I've just about reached my limit of T**** crap. No amount of Tagamet can ease the stomach pain this fascist engenders. I hope his supporters come to their senses, but I fear that may never happen. Which makes them all my sworn enemies. To keep this democracy is going to require more than platitudes from Democrats in Congress, and demonstrations in the streets. We've lost the Republican party, the Supreme Court is corrupt as hell, and the Democrats don't seem to be able to find the cojones to stand up and stop this fiasco.
James, to quote the indomitable Cecile Richards who passed very recently—may she rest in power and peace— “It’s not hard to imagine future generations one day asking: ‘When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?’ The only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.’” So let’s all do everything we can to resist and persist. As Susan Sontag wrote “Courage is as contagious as fear”…so let’s get out there and spread some courage in whatever ways we are able to. Yeah, it will be exhausting, but I think we need to buoy each other up in the effort. OK, one more (and I’ve posted this before, but think it needs to be linked yet again): Marge Piercy “The Low Road” https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/piercylowroad.html ☮️🇺🇸🗽🏳️🌈
Don't just criticize the Dems for their platitudes. Do something to change the leadership of the DNC (Democratic National Committee). This is what I wrote to my fellow activists:
Dear Friends and Fellow Activists,
We cannot change the MAGA Cult members, but with new leadership at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), we can show the rest of the country what our values as Democrats are and why they should vote with us in 2026.
Here's how you can join me in becoming an active participant in our democracy.
First, watch some of the interviews of the candidates for Chair of the DNC. There are lots of forums to choose from. I recommend the one that Our Revolution (OR) and Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) ran (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCj3Zqfj1xM).
If you don't have time to watch a candidates' forum, the Wikipedia article lists people who are supporting each candidate, so that will give you an idea of where they stand on the political spectrum.
Then, go to your State Democratic Committee website which should list the members who get to vote in the election for DNC leadership. In my state, MA, here is the link to the members who will represent us: https://www.massdems.org/DNCMembers24-28. You may know some, all, or none of them, but you can contact them all, whether or not you know them, and tell them whom you want them to vote for. Also, I just learned that David Hogg is running for DNC vice chair. I haven't paid attention to who the others are, but I'd tell our DNC members to vote for him--we could use a smart, fearless young person as part of the team. : )
Here are the folks in MA whose e-mail addresses I know:
Anyway, they're voting on February 1, so time is short if you want to participate in our
democracy. And, of course, there's no guarantee that they'll pay any attention, but if we all tell them whom we want, and if we ask our friends throughout the Commonwealth and the country to do the same, who knows, they might.
Best,
Betsy
P.S. Here's what I'm going to write--short and sweet:
Dear Committee Members:
As my representatives to vote for the new leaders of the DNC, please vote for Ben Wikler for Chair and David Hogg for Vice Chair.
There's another group of activists working to protect our Freedom of and from religion - "The Freedom From Religion Foundation'. https://ffrf.org
They have won and continue to win many legal battles where the religious zealots take advantage of all of us by using state and federal funds for their own financial reasons.
Here is one of the things they are actively pursuing;
Current Media Coverage
Jan 15 2025
Foundation sues to return church-owned apartments to property tax rolls
Wisconsin Law Journal (Milwaukee, WI)
By Mary Beth Matzek
Like the ACLU they have won many legal battles for us against the evangelicals.
Take a quick tour of their website and see what you think.
We are all wasting our time complaining about Trump. He controls social media. With Facebook/insta algorithms pushing his lies, his agenda will dominate. Right now there is no democratic figure or figures that have that power. Search Engine Optimization is the present day ruler.
Please take care of yourself! Who are the Democrats that are supposed to be doing something that aren't? What are we supposed to do that we are not doing atm? I am truly curious to know what you think we should do if we had any "cojones?"
Bishop Budde is an amazing person compassionate and loving with courage to back up her beliefs. May we all be as brave and caring as she is in the coming years.
"Trump’s first day on the job was “a dangerous display of rapid mental decline.” Bunch recorded Trump’s slurred speech, rambling, and nonsensical off-the-cuff speeches and said that his “biggest takeaway from a day that some have anticipated and many have dreaded for the last four years is seeing how rapidly the oldest new president in America is declining right in front of us.”
.
.
The Creator may bestow Good Fortune upon Us... DJT seems to only know Vengefulness now... He may wreak much greater damage in his time left... He is Mortal after all... The suggestion to engage our local Democratic Leaders is a Good One... After all they would like to get re-elected....
Whereas Trump normally spews hatred when he is at the microphone, on Monday he expelled liquid manure. Excessive liquid manure pollutes the environment. Trump was unable to control his focus, and his opportunity to address the citizenry became as political rally for his racist boys.
My own view that the growing influence of big money on American politics has been neglected by Democrats even as it has been promoted and legalized by "Republicans". We are now seeing it going septic, but the trend has been on a tear since Reagan. What is political corruption if not the ability to buy one's political preferences? It's been getting worse in my lifetime, and if ethics in government is really a smoldering crater, it's pretty bad. I think we missed many opportunities and the larger picture in failing to make "common sense" standards of political ethics and regulation a top and abiding cause and priority. Follow the money.
Yes, our current 'might is right' turn may have begun with Reagan's treasonous use of Iranian hostages to take Presidential power from Carter.
AGREE we've had 45 years of complacent one step forward two steps back, pacified by our calorific couch-potato-greatness.
Not sure it gets better until LOT more people have more desperate, close-to-the-bone lives, and a couple generations of surveillance capitalism device addicts have passed away.
And a new generation of people realize, 'in their bones', that they need each other enough to have not mere tolerance but a longing appreciation of our many great differences that once made us great.
Is is finally, finally bad enough people just won't take it anymore? I sure hope so. We literally can't go on like this, bit we could go to hell in a handbasket.
Did you see Trump's face as he was being shamed from the pulpit? Afterwards, when asked what he thought about the service he mocked it as being 'not exciting' and said "they could have done better".
I did not see his face. I actively avoid looking at his image. I would be surprised if that face was shame, though—I imagine it was anger. I would love it to be shame though.
We need younger people -- the seniority system has let us down. People like David Hogg and Chris Murphy. I think a start for the Dems would be to call out the lies and outrageous executive orders (like leaving the WHO) for the dangers they pose -- get out there, make some noise, put up a freaking billboard. It could be media coverage that is leaving them out in the cold but so far I just hear crickets from the Dems.
I find it frustrating to hear people saying that the Democrats aren't doing x,y,z, when the truth is that they are in the minority and have no actual power to make change. That's why the 2026 midterms, 650 days from now, are critical.
Well, it will be important to see how Democrats vote on the bills, and send them letters of support when they do good, and criticism when they don't. In a list of 17 things that Zateo posted that one should be doing right now to support democracy one. of them is giving your elected officials feedback. Now, more than ever, that will be important.
It is also important to get into support groups when you can. I am in an "Indivisible" group abroad. We meet weekly and have picked a topic to work on. As well as wanting to generally support democracy moves.
Thank you Linda. Where are you abroad? Where is the Indivisible Abroad chapter based? Central Europe by any chance? I looked on the site but couldn't get that info. I"m in France.
Yes. We are based on Central Europe, and have had people from different countries attend. Most of us are in some part of Germany, but we also have someone from England, and some from France and Spain who occasionally attend.
We are not registered on the Official Indivisible site. We can be found on the Democrats Abroad Germany Hamburg and Northern Germany site as the Anti-Authoritarian Book Club, which is listed weekly, usually on the weekend, in time for a Tuesday meeting.
We are not on there now, but should be later on this week. We just met yesterday, and the person in charge of posting usually posts by Sunday. We currently have a project we are working on.
It is also a support group, and at some point becomes a get out the vote group.
Trump is a sociopath, but his following is more complicated and, I think, more varied in their motives and understandings than we tend to give them credit for. I think the legalization of hate radio and other well financed lie machines has a lot to do with Trump's popularity. We shall see, with sufficient resistance, how durable that popularity remains, or if Trump is pressing his luck. There are too many Trump supporters to ignore, even if the wind starts blowing the other way, and we need to win some portion of them over. In the log run we are facing daunting problems for which we need a great preponderance of hands on deck.
Excellent. As tempting as it is, and as easy as it is, to berate 'the rogue Trumpanzee', he's not who we need to communicate with, nor is this term of endearment going to get us closer to where we need to go - conversations with reasonable conservatives.
"Senator Murkowski strongly objected to the change. “Our nation’s tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known by the rightful name bestowed by Alaska’s Koyukon Athabascans, who have stewarded the land since time immemorial,” she said."
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The worst of the L.A. Fires are out for now... Great Credit must be bestowed on the California Firefighters, as well a as those from other U.S. States such as Nevada, Arizona, and Washington... Kudos to Mexico & Canada as well... In Addition, many of the Indigenous Nations sent Crews & Equipment such as the Yurok, Navajo, Apache, Blackfoot, and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians... The Yurok, Navajo, and Apache are Southern Athabascans... "Denali" means the 'Great One' in Athabascan...
Dear James, take it easy, for your own sake. Everyone is thrashing around in pain, but we must now combine. We can't run away, we have to get very close, close enough to squeeze the breath out of them. (I speak metaphorically, of course).
I am encouraged. Already in day two he is getting twenty lawsuits against his signature executive order with respect to the birthright citizenship. His pardons are not popular among his own party. He is also showing decline of mental capacity. Without any positive outcomes thus far, I am a bit relaxed now. But of course we cannot be optimistic.
I'm gonna say it again, but you're gonna have to live by the Convicted Orange Felon's own words: "You're gonna have to fight like hell, or you're not gonna have a country anymore." You can't keep playing a chess game by the rules whilst your opponent is punching you in the face. The time has come to punch back.
Today I want to focus on Mariann Budde, the courageous and compassionate Episcopal bishop who spoke truth to power at the inaugural prayer service. Trump, of course, toggled between looking bored and irritated and later said the event wasn't "exciting" (i.e., it wasn't praising him) and his staff should have done better. I am assuming she and the church are beyond Trump's lust for revenge. Here is a link to what Bishop Budden said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI4h4zbkNMU
Yes, they are. The Rt. Rev Mariann Edgar Budde is the bishop of Washington, DC. He can't touch her, no way, no how. He's not used to having an intelligent, soft spoken and mannered woman speak truth to his ill gotten power. He can't handle it and she called him out in front of God and everyone. The Bishop was right.
YES!! Bishop Budde was magnificent in a very gently forceful but meaningful way. She spoke the truth about what him and what his regime is doing. I watched that on YouTube earlier and made a comment. Did you see the comments, Ann? People wanted her pulled off of the pulpit. Disgusting MAGATS!
I haven't seen the comments, but I'm not surprised. It's "interesting," though, that Trump in his inaugural speech said he had been saved by God to make American great again, and yet (1) he didn't place his hand on the Bible when he was sworn in, and no evangelical has raised the slightest criticism of that , and (2) he and his followers have disrespected a woman of God.
It’s called making up the rules as you go along. Of course their foul mouthed cursing and cheering on of cruel acts of violence against humanity, is of a higher spiritual order than a Bishop preaching of love and kindness.
A bit too Christian for them? Bishop Budde encouraged him to be compassionate. She asked him to empathize. She didn’t shame him, although everyone knew why she was asking.
Deport her for implying he was wrong? Putin would.
Ann, absolutely, she spoke truth to power. He will probably try to get some kind of revenge because he has also demonstrated in two short days how petty he can be.
I loved seeing the Bishop doing what too many people won't do and that is speak truth to power. As for everything he is doing I am following what I decided a long, long time ago. I refuse to let it get to me. We knew this was going to happen. I will not live out my life walking around in outrage. I will not engage in complaining (venting) sessions.
Let's "look for the helpers" and help them during this time. I recommend we send Bishop Budde a thank you note. She was our beacon yesterday. There will be more.
Everyone, turn your anger and disgust into action. Join or start a local Indivisible group - indivisible.org - or some other pro-democracy, pro-truth, pro-decency group. Support with your work, wisdom and money. Support the groups filing lawsuits against Trump policies. Build community. Practice joy. Help save our country.
"Trump’s mistake, which has become the mistake of the entire Republican Party, is to believe that power is immutable. It is not. You don’t get power forever, and you cannot do with power anything you want to do. This is because the system which yields power to one group or another group exists through respect for precedent and for each other." -- Lucian Truscott IV, his 1/21/25 Substack newsletter.
Talk about being drunk on power, hubris and narcissism. Just remember the myth of Icarus, the guy who fashioned wings to his back with wax. Though warned about flying too close to the sun, he decided he was one with the Gods, the wax melted and he crashed to his death. Trump's second day in office is surely looking like a boom and bust business. As Napoleon said, "Never interfere with an enemy while he's in the process of destroying himself."
Kazz, I am sure our foreign enemies are applauding nearly all of his moves. He, in two days, has stuck it to many of the people who foolishly voted for him. I am not sure how many of them will actually wake up as there is no long a Spanish version of the WH site. He has given carte blanche to Bibi and the Israeli far right to attack the West Bank. He basically talked about Gaza like he wanted to build a hotel there. People who were enjoying some relief from drug prices, now can be gouged again. And now we have all sorts of violent criminals who attacked police back on the streets. Whoopee, ain't this grand.
Absolutely right Michele. He will still go after the ACA now that McCain is gone.
If you attend a church with a dim witted pastor that thinks that DonOLD is a Christian, call him/her on it. The quality and quantity of the clergy has never been so low. Of course, there are still tens of thousands of good Christian pastors and priests, but we need to stand up to the brain washed ones.
He is not the ruler of the world, and we are not the oppressed without agency. The far right and the oligarchy are the minority. Citizens and governments don't just roll over and play dead. The pushback is already happening and its real, coming at them from all sides. Let's stay strong.
Indeed. Sorry too for your sister. I am thinking he only has done this because it was a Biden policy that he had to reverse. Frankly, I plan to have a wee dram of single malt scotch neat when he departs this earth and it can't happen soon enough.
Actually, he's written a great deal of meaningless nonsense without doing anything at all. This is a con man from way back, but he's losing his grip with age.
Michele, my disabled sister, retired and on a fixed income, is insulin dependent and is very worried that she won’t be able to afford the increase…it had been such a HUGE relief when the prices were lowered—she told me her costs went from over $500 month to just over $100 and will struggle when/if it goes back up. 🤬
I am so sorry, Barbara, for this to happen to your sister. I am sure millions are in the same boat. Thank you for putting a face on this particular aspect of the ugly meanness coming from death star.
Stephen Colbert joked that when taking the Oath of Office Trump did not place his hand on the bible that Melania was holding up for him because the fire marshall was concerned about the risks of the indoor venue.
Even if you're a church attending Christian look into the work the Freedom From Religion Foundation is doing. Like the ACLU, they are doing mostly grass roots work in our communities.
They aren't a bunch of radical atheists and agnostics. They are protecting us from over reach of the Republicans in the schools, health care and government.
Utterly disgusting and disgraceful for the President of the United States to do. The actions of this convicted felon will be remembered in the history of this country. This will be his legacy. Thank you, Professor Richardson for clearly summarizing yesterday’s events. I wrote to my North Carolina US Senators today voicing my objections to the mass pardons of the individuals who were tried and convicted for attacking police officers during the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol Building. They were doing the bidding of Trump. I object to the excuse of the elected officials who compared these pardons with President Biden pardon of his son.
I just keep wondering if those members of the Supreme Court who made this presidency possible, are happy living in the world that is being created. A complete absence of the rule of law is what they wanted? Many Americans may be victims of Mis/disinformation, but this is the what the right wing court really wants?
36 hours into the trump term and we have already descended into madness. Only 1458 days left until the next inauguration. More importantly right now are the 650 days until the 2026 midterms. All sleeves need to be rolled up, time to get back to work....like our lives depend on it.
Someday my granddaughter will ask me, "So what did YOU do back when it all got so dark Poppa?" Yep, time to get to work as best as each of us can.
I don't think the message heard by The Proud Boys was that the judicial system is corrupt. I don't think they care about corrupt. I think what they heard was that the judicial system is toothless and cannot stop them from doing anything they want and take by force. The intent of the horned madman's message is clear. (I will not dishonor the work of shamans by calling him that.) Trump, as he often did, signaled what he intended to do by accusing others of doing it. And so, he told us he wants carnage, and now he is ensuring it.
With all the lawsuits going on? Not going to be easy to make this denial happen. HCR's live chat Tuesday helped me understand how EOs really work.. they're signals if intention, but not effective legally.
I haven't seen it, but it would be the same in Italian. Btw - the Spanish language version has already gone from the White House website??? Is anyone else getting a sort of itch to cause large swastikas to appear in strong red paint on the most visible parts of the beautiful White House?
There is one reason and one reason only that John, the Don, pardoned/commuted sentences of all of the January 6 rioters. they did his bidding, and some even went to jail for him.
They will become his own militia, his own Secret Service. We will start calling them the SS just like in the years of Hitler. Congress must not put these heathens on government payroll!
Notice that in all these notes of the convicted criminal's behavior, none involves public interest.
That is, in all the changes the convicted criminal pursues, all redound only to his own giddy glorying in his own power plays, his further eddies in turning the world only to more of his own fatuous, feckless criminality.
The Clarence court has already started its consent to his immunity from law. Republican sycophants all around him bless his strategy of filling cabinet and other posts only with more dizzying levels of incompetence wound around more sycophancy. And the 1500 criminal thugs who attacked the former republic's Capitol can re-group, confident of countless additions of white nationalists to form the private-use terrorist paramilitary the fat orange felon's additional criminality can float on.
Chansley tried to run for a seat in the US House under the libertarian party.in my state of AZ. Can you believe this idiot? First a shaman, then a would be congressman… and now he’s going to be a gun owner going to get some. What a total yahoo.
He got vegan meals in prison. Won’t kill a chicken to eat it, but has no problem hunting members of Congress. And now he’s armed with more than a flag.
It was McKinley who was President during the Spanish-American War, which resulted in the USA colonizing the Philippines for roughly 50 years (including the three or so years of Japanese occupation during WWII) and also acquiring Puerto Rico and for a time having a sort of protectorate over Cuba - when the USA for the first time became an “imperialist” power on the world scene. I fear this is the real reason for President Trump’s affinity to McKinley and his desire to revert to the McKinley name in Alaska….
Honestly? I don't think he ever even heard of Mt. McKinley before, and he certainly isn't smart enough to have put 2+2 together to make the connections between: McKinley was an expansionist; Denali used to be named McKinley; therefore, since I, too, am an expansionist, I will return the name of Denali to Mt. McKinley, (and eventually to Mt. Trump)." Nope. No way.
I worry for the families and neighbors of these violent offenders, and anyone they are encouraged to go after. It is good to hear that Senator Murkowski is pushing back at last, too little too late, but finally. And I am glad to see so many lawsuits piling up against Trump and his idea that he can banish (not uphold) the Constitution with a wave of hand. He hates the 14th amendment the most, because it states that he and his cronies are prohibited from ever holding office. So to do away with it, he has to axe birth right citizenship as well. Good luck with that. Not. It's been a discouraging couple of days from this perspective-- but it is ENCOURAGING that people from all over the US are pushing back. And Bishop Mariann Budde delivered the most eloquent push back of all, by simply asking him to be merciful to people who are afraid. Wow.
I've just about reached my limit of T**** crap. No amount of Tagamet can ease the stomach pain this fascist engenders. I hope his supporters come to their senses, but I fear that may never happen. Which makes them all my sworn enemies. To keep this democracy is going to require more than platitudes from Democrats in Congress, and demonstrations in the streets. We've lost the Republican party, the Supreme Court is corrupt as hell, and the Democrats don't seem to be able to find the cojones to stand up and stop this fiasco.
James, to quote the indomitable Cecile Richards who passed very recently—may she rest in power and peace— “It’s not hard to imagine future generations one day asking: ‘When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?’ The only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.’” So let’s all do everything we can to resist and persist. As Susan Sontag wrote “Courage is as contagious as fear”…so let’s get out there and spread some courage in whatever ways we are able to. Yeah, it will be exhausting, but I think we need to buoy each other up in the effort. OK, one more (and I’ve posted this before, but think it needs to be linked yet again): Marge Piercy “The Low Road” https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/piercylowroad.html ☮️🇺🇸🗽🏳️🌈
Thank you for posting this poem, Barbara. I was not familiar with it, and it is just right for this moment.
Don't just criticize the Dems for their platitudes. Do something to change the leadership of the DNC (Democratic National Committee). This is what I wrote to my fellow activists:
Dear Friends and Fellow Activists,
We cannot change the MAGA Cult members, but with new leadership at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), we can show the rest of the country what our values as Democrats are and why they should vote with us in 2026.
Here's how you can join me in becoming an active participant in our democracy.
First, watch some of the interviews of the candidates for Chair of the DNC. There are lots of forums to choose from. I recommend the one that Our Revolution (OR) and Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) ran (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCj3Zqfj1xM).
There is also lots of good info at Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Democratic_National_Committee_chairmanship_election).
If you don't have time to watch a candidates' forum, the Wikipedia article lists people who are supporting each candidate, so that will give you an idea of where they stand on the political spectrum.
Then, go to your State Democratic Committee website which should list the members who get to vote in the election for DNC leadership. In my state, MA, here is the link to the members who will represent us: https://www.massdems.org/DNCMembers24-28. You may know some, all, or none of them, but you can contact them all, whether or not you know them, and tell them whom you want them to vote for. Also, I just learned that David Hogg is running for DNC vice chair. I haven't paid attention to who the others are, but I'd tell our DNC members to vote for him--we could use a smart, fearless young person as part of the team. : )
Here are the folks in MA whose e-mail addresses I know:
Steve Kerrigan <steve@massdems.org>
Brenda Brathwaite <brenda_brathwaite@verizon.net>,
Karen L. Payne <karenlp51@aol.com>
Deb Goldberg <debgoldberg@mac.com>
Debra Kozikowski <debbyskoz@cs.com>
Mel Poindexter <artisfax@yahoo.com>
James Roosevelt, Jr. <jroosevelt@verrilldana.com>
Anyway, they're voting on February 1, so time is short if you want to participate in our
democracy. And, of course, there's no guarantee that they'll pay any attention, but if we all tell them whom we want, and if we ask our friends throughout the Commonwealth and the country to do the same, who knows, they might.
Best,
Betsy
P.S. Here's what I'm going to write--short and sweet:
Dear Committee Members:
As my representatives to vote for the new leaders of the DNC, please vote for Ben Wikler for Chair and David Hogg for Vice Chair.
Sincerely,
Betsy Smith
This is an ABSOLUTELY GREAT POST!!
Thanks, Betsy!!!
I am so impressed with Ben Wickler. David Hogg is also terrific.
There's another group of activists working to protect our Freedom of and from religion - "The Freedom From Religion Foundation'. https://ffrf.org
They have won and continue to win many legal battles where the religious zealots take advantage of all of us by using state and federal funds for their own financial reasons.
Here is one of the things they are actively pursuing;
Current Media Coverage
Jan 15 2025
Foundation sues to return church-owned apartments to property tax rolls
Wisconsin Law Journal (Milwaukee, WI)
By Mary Beth Matzek
Like the ACLU they have won many legal battles for us against the evangelicals.
Take a quick tour of their website and see what you think.
The FFRF is a terrific organization.
Betsy - As a fellow MA citizen, thanks!!
Betsy, it is the control of social media that is the crux of the problem. Trump controls social media.
We are all wasting our time complaining about Trump. He controls social media. With Facebook/insta algorithms pushing his lies, his agenda will dominate. Right now there is no democratic figure or figures that have that power. Search Engine Optimization is the present day ruler.
Thank you! I agree with you.
Please take care of yourself! Who are the Democrats that are supposed to be doing something that aren't? What are we supposed to do that we are not doing atm? I am truly curious to know what you think we should do if we had any "cojones?"
I have to say we witnessed a lady with a pair from the pulpit. Kudos to the bishop.
💖 As I just posted up/down thread, a quote from Susan Sontag is a perfect example of the bishop: “Courage is as contagious as fear”.
I think it is if only some Rs pols would show some. The bishop is a new hero for me.
It was remarkable. Something we've never seen anyone do before. Gentle, sincere, unapologetic and fearless.
Based on his facial expressions, I think all he heard was buzzing, like bad tinnitus, that the words didn't register in his psychopathic brain.
He has already had a tantrum, including a complaint that the service was “boring.” What did he expect, strippers?
Bishop Budde is an amazing person compassionate and loving with courage to back up her beliefs. May we all be as brave and caring as she is in the coming years.
Please…Do know her name??? I’ve been trying to find it. She needs to be championed for what she said. Bold and brave…
Mariann Edgar Budde. I just sent an email thanking her. May she be safe from harm. The world is so crazy. She was so courageous.
good move, will look for a way to express something too
I knew her name sounded familiar so I looked it up. That isn't the first time she's publicly chastised Trump. She had a lot to say about his August 2023 photo op. https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867532070/trumps-unannounced-church-visit-angers-church-officials
The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.
Watch out, CF45/47 will try to fire her. Her doesn’t like women in leadership positions, remember?
He doesn’t run the Episcopal Church, nor should he.
Thank you. I will try to send her an email!!! I hope she is willing to step up and take some leadership here and NOW!!
I don't know it, but I am sure you could look up the bishop of Washington DC.
Her email is mebudde@edow.org
The Bishop was magnificent today. Power is a fleeting thing and she wielded it, her prayer like a 🗡️!
"Trump’s first day on the job was “a dangerous display of rapid mental decline.” Bunch recorded Trump’s slurred speech, rambling, and nonsensical off-the-cuff speeches and said that his “biggest takeaway from a day that some have anticipated and many have dreaded for the last four years is seeing how rapidly the oldest new president in America is declining right in front of us.”
.
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The Creator may bestow Good Fortune upon Us... DJT seems to only know Vengefulness now... He may wreak much greater damage in his time left... He is Mortal after all... The suggestion to engage our local Democratic Leaders is a Good One... After all they would like to get re-elected....
Whereas Trump normally spews hatred when he is at the microphone, on Monday he expelled liquid manure. Excessive liquid manure pollutes the environment. Trump was unable to control his focus, and his opportunity to address the citizenry became as political rally for his racist boys.
Absolutely !
funny
true
My own view that the growing influence of big money on American politics has been neglected by Democrats even as it has been promoted and legalized by "Republicans". We are now seeing it going septic, but the trend has been on a tear since Reagan. What is political corruption if not the ability to buy one's political preferences? It's been getting worse in my lifetime, and if ethics in government is really a smoldering crater, it's pretty bad. I think we missed many opportunities and the larger picture in failing to make "common sense" standards of political ethics and regulation a top and abiding cause and priority. Follow the money.
Yes, our current 'might is right' turn may have begun with Reagan's treasonous use of Iranian hostages to take Presidential power from Carter.
AGREE we've had 45 years of complacent one step forward two steps back, pacified by our calorific couch-potato-greatness.
Not sure it gets better until LOT more people have more desperate, close-to-the-bone lives, and a couple generations of surveillance capitalism device addicts have passed away.
And a new generation of people realize, 'in their bones', that they need each other enough to have not mere tolerance but a longing appreciation of our many great differences that once made us great.
Is is finally, finally bad enough people just won't take it anymore? I sure hope so. We literally can't go on like this, bit we could go to hell in a handbasket.
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2024/11/25/2288252/-Cartoon-A-bumpy-ride-ahead
Did you see Trump's face as he was being shamed from the pulpit? Afterwards, when asked what he thought about the service he mocked it as being 'not exciting' and said "they could have done better".
I did not see his face. I actively avoid looking at his image. I would be surprised if that face was shame, though—I imagine it was anger. I would love it to be shame though.
He was seething.
Shame…no, probably never….you’re right Suzanni, it’s not an emotion he’s familiar with.
Trump’s Emotional Quotient is very low. He is deficient in empathy for others.
Hi Suzanni, what did G Washington do? T Jefferson? A Hamilton? etc.
To everything there is a season; this is not the season for bought voting systems.
We need younger people -- the seniority system has let us down. People like David Hogg and Chris Murphy. I think a start for the Dems would be to call out the lies and outrageous executive orders (like leaving the WHO) for the dangers they pose -- get out there, make some noise, put up a freaking billboard. It could be media coverage that is leaving them out in the cold but so far I just hear crickets from the Dems.
I find it frustrating to hear people saying that the Democrats aren't doing x,y,z, when the truth is that they are in the minority and have no actual power to make change. That's why the 2026 midterms, 650 days from now, are critical.
Well, it will be important to see how Democrats vote on the bills, and send them letters of support when they do good, and criticism when they don't. In a list of 17 things that Zateo posted that one should be doing right now to support democracy one. of them is giving your elected officials feedback. Now, more than ever, that will be important.
https://zeteo.com/p/what-to-do-keep-democracy-alive-trump-presidency?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
It is also important to get into support groups when you can. I am in an "Indivisible" group abroad. We meet weekly and have picked a topic to work on. As well as wanting to generally support democracy moves.
https://indivisible.org/
Great, Linda.
Thank you Linda. Where are you abroad? Where is the Indivisible Abroad chapter based? Central Europe by any chance? I looked on the site but couldn't get that info. I"m in France.
I found Democrats Abroad but for Indivisible France,
a not very active FB page: https://www.facebook.com/IndivisibleFrance/
Whose website is listed as a Twitter page 🤷🏻♀️
https://www.democratsabroad.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1PvGqLRrwADtNwczs0nSZPN3pzgOHbzTDPz0HvZWx9dKAPdcPuEdqihQo_aem_7rB7zxLEvfZjmOPv9tEQMw
Hi NC,
Yes. We are based on Central Europe, and have had people from different countries attend. Most of us are in some part of Germany, but we also have someone from England, and some from France and Spain who occasionally attend.
We are not registered on the Official Indivisible site. We can be found on the Democrats Abroad Germany Hamburg and Northern Germany site as the Anti-Authoritarian Book Club, which is listed weekly, usually on the weekend, in time for a Tuesday meeting.
https://www.democratsabroad.org/de-hamburg_events
We are not on there now, but should be later on this week. We just met yesterday, and the person in charge of posting usually posts by Sunday. We currently have a project we are working on.
It is also a support group, and at some point becomes a get out the vote group.
Trump is a sociopath, but his following is more complicated and, I think, more varied in their motives and understandings than we tend to give them credit for. I think the legalization of hate radio and other well financed lie machines has a lot to do with Trump's popularity. We shall see, with sufficient resistance, how durable that popularity remains, or if Trump is pressing his luck. There are too many Trump supporters to ignore, even if the wind starts blowing the other way, and we need to win some portion of them over. In the log run we are facing daunting problems for which we need a great preponderance of hands on deck.
Everyone will be hit hard in one way or another, unless of course they have a lazy billion tucked away for a rainy day.
Excellent. As tempting as it is, and as easy as it is, to berate 'the rogue Trumpanzee', he's not who we need to communicate with, nor is this term of endearment going to get us closer to where we need to go - conversations with reasonable conservatives.
A Change Of Subject:
.
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"Senator Murkowski strongly objected to the change. “Our nation’s tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known by the rightful name bestowed by Alaska’s Koyukon Athabascans, who have stewarded the land since time immemorial,” she said."
.
.
The worst of the L.A. Fires are out for now... Great Credit must be bestowed on the California Firefighters, as well a as those from other U.S. States such as Nevada, Arizona, and Washington... Kudos to Mexico & Canada as well... In Addition, many of the Indigenous Nations sent Crews & Equipment such as the Yurok, Navajo, Apache, Blackfoot, and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians... The Yurok, Navajo, and Apache are Southern Athabascans... "Denali" means the 'Great One' in Athabascan...
Worst of all the rogue Trumpanzee out of control is a fascist figure-head.
https://youtu.be/EvusFZh3ubw
Dear James, take it easy, for your own sake. Everyone is thrashing around in pain, but we must now combine. We can't run away, we have to get very close, close enough to squeeze the breath out of them. (I speak metaphorically, of course).
I am encouraged. Already in day two he is getting twenty lawsuits against his signature executive order with respect to the birthright citizenship. His pardons are not popular among his own party. He is also showing decline of mental capacity. Without any positive outcomes thus far, I am a bit relaxed now. But of course we cannot be optimistic.
I'm gonna say it again, but you're gonna have to live by the Convicted Orange Felon's own words: "You're gonna have to fight like hell, or you're not gonna have a country anymore." You can't keep playing a chess game by the rules whilst your opponent is punching you in the face. The time has come to punch back.
Today I want to focus on Mariann Budde, the courageous and compassionate Episcopal bishop who spoke truth to power at the inaugural prayer service. Trump, of course, toggled between looking bored and irritated and later said the event wasn't "exciting" (i.e., it wasn't praising him) and his staff should have done better. I am assuming she and the church are beyond Trump's lust for revenge. Here is a link to what Bishop Budden said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI4h4zbkNMU
Yes, they are. The Rt. Rev Mariann Edgar Budde is the bishop of Washington, DC. He can't touch her, no way, no how. He's not used to having an intelligent, soft spoken and mannered woman speak truth to his ill gotten power. He can't handle it and she called him out in front of God and everyone. The Bishop was right.
My new heroine!!!! She did not bully nor pontificate, but firmly, gently even, spoke truth to power….and everybody there knew it.
YES!! Bishop Budde was magnificent in a very gently forceful but meaningful way. She spoke the truth about what him and what his regime is doing. I watched that on YouTube earlier and made a comment. Did you see the comments, Ann? People wanted her pulled off of the pulpit. Disgusting MAGATS!
I haven't seen the comments, but I'm not surprised. It's "interesting," though, that Trump in his inaugural speech said he had been saved by God to make American great again, and yet (1) he didn't place his hand on the Bible when he was sworn in, and no evangelical has raised the slightest criticism of that , and (2) he and his followers have disrespected a woman of God.
God doesn't exist for him. He uses "God" as a stage prop. As a part of his costume, like the hair and makeup.
It’s called making up the rules as you go along. Of course their foul mouthed cursing and cheering on of cruel acts of violence against humanity, is of a higher spiritual order than a Bishop preaching of love and kindness.
As they say, the truth hurts.
A bit too Christian for them? Bishop Budde encouraged him to be compassionate. She asked him to empathize. She didn’t shame him, although everyone knew why she was asking.
Deport her for implying he was wrong? Putin would.
Don’t know how he could, Carol, she’s a US born citizen & protected by the 14th amendment. Of course he doesn’t seem to care about any of that!!!
Ann, absolutely, she spoke truth to power. He will probably try to get some kind of revenge because he has also demonstrated in two short days how petty he can be.
Yes, she totally shamed all of them, and the video is going viral.
He sure has and that will continue.
The most important part is that she stood up to him knowing full well that he might be revengeful. Like Barbara said, she is our new heroine.
I loved seeing the Bishop doing what too many people won't do and that is speak truth to power. As for everything he is doing I am following what I decided a long, long time ago. I refuse to let it get to me. We knew this was going to happen. I will not live out my life walking around in outrage. I will not engage in complaining (venting) sessions.
Let's "look for the helpers" and help them during this time. I recommend we send Bishop Budde a thank you note. She was our beacon yesterday. There will be more.
Everyone, turn your anger and disgust into action. Join or start a local Indivisible group - indivisible.org - or some other pro-democracy, pro-truth, pro-decency group. Support with your work, wisdom and money. Support the groups filing lawsuits against Trump policies. Build community. Practice joy. Help save our country.
"Trump’s mistake, which has become the mistake of the entire Republican Party, is to believe that power is immutable. It is not. You don’t get power forever, and you cannot do with power anything you want to do. This is because the system which yields power to one group or another group exists through respect for precedent and for each other." -- Lucian Truscott IV, his 1/21/25 Substack newsletter.
Talk about being drunk on power, hubris and narcissism. Just remember the myth of Icarus, the guy who fashioned wings to his back with wax. Though warned about flying too close to the sun, he decided he was one with the Gods, the wax melted and he crashed to his death. Trump's second day in office is surely looking like a boom and bust business. As Napoleon said, "Never interfere with an enemy while he's in the process of destroying himself."
I think, Kazz, TFFFG flying too close to the sun will result in his overly hairsprayed head-weave-nest bursting into 🔥 flames.
Lol, I love that image Barbara.
So do I. It certainly puts a smile on my face.
Kazz, I am sure our foreign enemies are applauding nearly all of his moves. He, in two days, has stuck it to many of the people who foolishly voted for him. I am not sure how many of them will actually wake up as there is no long a Spanish version of the WH site. He has given carte blanche to Bibi and the Israeli far right to attack the West Bank. He basically talked about Gaza like he wanted to build a hotel there. People who were enjoying some relief from drug prices, now can be gouged again. And now we have all sorts of violent criminals who attacked police back on the streets. Whoopee, ain't this grand.
Why on earth would he mess with the drug prices??? Seems so petty. But then he is so petty…
Because Biden did it and he has to destroy anything that Biden did.
Absolutely right Michele. He will still go after the ACA now that McCain is gone.
If you attend a church with a dim witted pastor that thinks that DonOLD is a Christian, call him/her on it. The quality and quantity of the clergy has never been so low. Of course, there are still tens of thousands of good Christian pastors and priests, but we need to stand up to the brain washed ones.
Randi Rainbow song in there? “I’m so petty, I’m so petty”…sung to the Westside Story song “I’m so pretty”!
Ooh yes, I could do with a Randy Rainbow song right now.
He is not the ruler of the world, and we are not the oppressed without agency. The far right and the oligarchy are the minority. Citizens and governments don't just roll over and play dead. The pushback is already happening and its real, coming at them from all sides. Let's stay strong.
He has in just two days done a whole slew of things that should up the resistance. Yes, let's stay strong.
Yes, they are proving they are not here to make friends, that's for damn sure.
Indeed. Sorry too for your sister. I am thinking he only has done this because it was a Biden policy that he had to reverse. Frankly, I plan to have a wee dram of single malt scotch neat when he departs this earth and it can't happen soon enough.
Actually, he's written a great deal of meaningless nonsense without doing anything at all. This is a con man from way back, but he's losing his grip with age.
Michele, my disabled sister, retired and on a fixed income, is insulin dependent and is very worried that she won’t be able to afford the increase…it had been such a HUGE relief when the prices were lowered—she told me her costs went from over $500 month to just over $100 and will struggle when/if it goes back up. 🤬
My sister in the mid-west is in the same boat. Her Medicare benefits have saved her life, not to mention the cocktail of meds keeping her alive.
I am so sorry, Barbara, for this to happen to your sister. I am sure millions are in the same boat. Thank you for putting a face on this particular aspect of the ugly meanness coming from death star.
Yeah, Michele, my thought too….such a petty move that will endanger so many. Kinda like the dogs who have to pee over where another dog just marked.
Stephen Colbert joked that when taking the Oath of Office Trump did not place his hand on the bible that Melania was holding up for him because the fire marshall was concerned about the risks of the indoor venue.
Let’s hope he does it quickly. His pattern is to simply double down…
I just reached out to my local indivisible after reading your post!
Wonderful! You will enjoy a wonderful community, Lisa. Thanks for letting us know!
Even if you're a church attending Christian look into the work the Freedom From Religion Foundation is doing. Like the ACLU, they are doing mostly grass roots work in our communities.
https://ffrf.org
They aren't a bunch of radical atheists and agnostics. They are protecting us from over reach of the Republicans in the schools, health care and government.
Hear hear!
Right On Bernie Sanders!
Watch "I attended Trump’s inauguration yesterday. Here are my thoughts." on YouTube
https://youtu.be/vHH-KI2yk8s?si=57LvTi3V2BypWXak
Utterly disgusting and disgraceful for the President of the United States to do. The actions of this convicted felon will be remembered in the history of this country. This will be his legacy. Thank you, Professor Richardson for clearly summarizing yesterday’s events. I wrote to my North Carolina US Senators today voicing my objections to the mass pardons of the individuals who were tried and convicted for attacking police officers during the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol Building. They were doing the bidding of Trump. I object to the excuse of the elected officials who compared these pardons with President Biden pardon of his son.
Let’s all make some good noise
I think, Vicki, he only cares about his legacy if he can make bank 💰 off it!
What will be remembered in history will be the story of how this travesty was accomplished - not the creature himself.
That'll be the least worst part of this madman's legacy.
I just keep wondering if those members of the Supreme Court who made this presidency possible, are happy living in the world that is being created. A complete absence of the rule of law is what they wanted? Many Americans may be victims of Mis/disinformation, but this is the what the right wing court really wants?
Doesn't affect them. Why should they care?
They will soon realise what a minority they are. They better watch their backs.
36 hours into the trump term and we have already descended into madness. Only 1458 days left until the next inauguration. More importantly right now are the 650 days until the 2026 midterms. All sleeves need to be rolled up, time to get back to work....like our lives depend on it.
Someday my granddaughter will ask me, "So what did YOU do back when it all got so dark Poppa?" Yep, time to get to work as best as each of us can.
Dead right. Our lives do depend on it.
I don't think the message heard by The Proud Boys was that the judicial system is corrupt. I don't think they care about corrupt. I think what they heard was that the judicial system is toothless and cannot stop them from doing anything they want and take by force. The intent of the horned madman's message is clear. (I will not dishonor the work of shamans by calling him that.) Trump, as he often did, signaled what he intended to do by accusing others of doing it. And so, he told us he wants carnage, and now he is ensuring it.
Collectivos like maduros street boys.. “accidents” need to begin to occur
Doesn’t Trump’s executive order denying birthright citizenship fly in the face of the oath he JUST took to uphold the Constitution?
Yes. It is not legal.
Not legal, but will that make any difference by 180 days? -- the goal of 2025, to destroy the Constitution by then.
With all the lawsuits going on? Not going to be easy to make this denial happen. HCR's live chat Tuesday helped me understand how EOs really work.. they're signals if intention, but not effective legally.
'of', not 'if'.
Gives new meaning to the word oxyMORON!!!!!
Proto-fascism is birthing kakistocracy.
In hispanic locales it's spelled cacaistocracy, for obvious reasons.
💩🤣👏
I haven't seen it, but it would be the same in Italian. Btw - the Spanish language version has already gone from the White House website??? Is anyone else getting a sort of itch to cause large swastikas to appear in strong red paint on the most visible parts of the beautiful White House?
Removing spanish website seems to hurt GOP pursuit of hispanic vote. Goooood!
But first, they got the vote. Now the POV shifts.
That's a much better description!
100, excellent.
So those highest on Darwin’s pecking order get the top jobs?
Seems that way. I wonder when everyone randomly starts falling out of windows?
Hey, this is America...where they fall into Right Wing news/streaming/radio gigs selling supplements and gold bars.
There is one reason and one reason only that John, the Don, pardoned/commuted sentences of all of the January 6 rioters. they did his bidding, and some even went to jail for him.
They will become his own militia, his own Secret Service. We will start calling them the SS just like in the years of Hitler. Congress must not put these heathens on government payroll!
👆THIS! You read my mind Marlene!!!
Yeah, pardoning was a piece of cake jerrianneh, tho think it would have had a different outcome if he had to PAY for anyone to get out of jail.
Notice that in all these notes of the convicted criminal's behavior, none involves public interest.
That is, in all the changes the convicted criminal pursues, all redound only to his own giddy glorying in his own power plays, his further eddies in turning the world only to more of his own fatuous, feckless criminality.
The Clarence court has already started its consent to his immunity from law. Republican sycophants all around him bless his strategy of filling cabinet and other posts only with more dizzying levels of incompetence wound around more sycophancy. And the 1500 criminal thugs who attacked the former republic's Capitol can re-group, confident of countless additions of white nationalists to form the private-use terrorist paramilitary the fat orange felon's additional criminality can float on.
"in all these notes of the convicted criminal's behavior, none involves public interest." And that's our new reality.
Thanks for doing what you do, and the historical context that you offer. I am so grateful. At the moment you're the only news source I can stomach.
Chansley tried to run for a seat in the US House under the libertarian party.in my state of AZ. Can you believe this idiot? First a shaman, then a would be congressman… and now he’s going to be a gun owner going to get some. What a total yahoo.
Oh, he's far, far more dangerous that just a "yahoo".
Wait, you forgot to add in that he was a criminal first before becoming a gun owner! :)
Ooohhh, good catch Marlene….maybe that’ll trip him up!
Hopefully by a real cop, Barbara! That guy is truly Goofy in disguise.
He got vegan meals in prison. Won’t kill a chicken to eat it, but has no problem hunting members of Congress. And now he’s armed with more than a flag.
Maybe if he didn’t use the word “fucking” so much? lol
It was McKinley who was President during the Spanish-American War, which resulted in the USA colonizing the Philippines for roughly 50 years (including the three or so years of Japanese occupation during WWII) and also acquiring Puerto Rico and for a time having a sort of protectorate over Cuba - when the USA for the first time became an “imperialist” power on the world scene. I fear this is the real reason for President Trump’s affinity to McKinley and his desire to revert to the McKinley name in Alaska….
Good point. But the orange sadist doesn't have a CLUE who President McKinley was. Guess someone told him.
TFG can't have known that McKinley was assasinated? Seems like that wouldn't be a good thing to consider heroic?
LOL!!! I didn't think about that part of McKinley's life -- or, rather, death! Guess the orange sadist's advisor didn't either!!
He heard about him from looking at his picture books.
Honestly? I don't think he ever even heard of Mt. McKinley before, and he certainly isn't smart enough to have put 2+2 together to make the connections between: McKinley was an expansionist; Denali used to be named McKinley; therefore, since I, too, am an expansionist, I will return the name of Denali to Mt. McKinley, (and eventually to Mt. Trump)." Nope. No way.
Wasn’t it name McKinley after his assination ? The man himself never even went to Alaska.
I worry for the families and neighbors of these violent offenders, and anyone they are encouraged to go after. It is good to hear that Senator Murkowski is pushing back at last, too little too late, but finally. And I am glad to see so many lawsuits piling up against Trump and his idea that he can banish (not uphold) the Constitution with a wave of hand. He hates the 14th amendment the most, because it states that he and his cronies are prohibited from ever holding office. So to do away with it, he has to axe birth right citizenship as well. Good luck with that. Not. It's been a discouraging couple of days from this perspective-- but it is ENCOURAGING that people from all over the US are pushing back. And Bishop Mariann Budde delivered the most eloquent push back of all, by simply asking him to be merciful to people who are afraid. Wow.
I’m kinda surprised Jacob Chansley hasn’t been offered a job to head The ATF yet.
I think he is heading to GSA.
"El Chapo" got ATF.