Never in my life have I seen such chaos and criminality. This is a the GOP “Government of Putin” determined to change the American dream into the American nightmare.
Is our Constitutional Democratic Republic dead? Will the Supreme Court uphold the Constitution? King Elon I has control of the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch. Who will stop him? Trump gave the keys to the government to a Bad Man.
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
— E. B. White
We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
— Thomas Jefferson
TODAY IS THE DAY.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
Call Early. Call Often. If DC mailboxes are full then Call State Offices. If there is no connection then call at off hours. And call everyone you can. Including House members, because they're working to send terrible legislation to Trump to sign. THANKYOU.
Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
Below will show you Committees, that can take you to Committee members, and that to their websites with phone numbers
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans.
I called the White House yesterday and to much shock, after a menu of choices, the phone began to ring and someone answered. I began speaking my objections to Musk and his raiders— and then she hung up on me.
Send an email to your Senator. Or write a letter. It takes more time, but they need a flood of letters and emails. Be aware of how they voted on each nominee and address that too. Make them responsible for the damage they have done with their vote.
Don't let that stop you. I've left messages at several offices already this morning, and I spoke with someone from Schumer's Syracuse office (no-one was responding and the phone wouldn't take messages at the DC office). I'm also asking people to have Elon Musk arrested and jailed. Certainly what he is doing is illegal.
We need Democratic Senators to actually put that blanket hold on all Trump nominees, before the Vought vote. This link will take you to the Caucus members' websites.
Someone needs to step up. (I'm starting with older Senators in Blue states.)
I don’t believe that nominations like Vought’s are subject to holds. That’s why so many of Trump’s anti-American cabinet secretaries have been approved.
Delays are possible. In a video released yesterday on YT, Leeja Miller recounted all the ways Democrats can delay just about everything Republicans try to do, just by using ordinary procedural motions. For example, call for a quorum on every single procedure. Delay, delay, delay, Trump's favorite tactic. It works for him, Dems should make it work for us.
What do the bad guys do? The bad guys repetitively say, “‘We’ are the good guys, and ‘they’ are the bad guys because ‘they’ don’t think like ‘us’.”
What do the good guys do?
Jo Cox (1974–2016) was one of the good guys. She was famous for being a British MP, for being murdered by a right-wing extremist, and for saying, “We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.”
Bob Dylan is one of the good guys. In 1964, he famously implied that as soon as everyone follows his “don’t criticize what you can’t understand” advice, the times they are a-changin’. That is the double truth, Ruth, and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately, Dylan did not say the whole truth. Fortunately, I will. The missing truth is what the good guys do, which is understand before criticizing.
I want to be on Team Good Guy. The way for the good guys to understand is in a conversation about how two people can have the same human brain, and then one person acts like an egalitarian, and the other person acts like an authoritarian. Also, I have the answer. Right or wrong, someone needs to start the conversation.
To become part of the conversation, subscribe to my fee-free newsletter and make a comment. The following is the link to the fourth and most recent edition in a series of essays. This one prescribes the vaccine for the authoritarian virus.
The other possibility is that you agree with my prescription. In that case, hand out the vaccine by copying the link and sending it to everyone you can think of, including (good guy) politicians.
Lin, I spent yesterday calling a number of offices. Tried calling Schiff…phone rings and rings and rings. Called Padilla and got an answering machine. Called Schumer yesterday, same ring, ring, ring. Called the Capitol line, nothing comes on. Here’s who I did leave messages for and that was Gwen Moore (Wis) and Judy Chu (CA) because they entered Mike Johnson’s office unannounced while he was meeting with Bessent, that m’effer who gave the keys to the USAID building! I told them both that they were badasses!
I called Elissa Slotkin today, tomorrow it is Gary Peters (they are our Senators). Next it will be Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, perhaps Fetterman to ask him WTF he is doing, all of the gang!
I would love to join the phone calling and protesting but to be honest, I have to work so I can pay my bills. I am a couple years from retirement and lost all my savings for such in 2008, and went upside down in value of my condo. I may now lose the SS that Ive worked my whole life paying into and I dont want to feel bad that I cant help with the protests, but I do.
Nancy, all anyone can ask is that you do what you are able to. No need to feel bad, if all you can do is vote, do that. Every drop of water creates an ocean.
Do what you can when you can. Take a break. Breathe. And come back and do what you can. There’s Resistbot that will send you texts that are easy to respond to. There is 5 Calls for making calls but if you don’t have time and energy to make calls, try Resistbot. Take care of yourself and hang in there. Best of luck to you.
Nancy, can you spend the time eating dinner making a few calls? Just a few calls in the 30 minutes or so?
Thinking that we have to call every single member of Congress is daunting. But don't forget the old adage that the ocean is made up of single drops. YOUR few drops matters.
I've also suggested contacting the AARP. Their mission statement says they are non-partisan (and I had replies that they are not) but regardless, EXACTLY your fears is why this is a bipartisan concern and they (AARP) should take a stand.
I just walked into my US/MAGA Rep’s office this week.It’s on the second floor of a government building, down a winding hallway with a locked office door and phone outside to request access.
These staffers deal with constituent issues every day.You could drop in/call and say I have an issue with SS/Medicare……..and Elon’s takeover of the Treasury and access to my personal data.What is Rep/Sen doing about that?
Today I’m calling Rep and MAGA Senators and will say I’m terrified of paying my taxes and giving them any access to my bank account.I will reference Murdoch’s WSJ article HCR cited.Join me !📲
Constituents can make appointments to talk about an issue with the senator or staffer at state offices or just walk in. No need to barge in. I've also just walked in to DC offices - but who knows now.
There’s a protest today here. I understand Hagerty has closed his local offices. He’s the most sycophantic and worst coward. And his DC aides are rude.
Check out Rogan's List on Substack. (No connection to Joe Rogan). It's a daily list of concrete actions individuals can take to defend democracy. Good, practical information.
I've tried to get through multiple times. Keep ending up at a full voice-mail box. Also, the people who really need to be calling are those in Republican held districts. It would be great to create bite-sized posts (most Trump fans won't read the details) that sre not attacking nor blaming to enlighten Trump's base by surfacing the elements that will resonate with them.
Doug, I have worked with electeds. Believe me, they pay attention to two things, angry constituents and money. Call them, tell them you are angry and ready to act, either by no longer contributing to them or by contributing to their challenger.
I think this would be awesome! Now that we've broken the Congressional phone system, we inundate their offices with sacks and sacks of postcards. I started sending postcards out of sheer frustration early on and I've been pretty gleeful at what I can plaster all over that big empty canvas on the front of the blank ones I bought. One of my first was to Hakeem Jeffries shortly after the election where I wrote in big bold letters on the front: "You lost me at: 'That doesn't sound like to me we need a complete makeover.' SMH". And "BE BOLD, BE LOUD, SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY" to one of my Democratic senators who was doing the business-as-usual fiddling while Rome burned. Then on the other side, I squeezed in 50 words of rebuke and demands, not polite little requests, DEMANDS. What a way for our finally-engaged Dems to make a physical display of our rage for the media and on the House and Senate floors, maybe even a postcard drop from the top of the building. What should we call it? How about Postcards from the Proletariat? Okay, maybe something else but I really love your idea!!
Beth, I emailed both a couple days ago, and got a “thank you for reaching out to us” message. Hope you got more. I posed the question elsewhere: which is more effective: emails or phone calls? Anyone have thoughts?
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
— E. B. White
We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
— Thomas Jefferson
TODAY IS THE DAY.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
Call Early. Call Often. If DC mailboxes are full then Call State Offices. If there is no connection then call at off hours. And call everyone you can. Including House members, because they're working to send terrible legislation to Trump to sign. THANKYOU.
Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
Below will show you Committees, that can take you to Committee members, and that to their websites with phone numbers
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans.
Do you have data on the spitting in the wind theory?
No, just logic. How much power do the Democrats have in the Congress & Senate just now?
How much impact do you think it has on Republicans and Trump & Co to hear that there is outrage in Blue States? Hint: they don't care
However, increased calls coming from Red & Swing States are very important to them.
I've been known to pick an apartment address in the Red District I want to contact the Rep for, then call and email them that I just moved in and was shocked to learn he/she supports (fill in the blank)
While public outrage is (rightly) being directed at Squealon, Donald is committing a larger crime someplace else, only more quietly. Musk is his stooge.
"One of the best uses for a monkey is to make everybody pay attention to the monkey."
No question there are stooges and monkeys, but if you'll permit me, I see who is which a bit differently. I see T rump as the monkey, who I suspect will be replaced at some point. He is providing cover for those who are executing Project 2025 -- the GOP Congress et al who have wanted this for decades. And Musk? I'll get to that in a sec. It is the person we haven't seen much of, Vance, who is the monarch-in-waiting, the crown prince that Thiel and Yarvin and all that ilk installed as VP so that he can ascend to the actual throne that everyone involved is creating for him. And then there's who I like to call Elon Robespierre, another agent of the Thiel/Yarvin tech gang, who is the evil advisor and henchman who can never be king but who will be richly rewarded for paving the way and standing by the boy-king Vance, who will appear out of nowhere when the monkey "retires", seemingly untouched by the messiness of this takeover. Now, how's that for a theory!
Ally and Lizzy. I have thought all along that death star is the puppet. All those orders he is signing were written for him. He has not idea what they say. I will also note here that the so-called victory vis a vis Canada and Mexico is not only not a real victory, but it is already hurting big time, American products. Several Oregon wineries have reported that their negotiations in Canada to sell a lot of wine have already fallen through.
Yeah, their little plan to tank the market for a second while they buy up cheap stocks to then say, oops, we didn't mean it, to watch their profits immediately soar, well, they didn't count on a collective rejection of their treachery by our pissed off neighbors to the north. I hate that small companies will also pay the price but I think those smaller business owners will not forget who did this to them.
I agree that 45 is the monkey. The tariff battle, as bad and as stupid as it is, distracted from Musk invading government computer systems, stealing data, and rewriting codes in those systems. The tariffs will generate higher prices. It won’t matter what the price of eggs is, if the little musketeers have cut off your Social Security or veterans benefits, Medicare, etc and you have no money to pay for eggs. Elon in the computer systems of the government is biggest story of all. They are breaking laws left and right.
If there is any way to eliminate anyone or anything that can cut that support of the boy king in waiting, let's find it out too. Especially the monetary weaknesses of any of these because they are not without worshipping of money to buy power. The boy king can be replaced But the monetary infrastructure is the Achilles heel. Support the removal of the special employees.
Yep, do we ever need to start having the big conversations about the monetary infrastructure that spawned this whole mess even while we fight off this attack or I fear whatever win we have now will be hollow and vulnerable.
Love that! And it is the villainaires leading the way (I stole that from someone on Threads whose young son was trying to say billionaires and ended up hitting the truth).
"My best guess is that a billionaire, having climbed to incredible heights, realizes that he’s still an ordinary human being who puts his pants on one leg at a time, and asks, “Is this all there is?”
So he starts demanding things money can’t buy, like universal admiration. Read Ross Douthat’s interview with Marc Andreessen, in which the tech bro explains why he has turned hard right. Andreessen says that it’s not about the money, and I believe him. What bothers him, instead, is that he wants everyone to genuflect before tech bros as the great heroes of our age, and instead lots of people are saying mean things about him and people like him"
Lizzy, my analysis of current events is close to yours. Too many are missing the forest for the trees. The core group that animates the party formerly known as "Republican" are evangelicals. They are known for playing the long game. To wit, believers willing to wait an entire lifetime for their "heavenly reward" are quite willing to wait decades for their champions to take command of the country they believe was founded as a "christian nation."
But evangelicals eschew secular education, which deprives them of critical thinking. Consequently, they think they are in control when actually, they are being controlled. Sharper, devious operators have distracted them with smooth-talking malleable monkeys like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and hot-button issues like abortion, marriage equality, immigration and egg prices.
And as the culture war raged in the public square, the christo-fascist oligarchs operated in the shadows, packing the courts with corrupt rubber stamps and loading the legislature with spineless sycophants. Perhaps I am the only one who sees Mike Johnson and J.D. Vance as two copies made from the same template. Utterly unqualified for their official positions, both seemed to come out of nowhere. We don't even know who Vance actually is.
Donald was elevated to provide the distraction; he is the monkey. As he drifts deeper into dementia, he'll be sidelined. Musk is the demolitions expert. He will level the government and clear a pad for Thiel, Yarvin et al to build their new technocracy and Vance will be the new monkey. I don't think Musk will continue to play a role in whatever is left of the U.S. after he is finished with demolition and reconfiguration. He will move on to demolish other democracies around the world.
Evangelicals will feel vindicated after all their years of imagined "persecution," but they won't have as much control as they expected. It won't take long until they are whining again.
So many dots you've connected here. The Vance/Johnson twins, spot on. And absolutely Musk's game is global. Frankly, that's the case for the other villainaires as well which is a major point that makes this Gilded Age 2.0 different than the last. The robber barons from the Great Depression had their fortunes tied up and to the United States; this new group is pilfering the world as citizens of only their own worlds. As such, they are riding and accelerating the wave of the US empire's predictable and nearly completed fall from its position atop the economic and social order and sucking up every bit of treasure they can, leaving in its wake what they hope will be a new proletariat they can exploit and ignore while they live their real lives in the next host. So, act fast, break things, move on, repeat. And I think one of the new things we need to do and can do is bring into our fight at home, international groups and individuals who are rooting for us as they fight for their own survival too. It may be a global cabal of wealth and authoritarianism we face, but there's more of us all around the world who can join forces too.
Control. That is the word that connects all these forces, isn't it? And people who crave and demand control do so not from a place of strength but from fear, self-doubt and likely loathing, in effect, weakness. I don't think we do enough to capitalize on that shared vulnerability of theirs.
And your dot connecting brings up a key strength this group managed to weaponize that we would be wise to emulate: coalition-building. They have done what the Progressives of the New Deal era got right of finding touch points among separate, seemingly at times incompatible groups to join forces against all that the wealth class wanted, did, and prevented the other classes from having which we know didn't turn out well, and which we're headed toward again. We need to do the same. So then, do we need a new kind of FDR to coalesce around? I've got my ears perked up to hear who gets it, who can articulate it, and who can unite us. In the meantime, we fight on.
Which begs the question, when are we going to pluck out that actual root? And then, what the Dems are not yet doing in order to offer the alternative people can unite behind, is with what do we replace it? Stick and carrot. Are we ever going to be ready to have those big conversations? But, honestly, at some point we will be left with no other option cuz one of these times we will be decimated to the point of having to start from scratch, if we even survive. Now, I'm not a doomsayer, but I'd sure like to avoid anything even close to that. So, when IS the right time for us to finally start the earnest conversation about changing the role of money in our species-wide society? I'm thinking now would be good?
The "love" of money has been said to be root of all evil, or at least of many evils. The word "love" seems misapplied there, at least in the sense of love as compassion; but then we also say "I love chocolate" to indicate an extreme liking. The Biblical phrase makes sense if, by loving money, one is excessively willing to sacrifice other important values. To be willing to kill for personal gain (directly or indirectly) would widely be recognized as "evil".
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Thoreau said "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.", which makes sense to me. Malignant narcissism seems to me to be the curse of humanity, as a matter of degree rather than mere presence of some degree of personal narcissism, which I think is likely universal. I think that destructive careless or predatory narcissism comes in many guises, and troubles human relations across the board, friendships and families as well as whole societies.
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Probably the ways I frame it are too technical for public messaging, but unbalanced, unmoderated selfishness is currently tearing our society apart, and may even ultimately doom our whole species. We need some way to collectively take a look at that.
I must say Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) is very good with acronyms. The ELON MUSK Act—the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy Act—which would ban federal contracts for Special Government Employees, similar to the bans for members of Congress and other federal employees [letter] is brilliant!
What we are seeing is that the checks and balances of this government are not working. They have worked for 249 years. But when people lose their integrity because they are too afraid of losing their jobs, this is what happens. It is so frightening how easily this is happening.
Carol, that's another reminder that next year is our 250th. What better time for this tragic affair to happen (other than "never"), as it provides a perfect message for the midterms. Let's declare a re-independence from foreign king Lone Skum, starting now.
Musk is the "Monkey in the Machine" for certain. He does the real damage, while The Orange Menace deflects and distracts the "little people" with parlor tricks and absurdities galore. We must RESIST! Everything they do must be challenged, daily.
This is the conflict between the Silver Spool Oligarchs and the rest of our nation.
The MAGAts will be lost forever in the mire of lies and deceit. It's up to the rest of us to think and act intelligently, and pull us out of the insane mire of Lies and Deceit. We MUST RESIST!!
Trump is a bad man, in my opinion a sociopath, and all of his cronies like Musk and Bannon and Miller (every one of them) and all of his supporters down to the people that voted for him are in the same category. There really are a lot of people who lack empathy in the world. Maybe when the world population contains more sociopaths—out number those with empathy—that’s when the whole world tips in the wrong direction?
No, not yet. Think of Lincoln if you love history and love this great President of US, the man that no other country has ever produced like him. Think not democracy, think Lincoln principle.
I think now that the SCOTUS declared Trump king, he will stop paying attention to them. They can rule all they want against him (as if) but he won't have to abide by their rulings. Although the Judiciary is (allegedly) separate but equal, they have no real enforcement power. Enforcement is the purview of the Executive branch, and Trump has already taken care of that.
And the VOTERS gave the keys to TRUMP. Musk/Trump/Vance is exactly what the people wanted. They were "all in" for Project 2025. Those that voted for Trump and those who did not vote were OK with the way things are turning out. If you fall into those categories, you should be on the front lines now protesting M/T/V.
Have you called your Representatives? Are there protests in your area? Are you informing other people of the seriousness of what is happening?
When there is an onslaught of crazy things coming out it is on purpose. They are designed to overwhelm and dispirit people. In our modern age this overwhelm reduces people to making doom statements and doom scrolling. This is essentially shutting people down from taking any actions.
Do something. Take an action. Go to the streets and make your presence known. Call your representatives.
If you remain silent, they will win. If you remain indifferent, they will control you.
I live abroad but vote in Florida. I filed a complaint against Elon Musk with the FL AG's office for Data Breach, citing a violation of Act 5 USC 552a. I suggest everyone do this with their state's AG.
HOW do state AGs have jurisdiction? It is a federal law. The statute specifically mentions "the individual may bring a civil action against the agency, and the district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction in the matters under the provisions of this subsection."
Problem is that this is what so many of these voters wanted. They haven't felt the bite yet. I despair of convincing any of my MAGAt former work cohort that what is going on today is unlawful, illegal, and destroying our country.
I believe that they are fearful of physical violence and, certainly massive financial opposition to them in the next election, if, indeed, there is a next election.
Our county commissioner is holding a meeting tomorrow. I'm going to stress my concern for our country and urge him to set up a plan for our community to get thru it. Hopefully renew our local barter/resource system. Care mgmt for seniors and disabled residents.
Anne-Louise.., WE're Under God. And the little 27 yr old missionary who is keeping the "Press" in line (or she'll pull their badge) is who is delivering what you'll read, via obedient disciples. And, the magatt-fan base loves herr. She's so sharp. So on top of her game. Not a lot of cleavage. But she's on the right side of that cross. I miss Jen Psaki, personally. FWTW.
As usual, we'll said Barbara. On the other hand ,the fish die by the mouth. Trump's claiming victory over Canada and Mexico as well as over having control of the fires in California just by letting the water run ,non of it true, is getting to the public overwhelmingly better than our message. The master of manipulation is winning this battle but we need to find the way to turn those "victories" around. We need to control the message and let the fish die for the sake of our democracy.
I will be sending an email to every member of the House of Representatives plus the senators from my state. I will cite Act 5, USC 552a. So thanks to Marian as well! Just at the moment I am laid up (broken bone), so attending protests is not on the table. Shall I forward appropriate cartoons to the office of the President? Would that be a little like standing 1 foot from a rattlesnake and poking it with a stick? May not be fatal, but perhaps not the best idea I’ve ever had.
A Republican Senator today announced on the floor that Russia was airing nude pics of Melania on their evening news for a couple days now. He framed it as a victimization of Trump & Melania. I think it's Putin humiliating Trump to show Trump he's toothless and a sucker for believing they're friends/allies
I wonder if anyone now disagrees with my comments that the good generals should have suspended the constitution and declared a temporary military coup to ironically save the nation. Because this is just the beginning. Malcolm X once said “by any means necessary” and now it applies to saving democracy itself. Remember Plato once stated that Tyranny follows Democracy.” We are watching it unfold before our very eyes. I will now bring my anti Trump songs into a recording studio and get them into digital downloads. This is my contribution. This is all I can do.
It seems like everyone is waiting for the cavalry to arrive. Or for some higher power of government to step in and say, 'Okay boys, you're under arrest, you have the right to remain silent etc. etc.' before they're handcuffed and escorted from the building. And maybe that kind of thing will happen, somewhen, somehow. But Dems franticly running around trying to do things lawfully, by the book, because they are decent, professional people, may not be the solution that is ultimately needed.
DJT allegedly took the Presidential Oath of Office twice... Including Defending the Constitution, and Faithfully Executing the Laws of Congress... Do You Believe that he has done that? The Professional Military may be Stirring... Stay Tuned...
Doing unlawful things is not the answer either. They have procedural tools. See Jen Rubin’s interview with Ezra Levin, cofounder of Indivisible, on The Contrarian Substack.
WAY LATE . SO SORRY. AND, THEY ARE TOO BUSY COLLECTING MONEY. I HAVE ANSWERED EVERY REQUEST FOR MONEY WITH A TEXT. I WILL NO LONGER GIVE ANY MORE MONEY UNTIL THEY LEGISLATE FOR CAMPAIGNE REFORM. GET THE DARK MONEY OUT. LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PACS AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. THEY CAN NEVER COMPETE WITH WAR CHEST FINANCE. IT'S A WASTE AT THIS POINT. I AGREE WITH BILL. I WILL NO LONGER LEGITIMIZE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS ILLEGITIMATE.
Our elected officials are already PAID with our tax dollars. If they are too old or lazy to get on their feet and work for us they have no business running. I’m pushing 80 BTW. Schumer OMG what a waste. Also you can’t respond to their never ending sometimes demands and threats for our money because these are computer generated bs. I am sick of it. No more of my money. No more!
For the past two days a few of our PAID officials have been holding and attending rallies. A smidgeon of hope. THEY WORK FOR US!!! Let them act like leaders not followers.
The app will connect you to your senators & reps, and provide a script (if you choose to use it) for five separate issues. After each call it returns you to your list of Congress members.
And it was mean and useless when I was castigated by everyone for having the audacity to suggest a military coup which is what was and is needed. I understand the implications of such an act in that it becomes a tradition or allowable. But Trump represents a coup. He is he’ll be t on destroying everything both good and bad and while I’m not so disturbed by a few things, I will not give him any legitimacy not one iota. He will stop at nothing.
The military is not going to save us. John Thune is not going to suddenly grow a spine. Democrats are in the minority of both houses. The leadership of our largest agencies and departments is being given to incompetent toadies. To paraphrase Pogo: "We have met our saviors and they are us".
DJT allegedly took the Presidential Oath of Office twice... Including Defending the Constitution, and Faithfully Executing the Laws of Congress... Do You Believe that he has done that? The Professional Military may be Stirring... Keep Tuned...
Lou and Bill I am with you but not likely to lead a brigade while pushing 80 but I pay attention to Indivisible and contribute because I believe they’re diligent in preserving our democracy and we have a very diligent sector in Flourtown, Social Justice Indivisible started in 2016 right after the make-up man was first elected. I remain a supporter and our local leadership is strong and on top of things. I stand firmly with your stance to give the Repubs and Magats nothing. Forgive me if I’m a bit slow but first I need to join the group who is going after our conman, traitor and enabler … Fetterman. The lone Dem voter in favor of Bondi. Masqueraded as a rebel to get our vote. Bah bye, Fetterman.
Reminder that your call will only count if it's to your senators and representative. Indivisible is urging anyone who can get to one of the local offices of any of them it carries a lot of weight, even more so if you can go with others. All representatives and all senators have one or more local offices. My rep (Jared Huffman, CA-02) has five, none of which are near me.
Right. I expressed my opinion to Senator Scott and he replied by sending me a subscription to his newsletter and the edition that explained how he directly opposes everything I said, he wrote: "The Rs have to stick together and approve of each and everyone of Trump’s nominees."
I had a hard time stopping the so-called subscription. I finally called it SPAM. The Rs are Congress. This is the way the US legislature works. The Rs are supine. I sincerely hope speaking to one’s congress critter works better for others.
Lawrence O’Donnell did a great show recently using David Brooks essay on Stupid and applied it where it fits. (On YouTube) This idiot fits the bill and then some.
I’ve been saying the same, Bill. The Dems are playing a chess game with an opponent who punches them in the face and pisses on the board; you can’t defeat someone like that by playing nice and adhering to the rules. Americans have to face it: you can start an armed insurrection or bow to the Sith Lords Rump and Musk and accept the end of Anerican democracy, if not all of Western civilization.
Suspend the Constitution? "Good" generals initiating a "temporary" coup? That's not the way to save this nation it would be the way to help Donold & Elonia turn it into a banana republic.
It took Rump less than two weeks to install the “deep state” of which he accused Biden of running for years. Just shows that every accusation a fascist makes, is actually a promise…
"...At a party on May 2 celebrating the founding of Witt's emergency management consulting firm, James Lee Witt Associates, politicians from both sides of the aisle--including Sens. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.-gathered in a room at the Senate Appropriations Committee to repeat stories about Witt and recall how he and FEMA helped their states during natural disasters. "You're the best," they kept telling the former director.
Also in attendance was Joe Allbaugh, Witt's successor at FEMA. During the speeches, Allbaugh stood inconspicuously in the corner of the room--something difficult for a man standing 6 feet 4 inches and sporting a distinct flat-top haircut--and he appeared slightly uncomfortable. Before Witt began speaking about his new business, he summoned Allbaugh to join him and the other politicians at the front of the room. Allbaugh declined the invitation at first. "This is your deal," he told Witt. But then he relented and walked up to join Witt.
At the end of his speech, Witt recognized Allbaugh and told the audience, "I will be his biggest fan and supporter."
"I appreciate that," Allbaugh replied. The two men shook hands.
But Witt also said something else to the crowd: "If he messes up, I'll be his worst nightmare." Of course, Witt was only joking, but his statement revealed an understanding of a larger truth about political life in Washington: It's much easier to succeed those who are incompetent or unpopular. Allbaugh faces the opposite situation. He has the unenviable and unusual task of following one of the most popular acts in recent Washington history. As FEMA's director, Witt became the personification of federal help during natural disasters. He established a reputation as someone who worked hard to prevent disasters and who could cut through red tape to deliver relief. Allbaugh, indeed, has some very big shoes to fill..."
P.S. This was all before 9/11 and Katrina
Who in the Musk/Trump power grabbing coup will competently work hard to prevent disasters and appropriately cut through red tape to deliver relief (like Pete Buttigiuge in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge)?
No question, we are living in a nightmare. Having lived several years in So. Africa during the worst years of Apartheid did we imagine a “staunch believer of Apartheid” would be in control of tearing our Constitution asunder. I saw Mandela released and the Nationalists rebuked. Everyday that we stand up to T is another day we can (hopefully) avoid the need for a Constitutional Convention.
BREAKING Thursday Morning: U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (CKK) STOPS Musk's raid on U.S. Treasury Data. 2 Page Order nails it. Case 1:25:cv-00313 (CKK)
"The Defendants (U.S. Treasury] will NOT provide access ...".
Super Courtroom work by NORM EISEN & Co-counsel.
Democracy Fights Back led by lead Plaintiff, ALLIANCE for RETIRED AMERICANS (APA).
“It’s easy to inspire fear and hate. Frankly, it’s lazy.
Those who benefit from exploitive and oppressive systems want to keep us in a harmful cycle of outrage, rage, reaction, overwhelm, new outrage, new rage, new reaction, exacerbated overwhelm -all of which lead to overwhelm and hopelessness. The strategy is simply to grind us down: Target a new thing everyday through some grandiose and horrific move against humanity….The body and psyche can only take so much until they concede.”
What do you think of this idea for stopping the coup? A bipartisan group of people--of former US Presidents and VP's, ie, Bush, Cheney, Pence, Quayle, Biden, Obama, Clinton, Harris, and Gore--give a press conference to let people know what's going on and why it is dangerous and could be catastrophic for the US. A press conference by such a group would get the attention of the national press so that the American people can learn what has happened and and why it's illegal, unethical, and unAmerican. As people aren't getting the information from the media, especially right-wing media, they need to know what is going on in order to stop the coup ASAP. Unified leadership is urgently needed.
BTW, I went online at the Treasury Dept to file my BOI for my LLC yesterday--and received a warning message (see below) that I interpret to mean that Musk's people who are accessing the site are not authorized by the US government to do so, ie, one man is not the US government.
Imho, this means that there are grounds for arresting those people who have taken control of the Treasury Department.
FYI, below is the new warning message on the fincen.gov site that had not been there last month. The choices were to agree or cancel. Although I clicked "cancel," the warning message disappeared and I was able to access the fincen.gov site. Here's the warning message that popped up:
"WARNING! You are entering a U.S. government information system maintained, administered, and operated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This information system may only be used for authorized purposes. The U.S. government may monitor, record, and audit all activity on this information system. By accessing and using this system, users are consenting to U.S. government monitoring, recording, and auditing their activity on this information system."
I found it just a bit revealing that Ms. Bondi was sworn in by that paragon of virtue, Clarence(they don’t make a Winnebago big enough for my ego)Thomas.
Today I will add “202-224-3121” to my hand-made sign in front of my house under my flag. At 75, what better cause of death than getting shot for speaking out?……..(:
Follow the injunctions to see if they are being obeyed! Why haven’t the US AID funds been dispersed again? Why aren’t those illegally fired back at work?
I wish Professor Richardson had some way of convincing me that we have not already lost. The Christian-nationalist, oligarchic, natzification of America looks like a done deal. Their "brownshirts" have intimidated into submission any Republican opposing them. Musk has information on all Americans and control of government computers and can do with us as he wishes. Even if Musk's meddling with the computers is halted, you know that by now he has put backdoors into all those systems so that he will be able to maintain access and the ability to mess with the information stored on those computers. Add to this the imminent anti-science destruction of the NIH, CDC, etc. and everything is set for a dystopian hellscape.
Not knowing how much access you might have to the abundance of new media, just to state that enormous pushback is building every day: thousands of legal challenges all over the country going on, people who are now discovering what they didn't know before about the lying tactics and are feeling threatened instead of ignoring,
and lots more. I get up to date and honestly reported info from a variety of YouTube and Sbstk sources, and certainly not bothering my limited energy with screaming hollering MAGAts who quite literally appear senseless of reality. Good that you are here too.
I'm watching it now and using a technique I learned from a blind person about 40 years ago.
They used one of our tape recorders that recorded like Beta recorders that had a rotating scanner that laid slanted tracks so the scanner speed stayed the same to keep the voice frequency the same but the whole tape moved at something like 3 times the speed so you could speed up the playback without distorting the speech. The FBI and FAA Crash Investigators, etc, according to field tech reps, to make it play back much slower without distortion. Now we can do it with playback speed.
I can listen to very much of most people's speech at 2 times the normal speed, with only a few parts that I need to slow down to 1.5x normal, and rarely go to something like .5x speed. It just cracked me up when she mentioned the idiot ICE trying to arrest Puerto Ricans (who fortunately seem to know their rights).
It encouraged me walking back from the People's March on Jan 18th, that the old conservative Vietnam Vet waling with me told me about his response to similar orders from a commander at camp a bit further afield from the one I visited at Dak To. He had gotten to know the local kids when visiting the local village but was ordered to shoot at them as they approached the camp. He refused, so the commander sent out the deputy commander, who's order he also refused, then he sent out the Command Sergeant Major who told him refusing the order in war was a capital offense. He still refused and suggested he send someone else out. The Command Sergeant Major laughed and said he wouldn't do that since he didn't think anyone else would follow it either.
Smart leaders listen to their best and most experienced troops that keep them all safer.
I am weary to the bone with useless whining, complaining and doom writing. I am most interested in shaking people up. I am desperate to kick people out of their malaise. I am least of all worried about snark.
Do something. Take an action. Go to the streets and make your presence known. Call your representatives.
If you remain silent, they will win. If you remain indifferent, they will control you.
Call Congress now. The switchboard is answering. They will direct your call to whomever you wish.
You are what you think you are...if you believe all is lost and you have no power but to go along with trump, Elon and maga...then that's the truth for you and you will live in that world... Powerless
Yes. I get it. We have lost this battle, which we didn't even know was in a War. But, she is a historian pointing out what has happened and what is still. We need to keep communicating our concerns to all/everyone in order to create a new political consensus/party that communicates what We, those frustrated and those fearful want: a government that listens and answers, advertises. Biden, et al, did a lot of good things, but...thought that that was enough. They failed to answer Questions. So did I. fek!
We did know that Project 2025 would be implemented if he won the election. We also heard him say numerous times that he would become a dictator on day one. That statement followed reports of his vengeance and desire to get even with anyone he felt had wronged him. He believed that he would win and seemed un concerned about putting a lot of effort into campaigning this time. He bragged about the person who is so good at computers. We had all of this knowledge and more. Apparently some people did not believe him, did not care, or did not understand. Some people might have wished for it without true comprehension. Some people viewed a win by him as a road to wealth; however, I doubt that everyone who made that win possible will fall into great wealth. There still are people who celebrate the win. I wonder how long that celebration will last. I also wonder what might transpire legally and safely to change the hurried path we are seeing take place. I wish for the best for everyone.
I think it’s apparent that some of Muskox’s geeks DID mess with swing state votes, as Trump blurted out when thanking M in his rally. We may never know how unless down the road these guys share dirt on one another—that can happen with oversized egos. And there will never be another legit election using computers.
We knew that; the MAGAts in my world told me not to worry, he had "disavowed" it. They excused his expressions of vengeance and "getting even" as "reasonable for someone who was persecuted." Your wondering is an interesting question. They are celebrating everything that happened, including telling me they are "not upset" with the assault on our data that occured at the US Treasury Building.
How sad. Thank you, Ally House, for sharing. Does that make them the meek for following along? I have wondered about who the meek are for various times in my life. In this context it does not make sense to me, but in re-checking the definition, and being astounded that they would not even question, I wonder anew. It is so hard to imagine. I need to look at the quotation in context rather than simply recalling one line. Either way, we must stand up for the people, and I hope the followers will come to a realization, not that I want them to be unhappy, but I think everyone should understand what a major and crucial situation this is and how it came to be. I am not in a position to tell people, and that is as you probably can imagine.
Also, I believe you are right about the computer controls, so and so’s telling of it as I also heard, and the knowing behind the celebrations. I observed serious, mostly taciturn people and a very few overjoyed people who appeared to know something they wanted to tell as they seemed to be bursting with pleasure when I had to be somewhere in a crowd the day following the results. Actually, some results were still coming in, but the result had been announced.
Absolutely true! Right in front of our faces. Clearly for the year he campaigned even longer to those who listened. The only cover up came from the Corporate media. I am so so glad I dumped them all. Funny thing, the few I thought I would miss have quit the Corporate media and are on Substack unshackled!
The day after the VP debate, I listened to a roundup about it and they asked MY question: why did no one ask a single question about JD’s endorsement of Project 2025? They did not ask because ‘the Campaign had disassociated itself from the project.’ Period. That was it. Talk about obeying in advance..
Our local county Democratic party had a special evening event before the Nov. election, where people who had studied Project 2025 explained it in full. They even handed out good printed information about it. We attended, but alas, there were only about 20 other people in attendance.
We will have lost everything if people like you give up.
I'm in District 47 in California. Katie Porter was elected to that district in 2018. This was a district that had NEVER elected a Democrat. Against all odds she won. And now Dave Min represents that district.
And I saw Dave Min speaking at the demonstration at the Treasury over the weekend. That's good!
My name is David and I refer you to David and Goliath.
We will never win every contest. But the real patriots are the ones that get back up again after being knocked down.
The old Japanese saying: Fall down seven times - get up eight times.
I like the John Paul Jones comment as his ship was seriously damaged, “I have not yet begun to fight.” I think the sleeping giant of the public is starting to wake up. It’s later than I wish it were, to be sure, but not too late if we all unite for the common good. And the essence of the common good, in my opinion is that we are all important; we all matter. Democracy speaks to that, dictatorship clearly does not.
“I don’t know of any other case, anywhere, in which an individual could determine for himself whether he had a conflict of interest. In fact, self-determination of a conflict of interest is itself a conflict of interest.”
Is breaking and entering – into a database or otherwise – no longer a crime resulting in, at minimum, arrest? Clearly, as self-proclaimed co-president, Elon Musk feels entitled to the same immunity that the Supreme Court's MAGA Six granted to Donald Trump. But he needs to be shown, in no uncertain terms, that the license to be brazenly above the law applies to only one traitorous criminal at a time, not two.
But they didn't "break and enter". They were granted access by the new leadership. Those actions by the leaders might themselves be treasonous by that requires the government to charge them.
It's like hoping the red fox will tell the blue fox "oh no, you can't go into the hen house!" Both foxes are on the same side.
We are seeing one of the really tragic flaws in our system in fast terrible action. Our entire system depends on EVERYONE supporting the idea that everyone believes in the same goals even if the methods might vary. But when one side gets power and decides to just break the faith there is no one left to turn to for help. Who is going to arrest them when they control the mechanisms of law enforcement in the Capitol?
We are headed for an actual war in this country, tragic as it is. Either that or complete capitulation to the forces in power now. I don't see any other options that make any sense.
The country is not easily divided by geography, but it is already divided by ideology. How I wish that sanity could find a home and leave the inmates that have taken over the asylum in their red state hell. Being a resident of Texas, I’d crawl to a sane spot.
Sadly I think we are headed that way as well. This is going to turn violent at some point. I have wondered more than once lately about whether I should exercise my 2nd amendment rights while I still can. The thought sickens me though.
Find someone who can and does exercise that right, who is on our side, and support them. Remember the old adage that an Army crawls on its stomach? Without support of the cooks, bakers, mechanics, supply folks (think Radar O'Riley) the fighters can't fight.
For one, I am not as physically able as I once was, but have both the training and expertise to engage, and I will do so. I do know this: For every front line combatant, there are a minimum of three people providing the support that combatant needs.
Interesting. I’ve noticed that a lot of companies large disbursements require two signatures. Obviously there’s a reason for that. I wonder why similar safeguards are not in place for access to our nations most sensitive and far-reaching data.
I sent this to my state AG this morning, most from a script recommended by Robert Reich:
I urge you to file complaints, injunctions, and/or restraining orders against Elon Musk and his tech minions for committing identify theft, violating the Privacy Act, and riding roughshod over Congress’s spending power in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Please encourage other State AG’s to join you or to do the same. It’s all hands on deck right now, before it’s too late!
This is comparable to the wildfires in LA, but unlike those fires, it could have been prevented. Both trump and musk, as well as others, said what they would do, and now they're doing it, and worse. But I guess eggs are cheaper? Oh, that's not happening.
The bottom line Miriam is that when we look in the mirror, we see that we are made up of racists, bigots and misogynistic people. The bottom line is most people know he’s so very bad but at least he’s not a black woman.😩😩😩
Exactly. When I accused my bro of voting for chump. He said I won’t tell you who I voted for. I said I know you didn’t vote for a woman. He immediately said, not a black one anyway. stupid MAGAt.
Fire is never 100% preventable, but we have had heads up about climate change for decades. The morbidly rich don't give a #$%& so long as they can maximize profits and buy off the laws that might have held the line. Climate news continues to be dire, and fires are getting larger and more frequent, among other destructive consequences.
Thanks for the egg price update, Tracey. Do you have a way to raise chickens safely? Even if any of us do, and I do not have, we could not protect them from the possibility Avian Flu. We really do need our World Health Organization and the CDC.
I've raised and kept chickens for close to 20 years now and can't really imagine not having them now. They're great pets and bird friends and need some care and protection but really worth it by getting to have quality eggs, kind of a symbiosis.
There're so many different breeds and heritage types, some are very rare, even threatened by extinction. I love having those hens, so many different colors, personalities and habits, so of course I'm a little worried about this bird flu. But I'm much more worried about the virus that resides in the White House and that toxic creep Elon rifling through the governmental offices and our personal information.
If you have any way to keep a few chickens(I think 3 is about perfect for a small family & they do like to be in a group), this hatchery is so awesome. You can get chickens, ducks, quail, even geese, guinea fowl or peacocks(if you have enough space) and supplies from this place.
I worry that MAGAts are not animal lovers, wildlife especially. I know that is a wide brush, but I worry about even well-meaning people abandoning animals when they get too expensive.
JDinTX, it might help you to know that some of the people in that category are animal lovers. The love for animals is a point I can appreciate and share. As Kamala pointed out, we need to focus on how we are alike rather than how we are different, but we must still manage to do what we can to save our values and our country.
Horhai, what a pleasure it is to read this treasure of information about chickens, hens, and eggs! Thank you so much. If I had the place, I would love to do that, and three does sound like a manageable number.
I'm in SW MO and gas is at least .25/gal higher. The city where we live is a gas and oil pipeline dispersal point. Our gas is usually cheaper than average. Grocery and other prices are going up, too. Are others seeing this, too?
The photo of his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, says it all.
She’s bug-eyed behind him as he announces his targeting of the entirety of Gaza for his ludicrous fantasy “world people” real estate development.
The war criminal Netanyahu, sitting beside him as with straight face he made his announcement, also shows he, too, had never before heard even an inkling of this preposterous insanity. No one had.
Funny thing about fancying oneself above the law, beyond even common sense, is that – once there, totally in ga-ga-goo-goo land – even one’s most mad fantasies need never come close to any reality connections.
The Clarence court – mostly totally corrupt, also in far-right cuckoo land – could pronounce their fellow loony above the law, immune to any and all accountability: as are they with sugar daddy billionaire corruptions, perjuries, and laughable contempt for the Constitution.
Funnier yet: how all the Republicans also straight face just keep mouths wide open for whatever’s extra from their orange felon’s diapers.
It’s the John Robert’s court - he does nothing about Clarence because all of the Clarence outrageousness gives him cover for his actions - remember his “money is speech” citizens united - or most recently “the president is immune in actions he takes while he is in office”
I'll have to revisit my old notes on the cooperation of former Presidents and their staffs after just seeing Morning Joe and Joe's comments on Herbert Hoover Helping Harry Truman set up food relief for Europe after VE Day. See https://podscripts.co/podcasts/morning-joe/morning-joe-2625
"... Starting point is 00:37:59
I mean, and saying he sent the agency to the woodchipper. I mean, he's reveling in getting rid of this agency. So Trump is kind of between, is there enough of a public pressure campaign that highlights the good work that USAID does for people but also for Americans against this move of these must all be woke liberals, we have to get rid of them?
Starting point is 00:38:20
There really is something so horrifying about a child starving in Sudan being far more likely to starve to death because the world's richest man is going around calling people that are administering that aid worms. And let me explain this again for those who have ears to hear. David Ignatius, when the United States provides aid, yes, we provide aid because some of us believe, and I will say this on Ronald Reagan's birthday. Some of us believe that America really is, and it should be, a city shining brightly on the hill for all the world to see. That is one of the reasons why we do it.
Starting point is 00:39:16
The other reason goes back to what I've been saying this week when Harry Truman called Herbert Hoover in, two political enemies, two political rivals. But Harry Truman said, you're the person that can organize relief across Europe, across the world, in a world that has been destroyed by World War II. And yes, we're doing this because it's the right thing to do. But we're also doing this because hungry mouths become communist mouths, become communist foot soldiers. We have to win Europe..."
The most important points (to me), came at the end.
"...While replete with insights, Hoover’s 18-page memo was not without flaws. His innate wariness of Communist Russia, while warranted, came across in language that sounds racist to modern ears. Hoover described the Russians as Asiatics, and as such, argued that they would never honor any treaties signed. He advised Truman that the Russians would enter the war against Japan ‘in the last five minutes’ in order to gain territory in Manchuria..."
They actually waited until August 8, 1945, one or two days after the first atomic bomb was dropped, depending upon which side of the international date line you were on.
It also reveals why the wealthy Herbert Hoover accepted a Presidential Pension (so as to not embarrass his friend Harry Truman who really needed his). I have always had great respect for both of them, whether or not I agreed with everything they did.
The aid they delivered was not just humanitarian, it also helped us gain the trust and appreciation of most of the world, including especially former enemies.
I don’t know about the Rangers, but I can’t believe all of our military leaders are taking all this destruction-from-within sitting down. Especially Generals Milley, Austin, Esper, and others. Also the deposed FBI and CIA people, etc. I think there’s a real house-cleaning coming,and both Donnie Dump and Mr. Skum will be reckoned with.
None of the leaders you mentioned (Milley, Esper, Austin, etc) are in power any more in case you hadn't noticed. They have no control over the military. It is POSSIBLE that some of the new leadership might not like what is going on, but again, look back at when Esper ran the military under Trump. He did provide a few guardrails but for most of the time he did little to actually prevent the terrible things Trump was doing. In this country the tradition of the military is to accept most orders given by civilian leadership (which now is alcoholic misogynist Pete Hegseth) so I wouldnt depend on them to do anything significant.
Milley, Esper, Austin, etc.: The fact that they are retired doesn’t mean they don’t have strong support. It means they can fly somewhat under the radar and raise a clandestine army of people who have served under them in the past. They’re military leaders; I really doubt they’re running from Trump and Musk with their tails between their legs.
The courts are independent, but move slowly. Police are sworn to uphold the constitution, and can make the arrests with legal cover. Breach of national security is a military matter. The agencies created by Congress have the power to tell Mump to fuck off because Congress had the sole spending authority. Their actions in cutting off funding is illegal as he'll. How many reasons are needed? The power is vested in individuals and institutions. This rollover is gross.
Damn good question. What’s frustrating so many of us,caught like deer in the headlights, is the feeling that something MUST. be done. Our system of laws was obviously not designed to move at warp speed.
I think it's bc the people in gov't positions first are confused with all the chaos and lack of communication and they took their constitutional oaths seriously and they're questioning what breaking them...even if they see the crisis occurring ...is something they can do? We aren't a nation populated with tv action heros.
Their shock-and-awe strategy is mind-bogglingly terrifying. As always, grateful for you Heather, and your ceaseless recording of this historic time we’re in.
The Tariff Wars are not the only coup 2.0 scam that "blew-up in Trump's face" today.
The stalwart LFAA commenter Ellie Kona alerted me to the fact NORMAN L. EISEN (Norm) was interviewed on Lawrence O'Donnell's show tonight. I tape Lawrence's show so I went to the 22.00 minute mark to get Norm's report on his court action to halt the Elon Musk Gang's raid on private financial & IRS data at Bureau of the Fiscal Service.
Norm's case is Civil Action 25-313 (CKK); Case No. 1:25-cv-00313. At Norm's hearing today, the Judge even drafted an Order granting a halt to ELON MUSK aka 'DOGE' (whatever that is) access. No statutory exceptions for Elon Musk. Heads Up: Norm's actual courtroom opponent is new AG Pam Bondi's DOJ, Department of Injustice.
Norm & Team submitted evidence proving up violations the Privacy Act & IRS Code Section 6103(b)(1) data which "shall be confidential".
Norms reported on Lawrence's show that we could have final PTO tomorrow Thursday afternoon 2/6. Another Big Win for our democratic republic.
Thank you, Bryan, for laying out what happened. Norm Eisen was not so clear in his TV appearance that they were granted a Temporary Restraining Order today and it looks good to get a permanent one, but he and his teams are heroic:
While we have been assaulted by a firehose of news of so many varied attacks, this heist of our US Treasury has been described as the worst ever in history. It deserves to be a focus of our attention. It’s our money running our government and the myriad benefits we accrue, and money talks.
Well as long as Trump is President and things are going his way, they certainly won't be prosecuted. Only the DoJ could prosecute them for Federal crimes and right now Pam Bondi is AG and she's looking to prosecute Democrats, not Trump loyalists.
And remember, all Trump has to do is grant them av pardon.
Ok, it’s tax time. I have an appointment with my tax preparer early in March. If I owe Fed taxes, as I sometimes do, should I NOT pay them this year???
Mark, can you tell me why Gary Peters is a snake please? I'm in Michigan and he is my Senator and although I try to keep up on what is going on, what have I missed about him? I really want to know. Thank you.
He has stonewalled every piece of progressive legislation presented to him. He’s just another corporate toady. The fact that he identifies as a Democrat doesn’t give him a pass.
He is one of my Senators. I don’t think this is true Mark. He is not running again, which I am upset about. Have he and his family been threatened by Trump? Probably…
I followed Gary Peters for sometime, even though he is not in my state. I was very impressed with him, and I thought he had done good things for the state of Michigan.
“Trump’s team “had not done even the most basic planning to examine the feasibility of the idea”…” ( of taking over Gaza ). Is this not an invasion? What needs to be examined? It’s a hostile intention and shouldn’t even cross anyone’s mind as a thing! That puts the US on about the same moral ground as Putin FFS!
All of this dismantling of the government is so difficult to watch. And at the same time, Trump is rolling back protections for marginalized groups in the U.S. and abroad. The cruelty is unbelievable to me. I wish some of the Republicans would wake up and get a conscience but it seems that won’t happen. I recently read about the idea of “the sin of empathy “ embraced by some evangelicals. This notion is so antithetical to everything I have ever learned about Christianity in mainline Protestant church. I only wish there was more to do to help the whole situation.
A self-condemning term, where pointing out empathy as a sin - sin originally indicating a miss in an archery event - and the miss is theirs, they are doing the missing. Empathy looks like danger to them so they are also expressing their fear, which very much ties into what they think they can believe it's only the parts of the Bible that satisfy their conquesting aims and desires. They are truly afraid of other people thinking anything, expressing anything, that aims at the base of their particular idea edifice, one designed to claim the right to all power over others, which for them reinforces the false basis they are all standing on. They act like little gods just doing for themselves and their dangerously stupid notions of conquering all around them so
they will feel even more self-protected from ---- us, the folks who dare to think of freedom-as-inquiry, as open-minded, as a vigorous expression of being human in the nested independency of our laws and institutions.
Freedom is an environment where it is safe to be one's self; and in a world with other beings in it, also a responsibility. There is a certain freedom in solitude, bit social freedom is reciprocal, else it is tyranny.
The "sin" is the sin of APATHY, not EMPATHY. Some moron listened to a preacher and incorrectly heard him/her say it. Since "the church" is fixated on sins, they are the ones responsible for this ridiculous idea, especially evangelicals. It is also known as Sloth, one of the seven deadly sins.
The cruelty is the point; what is unbelievable to you is mother's milk to them. They thrive on it. Christian Nationalism is on our doorstep, and they welcome it.
Heather said this just today in her Politics Talk. How do we get this in front of Republican Congress?
"Republicans in Congress can stop this any time they want, but not for much longer, because once Musk or Trump gets to the point where they can do whatever they want, why do they need Congress?"
They won't need a Congress... Republicans are participating in their own obsolescence. Then they'll be as an unimportant as every other US citizen to Trump and Elon
Almost all of them are wealthy, if not morbidly so, and they think their wealth will protect them no matter what. Selfish fools will be the first on the chopping block.
Repubs donn’t even want to stop it. Refer to Mitch saying I’m still a Republican, like it’s way more important than being an American. Which he has demonstrated with every breath he takes.
You are not alone Michal. The world is on high alert. American citizens are not a minority group that few care about, keep the faith. Trump's actions are threatening everyone in the free world. Trust in the incredible knowledge and expertise of those who oppose these psychopaths.
The Wye angus herd has evolved by selective inbreeding. It also uses castration for males whose characteristics on the whole are not in line with the desired ideal.Castration is also used by most breeding herds with no intention of using inbreeding although it happens anyway. Humans have evolved in a similar manner but more Willy nilly. Plant a cabbage get a cabbage, not a Brussel sprout.
Barbara, I think that the readership here has exploded; there are lots of folks on here (recent arrivals) that don't have the history here that some of us do. I also notice that many former frequent commenters here are absent from the comments section.
It is hard for me, these days, logging on at 0445 PST to find over 400 comments to wade through, knowing that some of my favorite folks to interact with here are not engaging any longer. I'm pretty sure they're still here, but I miss their commentary.
It is up to us old timers to direct the conversations in meaningful ways. I had noticed a tendency towards whining, doom scrolling and doomier comments.
We can redirect. I will use the comments section for activism and help people to wake up. I sure have appreciated you continued presence on this platform.
If I were in charge of the Democrats, I would be quietly working behind the scenes on flipping some Republicans to our side. I cannot believe there aren’t some Republicans who reside in blue districts that are happy with the current situation. Everything has to be thought of. All hands on deck! Be creative!
Keep the faith, MichalkD. I doubt that you have done anything offensive. Probably a lot of good people are working on possible solutions to help us. I do not know who or how, but I trust that there are people somewhere who really do care about the American people and what is honest, legal, and fair. Yes, we have many obstacles against fixing the problems, and we can see the direction things are going now. Still, we will do the best we can, and we know that each of us here care. I do not know solutions and I wish I did. I do know that those of us who care about all of the people will not stop caring. We will hang on and hope for good things. I can’t promise them, but we can all hope, and if you choose to pray, maybe our hopes will be answered sooner. I can’t speak for God either, but I hope, and I pray.
I have not been able to get something you said in Politics Talk today Dr. Richardson out of my mind:
"Republicans in Congress can stop this any time they want, but not for much longer, because once Musk or Trump gets to the point where they can do whatever they want, why do they need Congress?"
How do we get this in front of Republican Congress people?
I may not even come close to being a government scholar, but I seen long ago that Congress may not be able to stop this. When people respond to my wailing against trump, the response of that it will never happen because Congress will stop it. Well, an authoritarian dictator can dissolve Congress whenever he wants. Right??
Never in my life have I seen such chaos and criminality. This is a the GOP “Government of Putin” determined to change the American dream into the American nightmare.
Is our Constitutional Democratic Republic dead? Will the Supreme Court uphold the Constitution? King Elon I has control of the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch. Who will stop him? Trump gave the keys to the government to a Bad Man.
So. What is your action plan?
Last I checked this is Our Country, Our Democracy, Our Constitution.
We stop him.
Find a protest.
Tell everyone of the danger.
Call Congress now. The switchboard is answering. They will direct your call to whomever you wish.
Congress
1-202-224-3121
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
— E. B. White
We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
— Thomas Jefferson
TODAY IS THE DAY.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
Call Early. Call Often. If DC mailboxes are full then Call State Offices. If there is no connection then call at off hours. And call everyone you can. Including House members, because they're working to send terrible legislation to Trump to sign. THANKYOU.
Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
Below will show you Committees, that can take you to Committee members, and that to their websites with phone numbers
US Senate Hearings & Meetings
US House Hearings & Meetings
.http://www.house.gov/legislative-activity.
From a Congressional Staffer:
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans.
I called the White House yesterday and to much shock, after a menu of choices, the phone began to ring and someone answered. I began speaking my objections to Musk and his raiders— and then she hung up on me.
Karen, that is outrageous! Good job on your part! I’m 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
You should have said, “This is Karen Rile, and my net worth is more than 10 billion dollars.”
Remember, Musk now has access to the net worth of every American.
That happened to me too!😡
Send an email to your Senator. Or write a letter. It takes more time, but they need a flood of letters and emails. Be aware of how they voted on each nominee and address that too. Make them responsible for the damage they have done with their vote.
Don't let that stop you. I've left messages at several offices already this morning, and I spoke with someone from Schumer's Syracuse office (no-one was responding and the phone wouldn't take messages at the DC office). I'm also asking people to have Elon Musk arrested and jailed. Certainly what he is doing is illegal.
I tried calling him too! Cowards!
Try to be short and precise. Have your main message ready. They will not listen to outrage.
Yes--this is the way to do it. Short and precise.
"Try to be short and precise. Have your main message ready. They will not listen to outrage."
This!!! ThankYou!!!
I’ve been making 6 calls a day and have been getting some live people, even a republican, who was actually very nice, surprisingly!
Send an e-mail or a letter through DeJoy's Postal Service. Ask for an answer.
Since the anthrax letters scare, letters are not the most effective.
My friend called earlier than I did and got through a much longer message—we think it was the same woman who answered.
You tried, by God, you did that.
Badge of Honor, Karen!!
WOW!
We need Democratic Senators to actually put that blanket hold on all Trump nominees, before the Vought vote. This link will take you to the Caucus members' websites.
Someone needs to step up. (I'm starting with older Senators in Blue states.)
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/about-senate-dems/our-caucus
We need to ask them to have musk stopped and jailed. What he's doing is certainly illegal.
I don’t believe that nominations like Vought’s are subject to holds. That’s why so many of Trump’s anti-American cabinet secretaries have been approved.
Delays are possible. In a video released yesterday on YT, Leeja Miller recounted all the ways Democrats can delay just about everything Republicans try to do, just by using ordinary procedural motions. For example, call for a quorum on every single procedure. Delay, delay, delay, Trump's favorite tactic. It works for him, Dems should make it work for us.
The Senate can filibuster every single one of them not just Vaught’s.
Sometimes more than anything we need to know other people are in this with us and are fired up. Thank you Lin for the inspiring words.
In solidarity and rage we will prevail.
Please, please -- can we get back to using Democratic correctly? As the adjective it is,
As "republican" is, even if it's laughably misapplied to MAGA.
What do the bad guys do? The bad guys repetitively say, “‘We’ are the good guys, and ‘they’ are the bad guys because ‘they’ don’t think like ‘us’.”
What do the good guys do?
Jo Cox (1974–2016) was one of the good guys. She was famous for being a British MP, for being murdered by a right-wing extremist, and for saying, “We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.”
Bob Dylan is one of the good guys. In 1964, he famously implied that as soon as everyone follows his “don’t criticize what you can’t understand” advice, the times they are a-changin’. That is the double truth, Ruth, and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately, Dylan did not say the whole truth. Fortunately, I will. The missing truth is what the good guys do, which is understand before criticizing.
I want to be on Team Good Guy. The way for the good guys to understand is in a conversation about how two people can have the same human brain, and then one person acts like an egalitarian, and the other person acts like an authoritarian. Also, I have the answer. Right or wrong, someone needs to start the conversation.
To become part of the conversation, subscribe to my fee-free newsletter and make a comment. The following is the link to the fourth and most recent edition in a series of essays. This one prescribes the vaccine for the authoritarian virus.
The other possibility is that you agree with my prescription. In that case, hand out the vaccine by copying the link and sending it to everyone you can think of, including (good guy) politicians.
Link: https://substack.com/home/post/p-156539511
Lin, I spent yesterday calling a number of offices. Tried calling Schiff…phone rings and rings and rings. Called Padilla and got an answering machine. Called Schumer yesterday, same ring, ring, ring. Called the Capitol line, nothing comes on. Here’s who I did leave messages for and that was Gwen Moore (Wis) and Judy Chu (CA) because they entered Mike Johnson’s office unannounced while he was meeting with Bessent, that m’effer who gave the keys to the USAID building! I told them both that they were badasses!
I called Elissa Slotkin today, tomorrow it is Gary Peters (they are our Senators). Next it will be Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, perhaps Fetterman to ask him WTF he is doing, all of the gang!
I would love to join the phone calling and protesting but to be honest, I have to work so I can pay my bills. I am a couple years from retirement and lost all my savings for such in 2008, and went upside down in value of my condo. I may now lose the SS that Ive worked my whole life paying into and I dont want to feel bad that I cant help with the protests, but I do.
Nancy, all anyone can ask is that you do what you are able to. No need to feel bad, if all you can do is vote, do that. Every drop of water creates an ocean.
Do what you can when you can. Take a break. Breathe. And come back and do what you can. There’s Resistbot that will send you texts that are easy to respond to. There is 5 Calls for making calls but if you don’t have time and energy to make calls, try Resistbot. Take care of yourself and hang in there. Best of luck to you.
i love resistbot!
Like a Dalek, only "Communicate!".
Speaking of technology, here is an manipulative MAGA twist:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/06/ice-us-immigration-deportations-google
Nancy, can you spend the time eating dinner making a few calls? Just a few calls in the 30 minutes or so?
Thinking that we have to call every single member of Congress is daunting. But don't forget the old adage that the ocean is made up of single drops. YOUR few drops matters.
I've also suggested contacting the AARP. Their mission statement says they are non-partisan (and I had replies that they are not) but regardless, EXACTLY your fears is why this is a bipartisan concern and they (AARP) should take a stand.
You have time to do read these comments. Take the time to email your Senator
harsh
Has anyone seen any stories from protestors going in Senator's or Congressmen's offices in their home states? Is there security there?
And maybe get the names and addresses of all of their staff. They don't care about ANY Federal worker. Why should we care about their partisan staff?
I just walked into my US/MAGA Rep’s office this week.It’s on the second floor of a government building, down a winding hallway with a locked office door and phone outside to request access.
These staffers deal with constituent issues every day.You could drop in/call and say I have an issue with SS/Medicare……..and Elon’s takeover of the Treasury and access to my personal data.What is Rep/Sen doing about that?
Today I’m calling Rep and MAGA Senators and will say I’m terrified of paying my taxes and giving them any access to my bank account.I will reference Murdoch’s WSJ article HCR cited.Join me !📲
Constituents can make appointments to talk about an issue with the senator or staffer at state offices or just walk in. No need to barge in. I've also just walked in to DC offices - but who knows now.
There’s a protest today here. I understand Hagerty has closed his local offices. He’s the most sycophantic and worst coward. And his DC aides are rude.
I was in Collins Portland office. (As were hundreds of us). Only met staff who heard our individual concerns. It took hours.
My husband phones her office all the time on different issues and leaves messages. Only once has he ever gotten a callback.
indeed keep the phone lines humming!
#PublicHealthHaiku
Act on all levels /
Calls, letters, and outrage /
Stop this juggernaut.
Thanks, Barbara, for your clear message and phone # for Congress.
Elizabeth Sommers -- Many thanks!! Pithy haikus are an extraordinary way to state one's message. Great discipline is needed.
And DEMAND that the Constitution and Bill of Rights be returned to the White House website page.
AND be reinstated.
Check out Rogan's List on Substack. (No connection to Joe Rogan). It's a daily list of concrete actions individuals can take to defend democracy. Good, practical information.
Oh wow! This is great!
Thank You.
Could you share the link?
Of course, https://susanrogan.substack.com/.
Got it!! Thank you Barbara 👊
I've tried to get through multiple times. Keep ending up at a full voice-mail box. Also, the people who really need to be calling are those in Republican held districts. It would be great to create bite-sized posts (most Trump fans won't read the details) that sre not attacking nor blaming to enlighten Trump's base by surfacing the elements that will resonate with them.
Did you call this number? I talked to an operator around 3am today.
Congress
1-202-224-3121
Also:
X Headquarters
(415) 222-9670
Tesla Headquarters
(512) 516-8177
Barbara, I called my Rep and sent emails to our 2 Senators. Does anyone have a feeling as to which is more effective (i.e., calling vs emailing)?
Doug, I dont know f it's true, but I heard they just delete emails. So my suggestion is to either write a letter or phone .
You "heard"?
Let's go full force on everything. The solders in WW2 did not judge the battle. They got in there and slugged it out.
Let's not overthink this. We have our own shock and awe.
We need to do everything
Barbara, on HCR's Politics podcast, SHE said they don't pay attention to emails and to CALL or go to any in-person town halls, etc.
I'm still going to email, but I am calling, too.
Thanks Robin. If true, that flies in the face of the "Contact Me" pages on the websites, when if you click the email option, you fill in a form.
Doug, I have worked with electeds. Believe me, they pay attention to two things, angry constituents and money. Call them, tell them you are angry and ready to act, either by no longer contributing to them or by contributing to their challenger.
I get responses (canned) to my emails from my Rep & one of my Senators. I'm pretty sure they create fund raising mailingvlusts from emails too.
What about postcards? Then our union brothers and sisters at the USPS down the line could witness our outrage too. Solidarity.
I think this would be awesome! Now that we've broken the Congressional phone system, we inundate their offices with sacks and sacks of postcards. I started sending postcards out of sheer frustration early on and I've been pretty gleeful at what I can plaster all over that big empty canvas on the front of the blank ones I bought. One of my first was to Hakeem Jeffries shortly after the election where I wrote in big bold letters on the front: "You lost me at: 'That doesn't sound like to me we need a complete makeover.' SMH". And "BE BOLD, BE LOUD, SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY" to one of my Democratic senators who was doing the business-as-usual fiddling while Rome burned. Then on the other side, I squeezed in 50 words of rebuke and demands, not polite little requests, DEMANDS. What a way for our finally-engaged Dems to make a physical display of our rage for the media and on the House and Senate floors, maybe even a postcard drop from the top of the building. What should we call it? How about Postcards from the Proletariat? Okay, maybe something else but I really love your idea!!
I have emailed my senators every day and go a response from one yesterday. So at least one senator is responding.
Beth, I emailed both a couple days ago, and got a “thank you for reaching out to us” message. Hope you got more. I posed the question elsewhere: which is more effective: emails or phone calls? Anyone have thoughts?
Time to get clever. If you have relatives or friends in Red Districts, use their addresses (if asked for one) and call their Congressional Offices.
Calling Democratic Congressional Reps & Senators is spitting in the wind
lin•
lin•
5h
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
— E. B. White
We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
— Thomas Jefferson
TODAY IS THE DAY.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
Call Early. Call Often. If DC mailboxes are full then Call State Offices. If there is no connection then call at off hours. And call everyone you can. Including House members, because they're working to send terrible legislation to Trump to sign. THANKYOU.
Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
Below will show you Committees, that can take you to Committee members, and that to their websites with phone numbers
US Senate Hearings & Meetings
US House Hearings & Meetings
.http://www.house.gov/legislative-activity.
From a Congressional Staffer:
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans.
Do you have data on the spitting in the wind theory?
No, just logic. How much power do the Democrats have in the Congress & Senate just now?
How much impact do you think it has on Republicans and Trump & Co to hear that there is outrage in Blue States? Hint: they don't care
However, increased calls coming from Red & Swing States are very important to them.
I've been known to pick an apartment address in the Red District I want to contact the Rep for, then call and email them that I just moved in and was shocked to learn he/she supports (fill in the blank)
Choose your action. Dedicate yourself to it.
We will prevail.
While public outrage is (rightly) being directed at Squealon, Donald is committing a larger crime someplace else, only more quietly. Musk is his stooge.
"One of the best uses for a monkey is to make everybody pay attention to the monkey."
No question there are stooges and monkeys, but if you'll permit me, I see who is which a bit differently. I see T rump as the monkey, who I suspect will be replaced at some point. He is providing cover for those who are executing Project 2025 -- the GOP Congress et al who have wanted this for decades. And Musk? I'll get to that in a sec. It is the person we haven't seen much of, Vance, who is the monarch-in-waiting, the crown prince that Thiel and Yarvin and all that ilk installed as VP so that he can ascend to the actual throne that everyone involved is creating for him. And then there's who I like to call Elon Robespierre, another agent of the Thiel/Yarvin tech gang, who is the evil advisor and henchman who can never be king but who will be richly rewarded for paving the way and standing by the boy-king Vance, who will appear out of nowhere when the monkey "retires", seemingly untouched by the messiness of this takeover. Now, how's that for a theory!
Lizzy, I have a similar opinion: JD is quiet because he is who Thiel wants in the Oval Office. Biding his time.
Ally and Lizzy. I have thought all along that death star is the puppet. All those orders he is signing were written for him. He has not idea what they say. I will also note here that the so-called victory vis a vis Canada and Mexico is not only not a real victory, but it is already hurting big time, American products. Several Oregon wineries have reported that their negotiations in Canada to sell a lot of wine have already fallen through.
Yeah, their little plan to tank the market for a second while they buy up cheap stocks to then say, oops, we didn't mean it, to watch their profits immediately soar, well, they didn't count on a collective rejection of their treachery by our pissed off neighbors to the north. I hate that small companies will also pay the price but I think those smaller business owners will not forget who did this to them.
I agree that 45 is the monkey. The tariff battle, as bad and as stupid as it is, distracted from Musk invading government computer systems, stealing data, and rewriting codes in those systems. The tariffs will generate higher prices. It won’t matter what the price of eggs is, if the little musketeers have cut off your Social Security or veterans benefits, Medicare, etc and you have no money to pay for eggs. Elon in the computer systems of the government is biggest story of all. They are breaking laws left and right.
Musk's cyber-warfare is certainly a much creeper threat. and a lot harder to undo. The whole system is compromised. And yes, beyond illegal.
If there is any way to eliminate anyone or anything that can cut that support of the boy king in waiting, let's find it out too. Especially the monetary weaknesses of any of these because they are not without worshipping of money to buy power. The boy king can be replaced But the monetary infrastructure is the Achilles heel. Support the removal of the special employees.
Yep, do we ever need to start having the big conversations about the monetary infrastructure that spawned this whole mess even while we fight off this attack or I fear whatever win we have now will be hollow and vulnerable.
Lizzie, it's a Coup d'Evil.
Love that! And it is the villainaires leading the way (I stole that from someone on Threads whose young son was trying to say billionaires and ended up hitting the truth).
"My best guess is that a billionaire, having climbed to incredible heights, realizes that he’s still an ordinary human being who puts his pants on one leg at a time, and asks, “Is this all there is?”
So he starts demanding things money can’t buy, like universal admiration. Read Ross Douthat’s interview with Marc Andreessen, in which the tech bro explains why he has turned hard right. Andreessen says that it’s not about the money, and I believe him. What bothers him, instead, is that he wants everyone to genuflect before tech bros as the great heroes of our age, and instead lots of people are saying mean things about him and people like him"
.
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-pathetic-billionaires-club
Lizzy, my analysis of current events is close to yours. Too many are missing the forest for the trees. The core group that animates the party formerly known as "Republican" are evangelicals. They are known for playing the long game. To wit, believers willing to wait an entire lifetime for their "heavenly reward" are quite willing to wait decades for their champions to take command of the country they believe was founded as a "christian nation."
But evangelicals eschew secular education, which deprives them of critical thinking. Consequently, they think they are in control when actually, they are being controlled. Sharper, devious operators have distracted them with smooth-talking malleable monkeys like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and hot-button issues like abortion, marriage equality, immigration and egg prices.
And as the culture war raged in the public square, the christo-fascist oligarchs operated in the shadows, packing the courts with corrupt rubber stamps and loading the legislature with spineless sycophants. Perhaps I am the only one who sees Mike Johnson and J.D. Vance as two copies made from the same template. Utterly unqualified for their official positions, both seemed to come out of nowhere. We don't even know who Vance actually is.
Donald was elevated to provide the distraction; he is the monkey. As he drifts deeper into dementia, he'll be sidelined. Musk is the demolitions expert. He will level the government and clear a pad for Thiel, Yarvin et al to build their new technocracy and Vance will be the new monkey. I don't think Musk will continue to play a role in whatever is left of the U.S. after he is finished with demolition and reconfiguration. He will move on to demolish other democracies around the world.
Evangelicals will feel vindicated after all their years of imagined "persecution," but they won't have as much control as they expected. It won't take long until they are whining again.
So many dots you've connected here. The Vance/Johnson twins, spot on. And absolutely Musk's game is global. Frankly, that's the case for the other villainaires as well which is a major point that makes this Gilded Age 2.0 different than the last. The robber barons from the Great Depression had their fortunes tied up and to the United States; this new group is pilfering the world as citizens of only their own worlds. As such, they are riding and accelerating the wave of the US empire's predictable and nearly completed fall from its position atop the economic and social order and sucking up every bit of treasure they can, leaving in its wake what they hope will be a new proletariat they can exploit and ignore while they live their real lives in the next host. So, act fast, break things, move on, repeat. And I think one of the new things we need to do and can do is bring into our fight at home, international groups and individuals who are rooting for us as they fight for their own survival too. It may be a global cabal of wealth and authoritarianism we face, but there's more of us all around the world who can join forces too.
Control. That is the word that connects all these forces, isn't it? And people who crave and demand control do so not from a place of strength but from fear, self-doubt and likely loathing, in effect, weakness. I don't think we do enough to capitalize on that shared vulnerability of theirs.
And your dot connecting brings up a key strength this group managed to weaponize that we would be wise to emulate: coalition-building. They have done what the Progressives of the New Deal era got right of finding touch points among separate, seemingly at times incompatible groups to join forces against all that the wealth class wanted, did, and prevented the other classes from having which we know didn't turn out well, and which we're headed toward again. We need to do the same. So then, do we need a new kind of FDR to coalesce around? I've got my ears perked up to hear who gets it, who can articulate it, and who can unite us. In the meantime, we fight on.
Once you get past the billionaire oligarchs, it's monkeys all the way down!
Spot on.
Now and as always, follow the money. What was the first Civil War really about? The Boston Tea Party? Feudalism?
Which begs the question, when are we going to pluck out that actual root? And then, what the Dems are not yet doing in order to offer the alternative people can unite behind, is with what do we replace it? Stick and carrot. Are we ever going to be ready to have those big conversations? But, honestly, at some point we will be left with no other option cuz one of these times we will be decimated to the point of having to start from scratch, if we even survive. Now, I'm not a doomsayer, but I'd sure like to avoid anything even close to that. So, when IS the right time for us to finally start the earnest conversation about changing the role of money in our species-wide society? I'm thinking now would be good?
The "love" of money has been said to be root of all evil, or at least of many evils. The word "love" seems misapplied there, at least in the sense of love as compassion; but then we also say "I love chocolate" to indicate an extreme liking. The Biblical phrase makes sense if, by loving money, one is excessively willing to sacrifice other important values. To be willing to kill for personal gain (directly or indirectly) would widely be recognized as "evil".
.
Thoreau said "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.", which makes sense to me. Malignant narcissism seems to me to be the curse of humanity, as a matter of degree rather than mere presence of some degree of personal narcissism, which I think is likely universal. I think that destructive careless or predatory narcissism comes in many guises, and troubles human relations across the board, friendships and families as well as whole societies.
.
Probably the ways I frame it are too technical for public messaging, but unbalanced, unmoderated selfishness is currently tearing our society apart, and may even ultimately doom our whole species. We need some way to collectively take a look at that.
I must say Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) is very good with acronyms. The ELON MUSK Act—the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy Act—which would ban federal contracts for Special Government Employees, similar to the bans for members of Congress and other federal employees [letter] is brilliant!
What we are seeing is that the checks and balances of this government are not working. They have worked for 249 years. But when people lose their integrity because they are too afraid of losing their jobs, this is what happens. It is so frightening how easily this is happening.
Don't forget the GOP voters.
And all those who did not vote for Hillary or Kamala. And do not vote Democratic down ballot (except for Bernie Sanders and Angus King.)
Carol, that's another reminder that next year is our 250th. What better time for this tragic affair to happen (other than "never"), as it provides a perfect message for the midterms. Let's declare a re-independence from foreign king Lone Skum, starting now.
Musk is the "Monkey in the Machine" for certain. He does the real damage, while The Orange Menace deflects and distracts the "little people" with parlor tricks and absurdities galore. We must RESIST! Everything they do must be challenged, daily.
This is the conflict between the Silver Spool Oligarchs and the rest of our nation.
The MAGAts will be lost forever in the mire of lies and deceit. It's up to the rest of us to think and act intelligently, and pull us out of the insane mire of Lies and Deceit. We MUST RESIST!!
I kind of think that Trump is Musk's Stooge but, either way it's awful
Musk is systematically taking over the United States Government. So far he has taken control of 11 agencies such as NOAA and the Treasury.
THIS IS A COUP.
You have it backwards. trump is the smoke and mirrors.
What, larger than taking over an entire government and its treasury? If you control the treasury, you control the money, and therefore the country.
I could not agree with you more. Slight of hand, as usual.
Lady Leon is destroying the government. Trump is the stooge.
Musk is systematically dismantling the functions of the United States' Government.
the president creates the smokescreen chaos.
Please pay better attention. Take action.
Birds of a feather. Selfish and racist as hell.
The Bad Man worked with Vladimir Putin to get Trump elected. After their "success" Putin said to Musk, "Now remind Trump that he owes us."
It was just a thought.
Trump is a bad man, in my opinion a sociopath, and all of his cronies like Musk and Bannon and Miller (every one of them) and all of his supporters down to the people that voted for him are in the same category. There really are a lot of people who lack empathy in the world. Maybe when the world population contains more sociopaths—out number those with empathy—that’s when the whole world tips in the wrong direction?
No, not yet. Think of Lincoln if you love history and love this great President of US, the man that no other country has ever produced like him. Think not democracy, think Lincoln principle.
I think now that the SCOTUS declared Trump king, he will stop paying attention to them. They can rule all they want against him (as if) but he won't have to abide by their rulings. Although the Judiciary is (allegedly) separate but equal, they have no real enforcement power. Enforcement is the purview of the Executive branch, and Trump has already taken care of that.
And the VOTERS gave the keys to TRUMP. Musk/Trump/Vance is exactly what the people wanted. They were "all in" for Project 2025. Those that voted for Trump and those who did not vote were OK with the way things are turning out. If you fall into those categories, you should be on the front lines now protesting M/T/V.
If you are rich enough trump will love you, provide you kiss his ___.
Boycott Musk’s companies. File law suits, Sell the stock, cancel orders and contracts, write negative reviews, demonstrate, speak out! Stop, slow Musk in anyway possible.
I believe you're referring to Lady Leon. He doesn't deserve a better title
What is your plan?
Have you called your Representatives? Are there protests in your area? Are you informing other people of the seriousness of what is happening?
When there is an onslaught of crazy things coming out it is on purpose. They are designed to overwhelm and dispirit people. In our modern age this overwhelm reduces people to making doom statements and doom scrolling. This is essentially shutting people down from taking any actions.
Do something. Take an action. Go to the streets and make your presence known. Call your representatives.
If you remain silent, they will win. If you remain indifferent, they will control you.
Stop complaining.
I live abroad but vote in Florida. I filed a complaint against Elon Musk with the FL AG's office for Data Breach, citing a violation of Act 5 USC 552a. I suggest everyone do this with their state's AG.
I will do this in Kentucky. Thanks.
ME TOO IN FLORIDA, THANKS.
Done! Here in Maine where I am hopeful my letter will reach a willing ear!
HOW do state AGs have jurisdiction? It is a federal law. The statute specifically mentions "the individual may bring a civil action against the agency, and the district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction in the matters under the provisions of this subsection."
I'll scream it from the rooftop at this point. I don't think we can expect the federal non-government to do anything.
I dearly hope voters remember the worthless, in fact complicit, House repubs come election time.
Problem is that this is what so many of these voters wanted. They haven't felt the bite yet. I despair of convincing any of my MAGAt former work cohort that what is going on today is unlawful, illegal, and destroying our country.
I believe that they are fearful of physical violence and, certainly massive financial opposition to them in the next election, if, indeed, there is a next election.
Our county commissioner is holding a meeting tomorrow. I'm going to stress my concern for our country and urge him to set up a plan for our community to get thru it. Hopefully renew our local barter/resource system. Care mgmt for seniors and disabled residents.
Indivisible seems to have taken off like a rocket.
Anne-Louise.., WE're Under God. And the little 27 yr old missionary who is keeping the "Press" in line (or she'll pull their badge) is who is delivering what you'll read, via obedient disciples. And, the magatt-fan base loves herr. She's so sharp. So on top of her game. Not a lot of cleavage. But she's on the right side of that cross. I miss Jen Psaki, personally. FWTW.
As usual, we'll said Barbara. On the other hand ,the fish die by the mouth. Trump's claiming victory over Canada and Mexico as well as over having control of the fires in California just by letting the water run ,non of it true, is getting to the public overwhelmingly better than our message. The master of manipulation is winning this battle but we need to find the way to turn those "victories" around. We need to control the message and let the fish die for the sake of our democracy.
Yes, express outrage,
Tell them to fire Musk.
Call Congress now. The switchboard is answering. They will direct your call to whomever you wish.
Congress
1-202-224-3121
Call our Representatives! Complain until they are forced to respond! RESIST!!
YOU ARE RIGHT!!! DOIN IT!
Busy signals at the Capitol. 1500 calls an hour.
I will be sending an email to every member of the House of Representatives plus the senators from my state. I will cite Act 5, USC 552a. So thanks to Marian as well! Just at the moment I am laid up (broken bone), so attending protests is not on the table. Shall I forward appropriate cartoons to the office of the President? Would that be a little like standing 1 foot from a rattlesnake and poking it with a stick? May not be fatal, but perhaps not the best idea I’ve ever had.
My rule on taking an action is simple:
When in doubt don't
A Republican Senator today announced on the floor that Russia was airing nude pics of Melania on their evening news for a couple days now. He framed it as a victimization of Trump & Melania. I think it's Putin humiliating Trump to show Trump he's toothless and a sucker for believing they're friends/allies
Again? Putin’s state TV did that a few weeks ago, after Trump showed a little independent streak.
That great. Now show Trump getting the golden shower treatment. That would put the finishing touches on Orange Shit Baby.
Does anyone really think trump cares what pictures of Melania are shown on Russian TV??
Were the photos of current day, Tracey?
Exactly.
I wonder if anyone now disagrees with my comments that the good generals should have suspended the constitution and declared a temporary military coup to ironically save the nation. Because this is just the beginning. Malcolm X once said “by any means necessary” and now it applies to saving democracy itself. Remember Plato once stated that Tyranny follows Democracy.” We are watching it unfold before our very eyes. I will now bring my anti Trump songs into a recording studio and get them into digital downloads. This is my contribution. This is all I can do.
It seems like everyone is waiting for the cavalry to arrive. Or for some higher power of government to step in and say, 'Okay boys, you're under arrest, you have the right to remain silent etc. etc.' before they're handcuffed and escorted from the building. And maybe that kind of thing will happen, somewhen, somehow. But Dems franticly running around trying to do things lawfully, by the book, because they are decent, professional people, may not be the solution that is ultimately needed.
DJT allegedly took the Presidential Oath of Office twice... Including Defending the Constitution, and Faithfully Executing the Laws of Congress... Do You Believe that he has done that? The Professional Military may be Stirring... Stay Tuned...
Doing unlawful things is not the answer either. They have procedural tools. See Jen Rubin’s interview with Ezra Levin, cofounder of Indivisible, on The Contrarian Substack.
It’s late for that now I’m afraid.
WAY LATE . SO SORRY. AND, THEY ARE TOO BUSY COLLECTING MONEY. I HAVE ANSWERED EVERY REQUEST FOR MONEY WITH A TEXT. I WILL NO LONGER GIVE ANY MORE MONEY UNTIL THEY LEGISLATE FOR CAMPAIGNE REFORM. GET THE DARK MONEY OUT. LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PACS AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. THEY CAN NEVER COMPETE WITH WAR CHEST FINANCE. IT'S A WASTE AT THIS POINT. I AGREE WITH BILL. I WILL NO LONGER LEGITIMIZE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS ILLEGITIMATE.
Our elected officials are already PAID with our tax dollars. If they are too old or lazy to get on their feet and work for us they have no business running. I’m pushing 80 BTW. Schumer OMG what a waste. Also you can’t respond to their never ending sometimes demands and threats for our money because these are computer generated bs. I am sick of it. No more of my money. No more!
For the past two days a few of our PAID officials have been holding and attending rallies. A smidgeon of hope. THEY WORK FOR US!!! Let them act like leaders not followers.
Saying I told you so is mean and useless.
Call Congress now. The switchboard is answering. They will direct your call to whomever you wish.
Congress
1-202-224-3121
Try using the 5 Calls app via your cellphone.
The app will connect you to your senators & reps, and provide a script (if you choose to use it) for five separate issues. After each call it returns you to your list of Congress members.
Great advice!
And it was mean and useless when I was castigated by everyone for having the audacity to suggest a military coup which is what was and is needed. I understand the implications of such an act in that it becomes a tradition or allowable. But Trump represents a coup. He is he’ll be t on destroying everything both good and bad and while I’m not so disturbed by a few things, I will not give him any legitimacy not one iota. He will stop at nothing.
The military is not going to save us. John Thune is not going to suddenly grow a spine. Democrats are in the minority of both houses. The leadership of our largest agencies and departments is being given to incompetent toadies. To paraphrase Pogo: "We have met our saviors and they are us".
Knock our paid, elected officials off their asses first.
DJT allegedly took the Presidential Oath of Office twice... Including Defending the Constitution, and Faithfully Executing the Laws of Congress... Do You Believe that he has done that? The Professional Military may be Stirring... Keep Tuned...
YOU are SO RIGHT! I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY. It is time.
Lou and Bill I am with you but not likely to lead a brigade while pushing 80 but I pay attention to Indivisible and contribute because I believe they’re diligent in preserving our democracy and we have a very diligent sector in Flourtown, Social Justice Indivisible started in 2016 right after the make-up man was first elected. I remain a supporter and our local leadership is strong and on top of things. I stand firmly with your stance to give the Repubs and Magats nothing. Forgive me if I’m a bit slow but first I need to join the group who is going after our conman, traitor and enabler … Fetterman. The lone Dem voter in favor of Bondi. Masqueraded as a rebel to get our vote. Bah bye, Fetterman.
The JFK assassination was such a coup. One of the results was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
Reminder that your call will only count if it's to your senators and representative. Indivisible is urging anyone who can get to one of the local offices of any of them it carries a lot of weight, even more so if you can go with others. All representatives and all senators have one or more local offices. My rep (Jared Huffman, CA-02) has five, none of which are near me.
Good to know that my call will only count if it's to my senators.
I’ll express my opinion as I wish. I do not remain silent for anyone.
Right. I expressed my opinion to Senator Scott and he replied by sending me a subscription to his newsletter and the edition that explained how he directly opposes everything I said, he wrote: "The Rs have to stick together and approve of each and everyone of Trump’s nominees."
I had a hard time stopping the so-called subscription. I finally called it SPAM. The Rs are Congress. This is the way the US legislature works. The Rs are supine. I sincerely hope speaking to one’s congress critter works better for others.
I've called Scott every day for the last 2 weeks. No response of any sort.
I will continue to call daily, including all the delegations from Florida.
Lawrence O’Donnell did a great show recently using David Brooks essay on Stupid and applied it where it fits. (On YouTube) This idiot fits the bill and then some.
I’ve been saying the same, Bill. The Dems are playing a chess game with an opponent who punches them in the face and pisses on the board; you can’t defeat someone like that by playing nice and adhering to the rules. Americans have to face it: you can start an armed insurrection or bow to the Sith Lords Rump and Musk and accept the end of Anerican democracy, if not all of Western civilization.
Suspend the Constitution? "Good" generals initiating a "temporary" coup? That's not the way to save this nation it would be the way to help Donold & Elonia turn it into a banana republic.
Then get used to the New Snazzy Nazi States if America
My song: "Blue Daze" Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYtTGIzb7OA
It took Rump less than two weeks to install the “deep state” of which he accused Biden of running for years. Just shows that every accusation a fascist makes, is actually a promise…
Creepy Deep State is more like it.
The would be replacements (for portions not gutted) isn't actually very deep either. A real Deep Bench has competent players and coaches, to me like the FEMA James Lee Witt See https://www.govexec.com/management/2001/06/fema-director-has-a-tough-act-to-follow/9260/
"...At a party on May 2 celebrating the founding of Witt's emergency management consulting firm, James Lee Witt Associates, politicians from both sides of the aisle--including Sens. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.-gathered in a room at the Senate Appropriations Committee to repeat stories about Witt and recall how he and FEMA helped their states during natural disasters. "You're the best," they kept telling the former director.
Also in attendance was Joe Allbaugh, Witt's successor at FEMA. During the speeches, Allbaugh stood inconspicuously in the corner of the room--something difficult for a man standing 6 feet 4 inches and sporting a distinct flat-top haircut--and he appeared slightly uncomfortable. Before Witt began speaking about his new business, he summoned Allbaugh to join him and the other politicians at the front of the room. Allbaugh declined the invitation at first. "This is your deal," he told Witt. But then he relented and walked up to join Witt.
At the end of his speech, Witt recognized Allbaugh and told the audience, "I will be his biggest fan and supporter."
"I appreciate that," Allbaugh replied. The two men shook hands.
But Witt also said something else to the crowd: "If he messes up, I'll be his worst nightmare." Of course, Witt was only joking, but his statement revealed an understanding of a larger truth about political life in Washington: It's much easier to succeed those who are incompetent or unpopular. Allbaugh faces the opposite situation. He has the unenviable and unusual task of following one of the most popular acts in recent Washington history. As FEMA's director, Witt became the personification of federal help during natural disasters. He established a reputation as someone who worked hard to prevent disasters and who could cut through red tape to deliver relief. Allbaugh, indeed, has some very big shoes to fill..."
P.S. This was all before 9/11 and Katrina
Who in the Musk/Trump power grabbing coup will competently work hard to prevent disasters and appropriately cut through red tape to deliver relief (like Pete Buttigiuge in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge)?
More importantly, a nightmare for the entire world.
Here is Olga Lautman's Trump Tyranny Tracker Day 17.
https://open.substack.com/pub/trumptyrannytracker/p/trump-tyranny-tracker-day-17?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I feel like we are in a one party state, but then I am from a Blue State, which hopefully can have some leverage against what is going on.
It's by no means accidental that it esembles Putin's systema.
No question, we are living in a nightmare. Having lived several years in So. Africa during the worst years of Apartheid did we imagine a “staunch believer of Apartheid” would be in control of tearing our Constitution asunder. I saw Mandela released and the Nationalists rebuked. Everyday that we stand up to T is another day we can (hopefully) avoid the need for a Constitutional Convention.
BREAKING Thursday Morning: U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (CKK) STOPS Musk's raid on U.S. Treasury Data. 2 Page Order nails it. Case 1:25:cv-00313 (CKK)
"The Defendants (U.S. Treasury] will NOT provide access ...".
Super Courtroom work by NORM EISEN & Co-counsel.
Democracy Fights Back led by lead Plaintiff, ALLIANCE for RETIRED AMERICANS (APA).
“It’s easy to inspire fear and hate. Frankly, it’s lazy.
Those who benefit from exploitive and oppressive systems want to keep us in a harmful cycle of outrage, rage, reaction, overwhelm, new outrage, new rage, new reaction, exacerbated overwhelm -all of which lead to overwhelm and hopelessness. The strategy is simply to grind us down: Target a new thing everyday through some grandiose and horrific move against humanity….The body and psyche can only take so much until they concede.”
Shannon Downey
Do something. Stop doom posting.
https://substack.com/@sharonlawrence/note/c-91429876?r=apy04&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
What do you think of this idea for stopping the coup? A bipartisan group of people--of former US Presidents and VP's, ie, Bush, Cheney, Pence, Quayle, Biden, Obama, Clinton, Harris, and Gore--give a press conference to let people know what's going on and why it is dangerous and could be catastrophic for the US. A press conference by such a group would get the attention of the national press so that the American people can learn what has happened and and why it's illegal, unethical, and unAmerican. As people aren't getting the information from the media, especially right-wing media, they need to know what is going on in order to stop the coup ASAP. Unified leadership is urgently needed.
BTW, I went online at the Treasury Dept to file my BOI for my LLC yesterday--and received a warning message (see below) that I interpret to mean that Musk's people who are accessing the site are not authorized by the US government to do so, ie, one man is not the US government.
Imho, this means that there are grounds for arresting those people who have taken control of the Treasury Department.
FYI, below is the new warning message on the fincen.gov site that had not been there last month. The choices were to agree or cancel. Although I clicked "cancel," the warning message disappeared and I was able to access the fincen.gov site. Here's the warning message that popped up:
"WARNING! You are entering a U.S. government information system maintained, administered, and operated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This information system may only be used for authorized purposes. The U.S. government may monitor, record, and audit all activity on this information system. By accessing and using this system, users are consenting to U.S. government monitoring, recording, and auditing their activity on this information system."
Revenge of the Nerds XLVII: the Final Retribution . . . done by method acting . . . erm, method to the madness acting . . . methadone acting.
Those Trump voters must be so proud.
Everybody and their significant other has a gun or two, plus there’s always ‘thoughts and prayers’.
I have. I spent several years in West Africa. Autocrats are common.
https://yadontknow.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-big-man.html
Interestingly, though, Liberia, at least, now seems better than us in some regards: https://yadontknow.blogspot.com/2023/11/an-exemplary-president.html
There is another case where conflict of interest is self-determined, and that’s the US Supreme Court.
I found it just a bit revealing that Ms. Bondi was sworn in by that paragon of virtue, Clarence(they don’t make a Winnebago big enough for my ego)Thomas.
Yes that was a sickening picture to see, among so many others in these hideous last few weeks...
https://images.app.goo.gl/15AK7gMEUyTVkyed9
Too true to be good.
My thought, too. And we see how well that's turning out.
Thanks to the Democrats fighting Musk, including my Senator, Patty Murray.
What are you doing? It is is not just up to the politicians. It is up to each of us. It is our Country too.
Get busy. Find a protest. Make calls.
https://bsky.app/hashtag/USprotests
Today I will add “202-224-3121” to my hand-made sign in front of my house under my flag. At 75, what better cause of death than getting shot for speaking out?……..(:
SILENTIUM
EST
CONSENSUS
CALL: 202-224-3121
Brave soul sister
Yeah, what are they going to do, cut shot our young lives? :)
You are amazing! From one 75 year old (me) to another--we rock!!
Follow the injunctions to see if they are being obeyed! Why haven’t the US AID funds been dispersed again? Why aren’t those illegally fired back at work?
Barbara Mullen, I agree that a thank you would not fulfill my responsibilities in this moment. I am doing more, and I’m glad you are as well.
Read this to see how the Reps who DO NOT have a mandate pulled off this scam.
“Trump Lost. Vote Suppression Won.”
Here are the numbers...
by Greg Palast for the Hartmann Report January 24, 2025
I wish Professor Richardson had some way of convincing me that we have not already lost. The Christian-nationalist, oligarchic, natzification of America looks like a done deal. Their "brownshirts" have intimidated into submission any Republican opposing them. Musk has information on all Americans and control of government computers and can do with us as he wishes. Even if Musk's meddling with the computers is halted, you know that by now he has put backdoors into all those systems so that he will be able to maintain access and the ability to mess with the information stored on those computers. Add to this the imminent anti-science destruction of the NIH, CDC, etc. and everything is set for a dystopian hellscape.
Not knowing how much access you might have to the abundance of new media, just to state that enormous pushback is building every day: thousands of legal challenges all over the country going on, people who are now discovering what they didn't know before about the lying tactics and are feeling threatened instead of ignoring,
and lots more. I get up to date and honestly reported info from a variety of YouTube and Sbstk sources, and certainly not bothering my limited energy with screaming hollering MAGAts who quite literally appear senseless of reality. Good that you are here too.
I have only seen about 1/3 or it so far, but this appears to be so reality-based encouragement from AOC:
https://youtu.be/CVgNJf6CsBA
AOC IS BRILLIANT IN THIS!!! Thank You JL! Sharing
I watched it all and shared it on Facebook
I'm watching it now and using a technique I learned from a blind person about 40 years ago.
They used one of our tape recorders that recorded like Beta recorders that had a rotating scanner that laid slanted tracks so the scanner speed stayed the same to keep the voice frequency the same but the whole tape moved at something like 3 times the speed so you could speed up the playback without distorting the speech. The FBI and FAA Crash Investigators, etc, according to field tech reps, to make it play back much slower without distortion. Now we can do it with playback speed.
I can listen to very much of most people's speech at 2 times the normal speed, with only a few parts that I need to slow down to 1.5x normal, and rarely go to something like .5x speed. It just cracked me up when she mentioned the idiot ICE trying to arrest Puerto Ricans (who fortunately seem to know their rights).
I'm tempted to say after not telling them anything about where we were born or status without a valid warrant (in my case ancestors going back to 1619), "We are all Puerto Ricans" as POW Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds told the Nazi camp commander, "We are all Jews" as described at https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/NCO-Journal/Archives/2016/February/POW-Master-Sergeant-Told-Nazis-We-Are-All-Jews/
I assume most people know how much General Millie regretted and apologized for taking part in the Trump walk to St John's Church walk. See https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/milley-apologizes-taking-part-trump-church-walk/story?id=71195023
Then there were the suggestions "Well shoot them in the leg - or maybe the foot," Trump reported said according to https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-told-officials-shoot-protesters-in-leg-new-book-says-2021-6
It encouraged me walking back from the People's March on Jan 18th, that the old conservative Vietnam Vet waling with me told me about his response to similar orders from a commander at camp a bit further afield from the one I visited at Dak To. He had gotten to know the local kids when visiting the local village but was ordered to shoot at them as they approached the camp. He refused, so the commander sent out the deputy commander, who's order he also refused, then he sent out the Command Sergeant Major who told him refusing the order in war was a capital offense. He still refused and suggested he send someone else out. The Command Sergeant Major laughed and said he wouldn't do that since he didn't think anyone else would follow it either.
Smart leaders listen to their best and most experienced troops that keep them all safer.
"I wish Professor Richardson had some way of convincing me that we have not already lost. "
Then think that. The rest of us are busy. We have a Country to save.
It doesn't help to be snarky.
I am weary to the bone with useless whining, complaining and doom writing. I am most interested in shaking people up. I am desperate to kick people out of their malaise. I am least of all worried about snark.
Do something. Take an action. Go to the streets and make your presence known. Call your representatives.
If you remain silent, they will win. If you remain indifferent, they will control you.
Call Congress now. The switchboard is answering. They will direct your call to whomever you wish.
Congress
1-202-224-3121
Tell them to fire Musk.
Right there with you, Barbara. I’ve written and called my senators and my representative, multiple times over the past several days.
Snark on!!
I skim over the complainers.
It does.
:)) Thanks Kathy.
Sometimes snark wakes people up.
Thank you!❤️
You are what you think you are...if you believe all is lost and you have no power but to go along with trump, Elon and maga...then that's the truth for you and you will live in that world... Powerless
Amen. We refuse to be defeated. We refuse to lose our Democracy.
We will prevail.
Yes. I get it. We have lost this battle, which we didn't even know was in a War. But, she is a historian pointing out what has happened and what is still. We need to keep communicating our concerns to all/everyone in order to create a new political consensus/party that communicates what We, those frustrated and those fearful want: a government that listens and answers, advertises. Biden, et al, did a lot of good things, but...thought that that was enough. They failed to answer Questions. So did I. fek!
We did know that Project 2025 would be implemented if he won the election. We also heard him say numerous times that he would become a dictator on day one. That statement followed reports of his vengeance and desire to get even with anyone he felt had wronged him. He believed that he would win and seemed un concerned about putting a lot of effort into campaigning this time. He bragged about the person who is so good at computers. We had all of this knowledge and more. Apparently some people did not believe him, did not care, or did not understand. Some people might have wished for it without true comprehension. Some people viewed a win by him as a road to wealth; however, I doubt that everyone who made that win possible will fall into great wealth. There still are people who celebrate the win. I wonder how long that celebration will last. I also wonder what might transpire legally and safely to change the hurried path we are seeing take place. I wish for the best for everyone.
I think it’s apparent that some of Muskox’s geeks DID mess with swing state votes, as Trump blurted out when thanking M in his rally. We may never know how unless down the road these guys share dirt on one another—that can happen with oversized egos. And there will never be another legit election using computers.
"In Pennsylvania and..."
He said: "It's all going to be beautiful." And they shaped their dreams to fit that.
It’s anything but beautiful, it’s ugly as hell.
We knew that; the MAGAts in my world told me not to worry, he had "disavowed" it. They excused his expressions of vengeance and "getting even" as "reasonable for someone who was persecuted." Your wondering is an interesting question. They are celebrating everything that happened, including telling me they are "not upset" with the assault on our data that occured at the US Treasury Building.
How sad. Thank you, Ally House, for sharing. Does that make them the meek for following along? I have wondered about who the meek are for various times in my life. In this context it does not make sense to me, but in re-checking the definition, and being astounded that they would not even question, I wonder anew. It is so hard to imagine. I need to look at the quotation in context rather than simply recalling one line. Either way, we must stand up for the people, and I hope the followers will come to a realization, not that I want them to be unhappy, but I think everyone should understand what a major and crucial situation this is and how it came to be. I am not in a position to tell people, and that is as you probably can imagine.
Also, I believe you are right about the computer controls, so and so’s telling of it as I also heard, and the knowing behind the celebrations. I observed serious, mostly taciturn people and a very few overjoyed people who appeared to know something they wanted to tell as they seemed to be bursting with pleasure when I had to be somewhere in a crowd the day following the results. Actually, some results were still coming in, but the result had been announced.
Until it's theirs.
Absolutely true! Right in front of our faces. Clearly for the year he campaigned even longer to those who listened. The only cover up came from the Corporate media. I am so so glad I dumped them all. Funny thing, the few I thought I would miss have quit the Corporate media and are on Substack unshackled!
And it was enough. Why didn't we take any notice of project 2025? We knew about it for years.
The day after the VP debate, I listened to a roundup about it and they asked MY question: why did no one ask a single question about JD’s endorsement of Project 2025? They did not ask because ‘the Campaign had disassociated itself from the project.’ Period. That was it. Talk about obeying in advance..
I took notice, not one MAGAt did, I’d wager
Our local county Democratic party had a special evening event before the Nov. election, where people who had studied Project 2025 explained it in full. They even handed out good printed information about it. We attended, but alas, there were only about 20 other people in attendance.
We lost the election of 2024.
We will have lost everything if people like you give up.
I'm in District 47 in California. Katie Porter was elected to that district in 2018. This was a district that had NEVER elected a Democrat. Against all odds she won. And now Dave Min represents that district.
And I saw Dave Min speaking at the demonstration at the Treasury over the weekend. That's good!
My name is David and I refer you to David and Goliath.
We will never win every contest. But the real patriots are the ones that get back up again after being knocked down.
The old Japanese saying: Fall down seven times - get up eight times.
A serial entrepreneur told me the successful ones failed seven times before they succeeded, and he was enthusiastically getting closer to 7th time.
David, thank you so much for these comments.
I like the John Paul Jones comment as his ship was seriously damaged, “I have not yet begun to fight.” I think the sleeping giant of the public is starting to wake up. It’s later than I wish it were, to be sure, but not too late if we all unite for the common good. And the essence of the common good, in my opinion is that we are all important; we all matter. Democracy speaks to that, dictatorship clearly does not.
William, your ideas are beautifully written and do rnciursging. Thank you.
Via his orange marionette, Musk has the US military AND nuclear weapons at his disposal. End of story. America lost.
If Musk can get rid of most of us, like Netanyahu is doing to the Palestinians ‘he won’t need to relocate .
“I don’t know of any other case, anywhere, in which an individual could determine for himself whether he had a conflict of interest. In fact, self-determination of a conflict of interest is itself a conflict of interest.”
I can only think of one other….the Supreme Court.
Ah...good point
They're connected.
Is breaking and entering – into a database or otherwise – no longer a crime resulting in, at minimum, arrest? Clearly, as self-proclaimed co-president, Elon Musk feels entitled to the same immunity that the Supreme Court's MAGA Six granted to Donald Trump. But he needs to be shown, in no uncertain terms, that the license to be brazenly above the law applies to only one traitorous criminal at a time, not two.
But they didn't "break and enter". They were granted access by the new leadership. Those actions by the leaders might themselves be treasonous by that requires the government to charge them.
It's like hoping the red fox will tell the blue fox "oh no, you can't go into the hen house!" Both foxes are on the same side.
We are seeing one of the really tragic flaws in our system in fast terrible action. Our entire system depends on EVERYONE supporting the idea that everyone believes in the same goals even if the methods might vary. But when one side gets power and decides to just break the faith there is no one left to turn to for help. Who is going to arrest them when they control the mechanisms of law enforcement in the Capitol?
We are headed for an actual war in this country, tragic as it is. Either that or complete capitulation to the forces in power now. I don't see any other options that make any sense.
The country is not easily divided by geography, but it is already divided by ideology. How I wish that sanity could find a home and leave the inmates that have taken over the asylum in their red state hell. Being a resident of Texas, I’d crawl to a sane spot.
JD, I'll come and get you!
Sadly I think we are headed that way as well. This is going to turn violent at some point. I have wondered more than once lately about whether I should exercise my 2nd amendment rights while I still can. The thought sickens me though.
Find someone who can and does exercise that right, who is on our side, and support them. Remember the old adage that an Army crawls on its stomach? Without support of the cooks, bakers, mechanics, supply folks (think Radar O'Riley) the fighters can't fight.
For one, I am not as physically able as I once was, but have both the training and expertise to engage, and I will do so. I do know this: For every front line combatant, there are a minimum of three people providing the support that combatant needs.
I've been thinking the same. MO has no gun licensing or carry laws.
Interesting. I’ve noticed that a lot of companies large disbursements require two signatures. Obviously there’s a reason for that. I wonder why similar safeguards are not in place for access to our nations most sensitive and far-reaching data.
I sent this to my state AG this morning, most from a script recommended by Robert Reich:
I urge you to file complaints, injunctions, and/or restraining orders against Elon Musk and his tech minions for committing identify theft, violating the Privacy Act, and riding roughshod over Congress’s spending power in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Please encourage other State AG’s to join you or to do the same. It’s all hands on deck right now, before it’s too late!
It's not a crime of no one will enforce the law.
This is comparable to the wildfires in LA, but unlike those fires, it could have been prevented. Both trump and musk, as well as others, said what they would do, and now they're doing it, and worse. But I guess eggs are cheaper? Oh, that's not happening.
The bottom line Miriam is that when we look in the mirror, we see that we are made up of racists, bigots and misogynistic people. The bottom line is most people know he’s so very bad but at least he’s not a black woman.😩😩😩
Exactly. When I accused my bro of voting for chump. He said I won’t tell you who I voted for. I said I know you didn’t vote for a woman. He immediately said, not a black one anyway. stupid MAGAt.
Fire is never 100% preventable, but we have had heads up about climate change for decades. The morbidly rich don't give a #$%& so long as they can maximize profits and buy off the laws that might have held the line. Climate news continues to be dire, and fires are getting larger and more frequent, among other destructive consequences.
Due to the avian flu, the price of eggs is going to be high and probably higher for some time.
Dollar general which usually has cheaper prices as a "dollar store" is selling eggs at $8/dzn in CO.
Thanks for the egg price update, Tracey. Do you have a way to raise chickens safely? Even if any of us do, and I do not have, we could not protect them from the possibility Avian Flu. We really do need our World Health Organization and the CDC.
I've raised and kept chickens for close to 20 years now and can't really imagine not having them now. They're great pets and bird friends and need some care and protection but really worth it by getting to have quality eggs, kind of a symbiosis.
There're so many different breeds and heritage types, some are very rare, even threatened by extinction. I love having those hens, so many different colors, personalities and habits, so of course I'm a little worried about this bird flu. But I'm much more worried about the virus that resides in the White House and that toxic creep Elon rifling through the governmental offices and our personal information.
If you have any way to keep a few chickens(I think 3 is about perfect for a small family & they do like to be in a group), this hatchery is so awesome. You can get chickens, ducks, quail, even geese, guinea fowl or peacocks(if you have enough space) and supplies from this place.
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html
I worry that MAGAts are not animal lovers, wildlife especially. I know that is a wide brush, but I worry about even well-meaning people abandoning animals when they get too expensive.
JDinTX, it might help you to know that some of the people in that category are animal lovers. The love for animals is a point I can appreciate and share. As Kamala pointed out, we need to focus on how we are alike rather than how we are different, but we must still manage to do what we can to save our values and our country.
Horhai, what a pleasure it is to read this treasure of information about chickens, hens, and eggs! Thank you so much. If I had the place, I would love to do that, and three does sound like a manageable number.
I'm in SW MO and gas is at least .25/gal higher. The city where we live is a gas and oil pipeline dispersal point. Our gas is usually cheaper than average. Grocery and other prices are going up, too. Are others seeing this, too?
The photo of his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, says it all.
She’s bug-eyed behind him as he announces his targeting of the entirety of Gaza for his ludicrous fantasy “world people” real estate development.
The war criminal Netanyahu, sitting beside him as with straight face he made his announcement, also shows he, too, had never before heard even an inkling of this preposterous insanity. No one had.
Funny thing about fancying oneself above the law, beyond even common sense, is that – once there, totally in ga-ga-goo-goo land – even one’s most mad fantasies need never come close to any reality connections.
The Clarence court – mostly totally corrupt, also in far-right cuckoo land – could pronounce their fellow loony above the law, immune to any and all accountability: as are they with sugar daddy billionaire corruptions, perjuries, and laughable contempt for the Constitution.
Funnier yet: how all the Republicans also straight face just keep mouths wide open for whatever’s extra from their orange felon’s diapers.
It’s the John Robert’s court - he does nothing about Clarence because all of the Clarence outrageousness gives him cover for his actions - remember his “money is speech” citizens united - or most recently “the president is immune in actions he takes while he is in office”
I'll have to revisit my old notes on the cooperation of former Presidents and their staffs after just seeing Morning Joe and Joe's comments on Herbert Hoover Helping Harry Truman set up food relief for Europe after VE Day. See https://podscripts.co/podcasts/morning-joe/morning-joe-2625
"... Starting point is 00:37:59
I mean, and saying he sent the agency to the woodchipper. I mean, he's reveling in getting rid of this agency. So Trump is kind of between, is there enough of a public pressure campaign that highlights the good work that USAID does for people but also for Americans against this move of these must all be woke liberals, we have to get rid of them?
Starting point is 00:38:20
There really is something so horrifying about a child starving in Sudan being far more likely to starve to death because the world's richest man is going around calling people that are administering that aid worms. And let me explain this again for those who have ears to hear. David Ignatius, when the United States provides aid, yes, we provide aid because some of us believe, and I will say this on Ronald Reagan's birthday. Some of us believe that America really is, and it should be, a city shining brightly on the hill for all the world to see. That is one of the reasons why we do it.
Starting point is 00:39:16
The other reason goes back to what I've been saying this week when Harry Truman called Herbert Hoover in, two political enemies, two political rivals. But Harry Truman said, you're the person that can organize relief across Europe, across the world, in a world that has been destroyed by World War II. And yes, we're doing this because it's the right thing to do. But we're also doing this because hungry mouths become communist mouths, become communist foot soldiers. We have to win Europe..."
A more complete story is at: https://hoover.blogs.archives.gov/2021/05/26/revisiting-hoovers-memo-to-truman-may-1945/
The most important points (to me), came at the end.
"...While replete with insights, Hoover’s 18-page memo was not without flaws. His innate wariness of Communist Russia, while warranted, came across in language that sounds racist to modern ears. Hoover described the Russians as Asiatics, and as such, argued that they would never honor any treaties signed. He advised Truman that the Russians would enter the war against Japan ‘in the last five minutes’ in order to gain territory in Manchuria..."
They actually waited until August 8, 1945, one or two days after the first atomic bomb was dropped, depending upon which side of the international date line you were on.
I knew from another friend of Truman that they had secretly (even from their staffs) corresponded I think in late 1944, but didn't know how early they had started. See https://featherschwartzfoster.blog/2013/12/05/the-remarkable-friendship-between-harry-truman-and-herbert-hoover/
It also reveals why the wealthy Herbert Hoover accepted a Presidential Pension (so as to not embarrass his friend Harry Truman who really needed his). I have always had great respect for both of them, whether or not I agreed with everything they did.
The aid they delivered was not just humanitarian, it also helped us gain the trust and appreciation of most of the world, including especially former enemies.
This is great — I didn’t know this story!
Clarence court. John Roberts' court. Still, Francine, total corruption.
Did you see today's further news of the further (Venmo) corruption in now-confirmed and taken office U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth?
If Mump’s actions are illegal and our national security is threatened, why aren’t there arrests?
Because they control the Justice Department too, so there is no one to arrest them.
There is. The Rangers could be called to do it.
I don’t know about the Rangers, but I can’t believe all of our military leaders are taking all this destruction-from-within sitting down. Especially Generals Milley, Austin, Esper, and others. Also the deposed FBI and CIA people, etc. I think there’s a real house-cleaning coming,and both Donnie Dump and Mr. Skum will be reckoned with.
None of the leaders you mentioned (Milley, Esper, Austin, etc) are in power any more in case you hadn't noticed. They have no control over the military. It is POSSIBLE that some of the new leadership might not like what is going on, but again, look back at when Esper ran the military under Trump. He did provide a few guardrails but for most of the time he did little to actually prevent the terrible things Trump was doing. In this country the tradition of the military is to accept most orders given by civilian leadership (which now is alcoholic misogynist Pete Hegseth) so I wouldnt depend on them to do anything significant.
You are so right
Just because they're out of power doesn't mean they have no influence.
Milley, Esper, Austin, etc.: The fact that they are retired doesn’t mean they don’t have strong support. It means they can fly somewhat under the radar and raise a clandestine army of people who have served under them in the past. They’re military leaders; I really doubt they’re running from Trump and Musk with their tails between their legs.
Mr Skum!!
I hope not Texas Rangers
Remember Coke Stevenson.
Unfortunately, Gen. Milley is retired.
The courts are independent, but move slowly. Police are sworn to uphold the constitution, and can make the arrests with legal cover. Breach of national security is a military matter. The agencies created by Congress have the power to tell Mump to fuck off because Congress had the sole spending authority. Their actions in cutting off funding is illegal as he'll. How many reasons are needed? The power is vested in individuals and institutions. This rollover is gross.
What about a good old citizens arrest?
Damn good question. What’s frustrating so many of us,caught like deer in the headlights, is the feeling that something MUST. be done. Our system of laws was obviously not designed to move at warp speed.
Or even at slow speed. Sigh...
Rump owns those who protect us:(
I think it's bc the people in gov't positions first are confused with all the chaos and lack of communication and they took their constitutional oaths seriously and they're questioning what breaking them...even if they see the crisis occurring ...is something they can do? We aren't a nation populated with tv action heros.
Republicans who hate the Republic. Lawsuits may be helpful. Loud, unison objections might bother smug R. Senators and CEOs.
Their shock-and-awe strategy is mind-bogglingly terrifying. As always, grateful for you Heather, and your ceaseless recording of this historic time we’re in.
I agree totally. Thank you, Heather.
The Tariff Wars are not the only coup 2.0 scam that "blew-up in Trump's face" today.
The stalwart LFAA commenter Ellie Kona alerted me to the fact NORMAN L. EISEN (Norm) was interviewed on Lawrence O'Donnell's show tonight. I tape Lawrence's show so I went to the 22.00 minute mark to get Norm's report on his court action to halt the Elon Musk Gang's raid on private financial & IRS data at Bureau of the Fiscal Service.
Norm's case is Civil Action 25-313 (CKK); Case No. 1:25-cv-00313. At Norm's hearing today, the Judge even drafted an Order granting a halt to ELON MUSK aka 'DOGE' (whatever that is) access. No statutory exceptions for Elon Musk. Heads Up: Norm's actual courtroom opponent is new AG Pam Bondi's DOJ, Department of Injustice.
Norm & Team submitted evidence proving up violations the Privacy Act & IRS Code Section 6103(b)(1) data which "shall be confidential".
Norms reported on Lawrence's show that we could have final PTO tomorrow Thursday afternoon 2/6. Another Big Win for our democratic republic.
Good Job Plaintiffs' Team & H/t Ellie.
Thank you, Bryan, for laying out what happened. Norm Eisen was not so clear in his TV appearance that they were granted a Temporary Restraining Order today and it looks good to get a permanent one, but he and his teams are heroic:
https://statedemocracydefenders.org/fund/
https://www.citizen.org/
While we have been assaulted by a firehose of news of so many varied attacks, this heist of our US Treasury has been described as the worst ever in history. It deserves to be a focus of our attention. It’s our money running our government and the myriad benefits we accrue, and money talks.
Does anyone actually think that Musk will follow a TRO or an injunction? SERIOUSLY?
We have a country now led by an astonishingly criminal gang and you think they will just accept s judges orders?
I seriously doubt that.
I'm happy they are trying.
I'm hoping for much more and every bit helps.
Do you think it will play well for them if they do ignore the judge's order? Seems like they would be setting themselves up for prosecution to me.
Well as long as Trump is President and things are going his way, they certainly won't be prosecuted. Only the DoJ could prosecute them for Federal crimes and right now Pam Bondi is AG and she's looking to prosecute Democrats, not Trump loyalists.
And remember, all Trump has to do is grant them av pardon.
It's important to hit the ball into their court.
1. If you don't try, you have zero chance and is akin to acquiescence in advance.
2. In addition to the legal court system is the public court of opinion.
Ok, it’s tax time. I have an appointment with my tax preparer early in March. If I owe Fed taxes, as I sometimes do, should I NOT pay them this year???
The fact that a snake like Gary Peters is trying to quash Vought’s confirmation says volumes about how bad Vought is.
Mark, can you tell me why Gary Peters is a snake please? I'm in Michigan and he is my Senator and although I try to keep up on what is going on, what have I missed about him? I really want to know. Thank you.
He has stonewalled every piece of progressive legislation presented to him. He’s just another corporate toady. The fact that he identifies as a Democrat doesn’t give him a pass.
Oh...so he's like Manchin
He is one of my Senators. I don’t think this is true Mark. He is not running again, which I am upset about. Have he and his family been threatened by Trump? Probably…
I followed Gary Peters for sometime, even though he is not in my state. I was very impressed with him, and I thought he had done good things for the state of Michigan.
Is Gary Peters a snake? I'm not familiar with him
Peters has decided not to run again.
Yes, and Mayor Pete says he may run for that seat. Let's hope so!
“Trump’s team “had not done even the most basic planning to examine the feasibility of the idea”…” ( of taking over Gaza ). Is this not an invasion? What needs to be examined? It’s a hostile intention and shouldn’t even cross anyone’s mind as a thing! That puts the US on about the same moral ground as Putin FFS!
But The Stable Genius obviously has a concept of an idea of a plan, so he's holding true to form.
Mind the horsepucky.
All of this dismantling of the government is so difficult to watch. And at the same time, Trump is rolling back protections for marginalized groups in the U.S. and abroad. The cruelty is unbelievable to me. I wish some of the Republicans would wake up and get a conscience but it seems that won’t happen. I recently read about the idea of “the sin of empathy “ embraced by some evangelicals. This notion is so antithetical to everything I have ever learned about Christianity in mainline Protestant church. I only wish there was more to do to help the whole situation.
A self-condemning term, where pointing out empathy as a sin - sin originally indicating a miss in an archery event - and the miss is theirs, they are doing the missing. Empathy looks like danger to them so they are also expressing their fear, which very much ties into what they think they can believe it's only the parts of the Bible that satisfy their conquesting aims and desires. They are truly afraid of other people thinking anything, expressing anything, that aims at the base of their particular idea edifice, one designed to claim the right to all power over others, which for them reinforces the false basis they are all standing on. They act like little gods just doing for themselves and their dangerously stupid notions of conquering all around them so
they will feel even more self-protected from ---- us, the folks who dare to think of freedom-as-inquiry, as open-minded, as a vigorous expression of being human in the nested independency of our laws and institutions.
Freedom is an environment where it is safe to be one's self; and in a world with other beings in it, also a responsibility. There is a certain freedom in solitude, bit social freedom is reciprocal, else it is tyranny.
The "sin" is the sin of APATHY, not EMPATHY. Some moron listened to a preacher and incorrectly heard him/her say it. Since "the church" is fixated on sins, they are the ones responsible for this ridiculous idea, especially evangelicals. It is also known as Sloth, one of the seven deadly sins.
Exactly Linda Nelson!
Empathy could only seem a "sin" to a sociopath. Seemed to me it was the thing Jesus talked the most about.
The cruelty is the point; what is unbelievable to you is mother's milk to them. They thrive on it. Christian Nationalism is on our doorstep, and they welcome it.
I am absolutely frightened. There doesn’t seem to be a way to stop this madness!
Heather said this just today in her Politics Talk. How do we get this in front of Republican Congress?
"Republicans in Congress can stop this any time they want, but not for much longer, because once Musk or Trump gets to the point where they can do whatever they want, why do they need Congress?"
They won't need a Congress... Republicans are participating in their own obsolescence. Then they'll be as an unimportant as every other US citizen to Trump and Elon
Exactly. Don't you think someone should tell them?
Almost all of them are wealthy, if not morbidly so, and they think their wealth will protect them no matter what. Selfish fools will be the first on the chopping block.
If they don't know by now, they haven't been paying attention. Trump has thrown enough people under the bus to fill a football stadium.
Repubs donn’t even want to stop it. Refer to Mitch saying I’m still a Republican, like it’s way more important than being an American. Which he has demonstrated with every breath he takes.
You are not alone Michal. The world is on high alert. American citizens are not a minority group that few care about, keep the faith. Trump's actions are threatening everyone in the free world. Trust in the incredible knowledge and expertise of those who oppose these psychopaths.
Thank you! I appreciate your wise words.
The Wye angus herd has evolved by selective inbreeding. It also uses castration for males whose characteristics on the whole are not in line with the desired ideal.Castration is also used by most breeding herds with no intention of using inbreeding although it happens anyway. Humans have evolved in a similar manner but more Willy nilly. Plant a cabbage get a cabbage, not a Brussel sprout.
Seriously? What has happened to the American people and the people in this comment board that they complain, doom write and have zero clue what to do.
Are you watching the protests? Are you part of one? Have you called your congressperson? Are you informing people about what is happening?
Are you glued to the legacy news? What alternative news sites are you on. Are you on Bluesky?
https://bsky.app/hashtag/USprotests
Barbara, I think that the readership here has exploded; there are lots of folks on here (recent arrivals) that don't have the history here that some of us do. I also notice that many former frequent commenters here are absent from the comments section.
It is hard for me, these days, logging on at 0445 PST to find over 400 comments to wade through, knowing that some of my favorite folks to interact with here are not engaging any longer. I'm pretty sure they're still here, but I miss their commentary.
Yes it has exploded. Yes I miss their commentary.
It is up to us old timers to direct the conversations in meaningful ways. I had noticed a tendency towards whining, doom scrolling and doomier comments.
We can redirect. I will use the comments section for activism and help people to wake up. I sure have appreciated you continued presence on this platform.
And I, yours.
If I were in charge of the Democrats, I would be quietly working behind the scenes on flipping some Republicans to our side. I cannot believe there aren’t some Republicans who reside in blue districts that are happy with the current situation. Everything has to be thought of. All hands on deck! Be creative!
Yay!!
Keep the faith, MichalkD. I doubt that you have done anything offensive. Probably a lot of good people are working on possible solutions to help us. I do not know who or how, but I trust that there are people somewhere who really do care about the American people and what is honest, legal, and fair. Yes, we have many obstacles against fixing the problems, and we can see the direction things are going now. Still, we will do the best we can, and we know that each of us here care. I do not know solutions and I wish I did. I do know that those of us who care about all of the people will not stop caring. We will hang on and hope for good things. I can’t promise them, but we can all hope, and if you choose to pray, maybe our hopes will be answered sooner. I can’t speak for God either, but I hope, and I pray.
“By any means necessary” Malcom X
I have not been able to get something you said in Politics Talk today Dr. Richardson out of my mind:
"Republicans in Congress can stop this any time they want, but not for much longer, because once Musk or Trump gets to the point where they can do whatever they want, why do they need Congress?"
How do we get this in front of Republican Congress people?
Talk to republicans you know and ask them to call their Congress critters. It takes civil discourse to enlighten them but you can do it!
Maybe their fb accounts? Or calling Lisa Murkowski or Mitch McConnell, they may listen?
I may not even come close to being a government scholar, but I seen long ago that Congress may not be able to stop this. When people respond to my wailing against trump, the response of that it will never happen because Congress will stop it. Well, an authoritarian dictator can dissolve Congress whenever he wants. Right??