My feelings exactly. It is impossible to support the current Administration and accept the demeanor of the “Chief Executive” or the cabal of Project 2025 authors’ plans and words. We are watching daily the core of our Nation’s deliberate destruction. It must be repaired.
We the people must defend democracy, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Heather is a national treasure, just like our founding fathers. Let’s keep protesting in the streets and singing the no kings anthem together: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/no-kings-anthem
Thank you Heather! You are the Thomas Paine of our era — without his “Common Sense” (published Jan 10, 1776) we likely would not have had the public support for winning our independence from the king!
When Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a citizen asked him what form of government the delegates had created. He famously replied: "A republic, if you can keep it". This means self-governance relies entirely on the active, informed involvement of the people to survive. “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” ― Thomas Paine “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” ― Thomas Paine “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” ― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” ― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
It can mean anything you want it to mean and that's why it's so useful to the right. It's no surprise that Trump often uses it in relations to highly contentious policies and claims.
Some of it is gone Bill. I don’t know how many 100 car tank loads of blood would have to be assembled on rail to account for the cost in American lives to bring us to today. And that’s just us. The world around us accepted that we would fight for them as well. We did. We will. That is our magic. That is the hope of civilization. That is what Donald Trump cannot commit to the dumpster wherein he dwells. Your families and mine have given up their blood, have given their future to the world. The world has to believe in magic. So yes Bill it is gone. Beyond what is gone how much more will it take. That is what we have always held ourselves to. Ask Ukraine. Ask any country violated. Ask your own family behind you who unhesitatingly answered. You don’t kick the mighty dragon in the balls and walk away. It is far far far from fucking over. Ask Ukraine!
Perfect message for Independence Day. Thank you Heather. Bringing in the powerful voice of Abraham Lincoln reminds us that this nation can face the most devastating inner conflicts and turmoil and come out at an even higher, evolved understanding of and commit to the ideals of the original founding documents that all people are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and justice for all.
These are the times that try people's souls. But we will have a new birth of freedom. Those mad villains that would deny us 250 years of slow progress towards equality will be defeated, and all their ill-begotten gains will be returned to the people, as shall the rule by law.
government of a felony by a felony against the people using his office to steal taxpayer money. get bribes, use inside information, sell influence. why isnt there a revolution. hes far worse than king George. he wana bunker because hes public enemy no. 1. the jostory only shows the irony of his being president.
How beautiful to hear these logical and precious words of LINCOLN read by you Heather. But on the news we see hundreds of RADICAL WHITE masked men in black shirts, standing in Washington with confederate flags, screaming their WORDS OF HATRED and BIGOTRY and showing they are capable of violence. They are not listening to your words, or caring what the law and the Constitution states. They know that their President is immune to all crime, and that they can be forgiven for all they plan to do to intimidate us, to prevent fair voting, and to join ICE to rid ourselves of even our citizens who are immigrants. We can hope that in NOV. we will make our voices heard, but if not, I fear another conflict arising.. This President loves Stirring the people up with words of HATE, like Joe McCarthy... Communists, Socialists, people who do not bow to him. He loves CHAOS... We must stand up to him and call our Congressmen to remind them, that WE WILL NOT STAND for their hatred... NOW .....CALL NOW....
We need to regroup with like minded people who know how and what this country was created to be .
We must get louder with the principles it was founded on . “ Life , liberty and
the pursuit of happiness“.
We must do what it takes to put back
tolerance , dignity, justice and acceptance of all people .
We need to support each other and fight like hell to renew and preserve Democracy.
We must do whatever it
takes to make our country amenable to acceptance of all races, diversity, and return it to the people as stated by our founders as well as our Constitution.
Thank you Heather, you are truly what I look for everyday to try and make sense of the new experience of life in these United States. However.......
I am sickened by everything that has transpired over the past week in regards to what the orange turd's interpretation of 250 USA. It's crass, it's low life, it's unintelligible and worst of all, it all centers around him. His trashy fair, the flashy plane, the Mt Rushmore sketch, his book sharing (see Spot Run) with U. Vance, his conversation with an AI Roosevelt??? What the holy F**K! I am so embarrassed! And then to top it off with thousands of masked (hooded) ultra right lunatics terrorizing everyday (black) people minding their own business?? PUH-LEEZZZ!!!! Someone get this MORON out of the oval office!!!!
Right. So how does she propose stopping gerrymandering or giving congress control of govt agencies vs the president. The court ruled. Congress has to fight to restore cong control of the agencies. Someone has to defend the govt, if only by speeches or legislation.
It's 90-ish in central Maine today, and yet, hearing the words "our sacred honor" and "of the people, by the people and for the people" brings a frisson, a chill to my soul and tears to my eyes.
THAT is what is worth celebrating today, and every day, if we are lucky enough to live in the US and are strong enough to work to keep our democracy alive, thriving and expanding to include ALL the people.
And an anthem for any who are interested:
Let’s Save the USA
It seems that much of what I took
For granted all my life
Since long before my kids were born
And I met my loving wife
Has changed within the past few years
To how things are today
Where many of our freedoms
Are being quickly stripped away
I’m proud to be an American
But it frightens me to see
How willing many of us are
To accept each new decree
We need to stand up
Each of us, to defend what’s ours today
Before there is no turning back
Let’s save the USA
To divide us we are told this land
Is a battleground of sin
That the only way to save it—
For it to be Great Again—
Is to turn our backs on immigrants
And to dial back DEI
To believe our ears but not to trust
Our stupid lyin’ eyes
I’m proud to be an American
But it frightens me to see
How willing many of us are
To accept each new decree
We need to stand up
Each of us, to defend what’s ours today
Before there is no turning back
Let’s save the USA
Yes, I’m proud to be an American
But it frightens me to see
How willing many of us are
To accept each new decree
We need to stand up
Each of us, to defend what’s ours today
Before there is no turning back
Let’s save the USA
Perfect!
Thank you, Kathleen!
My feelings exactly. It is impossible to support the current Administration and accept the demeanor of the “Chief Executive” or the cabal of Project 2025 authors’ plans and words. We are watching daily the core of our Nation’s deliberate destruction. It must be repaired.
God bless the USA !
Happy Independence Day!
We the people must defend democracy, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Heather is a national treasure, just like our founding fathers. Let’s keep protesting in the streets and singing the no kings anthem together: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/no-kings-anthem
Thank you Heather! You are the Thomas Paine of our era — without his “Common Sense” (published Jan 10, 1776) we likely would not have had the public support for winning our independence from the king!
John Davies in Stockbridge, Mass.
Perfectly stated .
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL AMERICANS
“A republic, if you can keep it"
When Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a citizen asked him what form of government the delegates had created. He famously replied: "A republic, if you can keep it". This means self-governance relies entirely on the active, informed involvement of the people to survive. “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” ― Thomas Paine “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” ― Thomas Paine “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” ― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” ― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL AMERICANS
Forget about common sense - it is a concept that has long been appropriated by the right in America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3orF-Vls7k
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/F7Kt6ohNu1M
It can mean anything you want it to mean and that's why it's so useful to the right. It's no surprise that Trump often uses it in relations to highly contentious policies and claims.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZQOAiC6ayc
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_v9nf1ywmhc
After Watergate, president Gerald Ford told Americans:
“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men.”
And yet here we are again. That, in my view, should be your focus. You need to become a country of laws again.
I would consider it an honor if you would visit my one-year-old org’s website and, hopefully, join us at EthicalGovtNow.org. Thanks!
Love Thomas Paine too
It’s gone.
Some of it is gone Bill. I don’t know how many 100 car tank loads of blood would have to be assembled on rail to account for the cost in American lives to bring us to today. And that’s just us. The world around us accepted that we would fight for them as well. We did. We will. That is our magic. That is the hope of civilization. That is what Donald Trump cannot commit to the dumpster wherein he dwells. Your families and mine have given up their blood, have given their future to the world. The world has to believe in magic. So yes Bill it is gone. Beyond what is gone how much more will it take. That is what we have always held ourselves to. Ask Ukraine. Ask any country violated. Ask your own family behind you who unhesitatingly answered. You don’t kick the mighty dragon in the balls and walk away. It is far far far from fucking over. Ask Ukraine!
I would consider it an honor if you would visit my one-year-old org’s website and, hopefully, join us at EthicalGovtNow.org. Thanks!
Thank you, Heather. The grievances that spawned a Declaration 250 years ago resound loudly again today.
The Spirit of ’26
We hereby recite the causes
Which impel us to separation
From political bands imposed on us
By unanimous declaration:
An evil and distant King
Has subjected us to his will
Through Acts and Omissions of Tyranny
By his hand through various Bills
He’s refused his Assent to Laws
Required for the public good
Instead to enrich his personal fortune
He’s done whatever he could
Ignoring the needs of the people
On matters of pressing importance
He’s required that we relinquish our right
To Representation—conformance
To his dictates is required
For the Houses of Congress to act
Repeatedly they’ve been force to dissolve
In the face of his vicious attacks
He has made the Judges dependent
Upon his Imperial Throne
He’s obstructed the course of Justice, subverting
It to his Will alone
He’s endeavored to end Immigration
To stop Migrations hither
And the Laws to Naturalize Foreigners
He’s ignored or has failed to deliver
He has sent in swarms of Officers
To foment discontent
He has kept among us, in times of peace
Standing Armies without our Consent
He’s deprived in many cases
By transporting beyond the Seas
The right to Trial by Jury
And other Guarantees
He has abdicated Government
By waging War against us
Exciting domestic insurrections
From which we are defenseless
Many have gone unpunished
For crimes where they were at fault
And others he’s pardoned after the fact
For heinous and bloody assaults
He has cut off our trade with the world
Creating great upheaval
He has plundered our seas and ravaged our coasts
And destroyed the lives of our people
In each stage of these Oppressions
We’ve Petitioned for Redress
Answered only by ongoing injury
And hardened, unyielding duress
A Prince, with character marked
By the acts which define a Tyrant
Is unfit to be the ruler of those
Subjected to his compliance
Thus, on this Fourth Day of July
We Declare our Independence
By pledging our Fortunes, our Honor and Lives,
For the sake of our Descendants
Dale K. Nichols
https://nevertrumppoetry.substack.com/
Perfect message for Independence Day. Thank you Heather. Bringing in the powerful voice of Abraham Lincoln reminds us that this nation can face the most devastating inner conflicts and turmoil and come out at an even higher, evolved understanding of and commit to the ideals of the original founding documents that all people are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and justice for all.
These are the times that try people's souls. But we will have a new birth of freedom. Those mad villains that would deny us 250 years of slow progress towards equality will be defeated, and all their ill-begotten gains will be returned to the people, as shall the rule by law.
It’s our country….LFG
government of a felony by a felony against the people using his office to steal taxpayer money. get bribes, use inside information, sell influence. why isnt there a revolution. hes far worse than king George. he wana bunker because hes public enemy no. 1. the jostory only shows the irony of his being president.
He's a convicted felon for Chrissake and he's committing crimes while in office.
Beautifully read. Thank you!
How beautiful to hear these logical and precious words of LINCOLN read by you Heather. But on the news we see hundreds of RADICAL WHITE masked men in black shirts, standing in Washington with confederate flags, screaming their WORDS OF HATRED and BIGOTRY and showing they are capable of violence. They are not listening to your words, or caring what the law and the Constitution states. They know that their President is immune to all crime, and that they can be forgiven for all they plan to do to intimidate us, to prevent fair voting, and to join ICE to rid ourselves of even our citizens who are immigrants. We can hope that in NOV. we will make our voices heard, but if not, I fear another conflict arising.. This President loves Stirring the people up with words of HATE, like Joe McCarthy... Communists, Socialists, people who do not bow to him. He loves CHAOS... We must stand up to him and call our Congressmen to remind them, that WE WILL NOT STAND for their hatred... NOW .....CALL NOW....
Imagine how it must have felt for the young black girl in this poignant photo published by the folk at the Meidas Touch.
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KhHs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F860eb9c6-7aa1-4929-9d64-3f4573dd39b3_5999x3999.jpeg
Rosa Parks would turn in her grave.
We need to regroup with like minded people who know how and what this country was created to be .
We must get louder with the principles it was founded on . “ Life , liberty and
the pursuit of happiness“.
We must do what it takes to put back
tolerance , dignity, justice and acceptance of all people .
We need to support each other and fight like hell to renew and preserve Democracy.
We must do whatever it
takes to make our country amenable to acceptance of all races, diversity, and return it to the people as stated by our founders as well as our Constitution.
Thank you Heather, you are truly what I look for everyday to try and make sense of the new experience of life in these United States. However.......
I am sickened by everything that has transpired over the past week in regards to what the orange turd's interpretation of 250 USA. It's crass, it's low life, it's unintelligible and worst of all, it all centers around him. His trashy fair, the flashy plane, the Mt Rushmore sketch, his book sharing (see Spot Run) with U. Vance, his conversation with an AI Roosevelt??? What the holy F**K! I am so embarrassed! And then to top it off with thousands of masked (hooded) ultra right lunatics terrorizing everyday (black) people minding their own business?? PUH-LEEZZZ!!!! Someone get this MORON out of the oval office!!!!
America at 250: Where Do We Go From Here? (7/3/26) CHARLIE ROSE
https://youtu.be/ZCfnhlKpNHk?is=VmE4B4_vbS9j6wdJ
To better understand the American journey from 1776 to 2026, we're turning to historians like David McCullough and journalists like Bret Stephens.
And to prosecutors who have courage sndcintegrity to enforce law. …. Oh forgot. The government is totally corrupt dishonest frauds.
“Giving up is unforgivable.” Joyce Vance
Right. So how does she propose stopping gerrymandering or giving congress control of govt agencies vs the president. The court ruled. Congress has to fight to restore cong control of the agencies. Someone has to defend the govt, if only by speeches or legislation.
Thank you Heather for the reminders of our history & we will again overcome the depravity that is occurring in our country right now! Happy 4th! 🇺🇸
It's 90-ish in central Maine today, and yet, hearing the words "our sacred honor" and "of the people, by the people and for the people" brings a frisson, a chill to my soul and tears to my eyes.
THAT is what is worth celebrating today, and every day, if we are lucky enough to live in the US and are strong enough to work to keep our democracy alive, thriving and expanding to include ALL the people.
Thank you, Heather.