Is there a reason Trump isn't on the New York State sex offender list as well as Florida, New Jersey and DC? A NY State judge labeled him as a rapist and now we know he is a serial pedophile and into child trafficking and porn.
Is this something Letitia James or the ACLU should be looking at?
NY State judge labeled him a rapist but no one to my knowledge has labeled him a pedophile. We should not jump the gun. Let’s wait and see if he hangs himself.
A girl who was then 13 has testified to Trump's raping her at that age (along with another girl, "Maria," then 12. Yesterday Daniel Solomon here posted the court documents (her name there Jane Doe).
Trouble is, the U.S. has a separate legal system for celebrities and the corrupt rich.
An acquaintance of mine who went through the American justice system decades ago for possession of a small amount of marijuana was told by his own lawyer that if he had enough money, the lawyer could get the charges dismissed. So, yeah. Justice in the US depends on what you can afford.
No, Justice is not what you can afford. JUSINO (justice in name only), aka some combination of retribution and enabling, is what you can afford. Justice is the opposite of JUSINO, and to Justice, how much you can afford is utterly irrelevant.
Be skeptical, aka open minded. Don't be cynical, aka naive.
"How" many times have I said that here and elsewhere Gary ? My stories have mirrored that and so my experiences on this planet have borne that out, time and again; Not sex wise, but money wise. Again, I have long held, experienced and opined that in our U.S., 'you only get as much justice as you can afford.'
testified in the prosecution of Maxwell, not in a prosecution of Trump, so cannot be used as evidence against him, much less as a conviction that would put him on the sex offender registry (where he clearly deserves to be, re adults and re children.)
They (the victims) are older now. The silence is truly deafening. Besides, why would a person want to subject themself to being disparaged and lose what they have managed to recover of their own self-worth or dignity? They could probably give-a-crap less what happens to as long as they are left out of it. Let's not turn them into pawns for prurient interests or political vendettas of some worthless human beings. The guilty-ones will never spend a day in jail and probably ruin prosecutors reputations. Harvey Winestine, anyone?
I'll just now play a familiar tune from my album of top hits.
The U.S. Government was designed by a group of well-heeled, white Europeans who created three branches that were supposed to provide "a system of checks and balances." This was a virtuous-sounding sales pitch trotted out to mollify the peasants. Lost in the microscale print was the reality that these checks and balances applied only to the branches against each other, but had no effect on the wealthy versus the impoverished.
The U.S. Government is – and always has been – structured in a way that promotes and protects the interests of the wealthy, and leaves the lower classes to fend for themselves. The judiciary has not been excluded from this scheme.
Dale, the governments of most places in most of history have been structured the same way, so we should not be surprised at all. The difference may be the splendid idealistic words in some of our documents which lead some of us to believe we can be different. Epstein should have been in jail long before he was, but there was that Florida deal. Also, and I will probably get in trouble for saying this, women have not mattered much.
Michele, I should have described them as "well-heeled, white European MEN."
Your point is absolutely valid and should provoke no argument from this group of enlightened readers. Unfortunately, patriarchy is also a hallmark of virtually all ancient and modern cultures.
Maybe my quarrel is with our institutionalized hypocrisy, officially boasting that we are better than our peers, when we are not.
Dale, you do not get in trouble with me for saying that women have not mattered much. It doesn't take too deep a dive into our history to see that. Or even just looking around at what so many states are doing to women. I appreciate your observation.
Phil, I've tried to find Daniel's post from yesterday that refers to this, but have not, so far. Could you please re-post that reference or link here? Or Daniel, could you, please? I saw this story many years ago, but read that those two young girls disappeared, along with a notebook Maria kept hidden. Snopes.com did not think the story was a hoax and it included a partial of a lawsuit that was dropped because it was not done in NYC. She did not have the money for a good lawyer.
Here's what I've prepared for Heather's later today:
Did Epstein give Putin video of Trump with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s girls?
Remember, it’s Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev who in 2008 bought a Trump $41,000,000 Palm Beach mansion for $95,000,000. Trump had originally got it himself only four years earlier off a bankruptcy sale.
Of course, this was during the time all the Russian oligarchs were buying properties in all the world’s most posh neighborhoods, from London to Manhattan, from the Mediterranean to Florida. These oligarchs had spent the previous decade robbing the Russian people of state assets they’d earlier gotten with investments by the most elite U.S. banking and Ivy League grad Americans.
Having sex with a few hundred salaciously lovely underage teen girls Epstein and Maxwill procured? Just side benefits for all the Russian, Israeli, Brit, and U.S. elites. They had millions, billions of dollars with which to play.
Rybolovlev himself soon went on to buy for his own teen daughter the property on Central Park West that was then the most expensive apartment in the world.
For details on the years’-long cover-up go to the Chris Hedges YouTube Channel and “The Epstein Sweetheart Deal Explained (w/ Nick Bryant).”
I concur; I would prize that reference as well.. As I've experienced repeatedly and stated, "one only gets as much justice in America as one can afford."
Some of the old heroes of mine from Vietnam are now up to their necks in trying to push all the old hoax memes and the "terrific" jobs the trump gang members are supposedly doing. I wish they had been there Tuesday morning when a few of us talked to a pretty self-confident guy wearing a DOGE hat, trying to get us to bite on ending the Afghan war, and saving money. When we didn't, he at least was reasonable in discussing other issues
He did at least listen to my concerns about the financial time-bomb of the BBB (scheduled to really go off like the adjustable-rate/balloon payment mortgages, etc after the next election, and comparisons to how Robert Reich downsized the Labor Department through retirements and normal attrition. He and apparently his wife did seem to agree that the Epstein files needed to be released.
I wanted him to stay and tell us more about what he thought of Gerrymandering and Voter Suppression/discouragement along the lines of the "American Conversations: Kate Barr and Justice Anita Earls of North Carolina" conversation, "Talking about the Voting Rights Act, Voter Suppression, and Where We Go From Here" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOTFb4SrrPI
Kate Barr was the former North Carolina Senate candidate who ran as "Kate Barr Can't Win"as a protest against gerrymandering (which I remember as so bad that my old party took 10 of 13 seats (77%) despite only 50.6% of the popular votes going to Republican House candidates (to 48.75% for Democrats) in 2012.
I actually am a bit inspired by her Loser T-shirt and think my next sign will be along the lines of "We, The People are the Losers when our Tax Break Billionaire dominated Government Cheats Voters"
The cheating goes beyond purges and barriers in ways difficult to measure. Back in 2016 we did pretty well knocking on doors to make sure as many as possible were registered, got registered if they weren't, and checked to make sure they were on the voter rolls a week or so before they went to vote.
In the California Primary in 2016, it seemed we had many more provisional ballots than usual, perhaps due to new voters, and poll workers not well versed with new rules, but I've also thought impacted by foreign or domestic hackers intending to sew distrust by changing voters' registrations in the Primary (instead of risking closer monitoring in the main election. n acquaintance who was running in the Democratic Primary was forced to use a Provisional ballot since the voter roll showed him as a No Party Preference person even though he had to be a registered Democrat to be on the Democratic Primary ballot.
Yes Phil, the US does have a separate legal system for several populations within our nation. With all due respect, that’s not the point. The point is: no one has yet convicted him of pedophilia. Hoping one day it will happen. My second choice would be that incontrovertible proof would surface before he beats the judicial system by croaking just as they’re ready to skewer his corrupt ass.
Thank you for bringing that up. I knew that someone had testified to that effect. I didn't see Daniel Solomon's link yesterday (or didn't have the energy to go there), but I know that he is a reliable source.
The US justice system Does have a separate justice system for the rich. It’s BUILT IN! The rich can afford to keep appealing “forever”. The rich can hire attorneys who know other attorneys who are “buddies” as we just witnessed with the Deputy Atty AG (who is supposed to be working for the American people but was Trump’s own attorney and still loyal to him) is the one to visit GM, because he knows GM’s attorney and is friends with him. That’s the problem - the big name attorneys the rich use are all buddies. They are buddies with the judges. Justice doesn’t much play into it unless one gets a straight arrow judge - which is very rare and an then who in the hell can stand up against these superstar superstar attorneys? Makes it very one sided
But rapists must still be registered on the sex offender list. I don't think that's something the judge decides. If you commit the crime you go on the list.
Although a judge may have labelled Trump a rapist in a civil case, Trump was only found liable in a civil proceeding of sexual abuse and defamation. For better or worse it was a finding of liability in a civil case, not of guilt in a criminal case and therefore does not qualify to register the defendant as a sex offender.
Additionally, this confusion was exacerbated as the judge's comment was in a case Trump brought against Carroll for saying he raped her. The judge found she was using the term rape in a colloquial sense and not a legal sense.
Please do not interpret this as a defense of Trump, it is only an explanation.
New York State Law for the precise description of "rape" is somewhat antiquated...at least in many people's opinion (including the judge in that case, evidently)
Not sure I agree. The differences between colloquial and legal definitions do add to the confusion. We hear the same thing when people say their house was robbed. Because the general public misuses a term doesn't necessarily mean the term is antiquated, it only means legal definitions tend to be more precise for good reason, and the general public doesn't know the difference.
Thanks, Gary. The verbiage I usually use is that he was "found civilly liable for conduct that meets the criteria for rape had it been brought in a a timely manner".
To my mind, it begs the question of why there is a timeline for coming forward with complaints of criminal sexual conduct at all.
I have my own, very gender biased, and not very sympathetic theory.
That's a fair response. The difference is that there are different standards of proof in these cases. Criminal cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, not all doubt. Civil cases merely require a preponderance of evidence. The best example is OJ Simpson's murder of his wife and Goldman. There was not enough evidence to convict but enough to hold him liable. The important point is that one can be subject to punitive damages in a civil trial, but not imprisoned.
I don't think it's a gender bias, many men have the same question. The problem with no statutory limits is that there is so much overwhelming evidence that time diminishes recollections, corrupts evidence, and can result in wrongful convictions.
In New York the statute of limitations can range from 3 years to 20 years, and in some cases there is no limitation.
Do we make civil courts demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt, in which case Carroll could have easily lost? Or do we have criminal cases standard lowered to preponderance of the evidence? Which Trump's DOJ would relish.
You have to be *convicted* of a sex crime to be put on the sex offenders list. You are correct that judges don't decide that, juries do, based on legally obtained evidence. Imagine if you could be put on that list without a conviction. Imagine how this administration would use that.
There are papers before the court listing underage girls who had sex with T so, just waiting for the court system to put a 'celebrity' on notice for a court hearing.
Come on, he's hung himself every day he's been in office. Do you really want him to pick up an actual AR-15 and start killing protesters and immigrants or just wait while he does it by not feeding starving children?
The republicans leaving for early recess --- perhaps a change of scene and an absence of the necessity of thought will restore some of their mental equilibrium - you think? These so called Christian martyrs are so trying to make themselves comfortable up against the stake... They should never have allowed their instincts of justice - if they had any - to degenerate into mere vindictiveness. This is a thousand times worse than Nixon. Ok - just a scattering of random thoughts....
For all of those with MAGA Congresscritters and Senators, we need to call for town halls during this ill-timed(?) recess. The publicity from these has been terrible optics for the Cons.
By September there should be a lot less ‘life rafts’ if one considers GOP Reps to be "Life rafts for Trump!" The battering many of GOP Reps WILL take, if they don’t hide, from the folks they represent will be wake-up-calls to the fact you are not going to be re-elected if you do not serve us, save us, and save our benefit’s! Let us all hope for a great GOP awakening during the next to two months (Vacation?). No more Red or Blue. Its time for a Red, White, and Blue America again!
It is also time the Dems get their act together for the September vote on the release of the "sex files" to the public and the ouster of Trump by any legal method. Not that Trump deserves such consideration!
Will the pain occur incrementally across different states and different age and racial groups? Will people simply surrender to a new norm: higher prices, minimal health coverage, higher insurance and no Fema in flood prone states? Trump just denied aid to Md to cover flood damage. It may be a huge psychological lift to admit you were wrong when you voted for a so called stable genius…
He is no longer governing, just thinking of how many people he can destroy I picture a denuded earth, with him standing on top wondering where "where did all the people go?" Nother but cement in all directions.
I read that yesterday. They have not given a reason and Wes will appeal. The MAGA in those areas need to know that Trump is responsible for hurting them.
It seems these comments are, all too often, like kids playing "telephone". HRC gives us information/history/perspective, and 500-600 comments later, I need to go back to the beginning to see what her original message was. I'm 83; like the patriarch in <Moonstruck>, "I'm old, I'm confused." My memory is good. My experiences are valid. HRC is in sync with them. Perhaps, I'd be better be better off skipping the comments, where I've seen threads like commentors believing the Novel prizes are given in Norway
Good question GJ. NY should have him on the list. Wonder if doing so will limit where in NY T can go, who he can visit? Glad Barron is over 18. Means Daddy wouldn't have to limit visits with him.
I am in the same place that I was in during Reagan. Only this time it is worse. I begin to question my own sanity in the face of blatant lies that many of my fellow citizens accept as truth. The media…..including NPR continue to act like this is just another day in American politics, when we are seeing a coup by the 1% to turn our democracy into a feudal system with handpicked useful idiots like Trump as the frontman for their continued rape of this country.
But what we have is a troika (appropriately Russian). The corrupt regime was aided and abetted by a corrupt party that for decades has defunded and degraded the public education system that produced the horde of stupid voters.
Dale, I would say that they are speaking to a base that has long held those ideas of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc. No amount of education would make any difference. We had many students that we tried to help, but were often up against parental influence. And I know well educated people who vote R.
Michele, I agree that generational ignorance plays a part. But I disagree with your assertion that "no amount of education would make any difference," mainly because we must agree on a definition of "education."
You and your like-minded colleagues were/are a tiny island in an ocean of diminished and corporatized school systems where STEM is all that matters and tests define success or failure.
I also know college-educated Republican voters, but I am skeptical of the quality – or completeness – of their education. I don't think it's possible to "teach" empathy and compassion, but I think the right courses can awaken them.
Dale, I have commented on Phil's posts forever as you probably know. Education would make a difference if it would take, but there are many factors that make that difficult. We spent a lot of energy on many kids only to see them end up in not good places. I know that a lot of our teachers made a difference for kids because I see them still thanking them. I do not know how that translates into votes, but it did allow some of them to overcome their family dysfunction, survive, and become decent individuals.
No, it is not possible to teach empathy and compassion, but it is possible to model it. I am lucky to have retired before what you describe in schools today became the model. Btw, I am a firm advocate for the humanities. I should also probably confess that I am very cynical about humankind although I refuse to give in to that completely.
You are quite right Dale. Maybe we should define a new term: troikatango....and couple dancing tango is complicated, imagine a tango being danced by 3 people 😄
So in other words, you don't believe in the truth or the facts I get it now
What a sad case you can't live your whole life in denial because it's gonna bite you in the butt one of these days in fact, it should've already done so but apparently you're sleeping
So let me repeat so you can let it sink in 3 1/2 more years of BLISS for everybody that voted for him and 3 1/2 years of hate unless you wake up and see the successes that America is currently having. Day after day
G. Maxwell: “Trump Told Me Not To Bring Him Any Girls Older Than 14”
The Justice Department sent a legal team to the Federal Correctional in Tallahassee, Florida and Maxwell blurted out that, “Donald only wanted young babies no older than 14 years of age.” Before she could say anymore on the record, legal staff ran from the facility and raced back to the airport. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche immediately called House Speaker Mike Johnson and advised him to cancel holding hearings and having Maxwell testify.
“Mike, do not bring Maxwell to Washington. She is a lying wench and her testimony will permanently turn waring MAGA factions against each other. Maxwell just told me Donald Trump is a pedophile.
Have the president call Pete Hegseth and order another bombing of Iran. Or anywhere. Send a few B-52s to Cuba that outta take everyone’s mind off the girls."
It’s satire. Although fairly transparent but considering the subject, I guess it could pass for reality. That’s the frightening part and that enough ignoramuses could fall for it. But I call this a perfect storm and the other side fully cooperated in their own defeat. Joe Biden in my opinion, was destined to lose in the end but little would we realize much too late that he lost not to the usual backward mentality but to a monster. Yes, as I’ve repeated ad nausium, we (Biden and Co) did this to ourselves.
Biden was never my pick for anything for many reasons the biggest ones being age and stupidity. Stupidity because he no longer had the white working class support base.
The people don’t really determine their fate. It’s the elected officials of the day that fashion a selfish plan to win an election. Biden might have run in 2015 which would have worked but the Clintons in their Machiavellian dance offered something compelling to Biden to drop out on the fateful plane meeting. My guess is they offered him untold financing for cancer research on the then recent death of his son. The Clintons hit Biden at his weakest and he dropped out but was determined to get to be in the presidential history book at all costs even in his infirm elder years. And he did and we lost. Biden is no way my hero. He lost. We lost. And we lost mightily.
You definitely needed to let us know up front that this was satire. Especially when you used quotes around the most inflammatory sentence. WE DON’T ALL KNOW YOU.
Bill Katz - You posted exactly the same thing on Joyce Vance's piece this morning. You elicited exactly the same storm of comments - and pleas to mark your work satire. You seem to steadfastly refuse to make sure your work is marked as satire. And you call anyone who "falls" for it (and thinks it could be real) an ignoramus. I don't think I care for your form of humor very much.
It’s being placed in the book as of this morning and I would love Trump to sue me. My book explains that most of the stories are satire and biting criticism.
Don't talk silly, even if it was a joke. It would create a lot of unneeded pressure on you. You never know what he'll do not that he'll even find it or hear about it, but I don't think it's a game you wanna play.
5 years ago, I contemplated selling the book in front of the White House. I was going to employ Code Pink activist women to record me tossing my book over the fence yelling, Bere you are Mr President please read my book.” They would have video taped me then being arrested and the video would have gone up on you tube and gone viral and I would have had my interview. Today it’s been advised not to do that for obvious reasons.
Every time Trump cries "Obama!" he's the boy who cried "wolf" or the chicken who cried "the sky is falling." The story is old, weak and tired. Just like Trump.
@Kathy. With that in mind, I hereby repeat and reference the remarks of Keith Habermann this morning as if set forth at length. WHITE HOUSE "PARALYZED"; NOW IS THE TIME FOR OBAMA TO DESTROY TRUMP - 7.24.25
Exactly, habitual projection. With mainstream media being an oligopoly participating in Russian political technology, they are perpetuating a debilitating farce: “governance” as fake reality tv. Speculating on how long it will take for magalonians to realize they are day labor extras in the production is futile. Their pay is the tribal identity endorphin buzz. The Apprentice & Celebrity Apprentice ran for 15 seasons. The Jerry Springer show (performative disfunction) ran for 27 seasons. It seems even prolonged economic hardship & loss of gubmint support would not shake them out of the abusive charade as long as they are so easily manipulated by the fascist mafia state information matrix.
And now they feel the retribution for the BS. They provided Trump for the last eight years. Schiff is squirming in his pants finally getting just a taste of what he deserves
Gil Duran’s (Nerd Reich newsletter) analysis is spot on: “With his flip-flop on Epstein, Trump is reframing himself. The hero frame is collapsing into what we might call a Betrayer frame.” We have to figure out how to use Trump’s cardinal sin of betraying his MAGA faithful to cleave them from him while simultaneously weaning them off conspiracy thinking generally. Our democracy can’t function when people make decisions based on compelling narratives rather than factual information. I’m watching Zohran Mamdani do this in real time. His latest video about his trip to Africa is a masterclass.
Trump's Attorney TODD BLANCHE announce his personal interview With Maxwell will "continue tomorrow" that's mean tomorrow. FRIDAY, 7/ 25/25.
Thursday Noon UPDATE:
*************************
Important: MSNBC contacted Epstein's Estate seeking confirmation of the States's possession of 50th "Birthday Book". The reply to MSNBC was that "The Epstein Estate will comply will all lawful process".
Also today, Trump attorney, TODD BLANCHE, met with the convicted sexual predator GHILANE MAXWELL who is in prison but, met with Blanche at a Florida Courthouse for 5-6 hours. More tomorrow!
PAMELA BONDI was a no-show at a CPAC event yesterday claiming a "torn" hernia.
**************
Kudos Linda H. I will checkout Zohran Mamdani's latest video this morning.
Meanwhile Lawrence O'Donnell latest segment last night featured the attorney for over 200 Epstein-Maxwell victims.
2 days before his suicide, Epstein set up a Trust naming DARREN INDYKE, Epstein's lawyer & RICHARD KHAN Epstein's accountant as Trustees. The attorney for over 200 Epstein victims I cited above is BRADLEY EDWARDS whom Lawrence O'Donnell interviewed last night.
Confirmation: The Epstein victims & the Executors of Epstein Estate can confirm the 50th "Birthday Book" exists & can be produced from the relevant law firms in possession of the book, the Trautmann & the Patterson law firms. Yes, Ghlaine's gift to her co-felon feature's Trump's entry
Nothing like the "Best Evidence" to resolve conflicting facts particularly when the facts are only disputed by Donald J. Trump.
I haven't seen the Edwards interview. Surely someone has compiled a list of potential witnesses. I posed several links yesterday. What about the models from Trump Model Management?
Maxwell's lawyer is David Oscar Markus, Baghdad By the Sea, who is, among other things, a podcaster. Yesterday, Jen Rubin commented:"What could possibly be the basis for the number two person in the Justice Department to meet with the woman at the center of the criminal enterprise that now threatens to envelop Trump in a scandal like none other in his sordid career?"
"Todd Blanche, the first guest to appear twice on For the Defense with David Oscar Markus, discusses everything from the war room to Melania Trump not appearing at trial to getting into it with Michael Cohen and everything in between in this in-depth and free flowing interview about the trial of the century involving the former President of the United States, Donald Trump."
Episode 2 • 27th June 2023 • For the Defense with David Oscar Markus • Todd Blanche for Paul Manafort
“In a Last Word exclusive interview, Bradley Edwards, an attorney who has represented over 200 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, reveals that he believes the Jeffrey Epstein birthday book with a letter bearing Donald Trump’s name as reported first by The Wall Street Journal is in possession of the Epstein estate. Edwards also reacts to the treatment of Epstein’s victims in the coverage of the Trump-Epstein scandal.
Well said Kathy but, I am certain the Bradley Edwards was beseeching interested parties to simple access the book from the Estate.
Some more legal context: The Estate has already paid out millions of dollar damages to victims so far. The Estate has other Epstein assets, property assets for example, that are in the legal process of winding down. That process can go one for months/years. That process is controlled by the probate & civil statutory law in the controlling jurisdiction.
******
I have a question: A photograph of Epstein, Maxwell & Trump is all over media. That photo records a 4th person photographed in a foursome. Who is that person? Is she alive & available for deposition?
Martha, if authenticated that is a case busting exhibit with Melania looking much like the"younger" kind.
At Opening Argument, Trial Attorneys are allowed to use a "Master Exhibit" to show the Jury & introduce a Trial theme that "says it all".
The evidentiary issues of any fiercely opposed photo can be litigated in a preliminary called "Motion in Limine". I once had a 3 day pre-trial hearing that sunk my opponent even BEFORE Trial started.
I loved & still love evidentiary battles because it permits an advocate to prove authenticity over, over & over again.
Wow Bryan. A mystery author’s start flag? Or? But seriously, the seven layer lie cake of this gang in DC is a world wide nuclear like catastrophe in unreal time. It’s a death trap with seemingly day by day blue summer skies. I’m finding it hard to truly enjoy much knowing how many catastrophes are occurring second by second because of the monster who’s insane surrounded by layers of liars.
What’s wrong with the Democrats current thinking and thought processes? When the current US House Speaker and other Republicans say that the Democrats had four years to bring forth and deal with the Epstein files issue(s)—why didn’t they? The response should be because it was not a priority! The priority for the Biden/Harris administration was controlling, managing and dealing with the economy, jobs and the inflationary problems. Inflation was worldwide and not caused by any single that we did in America…it was because worldwide production of goods and services had been halted or significantly reduced during the pandemic.
As the pandemic began to cease, demand far exceeded the supplies of goods and services…too many dollars chasing too few goods and services; hence, inflationary costs and prices. The Biden/Harris administration did a wonderful job on the fiscal side and the Federal Reserve executed a splendid job on the monetary side at making our control and management our economy and the inflationary pressures the envy of the other worldwide industrial nations!
The Republicans, conservatives and the MAGA-cult led by trumpelthinskin and his attorney general made/brought the Epstein issues and tragedy a major issue to the forefront…again!!!
This post should be front-and-center, yet it's buried so deep under so many extraneous comments that its focus and the larger points it raises just disappear. We must keep these points in mind at our peril. Together with the first observation here --- that every accusation is really an admission of guilt (combined with an attack on the innocent) -- this post tells us what this Republican cabal of absurdity has cost us in just six months.
The focus of the Biden years was *governance* -- the largest questions a republic can take on, navigating the ship of state during extraordinary domestic and international challenges. Internally, a pandemic was killing hundreds of thousands at home; overseas the entire western political and economic order was under daily attack by dictatorships determined to destroy it through bombs and propaganda. It certainly didn't succeed in every challenge, but that only reinforces just how difficult the tasks before it really were.
Other than petty, pissy diversions and gaslighting to deflect from criminality, incompetence, cruelty and psychiatric disqualifications to hold the job, the Trump years have no focus. Its apparatus exists only to conceal the dismantling of the ship of state. It's an insane, horrifying goal accompanied by sabotage, gaslighting, daily prevarications. The only way it can succeed is by keeping the GOP enthralled with insanity while clutching onto a razor-thin majority in Congress. Already they use terror against their own, already they've shut down Congress, already they gerrymander Texas twice in a decade, already they've tried to declare "martial law" to defy the Constitution, remove institutions of accountability, subvert elections.
The stakes are as high as they've ever been, since the Civil War and maybe before that. We must not lose sight of what we've lost, of what normalcy is, and how far we've strayed from it. Otherwise our fixation on a single outrage means we lose focus on the larger picture of destruction taking place. I commend everyone who can keep that focus in the presence of so many thousands of squirrels being lobbed against us every day.
You're welcome! And of course, the phrase isn't mine, but was part of the vocabulary of the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 60s. They had more than their share of distractions, too.
Great points about what the Biden Harris administration had to deal with except you’re missing one deeply important point: they were also tasked to roll out the vaccination plan since we had hundreds of thousands of dead Americans by the time Trump was defeated in the 2020 election. And they had an attempted insurrection led by lies of a “stolen election.” JE was far from the minds of any democrat.
I am absolutely gobsmacked at how most of the populace seems to have forgotten the world we lived in just a few years ago!! Shortages in grocery stores, difficulty finding ppe and it getting stolen from hospitals, meat-truck morgues, overwhelmed funeral homes. Loved ones dying alone.
I've seen arguments on here about what Biden should have done over the border, or he didn't message well, etc etc etc. People seem to forget that the absolute front & center was saving HUMANITY. I'm not saying he did it alone, certainly other countries were trying as well--and fighting against the stupid mindset of "my RIGHTS!!" to infect the elderly, infants and weak.
It might seem like decades ago, but it was ONLY FIVE YEARS.
Our medical scientists did what they thought was good approaches, changes directions when they got new evidence for isolation/ treatments &, Thank God, brains enough to come up with a vaccine. I am beyond sick at the people who keep trying to fix blame on Biden. He supported all of our medical people's research, helps with plans to get the vaccine out there- as did the whole world! I retired as a nurse 12/31/19. I lost friends due to COVID, others have permanent disabilities from it. Horrid time. Trump showed his inhumanity with his actions about COVID.
I retired early, for reasons unrelated to COVID. My last day was 2/1/2020. I felt terribly guilty when I got several calls from HR encouraging me to come back. Survivor guilt.
Right? It was an absolute disaster! And the Biden administration moved quickly to get it under control. I remember the collective sigh here in the Bay Area when the National Guard set up huge drive-thru vaccination tents in large event space parking lots.
all of this is true - why dig into the affairs of a dead pedophile? But also: the Epstein material was evidence in an ongoing court matter (since Maxwell is still appealing) and the records were sealed by the court. They were unsealed about December 2024, so Biden could not have done much with them in any event. But Trump can, but of course does not want to.
I do not understand anyone's surprise that he would be extensively named in the files, given how much photo and other evidence there is around of his being a constant buddy of Epstein's for many years.
We dig into his affairs because he was the pimp for all the living pedophiles. He was not solitary in the abuse of young girls, and perhaps boys. He brought abusers to his island.
I think Trump did not think anything he did would be a problem. His sex life, whatever it has been, is completely normal for him; he's blind in that area. Or, it a plus element of his Manhood.
It was what his "enemies" did that he wanted revealed.
Your proposed response of the Democrats to the Republicans makes perfect sense. This is why it will never work. The Democrats are doing an excellent job of attack attack attack on the Epstein debacle. No sense getting put into any explanations on why this or that.
It was "not a priority" for the Democrats... because there are also Democrats who were treated to Epstein's goodies. Epstein sought to make friends with and corrupt anyone who was anybody.
The evidence in his files will never come out. It would bring the entire country down. ...even further down than it is now.
Judith, I think the files will magically disappear, the birthday book will not be found in Epstein's estate. Sure would be telling to know how many 'higher ups' are listed.
Correct about dems being involved. Blackmail is a tool the tool in 'our' Whitehouse uses regularly and historically. Hence his keen interest in keeping "documents" ; More blackmail fodder. I hope though that you're incorrect as to it never coming out. I've opined here and elsewhere and often, that to turn things around for the dem party, they "must" grow painful honesty and humility. I know what their fears are. Like all fears, the only way past, is through. I've long felt also that I might be a resident expert on that - fear and walking through. That notion is bs; All have fear. I am only outspoken and no expert by any measure. My experiences might be unique though - somewhat anyway. One commonly thinks that also.
Lanette, you are welcome…if it’s new knowledge to you about economics and inflation, well that’s from economics 101 as business major and which years later experiencing some inflationary periods — but about 20 years ago Robert Reich had a very good and simple demonstration of and about inflation that was simple to understand. Economics—or certain segments of it—can be a bit confusing and not so easy to understand. However, Reich’s drawings make much of it clearer and easier to understand and comprehend. What’s so very disappointing to me is that we, as a nation, had so many opportunities to avoid the worsening mess that this country—and to a certain degree—our world is facing right now. However, democrats and our Democratic leaders have been doing a not to diligent or sufficient enough job at trying to prevent or forestall the backward direction that this/our country is heading toward!
Not a single one of us — individuals — is perfect! Obama and his administration made some mistakes! Biden and his administration made some mistakes! Bush — both of them and Reagan administrations’ made some mistakes! However, we, the current generation which I define as a 50 to 80-year life span, is the first to really bring embarrassment on and upon our country and nation by not just once — but twice — putting into our history of POTUS, the worst individual to have occupied the Oval Office!
Ditto, Jim and Dale. I have adored Bob Reich since when he first made his appearance publicly. I've come around to appreciating Paul Krugman as well. I had some differences with him for a time; Perhaps it was his style,, plus one other item. However, he's made changes and I've grown fond of him and have great respect for his insights. He too publishes on this substack. I recommend him as well. Before I latched on to Reich, I had already been a fairly astute student of economics; Somehow it deeply attracted me as a subject of 'art and science.' I would offer that it's a very abstract subject; And perhaps why it held my attraction. Then Reich came along and I envied his abilities to 'pull back the cloak or curtains' to further enlarge the general understandings via both illustration and factoring. As another plus, Reich is a genuine, sincere, and likeable human being, along with razor wit. He has not changed.
Which Democrats? Have you seen the Congressional hearings, town halls or media appearances by the Democrats? Given that the regime controls the White House, Congress and SCOTUS what do you recommend the Democrats do at this point? What does it mean "take no prisoners"?
My point here is we all need to be about careful about criticizing without adequate participation on our parts. The Democrats are not the white knights. They can't save us. We save us. Are we protesting, working with people like the NDRC to fight voter suppression, gearing up for the 2026 elections, supporting local candidates etc?
I understand the fear and frustration. Let's work to be united.
Good trouble comes to mind. Bernie and AOC became visible and viable. Granted, I don’t watch much MSNBC anymore, but I do take a slew of substacks. I miss a lot but I hear and see a lot. It seems normal politics and the MSM does deep dives into the political missionaries not at all. One thing I do know is that the begging emails are more of the same, hardly distinguishable from the stupid ones I get from idiot R’s. Move On and Indivisible are on the move and will get any donation I can make.
Agree about the donation emails. The DNC is the worst. They act like business as usual. I stumbled across Congressional hearings on Firefox You tube. I haven't been watching any mainstream media. Every now and then I will glance at it and am freaked out by how bad it all is.
It is painful but I want a variety so I do BBC, the Guardian, abc (20 minutes), and about 30 minutes of msnbc. 20 minutes of Walter was worth more than all those combined. Donating to Indivisible and Move On and protest every chance I get. Epstein May be as close as we get to a magic wand to smite the blob. What chaps me is that there so many supposed humans who have the goods on chump but won’t say a word. They are not scared, they are greedy bastards
Barbara, thanks for noting that criticism of Democrats is not helpful. I am going to attach here a conversation between Joy Reid and Malcolm Nance that someone posted recently. I found Joy's insights about how very much the answer to this demogogic administation is really in OUR hands.
You wouldn't suggest, Linda, entirely leaving out those "compelling narratives"?
As our schools have done (so that our billionaire standardized testers may fatten all the more by the impersonal conceits those instruments instead force on all).
Fiction is a powerful way that we humans share our internal world; and fiction is often an effective tool for conveying truths, sometimes a most effective means, even, I believe, facilitating a path to real-world discovery, and expanded awareness in any case; especially for exploring states of value.
I think it is also so that fiction must be labeled fiction, and that our best efforts to uncover and describe literal truths also be precisely labeled. Confusing one with the other can be very harmful, especially as deliberate perpetration of fraud, as we witness with the total misrepresentations peddled by this regime.
Thanks JL Graham. How you describe 'fiction' here can also be applied to my understanding of psychodrama. If we had venues for "facilitating a path to real-world discovery", we could expand on various scenarios, communally. Imagining is a good coping strategy, especially when remaining tethered to the actual world. Bread and Puppet Theatre used to do this and still has programs https://breadandpuppet.org/visit. Playback Theater is another: https://playbacktheatrenetwork.org/what-is-playback-theatre/.
I'm reminded of QB VII and Leon Uris, which my mother insisted we watch. To me, the lesson was about legal "technicalities" vs moral principles. I was a toddler when my father (and our family), was stationed in Germany from 1947 to 1950, during the Nuremberg Trials, Berlin Airlift, and 1950 Passion Play, so paid more attention than most.
I don't remember much of Dr. Dering's supposed good works (that were supposed to underlie his good reputation that earned him the OBE (Order of the British Empire), from the book or series, but did find more of the story about why he was only awarded a symbolic fine of a Halfpenny (the lowest denomination possible), from his technical victory vs revelation of his far more important moral lapse compared to other doctors that refused to go along with their captors, or actively conduct more "research" than ordered. See https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Alexander_Dering
Indeed Lauren. I've thought others past who might have arisen in that vein. Alas, dems, their own kind, killed them off or had a hand in their demise. Al Franken comes immediately to mind.
Fiction, and emotionally 'reactive' messaging or narratives JL; Tools utilized widely be maga leaderships. "Your worst fears (insert event or policy debate)are happening, and it's all the dems fault" !!! Dem reaction: *crickets*
Another perspective on how humans deal with ideologies can be found in Dan Ariely's work, "Predictably Irrational" The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.
No interest here, accountability is seldom and closets are full, the knowledge merely a continued spectacle of certain men’s debasement , often incestual perversion, and one track mentality.
Again as most social workers know… the numbers proven or not , it’s prevailed since the begin , and frequently ‘Mom’ looked away/denied (for her and the other children’s safety) …albeit not so many ‘groomers’ .That wordage being just another confession -on the list from the deviants. Tell the stories …woe …the worst case was suspect beyond any doubt (never proved) … ‘the goings on’? The mother finally shot herself -her daughter first …her only escape left…I cried…again.
Think twice before entering the field .
Alas, mostly good people prevail ? The rest- whispered secrets, juicy gossip, or book/movie fodder. Much the same (fodder) are our young men dying on the battlegrounds , ‘turned’ sexually from early experiences, by sick/power hungry definitely mongers or just simply greed.
Well if that doesn’t satisfy one’s daily dose of depression…I have long ago got over being shocked . So , joined /join (still - my years many now) protests, conversations, educating , mentoring to bring accountability to better ratio.
It doesn’t sell as well though.
And that’s where ‘the base’ is found.
Thats the part that was hopefully my last ‘profound ‘ surprise…the majority voted for a substantiated abuser/con/shyster. Not so much from them NOT knowing - though the warnings were there…but just complacency.
Excellent comment, Patricia. I don't think people realize how bad the horror of what men do to their families can be. I have one family that I tracked four generations of in my 26 years on patrol; physical and sexual abuse ran rampant through it. That work changes you, and those of you who dealt with the long term aftermath of it have my most profound respect.
I disagree that "complacency" was the root cause of ignoring the warnings; I believe that it certainly played a part in it; to my mind it was the "permission" to hate those "other" people that they (those base voters) firmly believe were the root cause of any and all of their societal problems. I suspect that many of those base voters are caught up in that cycle of abuse themselves, either as victims or perpetrators (who are frequently victims themselves).
I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories. To have a client relax enough to trust (you) is far more the ‘ pay’ than ‘the paycheck’ for the dedicated (another sincere TY 🫶).
The studies upon studies reveal basic loving foundations are of the utmost importance. A Blessing.
Life is not easy even for the overindulged ( a whole other story) ..so the most of us being ‘relatively good’ was a hope if not an indicator child-rearing was an honor (truly knowing the average encounters any person has) .
Yes past tense intended.
It’s complicated ..always has been…and, since 2015 ..we all really need to roll up our sleeves , pay attention (not an easy job), and work on ‘bests’.
Substack is wonderful, enlightening, filled with good thought , thanks for being a consistently inspiration.
I would say that it is our duty, to inform folks of facts in evidence that we know or have known; And absolutely while possessed of the right attitudes, in that we can't share with an expectation to sway or convince, especially when regarding folks who were fooled. If it isn't bad enough to get fooled, who wants to have it 'rubbed in' ? That's just what I have learned throughout this conflict. I just speak my truth in as much of a 'matter of fact' manner as I can summon, with zero expectations. That approach ends up protecting me as well; From my own inclination to hold expectations. Does that make sense Pat ?
Yes. We have to expect abiding the law, and the due process to keep civil . But, a difference of opinion can be aired ,process available per se to change the rules ,per procedure…noting anyone a danger to themselves or others is necessary for safety ie red flags acknowledged. After-the-fact or denial-of-fact needs a preestablished line drawn ..we don’t reinvent the wheel, just repair if it’s broke ..if you got a more efficient wheel -by all means, let’s hear ya out.
Near everyone is born with that ‘Tabla Rasa ‘ Freud labeled , the clean slate. Wiki explains the influences throughout our childhood that mold us basically.
People have increasingly been fascinated by ‘the shiny object’ theory depicting catching their ‘eye’. Perhaps that’s more the third eye which most (people) never acknowledge (except ‘the Heathers’) theoretically.
To stand apart from the norm , to be able to extract from the din -the rational , the fact(s), what reality demands -and then write understandably requires first a gift , second learned /training/command of literary skills, and third a good editor.
I am fascinated by the gift . Envious of the command. And ,as most who ‘follow’ me know, needing an Editor ( proofing my writ ) is obvious ( my husband filled that job throughout my college labors on term papers ..bless his heart).
Parenting is THE most important choice , whether it’s done well or not …usually produces ‘the gift’ .
Somewhere around 95% of us have an innate gift. We’ve got a special knack.
Raising a child is to enable them ….self confidence…supporting their jobs well done in close enough timing ..plus all those mentoring ways, especially examples of good character/good choices.
Tall orders.
That’s where the majority of the Heathers come from.
Despite the traumas most people will encounter ,a decent upbringing will usually result -in a person’s innate gift or gifts reaching the benefit (and to benefit) their surrounds, ie happy, productive, balanced people.
Here again..there are those percentages within every faction of people of ( going straight to the worst case scenario) aren’t balanced, are evil, are mentally ill, hate, kill, whatever ..went ‘wrong’.
It’s that some shiny object along the way that caught them, distracted ,abused , disturbed or destroyed ‘the gift’.
And why we need stop signs- laws, rules, red flags, check points/guidelines , medications, doctors, counsel, education, etc ….all of the aforementioned focus on choices…
My choices haven’t always been the best…admitting that brought balance back.
I choose to read Heather because (as the many here have pointed out) she brings balance to the current chaos. She brings understanding to our history, and as a teacher explains choices made by others , brings facts to show the how/why of choices.
The shiny object is hype, disinformation, conspiracy , fictional entertainment . It catches the ‘eye’.
‘Heathers’ make FACT interesting. Balance follows.
"Just to be clear: The director of national intelligence for the United States of America is making allegations against a former U.S. presidential candidate based on material from Russia’s intelligence services."
It's still unbelievable that all this and so much more is happening in the US. Such weak people in this government. Such incredible incompetence is so dangerous to all and everything.
These miscreants are indeed treasonous but also quite incompetent as well. The Signal chat debacle or Donold’s tariff yo-yoing and wanton sabotage of the economy are some displays of their incompetence.
Evidence that the Epstein stories wont go away soon: Lawrence O Donnell tonight interviewed the lawyer for many of Epstein's victims, who suggested the "Birthday Book" with Trump's bawdy drawing is in the possession of the lawyers for Epstein's Estate, who have been largely cooperative with the victims' lawyers.
Expect Congressman Ro Khanna (also interviewed on O'Donnell's show tonight) and some of his newfound Republican allies in the House to subpoena the Estate's lawyers for more information.
I watched that Lawrence O’Donnell broadcast. There were hundreds of victims of Epstein. According testimony, girls aged out at 18. We have a President that liked to hang out with a man who was a pedophile. We have a President that lies compulsively and appointed a Cabinet who are willing to lie in his service. The Republican Party will do whatever the lying President, whose moral compass allowed him to buddy around with a pedophile, tells them to do - without standing up for their constituents. We have a Supreme Court that rubber stamps whatever the ultra conservative shadows in the background want to achieve Project 2025.
What is there to believe in from the current United States government?
We have a global corporatist fascist takeover happening every day since Jan. 20, 2025. They are dismantling our federal government but for the military. They are prepping to allow a takeover of the States by megarich international corporations. It has been happening to so-called "red states" for a awhile. That is why they are attacking our entire education system from Head Start to Harvard, etc. They seek to sell our public schools to corporations and issue vouchers to parents to buy a seat at so-called "schools" which will teach kids to do whatever a boss tells them to do and keep their mouth shut; aka, "right to work" states. Thus undereducated, low payed, non-union labor employed by a union of rich global investors; corporate share holders who live in multiple mansions all around the world. IOW, the end of the "New Deal" and a return to the same old crap of squalid living conditions for working men, women and children working the line as well. As Biden warned us, this is not the Republican party of your father. He should have called them out for who and what they are; Damn Nazis!
My Thanks. Your words are perfect. Words that say what and who Trump is need to be repeated over and over again. A few of his voters might wake up and finally see him as he is and stop being such cultist devoted to a pathological lying malignant narcissistic sociopath convicted of Sexual assault, Defamation, Tax Fraud, Election Interferences with Business Fraud and charged with Sedition, Racketeering; Espionage and Obstruction of Justice. All that is needed is to reach a small percentage of them.
Awesome symbolic idea that every member of congress of conscience should constructively and symbolically do !!! Go on the attack ! Order barring any access to their spouses and children. Omg; Is that doable legally ? I can't see why not. Known associate of a pedophile, groomer and foreign asset....
This dismantling of the Republican Party’s integrity began after FDR was successful getting our democracy to work for the common people and the wealthy and powerful have been determined to “ put it right ever since. Reagan put a smiley face on its evilness but it has gotten more overt and direct.
The felon rapist was all in with Epstein. Girls were trafficked from mar a largo. Girls as young as 13 accused trump of rape...he didn't just hang around with a pedophile - he is the king of pedophiles.
I’ll tell you where RBG is, she should have retired early to preserve her seat on the bench, and when she didn’t, her apology was to leave her spirit within Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson. God bless those women for their efforts to challenge the male idiots on the bench. It’s got to be depressing for them. Pack the court!
The deep deception practiced here only serves to soothe the brain fever of the malignant narcissist. Rehashing old and imaginary slights, and ‘evidence’ created by Russian disinformation tactics is only a smokescreen intended to hide the malignant narcissist’s overwhelming guilt from his ‘base’, and other Republicans who are either unwilling to give up power, or intimately involved in the illegality. We must never forget that venal Johnson was one of the architects of J6, and is trying to save his own withered soul.
Margaret-Rose, the Hastert you're thinking of is Dennis, not John (who was a Democratic politician in Wyoming). Dennis was, unsurprisingly, a real piece of work. The Wikipedia article about him includes a seven-paragraph section titled "Ethics," which is an account of his lack of any.
Am still reading Auden, he meditating on fascism, the Battle of the Bulge raging.
That is, late 1944 and very early 1945, winter in the Ardennes forest, winter in NYC, in a foreword to “The Flower of Grass,” a novel by Emile Cammaerts, he writes:
“Our age has at least this advantage: . . . its thoroughly urban character . . . exposes every individual to dozens of conflicting authorities and ideas.”
Auden plumbs the fascism for how “the mass religions of our time, by their fanatical distrust of science and reason, their lack of continuity, their dependence on coercion and propaganda, betray themselves too clearly as fashions, as desperate attempts which are not even trusted by those who make them, not to be personally responsible for one’s relation to the truth.”
Auden gets perfectly being “personally responsible” exactly as hundreds of thousands of Americans, Aussies, Canadians, New Zealanders, Brits, and other allies have their lives on the line against Hitler’s last mass attack.
And today: we have not only cruelty, criminality, and gross lying in the White House, we also have its serial child rapist pushing fascism by as much personal irresponsibility as lowest of low vulgarity can peddle.
Hi Phil. I believe there is significant weight in those points, especially; "by their fanatical distrust in science and reason" and "dependence on coercion and propoganda". The points made, establish the basis upon which further manipulation is not just possible, but inevitable.
Except, then again, the hundreds of under-age girls from then may have acquired their additional years, but I'd bet most of them feel the pain from back then as if it's quite new and rubbing newly raw and painful yet for them every day.
It's partly the sex forced on them when they were of insufficient maturity to consent.
But more -- and for me, at my distance -- worse, it's the perhaps more painful realization of how blithely unaccountable all these rich celebrity bastards were, still are. They got away with impunity. As if our institutions accept the moneyed as beyond the rest of us, beyond our laws -- exactly as the Clarence court has ruled for its favorite orange criminal.
The pain/shame goes on, one way or another. Sometimes overt, sometimes covert but the body knows even if the brain rewrites. When working at jr high, I knew twin girls who were 13 going on 30. As I learned they had been sexually abused and innocence long gone. My first job at elementary school was an intro to even worse. A 6-year-old had been used in mother’s sex business. It’s why my celebration of Mother’s Day is somewhat qualified. Society suffers for every wound
My issue with that is that the "sin" of "bastardy" is because a woman bore a child out of wedlock; puts the "blame" for that on the woman, who was frequently herself a victim as well.
Except?? Has anyone of the hundreds of Epstein, Trump, Maxwell victims ever filed a TRO against any or all of them? And did Acosta require Epstein to be registered on the Florida sex offender list?
Trump has "flash" rallies in seemingly random places. Every state should add an extra requirement that Trump not get within x number of feet from anyone under the age of 18.
Yes and no. You can read Shakespeare, or works that are much older, and while mores may change, the compass of fundamental human motives and behaviors seems pretty constant. Our circumstances are changing though, and wise and prescient adaptations are proving very challenging.
…Then 14 years later, I was sitting in Mrs Henigan’s class in 4th grade catholic school. Mama was Sicilian American and wanted me to be brought up a Roman Catholic. Since I was a little chatter bug, Mrs Henigan asked me to come to her desk. She moved her chair back and told me for punishment to crawl under her desk. I was now sitting in the dark under the teacher’s desk having been punished. I thought this is catholic corporal punishment and now I’ve not been so close to … yes, vagina since mommy hood.
Me thinks, what should I do? Should I reach up and touch it? Her thick thighs kept opening and closing as she continued to teach. Could she scream? Or maybe call Father Emerling the principal (who btw, eventually expelled me thank God) and ask, “Father, what should I do? Billy Katz just touched it.” “Well Mrs Henigan, how did Billy Katz get to touch it?” Mrs Henigan: “I put him under my desk for talking in class.”
There is a pause. Then Father Emerling responds: “Mrs Henigan, you march little Billy Katz right down to my office so I can put him under my desk.”
(This is just a bit of humor to take the edge off our current trifles. You understand there is a remote connection to the current fusco in Washington. The 1st part of my story being placed under her desk did take place but not the 2nd part. I’ve often wondered about that Mrs Henigan. St. Joes Cathedral School was a hot bed of crazy catholic people. But I do give thanks to the dedicated work the nuns did to educate us ruffians. I wish I could return and hug each one. Side note: I researched Father James Emerling’s past and found that he once coached a boy’s swimming team in earlier times.)
I like telling stories. And btw, my story is no more outrageous than the stories proliferating with the Scump in Chief.
It’s not so much whether he is in the files or not. The issue is that he owned a modeling agency that funneled young women into the system. He was a supplier. He was an enabler. He was a user.
I fear I'm way behind. I'm still concerned about the poor dogs and cats in Ohio being eaten by the Haitians. Where are the animal bones buried? Alas, I fear we'll never get the answers we deserve when we're dealing with something as trivial as child rape and trafficking. /S
The Russians are certainly getting value for money. Surely they couldn't have imagined it would be this easy? They appear to have a ventriloquist doll in the form of a director of national security. Where to go from here?
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, and those in a committee that fits your topic. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. We deserve better ❤️🩹🤍💙
I am in the same boat, so I created the spreadsheet so I could reach out beyond my own.
I don’t think we’ll see many big waves (like a major MAGA Congress member changing their opinions), however I think we can cause little ripples. I’m thinking staff members who hear the same thing over and over via voicemail, phone calls, letter after letter, email after email - maybe they’ll be a little more receptive each time they hear from us. Maybe they’ll talk more about our talking points to friends and family, maybeeee they’ll vote differently. I think we can cause ripples to push news organizations to be more honest and maybe even a bit accusatory about what’s happening. As a collective, our volume matters. And, at the end of the day, if we just annoy and overwhelm some staffers working for people hurting the average American, I’m ok with that too 🙃
Sam Harris speaks with David Frum about the current state of American politics. They discuss the extent of Trump’s corruption, his immigration crackdowns under Trump 2.0.
Agreed. Of course it's an absurd ploy to cover his guilt, but we are dealing with millions of irrational people who have bought his ploys over and over and over again.
What may occur is that one may be so deeply invested in Trump as a personality that (s)he finds it impossible to fess-up to a grave and deep error of judgement.
I think needs public protests to “inspire” him to declare a national emergency and become our beloved dictator. Rebuke from former presidents is not sufficient.
Professor Richardson, thank you specifically for your calm, gritty determination (in this article and many others) to tell and clarify the facts. It’s easy to let my emotions get swept up in outrage, among other things, towards Trump and those he surrounds himself with. I hadn’t heard of the WSJ article until now, and will read it. Also, I will protect myself by staring down the long barrel of facts that implicate Trump is not only a despicable jackass, he’s a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist, with every motive in the world to cover up his past.
The ball on which I, and others, can keep an eye on is that of pressuring congress and mainstream media to investigate and bring out the whole truth about Epstein. We have that one ability, and need to use it to the fullest extent we can. If I have hours in the day to call Congressional reps, and push the media through requests for more investigative journalism, it just multiplies the force and pressure on Trump towards self-collapse. Even the great bullshitter himself has a cracking point, and I intend to do my part to get him there. This regime needs to end.
I never paid much attention to Epstein or his files. 😴 The recent accusations of treason alleged by Trump against President Obama -- a man of impeccably fine character (with a wife to match) ⚖️ -- now make me really want to see what is in those files. 🤫
I wrote this letter to President Obama on 20jan17. ✍️ At that point I was still a Republican and a conservative frustrated by the populism hijacking my political port of call. 🤬 I stand by that letter today. 🗽
Thanks for taking the time to read the e-mail. There was never a doubt in my mind that the Tea Party was racist.
The G.O.P. started alienating me when all those Senators sent a nasty letter to Iran, trying to undermine President Obama's foreign policy with Iran. I was not a fan of the Iran J.C.P.o.A., but that type of behavior by Senators McConnell et al. was just plain wrong.
Republicans inviting Netanyahu to speak to Senate without consulting President Obama or inviting him impressed me as churlish.
Copy that, Michael. One strength of the Democratic Party is that it often places the welfare of the country and of the republic above winning at all costs. My erstwhile Party used to be like that, but that ethos withered under President Reagan.
Good for you, Margaret-Rose. Thank you for taking the time to read the letter. I saw a protest sign on 14jun25 that said it all: "The greatest sh*t show on Earth." Trump is so envious of President Obama it is almost frightening.
For me, the Epstein files may matter, but they matter much less than the fact that, with our complicity, civilians and reporters are dying of starvation in Gaza. I guess they're all part of a disregard for the humanity of others. For Epstein and Trump, young girls are not people who matter. They re toys to play with. For Netanyahu and Trump, Gazans and immigrants are not like us. They are vermin to despise and mistreat rather than human beings like us. Yes, what Epstein was convicted of doing is disgusting, and if Trump was involved with his sexual depravity that's disgusting, but how does that compare with the crimes against humanity that are taking place in Gaza?
I think both are part of the same malignancy. The same cruel dehumanization of others, even though the peril of Gazans is clearly more dire. I think the cruelty of this regime must be reported and resisted on many fronts.
Scumbags? They are traitors to the Constitution and are doing everything they can to dismantle our form of Government as fast as they can. We are living through a coup d'etat against the United States of America.
If you keep in mind that every accusation is a confession with these people, it all makes sense.
Is there a reason Trump isn't on the New York State sex offender list as well as Florida, New Jersey and DC? A NY State judge labeled him as a rapist and now we know he is a serial pedophile and into child trafficking and porn.
Is this something Letitia James or the ACLU should be looking at?
NY State judge labeled him a rapist but no one to my knowledge has labeled him a pedophile. We should not jump the gun. Let’s wait and see if he hangs himself.
Don't "jump the gun," Riad?
A girl who was then 13 has testified to Trump's raping her at that age (along with another girl, "Maria," then 12. Yesterday Daniel Solomon here posted the court documents (her name there Jane Doe).
Trouble is, the U.S. has a separate legal system for celebrities and the corrupt rich.
Phil- In other words, justice is what you can afford?
An acquaintance of mine who went through the American justice system decades ago for possession of a small amount of marijuana was told by his own lawyer that if he had enough money, the lawyer could get the charges dismissed. So, yeah. Justice in the US depends on what you can afford.
Just like health care in this country is what you can afford...
Sadly, so sadly true Val.
No, Justice is not what you can afford. JUSINO (justice in name only), aka some combination of retribution and enabling, is what you can afford. Justice is the opposite of JUSINO, and to Justice, how much you can afford is utterly irrelevant.
Be skeptical, aka open minded. Don't be cynical, aka naive.
I did not know cynical and naive are synonyms. Thank you for that information
I don't know about that concept James; I'll have to roll that around in my gourd for a bit.
"How" many times have I said that here and elsewhere Gary ? My stories have mirrored that and so my experiences on this planet have borne that out, time and again; Not sex wise, but money wise. Again, I have long held, experienced and opined that in our U.S., 'you only get as much justice as you can afford.'
Yep. You get what you pay for.
Yup
testified in the prosecution of Maxwell, not in a prosecution of Trump, so cannot be used as evidence against him, much less as a conviction that would put him on the sex offender registry (where he clearly deserves to be, re adults and re children.)
John legally it doesn’t matter. This can and will shatter the MAGA movement just watch. The fun has just begun.
You’re overly optimistic. Some Trump voters were interested in his policies—like the tax cuts. They’re happy—uninterested in Epstein.
Uh... in which legal system does it not matter when you use accusations against person A to accuse person B... ?
Not a democratic one, for sure.
Those victim testimonies can't be used? Have those victims been silenced?
They (the victims) are older now. The silence is truly deafening. Besides, why would a person want to subject themself to being disparaged and lose what they have managed to recover of their own self-worth or dignity? They could probably give-a-crap less what happens to as long as they are left out of it. Let's not turn them into pawns for prurient interests or political vendettas of some worthless human beings. The guilty-ones will never spend a day in jail and probably ruin prosecutors reputations. Harvey Winestine, anyone?
I'll just now play a familiar tune from my album of top hits.
The U.S. Government was designed by a group of well-heeled, white Europeans who created three branches that were supposed to provide "a system of checks and balances." This was a virtuous-sounding sales pitch trotted out to mollify the peasants. Lost in the microscale print was the reality that these checks and balances applied only to the branches against each other, but had no effect on the wealthy versus the impoverished.
The U.S. Government is – and always has been – structured in a way that promotes and protects the interests of the wealthy, and leaves the lower classes to fend for themselves. The judiciary has not been excluded from this scheme.
Dale, the governments of most places in most of history have been structured the same way, so we should not be surprised at all. The difference may be the splendid idealistic words in some of our documents which lead some of us to believe we can be different. Epstein should have been in jail long before he was, but there was that Florida deal. Also, and I will probably get in trouble for saying this, women have not mattered much.
Michele, I should have described them as "well-heeled, white European MEN."
Your point is absolutely valid and should provoke no argument from this group of enlightened readers. Unfortunately, patriarchy is also a hallmark of virtually all ancient and modern cultures.
Maybe my quarrel is with our institutionalized hypocrisy, officially boasting that we are better than our peers, when we are not.
Dale, you do not get in trouble with me for saying that women have not mattered much. It doesn't take too deep a dive into our history to see that. Or even just looking around at what so many states are doing to women. I appreciate your observation.
Phil, I've tried to find Daniel's post from yesterday that refers to this, but have not, so far. Could you please re-post that reference or link here? Or Daniel, could you, please? I saw this story many years ago, but read that those two young girls disappeared, along with a notebook Maria kept hidden. Snopes.com did not think the story was a hoax and it included a partial of a lawsuit that was dropped because it was not done in NYC. She did not have the money for a good lawyer.
Let's hope this works, SJR:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3130729-DOE-V-TRUMP/
Go especially to p. 2, para 7, and then p. 7, para 23
Thanks, Phil! I don't understand why Trump opponents haven't seized on this!
Lots to seize on here, Ron.
And the tentacles reach much more widely.
Here's what I've prepared for Heather's later today:
Did Epstein give Putin video of Trump with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s girls?
Remember, it’s Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev who in 2008 bought a Trump $41,000,000 Palm Beach mansion for $95,000,000. Trump had originally got it himself only four years earlier off a bankruptcy sale.
Of course, this was during the time all the Russian oligarchs were buying properties in all the world’s most posh neighborhoods, from London to Manhattan, from the Mediterranean to Florida. These oligarchs had spent the previous decade robbing the Russian people of state assets they’d earlier gotten with investments by the most elite U.S. banking and Ivy League grad Americans.
Having sex with a few hundred salaciously lovely underage teen girls Epstein and Maxwill procured? Just side benefits for all the Russian, Israeli, Brit, and U.S. elites. They had millions, billions of dollars with which to play.
Rybolovlev himself soon went on to buy for his own teen daughter the property on Central Park West that was then the most expensive apartment in the world.
For details on the years’-long cover-up go to the Chris Hedges YouTube Channel and “The Epstein Sweetheart Deal Explained (w/ Nick Bryant).”
I concur; I would prize that reference as well.. As I've experienced repeatedly and stated, "one only gets as much justice in America as one can afford."
Here it is, D4N:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3130729-DOE-V-TRUMP/
Go especially to p. 2, para 7, and then p. 7, para 23
Phil, besides my satire, I hope these accusations hold because this will shatter the MAGA field.
It is no "fun" watching us humiliate ourselves with such low-rent behavior.
Some of the old heroes of mine from Vietnam are now up to their necks in trying to push all the old hoax memes and the "terrific" jobs the trump gang members are supposedly doing. I wish they had been there Tuesday morning when a few of us talked to a pretty self-confident guy wearing a DOGE hat, trying to get us to bite on ending the Afghan war, and saving money. When we didn't, he at least was reasonable in discussing other issues
He did at least listen to my concerns about the financial time-bomb of the BBB (scheduled to really go off like the adjustable-rate/balloon payment mortgages, etc after the next election, and comparisons to how Robert Reich downsized the Labor Department through retirements and normal attrition. He and apparently his wife did seem to agree that the Epstein files needed to be released.
I wanted him to stay and tell us more about what he thought of Gerrymandering and Voter Suppression/discouragement along the lines of the "American Conversations: Kate Barr and Justice Anita Earls of North Carolina" conversation, "Talking about the Voting Rights Act, Voter Suppression, and Where We Go From Here" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOTFb4SrrPI
Kate Barr was the former North Carolina Senate candidate who ran as "Kate Barr Can't Win"as a protest against gerrymandering (which I remember as so bad that my old party took 10 of 13 seats (77%) despite only 50.6% of the popular votes going to Republican House candidates (to 48.75% for Democrats) in 2012.
I actually am a bit inspired by her Loser T-shirt and think my next sign will be along the lines of "We, The People are the Losers when our Tax Break Billionaire dominated Government Cheats Voters"
The cheating goes beyond purges and barriers in ways difficult to measure. Back in 2016 we did pretty well knocking on doors to make sure as many as possible were registered, got registered if they weren't, and checked to make sure they were on the voter rolls a week or so before they went to vote.
In the California Primary in 2016, it seemed we had many more provisional ballots than usual, perhaps due to new voters, and poll workers not well versed with new rules, but I've also thought impacted by foreign or domestic hackers intending to sew distrust by changing voters' registrations in the Primary (instead of risking closer monitoring in the main election. n acquaintance who was running in the Democratic Primary was forced to use a Provisional ballot since the voter roll showed him as a No Party Preference person even though he had to be a registered Democrat to be on the Democratic Primary ballot.
Or at least it would start cracking........like the scumbag president's brain.
Phil, I agree that she testified and we can rightly assume; however, we cannot factually or legally assume that your
Charge is *yet* correct. He has yet to be convicted of this charge. Words such as these exactly lessen the chance of his conviction on this charge.
Yes Phil, the US does have a separate legal system for several populations within our nation. With all due respect, that’s not the point. The point is: no one has yet convicted him of pedophilia. Hoping one day it will happen. My second choice would be that incontrovertible proof would surface before he beats the judicial system by croaking just as they’re ready to skewer his corrupt ass.
Thank you for bringing that up. I knew that someone had testified to that effect. I didn't see Daniel Solomon's link yesterday (or didn't have the energy to go there), but I know that he is a reliable source.
Yes; Daniel has always been an awesome source of verifiable facts. He's another of many I so value on this substack and others I read as well.
Please provide a link to these accusations.
Here, Ron:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3130729-DOE-V-TRUMP/
Go especially to p. 2, para 7, and then p. 7, para 23
Thanks, Phil.
The US justice system Does have a separate justice system for the rich. It’s BUILT IN! The rich can afford to keep appealing “forever”. The rich can hire attorneys who know other attorneys who are “buddies” as we just witnessed with the Deputy Atty AG (who is supposed to be working for the American people but was Trump’s own attorney and still loyal to him) is the one to visit GM, because he knows GM’s attorney and is friends with him. That’s the problem - the big name attorneys the rich use are all buddies. They are buddies with the judges. Justice doesn’t much play into it unless one gets a straight arrow judge - which is very rare and an then who in the hell can stand up against these superstar superstar attorneys? Makes it very one sided
But rapists must still be registered on the sex offender list. I don't think that's something the judge decides. If you commit the crime you go on the list.
Although a judge may have labelled Trump a rapist in a civil case, Trump was only found liable in a civil proceeding of sexual abuse and defamation. For better or worse it was a finding of liability in a civil case, not of guilt in a criminal case and therefore does not qualify to register the defendant as a sex offender.
Additionally, this confusion was exacerbated as the judge's comment was in a case Trump brought against Carroll for saying he raped her. The judge found she was using the term rape in a colloquial sense and not a legal sense.
Please do not interpret this as a defense of Trump, it is only an explanation.
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca2/23-793/23-793-2024-12-30.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/07/donald-trump-rape-language-e-jean-carroll
New York State Law for the precise description of "rape" is somewhat antiquated...at least in many people's opinion (including the judge in that case, evidently)
Not sure I agree. The differences between colloquial and legal definitions do add to the confusion. We hear the same thing when people say their house was robbed. Because the general public misuses a term doesn't necessarily mean the term is antiquated, it only means legal definitions tend to be more precise for good reason, and the general public doesn't know the difference.
Thanks, Gary. The verbiage I usually use is that he was "found civilly liable for conduct that meets the criteria for rape had it been brought in a a timely manner".
To my mind, it begs the question of why there is a timeline for coming forward with complaints of criminal sexual conduct at all.
I have my own, very gender biased, and not very sympathetic theory.
That's a fair response. The difference is that there are different standards of proof in these cases. Criminal cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, not all doubt. Civil cases merely require a preponderance of evidence. The best example is OJ Simpson's murder of his wife and Goldman. There was not enough evidence to convict but enough to hold him liable. The important point is that one can be subject to punitive damages in a civil trial, but not imprisoned.
I don't think it's a gender bias, many men have the same question. The problem with no statutory limits is that there is so much overwhelming evidence that time diminishes recollections, corrupts evidence, and can result in wrongful convictions.
In New York the statute of limitations can range from 3 years to 20 years, and in some cases there is no limitation.
https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/new-yorks-statute-of-limitations-on-sexual-abuse.html
Again, please do not take this as a defense of Trump, he is a predator.
The time limits on any sexual charge are BS! Is there a date when the assaulted stops replaying the event in their mind?
Thanks for the clarification. Could any of the defendants obtain a restraining order against Trump for the video evidence they have?
not sure what video evidence you're referring to?
A civil finding should be treated the same as a criminal finding! If it looks like a duck.....
How would that work?
Do we make civil courts demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt, in which case Carroll could have easily lost? Or do we have criminal cases standard lowered to preponderance of the evidence? Which Trump's DOJ would relish.
Be careful what we ask for.
You have to be *convicted* of a sex crime to be put on the sex offenders list. You are correct that judges don't decide that, juries do, based on legally obtained evidence. Imagine if you could be put on that list without a conviction. Imagine how this administration would use that.
Exactly. It's crucial to not give up the rule of law ourselves, when we fight fascism.
Agreed. Let's not have another Steele Dossier and pee tape that Trump can use to say "See? Both sides do it" to justify his further lies.
I sincerely hope we don't need to lie or even exaggerate to bring this guy down. The truth should be bad enough.
There are papers before the court listing underage girls who had sex with T so, just waiting for the court system to put a 'celebrity' on notice for a court hearing.
Come on, he's hung himself every day he's been in office. Do you really want him to pick up an actual AR-15 and start killing protesters and immigrants or just wait while he does it by not feeding starving children?
Too late, it’s happening with everything
he says and does!
He keeps hanging us : the American public!
One can always hope. 🤞🏼
lol. Only those who have some sense of honor would do that so that alternative is unlikely.
The republicans leaving for early recess --- perhaps a change of scene and an absence of the necessity of thought will restore some of their mental equilibrium - you think? These so called Christian martyrs are so trying to make themselves comfortable up against the stake... They should never have allowed their instincts of justice - if they had any - to degenerate into mere vindictiveness. This is a thousand times worse than Nixon. Ok - just a scattering of random thoughts....
For all of those with MAGA Congresscritters and Senators, we need to call for town halls during this ill-timed(?) recess. The publicity from these has been terrible optics for the Cons.
Hah. Susie "Concerned" hasn't held a "town meeting" in years.
T L, Every time I hear that woman talk, I want to gag. All talk and no walk is Susie Q.
That's would be the best way to get them back to Washington in a flash...
Stephanie, agree. I think you are correct in implying that they never had any instincts of justice. And yes, much worse than Nixon.
Keep scattering Stephanie.....please...; )
I gotta million of ‘em…
😅
By September there should be a lot less ‘life rafts’ if one considers GOP Reps to be "Life rafts for Trump!" The battering many of GOP Reps WILL take, if they don’t hide, from the folks they represent will be wake-up-calls to the fact you are not going to be re-elected if you do not serve us, save us, and save our benefit’s! Let us all hope for a great GOP awakening during the next to two months (Vacation?). No more Red or Blue. Its time for a Red, White, and Blue America again!
It is also time the Dems get their act together for the September vote on the release of the "sex files" to the public and the ouster of Trump by any legal method. Not that Trump deserves such consideration!
Will the pain occur incrementally across different states and different age and racial groups? Will people simply surrender to a new norm: higher prices, minimal health coverage, higher insurance and no Fema in flood prone states? Trump just denied aid to Md to cover flood damage. It may be a huge psychological lift to admit you were wrong when you voted for a so called stable genius…
Dems "get their act together," really now, Ted?
Bottom feeders are what they have become. Heaven forbid they upset Daddy!
It is also child abuse that he parades as our president! Absolutely X-rated! And the base perpetrates the scornful porn.
He is no longer governing, just thinking of how many people he can destroy I picture a denuded earth, with him standing on top wondering where "where did all the people go?" Nother but cement in all directions.
Trump has denied our Md governor money to clean up the flooding destruction.
I read that yesterday. They have not given a reason and Wes will appeal. The MAGA in those areas need to know that Trump is responsible for hurting them.
Disgusting.
Also, Eva, flying off to Scotland to huckster another of his golf courses.
James seems to be the only who holds the felon accountable
“now we know he is a serial pedophile and into child trafficking and porn.”
We know no such thing! Do not spread misinformation as do MAGAts!
It seems these comments are, all too often, like kids playing "telephone". HRC gives us information/history/perspective, and 500-600 comments later, I need to go back to the beginning to see what her original message was. I'm 83; like the patriarch in <Moonstruck>, "I'm old, I'm confused." My memory is good. My experiences are valid. HRC is in sync with them. Perhaps, I'd be better be better off skipping the comments, where I've seen threads like commentors believing the Novel prizes are given in Norway
He spent 17 years supporting, cheering on, staying with pedophile Epstein, Ron.
He has expressed public support for pedophile Ghislaine Maxwell, but never any word for the many girls trafficked.
I'd say he's clearly "into" the supportive facts you claim to know nothing about.
Good question GJ. NY should have him on the list. Wonder if doing so will limit where in NY T can go, who he can visit? Glad Barron is over 18. Means Daddy wouldn't have to limit visits with him.
Which would mean interstate travel is out. Maybe he'll swap the Qatar plane for a Cessna.
A regime of shameless deceitfulness, bombarding us with a constant barrage of disinformation, invective and lies...
I am in the same place that I was in during Reagan. Only this time it is worse. I begin to question my own sanity in the face of blatant lies that many of my fellow citizens accept as truth. The media…..including NPR continue to act like this is just another day in American politics, when we are seeing a coup by the 1% to turn our democracy into a feudal system with handpicked useful idiots like Trump as the frontman for their continued rape of this country.
You need two to tango horhai, a regime of shameless deceitfulness and an horde of stupid voters. That's what got us where we are now.
But what we have is a troika (appropriately Russian). The corrupt regime was aided and abetted by a corrupt party that for decades has defunded and degraded the public education system that produced the horde of stupid voters.
Dale, I would say that they are speaking to a base that has long held those ideas of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc. No amount of education would make any difference. We had many students that we tried to help, but were often up against parental influence. And I know well educated people who vote R.
Phil? Phil! Help me out here, Phil! 😊
Michele, I agree that generational ignorance plays a part. But I disagree with your assertion that "no amount of education would make any difference," mainly because we must agree on a definition of "education."
You and your like-minded colleagues were/are a tiny island in an ocean of diminished and corporatized school systems where STEM is all that matters and tests define success or failure.
I also know college-educated Republican voters, but I am skeptical of the quality – or completeness – of their education. I don't think it's possible to "teach" empathy and compassion, but I think the right courses can awaken them.
If they only attend the conservative colleges are they really educated? What are there core classes? Any humanities or even history?
Dale, I have commented on Phil's posts forever as you probably know. Education would make a difference if it would take, but there are many factors that make that difficult. We spent a lot of energy on many kids only to see them end up in not good places. I know that a lot of our teachers made a difference for kids because I see them still thanking them. I do not know how that translates into votes, but it did allow some of them to overcome their family dysfunction, survive, and become decent individuals.
No, it is not possible to teach empathy and compassion, but it is possible to model it. I am lucky to have retired before what you describe in schools today became the model. Btw, I am a firm advocate for the humanities. I should also probably confess that I am very cynical about humankind although I refuse to give in to that completely.
You are BORN with empathy & compassion! And, hopefully, you will use those traits to better the world we live in.
You are quite right Dale. Maybe we should define a new term: troikatango....and couple dancing tango is complicated, imagine a tango being danced by 3 people 😄
So in other words, you don't believe in the truth or the facts I get it now
What a sad case you can't live your whole life in denial because it's gonna bite you in the butt one of these days in fact, it should've already done so but apparently you're sleeping
Yeah Jorge, please tell us the results of the two-year investigation by Robert Mueller, which was nothing but a crock of s
Spot on Kathy.
his tie points to his problem
....today in Scotland Trump trips over his tie while golfing and passes away.
Thank you for the big laugh Chris!
3 1/2 more years Chris it’s only just begun
Trump could have died naked with a can of Vienna Sausage in the desert.
So let me repeat so you can let it sink in 3 1/2 more years of BLISS for everybody that voted for him and 3 1/2 years of hate unless you wake up and see the successes that America is currently having. Day after day
In bright red, no less! 😉
🤣🤣🤣
Ali, this is what happens when people live amongst group think look at Portland how torn part it is because of that
Oh yes! He thinks of his ties as advertising. Gross, dirty old man!
Projection
G. Maxwell: “Trump Told Me Not To Bring Him Any Girls Older Than 14”
The Justice Department sent a legal team to the Federal Correctional in Tallahassee, Florida and Maxwell blurted out that, “Donald only wanted young babies no older than 14 years of age.” Before she could say anymore on the record, legal staff ran from the facility and raced back to the airport. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche immediately called House Speaker Mike Johnson and advised him to cancel holding hearings and having Maxwell testify.
“Mike, do not bring Maxwell to Washington. She is a lying wench and her testimony will permanently turn waring MAGA factions against each other. Maxwell just told me Donald Trump is a pedophile.
Have the president call Pete Hegseth and order another bombing of Iran. Or anywhere. Send a few B-52s to Cuba that outta take everyone’s mind off the girls."
Perhaps in another time this could be funny, maybe, but this just gets in the way.
Yes, Janet. We are sick sick sick of it.
yes, source please.
Silly. It’s satire.
It does not read like that in this climate of mis / disinformation so thanks for clarifying.
Well this is my forte.
Bill, you put it in quotes, and in my mind, it went from satire to being part of The Problem.
It’s satire. Although fairly transparent but considering the subject, I guess it could pass for reality. That’s the frightening part and that enough ignoramuses could fall for it. But I call this a perfect storm and the other side fully cooperated in their own defeat. Joe Biden in my opinion, was destined to lose in the end but little would we realize much too late that he lost not to the usual backward mentality but to a monster. Yes, as I’ve repeated ad nausium, we (Biden and Co) did this to ourselves.
Biden was never my pick for anything for many reasons the biggest ones being age and stupidity. Stupidity because he no longer had the white working class support base.
The people don’t really determine their fate. It’s the elected officials of the day that fashion a selfish plan to win an election. Biden might have run in 2015 which would have worked but the Clintons in their Machiavellian dance offered something compelling to Biden to drop out on the fateful plane meeting. My guess is they offered him untold financing for cancer research on the then recent death of his son. The Clintons hit Biden at his weakest and he dropped out but was determined to get to be in the presidential history book at all costs even in his infirm elder years. And he did and we lost. Biden is no way my hero. He lost. We lost. And we lost mightily.
Don't waste our attention with your blather!!
Ditto. Learn some manners, please. Or is it too late.
Yeah, sometimes people should just be quiet, take the suggestions to improve.
You definitely needed to let us know up front that this was satire. Especially when you used quotes around the most inflammatory sentence. WE DON’T ALL KNOW YOU.
Ok already. I got it.
Add “/s” to the end. It denotes satire.
Yes Bill, a satire but most likely not far from reality.....please, keep "satirizing" us. ; )
Bill Katz - You posted exactly the same thing on Joyce Vance's piece this morning. You elicited exactly the same storm of comments - and pleas to mark your work satire. You seem to steadfastly refuse to make sure your work is marked as satire. And you call anyone who "falls" for it (and thinks it could be real) an ignoramus. I don't think I care for your form of humor very much.
Come on give it a break. I already made amends. Do you spend your time making sure we walk the straight and narrow?
I’m glad I read the comments on your comment, Bill, otherwise I would not have known this was satire.
Holy 💩Bill, I had not heard of these quotes. Please cite the source. Thanks.
Silly. It’s satire.
Bill, When using satire, please use the now common sign for satire at the end of a comment, which I think is "/s"
It's getting so crazy that otherwise it's hard to tell fiction from fact.
KMD, I'd have no idea what " /s" means, and I suspect many of us here wouldn't either. He should just say at the beginning "The following is satire."
That I will grant you. Agree.
That’s a good one bill include that in your book I’d love to see you in court as a defendant. lol
It’s being placed in the book as of this morning and I would love Trump to sue me. My book explains that most of the stories are satire and biting criticism.
Don't talk silly, even if it was a joke. It would create a lot of unneeded pressure on you. You never know what he'll do not that he'll even find it or hear about it, but I don't think it's a game you wanna play.
Your call you're the author
5 years ago, I contemplated selling the book in front of the White House. I was going to employ Code Pink activist women to record me tossing my book over the fence yelling, Bere you are Mr President please read my book.” They would have video taped me then being arrested and the video would have gone up on you tube and gone viral and I would have had my interview. Today it’s been advised not to do that for obvious reasons.
Every time Trump cries "Obama!" he's the boy who cried "wolf" or the chicken who cried "the sky is falling." The story is old, weak and tired. Just like Trump.
But the MAGAts/Repub lawmakers still point the gun at the heads of those opposing him.
Or they revert to their old standbys: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. It's all a big conspiracy......🙄
I expect arrests when he is cornered.
@Kathy. With that in mind, I hereby repeat and reference the remarks of Keith Habermann this morning as if set forth at length. WHITE HOUSE "PARALYZED"; NOW IS THE TIME FOR OBAMA TO DESTROY TRUMP - 7.24.25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tUdpTr21zs&t=421s
If you mean Oberman, he is currently in a padded cell with his buddy De Niro
Good luck with that one
See what I have to put up with? Your MAGAs and my side oh boy.
Bill, you handle it very well and that's a genuine compliment
“Olberman”
Alderman is busy repadding his cell.
Exactly, habitual projection. With mainstream media being an oligopoly participating in Russian political technology, they are perpetuating a debilitating farce: “governance” as fake reality tv. Speculating on how long it will take for magalonians to realize they are day labor extras in the production is futile. Their pay is the tribal identity endorphin buzz. The Apprentice & Celebrity Apprentice ran for 15 seasons. The Jerry Springer show (performative disfunction) ran for 27 seasons. It seems even prolonged economic hardship & loss of gubmint support would not shake them out of the abusive charade as long as they are so easily manipulated by the fascist mafia state information matrix.
And now they feel the retribution for the BS. They provided Trump for the last eight years. Schiff is squirming in his pants finally getting just a taste of what he deserves
Perfect!
Kathy Balles: YES!
You state the truth so very well in a nutshell.
What Trump does is called PROJECTION.
Trump PROJECTS onto others what HE does.
My daily mantra.
BINGO
Agree 100%
Gil Duran’s (Nerd Reich newsletter) analysis is spot on: “With his flip-flop on Epstein, Trump is reframing himself. The hero frame is collapsing into what we might call a Betrayer frame.” We have to figure out how to use Trump’s cardinal sin of betraying his MAGA faithful to cleave them from him while simultaneously weaning them off conspiracy thinking generally. Our democracy can’t function when people make decisions based on compelling narratives rather than factual information. I’m watching Zohran Mamdani do this in real time. His latest video about his trip to Africa is a masterclass.
Thursday 5 PM Pacific UPDATE:
********************************
Trump's Attorney TODD BLANCHE announce his personal interview With Maxwell will "continue tomorrow" that's mean tomorrow. FRIDAY, 7/ 25/25.
Thursday Noon UPDATE:
*************************
Important: MSNBC contacted Epstein's Estate seeking confirmation of the States's possession of 50th "Birthday Book". The reply to MSNBC was that "The Epstein Estate will comply will all lawful process".
Also today, Trump attorney, TODD BLANCHE, met with the convicted sexual predator GHILANE MAXWELL who is in prison but, met with Blanche at a Florida Courthouse for 5-6 hours. More tomorrow!
PAMELA BONDI was a no-show at a CPAC event yesterday claiming a "torn" hernia.
**************
Kudos Linda H. I will checkout Zohran Mamdani's latest video this morning.
Meanwhile Lawrence O'Donnell latest segment last night featured the attorney for over 200 Epstein-Maxwell victims.
2 days before his suicide, Epstein set up a Trust naming DARREN INDYKE, Epstein's lawyer & RICHARD KHAN Epstein's accountant as Trustees. The attorney for over 200 Epstein victims I cited above is BRADLEY EDWARDS whom Lawrence O'Donnell interviewed last night.
Confirmation: The Epstein victims & the Executors of Epstein Estate can confirm the 50th "Birthday Book" exists & can be produced from the relevant law firms in possession of the book, the Trautmann & the Patterson law firms. Yes, Ghlaine's gift to her co-felon feature's Trump's entry
Nothing like the "Best Evidence" to resolve conflicting facts particularly when the facts are only disputed by Donald J. Trump.
I haven't seen the Edwards interview. Surely someone has compiled a list of potential witnesses. I posed several links yesterday. What about the models from Trump Model Management?
Maxwell's lawyer is David Oscar Markus, Baghdad By the Sea, who is, among other things, a podcaster. Yesterday, Jen Rubin commented:"What could possibly be the basis for the number two person in the Justice Department to meet with the woman at the center of the criminal enterprise that now threatens to envelop Trump in a scandal like none other in his sordid career?"
Ans. A fix? Conflicts?
Episode 1 • 2nd June 2024 • For the Defense with David Oscar Markus •Todd Blanche for former President Donald Trump. https://forthedefensepodcast.com/episode/todd-blanche-for-former-president-donald-trump
"Todd Blanche, the first guest to appear twice on For the Defense with David Oscar Markus, discusses everything from the war room to Melania Trump not appearing at trial to getting into it with Michael Cohen and everything in between in this in-depth and free flowing interview about the trial of the century involving the former President of the United States, Donald Trump."
Episode 2 • 27th June 2023 • For the Defense with David Oscar Markus • Todd Blanche for Paul Manafort
“In a Last Word exclusive interview, Bradley Edwards, an attorney who has represented over 200 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, reveals that he believes the Jeffrey Epstein birthday book with a letter bearing Donald Trump’s name as reported first by The Wall Street Journal is in possession of the Epstein estate. Edwards also reacts to the treatment of Epstein’s victims in the coverage of the Trump-Epstein scandal.
July 23, 2025”
https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/congress-can-subpoena-epstein-birthday-book-from-epstein-estate-epstein-victims-lawyer-says-243745349678
Well said Kathy but, I am certain the Bradley Edwards was beseeching interested parties to simple access the book from the Estate.
Some more legal context: The Estate has already paid out millions of dollar damages to victims so far. The Estate has other Epstein assets, property assets for example, that are in the legal process of winding down. That process can go one for months/years. That process is controlled by the probate & civil statutory law in the controlling jurisdiction.
******
I have a question: A photograph of Epstein, Maxwell & Trump is all over media. That photo records a 4th person photographed in a foursome. Who is that person? Is she alive & available for deposition?
*****
I heard the fourth person is Melania, before she married Trump.
Martha, if authenticated that is a case busting exhibit with Melania looking much like the"younger" kind.
At Opening Argument, Trial Attorneys are allowed to use a "Master Exhibit" to show the Jury & introduce a Trial theme that "says it all".
The evidentiary issues of any fiercely opposed photo can be litigated in a preliminary called "Motion in Limine". I once had a 3 day pre-trial hearing that sunk my opponent even BEFORE Trial started.
I loved & still love evidentiary battles because it permits an advocate to prove authenticity over, over & over again.
Ooo, ick!
Wow Bryan. A mystery author’s start flag? Or? But seriously, the seven layer lie cake of this gang in DC is a world wide nuclear like catastrophe in unreal time. It’s a death trap with seemingly day by day blue summer skies. I’m finding it hard to truly enjoy much knowing how many catastrophes are occurring second by second because of the monster who’s insane surrounded by layers of liars.
Here's Mamdani's video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMVVEVBuliC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
He's a genius communicator!
Cornea!
What’s wrong with the Democrats current thinking and thought processes? When the current US House Speaker and other Republicans say that the Democrats had four years to bring forth and deal with the Epstein files issue(s)—why didn’t they? The response should be because it was not a priority! The priority for the Biden/Harris administration was controlling, managing and dealing with the economy, jobs and the inflationary problems. Inflation was worldwide and not caused by any single that we did in America…it was because worldwide production of goods and services had been halted or significantly reduced during the pandemic.
As the pandemic began to cease, demand far exceeded the supplies of goods and services…too many dollars chasing too few goods and services; hence, inflationary costs and prices. The Biden/Harris administration did a wonderful job on the fiscal side and the Federal Reserve executed a splendid job on the monetary side at making our control and management our economy and the inflationary pressures the envy of the other worldwide industrial nations!
The Republicans, conservatives and the MAGA-cult led by trumpelthinskin and his attorney general made/brought the Epstein issues and tragedy a major issue to the forefront…again!!!
This post should be front-and-center, yet it's buried so deep under so many extraneous comments that its focus and the larger points it raises just disappear. We must keep these points in mind at our peril. Together with the first observation here --- that every accusation is really an admission of guilt (combined with an attack on the innocent) -- this post tells us what this Republican cabal of absurdity has cost us in just six months.
The focus of the Biden years was *governance* -- the largest questions a republic can take on, navigating the ship of state during extraordinary domestic and international challenges. Internally, a pandemic was killing hundreds of thousands at home; overseas the entire western political and economic order was under daily attack by dictatorships determined to destroy it through bombs and propaganda. It certainly didn't succeed in every challenge, but that only reinforces just how difficult the tasks before it really were.
Other than petty, pissy diversions and gaslighting to deflect from criminality, incompetence, cruelty and psychiatric disqualifications to hold the job, the Trump years have no focus. Its apparatus exists only to conceal the dismantling of the ship of state. It's an insane, horrifying goal accompanied by sabotage, gaslighting, daily prevarications. The only way it can succeed is by keeping the GOP enthralled with insanity while clutching onto a razor-thin majority in Congress. Already they use terror against their own, already they've shut down Congress, already they gerrymander Texas twice in a decade, already they've tried to declare "martial law" to defy the Constitution, remove institutions of accountability, subvert elections.
The stakes are as high as they've ever been, since the Civil War and maybe before that. We must not lose sight of what we've lost, of what normalcy is, and how far we've strayed from it. Otherwise our fixation on a single outrage means we lose focus on the larger picture of destruction taking place. I commend everyone who can keep that focus in the presence of so many thousands of squirrels being lobbed against us every day.
Eyes on the prize, people --- eyes on the prize.
Thank You…and I love your use of the “eyes on the prize” phrase!
You're welcome! And of course, the phrase isn't mine, but was part of the vocabulary of the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 60s. They had more than their share of distractions, too.
Indeed; Eyes on the prize.
Great points about what the Biden Harris administration had to deal with except you’re missing one deeply important point: they were also tasked to roll out the vaccination plan since we had hundreds of thousands of dead Americans by the time Trump was defeated in the 2020 election. And they had an attempted insurrection led by lies of a “stolen election.” JE was far from the minds of any democrat.
Dana, very good point.
I am absolutely gobsmacked at how most of the populace seems to have forgotten the world we lived in just a few years ago!! Shortages in grocery stores, difficulty finding ppe and it getting stolen from hospitals, meat-truck morgues, overwhelmed funeral homes. Loved ones dying alone.
I've seen arguments on here about what Biden should have done over the border, or he didn't message well, etc etc etc. People seem to forget that the absolute front & center was saving HUMANITY. I'm not saying he did it alone, certainly other countries were trying as well--and fighting against the stupid mindset of "my RIGHTS!!" to infect the elderly, infants and weak.
It might seem like decades ago, but it was ONLY FIVE YEARS.
Our medical scientists did what they thought was good approaches, changes directions when they got new evidence for isolation/ treatments &, Thank God, brains enough to come up with a vaccine. I am beyond sick at the people who keep trying to fix blame on Biden. He supported all of our medical people's research, helps with plans to get the vaccine out there- as did the whole world! I retired as a nurse 12/31/19. I lost friends due to COVID, others have permanent disabilities from it. Horrid time. Trump showed his inhumanity with his actions about COVID.
I retired early, for reasons unrelated to COVID. My last day was 2/1/2020. I felt terribly guilty when I got several calls from HR encouraging me to come back. Survivor guilt.
Right? It was an absolute disaster! And the Biden administration moved quickly to get it under control. I remember the collective sigh here in the Bay Area when the National Guard set up huge drive-thru vaccination tents in large event space parking lots.
all of this is true - why dig into the affairs of a dead pedophile? But also: the Epstein material was evidence in an ongoing court matter (since Maxwell is still appealing) and the records were sealed by the court. They were unsealed about December 2024, so Biden could not have done much with them in any event. But Trump can, but of course does not want to.
I do not understand anyone's surprise that he would be extensively named in the files, given how much photo and other evidence there is around of his being a constant buddy of Epstein's for many years.
We dig into his affairs because he was the pimp for all the living pedophiles. He was not solitary in the abuse of young girls, and perhaps boys. He brought abusers to his island.
I think Trump did not think anything he did would be a problem. His sex life, whatever it has been, is completely normal for him; he's blind in that area. Or, it a plus element of his Manhood.
It was what his "enemies" did that he wanted revealed.
Don't forget, he's nuts.
with nuts...
Well said, Jim. It is like comparing apples and road apples.
Thank You Ally!
Your proposed response of the Democrats to the Republicans makes perfect sense. This is why it will never work. The Democrats are doing an excellent job of attack attack attack on the Epstein debacle. No sense getting put into any explanations on why this or that.
It was "not a priority" for the Democrats... because there are also Democrats who were treated to Epstein's goodies. Epstein sought to make friends with and corrupt anyone who was anybody.
The evidence in his files will never come out. It would bring the entire country down. ...even further down than it is now.
Judith, I think the files will magically disappear, the birthday book will not be found in Epstein's estate. Sure would be telling to know how many 'higher ups' are listed.
That is a likelihood. Lots of skeletons in that 'closet.'
Absolutely. Epstein was also an agent for Israeli/Zionist interests. They control the USA...and Australia, and England, and Germany. and ...
Correct about dems being involved. Blackmail is a tool the tool in 'our' Whitehouse uses regularly and historically. Hence his keen interest in keeping "documents" ; More blackmail fodder. I hope though that you're incorrect as to it never coming out. I've opined here and elsewhere and often, that to turn things around for the dem party, they "must" grow painful honesty and humility. I know what their fears are. Like all fears, the only way past, is through. I've long felt also that I might be a resident expert on that - fear and walking through. That notion is bs; All have fear. I am only outspoken and no expert by any measure. My experiences might be unique though - somewhat anyway. One commonly thinks that also.
Thank you for this explanation.
Lanette, you are welcome…if it’s new knowledge to you about economics and inflation, well that’s from economics 101 as business major and which years later experiencing some inflationary periods — but about 20 years ago Robert Reich had a very good and simple demonstration of and about inflation that was simple to understand. Economics—or certain segments of it—can be a bit confusing and not so easy to understand. However, Reich’s drawings make much of it clearer and easier to understand and comprehend. What’s so very disappointing to me is that we, as a nation, had so many opportunities to avoid the worsening mess that this country—and to a certain degree—our world is facing right now. However, democrats and our Democratic leaders have been doing a not to diligent or sufficient enough job at trying to prevent or forestall the backward direction that this/our country is heading toward!
Not a single one of us — individuals — is perfect! Obama and his administration made some mistakes! Biden and his administration made some mistakes! Bush — both of them and Reagan administrations’ made some mistakes! However, we, the current generation which I define as a 50 to 80-year life span, is the first to really bring embarrassment on and upon our country and nation by not just once — but twice — putting into our history of POTUS, the worst individual to have occupied the Oval Office!
Not the one that I mentioned previously—but just in case you’re interested, this is quite informative.
Robert Reich: Inflation and Economics
10 Myths
https://youtu.be/HZ3j4hHMO5E?si=UfymoqilsUdagcFz
Ditto, Jim and Dale. I have adored Bob Reich since when he first made his appearance publicly. I've come around to appreciating Paul Krugman as well. I had some differences with him for a time; Perhaps it was his style,, plus one other item. However, he's made changes and I've grown fond of him and have great respect for his insights. He too publishes on this substack. I recommend him as well. Before I latched on to Reich, I had already been a fairly astute student of economics; Somehow it deeply attracted me as a subject of 'art and science.' I would offer that it's a very abstract subject; And perhaps why it held my attraction. Then Reich came along and I envied his abilities to 'pull back the cloak or curtains' to further enlarge the general understandings via both illustration and factoring. As another plus, Reich is a genuine, sincere, and likeable human being, along with razor wit. He has not changed.
Thank you. I have saved it to watch later on.
Lanette, to amplify Jim Riley's response, I recommend following Robert Reich on whatever platform you can. (He's everywhere!)
His ability to make complex economic systems and principles accessible is unmatched.
I commune with words and pictures; numbers are not my friends. But Reich is able to speak to me. Maybe you'll have the same experience.
↑ * or ↓ .... lol
Glad he is awake, wish other Dems would get the message. The game has changed from politics as usual to political missionaries, who take no prisoners.
Which Democrats? Have you seen the Congressional hearings, town halls or media appearances by the Democrats? Given that the regime controls the White House, Congress and SCOTUS what do you recommend the Democrats do at this point? What does it mean "take no prisoners"?
My point here is we all need to be about careful about criticizing without adequate participation on our parts. The Democrats are not the white knights. They can't save us. We save us. Are we protesting, working with people like the NDRC to fight voter suppression, gearing up for the 2026 elections, supporting local candidates etc?
I understand the fear and frustration. Let's work to be united.
I agree, Barbara. Thank you for clearly stating how you see this now.
Good trouble comes to mind. Bernie and AOC became visible and viable. Granted, I don’t watch much MSNBC anymore, but I do take a slew of substacks. I miss a lot but I hear and see a lot. It seems normal politics and the MSM does deep dives into the political missionaries not at all. One thing I do know is that the begging emails are more of the same, hardly distinguishable from the stupid ones I get from idiot R’s. Move On and Indivisible are on the move and will get any donation I can make.
Agree about the donation emails. The DNC is the worst. They act like business as usual. I stumbled across Congressional hearings on Firefox You tube. I haven't been watching any mainstream media. Every now and then I will glance at it and am freaked out by how bad it all is.
It is painful but I want a variety so I do BBC, the Guardian, abc (20 minutes), and about 30 minutes of msnbc. 20 minutes of Walter was worth more than all those combined. Donating to Indivisible and Move On and protest every chance I get. Epstein May be as close as we get to a magic wand to smite the blob. What chaps me is that there so many supposed humans who have the goods on chump but won’t say a word. They are not scared, they are greedy bastards
Barbara, thanks for noting that criticism of Democrats is not helpful. I am going to attach here a conversation between Joy Reid and Malcolm Nance that someone posted recently. I found Joy's insights about how very much the answer to this demogogic administation is really in OUR hands.
https://youtu.be/XIQjBJc8krQ?si=ryBeZsnkrMYAeRjs
You wouldn't suggest, Linda, entirely leaving out those "compelling narratives"?
As our schools have done (so that our billionaire standardized testers may fatten all the more by the impersonal conceits those instruments instead force on all).
Fiction is a powerful way that we humans share our internal world; and fiction is often an effective tool for conveying truths, sometimes a most effective means, even, I believe, facilitating a path to real-world discovery, and expanded awareness in any case; especially for exploring states of value.
I think it is also so that fiction must be labeled fiction, and that our best efforts to uncover and describe literal truths also be precisely labeled. Confusing one with the other can be very harmful, especially as deliberate perpetration of fraud, as we witness with the total misrepresentations peddled by this regime.
Thanks JL Graham. How you describe 'fiction' here can also be applied to my understanding of psychodrama. If we had venues for "facilitating a path to real-world discovery", we could expand on various scenarios, communally. Imagining is a good coping strategy, especially when remaining tethered to the actual world. Bread and Puppet Theatre used to do this and still has programs https://breadandpuppet.org/visit. Playback Theater is another: https://playbacktheatrenetwork.org/what-is-playback-theatre/.
If by psychodrama you mean emotionally 'reactive' messaging or narratives, misused for political affect, I agree Joan.
I'm reminded of QB VII and Leon Uris, which my mother insisted we watch. To me, the lesson was about legal "technicalities" vs moral principles. I was a toddler when my father (and our family), was stationed in Germany from 1947 to 1950, during the Nuremberg Trials, Berlin Airlift, and 1950 Passion Play, so paid more attention than most.
I don't remember much of Dr. Dering's supposed good works (that were supposed to underlie his good reputation that earned him the OBE (Order of the British Empire), from the book or series, but did find more of the story about why he was only awarded a symbolic fine of a Halfpenny (the lowest denomination possible), from his technical victory vs revelation of his far more important moral lapse compared to other doctors that refused to go along with their captors, or actively conduct more "research" than ordered. See https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Alexander_Dering
Where's Mark Twain when we need him? A new set of letters from the earth are desperately in order.
Indeed Lauren. I've thought others past who might have arisen in that vein. Alas, dems, their own kind, killed them off or had a hand in their demise. Al Franken comes immediately to mind.
Fiction, and emotionally 'reactive' messaging or narratives JL; Tools utilized widely be maga leaderships. "Your worst fears (insert event or policy debate)are happening, and it's all the dems fault" !!! Dem reaction: *crickets*
Oh my! Bingo!
Would you mind sharing the link to the video you're watching?
Or at least more details so that I can find it from the others. Thank you
Here is a link: https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word
Cheers.
Here it is: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMVVEVBuliC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Thank you for this, Linda
Here's Mamdani's video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMVVEVBuliC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Many thanks!
Another perspective on how humans deal with ideologies can be found in Dan Ariely's work, "Predictably Irrational" The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Predictably_Irrational/lwKRgkLNgXsC?hl=en&gbpv=0
No interest here, accountability is seldom and closets are full, the knowledge merely a continued spectacle of certain men’s debasement , often incestual perversion, and one track mentality.
Again as most social workers know… the numbers proven or not , it’s prevailed since the begin , and frequently ‘Mom’ looked away/denied (for her and the other children’s safety) …albeit not so many ‘groomers’ .That wordage being just another confession -on the list from the deviants. Tell the stories …woe …the worst case was suspect beyond any doubt (never proved) … ‘the goings on’? The mother finally shot herself -her daughter first …her only escape left…I cried…again.
Think twice before entering the field .
Alas, mostly good people prevail ? The rest- whispered secrets, juicy gossip, or book/movie fodder. Much the same (fodder) are our young men dying on the battlegrounds , ‘turned’ sexually from early experiences, by sick/power hungry definitely mongers or just simply greed.
Well if that doesn’t satisfy one’s daily dose of depression…I have long ago got over being shocked . So , joined /join (still - my years many now) protests, conversations, educating , mentoring to bring accountability to better ratio.
It doesn’t sell as well though.
And that’s where ‘the base’ is found.
Thats the part that was hopefully my last ‘profound ‘ surprise…the majority voted for a substantiated abuser/con/shyster. Not so much from them NOT knowing - though the warnings were there…but just complacency.
Sad nutshell.
Bad Boys Bad Boys …Whatcha gonna do..
See ya at the protests
Excellent comment, Patricia. I don't think people realize how bad the horror of what men do to their families can be. I have one family that I tracked four generations of in my 26 years on patrol; physical and sexual abuse ran rampant through it. That work changes you, and those of you who dealt with the long term aftermath of it have my most profound respect.
I disagree that "complacency" was the root cause of ignoring the warnings; I believe that it certainly played a part in it; to my mind it was the "permission" to hate those "other" people that they (those base voters) firmly believe were the root cause of any and all of their societal problems. I suspect that many of those base voters are caught up in that cycle of abuse themselves, either as victims or perpetrators (who are frequently victims themselves).
As well an excellent point Ally, TY.
I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories. To have a client relax enough to trust (you) is far more the ‘ pay’ than ‘the paycheck’ for the dedicated (another sincere TY 🫶).
The studies upon studies reveal basic loving foundations are of the utmost importance. A Blessing.
Life is not easy even for the overindulged ( a whole other story) ..so the most of us being ‘relatively good’ was a hope if not an indicator child-rearing was an honor (truly knowing the average encounters any person has) .
Yes past tense intended.
It’s complicated ..always has been…and, since 2015 ..we all really need to roll up our sleeves , pay attention (not an easy job), and work on ‘bests’.
Substack is wonderful, enlightening, filled with good thought , thanks for being a consistently inspiration.
I agree, re., Ally. I would include you as well Patricia.
Thank you for your kind words.
Great comment Patricia. I would say complacency and 'denial' and fear - self preservation breeds two of these, at least.
TY, Dan
It is certainly not cut and dried, many factors play their part . Wishing there were more solutions.
It’s worthy time to inform people this is the seediest sides of life, and thankful for the many caught, some reformed, a few get away with it .
I would say that it is our duty, to inform folks of facts in evidence that we know or have known; And absolutely while possessed of the right attitudes, in that we can't share with an expectation to sway or convince, especially when regarding folks who were fooled. If it isn't bad enough to get fooled, who wants to have it 'rubbed in' ? That's just what I have learned throughout this conflict. I just speak my truth in as much of a 'matter of fact' manner as I can summon, with zero expectations. That approach ends up protecting me as well; From my own inclination to hold expectations. Does that make sense Pat ?
Yes. We have to expect abiding the law, and the due process to keep civil . But, a difference of opinion can be aired ,process available per se to change the rules ,per procedure…noting anyone a danger to themselves or others is necessary for safety ie red flags acknowledged. After-the-fact or denial-of-fact needs a preestablished line drawn ..we don’t reinvent the wheel, just repair if it’s broke ..if you got a more efficient wheel -by all means, let’s hear ya out.
Near everyone is born with that ‘Tabla Rasa ‘ Freud labeled , the clean slate. Wiki explains the influences throughout our childhood that mold us basically.
People have increasingly been fascinated by ‘the shiny object’ theory depicting catching their ‘eye’. Perhaps that’s more the third eye which most (people) never acknowledge (except ‘the Heathers’) theoretically.
To stand apart from the norm , to be able to extract from the din -the rational , the fact(s), what reality demands -and then write understandably requires first a gift , second learned /training/command of literary skills, and third a good editor.
I am fascinated by the gift . Envious of the command. And ,as most who ‘follow’ me know, needing an Editor ( proofing my writ ) is obvious ( my husband filled that job throughout my college labors on term papers ..bless his heart).
Parenting is THE most important choice , whether it’s done well or not …usually produces ‘the gift’ .
Somewhere around 95% of us have an innate gift. We’ve got a special knack.
Raising a child is to enable them ….self confidence…supporting their jobs well done in close enough timing ..plus all those mentoring ways, especially examples of good character/good choices.
Tall orders.
That’s where the majority of the Heathers come from.
Despite the traumas most people will encounter ,a decent upbringing will usually result -in a person’s innate gift or gifts reaching the benefit (and to benefit) their surrounds, ie happy, productive, balanced people.
Here again..there are those percentages within every faction of people of ( going straight to the worst case scenario) aren’t balanced, are evil, are mentally ill, hate, kill, whatever ..went ‘wrong’.
It’s that some shiny object along the way that caught them, distracted ,abused , disturbed or destroyed ‘the gift’.
And why we need stop signs- laws, rules, red flags, check points/guidelines , medications, doctors, counsel, education, etc ….all of the aforementioned focus on choices…
My choices haven’t always been the best…admitting that brought balance back.
I choose to read Heather because (as the many here have pointed out) she brings balance to the current chaos. She brings understanding to our history, and as a teacher explains choices made by others , brings facts to show the how/why of choices.
The shiny object is hype, disinformation, conspiracy , fictional entertainment . It catches the ‘eye’.
‘Heathers’ make FACT interesting. Balance follows.
Thanks for those gifts🫶
"Just to be clear: The director of national intelligence for the United States of America is making allegations against a former U.S. presidential candidate based on material from Russia’s intelligence services."
It's still unbelievable that all this and so much more is happening in the US. Such weak people in this government. Such incredible incompetence is so dangerous to all and everything.
Such an obviously and blatantly corrupt, compromised and traitorous regime.
Not incompetence, but treason indeed. They know perfectly well what they do.
These miscreants are indeed treasonous but also quite incompetent as well. The Signal chat debacle or Donold’s tariff yo-yoing and wanton sabotage of the economy are some displays of their incompetence.
I guess both things can be true at the same time.
I am hoping that their incompetence will eventually expose their treason and evilness.
The whole world knew this about Tulsi Gabbard, back when it was generally agreed that she was grotesquely unsuitable for the Intelligence job.
Did anyone GOP senators vote against her?
Do GOP senators vote against a Trump pick?
Are the bears Catholic?
In the end, Donald will be Putin's poodle forever. He's all theirs.
She has been accused of being a Russian asset just like the felon rapist.
Evidence that the Epstein stories wont go away soon: Lawrence O Donnell tonight interviewed the lawyer for many of Epstein's victims, who suggested the "Birthday Book" with Trump's bawdy drawing is in the possession of the lawyers for Epstein's Estate, who have been largely cooperative with the victims' lawyers.
Expect Congressman Ro Khanna (also interviewed on O'Donnell's show tonight) and some of his newfound Republican allies in the House to subpoena the Estate's lawyers for more information.
I watched that Lawrence O’Donnell broadcast. There were hundreds of victims of Epstein. According testimony, girls aged out at 18. We have a President that liked to hang out with a man who was a pedophile. We have a President that lies compulsively and appointed a Cabinet who are willing to lie in his service. The Republican Party will do whatever the lying President, whose moral compass allowed him to buddy around with a pedophile, tells them to do - without standing up for their constituents. We have a Supreme Court that rubber stamps whatever the ultra conservative shadows in the background want to achieve Project 2025.
What is there to believe in from the current United States government?
Not much.
Lawless, spineless and corrupt
Thank God we have the Second Amendment
We have a global corporatist fascist takeover happening every day since Jan. 20, 2025. They are dismantling our federal government but for the military. They are prepping to allow a takeover of the States by megarich international corporations. It has been happening to so-called "red states" for a awhile. That is why they are attacking our entire education system from Head Start to Harvard, etc. They seek to sell our public schools to corporations and issue vouchers to parents to buy a seat at so-called "schools" which will teach kids to do whatever a boss tells them to do and keep their mouth shut; aka, "right to work" states. Thus undereducated, low payed, non-union labor employed by a union of rich global investors; corporate share holders who live in multiple mansions all around the world. IOW, the end of the "New Deal" and a return to the same old crap of squalid living conditions for working men, women and children working the line as well. As Biden warned us, this is not the Republican party of your father. He should have called them out for who and what they are; Damn Nazis!
Thank you so much! I agree with you but could not express it so well as you
My Thanks. Your words are perfect. Words that say what and who Trump is need to be repeated over and over again. A few of his voters might wake up and finally see him as he is and stop being such cultist devoted to a pathological lying malignant narcissistic sociopath convicted of Sexual assault, Defamation, Tax Fraud, Election Interferences with Business Fraud and charged with Sedition, Racketeering; Espionage and Obstruction of Justice. All that is needed is to reach a small percentage of them.
Was there a protective order or restraining order filed against Epstein or Maxwell to keep them a certain distance from any children?
Some of these victims need to file an order against Trump and make it cover anyone under the age of majority.
Awesome symbolic idea that every member of congress of conscience should constructively and symbolically do !!! Go on the attack ! Order barring any access to their spouses and children. Omg; Is that doable legally ? I can't see why not. Known associate of a pedophile, groomer and foreign asset....
Seeing the gun as the way to take down the government is Republican mentality.
This dismantling of the Republican Party’s integrity began after FDR was successful getting our democracy to work for the common people and the wealthy and powerful have been determined to “ put it right ever since. Reagan put a smiley face on its evilness but it has gotten more overt and direct.
Yep to all you say.
Thank you
I was nodding in agreement with you until your final sentence.
The felon rapist was all in with Epstein. Girls were trafficked from mar a largo. Girls as young as 13 accused trump of rape...he didn't just hang around with a pedophile - he is the king of pedophiles.
Kay, I thought you are exactly right!
Kay, curious how you see the Second Amendment as the saving grace here?
Pretty sure that was satire.
Or use of the wrong amendment... that was my thought.
I’ll tell you where RBG is, she should have retired early to preserve her seat on the bench, and when she didn’t, her apology was to leave her spirit within Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson. God bless those women for their efforts to challenge the male idiots on the bench. It’s got to be depressing for them. Pack the court!
A corporate takeover of SCOTUS, actively abetted by both Bushes, as well as Mitch McConnell, may he rot.
The deep deception practiced here only serves to soothe the brain fever of the malignant narcissist. Rehashing old and imaginary slights, and ‘evidence’ created by Russian disinformation tactics is only a smokescreen intended to hide the malignant narcissist’s overwhelming guilt from his ‘base’, and other Republicans who are either unwilling to give up power, or intimately involved in the illegality. We must never forget that venal Johnson was one of the architects of J6, and is trying to save his own withered soul.
What a horrid collection of evil people.
I doubt Johnson's soul is available for repurchase, but he will certainly try to protect his status within the regime.
Rumple Stilskins
Margaret-Rose, the Hastert you're thinking of is Dennis, not John (who was a Democratic politician in Wyoming). Dennis was, unsurprisingly, a real piece of work. The Wikipedia article about him includes a seven-paragraph section titled "Ethics," which is an account of his lack of any.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Hastert
I don't think you're a lazy slob. I don't know, but I've been told that you are "a horrible old lady." 😜
Am still reading Auden, he meditating on fascism, the Battle of the Bulge raging.
That is, late 1944 and very early 1945, winter in the Ardennes forest, winter in NYC, in a foreword to “The Flower of Grass,” a novel by Emile Cammaerts, he writes:
“Our age has at least this advantage: . . . its thoroughly urban character . . . exposes every individual to dozens of conflicting authorities and ideas.”
Auden plumbs the fascism for how “the mass religions of our time, by their fanatical distrust of science and reason, their lack of continuity, their dependence on coercion and propaganda, betray themselves too clearly as fashions, as desperate attempts which are not even trusted by those who make them, not to be personally responsible for one’s relation to the truth.”
Auden gets perfectly being “personally responsible” exactly as hundreds of thousands of Americans, Aussies, Canadians, New Zealanders, Brits, and other allies have their lives on the line against Hitler’s last mass attack.
And today: we have not only cruelty, criminality, and gross lying in the White House, we also have its serial child rapist pushing fascism by as much personal irresponsibility as lowest of low vulgarity can peddle.
Hi Phil. I believe there is significant weight in those points, especially; "by their fanatical distrust in science and reason" and "dependence on coercion and propoganda". The points made, establish the basis upon which further manipulation is not just possible, but inevitable.
This gives a startling picture of America under fascist rule. That is, under enemy occupation.
The White House is disfigured. By the way, did you see the picture of Epstein's living-room? The gilt ornaments on the white fireplace.
Probably where The Orange Turd got his decorating ideas for the Oval Office. Tacky to the Max.
Jeffrey must have shared the catalogue with his pal.
I noticed that as well 🎯
Around and around we go. Nothing new under the sun.
Yes, JD.
Except, then again, the hundreds of under-age girls from then may have acquired their additional years, but I'd bet most of them feel the pain from back then as if it's quite new and rubbing newly raw and painful yet for them every day.
It's partly the sex forced on them when they were of insufficient maturity to consent.
But more -- and for me, at my distance -- worse, it's the perhaps more painful realization of how blithely unaccountable all these rich celebrity bastards were, still are. They got away with impunity. As if our institutions accept the moneyed as beyond the rest of us, beyond our laws -- exactly as the Clarence court has ruled for its favorite orange criminal.
The pain/shame goes on, one way or another. Sometimes overt, sometimes covert but the body knows even if the brain rewrites. When working at jr high, I knew twin girls who were 13 going on 30. As I learned they had been sexually abused and innocence long gone. My first job at elementary school was an intro to even worse. A 6-year-old had been used in mother’s sex business. It’s why my celebration of Mother’s Day is somewhat qualified. Society suffers for every wound
Spot on! Bastards is an excellent word for them. I hope all of them will be outed and get dealt what is coming to them!!
My issue with that is that the "sin" of "bastardy" is because a woman bore a child out of wedlock; puts the "blame" for that on the woman, who was frequently herself a victim as well.
And the child who has no say in the matter, and is ostensibly held to be "created equal".
Justice is based on the wealth of each individual in most courts in the US.
Except?? Has anyone of the hundreds of Epstein, Trump, Maxwell victims ever filed a TRO against any or all of them? And did Acosta require Epstein to be registered on the Florida sex offender list?
Trump has "flash" rallies in seemingly random places. Every state should add an extra requirement that Trump not get within x number of feet from anyone under the age of 18.
Was Acosta counsel for the defense? It seemed so.
You're right. Alexander Acosta.
Yes and no. You can read Shakespeare, or works that are much older, and while mores may change, the compass of fundamental human motives and behaviors seems pretty constant. Our circumstances are changing though, and wise and prescient adaptations are proving very challenging.
Some things are constant, some not. Nukes, climate, space
…Then 14 years later, I was sitting in Mrs Henigan’s class in 4th grade catholic school. Mama was Sicilian American and wanted me to be brought up a Roman Catholic. Since I was a little chatter bug, Mrs Henigan asked me to come to her desk. She moved her chair back and told me for punishment to crawl under her desk. I was now sitting in the dark under the teacher’s desk having been punished. I thought this is catholic corporal punishment and now I’ve not been so close to … yes, vagina since mommy hood.
Me thinks, what should I do? Should I reach up and touch it? Her thick thighs kept opening and closing as she continued to teach. Could she scream? Or maybe call Father Emerling the principal (who btw, eventually expelled me thank God) and ask, “Father, what should I do? Billy Katz just touched it.” “Well Mrs Henigan, how did Billy Katz get to touch it?” Mrs Henigan: “I put him under my desk for talking in class.”
There is a pause. Then Father Emerling responds: “Mrs Henigan, you march little Billy Katz right down to my office so I can put him under my desk.”
(This is just a bit of humor to take the edge off our current trifles. You understand there is a remote connection to the current fusco in Washington. The 1st part of my story being placed under her desk did take place but not the 2nd part. I’ve often wondered about that Mrs Henigan. St. Joes Cathedral School was a hot bed of crazy catholic people. But I do give thanks to the dedicated work the nuns did to educate us ruffians. I wish I could return and hug each one. Side note: I researched Father James Emerling’s past and found that he once coached a boy’s swimming team in earlier times.)
I like telling stories. And btw, my story is no more outrageous than the stories proliferating with the Scump in Chief.
Infantile, not even juvenile, humor, Bill.
That fact and fiction line is wavy
Hard to do better than Auden.
It’s not so much whether he is in the files or not. The issue is that he owned a modeling agency that funneled young women into the system. He was a supplier. He was an enabler. He was a user.
Paul, I think the word is “pimp”. Very fitting description for many aspects of his life/career.
So tired of everything trump, from his predilections to his performances to this paranoia.
Yeah, he’s like a never ending bad hangover…..
I’ve heard advertised something you can take before a night of drinking to avoid a hangover… if only there were a similar drug for this!
I fear I'm way behind. I'm still concerned about the poor dogs and cats in Ohio being eaten by the Haitians. Where are the animal bones buried? Alas, I fear we'll never get the answers we deserve when we're dealing with something as trivial as child rape and trafficking. /S
https://open.substack.com/pub/trumptyrannytracker/p/trump-tyranny-tracker-day-183?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios
TRUMP TYRANNY TRACKER from our Substack neighbor Olga Lautman
I would think that his act would be seen as getting old. Oldie and moldy.
Check out the reference above. (JaKsaa) "rump tyranny tracker". He is the catalyst for the bon fire.
The Russians are certainly getting value for money. Surely they couldn't have imagined it would be this easy? They appear to have a ventriloquist doll in the form of a director of national security. Where to go from here?
Is it not clear enough that Putin does not wish us well?
It appears FSB agent Trump has gone rogue and chosen to criticize Putin. Putin needs to get Trump's handlers to deal with his betrayal.
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, and those in a committee that fits your topic. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. We deserve better ❤️🩹🤍💙
I am SO lucky, Megan, to only have to contact my Reps to say thank you for their efforts on behalf of their constituents and democracy….lucky, indeed.
I am in the same boat, so I created the spreadsheet so I could reach out beyond my own.
I don’t think we’ll see many big waves (like a major MAGA Congress member changing their opinions), however I think we can cause little ripples. I’m thinking staff members who hear the same thing over and over via voicemail, phone calls, letter after letter, email after email - maybe they’ll be a little more receptive each time they hear from us. Maybe they’ll talk more about our talking points to friends and family, maybeeee they’ll vote differently. I think we can cause ripples to push news organizations to be more honest and maybe even a bit accusatory about what’s happening. As a collective, our volume matters. And, at the end of the day, if we just annoy and overwhelm some staffers working for people hurting the average American, I’m ok with that too 🙃
When their lips are moving, they’re lying…right through their perfectly crowned white teeth!
And watch out for that Sharpie.
David Frum with Dan Harris (Jul 23 2025) How Bad Is It? #426
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-sense-with-sam-harris/id733163012?i=1000718723013
(good 27-minutes until paywall). 🚩
Sam Harris speaks with David Frum about the current state of American politics. They discuss the extent of Trump’s corruption, his immigration crackdowns under Trump 2.0.
I said exactly this last night to my husband as we were watching Gabbard.
Those teeth shine in the dark.
Or coming through their puffed-up, sexualized lips. 👄
The attacks on Obama and Clinton are very concerning. Stochastic terrorism at least, and possibly the pretext for an attempt to seize despotic power.
Agreed. Of course it's an absurd ploy to cover his guilt, but we are dealing with millions of irrational people who have bought his ploys over and over and over again.
Who would believe such Trumped-up charges??
The people who are fed by the constant stream of mis and dis information by their "news" sources.
Good point, Ally. I wonder if the ideas of a conditioned response apply.
Excellent question.
What may occur is that one may be so deeply invested in Trump as a personality that (s)he finds it impossible to fess-up to a grave and deep error of judgement.
I think needs public protests to “inspire” him to declare a national emergency and become our beloved dictator. Rebuke from former presidents is not sufficient.
Professor Richardson, thank you specifically for your calm, gritty determination (in this article and many others) to tell and clarify the facts. It’s easy to let my emotions get swept up in outrage, among other things, towards Trump and those he surrounds himself with. I hadn’t heard of the WSJ article until now, and will read it. Also, I will protect myself by staring down the long barrel of facts that implicate Trump is not only a despicable jackass, he’s a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist, with every motive in the world to cover up his past.
The ball on which I, and others, can keep an eye on is that of pressuring congress and mainstream media to investigate and bring out the whole truth about Epstein. We have that one ability, and need to use it to the fullest extent we can. If I have hours in the day to call Congressional reps, and push the media through requests for more investigative journalism, it just multiplies the force and pressure on Trump towards self-collapse. Even the great bullshitter himself has a cracking point, and I intend to do my part to get him there. This regime needs to end.
I never paid much attention to Epstein or his files. 😴 The recent accusations of treason alleged by Trump against President Obama -- a man of impeccably fine character (with a wife to match) ⚖️ -- now make me really want to see what is in those files. 🤫
https://nedmcdletters.blogspot.com/2017/01/letter-134-thank-you-letter-to.html 🤝
I wrote this letter to President Obama on 20jan17. ✍️ At that point I was still a Republican and a conservative frustrated by the populism hijacking my political port of call. 🤬 I stand by that letter today. 🗽
You've certainly got a list of key good points on Obama, Ned.
Both for the constructive things he did, and the dicey things he refrained from doing.
Thanks for taking the time to read the e-mail. There was never a doubt in my mind that the Tea Party was racist.
The G.O.P. started alienating me when all those Senators sent a nasty letter to Iran, trying to undermine President Obama's foreign policy with Iran. I was not a fan of the Iran J.C.P.o.A., but that type of behavior by Senators McConnell et al. was just plain wrong.
Republicans inviting Netanyahu to speak to Senate without consulting President Obama or inviting him impressed me as churlish.
I called our Montana senator Daines and said that he should resign over signing that letter. He and the other 46 senators should have.
Copy that, Michael. One strength of the Democratic Party is that it often places the welfare of the country and of the republic above winning at all costs. My erstwhile Party used to be like that, but that ethos withered under President Reagan.
👆🤣😡true….
great letter.
Thank you, Laurie, for reading the letter.
Thank you for your letter.
You are welcome, Michael. Thank you for reading it.
Well done, Ned.
Many thanks, Gail!
Good for you, Margaret-Rose. Thank you for taking the time to read the letter. I saw a protest sign on 14jun25 that said it all: "The greatest sh*t show on Earth." Trump is so envious of President Obama it is almost frightening.
For me, the Epstein files may matter, but they matter much less than the fact that, with our complicity, civilians and reporters are dying of starvation in Gaza. I guess they're all part of a disregard for the humanity of others. For Epstein and Trump, young girls are not people who matter. They re toys to play with. For Netanyahu and Trump, Gazans and immigrants are not like us. They are vermin to despise and mistreat rather than human beings like us. Yes, what Epstein was convicted of doing is disgusting, and if Trump was involved with his sexual depravity that's disgusting, but how does that compare with the crimes against humanity that are taking place in Gaza?
I think both are part of the same malignancy. The same cruel dehumanization of others, even though the peril of Gazans is clearly more dire. I think the cruelty of this regime must be reported and resisted on many fronts.
There are scum-bags in our government, no doubt. The Orange Menace is the most scummy of all the bags and he is never going to regret his behaviour.
Scumbags? They are traitors to the Constitution and are doing everything they can to dismantle our form of Government as fast as they can. We are living through a coup d'etat against the United States of America.
Yeah, George, he thinks he walks on water…hmmmmm…wish he’d try & maybe throw in a few sharks while we’re at it!🦈