I was thinking the exact same thing, Rhea! For the first time in what seems like forever, I am hopeful that our country will survive as a democracy and oh boy! Does it ever feel good!
May I suggest that we all take a bit of time and open Fox and place comments in argument to the issues of Harris and democracy. I regularly post comments. But we should swamp Fox with our political points. And itтАЩs fun to watch the responses.
Swamp Fox was the guerilla name of Brigadier General Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War patriot hero who operated from a hidden base in the swamps of South Carolina to help defeat the British. Looks like we need some Swamp Fox email guerrillas to help defeat the wannabe king Trump. Sign me up!
Of course, going into the Fox News website is very much like walking into a swamp. ItтАЩs a long, stinky slog you canтАЩt wait to get out of! SHOWER NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!ЁЯдгЁЯдг
There was a kid's program from Disney about Swamp Fox when I was a kid in the early (and maybe later) '60s. I still remember the melody and most of the words to the theme song (below see the video).
For years now, I have spent almost every day, sometimes hours at a time, on Facebook and Twitter, respectfully commenting and posting documented truth and facts on Fox and other rightwing pages and sites, but always only fact-based and politely, to correct misinformation, lies and name-calling.
Screw fox. Yerrr pissing into the wind. They've been given a job to do. Instead, flood their "enabler$$'$. Yeah..!! Dump 'A Load' of.., yeah.. you know 'of what', in their driveway. In the form of "emails" of course. I passed a Faux News truck while rolling down I65 last night, the hood was open, steam coming out and a puddle oil draining into the ditch.., I tooted my horn, gave em the finger and kept on rolling along. I did notice a AAA sticker on the van rear rear window, so I figure they'll be okay despite there being no cell-phone coverage in that vicinity. Ohh welll. (hey.. relaxxx., it was just a dream.., just a dream gentle readers..).
I know you are beingтАж like me a wise ass. But it doesnтАЩt hurt to post comments on the enemy boards just like we get one once in awhile here. They buy a week subscription and. Ess with us. IтАЩve been doing this on Fox for awhile. Sometimes I tr and reason with them but more often, I yap away. As I said, itтАЩs therapy. I did send two letters to Harris headquarters asking them to consider a plan enacted years ago in CT. There was a 3-way race for senate. A popular democrat but who was really republican, was running after he lost the democratic nomination. My mini plan was to find a friend who was not likely to vote but who would vote democratic if she did. I chatted with her periodically over a few months about the importance of voting. She got the message and when I called her on Election Day and asked if she needed a ride to the polls, she told me she had already voted. But a few months before Election Day, I called the manager of the candidate Ned Lamont who is now our governor and told him my plan and advised him to make it the plan for Al, his supporters. Theoretically the vote count could have doubled. And itтАЩs hard to try and get o e person to the polls. But his response was, ,Why only one why not ten people?тАЭ Iknew he didnтАЩt take me seriously and his candidate lost. Joe Lieberman represented CT as a virtual republican for 6 years. End of story.
Bill, I thank you for your comment. I'm flattered that you even took the time to read my "put' on things. I enjoy tossing my thoughts out here, not for the amusement or levity they may carry.., but for the value they contain accumulated, during my passage these brief 81 years. And, I would have to agree, that "the value" might not always be clear to the reader... whomever. But, I alone felt it worth typing while considering the views expressed by others like yourself. Always, my hope is, that someone will get it. "Someone" does... me thinks.
ItтАЩs easy and fun and you can be as provocative as you wish. If you get banned, you just follow the prompts and Fox sends you an email to reset. I often get banned and need to reset. I just posted all kinds of stuff about internment camps for MAGAs. And I donтАЩt hold back. IтАЩve posted a call to ban the Republican Party. Posted federal-funded internment camps for magas run by drag queens. It therapy for me.
I am certain you're right, but I think the repeating pattern comes from something older than human history. Consider the following story I heard from Kim Polman of Reboot the Future:
The story of the imaginal cell is about the transformation of the caterpillar to the butterfly. The caterpillar gorges throughout its life until it reaches a tipping point and goes into its cocoon to protect itself from a world that is revolting against its greed. Shut off from the world, it begins to decay. In the chaos of decay, the imaginal cells, that were latent but there all along, begin to come alive. As they do, they are being attacked by the old way of doing things. The imaginal cells communicate with and find each other by emitting a common frequency. Eventually, the old way of doing things gives up and the butterfly emerges.
Ref: Being Human podcast, episode 84.
The common frequency I believe we are using to communicate with and find each other is the "treat others the way you would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot" principle. The "enemy" is not other people. Instead, the enemy is the only alternative to that moral principle, which is the immoral "do unto others before they do unto you" principle.
Carol, what an excellent call to action Heather has written for us. And it does feel good. I am glad to read a letter and responses that do not make my stomach churn.
MarcтАж Agree 100%. My cousin turned me onto HeatherтАЩs writing back in January and it was her letter about Pres. BidenтАЩs speech when he announced he was running again; the Valley Forge speech. When VP Harris becomes POTUS HarrisтАж I hope the next Sec of Education is Heather
Heather inspires by factual pointing out where we are , where we have been, instilling the HOPE that needs to be brushed off , fluffed up, and proudly flown . It IS our flag of honor. This country is evolving still, a teenager perhaps тАжhaving been raised well with goals of equality .
No , we are not there yet, but that determination is what becomes a tad complacent when smooth sailing is apparent and where lurks the ever present deviant and all its off shoots.
They are ,as Heather (and many others) point out , wanting it all for themselves and we want to spread out yet even wider nets of protection.
As the world has seen poverty cut in half, the rise of countries included in тАШtalksтАЩ and their growth. Direct points the best drive for those least voices heardтАж.inclusion makes us stronger. ItтАЩs proven time after time. And either way -by.the.way. But when voices get silenced itтАЩs the disenfranchised first - and it snowballs quicklyтАж.you know the drill! Yes, many are duped, drug into traps of promised solutions that see lost rights, lesser support, and controlling lies.
TogetherтАжwe.can.do.this тАж.thereтАЩs not been a time so ripe, SISTERS ONE AND ALL, brothers of the featherтШоя╕ПтАж.let freedom ring loudly with more hands on the bell ropeтАж.
Agreed, a beautiful and powerful piece. My only quibble is over the word "Christian": It seems to me that they are not acting in the spirit of Christ. Is that perception wrong?
The radical right wing think tank Heritage Foundation has been undermining democracy since the 1973.......pushing Star Wars missle defence......fighing acid rain legislation......now 2025.
The John Birch Society, a truly evil creation...indeed. Brainchild of Fred Koch, father of the diabolical Koch Brothers. Created out of the cloud of hatred for Martin Luther King and the civli rights movement.....Never forget one of the most non-human personalities to walk the earth....Paul Weyrich....major founder of Heritage with funding from Coors.
Jane Mayers "Dark Money"......gives you all the gory details needed
Megachurch Christofascist attendies happily fill the offering plates to pay for private jets, high class hookers, mansions, million dollar penthouses........
You might think.... this mega business model though has been going on, very successfully, for a very long time. Occasionally busted by scandals, but often then with comebacks, "God forgives the sinner".... many $$$ is a kinda US mantra anyway. Prosperity Gospel, and you know, you can find antecedents for in the OT, a tad in the NT, just without the Megachurch thing.
not just the sprinkling of RC priests then? Oh and what's the sex scandal that just rocked the Southern Baptists ? Rile up some emotions sex is gonna come along for the ride!
The Christian Nationalists lay a false claim to the word Christian. To them it involves only their offshoot brand of evangelism which teaches and preaches fire and brimstone, fear and hatred for people who don't think, look, and act like themselves. The thinking, speaking, and actions of Jesus don't have anything to do with their movement. Jesus taught inclusion, to turn the other cheek, to feed and clothe those who have less or nothing at all, to heal the sick. He taught peace and love, not hatred and violence. I think a more fitting descriptive word for Christian Nationalists is Brimstonians.
The following is the forward from the podcast: тАЬCharismatic revival Fury: The New Apostolic ReformationтАЭ podcast series by Matthew D Taylor:
тАЬCharismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic ReformationтАЭ is a podcast series on the history of the New Apostolic Reformation with ICJS Protestant scholar Matthew D. Taylor. The series, which is part of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, explores the history of the NAR through its key figuresтАФstarting with C. Peter Wagner, then moving to Ch├й Ahn, Lance Wallnau, Cindy Jacobs, and Dutch Sheets. Along the way, we see how people like Sean Feucht, Gen. Michael Flynn, Doug Mastriano, and others fit into the NAR matrix.
The NAR is the most influential Christian phenomenon that you either havenтАЩt heard of, or donтАЩt understand. It is much discussed, but rarely explored in depth with a scholarтАЩs insight and patience. This series will break down myths and clearly present the origins of the fastest growing component of Christianity in the USAтАФand maybe the world.
This was an excellent - and frightening series. I believe Taylor has written a book about NAR as well. Extremely informative about a phenomenon that few people even know about, but that threatens our democracy right now.
Check out Faithful America.org to see how people of faith are pushing back against Christian Nationalism. ItтАЩs heartening to see faith groups rising up much like Martin Luther King did in the 60тАЩs.
I followed this link and was very impressed. One of my long-standing questions after 2016 is how "good Christians" can support and amoral person like Trump, how enlightening to find Faithful America.
Above (or below) I requested that Prof. R write "Christian" Nationalism. I have no idea if she reads our posts (she probably doesn't have time!), but I did also want to make that point.
They are not following the teachings of Christ, but THEY call themselves Christians and want to establish the American Taliban with their Christian Nationalism.
You are spot on - these are not Christians. ChristтАЩs teachings called us to love one another. тАЬWhat you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.тАЭ
22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? ' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. '
You need to read some of the stuff they post about what Democrats (they use the moniker DemonicRats and I'm serious) do and what they want to do, with respect especially to "grooming" children. They are stark, staring mad, but they, or many of them, genuinely believe in (or profess to believe in, probably to get money from the gullible who DO believe in) the existence of demons in reality.
Having been raised by evangelicals who believe in literal, magical тАЬdemons,тАЭ I am very aware of the level of gullibility and cognitive blind spots necessary to hang on to such nonsense beliefs.
I do not support forcing children into dogmatic indoctrination. Faith-based institutions should not be allowed to teach kids their nonsense. If synagogues, mosques, and churches were legally forbidden to children, religions would die out as they should. There is zero evidence of any gods existence, other than in mass delusions forced into young minds that latch on like a leech and poison billions of minds.
I just listened to part of Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation podcast - I could only listen to a bit. Very informative, but both chilling AND nauseating. I swear, this is the only "movement" in which certifiable whackjobs are trying to convert the rest of the populace to be insane along with them - it's kind of the opposite of confining these poor souls to a safe place in the care of kindly people. And it's allowed to go on, before god and everybody! And people give them money! I'm amazed any of them can dress themselves, or keep themselves clean.
Stephen I seem to remember that there is an ANTICHRIST idea having to do with the second coming. Basically a false Christ like figure. Personally it seems like just another part of Christian lore. Has it occurred to any of the тАЬEvangelical fundamentalist тАЬ that Trump , who plays the role of the savior of тАЬ Christian valuesтАЭ might be such a figure? It is just that I canтАЩt wrap my head around the idea that these believers in the message of Christ ( like the beatitudes) would bee able to justify supporting him no matter what pet outrage they have that he panders to.
tRump selling "Bibles" to raise $$$ for himself! He has never read anything and certainly not the Bible. He doesn't read. He spouts.
His MAGA group are Moonies following their cult leader.
Let us not forget the cult supporters. Those who have already inherited great wealth and want to protect it rather then invest it in their childrens future. They think they are going to get to keep it like a pharoah buried with his treasures?
(JD -- I suspect you meant to say "three-dollar bill", as a two-dollar bill is still legal tender. It features Thomas Jefferson. We just don't see them in circulation very often.)
Damn, a two-dollar bill might be a windfall. But what about a proverbial one. Okay, three will work, hopefully. How about blasphemers? Phony Christians are sinning in the worst way. IтАЩll just leave money out of it. Hahaha
JD, and they are not only very ugly in their views, but also always looking for something to complain about, so they can paint themselves as victims and keepers of Christianity. Witness the piles of nonsense spewed about the opening of the Olympics.
LOL. These are the same people who see Satan in the taillights of school buses or Jesus in their toast. Just looking to be victims and spread their ignorance. I have seen memes and excellent explanations for what was really going on.
Very early on, the first generations of Christians struggled with internal conflict, and one of the biggest items was "heretical thinking", with mutual condemnations right up the scale. Paul's letters make this perfectly clear. a purist group surrounded by a world dominated by demonic powers...
Yes, Frank. The early Church councils were months-long gatherings of leaders who met to grapple with ideas that threatened the burgeoning answers to questions about who God is. No small matter. The Church had grown up because of the teachings of the radical rebel, Jesus of Nazareth, and then was confronted by his execution by the Roman empire and the astounding news that he had been raised from the dead. Many had seen him. (How on earth were church folks to understand THAT?!)
The Council of Nicea in 325 CE, one of the most critical councils, gave us the Nicene Creed, asserting the relationship between the Creator, the Risen One, and the Holy Spirit. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE gave us a "formula" that defined the Risen One as not this and not that. In other words, not simply something easy to pinpoint.
What becomes clear is that the theologians of the Church repeatedly chose the more complex answer. Heresy = what is too simplistic. It is more complex to say all human beings are made "in the image of God," for example, than to say that some people matter and other people don't matter. (These leaders were all men but I don't want to dismiss their conclusions because they weren't feminists. I am interested in the ideas rather than the gender of the deciders.)
If ideas about God are too simple, they're probably unhelpful and even more likely harmful. Witness: White Nationalism. It's not Christian.
I've always felt that both the bible itself and the various Creeds imposed over time upon Christ's teachings (whatever they were) are classic examples of "decision by committee", and have been as credible, sensible, workable and effective as such decisions usually are. You only have to look at the Crusades to see how effective the conclusions of these various committees have been.
I've got news for you, Melinda, God is made in the image of People. How's that for simplicity? And heresy, too. This idea is simple AND helpful. It clears everything up. Take a person, any person. Make that person God or godlike: you get instant fascism of all kinds, including kings, priests, white nationalists, MAGA, cults, gangs and so on. All are based on erroneous definitions and false authority. That's why so much harm has been done in the name of religion, and why the founders insisted on keeping it out of government. We the People have got this, assuming truth remains the highest mandate, and lies the ultimate heresy. We let down our guard and now we have an Internatioinal Nazi movement to eliminate. It never should have happened in the first place. Lessons must be learned and relearned. It's just human. And the millions upon millions killed in 20th century wars were not sentenced to death by any god. Only man, and woman, can pull that off.
Thank you, James. That we shape God or gods according to what we can understand or want is certainly true. The deal with that Jesus figure, however, is that he challenges that tendency. He didn't engage in retribution or use force to take power or manipulate people. He blessed them. That instead of violence, he let himself be sacrificed is a mighty challenge to us self-protective humans.
A vast network of churches has been built on the 'Jesus figure', entirely political in nature and dependent upon the psyche. His story held out no deals concerning God. That idea is set in stone: God is the authority that permits 'retribution or force to take power or manipulate people' 'according to what we can understand or want'. God's mercy is just another myth, a false claim of salvation. Jesus may have blessed the people. He may have been a pacifist. He may have sacrificed himself or simply been murdered. But the imaginary authority vested in 'God' by people of all faiths is the root of all error, all evil. I say this from the political perspective, not the psychological perspective, which is the proper province of all religion. Authority is vested in the people, exclusively. We make of it what we will.
Thanks for that, my readings are more discursive, but I can follow your gist. Bart Ehrman put it Christian theology become more paradoxical (complex) as time went on. A lot, if not all Christians had trouble making sense of the Trinity, figuring out how to maintain a monotheistic religion, based on Judaism, while espousing a "Son of God" which is both distinct and subsumed within the "Godhead" . Then add in the holy spirit, and make that distinct force/companion? which reaches into human beings, those fallen creatures, and that is also part of the Godhead. Before it got so complicated, Paul would write, at least once, he didn't always know where he left off and Christ began within himself. When Christianity became legal, a variety of competing views were circulating about all this, one in particular, namesaked after Arius turned into one major multi-generational battle. It was never really resolved. Unable to be suppressed, missionaries took it to the Goths, and it spread widely, lasting for centuries. A lot of people were not happy with Chalcedon, which was imposed with the force of law, theological splits over that continue to this very day. Jews never took to any of this, and when Muslims came along, they regarded themselves as reformers of Judaism and Christianity as a form of polytheism. Much later, didn't Luther dread possible divisions over the doctrine of the Trinity as a potential nightmare? Pentecostals are very interesting, I believe the most dynamic development in modern Christianity, and they quite literally connect to being possessed by the holy spirit, speaking in tongues, to wit, Paul's references in first Corinthians. I don't think simple vs complex does this stuff justice. It's more about human beings unable to agree among themselves over a subject which has no clear terms of reference but seems very important to them. Turf matters! There is a reason the Royal Society of London excluded discussions about theology/religion when trying to work up a coherent, empirically based view of things, right? For the last 5 centuries, this has been the best scoring game in town when it comes to sorting out realities which dedicated scientific societies can agree upon. Well, forgive my meanderings. I cannot fathom the technicalities of my daughters' phd science theses, but i presume to mull over unsolved epistemological issues, science has truly left us "in media res" instead of greater certainties, holy smokes, but what a view! Must run
Internal conflict is still their go it, EXCEPT when a church official abuses some congregant. Then it's unite and bar the door. Example; Gateway Church in Dallas. How many years did it take for a tad of accountability.
I have spent too many hours pondering the motivation of the Evangelicals or White Christian Nationalists at times so put-off by their anti-Christian behaviors I called it the white Faux-Christian Nationalists movement. They are a cult that spews the same vile hate as most of the Republican Party and the Southern Baptist Convention and much of the Catholic Church in America.
But, if we dwell on these faux-religious organizations, aren't we giving a pass to the fact that MAGA, which is SUPPOSED to mean Make America Great Again has accomplished ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT!!!
The media focuses on one or two bizarre things that convicted felon Donald Trump said in the last few days or even something JD Vance said five years ago.
But do they ever focus on the fact that CFDT accomplished zero, nada, zilch to make America great. The list of things the Republicans since 2016, like reversing Roe, that absolutely DIDN'T make America great, is too voluminous to list.
It would be like analyzing each of CFDT's tweets for his four years, which are almost always aimed at name calling someone or some group, or praising an authoritarian world leader for some heinous act.
Maybe it's time we attack CFDT and the so-called MAGAs for accomplishing so little since CFDT came down the faux-gold elevator in 2015.
You're correct, Gary. But maybe there should be an honest, side-by-side comparison of the accomplishments of both #45 and #46, in categorical format (Economy, Health Care, Military/Defense, Education, Poverty, Business, National Debt/Deficit, etc.) I think the differences would be starkly illustrative.
I like that idea. But wouldn't the sides be lopsided since the Biden administration has accomplished so much and the DonOld administration so little? But maybe if you listed Biden's accomplishments vs Trump's failures they might even out.
Gary, I prefer to view Trump and his cultists as those who have awakened US to Become Great by renewing our committment to democracy. Perhaps this is all part of God's plan for US to lead in saving humanity.. If so, She surely scared the bejesus into me and many others.
"Maybe it's time we attack CFDT and the so-called MAGAs for accomplishing so little since CFDT came down the faux-gold elevator in 2015." Some people descend into Hell upon their deaths. CFDT descended by elevator, and it's been hell ever since.
They point to Dobbs reversal, tax cuts for cretins, and the renewed dominance of the church. And the piece de resistance, concentration camps for immigrants, but room for anybody else they want to lock up.
Stephen, I am a Christian. I am even an тАЬevangelicalтАЭ Christian. As much as these supposed тАЬChristiansтАЭ like the Turning Point conference ones disgust and infuriate the rest of you, they disgust and infuriate me a million times more. They are wolves in sheepтАЩs clothing. What has happened in much of American Christianity is an obscenity as well as an absurdity. To think that one Christian person, much less all these тАЬChristian leadersтАЭ(your dad is looking down from heaven in shame Franklin Graham!) could ever support and vote for that vile, vulgar, immoral, corrupt and repulsive person, has shaken me. Christians have sold their souls for political power to stop abortion I guess??? To keep drag shows out of schools??? To hate immigrants??? RтАЩs are good (even Trump!!!), DтАЩs are not just bad, they are evil, and that is it. Fox News has not helped. It is a cancer on the country, and it has infected millions. The culture of cruelty and dishonesty among the supposed тАЬMoral MajorityтАЭ(in quotes for a reason) has been shocking and it is so wrong, and yes, I believe sinful.
When we call evil, good(Trump!!!) and good, evil(free lunches for children!), we are lost. I pray for a miracle this fall, not just at the ballot box, but in the heart and minds of decent people. All these millions for Trump are not all Stephen Miller or Steve Bannon or the other repulsive human beings we see up front. I cannot see after 10 years what would ever shake folks out of this cult, but I still pray the scales will fall from their eyesтАжтАж..
Thanks for your report "from the inside" and for your identification of this phenomenon as an obscenity; I had thought "blasphemy" was closer, but to some degree, obscenity also fits.
Ally, it IS blasphemy, but I decided that was a little too тАЬtheological.тАЭ It is for sure both blasphemy and an obscenity, and this unimaginable support of the antichrist(only kidding, or am I??)has driven me to depression and almost despair, it really has.
Blasphemy isn't too theological, IMO. It is exactly right. These individuals are whited sepulchres, have become so through belief in mammon and earthly power, are corruption beneath a micrometer-thick skin of paint (well, in the tRampler's case, it's much thicker than a micrometer, but you know what I mean).
Thank you for sharing that Rick. My sisters are both church-going practicing Christians. They raised their children to be Christians and they all are in a sense, followers of Christ's teachings. However, out of my 8 nieces and nephews three of them attend church on a regular basis. The other's don't attend and are non-theists or agnostics. I'm not sure why.
Fewer and fewer people attend church on a regular basis and yet it seems that there are more "kind" people that I run across regardless of their politics or religion. Maybe it's just that I'm older and people tend to treat older people with respect and kindness. I have no way of knowing.
Both of my sisters have talked about how Trump and his cult have torn their churches apart. I'm not sure that their are any winners when this happens especially if the church folds as a result. I really hate Trump and the entire Republican Party for that.
I am a non-theist but I try to follow Jesus's teaching because his lessons are timeless and good.
No the American Taliban, which is what they are, are not Christian. They embrace a false white gospel, which is the complete opposite of the love that Jesus taught. Jesus explained many times that he was not a political leader. Even today they don't listen.
And don't forget misogyny. I'm no Biblical scholar, but the fact that Jesus had close friendships with women, was visited while on the cross by women, and a woman was the first to see the resurrected Christ, I think that asking for women's subservience is unchristian.
Stephen, "Christian" can be whatever one wants it to be. The founders realized that religion has no more a place in government than kings do. Democracy is based on only one fundamental meaning.
Stephen. I agree 100%. I donтАЩt think the christian nationalist know that christian is from the person of Jesus the Christ. It actually gets my dander up when I hear them use that nameЁЯШб
Read Psalm 23. This is a translation published in "The Message," a responsible work by Eugene Peterson, Presbyterian minister, scholar, theologian who sought contemporary language for the ideas in the Bible.
It strikes me as relevant that Wiccans have never knocked on my door peddling their beliefs. I have never seen a Wiccan carrying a bullhorn and a giant sign about my eternal damnation should I fail to bow to their way of thinking. I wonder why that is?
A) the Old Testament God: тАЭeye for an eye and tooth for a toothтАЭ, or тАЬthou shalt not suffer a witch in o liveтАЭ, &
B) the New Testament ChristтАЩs much more modern game theory: тАЬturn the other cheekтАЭ or, тАЬ love thy neighborтАЭ or, тАЭgreater love hath no man than this, that he lay his life down for anotherтАЭ.
Christianity is a radical New Testament story, and in a one sentence summary, it points to a more sophisticated conflict response, & identifies a superior game theory for modern conflicts, than тАЬhitting backтАЭ (when increasingly many parties have or soon will have, WMD).
Similarly contra-posed are followers of Christ and followers of Trump.
There is nothing Christian about them. Christianity has driven much of the suffering in this world. It is a cover for power hungry, grievance driven control freaks. We must fight against it!!
Now with this specific And significant change in American politics and the fire in the people, it is time to take on a new mission. I would suggest the following: тАЬEND EXPLOITATION NOW! .тАЭ
Maybe best ever..tho have thought that other times, I have sat with your closing words, Heather, for several hours. Now I firmly believe this letter is maybe the best, and certainly most impactful.
Dammit, I'm crying again. Ok, actually bawling. Yes, the best one yet. Everything is there: the connection to our nation's history, to our personal history, as Americans, of getting up and DOING when the going gets tough, and the call to never, ever, give up, to always be our best selves. So long as we persevere and work together for ALL of us, we can do it!
IтАЩm with you, Marc. God knows that Heather has been a beaming beacon in all of our lives over these last few years, but today is message could be one of her best and most important statements to the country.
I just forwarded this to my usual list plus two new friends and posted it on Facebook. Beautifully stated and today I am going to take a walk in the forest with my dog, Farley, come back to the cabin and write postcards with Field Team 6. тАЬAmerica is the only country founded on an idea.тАЭ Make democracy an action word.
I love how Dr. Richardson reminds us that it has always been up to us. We must try to make the periods between our forgetfulness shorter and shorter. I wonder if the joy cycle runs similarly- we feel joy in being ourselves and being together, then accept the shame put onto that joy by those who would take power, then remember it again. May we hold on to this period of joy for as long as it takes!
Politicians, elected officials and civil servants are the help we hire to facilitiate that, but a significant part of the problems we face today comes from failing to properly supervise these people we've deputised to accomplish our work. Over time, they've come to consider themselves to be special; that there's a "Political Class" and instead of seeing themselves as public servants their attitude becomes aristocratic.
That's contrary to our original principles. The notion never quite goes away, tho.
ItтАЩs a capital C Conservative, not a small c conservative. That puts it in the tradition of the John Birch Society and William F. Buckley. Those Conservatives who, heedless of the warning one of their own, Barry Goldwater, embraced the Southern Strategy and fused their antisocial and regressive economic ideas with the culture of the Confederacy and the Bible Belt, creating a coalition capable of winning elections. When they captured the white working class under Nixon, they became very, very powerful. Watergate slowed them, but they came back stronger with St. Ronald Reagan. Obama shook them up, but they responded with the Tea Party, and then Trump. All the while The Heritage Foundation pursued Operation REDMAP to capture statehouses and packed the Courts with their acolytes.
All results of the kind of political thinking that caught fire during and after the Civil Rights movement began having an actual effect on people's lives.
We will be forced to тАЬstand for itтАЭ until we тАЬdo somethingтАЭ about campaign finance. We can easily тАЬoutspendтАЭ the plutocrats with a relatively inexpensive campaign finance voucher program. We do not need a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Just a little donor power in the hands of all voters. See Seattle or the fibustered HR1 For The People Act. Read my Substack posts on the subject
An eternal tension between elites /leaders and the masses / general public. Elites have generally considered themselves as "betters". And ever here the joke about the guy walking into a roomful of senators where each person thought he was the "smartest man" in the room.... an old joke, it was all about men.
Possibly, early on in the country, it wasn't unreasonable for farmers, merchants, educators, etc. (and their wives, but we really didn't count officially - thanks, John Adams, for failing to consider the ladies) to trust the elected representatives to get on with the task and do it honestly and honorably without being micromanaged. Welp, things have changed. What a pain - as if we don't have enough to do, what with working, raising families, etc., but we also have to ride herd on our elected representatives every minute as if they are just more two-year-olds who can't be trusted not to throw their Cheerios onto the floor. I want to elect responsible grownups who can do their own jobs properly - REPRESENT! Vote Blue!
And that they always leave office with a great deal of money. That money isnтАЩt from the people, it is from lobbyists with deep pockets, funded by the corporations and 1%. They work for the money, not for the people, in order to keep their jobs. The Uber rich do not pay taxes they pay congress. How do we change that?
Take MA, a reputedly "blue" state. The Dems' platform is very progressive. We've had universal health care in our platform since at least 1997. But it's 2024, and once again, the Legislature has failed to pass single payer. My town of 10,000 would have saved $2,000,000 (yes, that's two million dollars) this past year in health insurance costs, but our legislators belong to the insurance companies and Big Pharma. They hold many of their votes in secret and thus avoid individual responsibility. Ask most voters, and they will tell you that they are happy with their legislators, legislators who consistently refuse to pass legislation that would afford us greater transparency if we wanted to follow their votes. I'm not sure if that's what Gary meant, but it's what I thought of when I read his post and then your question, Richard. I hope that that helps.
I agree, as in North Carolina, a purple state with a GOP lead General Assembly holding a surplus of over 2 Billion dollars which would benefit all if used correctly. Their solution is to use some for school vouchers for all citizens with children, regardless of income and let the public school system suffer. This is not acceptable, only in November will there possibly be a change.
The quality of our public schools must be top priority. Our future aspirations and achievements should not be left to the economic hierarchy of private schools.
In hundreds of school districts across the country public schools are the main focus and receive the bulk of the property tax dollars.
My daughter attended public schools in NE, FL and ME and had some wonderful teachers in all three states. Some were rural districts and some urban. But they all had competent school boards that cared about the education of the kids in their community.
But, many districts do not have the money to hire or retain good teachers or administration. Many of these districts still do an amazing job in spite of this.
Unfortunately, many don't. And often times it's only a few noisy nutcases, that try to force their far right ideology on their district by questioning topics in textbooks, banning books and banning free speech. They penalize teachers for saying "the wrong thing" or teaching from the wrong book, media, etc.
There are many people that post here that are life long educators that can better speak to this topic, and I truly thank you for your service to the families where you taught.
Only тАЬbigтАЭ because so few regular folk contribute campaign funds. Campaign finance vouchers would put тАЬbigтАЭ donors in their proper place. Please read and comment on my Substack posts on this subject
I used to contribute much more. As a recent widow, I pay a schittload of taxes because Elon and Jeff don't. We "regular folk" could use a few loopholes.
JD: When I read this response and read your self-description it suddenly felt personal.
In 2016, I worked as a campaign volunteer (even tried door to door stuff that turned out to be too hard for me because I am partially disabled). I was not shocked by Trump's victory because I saw a disconnect between Democratic complacency and his supporter's responses. I have been interested in campaign finance vouchers since early in the 2020 campaign. I got as involved as I could in the 2022 midterms as my wife recovered from a crisis. But in 2022 I turned my attention (to the degree caregiving allowed) pretty much full time to analyzing how vouchers should be considered. People advised me to divide my writing into smaller chunks, so I turned to Substack. My main concepts are out there now. But it appears we got Tea Party and Trump as a side effect of the 2008 financial crisis and its slow recovery. So, I began to wonder: Can it happen again? Have we done enough to prevent another 2008?
My conclusion: Not hardly. In particular, we have done virtually NOTHING to prevent the ACTUAL cause of the crisis: a "run" on short-term loans/deposits, like "repo" and money market funds that shut down commercial credit and, with that, normal business activity. That is more accurate than the usual surface explanations about a few billion dollars of bad mortgage loans created by crooked banks (the kind of foolishness we see fairly often, such as the Fed's easy money reversal tipping over banks like Silicon Valley Bank).
Leading to the next question: If the money-printing actions of the Fed and half-baked fiscal policy response by Congress got us (eventually) out of 2008, would the same combination work for the next financial crisis? My tentative answer: We seem to be in a significantly worse place than we were in 2009 when the Fed and Obama tried to organize a joint monetary and fiscal response.
If Harris wins, we might have a rational fiscal response. But there is a potential fly in the monetary ointment: We have a serious problem with deficit spending. Those deficits raise doubts about the usefulness of "the mighty dollar" as a means to money-print our way out of a crisis. And, despite the overwhelming success of the fiscal spending response in getting our economy going after to the Covid recession, those same deficits could be used to cripple a response. Crippled by big money donors in our highly partisan, winner-take-all, care-nothing-about-mere-voters, only-donors-count Congress.
Our basic personal income system is reasonably progressive. It has some provisions to benefit those with the least income. Those with the least income are usually net recipients versus payers. From what I have read (not an expert) I think one could argue that the biggest source of our deficits is our system of tax expenditures (AKA "loopholes") that mostly benefit the upper 20%. Especially the upper 1% to 10%.
There are serious danger signs tied to those deficits.
Our too-big-to-fail-or-save banks (ok, bank holding companies) seem to be seriously insolvent, burdened by holdings of low-interest bonds (being protected by accounting systems that do not require that their low value be reported at true market value) and growing piles of rapidly defaulting commercial real estate loans. If something pushed them, could we have another "run" on short term finance ("repo," commercial paper, money-market funds, etc.) like 2008? Answer: Yes. If so, would the world respond if the Fed decided to "print" money to make loans like it did in 2009. Or would our huge deficits make them hesitate, fearing a US dollar default on its trillions of bonds?
We desperately need a working Congress that can tackle these deficits. Even if it requires higher taxes on the not-so-rich (despite Biden's promises to not do so). Along with other critical issues such as climate change and ....
We didn't have a working Congress in 2009 and it took 8 years to slowly emerge from 2008. Giving us Trump. Another Great Recession might bring much worse than Trump.
That is why I am spending all my available time working on pushing campaign finance vouchers - I think they are key to unlocking a working Congress.
But approval of a voucher program is only likely if pushed by leaders who are honest about how tied they have been the current money system. The Democrats did quietly try in 2022 with HR1 -For the People Act. But much too quietly - almost no one, not even me who had been urging vouchers for 5 years, knew those provisions were in the bill. In 2020 some presidential candidates suggested vouchers, but so quietly no one (even their own volunteers) knew it.
If Harris really wants to draw attention to something that would make sense to voters, propose a solution to campaign finance AND then decline to take any money from the big banks.
USA has the largest per capita health costs in the OECD by far, about $14K vs $8k in eg Canada, with a public health system, and is well down the list in health outcomes overall. ikely because it is a private profit based system, leaving many Americans unable to afford private health care costs. Gentrification writ large. Affordable health care, Medicaid has been an attempt to address this. Just the same, about 26 million Americans remain uninsured.
Not regular money as we know it- GREAT WEALTH buys votes and congress and SPOTUS. Humongous acculmulations of billions that the owners do not want to pay taxes for.
"Money" for most people is what we use to buy groceries, clothes, vacations somethimes.
Recent report, this past week: 800 Americans have as much wealth as one-half of the American population. This is a huge cancer growing on the body politic.
Right off the top of my head, look into Schlesinger's "The Imperial Presidency", and the recent SCOTUS decision on presidential immunity.
Some of our more egotistical leaders (Nixon, for example) wanted fancier trappings associated with the office. Trimp wanted a military march similar to Russia's Mayday parade thru D.C. on the 4th of July with him prominently reviewing the troops.
It starts at the top but it extends to the bottom: think of Huey Long or the system someone like TV's Boss Hogg represents. Eventually considering political professionals aseparate class leads to feudalism and a rigidly tiered society.
Contrast that with say, George Washington willingly handing his presidency to a successor, and leaving government to be a private citizen again.
Some of Nixon's wannabe "Imperial Guard" Secret Service uniforms ended up being sold for $5 (or $10 each in the case of the Meriden-Cleghorn High School Band Uniforms), in Marcus, Iowa per https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/news/pomp-and-circumstance
"Every time we expand democracy, it seems we get complacent, thinking itтАЩs a done deal. We forget that democracy is a process and that itтАЩs never finished. And when we get complacent, people who want power use our system to take over the government."
I do not think it was about getting complacent about expanding and preserving our democracy. I think it was about losing sight of an essential lesson/tactic of the Civil Rights movement - that progress is made by taking power at the ballot box. So while the Left perpetuated the tradition of uniting in protest, voting became seen as an individual exercise in personal expression instead of a joint exercise in taking power. While many on the Left split away chasing purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers, those on the Right focused on uniting to take power through the electoral system - volunteering, running, and voting as Republicans.
In 2020, Rep. Jim Clyburn stepped up to unite Democratic candidates and voters behind Joe Biden. Now while Nancy Pelosi provided the impetus for Biden to step down, Clyburn has been instrumental in motivating Democrats to unite behind Kamala Harris.
A problem remains on Left, with potential Democratic voters hardened into the false rhetoric of 'the duopoly' and dug into a 'never will I ever' stance - indifferent to the risks of helping elect Trump, again, or perhaps worse, glad of abetting Trump's destructive acts in order to 'teach Democrats a lesson.'
We desperately NEED third parties. Our laws make that impossible. We need a responsible middle of the road Republican Party. And a radical left party separate from central democrats.
тАЬFusion votingтАЭ as advocated by Lee DrutmanтАЩs substack would bring that on. And with it the return of compromise legislation.
What we need is a greater diversity of voices - of candidates and voters. The most direct route to that is Ranked Choice Voting. This Instant Runoff system is the most efficient way to reform our electoral system. Efficiently winnowing a multitude of candidates to guarantee a majority win victor.
Even in parliamentary systems a multitude of parties can lead to unstable strange bedfellow coalitions and to paralysis. Better to have voters make the compromises at the ballot box by ranking their choice of candidates than party representatives making backroom deals while government hangs in abeyance.
The stakes are too high to split the vote with ego driven campaigns by self promoters (and the people who love them) who show up once every four years to grab the golden ring of the presidency. And who otherwise have shown little interest and less success in building any new party from the ground up.
I have not spent a LOT of my energy thinking about proposals to modify election laws. I deeply respect Lee Drutman, who has. I was impressed by the use of RCV in Alaska. But Drutman says fusion voting (which was legal everywhere until the 2 parties disliked the competition and got it banned in early 20th century) is common internationally and helps explain the common existence of multiple parties. The waste a vote and simply-cause-chaos effect of JFK jr and Nader are reflections of the poor state of our laws (including banning of fusion voting). Fusion voting allows parties to work together and encourages compromise without hiding strong disagreements on policy
With either Democrat or Republican itтАЩs that us verses them vitriol.ThatтАЩs not working.To re establish our democracy I think we have to go with the fringe people who are supporting the only unbeholden candidate- RFKJR.
She is beholden to the Democratic Party that is beholden to the wealthy and the corporations. Which are controlling our government and transferring the wealth created by the middle class upward.
"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter."
The Founding Fathers were using single shot muskets that took time to load.
Democracy/Freeedom haters and underminers allow AR15 assault guns to be in teenage hands......when childrens bodies are indentified by they shoes.....they send thoughts and prayers.
Thanks, WJB. I use the "ID via high tops" occasionally when discussing the horrors of gun violence; inevitably, one of my MAGAt acquaintances will say "Huh?"
Cherry picking Jefferson out of context to authorize your biases is dishonest. In the quote you mangle and misappropriate, you misrepresent Jefferson's meaning - which he makes clear in the parts you left out. Jefferson was writing explicitly of government protections for freedom of speech and government limitations on censorship of newspapers - and also by implication in support of government funded public education.
The full quote:
"The people are the only censors of their governors: and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs throтАЩ the channel of the public papers, & to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people. The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers & be capable of reading them."
тАЬevery man should receive these papers and be capable of reading themтАЭ
Implication: since newspapers are nearly dead because their business model is dead, we need a тАЬnews voucherтАЭ program so every citizen has a little money to buy access to legitimate news
That is a stretch. I would suggest a more clear reading - 'that every man be capable of receiving papers' means that government limit its power to censor the news and 'that every man be capable of reading them' means government investment in literacy.
But the point I'm "stretching" for is that Jefferson clearly counted on the press being capable of reaching the citizens. I think it is safe to argue that the primary press does not reach much of our population. At least not the way it did for most of my life (as a side effect of the advertising function). Is that a problem? I suspect it is. Certainly, the journalism profession seems to think so.
Would a press voucher help? Maybe. Worth discussion, I think.
And, or course, I'm sure he would be in favor of literacy.
@ Rhea Graham. It's our public duty. Plus it's gestalt therapy.
When you join the тАЬWomen for Harris National Organizing Call,тАЭ please ask them to partner with FT 6. Millions of unregistered folk trend Democratic. Register Democrats to save the world.
I have written 600 postcards from FieldTeam6 - I have freinds who have been waiting weeks for their FT6 postcards. Have they run out? Problems with handling all the requests? FT6 has fallen behind on the requests for post cards. Also- all our local post offices are out of post card stamps AND USPS has not been able to fulfill our order for stamps. Hmmmmm
Order postcard stamps from the USPS website. They arrive in a few days. I order them in 100-stamp rolls and have written, stamped, and mailed about 6,000 postcards supporting Democratic issues and field teams in the past 3 years.
Yes it is up to us; as one of my College Professors used to say "we get the Government we deserve ". That's what Democracy is all about. It's up to we,the people,to elect the Government we deserve.
It always HAS been up to US and now we are rising to meet the challenge. I have hope in America again. People aren't just doing their own thing, they see the challenge and are rising to it. They are feeling their power and are using itтАФto have a democracy. How wonderful it is.
Rhea Graham, Yes! And tens of millions of our fellow Americans agree with you, as they stepped forward in an explosive wave of support to shoulder that burden in solidarity with Vice President Harris, as she seeks the presidency. The change in mood in the country brought by the prospect of Kamala Harris as our next President has been like waking from a nightmare. Now's the time to do the work to make that happen!
Absolutely, Rhea. We have to let go of the notion that we can tune in once every four years and call it good. Jon Stewart, love em or hate em, put it well when he said "democracy is a lunch pail #@#$&( job" !
It is up to us. To do all the work. We cannot expect nor should we want the burden to be shouldered only by our chosen President.
Heather, this is the best substack essay you have written, at least for me. THANK YOU!!
I was thinking the exact same thing, Rhea! For the first time in what seems like forever, I am hopeful that our country will survive as a democracy and oh boy! Does it ever feel good!
May I suggest that we all take a bit of time and open Fox and place comments in argument to the issues of Harris and democracy. I regularly post comments. But we should swamp Fox with our political points. And itтАЩs fun to watch the responses.
Swamp Fox was the guerilla name of Brigadier General Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War patriot hero who operated from a hidden base in the swamps of South Carolina to help defeat the British. Looks like we need some Swamp Fox email guerrillas to help defeat the wannabe king Trump. Sign me up!
Of course, going into the Fox News website is very much like walking into a swamp. ItтАЩs a long, stinky slog you canтАЩt wait to get out of! SHOWER NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!ЁЯдгЁЯдг
There was a kid's program from Disney about Swamp Fox when I was a kid in the early (and maybe later) '60s. I still remember the melody and most of the words to the theme song (below see the video).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVllY7i8EnA/
My house was owned previously by one of his descendants, Francis Marion Garth.
Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox
Hiding in the Glen
Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox with his band of menтАж.
I remember that show. We played Swamp Fox at school.
We played in the alley behind our houses.
For years now, I have spent almost every day, sometimes hours at a time, on Facebook and Twitter, respectfully commenting and posting documented truth and facts on Fox and other rightwing pages and sites, but always only fact-based and politely, to correct misinformation, lies and name-calling.
thank you Karin. that's important and hard work!
Good ideaЁЯСП Fox needs to be swampedЁЯСК
Where does one to this? Is it at an on-line site?
Just search Fox News and go to their news web site. you do need to sign up as with everything else. Www.Foxnews.com
Screw fox. Yerrr pissing into the wind. They've been given a job to do. Instead, flood their "enabler$$'$. Yeah..!! Dump 'A Load' of.., yeah.. you know 'of what', in their driveway. In the form of "emails" of course. I passed a Faux News truck while rolling down I65 last night, the hood was open, steam coming out and a puddle oil draining into the ditch.., I tooted my horn, gave em the finger and kept on rolling along. I did notice a AAA sticker on the van rear rear window, so I figure they'll be okay despite there being no cell-phone coverage in that vicinity. Ohh welll. (hey.. relaxxx., it was just a dream.., just a dream gentle readers..).
I know you are beingтАж like me a wise ass. But it doesnтАЩt hurt to post comments on the enemy boards just like we get one once in awhile here. They buy a week subscription and. Ess with us. IтАЩve been doing this on Fox for awhile. Sometimes I tr and reason with them but more often, I yap away. As I said, itтАЩs therapy. I did send two letters to Harris headquarters asking them to consider a plan enacted years ago in CT. There was a 3-way race for senate. A popular democrat but who was really republican, was running after he lost the democratic nomination. My mini plan was to find a friend who was not likely to vote but who would vote democratic if she did. I chatted with her periodically over a few months about the importance of voting. She got the message and when I called her on Election Day and asked if she needed a ride to the polls, she told me she had already voted. But a few months before Election Day, I called the manager of the candidate Ned Lamont who is now our governor and told him my plan and advised him to make it the plan for Al, his supporters. Theoretically the vote count could have doubled. And itтАЩs hard to try and get o e person to the polls. But his response was, ,Why only one why not ten people?тАЭ Iknew he didnтАЩt take me seriously and his candidate lost. Joe Lieberman represented CT as a virtual republican for 6 years. End of story.
Bill, I thank you for your comment. I'm flattered that you even took the time to read my "put' on things. I enjoy tossing my thoughts out here, not for the amusement or levity they may carry.., but for the value they contain accumulated, during my passage these brief 81 years. And, I would have to agree, that "the value" might not always be clear to the reader... whomever. But, I alone felt it worth typing while considering the views expressed by others like yourself. Always, my hope is, that someone will get it. "Someone" does... me thinks.
Now I don't feel so bad that I ask that same question!
I had the same question, too!
Recommend same for the Wall Street Journal. It's echo-y over there.
I didn't know that was possible!! Let's roll!
How do you open Fox? I would be happy to comment!
From a previous comment. Just search Fox News and go to their news web site. you do need to sign up as with everything else. Www.Foxnews.com
ItтАЩs easy and fun and you can be as provocative as you wish. If you get banned, you just follow the prompts and Fox sends you an email to reset. I often get banned and need to reset. I just posted all kinds of stuff about internment camps for MAGAs. And I donтАЩt hold back. IтАЩve posted a call to ban the Republican Party. Posted federal-funded internment camps for magas run by drag queens. It therapy for me.
I need my therapy. Bye for now. Going to Fox. DonтАЩt open Fox business just Fox. ItтАЩs more popular.
Therapy is healthy!
Thank you!
I think this is whatтАЩs called тАЬthe arc of history bending towards justiceтАЭтАжI hopeтАжletтАЩs keep up the good fight.
I am certain you're right, but I think the repeating pattern comes from something older than human history. Consider the following story I heard from Kim Polman of Reboot the Future:
The story of the imaginal cell is about the transformation of the caterpillar to the butterfly. The caterpillar gorges throughout its life until it reaches a tipping point and goes into its cocoon to protect itself from a world that is revolting against its greed. Shut off from the world, it begins to decay. In the chaos of decay, the imaginal cells, that were latent but there all along, begin to come alive. As they do, they are being attacked by the old way of doing things. The imaginal cells communicate with and find each other by emitting a common frequency. Eventually, the old way of doing things gives up and the butterfly emerges.
Ref: Being Human podcast, episode 84.
The common frequency I believe we are using to communicate with and find each other is the "treat others the way you would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot" principle. The "enemy" is not other people. Instead, the enemy is the only alternative to that moral principle, which is the immoral "do unto others before they do unto you" principle.
AmenЁЯЩПЁЯМ╣
Carol, what an excellent call to action Heather has written for us. And it does feel good. I am glad to read a letter and responses that do not make my stomach churn.
I agree. Heather has outdone herself with this inspiring commentary.
I am so hopeful now! We can do this...it is up to us!
MarcтАж Agree 100%. My cousin turned me onto HeatherтАЩs writing back in January and it was her letter about Pres. BidenтАЩs speech when he announced he was running again; the Valley Forge speech. When VP Harris becomes POTUS HarrisтАж I hope the next Sec of Education is Heather
Heather inspires by factual pointing out where we are , where we have been, instilling the HOPE that needs to be brushed off , fluffed up, and proudly flown . It IS our flag of honor. This country is evolving still, a teenager perhaps тАжhaving been raised well with goals of equality .
No , we are not there yet, but that determination is what becomes a tad complacent when smooth sailing is apparent and where lurks the ever present deviant and all its off shoots.
They are ,as Heather (and many others) point out , wanting it all for themselves and we want to spread out yet even wider nets of protection.
As the world has seen poverty cut in half, the rise of countries included in тАШtalksтАЩ and their growth. Direct points the best drive for those least voices heardтАж.inclusion makes us stronger. ItтАЩs proven time after time. And either way -by.the.way. But when voices get silenced itтАЩs the disenfranchised first - and it snowballs quicklyтАж.you know the drill! Yes, many are duped, drug into traps of promised solutions that see lost rights, lesser support, and controlling lies.
TogetherтАжwe.can.do.this тАж.thereтАЩs not been a time so ripe, SISTERS ONE AND ALL, brothers of the featherтШоя╕ПтАж.let freedom ring loudly with more hands on the bell ropeтАж.
ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩVOTE ALL THE COMPLICIT OUTЁЯТЩЁЯТЩ
ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩ
That speech has my vote, Patricia!
And SOтАж. We March!!!!!!
ЁЯдг Thanks, Frank ЁЯл╢
Thomas тАУ interesting. HCR as Sec. of Education. I can't think of a better idea.
Or a new position. HCR as Secretary of True History. Protect ourselves against false narratives.
With weekly fireside chats!
Absolutely!!!!!
Excellent idea!
What an exceptionally fitting suggestion!!
I third that idea; however, I wonder if Heather likes that ЁЯТб idea!
Great idea! Heather would be wonderful!
Agreed, a beautiful and powerful piece. My only quibble is over the word "Christian": It seems to me that they are not acting in the spirit of Christ. Is that perception wrong?
Christian Nationalism is not a religion but a political ideology.
The radical right wing think tank Heritage Foundation has been undermining democracy since the 1973.......pushing Star Wars missle defence......fighing acid rain legislation......now 2025.
Yes, it's not just Christian nationalism.... this is a religious / reactionary business coalition.
The John Birch Society is raising itтАЩs ghastly headтАж..
There is NOTHING Christian (for me) in christian nationalismтАж
The John Birch Society, a truly evil creation...indeed. Brainchild of Fred Koch, father of the diabolical Koch Brothers. Created out of the cloud of hatred for Martin Luther King and the civli rights movement.....Never forget one of the most non-human personalities to walk the earth....Paul Weyrich....major founder of Heritage with funding from Coors.
Jane Mayers "Dark Money"......gives you all the gory details needed
Follow the money.
https://yadontknow.blogspot.com/2020/11/in-cold.html
Megachurch Christofascist attendies happily fill the offering plates to pay for private jets, high class hookers, mansions, million dollar penthouses........
You might think.... this mega business model though has been going on, very successfully, for a very long time. Occasionally busted by scandals, but often then with comebacks, "God forgives the sinner".... many $$$ is a kinda US mantra anyway. Prosperity Gospel, and you know, you can find antecedents for in the OT, a tad in the NT, just without the Megachurch thing.
One thing I did forget is the underage girls /boys needed to satisfy the earthly desires of the Megachurch clergy.....
not just the sprinkling of RC priests then? Oh and what's the sex scandal that just rocked the Southern Baptists ? Rile up some emotions sex is gonna come along for the ride!
........sadly...as you point out ...hard to keep track of the glorious sex offenders......okay.....RC priests....
some are totaly Orange Jesus supporters........you may be interested in this
https://faithfulamerica.org/
Since 1948.
The Christian Nationalists lay a false claim to the word Christian. To them it involves only their offshoot brand of evangelism which teaches and preaches fire and brimstone, fear and hatred for people who don't think, look, and act like themselves. The thinking, speaking, and actions of Jesus don't have anything to do with their movement. Jesus taught inclusion, to turn the other cheek, to feed and clothe those who have less or nothing at all, to heal the sick. He taught peace and love, not hatred and violence. I think a more fitting descriptive word for Christian Nationalists is Brimstonians.
I like that Mona.... Brimstonians.
The following is the forward from the podcast: тАЬCharismatic revival Fury: The New Apostolic ReformationтАЭ podcast series by Matthew D Taylor:
тАЬCharismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic ReformationтАЭ is a podcast series on the history of the New Apostolic Reformation with ICJS Protestant scholar Matthew D. Taylor. The series, which is part of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, explores the history of the NAR through its key figuresтАФstarting with C. Peter Wagner, then moving to Ch├й Ahn, Lance Wallnau, Cindy Jacobs, and Dutch Sheets. Along the way, we see how people like Sean Feucht, Gen. Michael Flynn, Doug Mastriano, and others fit into the NAR matrix.
The NAR is the most influential Christian phenomenon that you either havenтАЩt heard of, or donтАЩt understand. It is much discussed, but rarely explored in depth with a scholarтАЩs insight and patience. This series will break down myths and clearly present the origins of the fastest growing component of Christianity in the USAтАФand maybe the world.
https://icjs.org/charismatic-revival-fury/
Be sure to hear the last 10 minutes of the first episode. IтАЩm almost afraid to listen to the next four.
This was an excellent - and frightening series. I believe Taylor has written a book about NAR as well. Extremely informative about a phenomenon that few people even know about, but that threatens our democracy right now.
American Jesus.......wow, what a concept!
Hm. Sounds very Mormon.
Thank you Ada
About it! The rightness of a righteous minority.
Check out Faithful America.org to see how people of faith are pushing back against Christian Nationalism. ItтАЩs heartening to see faith groups rising up much like Martin Luther King did in the 60тАЩs.
Susan, I'm correcting your link: https://faithfulamerica.org/
I followed this link and was very impressed. One of my long-standing questions after 2016 is how "good Christians" can support and amoral person like Trump, how enlightening to find Faithful America.
Above (or below) I requested that Prof. R write "Christian" Nationalism. I have no idea if she reads our posts (she probably doesn't have time!), but I did also want to make that point.
And espoused my many autocrats worldwide.
Indeed!!!!
They are not following the teachings of Christ, but THEY call themselves Christians and want to establish the American Taliban with their Christian Nationalism.
Christian Nationalism is totally false. Jesus taught to welcome the stranger.....Christian Nationalism teaches deportation camps and mass expulsions
Given that there is no period at the end of your post, I will finish it: ...mass expulsions based on their sect of Christianity.
It is still a Christian god that they want to promote.
The tribal god of Abraham, reinterpreted for ignorant Americans.
If anyone tells me they are a тАЬgood ChristianтАЭ, my reaction is тАЬShields upтАЭ, because if someone has to say it, thatтАЩs also a problem.
You are spot on - these are not Christians. ChristтАЩs teachings called us to love one another. тАЬWhat you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.тАЭ
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? ' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. '
Is there a non-psycho babble version of this? Casting out demons sounds pretty out there.
You need to read some of the stuff they post about what Democrats (they use the moniker DemonicRats and I'm serious) do and what they want to do, with respect especially to "grooming" children. They are stark, staring mad, but they, or many of them, genuinely believe in (or profess to believe in, probably to get money from the gullible who DO believe in) the existence of demons in reality.
Yes, it is out there, but so are they.
Having been raised by evangelicals who believe in literal, magical тАЬdemons,тАЭ I am very aware of the level of gullibility and cognitive blind spots necessary to hang on to such nonsense beliefs.
I do not support forcing children into dogmatic indoctrination. Faith-based institutions should not be allowed to teach kids their nonsense. If synagogues, mosques, and churches were legally forbidden to children, religions would die out as they should. There is zero evidence of any gods existence, other than in mass delusions forced into young minds that latch on like a leech and poison billions of minds.
I just listened to part of Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation podcast - I could only listen to a bit. Very informative, but both chilling AND nauseating. I swear, this is the only "movement" in which certifiable whackjobs are trying to convert the rest of the populace to be insane along with them - it's kind of the opposite of confining these poor souls to a safe place in the care of kindly people. And it's allowed to go on, before god and everybody! And people give them money! I'm amazed any of them can dress themselves, or keep themselves clean.
Stephen I seem to remember that there is an ANTICHRIST idea having to do with the second coming. Basically a false Christ like figure. Personally it seems like just another part of Christian lore. Has it occurred to any of the тАЬEvangelical fundamentalist тАЬ that Trump , who plays the role of the savior of тАЬ Christian valuesтАЭ might be such a figure? It is just that I canтАЩt wrap my head around the idea that these believers in the message of Christ ( like the beatitudes) would bee able to justify supporting him no matter what pet outrage they have that he panders to.
tRump selling "Bibles" to raise $$$ for himself! He has never read anything and certainly not the Bible. He doesn't read. He spouts.
His MAGA group are Moonies following their cult leader.
Let us not forget the cult supporters. Those who have already inherited great wealth and want to protect it rather then invest it in their childrens future. They think they are going to get to keep it like a pharoah buried with his treasures?
He has read the works of Hitler.
George, IтАЩve long felt and said heтАЩs the anti-Christ. People roll their eyes. Thanks for your comments. He is not to be trusted period.
. Matthew 24:24
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Phony as the proverbial two-dollar bill. They prove that with every utterance
(JD -- I suspect you meant to say "three-dollar bill", as a two-dollar bill is still legal tender. It features Thomas Jefferson. We just don't see them in circulation very often.)
Damn, a two-dollar bill might be a windfall. But what about a proverbial one. Okay, three will work, hopefully. How about blasphemers? Phony Christians are sinning in the worst way. IтАЩll just leave money out of it. Hahaha
Or the one dollar coin.
I thought about adding that as well. We Americans like our bills, but hate our coins (especially pennies.)
JD, and they are not only very ugly in their views, but also always looking for something to complain about, so they can paint themselves as victims and keepers of Christianity. Witness the piles of nonsense spewed about the opening of the Olympics.
Oh, that "interpretation" of the "Last Supper" that had nothing to do with Christianity. I had a friend create a meme that said:
"Everything I don't like is Satanic: A butthurt thumper's guide to the Paris Olympic Games Opening Ceremony"
I will post the less inflammatory one today. It is a "marked safe from" being offended by the Opening Ceremony.
LOL. These are the same people who see Satan in the taillights of school buses or Jesus in their toast. Just looking to be victims and spread their ignorance. I have seen memes and excellent explanations for what was really going on.
So true!
Very early on, the first generations of Christians struggled with internal conflict, and one of the biggest items was "heretical thinking", with mutual condemnations right up the scale. Paul's letters make this perfectly clear. a purist group surrounded by a world dominated by demonic powers...
Yes, Frank. The early Church councils were months-long gatherings of leaders who met to grapple with ideas that threatened the burgeoning answers to questions about who God is. No small matter. The Church had grown up because of the teachings of the radical rebel, Jesus of Nazareth, and then was confronted by his execution by the Roman empire and the astounding news that he had been raised from the dead. Many had seen him. (How on earth were church folks to understand THAT?!)
The Council of Nicea in 325 CE, one of the most critical councils, gave us the Nicene Creed, asserting the relationship between the Creator, the Risen One, and the Holy Spirit. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE gave us a "formula" that defined the Risen One as not this and not that. In other words, not simply something easy to pinpoint.
What becomes clear is that the theologians of the Church repeatedly chose the more complex answer. Heresy = what is too simplistic. It is more complex to say all human beings are made "in the image of God," for example, than to say that some people matter and other people don't matter. (These leaders were all men but I don't want to dismiss their conclusions because they weren't feminists. I am interested in the ideas rather than the gender of the deciders.)
If ideas about God are too simple, they're probably unhelpful and even more likely harmful. Witness: White Nationalism. It's not Christian.
I've always felt that both the bible itself and the various Creeds imposed over time upon Christ's teachings (whatever they were) are classic examples of "decision by committee", and have been as credible, sensible, workable and effective as such decisions usually are. You only have to look at the Crusades to see how effective the conclusions of these various committees have been.
MAGA is certainly a crusade. They canтАЩt wait to start the inquisition phase.
They are just waiting, the revenge squad
I've got news for you, Melinda, God is made in the image of People. How's that for simplicity? And heresy, too. This idea is simple AND helpful. It clears everything up. Take a person, any person. Make that person God or godlike: you get instant fascism of all kinds, including kings, priests, white nationalists, MAGA, cults, gangs and so on. All are based on erroneous definitions and false authority. That's why so much harm has been done in the name of religion, and why the founders insisted on keeping it out of government. We the People have got this, assuming truth remains the highest mandate, and lies the ultimate heresy. We let down our guard and now we have an Internatioinal Nazi movement to eliminate. It never should have happened in the first place. Lessons must be learned and relearned. It's just human. And the millions upon millions killed in 20th century wars were not sentenced to death by any god. Only man, and woman, can pull that off.
Thank you, James. That we shape God or gods according to what we can understand or want is certainly true. The deal with that Jesus figure, however, is that he challenges that tendency. He didn't engage in retribution or use force to take power or manipulate people. He blessed them. That instead of violence, he let himself be sacrificed is a mighty challenge to us self-protective humans.
A vast network of churches has been built on the 'Jesus figure', entirely political in nature and dependent upon the psyche. His story held out no deals concerning God. That idea is set in stone: God is the authority that permits 'retribution or force to take power or manipulate people' 'according to what we can understand or want'. God's mercy is just another myth, a false claim of salvation. Jesus may have blessed the people. He may have been a pacifist. He may have sacrificed himself or simply been murdered. But the imaginary authority vested in 'God' by people of all faiths is the root of all error, all evil. I say this from the political perspective, not the psychological perspective, which is the proper province of all religion. Authority is vested in the people, exclusively. We make of it what we will.
Thanks for that, my readings are more discursive, but I can follow your gist. Bart Ehrman put it Christian theology become more paradoxical (complex) as time went on. A lot, if not all Christians had trouble making sense of the Trinity, figuring out how to maintain a monotheistic religion, based on Judaism, while espousing a "Son of God" which is both distinct and subsumed within the "Godhead" . Then add in the holy spirit, and make that distinct force/companion? which reaches into human beings, those fallen creatures, and that is also part of the Godhead. Before it got so complicated, Paul would write, at least once, he didn't always know where he left off and Christ began within himself. When Christianity became legal, a variety of competing views were circulating about all this, one in particular, namesaked after Arius turned into one major multi-generational battle. It was never really resolved. Unable to be suppressed, missionaries took it to the Goths, and it spread widely, lasting for centuries. A lot of people were not happy with Chalcedon, which was imposed with the force of law, theological splits over that continue to this very day. Jews never took to any of this, and when Muslims came along, they regarded themselves as reformers of Judaism and Christianity as a form of polytheism. Much later, didn't Luther dread possible divisions over the doctrine of the Trinity as a potential nightmare? Pentecostals are very interesting, I believe the most dynamic development in modern Christianity, and they quite literally connect to being possessed by the holy spirit, speaking in tongues, to wit, Paul's references in first Corinthians. I don't think simple vs complex does this stuff justice. It's more about human beings unable to agree among themselves over a subject which has no clear terms of reference but seems very important to them. Turf matters! There is a reason the Royal Society of London excluded discussions about theology/religion when trying to work up a coherent, empirically based view of things, right? For the last 5 centuries, this has been the best scoring game in town when it comes to sorting out realities which dedicated scientific societies can agree upon. Well, forgive my meanderings. I cannot fathom the technicalities of my daughters' phd science theses, but i presume to mull over unsolved epistemological issues, science has truly left us "in media res" instead of greater certainties, holy smokes, but what a view! Must run
Internal conflict is still their go it, EXCEPT when a church official abuses some congregant. Then it's unite and bar the door. Example; Gateway Church in Dallas. How many years did it take for a tad of accountability.
I have spent too many hours pondering the motivation of the Evangelicals or White Christian Nationalists at times so put-off by their anti-Christian behaviors I called it the white Faux-Christian Nationalists movement. They are a cult that spews the same vile hate as most of the Republican Party and the Southern Baptist Convention and much of the Catholic Church in America.
But, if we dwell on these faux-religious organizations, aren't we giving a pass to the fact that MAGA, which is SUPPOSED to mean Make America Great Again has accomplished ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT!!!
The media focuses on one or two bizarre things that convicted felon Donald Trump said in the last few days or even something JD Vance said five years ago.
But do they ever focus on the fact that CFDT accomplished zero, nada, zilch to make America great. The list of things the Republicans since 2016, like reversing Roe, that absolutely DIDN'T make America great, is too voluminous to list.
It would be like analyzing each of CFDT's tweets for his four years, which are almost always aimed at name calling someone or some group, or praising an authoritarian world leader for some heinous act.
Maybe it's time we attack CFDT and the so-called MAGAs for accomplishing so little since CFDT came down the faux-gold elevator in 2015.
We need to make America Intelligent Again! MAIA! hahahaha
I have a hat that says just that! I wore it while canvassing for Dems this past weekend
You're correct, Gary. But maybe there should be an honest, side-by-side comparison of the accomplishments of both #45 and #46, in categorical format (Economy, Health Care, Military/Defense, Education, Poverty, Business, National Debt/Deficit, etc.) I think the differences would be starkly illustrative.
I like that idea. But wouldn't the sides be lopsided since the Biden administration has accomplished so much and the DonOld administration so little? But maybe if you listed Biden's accomplishments vs Trump's failures they might even out.
Gary, I prefer to view Trump and his cultists as those who have awakened US to Become Great by renewing our committment to democracy. Perhaps this is all part of God's plan for US to lead in saving humanity.. If so, She surely scared the bejesus into me and many others.
"Maybe it's time we attack CFDT and the so-called MAGAs for accomplishing so little since CFDT came down the faux-gold elevator in 2015." Some people descend into Hell upon their deaths. CFDT descended by elevator, and it's been hell ever since.
Nicely put Hope.
They point to Dobbs reversal, tax cuts for cretins, and the renewed dominance of the church. And the piece de resistance, concentration camps for immigrants, but room for anybody else they want to lock up.
Stephen, I am a Christian. I am even an тАЬevangelicalтАЭ Christian. As much as these supposed тАЬChristiansтАЭ like the Turning Point conference ones disgust and infuriate the rest of you, they disgust and infuriate me a million times more. They are wolves in sheepтАЩs clothing. What has happened in much of American Christianity is an obscenity as well as an absurdity. To think that one Christian person, much less all these тАЬChristian leadersтАЭ(your dad is looking down from heaven in shame Franklin Graham!) could ever support and vote for that vile, vulgar, immoral, corrupt and repulsive person, has shaken me. Christians have sold their souls for political power to stop abortion I guess??? To keep drag shows out of schools??? To hate immigrants??? RтАЩs are good (even Trump!!!), DтАЩs are not just bad, they are evil, and that is it. Fox News has not helped. It is a cancer on the country, and it has infected millions. The culture of cruelty and dishonesty among the supposed тАЬMoral MajorityтАЭ(in quotes for a reason) has been shocking and it is so wrong, and yes, I believe sinful.
When we call evil, good(Trump!!!) and good, evil(free lunches for children!), we are lost. I pray for a miracle this fall, not just at the ballot box, but in the heart and minds of decent people. All these millions for Trump are not all Stephen Miller or Steve Bannon or the other repulsive human beings we see up front. I cannot see after 10 years what would ever shake folks out of this cult, but I still pray the scales will fall from their eyesтАжтАж..
Thanks for your report "from the inside" and for your identification of this phenomenon as an obscenity; I had thought "blasphemy" was closer, but to some degree, obscenity also fits.
Ally, it IS blasphemy, but I decided that was a little too тАЬtheological.тАЭ It is for sure both blasphemy and an obscenity, and this unimaginable support of the antichrist(only kidding, or am I??)has driven me to depression and almost despair, it really has.
Blasphemy isn't too theological, IMO. It is exactly right. These individuals are whited sepulchres, have become so through belief in mammon and earthly power, are corruption beneath a micrometer-thick skin of paint (well, in the tRampler's case, it's much thicker than a micrometer, but you know what I mean).
I can only imagine. As a non-theist, it is an academic concern. I know that there are Christians who are in your same position.
Thank you for sharing that Rick. My sisters are both church-going practicing Christians. They raised their children to be Christians and they all are in a sense, followers of Christ's teachings. However, out of my 8 nieces and nephews three of them attend church on a regular basis. The other's don't attend and are non-theists or agnostics. I'm not sure why.
Fewer and fewer people attend church on a regular basis and yet it seems that there are more "kind" people that I run across regardless of their politics or religion. Maybe it's just that I'm older and people tend to treat older people with respect and kindness. I have no way of knowing.
Both of my sisters have talked about how Trump and his cult have torn their churches apart. I'm not sure that their are any winners when this happens especially if the church folds as a result. I really hate Trump and the entire Republican Party for that.
I am a non-theist but I try to follow Jesus's teaching because his lessons are timeless and good.
Of the "righteous" in my family, I count two who I consider legit. The rest, not so much
I pray for your prayer
I call them x-tians because there is no Christ in them.
No the American Taliban, which is what they are, are not Christian. They embrace a false white gospel, which is the complete opposite of the love that Jesus taught. Jesus explained many times that he was not a political leader. Even today they don't listen.
And don't forget misogyny. I'm no Biblical scholar, but the fact that Jesus had close friendships with women, was visited while on the cross by women, and a woman was the first to see the resurrected Christ, I think that asking for women's subservience is unchristian.
Amen, sister! To paraphrase Nadia Bolz Weber, when the disciples went to the tomb, they saw laundry. When Mary Magdalene went, she saw Christ.
Stephen, "Christian" can be whatever one wants it to be. The founders realized that religion has no more a place in government than kings do. Democracy is based on only one fundamental meaning.
No it is not.
Stephen. I agree 100%. I donтАЩt think the christian nationalist know that christian is from the person of Jesus the Christ. It actually gets my dander up when I hear them use that nameЁЯШб
The spirit of Christ in a nice aspiration.
The reality is the biblical god, full of hate and spite and retribution.
They are certainly the children of that god
Read Psalm 23. This is a translation published in "The Message," a responsible work by Eugene Peterson, Presbyterian minister, scholar, theologian who sought contemporary language for the ideas in the Bible.
God, my shepherd!
I donтАЩt need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
IтАЩm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherdтАЩs crook
makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
IтАЩm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
I'm glad if this brings you comfort.
There is no god to do any of this, and I've read this thing in its many translations.
Still doesn't make it true. Dangerous nonsense.
Children should never be indoctrinated with this garbage.
None of the Abrahamic offshoots are anything other than a dangerous distraction from solving humanity's problems.
Personally I think that's true of every patriarchal religion. Only one worth a damn is Wicca, and it's like.
It strikes me as relevant that Wiccans have never knocked on my door peddling their beliefs. I have never seen a Wiccan carrying a bullhorn and a giant sign about my eternal damnation should I fail to bow to their way of thinking. I wonder why that is?
She's knocking on our climate at the moment so very busy.
Major difference between:
A) the Old Testament God: тАЭeye for an eye and tooth for a toothтАЭ, or тАЬthou shalt not suffer a witch in o liveтАЭ, &
B) the New Testament ChristтАЩs much more modern game theory: тАЬturn the other cheekтАЭ or, тАЬ love thy neighborтАЭ or, тАЭgreater love hath no man than this, that he lay his life down for anotherтАЭ.
Christianity is a radical New Testament story, and in a one sentence summary, it points to a more sophisticated conflict response, & identifies a superior game theory for modern conflicts, than тАЬhitting backтАЭ (when increasingly many parties have or soon will have, WMD).
Similarly contra-posed are followers of Christ and followers of Trump.
Oil and water.
If you have Amazon Prime watch God and Country. That documentary portrays Christian Nationalism as the political party that it is.
The Christian Nationalists have little to do with Christ and lots to do with power. Check out Faithful America.org
You're not wrong. It isn't in the spirit of Christ. It's political, using Christianity as a cover.
There is nothing Christian about them. Christianity has driven much of the suffering in this world. It is a cover for power hungry, grievance driven control freaks. We must fight against it!!
Now with this specific And significant change in American politics and the fire in the people, it is time to take on a new mission. I would suggest the following: тАЬEND EXPLOITATION NOW! .тАЭ
Yes!!!!
Maybe best ever..tho have thought that other times, I have sat with your closing words, Heather, for several hours. Now I firmly believe this letter is maybe the best, and certainly most impactful.
Dammit, I'm crying again. Ok, actually bawling. Yes, the best one yet. Everything is there: the connection to our nation's history, to our personal history, as Americans, of getting up and DOING when the going gets tough, and the call to never, ever, give up, to always be our best selves. So long as we persevere and work together for ALL of us, we can do it!
IтАЩm with you, Marc. God knows that Heather has been a beaming beacon in all of our lives over these last few years, but today is message could be one of her best and most important statements to the country.
Thank you, Heather!
I just forwarded this to my usual list plus two new friends and posted it on Facebook. Beautifully stated and today I am going to take a walk in the forest with my dog, Farley, come back to the cabin and write postcards with Field Team 6. тАЬAmerica is the only country founded on an idea.тАЭ Make democracy an action word.
Agreed, Marc! This was a gem.
For the first time in a long time, IтАЩm feeling hopeful. What an inspirational read!
Barnburner for me! I've seen a lot of good ones gotta say!
Yes, lit a fire under my fat, aged pizatts. ЁЯШЗ
Do I hear Pulitzer (?) ЁЯдУЁЯТпЁЯСНтЬФя╕ПЁЯТкЁЯСК
AgreedтАж. I want to frame it and hang it on every wallтАж..ЁЯО╢ЁЯСПЁЯП╗ЁЯе░
Agree!
I agree 100%!
I agree. And I am in tears.
I love how Dr. Richardson reminds us that it has always been up to us. We must try to make the periods between our forgetfulness shorter and shorter. I wonder if the joy cycle runs similarly- we feel joy in being ourselves and being together, then accept the shame put onto that joy by those who would take power, then remember it again. May we hold on to this period of joy for as long as it takes!
We can never let our guard down or the evil of greedy people wanting to take over will rise up.
тАЬThe price of apathy is to be ruled by greedy men.тАЭ Plato
Linda. FOR EVER PEACE, Joy and DEMOCRACY
It's OUR work and it's OUR business.
Politicians, elected officials and civil servants are the help we hire to facilitiate that, but a significant part of the problems we face today comes from failing to properly supervise these people we've deputised to accomplish our work. Over time, they've come to consider themselves to be special; that there's a "Political Class" and instead of seeing themselves as public servants their attitude becomes aristocratic.
That's contrary to our original principles. The notion never quite goes away, tho.
Citizens United is the accelerant.
Citizens United, Holder v. Shelby, Dobbs, and Trump. All of them together comprise the greatest assault on our democracy sinceтАж well, forever.
You can thank conservative Court for that! SCOTUS needs reform. 4 moderate liberals right off.
This is not a conservative court but a radical right wing authoritarian, power grabbing misogynist court, legislating from the bench.
ItтАЩs a capital C Conservative, not a small c conservative. That puts it in the tradition of the John Birch Society and William F. Buckley. Those Conservatives who, heedless of the warning one of their own, Barry Goldwater, embraced the Southern Strategy and fused their antisocial and regressive economic ideas with the culture of the Confederacy and the Bible Belt, creating a coalition capable of winning elections. When they captured the white working class under Nixon, they became very, very powerful. Watergate slowed them, but they came back stronger with St. Ronald Reagan. Obama shook them up, but they responded with the Tea Party, and then Trump. All the while The Heritage Foundation pursued Operation REDMAP to capture statehouses and packed the Courts with their acolytes.
All results of the kind of political thinking that caught fire during and after the Civil Rights movement began having an actual effect on people's lives.
Money and politics become intertwined and result in a power hungry class attempting to take over. We will not stand for it..
We will be forced to тАЬstand for itтАЭ until we тАЬdo somethingтАЭ about campaign finance. We can easily тАЬoutspendтАЭ the plutocrats with a relatively inexpensive campaign finance voucher program. We do not need a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Just a little donor power in the hands of all voters. See Seattle or the fibustered HR1 For The People Act. Read my Substack posts on the subject
An eternal tension between elites /leaders and the masses / general public. Elites have generally considered themselves as "betters". And ever here the joke about the guy walking into a roomful of senators where each person thought he was the "smartest man" in the room.... an old joke, it was all about men.
Possibly, early on in the country, it wasn't unreasonable for farmers, merchants, educators, etc. (and their wives, but we really didn't count officially - thanks, John Adams, for failing to consider the ladies) to trust the elected representatives to get on with the task and do it honestly and honorably without being micromanaged. Welp, things have changed. What a pain - as if we don't have enough to do, what with working, raising families, etc., but we also have to ride herd on our elected representatives every minute as if they are just more two-year-olds who can't be trusted not to throw their Cheerios onto the floor. I want to elect responsible grownups who can do their own jobs properly - REPRESENT! Vote Blue!
And that they always leave office with a great deal of money. That money isnтАЩt from the people, it is from lobbyists with deep pockets, funded by the corporations and 1%. They work for the money, not for the people, in order to keep their jobs. The Uber rich do not pay taxes they pay congress. How do we change that?
I like your line that "the Uber rich do not pay taxes, they pay congress". Well said!!
Inspired and inspiring, Gary - super well observed !!!
I'm not sure that I follow your train of thought, Gary. Can you be more specific, with some concrete examples?
Take MA, a reputedly "blue" state. The Dems' platform is very progressive. We've had universal health care in our platform since at least 1997. But it's 2024, and once again, the Legislature has failed to pass single payer. My town of 10,000 would have saved $2,000,000 (yes, that's two million dollars) this past year in health insurance costs, but our legislators belong to the insurance companies and Big Pharma. They hold many of their votes in secret and thus avoid individual responsibility. Ask most voters, and they will tell you that they are happy with their legislators, legislators who consistently refuse to pass legislation that would afford us greater transparency if we wanted to follow their votes. I'm not sure if that's what Gary meant, but it's what I thought of when I read his post and then your question, Richard. I hope that that helps.
I agree, as in North Carolina, a purple state with a GOP lead General Assembly holding a surplus of over 2 Billion dollars which would benefit all if used correctly. Their solution is to use some for school vouchers for all citizens with children, regardless of income and let the public school system suffer. This is not acceptable, only in November will there possibly be a change.
The quality of our public schools must be top priority. Our future aspirations and achievements should not be left to the economic hierarchy of private schools.
In hundreds of school districts across the country public schools are the main focus and receive the bulk of the property tax dollars.
My daughter attended public schools in NE, FL and ME and had some wonderful teachers in all three states. Some were rural districts and some urban. But they all had competent school boards that cared about the education of the kids in their community.
But, many districts do not have the money to hire or retain good teachers or administration. Many of these districts still do an amazing job in spite of this.
Unfortunately, many don't. And often times it's only a few noisy nutcases, that try to force their far right ideology on their district by questioning topics in textbooks, banning books and banning free speech. They penalize teachers for saying "the wrong thing" or teaching from the wrong book, media, etc.
There are many people that post here that are life long educators that can better speak to this topic, and I truly thank you for your service to the families where you taught.
When did your daughter go to PS in FL???? They no longer have books in their school librabries!!
Really? She graduated from Ponte Vedra High School in 2014.
So, the students can check out books on their I-Pads or laptops now?
How do the elementary kids learn to read and write now?
NC deserves better. Is Art Pope still pouring big bucks into the Repub coffers
Only тАЬbigтАЭ because so few regular folk contribute campaign funds. Campaign finance vouchers would put тАЬbigтАЭ donors in their proper place. Please read and comment on my Substack posts on this subject
I used to contribute much more. As a recent widow, I pay a schittload of taxes because Elon and Jeff don't. We "regular folk" could use a few loopholes.
JD: When I read this response and read your self-description it suddenly felt personal.
In 2016, I worked as a campaign volunteer (even tried door to door stuff that turned out to be too hard for me because I am partially disabled). I was not shocked by Trump's victory because I saw a disconnect between Democratic complacency and his supporter's responses. I have been interested in campaign finance vouchers since early in the 2020 campaign. I got as involved as I could in the 2022 midterms as my wife recovered from a crisis. But in 2022 I turned my attention (to the degree caregiving allowed) pretty much full time to analyzing how vouchers should be considered. People advised me to divide my writing into smaller chunks, so I turned to Substack. My main concepts are out there now. But it appears we got Tea Party and Trump as a side effect of the 2008 financial crisis and its slow recovery. So, I began to wonder: Can it happen again? Have we done enough to prevent another 2008?
My conclusion: Not hardly. In particular, we have done virtually NOTHING to prevent the ACTUAL cause of the crisis: a "run" on short-term loans/deposits, like "repo" and money market funds that shut down commercial credit and, with that, normal business activity. That is more accurate than the usual surface explanations about a few billion dollars of bad mortgage loans created by crooked banks (the kind of foolishness we see fairly often, such as the Fed's easy money reversal tipping over banks like Silicon Valley Bank).
Leading to the next question: If the money-printing actions of the Fed and half-baked fiscal policy response by Congress got us (eventually) out of 2008, would the same combination work for the next financial crisis? My tentative answer: We seem to be in a significantly worse place than we were in 2009 when the Fed and Obama tried to organize a joint monetary and fiscal response.
If Harris wins, we might have a rational fiscal response. But there is a potential fly in the monetary ointment: We have a serious problem with deficit spending. Those deficits raise doubts about the usefulness of "the mighty dollar" as a means to money-print our way out of a crisis. And, despite the overwhelming success of the fiscal spending response in getting our economy going after to the Covid recession, those same deficits could be used to cripple a response. Crippled by big money donors in our highly partisan, winner-take-all, care-nothing-about-mere-voters, only-donors-count Congress.
Our basic personal income system is reasonably progressive. It has some provisions to benefit those with the least income. Those with the least income are usually net recipients versus payers. From what I have read (not an expert) I think one could argue that the biggest source of our deficits is our system of tax expenditures (AKA "loopholes") that mostly benefit the upper 20%. Especially the upper 1% to 10%.
There are serious danger signs tied to those deficits.
Our too-big-to-fail-or-save banks (ok, bank holding companies) seem to be seriously insolvent, burdened by holdings of low-interest bonds (being protected by accounting systems that do not require that their low value be reported at true market value) and growing piles of rapidly defaulting commercial real estate loans. If something pushed them, could we have another "run" on short term finance ("repo," commercial paper, money-market funds, etc.) like 2008? Answer: Yes. If so, would the world respond if the Fed decided to "print" money to make loans like it did in 2009. Or would our huge deficits make them hesitate, fearing a US dollar default on its trillions of bonds?
We desperately need a working Congress that can tackle these deficits. Even if it requires higher taxes on the not-so-rich (despite Biden's promises to not do so). Along with other critical issues such as climate change and ....
We didn't have a working Congress in 2009 and it took 8 years to slowly emerge from 2008. Giving us Trump. Another Great Recession might bring much worse than Trump.
That is why I am spending all my available time working on pushing campaign finance vouchers - I think they are key to unlocking a working Congress.
But approval of a voucher program is only likely if pushed by leaders who are honest about how tied they have been the current money system. The Democrats did quietly try in 2022 with HR1 -For the People Act. But much too quietly - almost no one, not even me who had been urging vouchers for 5 years, knew those provisions were in the bill. In 2020 some presidential candidates suggested vouchers, but so quietly no one (even their own volunteers) knew it.
If Harris really wants to draw attention to something that would make sense to voters, propose a solution to campaign finance AND then decline to take any money from the big banks.
Good idea. But, as you say, we need a working congress.
Yes, I believe so or his тАШbudsтАЩ
USA has the largest per capita health costs in the OECD by far, about $14K vs $8k in eg Canada, with a public health system, and is well down the list in health outcomes overall. ikely because it is a private profit based system, leaving many Americans unable to afford private health care costs. Gentrification writ large. Affordable health care, Medicaid has been an attempt to address this. Just the same, about 26 million Americans remain uninsured.
Thank you, Betsy. And, I think that you've nailed the issue - money. Money buying votes.
Not regular money as we know it- GREAT WEALTH buys votes and congress and SPOTUS. Humongous acculmulations of billions that the owners do not want to pay taxes for.
"Money" for most people is what we use to buy groceries, clothes, vacations somethimes.
Recent report, this past week: 800 Americans have as much wealth as one-half of the American population. This is a huge cancer growing on the body politic.
Right off the top of my head, look into Schlesinger's "The Imperial Presidency", and the recent SCOTUS decision on presidential immunity.
Some of our more egotistical leaders (Nixon, for example) wanted fancier trappings associated with the office. Trimp wanted a military march similar to Russia's Mayday parade thru D.C. on the 4th of July with him prominently reviewing the troops.
It starts at the top but it extends to the bottom: think of Huey Long or the system someone like TV's Boss Hogg represents. Eventually considering political professionals aseparate class leads to feudalism and a rigidly tiered society.
Contrast that with say, George Washington willingly handing his presidency to a successor, and leaving government to be a private citizen again.
Some of Nixon's wannabe "Imperial Guard" Secret Service uniforms ended up being sold for $5 (or $10 each in the case of the Meriden-Cleghorn High School Band Uniforms), in Marcus, Iowa per https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/news/pomp-and-circumstance
Exactly!!!
"Every time we expand democracy, it seems we get complacent, thinking itтАЩs a done deal. We forget that democracy is a process and that itтАЩs never finished. And when we get complacent, people who want power use our system to take over the government."
I do not think it was about getting complacent about expanding and preserving our democracy. I think it was about losing sight of an essential lesson/tactic of the Civil Rights movement - that progress is made by taking power at the ballot box. So while the Left perpetuated the tradition of uniting in protest, voting became seen as an individual exercise in personal expression instead of a joint exercise in taking power. While many on the Left split away chasing purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers, those on the Right focused on uniting to take power through the electoral system - volunteering, running, and voting as Republicans.
In 2020, Rep. Jim Clyburn stepped up to unite Democratic candidates and voters behind Joe Biden. Now while Nancy Pelosi provided the impetus for Biden to step down, Clyburn has been instrumental in motivating Democrats to unite behind Kamala Harris.
A problem remains on Left, with potential Democratic voters hardened into the false rhetoric of 'the duopoly' and dug into a 'never will I ever' stance - indifferent to the risks of helping elect Trump, again, or perhaps worse, glad of abetting Trump's destructive acts in order to 'teach Democrats a lesson.'
Exactly, such as the third-party deluded
We desperately NEED third parties. Our laws make that impossible. We need a responsible middle of the road Republican Party. And a radical left party separate from central democrats.
тАЬFusion votingтАЭ as advocated by Lee DrutmanтАЩs substack would bring that on. And with it the return of compromise legislation.
Meanwhile campaign finance vouchers would help
What we need is a greater diversity of voices - of candidates and voters. The most direct route to that is Ranked Choice Voting. This Instant Runoff system is the most efficient way to reform our electoral system. Efficiently winnowing a multitude of candidates to guarantee a majority win victor.
Even in parliamentary systems a multitude of parties can lead to unstable strange bedfellow coalitions and to paralysis. Better to have voters make the compromises at the ballot box by ranking their choice of candidates than party representatives making backroom deals while government hangs in abeyance.
The stakes are too high to split the vote with ego driven campaigns by self promoters (and the people who love them) who show up once every four years to grab the golden ring of the presidency. And who otherwise have shown little interest and less success in building any new party from the ground up.
I have not spent a LOT of my energy thinking about proposals to modify election laws. I deeply respect Lee Drutman, who has. I was impressed by the use of RCV in Alaska. But Drutman says fusion voting (which was legal everywhere until the 2 parties disliked the competition and got it banned in early 20th century) is common internationally and helps explain the common existence of multiple parties. The waste a vote and simply-cause-chaos effect of JFK jr and Nader are reflections of the poor state of our laws (including banning of fusion voting). Fusion voting allows parties to work together and encourages compromise without hiding strong disagreements on policy
Sure we do, but we need to change a few laws first. Otherwise we get the worst of the worst.
With either Democrat or Republican itтАЩs that us verses them vitriol.ThatтАЩs not working.To re establish our democracy I think we have to go with the fringe people who are supporting the only unbeholden candidate- RFKJR.
No way. His beliefs on vaccines alone frighten me!!
HeтАЩs a horrid choice! His own family members are against him running. They backed Biden but now back Harris. What do you have against her, John?
She is beholden to the Democratic Party that is beholden to the wealthy and the corporations. Which are controlling our government and transferring the wealth created by the middle class upward.
We also cannot count on the press to get the message out. They have their own agenda and it has nothing to do with responsibly covering this election.
"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter."
Thomas Jefferson
The Founding Fathers envisioned things differently than they are turning out.
The Founding Fathers were using single shot muskets that took time to load.
Democracy/Freeedom haters and underminers allow AR15 assault guns to be in teenage hands......when childrens bodies are indentified by they shoes.....they send thoughts and prayers.
Thanks, WJB. I use the "ID via high tops" occasionally when discussing the horrors of gun violence; inevitably, one of my MAGAt acquaintances will say "Huh?"
Cherry picking Jefferson out of context to authorize your biases is dishonest. In the quote you mangle and misappropriate, you misrepresent Jefferson's meaning - which he makes clear in the parts you left out. Jefferson was writing explicitly of government protections for freedom of speech and government limitations on censorship of newspapers - and also by implication in support of government funded public education.
The full quote:
"The people are the only censors of their governors: and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs throтАЩ the channel of the public papers, & to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people. The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers & be capable of reading them."
Thomas Jefferson
The full letter:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-11-02-0047
тАЬevery man should receive these papers and be capable of reading themтАЭ
Implication: since newspapers are nearly dead because their business model is dead, we need a тАЬnews voucherтАЭ program so every citizen has a little money to buy access to legitimate news
That is a stretch. I would suggest a more clear reading - 'that every man be capable of receiving papers' means that government limit its power to censor the news and 'that every man be capable of reading them' means government investment in literacy.
Stretch? Maybe so.
But the point I'm "stretching" for is that Jefferson clearly counted on the press being capable of reaching the citizens. I think it is safe to argue that the primary press does not reach much of our population. At least not the way it did for most of my life (as a side effect of the advertising function). Is that a problem? I suspect it is. Certainly, the journalism profession seems to think so.
Would a press voucher help? Maybe. Worth discussion, I think.
And, or course, I'm sure he would be in favor of literacy.
Absolutely correct
@ Rhea Graham. It's our public duty. Plus it's gestalt therapy.
When you join the тАЬWomen for Harris National Organizing Call,тАЭ please ask them to partner with FT 6. Millions of unregistered folk trend Democratic. Register Democrats to save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
BTW there's a White dudes for Harris 8:00 p.m. ET. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfv8CbvFVggb-D6bQ1-oPUNULwk6f1qzkjufYGIWFiCQ0Z8RA/viewform
Daniel Solomon and
Rhea Graham.......YES!!!!
REGISTER DEMOCRATS AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A RIDE TO THEIR VOTING LOCATIONS!!!!
Last night on Focus for Democracy people pledged millions to two underfunded groups, Galvanize and Accelerate Change.
I have written 600 postcards from FieldTeam6 - I have freinds who have been waiting weeks for their FT6 postcards. Have they run out? Problems with handling all the requests? FT6 has fallen behind on the requests for post cards. Also- all our local post offices are out of post card stamps AND USPS has not been able to fulfill our order for stamps. Hmmmmm
Order postcard stamps from the USPS website. They arrive in a few days. I order them in 100-stamp rolls and have written, stamped, and mailed about 6,000 postcards supporting Democratic issues and field teams in the past 3 years.
https://www.usps.com
Gee, I wonder why you can't get postcard stamps...
Yes it is up to us; as one of my College Professors used to say "we get the Government we deserve ". That's what Democracy is all about. It's up to we,the people,to elect the Government we deserve.
Unless SPO(OIL)TUS interferes as they did with Gore vs W.
Gore won and SPO(OIL)TUS illegally voted twice and gave us to W.
We must remember to be more attentive and smarter to judicial appointments.
Money tips the scales, significantly these days.
As long as you have political organization and leadership/followings to make that happen. Without organization, nothing changes.
It always HAS been up to US and now we are rising to meet the challenge. I have hope in America again. People aren't just doing their own thing, they see the challenge and are rising to it. They are feeling their power and are using itтАФto have a democracy. How wonderful it is.
Rhea Graham, Yes! And tens of millions of our fellow Americans agree with you, as they stepped forward in an explosive wave of support to shoulder that burden in solidarity with Vice President Harris, as she seeks the presidency. The change in mood in the country brought by the prospect of Kamala Harris as our next President has been like waking from a nightmare. Now's the time to do the work to make that happen!
Absolutely, Rhea. We have to let go of the notion that we can tune in once every four years and call it good. Jon Stewart, love em or hate em, put it well when he said "democracy is a lunch pail #@#$&( job" !
Thank you, Rhea. Concisely, crushingly, compellingly transparent.
It's always been our job. Thank you for the reminder!
Facts, Reality, Hope & FreedomтЭЧя╕П
"We are not Going Back"