upon themselves by their mania for campaign money.
Under past taxpayer funding programs the federal government chose who to subsidize and by how much. Under vouchers, like used in Seattle, each individual voter decides who to send his little share of tax money to.
True democracy.
Under vouchers the main role of government is to allocate the money ($10-20 billion would be sufficient for a start, matching what is being spent now by private donors. That would steadily drop over time as the special interests found such big donations to be of little effect. ). The other role would be to run the system.
I’m concerned we won’t have a free and fair election in 2 or 4 years. Once autocrats are in power, they stay in power and elections are just for show. Esp with Musk’s money behind the elections, I’m afraid we’re f&@ked. Tell me I’m wrong please…
There is no way in hell Trump will take a chance of being thrown in jail. And his fat cat buddies have had 4 years to find a way to prevent free and fair elections.
Without impeachment or finding a way to convince Trump to switch sides (he doesn’t really care about policy) you can forget about 2026 elections.
You say “why would Trump switch sides? Surely not!” But the Democrats can offer him a much better deal! True popularity, which (along with money and no jail) is all he really wants.
I sometimes tell people to wait until morning to read Heather if reading it bothers you and keeps you from sleeping. Tonight I was still up and here it came. Thank you, Heather, and god bless you. I think I’ll sleep just fine tonight.
I am on the west coast and never read her the night of, always the next morning. For some reason I decided to go ahead and read this tonight. I am glad I did.
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
Yikes, sounds all too likely. I always remember the 1990 Vanity Fair article reporting about Trump keeping a copy of Hitler's speeches on his bed stand. Never have figured out why that story, so revealing in fact and detail, didn't get a whole lot more play.
It seems more and more apparent that the Trump-Musk goals go beyond accumulating power and wealth. My impression is that the point of their actions is to destroy America, especially including our allies and institutions, to satisfy Putin, their benefactor, funder, and minder. Putin most likely also holds kompromat - a lot of kompromat - over their heads. Putin wants to be emperor of the world, and he's got willing accomplices to achieve that.
This has been apparent for many years. The question is, even if Republican senators tolerate it, will we? We have it in our hands to change this. The storming of the Bastille is not a one and done event.
Consensus seems to be mounting that the goals of the administration, beyond wealth and power, center on establishing a "sphere of influence" for Trump, an emoire that is essentially North America (they cede other speheres to Putin and Xi). That focus on North Amarica explains Trump's desires for Canada, Greenland, and Panama. He may have nterests in SOuth America, but he seems willing to put the status of Europe up for grabs.
Trump will not stop with Canada, Greenland and Panama (esp . Panama Canal). Did you not hear Trump talk about taking over Gaza and making it into a beautiful place??? Did he ask anyone for permission.... did he offer to share in this personal venture with anyone???? He just stated that he would take it over because he believed he could.
Did you not see Netanyahu's face as he said this during Netanyahu's visit at the White House? I saw a bewildered face look downward as if trying to comprehend if he heard what had been said correctly by the President of the USA.
Also did you catch Rubeo's comments with El Salvador's leader Bukele regarding his willingness to take in people deported from the US, regardless of their nationality, and to house them in El Salvador's mega prison?
As we sit and watch, dictators are taking over the world and its resources...ie forcing Ukraine to release its mineral rights to the US if they want any support to fight against Russia. Do you really believe Trump will support the freedom of Ukraine with or without mineral rights?
Trump wants to demonstrate that he can be just as ruthless as Putin who has gone into other countries especially Africa and stolen their resources for his own gain.
Trump is naive. Does he not recall one of Putin's dearest "friends", Wagner's Group chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin's death when his plane exploded.
With Trump and his minions in power and Trump's desire for Putin's approval, Zelensky does not have a chance to protect the Ukrainians he has supported with his life, along with his great sacrificial citizenry as well as other European countries who are well aware of who Putin is. Putin has never hidden his goals and he is relentless in achieving them. We must have the same relentless love for freedom if we are to support Zelensky and the Ukrainians. WE MUST!!!
This is so interesting - never occurred to me, John. Now I have one more big concept to worry about. UGH. Trump might not be interested in Europe if he hasn't been to their golf courses and resorts. Or Putin told him 'hands off.'
And to choruses and great plaudits the Trojans dragged the horse into the city, despite Apollo sending the serpents to devour Loacoön, despite the warnings of Cassandra, despite the sound of arms coming from within the horse, despite the four times it became stuck at the gates of the city as it was pulled in.
Now Sinon signlas from the tower the fleets at Tenedos and the soldiers emerge, the city sunk in a wine induced slumber . . .
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
Ralph is where this road began, more or less. His bloated ego gave us W, who was just practice for chump. I had been a fan, but I saw his goal and he is as narcissist as chump.
one on the best LFAA letters yet...i am starting feel a glimmer of hope. I am thankful to not get a nice photo tonight, but Dr. HCR, please take a day off! I know...how can you with all the BS...but we all have to take care of ourselves first...so we can keep up the fight!
Thank you for another great synopsis. I got an email from Cruz that deftly sidestepped the crises in the federal government civilian workforce to applaud his bills that require implementation by those same civilian workers. I hope that other Congress members follow the example of Angus King and Janet Mills in standing up for constitutional law.
This edition from Heather is exactly what I have been thinking. The Congress has to take back their power which is being side stepped. It is massively important that we call representatives and senators daily to leave messages to that effect. And ….Arrest those robber barons at the same time.
YES Margo! We are fighting a KLEPTOCRACY in the making:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
"Americans back home are not entering a geographic Russia, of course, or a zone of Russian occupation; but we are hurtling towards having a Russian-type regime. I don’t even have in mind the alignment with Russian interests, the fact that so many members or our new regime have financial and emotional connections with Russia, or the fact that quite a few of our policies look as though they were designed in the Kremlin. That is a very bad sign, of course.
But I have in mind something deeper: the transformation of our public and private lives. As in Russia, we have let local newspapers and local media die. As in Russia, their place was taken by a few commercial operations. As in Russia, the media are owned by oligarchs, who then become close to government or submit to it (not all of the media in America, of course, are submitting, but far too many are). As in Russia, our daily lives are flooded by such a rushing river of contradictory lies that we have trouble knowing where we are, let alone what we should do. As in Russia, a president supported by oligarchs and their media power is trying to humiliate the other branches of government. The executive is seeking to marginalize the legislature — forever — by ruling without passing laws. The executive is seeking to marginalize the judiciary — forever — by ignoring court rulings. Those things, of course, have already happened in Russia.
The Russian government rejoices in such changes in the U.S., and has a hand in them. But the problem is not Russia. The problem is us. It is as though we have boarded a train without thinking about the destination. The windows are shaded, and the conductors have purposes of their own, which have nothing to do with our dignity, rights, or humanity. I worry that we will not see that line approaching, that no one will get out, that no one will stop the train."
YES lin! We are witnessing a KLEPTOCRACY in the making, similar to Putin's takeover of Russia, but:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
Readers should consider switching from oligarch-owned media to sources without "billionaire-bias", like The Guardian. It is based in the UK but has a strong US presence. Its excellent journalism is paid from an endowment and not subject to the wishes of any oligarch.
How is it that the mainstream press isn’t making sure the public knows about Trump’s many costly golf outings and time spent at Mara-largo and that both those things are directly lining Trump’s pockets while jobs and budgets are being slashed, National Parks are suffering, etc.
Well, then it is up to us. Spread this far and wide:
https://trumpgolftrack.com/
Thanks for this. I just posted it on Facebook.
I just sent an email to Musk. It’s nasty but bear with me. I’m exercising my 1st amendment right.
Dear Mr Musk,
As a federal employee, I just sent you my manure from my asshole for you to eat. Please reheat, add salt and pepper, and enjoy lunch. This is what I have accomplished for the past few weeks.
Signed; A Federal Employee
A great example of macro-dosing and a fecal transplant all in one..rude yes, but I am sick of ‘playing nice’ with people who are a literal demonstrable danger to hardworking people everywhere! Imagine what the world would be like right now if Kamala and team were here instead! To say it pales by comparison isn’t enough!! She would not be fucking around with people lives and respect! No, she would actually care/like people…those messy organic things, warm and human. No AI spokesdroids, no Mucky Musky smell.
I’m sorry if some are upset by my disgusting chat. My disrespect has or is complete. We will not be able to survive 4 years. Bearly a month and days and the nation have been turned upside down by a very bad person. His family members likely agree silently.
He is bringing so much destruction in this world. Our golden period in American history has passed.
The song was written in 1973 by Utah Phillips called "Moose Turd Pie" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFOk6IAb9CM
That could easily morph into "Musk turd pie!"
Donny-John and his Sewer Circus featuring the smelly turds!
working up a song, eh, Bill?
No. Just in solidarity with federal employees. That song was already written 7 years ago.
❤️it!!!
YES
We are in a coup d'etat in the United States of America for gosh sakes! Stop about golf!
Thanks, Karen. I tried but was unsuccessful.
Me too!
Me, too!
Meidas Touch has gone ahead of Fox. Midas touch has more followers.
This is cool..I always thought that Donny had the “reverse Midas” touch where all the gold turns to shit! So somehow this seems appropriate! Now we have to get rid of FAUX as they apologize for their role in trying to destroy America! And instead play Classic Rock.
YES! A real favorite is Tennessee Brando on the Midas network.
I as just saying tonight why aren’t we seeing this record of his golfing… thanks!
I like the idea of him retiring to play golf….sooner rather than later! What I would most like is to remove JD first! Replace him with the Governor of Maine, then retire Donny-John the ‘Sewer Circus’ barker. Let him play all the golf he wants!
And he can pay for his own damn golf outings!
trumpgolftrack.com
That's great, but the cost to the US government, as HCR enumerated, should also be there as a cumulative chart. Also, where the heck does a dozen eggs cost over $7? Is that common everywhere else?
Egg price will depend on whether the regional mega-factory farm supplying eggs has been hit with bird flu or not. Small flocks supplying your local farmers market are less likely to be affected by bird flu but aren't immune. Controlling bird flu is essential to bringing down the price of eggs but that involves science and an honest reporting of where the outbreaks are occurring.
Get your own hens or buy from local small farmers.
Here in Oregon, buying from local small farmers is not much cheaper because their costs have gone up too. It took a long time for the local pols some years ago to allow people to have chickens in urban areas. We have long paid more for local eggs and do so because we want to support these farmers. I eat an egg for breakfast nearly every day. I have a good supply in the fridge right now. I realize that many people cannot afford to do the same.
There are many cities where owning chickens is illegal. And I would guess that buying from small locals would be challenging. But I do get your point.
I guess my overall point is that having smaller and more numerous farms creates a more distributed farming system. Concentrating food production into fewer and fewer spaces may lower prices but at the same time, such concentration also makes mass disease outbreaks more likely … and then mass outages/ shortages.
I have noticed that the heritage eggs I like best haven't gone up much. They were high to start with but haven't gone up. They have been available more often than other supplies as well here in Woodstock, GA
Seriously? Stop worrying about the price of eggs. Don't get stuck in the minutiae. When we prevail we can fix things.
"Are you attending a meeting with your elected official or trying to get them to schedule one? Let’s talk about it in the comments and get our stories circulating! Are you a federal employee? Make sure we know about your work and what you do to help other Americans. Courage is contagious and we need as much of it as possible right now.
Joyce Vance
Right? Enough with the eggs!!
I know!! This a major manipulation. It is designed to divert out attention.
Same with all the brouhaha about transgender people. It's just a diversion designed to pit people against one another.
Barbara, to my mind, many folks here are "focusing" on eggs because that was one of the things that ffpotus "promised" to fix (at least that is how I read it).
It's a diversion from the real stuff. People have absolutely got to focus. Seeing this many comments about eggs is disheartening.
Wake up people!
Barbara, people need to let off steam by focusing on what they can, which is a human feature that allows despots to distract and divide. Yet, this IS human nature, and fighting it wastes energy. If somebody drops a distraction, let the ripples dissipate by themselves and move on. In fact, trying to suppress normal human sharing, musing, or even whining will suppress human communication. That's exactly how too many MAGA voters have been feeling. Ignore that frustration and you get Mump. That's why I'm so mad at the leadership of the Democratic Party. They left too many of their constituents behind, or at least didn't make the effort to communicate better and bring more of them along.
Aside from that, the discussion on egg prices is important because it highlights how variable such things are. Your experience is different than mine, and sharing information this way gives us insights into others' experiences and motivations. I just paid 4.58 or so for free range organic eggs in my local grocery store, in Houston, so my experience is very different from just about everyone else's on this forum. This is not a distraction from our mission. This is building a coalition through understanding.
And truly the price of eggs has nothing whatsoever to due to anything except for a major outbreak of Avian Flu that has been relentlessly going on for several years although, we could tack on large Ag and climate change.
There is an active coup d'etat occurring in the United States of America. Everything. Everything else is secondary. Everything.
What is so hard for people to get this?
Yesterday, here in Kentucky, a dozen eggs were $5.97 at Walmart, $5.94 at Krogers, and $3.00 at the farmers market.
I pray to God that nobody commenting here is shopping at the trustifarian owned Walmart. The Walton family are Trumpian oligarchs that underpay their workers and overcharge their customers. They are evil.
Shop local wherever you are.
We never shop at Walmart and that will continue.
On the road one day I needed something and the motel was across the street from a Walmart, I had never been in one…now I have a weird skill, I remember prices for random stuff. I noticed that Walmart, for basic stuff, was actually more expensive than our local BiMart, a lot more! Sure they has a stack of $24.99 microwaves, I learned later we’re empty boxes, but who in their right mind buys that!
They don’t..it’s just the scam to get you in and as you assume the prices are a good deal you shop! They lie! you lose…
I will tell you Sam Walton is crying in his grave!
Ditto. I've never even been inside a Walmart, and I'm not exactly young!
Gary, in rural areas all across this country, Walmart put our local grocers out of business, then priced out their competition until they were the only grocer around. For all intents and purposes Walmart turned rural America back into an effing company store economy - no different than coal mining towns that trapped miners and their families in poverty and debt for generations on end.
Kroger managed to keep a small store open in our town here in Kentucky, but it only has about half the product of its big stores in cities.
I drive 45 miles to get to a mom and pop grocer, with a real butcher who sells locally grown beef, pork and poultry. I drive 35 miles in the opposite direction to a hog farmer who has a small butcher shop where I can get aged and smoked products. From spring to fall I buy any fresh produce I don't or cannot grow myself, at the local farmers market.
Nonethless, I buy stuff like toilet paper, aspirin, bandaids and soap at Walmart cause its cheaper there and I live on social security. I also cook and bake almost everything we eat, from scratch.
When it comes to rural America, urban Americans are ignorant AF. Like it or not, agree or not, understand it or don't, rural America is, and always has been, an 'internal colony" controlled by corporations engaged in resource extraction, cheap labour and pollution. While corporations export rural wealth to urban Americans, other corporations export urban filth to rural America - including sludge (sewage), toxic waste, human waste and urban criminals.
I am doing as much as I can, so don't go gettin' high and mighty with me. In fact, I think it high time for urban Americans to start doing their share of the work Demcracy requires of its people. They can start by making sure Democracy finally reaches rural America.
I understand. I live in rural ME now, but my wife went to school in rural MO. My father-in-law took us to a Walmart in Springfield, MO in 1984. He was so proud that Spfld had a Walmart. Back then, Sam was still running things and they had buy American signs throughout the store. I'm not sure when Walmart switched to buying mostly Chinese crap, but they were already putting many mom and pop stores throughout the South out of business with their targeted predatory pricing including K-mart and Sears.
ME has several Walmarts in the rural towns and they are the only grocery store and pharmacy for miles around in many places just like through out the rest of the US.
Walmart sued several towns in ME to lower their property taxes. They lost every case. But that's who they are.
I apologize for being judgey about shopping at Walmart. Most of us have a choice on where to buy our staples and when you're on a fixed income you go where you can save money. My wife and sister-in-law keep a garden every year which may not save us a lot of money, but it's nice to have fresh produce.
I have not been inside a Walmart (except when dispatched to a call) since 2010.
We're fortunate we live in places with options Ally. Walmart really screws over people like Raffey that are on fixed incomes and it is their only choice. Obviously, I tend to get "judgey" about people that shop at Walmart and Amazon, but thanks to the lax enforcement of anti-trust legislation regarding mergers and acquisitions Walmartor Amazon are the only reasonable choices for many people.
I almost never shop there, something like once ever 15 years, when no one else has what I need. I quit shopping there after one of our aeronautics department students had their dairy farm taken for next to nothing by eminent domain, for a planned supercenter (that seems to have never been built).
The only sort of positive thing was a really sharp elderly lady in the electronics section that found the best item of the type I couldn't find anywhere else. I asked her where she learned so much and found she had worked for Sears for decades before Mnuchin's college roommate, Eddie Lampert mangled it through K-Mart restructuring (and buying Sears). That was what seemed 15 years after when the extreme competence of the (multi decade experienced Sears), lady at Walmart was compared to my last, decade plus, experience at a K-Mart when the employees seemed particularly weirdly experienced (in the wrong type of sales techniques). Maybe they were reasonably technically competent, but were trying too hard to sell me on low quality stuff I wanted to avoid. A recent follow up seems good evidence or justification, see https://www.cfo.com/news/sears-accuses-ex-ceo-of-looting-2b-in-assets/657936/
Interesting Jim. Mnuchin is a real piece of excrement. He has screwed over so many people over the years. No wonder Trump likes him. I was complaining to a friend about Harold Hamm and how he ripped off so many people and then abandoned his methane spewing oil wells when they were depleted, leaving the clean-up for others (meaning us).
My friend said, "You could have done the same thing." And he's right, many of us could have, but we never would.
Sears was another predatory company but they tended to rip-off their suppliers and employees more often than their customers.
I'm tens of miles from the nearest farms, and farmers markets in Houston are more expensive than Whole Foods. I'll shop at my closest cheap-enough and most-convenient grocery store, thank you.
Are you attending a meeting with your elected official or trying to get them to schedule one? Let’s talk about it in the comments and get our stories circulating! Are you a federal employee? Make sure we know about your work and what you do to help other Americans. Courage is contagious and we need as much of it as possible right now.
Joyce Vance
I pay $4.00/doz to a co-worker who has chickens. The eggs are amazing. The local farmers market prices range from $4 - 6.00/doz. At a local chain market, eggs are $7.25 and there is a limit of 2 cartons per customer. We NEVER had to ration eggs here before - not even during the depths of COVID.
As climate change intensifies… Next is $10 a pound coffee (endangered species.
I don't drink coffee, but if there is no dark chocolate, I'm in misery.
trump must have a chicken house at Mar Lago
Dee, certainly there is a lot of chicken shit there without the chickens.
I dono. Costco has 2 dozen eggs for $8-$12 I didn’t look because I can afford them and I wanted eggs. The marketplace has priced them. If too much I could always go get a hotdog and soda with one refill for a buck fifty. Cheeses.
"The marketplace has priced them."
That's what they tell the marks.
Eggs are a commodity that can be traded on futures contracts, ETFs, or through physical ownership.
The big sellers bought their eggs six months ago at half the price under futures contracts. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WPU017107
They are raking in profits.
Current egg market conditions
As of February 21, 2025, egg supplies were light, and demand was good to very good.
"Euro Eggs" on the way to 💲cash-in as well.
Paid $6.29 for a dozen jumbo eggs at Publics yesterday. I always stop and say, look at the price of eggs I thought they were going to be cheaper.
Bill, I hope you LOUDLY complain : "Heck! When's TRUMP bringing these egg prices down?!"
;-D
You could also raise hell, because the US doesn't vaccinate for salmonella or avian bird flu.
Loss-leader these days!
I was seeing over $7 here in Maine. Glad I have some lovely hens!
I wish I could buy the eggs my sister's flock are producing--she feeds her hens kale and all kinds of other vegies and the yolks are a gorgeous deep orange. Alas, she lives at the other end of the state and it's a three hour drive to get theah.
Hint: My friend is using eggs she preserved in pickling lime, 18 months ago. She says the yolks are "runny". but fine for baking. I just checked on an egg that was in that brine of over a month, and in my fridge for over a week. Cracked it open, and it looked/smelled fresh. You do need fresh, unwashed eggs for this process. Just think, if your sister did this for you, you visit her and pick up a year's supply of eggs!
Same here in Kansas.
$11.00 in some places. Almost $1.00 per egg.
COVID pricing has returned.
Meanwhile. There is a sustained coup going on against the United States of America. We are at an extremely dangerous point never seen in our history as a Democracy.
Kinda makes the price of an egg silly doesn't it?
A "coup"? You mean the election that recently gave Trump a definitive mandate? THAT coup? OK, but first I have a hangnail to deal with. Then I'll get right on it.
not in eastern Canada
Yesterday, a dozen eggs were $7.99 at Hannaford in Damariscotta, ME
Yes, eggs at Albertsons in Las Cruces, New Mexico are often over $10. $7.00 is a real deal. And being in the borderland, just wait if all Mexican produce has a tariff added.
Can we stop obsessing over the price of eggs, the house is on fire! If you had any awareness of what is happening, you would know that a new strain of bird flu has infected millions of hens and they are being culled.
The price of eggs has become a symbol of the times. I think it's useful.
The price of eggs is the result of climate change (growing chicken food—primarily grains), bird flu, and the failure of the administration to set up price controls and rationing (as during WWII).
Right now, in NYC, eggs cost $12 to $16 a dozen. The highest they were when Biden wasPrez is $5 to $8.
The last time I bought eggs in NJ in Shoprite, they were $7.49/doz
On Saturday (2/22/25) they were $8.12/doz in our central NJ Shoprite
In MA they can be as high as $11 for organic cage free...
yes!
Yes it’s common here in rural PA.
Here, they are around $8.99 a doz. I'm in a small town in N. California. We have friends who have chickens, so we may take advantage of that!
Here in AZ.
Excellent!
Thank you for the link. I'm reposting it on BlueSky.
Thank you for this link.
just did
I would like to defend all Presidents: A little over 25% of seven days is not quite two days. Normally working people get two days off a week. Eisenhower, Obama, etc all were entitled to two days off a week. And all were derided for it.
I posted it to FB yesterday. Thanks for posting the link!
Bravo!
The mainstream press is owned by Trump sycophants. I suspect that they are soft-pedaling their coverage out of fear of retribution from Trump and his MAGA cult members.
Maybe they should read the Bible a bit more closely..
I snitched this from FB last night - don't know who the author is -
“The car in front of me had a bumper sticker on it. It read: "Pray for Trump Psalm 109:8." When I got home l opened my bible to the scripture and read it and started laughing.
Psalm 109:8 -"Let his days be few and brief; And let others step forward to replace him."
This is AWESOME!!!
The Letters in this issue are unbelievably beautifully composed and superb! I plan to re-read at least 3 times to have all of HCR’s statements gel in my mind.
I love this! It's simply perfect. So tempted... it would be the first religious sticker I put on anything.
Christian Nationalist minister Wiley Drake started using this particular psalm against President Obama, and it obviously failed where President Obama was concerned. It may be amusing where the faux “Christian” is concerned but I don’t want imprecatory prayer. Wanting justice for the nation and people is a different matter. It seems our system isn’t really capable of true justice anymore.
I understand your concern regarding imprecatory prayer, but imprecatory psalms do exist and the Bible thumpers for trump champion the whole Bible, bad wishes and all. Besides, perhaps wishing trump a few days might just mean impeachment and conviction; there's nothing there about defenestration.
Dudley, I have been thinking about your last clause a lot.
Terrific. I'd love to see that on billboards all over the South and Midwest.
Thank you for sharing this!
Yep. Big smile.
Where I used to live over the years numerous biblical references on lawns abd bumper stickers. I always thought how could one use to support my thinking? Well finally someone did!
Oh thank you for that. It was my gigle of the am.
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you! Thank you. First laugh of the day.
Amen.
the problem is that the replacement would be Vance….
Vance does not have the unfathomable hold on people that death star does.
Although, to my surprise and immense disappointment, I saw where CPAC attendees preferred Vance as the prez candidate for 2028 (as opposed to Bannon, Noem, Ramasmarmy, DeSantis and a few others) but since this is an assemblage of the kookiest crazies in Repubbieland, I kinda don't think a "Vance for President" campaign is going to be all that successful.
Only the worse wing nuts go to this and they always behave in a crazed and craven fashion.
I'd see vance as "one down, one to go."
YES.
You make a valid point.!
Fabulous!!
Hugh, the first time I saw this was during Obama's first term...
Community, I think the major message of tonight's LFAA is that the Trump-Musk-Vance & Maga Boat is taking on water fast.
The Musk memo,"What Do You D?o" is X spam and essentially a nullity. Employees of the the VA, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs which is the 2nd largest department behind the DOD, the State Department & FBI are all U.S. Govt. personnel.
As I posted last week the lawsuit filed at SDNY by the Association of Administrative Law judges & Others lays out the origin story of 4 fictitious 'DOGE names. Elon Musk is a named Defendant. Paragraph 3 of Case No. 1:25:cv-01237 spells out the sordid Trump-Musk shell game named 'DOGE'.
When the MAGA Boat sinks don't get sucked down as it plummets to the bottom.
Unfortunately, Brian too many comments here today appear to be ignorant of the crisis. There are extended threads about the price of eggs, silly middle school talk about revenge bible verses and complaining about the media.
Unless. Unless people stop fooling around and get scared enough to actually do something we will lose.
Definitely with you Barbara Mullen.
I started out as a political scientist so I refer to "doing something" as 'PRAXIS': meaning actual practice as distinguished from theory or shits & giggles.
I like PRAXIS! How do we convince people that complaining about the price of eggs, his golf game or the New York Times is being manipulated? How do we rewire people's brains away from the mind-numbing junk spewed out on their smart phones and onto the really serious work to be done?
I guess one tiny part is to keep calling out the junk on these comments to HRC.
Neurologists, that's's MD's not JD's, advise me that the Neurons that Fire💥💥💥 together Rewire together. There are many, many ways to 'fire neurons together'.
Putting your Eyeballs 👀 on a cell phone screen is something like allowing your mind to be manipulated by a marketer's Algorithm. in a word "programming" -- someone else's Program. 👎
What Ive read in eg the NYT, Wapo doesn't sounds like soft-pedalling. Their reports align with eg BBC, Guardian in the UK.
Yes, on occasion, but there is still far too much sane washing going on.
Perhaps it is trending towards being a tad more aggressive, but it is long overdue and still insufficient. For example, it has taken forever for the NYT to label what Trump utters as “lies” when any sane person has known this to be the case for years.
I finally canceled my subscription.
Now subscribe to Meidastouch on YOUTUBE..........Legal AF.........4 million democracy lovers and counting!!!!
Compare the headlines when trump fired general brown; the guardian called it for what it was “trump fires black join chiefs…” where as NYT & wapo made it sound like just another federal worker losing their job. And the LA times didn’t even bother to cover it!
I would imagine Gen. Brown is a far more capable and experienced leader than either Trump or Hegseth, and Gen. Brown’s capabilities brought out Trump’s insecurities. Sometimes when Trump is in public and ”speaking,” Trump comes across as one of the most insecure people I’ve ever seen.
‘One’ of the most? I’d say “the most” by far.
Great point. Off script is where the MI is really obvious. The script is from Heritage ,Theil , and those planners. The convenience is the polished con tactics, evade, divide,bluster. Behind the scenes continues the advance into control …oh so inconspicuously . And it works!
While people focus on the petty pushed , the ‘smoke screens’ aptly named, the sleight of hand -not even close to slight- progresses.
Lots of law suits. Some action of appeasement? Not really ..just other illegal moves done changing the focus (conveniently) catch me if you can game.
Who will stop the feet from walking us right to the punch line …the autocratic take-over?
When whoever has broken the law they need arrested…jailed not delayed by they might have ‘broken the law ‘ pointedly giving the excuse/excuses -the clever manipulation of FACTS..again- the benefit.
SMH
The LA Times did cover it but stuck it well inside the first section.
I agree, Frank. Their coverage has become markedly more aggressive.
I'm glad to hear it. Maybe they're fighting back.
Maybe they're trying to retrieve their lost readers.
In that case, YAY us!! We won!
Now that the election is over.
Anything for a buck, perhaps?
Not the WP opinion section. Bezos is controlling the editorial and opinion sections.
Yes. But they are the last I sections I look at on occasion, when I have the time. And I only have to read a few sentences to determine if I will keep on reading. Far too many other places at my finger tips to get the unadulterated facts and truth.
Their article headlines tend to be along the lines of - "Trump disrupts conventional process" Beige and bland. Although yesterday the NYT did have an article headline about Trump's perpetual lying - so maybe they are finally coming around.
Yesterday by this time these comments were hopping at the posting of the shocking video of three black-shirted-and-panted and unidentifiable thugs man-handling a woman to little visible public protest let along outrage. I sent a plea to Public Citizen do something to investigate and report. As of this moment, no response. After lunch I'll get on the horn direct to them to pursue it. I'll report back.
Back from lunch 1:57 PM. Left a message with Public Citizen. Never spoke to a person. Frustrating . . .
I agree. Just recently I've noticed it seems the gloves are off at NYT.
I had been tempted to cancel my subscription, but I heeded HCR's advice not to abandon the mainstream press or the Dem party, because they are the ones with the deep pockets and capable of mounting opposition. And support independent outlets at the same time!
ive seen all kinds of not so friendly to Trump over the while, and two pro Dem editorial board supports for the Dems during the campaign, first Biden, then Kamala.
Frank, yesterday the NYT editorial section was printed upside down.
Was it an editorial provocation? eg the American flag hung upside down on Capitan by fired workers?
I assume it was the equivalent of hanging the flag upside down.
Yes fear of billionaires and ugly men in black trucks with guns and weird grey flags…toxic males!
As of today, I'm officially unsubscribed. They send me alluring little anti-trump teasers.
I've been getting those since I jettisoned the NYT in January. Same with the local gazette. Maybe they'll listen someday, and start calling a spade a spade.
You have nothing to suspect Mark, you can risk betting a dozen eggs and be the sure winner about the mainstream press being own by the scumbag president and his band of oligarchs.
Yes Mark. It's not just fear of reprisals by the powerful as mentioned above. Follow the money and your own common sense. Their judgement and strategies are corrupted by greed. It's the carrot and the stick.
Are you kidding? THE SAME PEOPLE THAT LIED ABOUT BIDEN's MENTAL HEALTH
and threw Kamala softball after softball are NOW sycophants.
You are delusional. 95% of the elite media is hard left.
I think not
Because they are afraid. If they stop bowing down before the Ogre, what will happen? Will they lose their broadcast license? Will they be caught in a web of nefarious law suits? We are not dealing with a group that believes in democracy. These are the same kind of characters who brought down the Roman empire. And the Ides of March is soon upon us.
Yeah. The Ides of March. GO GET HIM, BRUTUS!
Ooh, who's cast as Brutus? And who Mark Antony?
I like Vance for Brutus. Angus King could, I think, deliver "We come to bury, not to praise." That's the tougher role to play, as it should really be a staunch Republican. Chris Christie? Michael Luttig?
Vance is worst than the scumbag president.
I agree… he is a phony along the lines of a patent medicine salesman with a slick delivery. Low information voters like him because he speaks “good English” but he is “one of the boys”.
I absolutely agree, Ricardo, that Vance would be a terrible president, and he's also most likely to turn on the boss. That's why I like him for Brutus. Musk would be interesting in the role, though.
Wait...I like shock casting. I'm seeing Gym Jordan waving his arms and yelling "FRIENDS! Republicans! MAGA! Shaddap 'n listen a me!"
He will never…
I see your vision, Anne-Louise, but I can't imagine Jordan EVER saying he "comes not to praise." If we're following Shakespeare, it should be an associate... for shock value though, how about Bill Barr?
There are no real Republicans left. Every shred of decency has been threatened out of them or they believe the slime that is being peddled. This is the culmination of master plan turning a decent opposition party into a bunch marauding, selfish, traitors who care only for money, having a foot on the neck of those less fortunate - because we always need economic slaves, yes?- firmly believing that they are superior to all who are not like them and will persecute them. God help those who are women, a different skin color, are not the same gender they were born, or came to this country to escape death, starvation, and oppression.
Marc Anthony? Can you trust anyone with a "R" behind their name? They are all too scared.
As in the verbal twists of "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451", it's the "Republicans" who aim is to destroy the Republic.
Why are the people with the greatest financial insularity the most cowardly?
MLM, it's pretty simple. The more you have, the more you have to lose. The larger your potential loss, the greater your fear.
In my lifetime, I've had friends and acquaintances from every socio-economic level. It seems counter-intuitive, but the super-wealthy are, by far, more filled with worry in their daily lives than people in poverty. Granted, the wealthy can buy things, like alarm systems and security personnel, to assuage their anxiety, but then they worry that their alarms will fail or their guards are crooked. The worry never goes away.
In his song from "Porgy and Bess," "I got plenty of nothin'" Gershwin characterized the rich as "'fraid somebody gonna steal all their money while they're out a-makin' more."
More to the point, the rich deep down fear that they're just like the rest of us: mortal humans. Montaigne pointed out that the most powerful king still sits on his ass. Money doesn't bestow freedom from illness or death, and that haunting fear may drive the ultra-rich to try to prove that wrong. Uh, uh.
Thank you for Montaigne. I keep him close.
"The more you have, the more you have to lose. The larger your potential loss, the greater your fear."
Wealth brings a wider range of choices and cushioning against many of the vicissitudes of life. Life is hard at the edge of homelessness and starvation, as well as in it. It is great, even life-saving to get good medical care. I recall reading about a study conducted some years ago that claimed a correlation between income and happiness up to a certain point, beyond which it became more questionable, and obviously some people do more with less. I have a friend who did humble gig jobs all his life who literally travels the world (he is in Mexico right now, then off to Europe) who seems to be welcomed wherever he goes, frequently sleeps in somebodies mansion or on a beach, and charms perfect strangers with fearless openness. I could not begin to do it. He has a rare (and apparently benign) power and resilience. He does without a lot of "things". I like "things" but for sure they tie you down. All the more so if the only thing you love is money.
J L, I have a friend who followed a path similar to your friend's. He had an established professional practice, lived in the top neighborhood in town and enjoyed all the toys affluence buys. He closed his office, sold his house and all the toys, and on a Saturday morning, showed up at my house in a gold Volkswagen Beetle, packed to the window sills. "I just came by to say goodbye," he said.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Austin, Tacious," he replied (his nickname for the Texas capital).
"What are you going to do there?" I asked.
"I'm going to work on Ann Richards' campaign," he replied.
"Do you have a place to stay?" I asked.
"No," he replied breezily.
"Hotel reservation?"
"No ..." just as breezily.
"Where will you sleep?" I asked, with a bit of alarm.
"I'll visit the local bars and grills, and hopefully make a new friend who has an unused bedroom."
And that's exactly what he did. Richards was elected governor and hired him to screen and select all the candidates for cabinet appointments. He worked for her until she left office. He returned to look after his elderly mother until she died. Now, he roams the globe, making friends everywhere. I have no idea where he is today.
I couldn't possibly live life as he does, but I admire him for doing it his way.
My friend (really my wife's friend from her teens) in his 70s and so am I. He is still kicking up a storm. It's more excitement and more risk than I can handle, but it sure works for him. He seems semi-manic in a good way.
Hard to believe Ann Richards was governor of the political hellhole Texas has seemed to become.
Because they believe that wealth will finally bring real confidence but it doesn’t.
But it does bring power. People will do many things things for you. Ask Clarence.
Yes, and with Trump and his MAGA minions, the barbarians are already within the gates.
And so is Putin within the gates. The Germans recognized that he is also in Germany. Never underestimate the long claws of the FSB.
Patterns of wife beaters they employ. Fear, uncertaigoodies. and promises of gootimes.
The MSM has made it clear they have no interest in doing that. We need to simply walk away and abandon them to their fate. The majority of Americans do not get their news from them. What are we doing to get true news to folks who need it? That’s a more fruitful question than hoping in futility that the MSM will get it together. They’re irrelevant at this point.
"... futility that the MSM will get it together. They’re irrelevant at this point."
When Heather Cox Richardson and all sorts of independent media cite WaPo and NYTimes investigative reporting, it's mistaken to call them irrelevant.
God bless Heather Cox Richardson and every other journalist in the world who is shouting the truth! Congress must use their legitimate power to stop these maniacs.
Absolutely lin., those investigative reporting are like islands in an ocean but they are there. We should pay attention.
To my surprise, I discovered MSNBC it's doing a pretty good job regarding detailed information.
And Timothy Snyder. Our challenge is to spoon feed truth to the many citizens doing the best they can to survive.
Yes! I discovered them in 2016 and have continued to learn from them. It’s there I see Lawrence Tribe, Andrew Weissmann, Rachel Maddow, just for starters.
And don't forget Nicole 😉
Thanks for your reply 👍
With today’s events in Ukraine I plumb forgot. I listen to her M-F. (“Listen” because I’m back to writing GOTV postcards and repeating the same three points time after time produces automatic writing. Addresses get done first to make this possible.)
I still watch Nicolle and Rachel, and I listen to Lawrence’s podcast sometimes .
Smart thing to do Donna. 👏
If you are calling the 4th estate irrelevant, at least cite the most important aspect why, mention the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are consuming their news on Facebook and their FB news feeds.
I finally deleted my Facebook account this weekend. I am free! 😏
Facebook was a great way of reconnecting with old friends and distant relatives for me. I've lost track of how many times I deleted my account. in 2011 I thought Google Plus was going to be superior. But eventually they broke their promises and followed the popular trend and switched to an algorithm feed and they couldn't get enough users to stay with them, including myself. The Cambridge Analytica scandal related to the 2016 election was a big deal for me and deleted my Facebook account again. Then during the 2020 election a friend convinced me that my anti Trump voice was needed and I got back on. But not long after the January 6th failed coup attempt I could no longer stand behind associated with fans of treason. I'm not going back.
I agree, it was at one time a great way to connect… but it went way downhill in the last few years. This was the last straw.
A few months too late but welcome to thr ex club 😉
That's just about the worst thing you could do.
Riversong, when you say 'MSM' my mind automatically reverts to Rush Limbaugh's "lame stream media" (For years it was impossible for me to get away from RL's radio show at work). I much prefer the term 'legacy media' which reminds me of HCR's educated, reasonable, and knowledgeable description. That's just my humble opinion. No offense intended.
Donald's entire life has been a scam. Bend the law. Break the law. Grab and steal and cheat and lie and deceive. This is not news. But when he speaks, he lies. And the Press repeats it as true. They used to ask Why but they avoid digging for Reasons in Trump stories. Trump makes money with every lie. So does the Press.
Can we just say, out loud, This is Wrong. It's way past time for all of us, the grownups, the news media, the elected representatives, all of the free people of America: This is Wrong.
The President and Elon Musk may or may not be criminals. But they are behaving like criminals.
'Scuse me. Trump is a convicted felon.
So if it lies like a criminal, and breaks the law like a criminal....
Burke, Yes, and this is a huge problem because we need honest information. I like that you use the word press, as it is called in the First Amendment. Obviously that was important to founders. Dan Rather (Steady on Substack) also prefers the word press. We need to know what is going on in our country and the rest of the world. One solution that I'm using now is that I joined BlueSky, where I have attempted to curate a news stream and notification system that is somewhat broader than my own belief system, but not so broad that I have to tolerate a lot of 🐂💩.
BlueSky does have a sort of algorithm, but at least there are methods you can use to adjust it. It requires a little effort, but I think it's worth it as a way to stay properly informed.
Trump Had Deal With Scotland Airport That Sent Flight Crews to His Resort - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/us/politics/trump-hotel-turnberry.html
Inside the Military’s 5-Star Layovers at a Trump Resort in Scotland - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/us/politics/trump-turnberry-military.html
Military has spent nearly $200,000 at Trump’s Scottish resort since 2017 - POLITICO
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/18/military-trumps-scottish-resort-1501877
House stonewalled in probe of military sleepovers at Trump resort
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/house-stonewalled-probe-military-sleepovers-trump-resort-n1051031
Pentagon spent at least $184,000 at Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland - ABC News
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-spent-184000-trump-turnberry-resort-scotland/story?id=65701897
Receipts show foreign officials spent more than $750,000 at Trump's D.C. hotel : NPR
https://www.npr.org/2022/11/14/1136682162/foreign-officials-750-000-dollars-trump-hotel-dc
Trump Hotel: Conflicts of Interest in Washington, DC
https://time.com/donald-trumps-suite-of-power/
Trump Organization in talks to repurchase Washington DC hotel lease, WSJ reports | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-organization-talks-repurchase-washington-dc-hotel-lease-wsj-reports-2025-01-10/
The headlines remind me of when Trump had his former VP Pence stay at his Trump resort in Western Ireland, entirely across the country where Pence was to meet with the Irish PM.
Thank you.
They are afraid of not having access.
Not the “free press” at all. They are the intimidated Press.
The AP defies tyranny by calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of Mexico. The Ministry of Truth is not amused.
That is a stupid and petty move, but so typical of Trump.
Like x2,000!
Actually hearing he has been golfing is a relief to me because that’s a few hours a day he’s not trying to take over the country!🤯😱🫣😭
He’s outsourced the presidency to Musk.
Trump's a pretty lazy sod, which is why his evil plots are rather clumsy. That is starting to bite him I think.
Precisely.
Agree, Carol, but then who is driving the ship of state….or is it just adrift during those hours/days? Scary!
Think Edgar Bergen, Donald McCarthy
Adrift might be a good choice!
KLEPTOCRACY in the making:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
People are running scared; that is why. Being a life-long bachelor in my late sixties leaves me with few attachments outside immediate family and cherished cousins to get whussy over. Dr Richardson enjoys every right to take pride in your home-state. ✍️ https://www.c-span.org/clip/us-senate/user-clip-senator-king-i-me-shows-us-what-an-independent-really-is/5154666 ⚖️ Here is the speech by Senator King; the particularly poignant passage that you cite runs roughly from the sixteen minute twenty-second mark until the twenty-three minute, fifteen second mark. 🪞
SPEAKING OF RESISTANCE . . . .
Time for the blue states to break the bank-transfer links from employers to D.C.; to collect the taxes in their capitals; and, withhold tax funds. Release to D.C. AT MOST the receipts from D.C. in the previous year (to eliminate the overage that blue states send to D.C. to subsidize red states). 🛑
Additionally, when Trump tries to drumpf a blue state of disaster relief funds, for example, then that state applies withheld tax funds to fund said relief. and forwards the net balance to Washington. Many people, will undoubtedly blow a gasket. (Like the Trumpanzee fake news about water released in California.) ⚖️
They may not understand human nature and conflict. They fail to account for stated Trumpian behavior and to anticipate where that authoritarianism is headed. 😵
The hearing for the nominee to direct the O.M.B. revealed open talk within the M.A.G.A. brain-drain, if not yet practice, of impoundment (e.g., suspending or ending F.E.M.A. operations). 😲
Now, with his diktat from the O.M.B., that practice has started the Trumpian attempt to shred the Constitution in favor of divine-right insanity. Where will funds for grants and agencies relegated to formaldehyde go? 🤢
Theorizing about what might cause a civil war over a wire transfer mechanism, when such civil disorder has likely started, is as brilliant as trying to bail out the Titanic with a tea-spoon. The Great Civil War of the nineteenth century did not start at Fort Sumter or even with secession; its started five years earlier with Bleeding Kansas. 😰
Now, this particular idea may not work. But some form of it can at least support initiatives. We need ideas to break down and re-assemble or refine in muscular non-violent responses if we are to avoid civil war. Or, maybe John Brown was right, after all. 😱
Attacking someone's proposed response right now is about as helpful as Florence Nightingale handing out LSD for a head cold. 💔
No do not hector me, s.v.p., about the finer points of the law that are NOT in the Constitution; 🙏 pedantry while I pee my pants gets me nowhere. 😰 This resistance may never need to come to pass to re-balance the republican separation of powers at the heart of our Republic's rule-of-law; ⚖️ the threat, however, must be credible and people willing to follow through. 🛑 In short, call the bully's bluff. 🤬
Meanwhile at a town hall in Couer d’Alene, idaho a woman is hog tie ed and carried out for speaking out.
https://youtube.com/shorts/hhJdH63d6zM?si=W6cPAtkw8_sAWtd8
😱
Can’t heart this but thanks for reposting it.
No doubt, the owners of these media are in Trump’s service as would be oligarchs.
Well, MSNBC just cancelled Joy Reid’s show. So, I would not hold my breath. 🙄
🤬
They are genuflecting toward Trump.
What?????
Although I appreciate Maddow, Melber, Reid and others, I stopped watching when Mr. and Mrs. Scarborough scampered down to Mar-a-Lardo to kiss Donald's whatever. I expect MSNBC to moderate or even reverse its anti-Trump stance in time.
MSNBC is a property of NBC, a property of Comcast, chaired by billionaire Brian L. Roberts, who has a lot to lose if he crosses anyone in Trump World.
Democracy shares power while autocracy captures it. The "yes master" attitude of billionaires and the social apparati they control is seems as much about the stick as the carrot, and despots show no hesitation to use the former. Justice Brandeis' comment that:
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both”
is not a bias, it's a demonstrable fact.
🤬
Simone is supposed to replace her, and Michael Steel.
''Half of Trump’s first month in office saw him visiting Trump properties
On one-third of the first 31 days of his second term, Trump played golf.''
February 20, 2025
Washington Post February 20, 2025 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/20/trump-second-term-golfing-resorts/)
It's no secret, I had heard it. The real question is when will people admit they were wrong, they do not want an autocrat if that is the cost of 'owning the Libs'? When will Americans have their 1950-Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME) moment and put an end to this crap? In reality, nothing undemocratic has happened in the Trump administration. It has followed every court order, so far, and he is doing exactly what he told people he would do. That's democracy.
It’s at times like these I wish Maine had another Angus King or Margaret Chase Smith rather than the faux concerned Susan Collins.
Not entirely. They are finding workarounds for some things, like having to “review and approve” research projects before funding. The review never happens.
Because the biggest news source in the country is Fox news and Fox is not talking about illegal, unconstitutional actions of Trump and Musk. If you hear only lies, distortions, and smears, if you do not listen/read multiple sources and viewpoints how do you know you are being bamboozled? SD Auburn CA
That's how control of information works, of course, and more of us should have seen it coming. It's not like the plots Republicans were hatching were secret or historically unprecedented. Even canny fiction sounded warnings, beginning with "Chicken Little."
Thank you for this, as a proud Mainer. Maine's state motto is "Dirigo"--I lead. Hopefully the rest of the country will follow Senator King, Governor Mills, and other conscientious Mainers.
I live in CA now but lived for 45 years in Maine. Mainers are not easily cowed by bullies and are ferocious defenders of what is right. Susan Collins may have strayed but Governor Mills and Angus King will never give in to the dark side.
Angus King is a true statesman and I would love to see more attention given to him and his gift of oratory. He needs to say more if they will give him the time of day. He clearly knows the Constitution unlike so many in Congress in this day and age, surprisingly. He is inspirational and motivational.
His speech was wonderful and inspiring. I’m impressed with him and your governor. Why does it seem that it’s more women who are standing up to trump? Why are the R men such cowards!
I agree! He made a wonderful speech 2 weeks ago on the Senate floor that I shared and posted.
Susan Collins is the best example of a spineless coward
I know. She is a poor substitute for someone like Margaret Chase Smith.
I wish Olympia was still in there, instead of Susan Collins.
Correct JD, and competing head to head with Joni Ernst. The one of those two that finishes ahead is the looser.
Keeping an eye on Fetterman from Pa.
Oh, yes,
I once spent a summer in Tenants Harbor, became a good friend of a lobster farmer. A beautiful but totally cold sea, great people, miss the place and the people.
But shouldn't she get credit for her endless supply of "concern"? 🙄
Adore Angus. Hope Susan is defeated soundly.
There is some speculation that Mills will challenge Collin’s in 26 …Maine has a 2 term governor limit
KSC, and Collins is way past the smell test buy many years.
Collins pledged, in her initial run for Senate, that she wouldn't serve more than two terms and claimed to support term limits. Apparently, the lying just gets easier and easier...
If there's no consequences, the lies keep growing...
Thanks for your reply 👍
Mills vs Collins - Wowee!!!!!
Janet Mills and Angus King for Pres/VP 2028 (if not sooner)
Right? Mills stands for 860 medals going to 290 trans women across 29 sports. These trans women should take away scholarships from inferior female athletes. And certainly fully intact trans women with pensis should go into open area changing rooms with underage women to get ready for a competition or everyday practice.
If Maine loses its federal funding that’s okay. We are in favor of XY chromosomal men competing in women’s sports if they feel like a woman. Even if the majority of the country is against this. We need to show men who want to be women can kick ass in all women’s sports. Too bad if trans men can’t ever win, that’s their problem.
I hope those of us who reside in other states will quickly be as well represented by the representatives we sent to Washington as the people of Maine are currently being represented by theirs.
I’m in TN. My congresspeople are Tim Burchett. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, all dug-in MAGAts. I’ll never be represented well by this trio.
Ed, I count myself among the lucky ones; Ron Wyden and Jeff Markley are my senators and Val Hoyle is my representative (I hated losing Peter DeFazio, but I sure understand why he wanted to retire...he was my county commissioner when I first moved to Eugene in 1984.)
Susan Collins excepted.
Don't forget CD1 Rep. Chellie Pingree.
With such fierce politicians like King and especially Mills, why have Mainers put up with Collins for so long? I genuinely do not understand why she and her weasely ways have not been voted out yet.
HRC's parting shot today was a Rosie-the-Riveter gesture from a Mainer.
I had hoped Senator King would have spoken out earlier. And both senators elderly. Where are the young Maine people? What is the role of colleges to support and create strong adult citizens?
Nancy Harmon Jenkins,
Thank you for your words of praise for the state of Maine and praise to the bravery of Senator Caine and Governor Mills!!!! True Patriots!!!!
It is about time to stand up to a Dictator and to his minions who would destroy this great country...steal and disrespect the use of our resources for personal gain, including UKRAINE's! Ukraine is fighting for a Democracy...for freedom for its people!!! Russia is the invader. We know in our hearts and minds who we need to support!!!
Trump and his supporters do not care for your future....they are eager to rob our citizens....ruin the education of our children....overtax hardworking citizens ,seek to remove benefits/support for our older citizens for their personal benefit....Trump and his minions are working to destroy the Democracies of our faithful friends....treat human beings who come here seeking a better life with disrespect and cruelty!!!
I would like to ask "Dictator" Trump if he knows the names. of the masses he has had thrown into prisons....does he understand the struggles they have lived through to get here? Only those who have been legally proven to be guilty should be in Jails.......How about YOU....Dictator Trump....You HAVE BEEN PROVEN guilty of multiple crimes???? Is there room at Guantanamo for YOU? You are a Dictator, hiding behind the Presidential seal of the USA!!!!!
When will the rest of our country wake up to the realization that our hard fought for freedoms are being stolen from us!!!
Those who believe they are gaining from Trump's administration have surrendered their very souls. History has proven that evil leaders kill and destroy but in the end, evil is overcome by the actions of courage, bravery, the steadfastness of wisdom and goodness.....often from "average" citizens who love freedom, family and fairness, as did those who came before us. We have been "called out" to be caretakers of this earth, our home. Let's honor those who
came before us and those present and those who will come after, by heeding the sacred words of heroes, written within the Constitution.
I prefer to spell it dicktater when referring to ffpotus.
“As Maine goes, so goes the nation.”
Damn, I hope so! Janet Mills’ response to Trump at the Governors conference was pitch perfect; “see you in court.”
And, I would add, time to arrest Musk for unauthorized use of private taxpayer data, and time to impeach the Lazy golfing Felon!
As Captain Picard would say, “Make it so!”
Isn't going to happen with these dug-in republicans in the majority.
I hope so much that we win the House and Senate at the midterms and impeach this sack of shit of a human the vey next day....
Sadly, he's been impeached twice already and the Republicans - all but s brave couple - refused to vote him out. I wouldn't expect more of them third time around.
If you haven’t heard, their rallying cry is, this is our last chance, we will never have another chance to stick it to the libs. Or words to that effect. That gets the wafflers lined up. Just defeat the libs. Rush told them so. Last chance…
Don’t give up! Lean on Republicans in Congress!
Can we afford to wait that long?
Easy answer Arnold: No.
Sophia, first we have to get to the midterms which I strongly doubt we'll have one.
Elected Republicans (like Democrats) are totally dependent on campaign money. Musk has used the “primaried” threat to keep them in place. I’m not sure why they want to stay in Congress as slaves of Trump and Musk, but their silence so far suggests they can tolerate the shame.
Presumably they will not have to show their faces in public
There is a way out for both parties in campaign finance vouchers, but our democratic leaders are too embarrassed by their past life of grubbing for dollars from the liberal 20% to raise the banner.
It seems from the performance that we are getting from Angus King and Bernie Sanders, we would do well by electing far more independents. They seem to show more integrity, MUCH more courage, and we citizens need both to be represented at all. I don't intend to passively remain represented by stooges selected for me by Musk and AIPAC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw0F8G4-dMw I'm not the only one who noticed, as evidenced by the last 6-7 minutes of this.
Angus and Bernie have public profiles that minimize their need for campaign finance flows. Your average republican senator does not. They and republican house members shake in fear of “being primaried” because they cannot count on funds coming directly from ordinary voters. That is why vouchers would set them free to represent their voters instead of just their donors. The fat cats who currently threaten them would have far less influence.
My my. These "house members" so fear losing their job titles. Their party picked the right people to maintain a system of corruption, which requires two parts: high capacity buyers and willing sellers.
I’m afraid it is worse than that. BOTH parties house members are forced to spend most of their time fund raising. That is why the Democrats were so surprised by the results this past November. The “people’s house” has become a house only for donors. And donors, generally speaking, are either special interests (especially big banks) or members of the upper 20% income groups.
Hence a big, if sometimes subtle, bias in which policies get enacted or ignored.
My last essay has a long appendix that addresses some of the leading areas where the 80% were shafted by this bias.
Trump is president for a reason and that reason has a lot to do with Democratic leadership blindness imposed upon themselves by their mania for campaign money.
See my essays on campaign finance vouchers
Peter DeFazio's campaign slogan: "As Independent as Oregon". It worked.
Taxpayer funding of elections is critical. Us not rich folks can’t do the job that needs to be done. It’s why we are at the mercy of evil, as we post.
Under past taxpayer funding programs the federal government chose who to subsidize and by how much. Under vouchers, like used in Seattle, each individual voter decides who to send his little share of tax money to.
True democracy.
Under vouchers the main role of government is to allocate the money ($10-20 billion would be sufficient for a start, matching what is being spent now by private donors. That would steadily drop over time as the special interests found such big donations to be of little effect. ). The other role would be to run the system.
Absolutely beautiful.
Ditto, absolutely beautiful. 👍
I’m concerned we won’t have a free and fair election in 2 or 4 years. Once autocrats are in power, they stay in power and elections are just for show. Esp with Musk’s money behind the elections, I’m afraid we’re f&@ked. Tell me I’m wrong please…
There is no way in hell Trump will take a chance of being thrown in jail. And his fat cat buddies have had 4 years to find a way to prevent free and fair elections.
Without impeachment or finding a way to convince Trump to switch sides (he doesn’t really care about policy) you can forget about 2026 elections.
You say “why would Trump switch sides? Surely not!” But the Democrats can offer him a much better deal! True popularity, which (along with money and no jail) is all he really wants.
Read my last essay
The perks Michael, the perks....
Read my replies from above
https://trumpgolftrack.com/
Thanks for this, Miselle. Fodder for my social media time!
Criminal dictator, in that wheezy voice of his; “Is the Governor of Maine here? Janet Mills, Governor of Maine; “Yeah, I’m here.” Love it.
Musk is sleeping in the Whitehouse! I did not know we citizens had that option!
Heather, you always close on a meaningful note, and today's is exceptional (and heartening).
Thank you for all that you do.
I sometimes tell people to wait until morning to read Heather if reading it bothers you and keeps you from sleeping. Tonight I was still up and here it came. Thank you, Heather, and god bless you. I think I’ll sleep just fine tonight.
I am on the west coast and never read her the night of, always the next morning. For some reason I decided to go ahead and read this tonight. I am glad I did.
ME TOO. Good night all. Sleep well. You too Dr. HCR. Please take care of yourself.
I have had to wait until morning to read it a number of times lately. Glad to read tonight's though!
Same here, thanks for a bit of uplift tonight.
The sane in Maine state plainly what is sane.
(I think they've got it! By George, they've got it!)
Lol ~
Sent to hr@opm.gov today:
Please King Elon don’t take my job!
My accomplishments last week.
1. Took a crap on my gold toilet.
2. Played golf like a champion.
3. Declared my allegiance to Russia and insulted Europe and Ukraine.
4. Sold some invisible trading cards and crypto coins with my name on them.
5. Followed your instructions to a T.
Your friend, Donald
I’m beginning to think that Trump has seen the memes of Hitler destroying German democracy in 53 days and deciding that he could do it faster.
He wants to out-Hitler… Hitler!
YES! KLEPTOCRACY in the making:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
The orange narcissist is jealous of all the attention that Hitler got.
He may try a little square moustache. Black, of course. If he can still grow facial hair.
He can use his Sharpie to draw one on.
🤣🤣🤣
Spoiled babies don't grow facial heir but they can use a sharpie, the same he uses to sign dictatorial orders in stake house menus to outline one.
Or change the hurricane forecast from one State to another.
There're so many crazy things 24/7 going on that I forgot about that one 😂
It would be funny if it wasn't serious.
Yikes, sounds all too likely. I always remember the 1990 Vanity Fair article reporting about Trump keeping a copy of Hitler's speeches on his bed stand. Never have figured out why that story, so revealing in fact and detail, didn't get a whole lot more play.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/08/donald-trump-marie-brenner-ivana-divorce
He may have kept Hitlers speeches on his bedstand but I wonder who read them to him.
That was also my thought!!
They have, it has been the goal all along.
It seems more and more apparent that the Trump-Musk goals go beyond accumulating power and wealth. My impression is that the point of their actions is to destroy America, especially including our allies and institutions, to satisfy Putin, their benefactor, funder, and minder. Putin most likely also holds kompromat - a lot of kompromat - over their heads. Putin wants to be emperor of the world, and he's got willing accomplices to achieve that.
This has been apparent for many years. The question is, even if Republican senators tolerate it, will we? We have it in our hands to change this. The storming of the Bastille is not a one and done event.
American Spring? Not soon enough?
Apparent but denied by many, despite being clear to any with half a brain
Consensus seems to be mounting that the goals of the administration, beyond wealth and power, center on establishing a "sphere of influence" for Trump, an emoire that is essentially North America (they cede other speheres to Putin and Xi). That focus on North Amarica explains Trump's desires for Canada, Greenland, and Panama. He may have nterests in SOuth America, but he seems willing to put the status of Europe up for grabs.
John Bruner,
Trump will not stop with Canada, Greenland and Panama (esp . Panama Canal). Did you not hear Trump talk about taking over Gaza and making it into a beautiful place??? Did he ask anyone for permission.... did he offer to share in this personal venture with anyone???? He just stated that he would take it over because he believed he could.
Did you not see Netanyahu's face as he said this during Netanyahu's visit at the White House? I saw a bewildered face look downward as if trying to comprehend if he heard what had been said correctly by the President of the USA.
Also did you catch Rubeo's comments with El Salvador's leader Bukele regarding his willingness to take in people deported from the US, regardless of their nationality, and to house them in El Salvador's mega prison?
As we sit and watch, dictators are taking over the world and its resources...ie forcing Ukraine to release its mineral rights to the US if they want any support to fight against Russia. Do you really believe Trump will support the freedom of Ukraine with or without mineral rights?
Trump wants to demonstrate that he can be just as ruthless as Putin who has gone into other countries especially Africa and stolen their resources for his own gain.
Trump is naive. Does he not recall one of Putin's dearest "friends", Wagner's Group chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin's death when his plane exploded.
With Trump and his minions in power and Trump's desire for Putin's approval, Zelensky does not have a chance to protect the Ukrainians he has supported with his life, along with his great sacrificial citizenry as well as other European countries who are well aware of who Putin is. Putin has never hidden his goals and he is relentless in achieving them. We must have the same relentless love for freedom if we are to support Zelensky and the Ukrainians. WE MUST!!!
This is so interesting - never occurred to me, John. Now I have one more big concept to worry about. UGH. Trump might not be interested in Europe if he hasn't been to their golf courses and resorts. Or Putin told him 'hands off.'
Laurie, from day one ,going back to when project 2025 was conceived, it was a global enterprise by design.
And to choruses and great plaudits the Trojans dragged the horse into the city, despite Apollo sending the serpents to devour Loacoön, despite the warnings of Cassandra, despite the sound of arms coming from within the horse, despite the four times it became stuck at the gates of the city as it was pulled in.
Now Sinon signlas from the tower the fleets at Tenedos and the soldiers emerge, the city sunk in a wine induced slumber . . .
It sounds familiar Philoctetes 🤔
Thanks for your appropriate response.
Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson.
🤞🏼Get up, stand up, stand up for our rights!
YES! KLEPTOCRACY in the making:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
hi Suzette, that sounds like Ralph Nader’s podcast theme song!
https://open.substack.com/pub/ralphnader/p/demolition-in-dc-developments-in?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios
Ralph is where this road began, more or less. His bloated ego gave us W, who was just practice for chump. I had been a fan, but I saw his goal and he is as narcissist as chump.
JD, I think that almost all politicians have a touch of both narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders to them.
During this upcoming budget vote, democrats can vote NO until Musk is out. We will talk when Musk is out. We will reach out when Musk is out.
Close down the government until Musk is out.
He has it in chaos and disfunction so close it down until Musk is out.
one on the best LFAA letters yet...i am starting feel a glimmer of hope. I am thankful to not get a nice photo tonight, but Dr. HCR, please take a day off! I know...how can you with all the BS...but we all have to take care of ourselves first...so we can keep up the fight!
Thank you for another great synopsis. I got an email from Cruz that deftly sidestepped the crises in the federal government civilian workforce to applaud his bills that require implementation by those same civilian workers. I hope that other Congress members follow the example of Angus King and Janet Mills in standing up for constitutional law.
This edition from Heather is exactly what I have been thinking. The Congress has to take back their power which is being side stepped. It is massively important that we call representatives and senators daily to leave messages to that effect. And ….Arrest those robber barons at the same time.
YES Margo! We are fighting a KLEPTOCRACY in the making:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
"Americans back home are not entering a geographic Russia, of course, or a zone of Russian occupation; but we are hurtling towards having a Russian-type regime. I don’t even have in mind the alignment with Russian interests, the fact that so many members or our new regime have financial and emotional connections with Russia, or the fact that quite a few of our policies look as though they were designed in the Kremlin. That is a very bad sign, of course.
But I have in mind something deeper: the transformation of our public and private lives. As in Russia, we have let local newspapers and local media die. As in Russia, their place was taken by a few commercial operations. As in Russia, the media are owned by oligarchs, who then become close to government or submit to it (not all of the media in America, of course, are submitting, but far too many are). As in Russia, our daily lives are flooded by such a rushing river of contradictory lies that we have trouble knowing where we are, let alone what we should do. As in Russia, a president supported by oligarchs and their media power is trying to humiliate the other branches of government. The executive is seeking to marginalize the legislature — forever — by ruling without passing laws. The executive is seeking to marginalize the judiciary — forever — by ignoring court rulings. Those things, of course, have already happened in Russia.
The Russian government rejoices in such changes in the U.S., and has a hand in them. But the problem is not Russia. The problem is us. It is as though we have boarded a train without thinking about the destination. The windows are shaded, and the conductors have purposes of their own, which have nothing to do with our dignity, rights, or humanity. I worry that we will not see that line approaching, that no one will get out, that no one will stop the train."
.https://snyder.substack.com/p/crossing-a-line-audio-and-text?publication_id=310897&play_audio=true&utm_medium=email&r=dvsxz.
YES lin! We are witnessing a KLEPTOCRACY in the making, similar to Putin's takeover of Russia, but:
"Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a 'thief and a robber.'"
Readers should consider switching from oligarch-owned media to sources without "billionaire-bias", like The Guardian. It is based in the UK but has a strong US presence. Its excellent journalism is paid from an endowment and not subject to the wishes of any oligarch.
Here is just one example from today's Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/23/trump-russia-ukraine?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Putin the puppeteer drives the train, with help from the cadre of traitors
We HAVE to stop the train!
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/23/2305494/-I-did-business-in-Russia-Trump-is-importing-KGB-thuggery?pm_campaign=trending&pm_source=sidebar&pm_medium=web