“Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.” — Machiavelli, “Florentine Histories”
Those with brains, education and expertise, counselors to princes, presidents and prime ministers, spend sleepless nights thinking precisely about this truth. Even those without expertise know that in the Middle East — *especially* in the Middle East — there are no magic wands to ‘flick and swish’ to make imaginary things suddenly become real. Idiots neither know — nor care — about either of these truths.
In a previous Middle East incursion, we were at least warned about the existence of “unknown unknowns.” The edges of medieval maps were once marked with “Here Be Monsters” — a warning and metaphor both about the perils of uncharted, unforeseen, un-thought about places, not just on maps, but in the unexamined recesses of our own minds and hearts.
Why a cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads in the White House and Pentagon think this war will be the exception to truths wise people have known since ancient times, I do not know.
All these mega-millions in politics is a result of the Roberts’s 5, “Citizens United” opinion. That money is what put the cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads in the White House. One year after President Obama was sworn into Office the Roberts’s 5, reacted with that opinion. The “Southern strategy” of appealing to racism against African Americans to increase political support among white voters in the South finally failed the Republican Party. They freaked out and have been freaking out more ever since. Now not only is money in politics secured under the "Free speech" clause of the First Amendment but soon they will make the sky the limit for such corruption. Oh, and gerrymandering is now the law of the land too.
I miss President Obama. Although I do feel he screwed up by appointing Republican James Comey as Director of the FBI, one of three men who sabotaged Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign. President Obama also dropped the ball by not combining his 12 years of being a professor of Constitutional Law with the bully pulpit power of the Executive branch to repeatedly and systematically attack the Roberts’s 5 and their “Citizens United” opinion. He should have at least incrementally spoon-fed to the public that “Citizens United” is a major attack upon our Republic, our Democracy and we must Amend our Constitution to repeal it. My Memorandum does that and I have mailed it to President Obama. Yet I miss his cool, calm and ethical genius. One example I have is I always suspected President Obama’s plan in “Operation Neptune Spear” to include how he played Donald Trump for the fool that he is.
Only four or five persons within the White House knew about the early morning raid against Osama bin Laden on Monday, May 2, 2011 (Pakistan time). Beyond the secrecy however was creating a misconception that the only thing on the President’s mind was running for a second term. Thus President Obama set out to make news which Al-Qaeda would read as, “Boring American politics.” On Wednesday just four and one half days prior to what has been described as the "Night of Justice" three things made news: President Obama released his long-form birth certificate, a major Tornado occurred in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Trump called a press conference to tell the world how proud he is of himself for forcing the release of the birth certificate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6hsm81VXKY Two days later on Friday President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama surveyed the tornado damage in Tuscaloosa. Then two days after that on Sunday night, E.T., President Obama and Secretary Clinton monitored the live operation against Osama bin Laden. Five years later on September 16, 2016, Trump was the Republican nominee for president and still pounding his chest. His campaign issued a statement saying, "In 2011, Mr. Trump was finally able to bring this ugly incident to its conclusion by successfully compelling President Obama to release his birth certificate". No clue that he was hooked, gaffed, clubbed and fried. One week ago President Obama paid tribute to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, he wrote, "Reverend Jesse Jackson called on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope; to step forward and say ‘Send me’ wherever we have a chance to make an impact".
Please download, read and share my Memorandum on Facebook, X and with friends. I put it all in one place. Discuss those facts and the strong model amendment at the end. Also Mr. Dale Rowett of LexiGraphics.Pro designed beautiful Red, White and Blue logo posters which you can also download from my page at UnitedWeAmend.org. Have them printed at Staples, Office Depot, etc. Perfect for the back of your “No Kings” posters.
I’m so glad to see this spelled out so clearly. Ever since Prof Heather had a Political Chat with Sen. Ron Wyden and his discussion of a constitutional amendment to nullify (?) Citizens United have I been so hopeful of a way to get billionaires, Epstein Elites, and American oligarchs money out of politics.
I couldn’t even read the entire letter tonight to see if other subscribers saw the connection to the actions being taken by Wyden and ironically actually uniting all the American citizens.
Beware the legal terms of art such as “...may regulate and set reasonable limits...”, and “...shall have power to implement...” I am sure you see the problem with such fast and loose terms. It allows Congress and the States to decide whether they “may” or “shall” not regulate, enact, or implement anything whatsoever. Some people elected to Office may even read those words as a way to profit from such decision making. I see those words as not being the rampart we need but rather a swinging gate which for a “campaign contribution” will be left wide open to mega-money in politics. Moreover, in the last 16 years since Citizens United the Roberts's 6 have continued to assault our constitution and no proposed amendment addresses these newer cases. My model amendment does and much more. Please compare and contrast that loose language above with what I wrote in Section 1, of my model amendment below which begins with an all inclusive ERA,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, All individual persons are endowed with equal non-transferable rights, To secure these rights the Government of the United States of America has been granted just powers from the consent of the governed, The Governments of the United States, every State, and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States has no powers to create, grant, apply or transfer any of these equal non-transferable rights of individual persons to an assembly thereof, or to property, private sector enterprises, creatures of the state, anything manufactured, artificial intelligence, or to allow any property, private sector enterprises, or creatures of the state to endorse or provide support for, or against, any candidate for public political or judicial office or ballot measure, or to engage in any form of political expression within the United States, every State, and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States.
The legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of the United States of America shall each assure that this government, all State governments, and governments of every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States, are a Republican Form of Government in which the just powers granted thereto by the consent of the governed, are separated among the legislative, executive and judicial branches, to the end it shall be a government of laws and not of any persons acting above the law, thus no monarch, dictator, or tyrant shall exist within the jurisdiction of the United States, and through secure, fair, open and transparent democratic elections elect officials to make laws, and the enforcement and application of the laws in every jurisdiction thereof, are to be of Blind and Equal Justice under the law, and the Courts of the United Sates, every State, and every insular area, Shall enforce the rights of all individual persons secured by the Constitution of the United States against any majority vote.
All laws and judicial holdings and decisions of the United States, every State and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States inconsistent with this section are hereby repealed. Neither the United States nor any State or any insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States shall assume or pay any claim of loss by this repeal; but all such asserted debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void. Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with or deny any of the equal non-transferable rights of individual persons enumerated in this Constitution or disparage other equal fundamental non-transferable substantive rights including the rights of life – the pursuit of happiness, retained by individual persons.” Please see my Memorandum and Sections 2-5. There are no "Donate Now" buttons. All I am trying to do is inform, organize and agitate at UnitedWeAmend.org
There was an American Conversations episode on YouTube with Prof Heather and Jim Clements about the American Promise, For Our Freedom amendment on January 28, 2026. 24 state legislatures are on board with this amendment.
Following that was an episode with Senator Ron Wyden called Following the Money in the Epstein Files on February 9, 2026. Both were eye-opening discussions about the negative power of unlimited spending.
On that web page I see "Donate" and again, in that proposed amendment, I see "Congress and the States shall have the power to..." which is not the rampart we need, but rather a swinging gate. Please read my Section 1, edited into my post above.
I had Jeffery Clements to myself about an hour before others arrived, and seemed naturally in sync with all his views before seeing all the people I respect that commented on his book "Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy from Big Money and Global Corporations" and especially the foreword by Bill Moyers. Other presenters, panelists, commenters, were:
Adam Winkler - Author of ""We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights" (which I bought along with "Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy from Big Money and Global Corporations" Among other things, Winkler was a John M. Olin Fellow at USC 2001-02 (which to me, establishes his very conservative expertise) and author of "Gun Fight" (not at that town hall, but on the legal battles over gun control attempts). His book available last night has the most information I trust on Jim Bopp's philosophy and participation in the Citizens United case. We didn't get enough time to do much more than recognize my interest in Bopp's role (especially after seeing him in a photo with Maine legislators), but I certainly appreciate Winkler's views of him as a very skilled lawyer.
My concerns are not so much with strict legal interpretations as they are with, in effect, knocking supports out from under a shaky house before putting some shoring under it. I don't understand how the courts can sometimes say something is wrong but put a stay on forcing a change to give people time to write a legitimate, constitutionally sound replacement for a faulty or nonexistent basis. In the meantime, there has been at least $16 Billion spent on elections and ballot measures, and I can't believe that doesn't corrupt, or at least massively distract from what we would like our legislators spending their time on. I believe Adam Winkler is the type to try to making the shoring sound, and balance the popular demand (80 - 90% of the people) who want Citizens United "ended" (with or without what I would think would be a much better constitutional solution).
Kathay Feng - of Common Cause. After the meeting we discussed the distortions the press and others allow by sometimes showing state distortions of representatives relative to popular vote percentages in House elections. Most show percentages and not seat counts although at least one makes an exception for California, which since we have 53, makes a mismatch of 10 seem the most extreme (but isn't by percentage of reps or percentage of popular vote),
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California (Voting age population 29,649,348, 53 reps) is mismatched by 10 seats advantage (39 seats to 14 when perfect would be 34 to 19) but is only 18.87% mismatched with popular votes.
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Pennsylvania (Voting age population 10,086,316, 18 reps) is mismatched by 6 seats advantage (13 seats to 5 when perfect would be 10 to 8) but is fully 33.33% mismatched with popular votes.
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North Carolina (Voting age population 7,656,415, 13 reps) is mismatched by 6 seats advantage (10 seats to 3 when perfect would be 7 to 6) but is fully 47.12% mismatched with popular votes.
David Burke - Citizens Take Action, Restore Democracy Amendment (seemed best on making sense of corporate and union treasurer/finance rules on who gets to spend on campaigns, to me giving no more advantage to corporations (for profit and non-profit distinctions) than unions have, which already have few more rules on how they can collect and spend funds). Pretty middle of the road to me (like I prefer).
Michelle Sutter - MOVI (Money Out Voters In) Higher priority on getting action sooner, due to the damage done in the last 8 years. Great on the priorities the others need to find the best balance to limit corrupting influences (and preferable reduction in distractions caused by need to raise so much money, to have any voice at all).
Molly Greene - ACS (American Constitution Society) Distinctions to be considered in rules for Commercial (For Profit) Speech and Free (Non-Profit) Speech
I go into that issue in my Memoprandum. Especially as to the President "shall" nominate and with the "advice and consent of the Senate" appoint. The part is the Senate is not required to act. That is what happened in 2016 after Scalia died.
One of my professors always said, "unclear writing is indicative of unclear thinking." My mom always said, "have the strength of your convictions."
The Congress should have more of that understanding. Figure out what you believe and then say it. Figure out what you stand for and then create a clear bill that makes clear what it stands for.
Yeah, beware language in there like "...shall have the power to implement and enforce..." That is not a mandate. If it read as "...shall implement and enforce..." that might be stronger. Please compare it to my language in my edited reply above.
Keep it up Albert. You seem to have a grasp on things. Many others do as well. This is no 'tea party' coalition forming. As we gradually continue to communicate with the MAGA the key will not be shoving the shovel up their ass.
I agree with what you say about MAGA. Many of them do love the USA and want what they feel is best for the future. I believe if they were to read my Memorandum many might agree with it.
You want to repeal CItizens United, with which I would agree (assuming it could be done, which will clearly take a rather different SCOTUS - one more like the Warren Court), but much of the problem we face in terms of electoral influence is what comes over the internet. How would repealing CU have any effect on that?
One thing about billionaires is they hate losing profits. Civil war does that more than any political campaign. Civil war does not need to be a hot war to achieve that. I like the idea of putting the names of the oil companies in one bowl, the TV networks in another bowl, and all the other corporations supporting the Republican party in bowls for each of their products. Once each Sunday night a name is pulled from one of the bowls and We the People pledge to never buy anything from that corporation ever again and to campaign so others do not either: picket lines, etc. Cold war works better than hot war because there is no blood. We can even make a YouTube video of cremating the corporate "person" (Articles of Incorporation) and scattering the ashes on a pile of steer manure. A good read is “Rules for Radicals,” by Saul Alinsky.
My Thanks. I need sleep, maybe tonight. I also need all the help I can get. Can you also offer which you see as correct with this? Which should it be, Roberts 6, Roberts' 6, or Roberts's 6? Thanks.
Profits is their game of keeping score. Since they have everything and no longer need to work to survive, profit keeping take them back to the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy with profits replacing safety and security.
Good idea, adaptable to be hyped-up like a weekly TV show (or whatever these days captures a unified audience. How do they announce lottery winners? In addition to wars with no blood, I like them to have no heartache. Good to see your playful side!
I suppose if the ratification gets closer the Buck$ will kick in to oppose, but the For Our Freedom Amendment from American Promise already has 24 states signed on to urge Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to restore the power of states and Congress to set election-spending rules. And WI is working on it as well. Look for the American Conversations on YouTube that Prof Heather had with Jeff Clements on January 28, 2026 and also with Sen Ron Wyden on February 9, 2026.
I don’t know the what relationship or difference between the “American Promise” and the “United We Amend.org” amendments are but I hope it is a unified attempt to undo what the SCOTUS got wrong!
"Charles Koch, through his advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, has supported efforts to call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments that would limit federal power and, specifically, establish a balanced budget amendment. These efforts aim to reduce federal spending and regulations."
- Google AI
Koch Brothers Push for a U.S. Constitutional Convention | Local Union No. 3 IBEW
Koch brothers from what I’ve read, over the years, have only worked on their own behalf, tying in political contributions given to those candidates running for office, to that person signing an agreement agreeing to all their terms.
Wasn’t their father a libertarian respect to his political beliefs, who he shared with his sons. I thought I recalled him being a member of The John Birch Society as well? Or am i confusing him with someone else?
The Project 2025 was ‘guided’ developed by those whose toddler pablum was infused with the libertarian juices! Koch pere et fils disdained the common folk, but needed them to buy their products, Brawny, Dixie brand, Weyerhaeuser wood products! Regulations are bad, they ‘hinder’ profit making!!!! Small government is good, fewer people to enforce regulations the better! The Koch crime family are founding members of the Lust for Greed club!
One story out of the book that I found incredibly disturbing is when they bought a distressed utility coop then proceeded to jack up the rates and then sell it off for profit and leaving all the member high and dry. Disgusting.
Lin, I tried your suggestion. I should make up a handout sheet on the differences between the organizations, American Promise vs Americans for Prosperity, or simply use the summary of the Google AI description I found by entering, "Difference between American Promise organization and Americans for Prosperity."
"...In summary, American Promise seeks to decrease the influence of large donors and corporations in elections, while Americans for Prosperity advocates for a policy environment that often benefits from the influence of large donors and corporate interests..."
Even simpler:
American Promise seeks to decrease the influence of large donors and corporations in elections
Americans for Prosperity seeks to increase the influence and benefits to large donors and corporate interest
Bingo! Folly to think ANY amendment can be passed! North Carolina has NOT ratied the equal rights an amendment! As Marj notes in the comment above, ELECTIONs are the key!
Heather rightly identifies concentrated wealth as a democratic threat. In the essay below, I argue the crisis runs deeper: capitalism itself converts wealth into power, while Resourceism and participatory democracy offer a humane, structural alternative.
''Capitalism Is the Problem. Resourceism Is the Answer''
Capitalism does not merely permit oligarchy. It produces it.
It concentrates power by concentrating ownership, then translates ownership into political influence. It takes what should belong to everyone, land, water, energy, food systems, infrastructure, and converts those shared foundations of life into commodities to be bought, sold, hoarded, and leveraged. Once survival itself becomes a marketplace transaction, democracy begins to decay.
Citizens are no longer participants in a common civic project. They become consumers, debtors, workers, and data points inside a system designed to maximize profit, not human flourishing.
Michael-Thanks so much for highlighting the ways American style capitalism focuses less on the common good and more on producing oligarchy who seize control of resources and most aspects of our lives.
We the people are becoming increasingly aware of how our democratic ideals are being thwarted by what capitalism has produced.
We need to reform not just our democracy but also to redefine what capitalism means in the context of a just society.
Our “Human Resources” are important to our ability to change for the better which is why we must continue to educate people about our history and opportunities for a better future.
Beautifully said. Capitalism has not just distorted markets, it has distorted democracy, citizenship, and our sense of the common good. I agree that education is essential. People must understand both how we got here and that alternatives are possible. I would go one step further, though: not merely redefine capitalism, but begin imagining and building systems beyond it, grounded in justice, stewardship, and democratic participation.
The slave economy created a slave culture which lingers on today in the form of white male privilege. It is so deep still that we have Felon Trump rather than Attorney General Harris as President. I fear the impact of a combined white male privilege with the effects of the capitalism / corporatist culture. How deep and long lasting it may be. To think that so many workers fall for the lie that corporations are "Job Creators" and not us consumers. It is part of the corporate culture. The proposed amendments by Democrats do nothing to repeal corporate personhood but only go as far as saying governments "may" or "shall have power to" control spending in elections meaning they will do noting for a fee. Not one word about only individual persons having equal rights.
Someone needs to adapt this premise to fiction and begin the transition to a better post-capitalist world. Money is the root of all evil, which helps explain how our politics have become so corrupt since Citizens United.
Exactly. Fiction can do what policy language often can’t, it can help people emotionally inhabit a different world before they can politically build it. And yes, Citizens United accelerated the corruption by making wealth even more transferable into power. If we want a post-capitalist future, we need both structural models and compelling stories that make that future imaginable.
Michael, my comment back to you about "resourceism" was inadvertently posted down below. I copied the link here back to you so you would see it. Thanks!
I keep coming back and re-reading your post here. Now I am going to put it in my notes. It is so scary and so true. Well stated, Thank you. I would like the system to work but it is based upon greed. It is so greedy that the corporatist who see nothing wrong with investors forming a corporation that sells "shares" to form a union of investors is totally opposed to workers forming a union. Such greed will fail. In my Memorandum I wrote,
Today’s corporations are far more numerous, powerful and destructive of our economy, lives and Earth than all their predecessors combined – plus organized crime – yet they wail like a beast, “Get government off our backs,” and there is an “Attack On American Free Enterprise System.” Yes, there certainly is. The American Revolution, now in its 250th year, is a war challenging The System. If The System is our best bet for a strong economic future, then we should see it as a racehorse on the track. A dangerous beast that can harm people unless restrained by solid rail barriers (defined boundaries) and guided by a skilled jockey (strong government) holding a whip in one hand and a rein held tightly in the other (well regulated!)."
There is a proposed ballot initiative to amend the Montana constitution. It’s called The Montana Plan. Basically, it changes the definition of corporations to say they cannot donate to campaigns. Check it out at:
Never heard the term "resourceism", and can't say i like it. Another "-ism"?! But, I like your idea. Perhaps it could be a type of altruism - resource altruism?
Altruism has been around for awhile, coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in the 19th century, deriving from the French word autrui ("other people"). It is often contrasted with egoism and defined as the unselfish concern for the welfare of others, often involving actions that benefit others at a personal cost. It focuses on helping without expecting external rewards, commonly driven by empathy.
Types of altruism:
Genetic Altruism: Acting to help close family members, often seen in evolutionary biology to ensure gene survival.
Reciprocal Altruism: Helping someone with the expectation that the favor will be returned in the future.
Pure/Moral Altruism: Assisting others despite significant personal risk or cost, driven entirely by internal moral principles.
Perhaps Resource Altruism (appart from moral altruism) could be construed as the development of social, economic and political systems that invest in the shared physical environment all people depend on for their health and well-being?
Thank you, this is a thoughtful distinction. I like “resource altruism” as an ethical companion to Resourceism. For me, altruism describes personal moral action, while Resourceism describes the larger social and economic framework needed to protect and fairly manage the shared material basis of life. So yes, they overlap, but Resourceism is meant to be structural, not just personal.
Good points, Michael. I get that you propose a major structural shift from capitalism to a new resource-based economic system, and like the idea.
But I don't see resource altruism as strictly personal. There are many examples of large organizations with enlightened people working selflessly to protect our resources already. Build on that first.
Any conversion to a resource structure will undoutedly be fought by powerful forces who stand to lose (in their estimation) by a transition to something new. However, strategically, to build the coalition needed to succeed, I don't think it's prudent to start by obviously attacking the current system.
I would recommend building allies with "resource altruism" before the entrenched capitaists get wind of "resourceism" and all the threats it represents to the old guard. They can make enemies out of socialism, liberalism, communism, and even conservatism. Don't let them do the same (yet) with resourceism.
How are the jillions of dollars spent to buy Republicans only? Ads? Ticktock? Door knocking? Hardly expensive especially up against citizen volunteerism. Would ANY Democrat ever get elected?
Chief Justice John Roberts (Harvard Law '79) will be long remembered and often written about by historians - the person who almost virtually single-handedly brought American democracy to an end - the "Citizens United" case (2010), declaring that money is speech and corporations are persons and then "Shelby County vs. Holder," (2013) gutting the Voting Rights Act. And on top of that giving Trump virtual total immunity from prosecution of criminal actions while in office. If democracy survives in the U.S. it will be owing to a lot of hard work and enormous luck. How to explain John Roberts? The ancient Greeks had a term - Amathia, meaning "Intelligent stupidity" or "Willful ignorance." I think that it is a blind spot, one harboring a belief so strongly that that person is unable to see and assess countervailing facts and arguments. We have six Roman Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court, including John Roberts. Is it any wonder that the right to an abortion was struck down, or that dictatorial powers were granted to the U.S. President?
John Roberts needn't have done to underage girls what Donald, Jeffrey, and many of their richest pals did, but he lived in the same world as all the billionaires as empty of humanities as any Russian oligarch, Iranian mullah, or West Bank Israeli settler stealing more Palestinian land.
I think that Roberts' Catholicism is a strong guiding influence, as it is with the other five Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court. There are a number of such fundamentalist Christians in Congress, such as Senator John Cornyn, a Restorationist (Chuck of Christ sect.) So, how can they rationalize supporting a depraved person such as Donald Trump? What is it that he represents that they support? Are they blind to the fact that Trump will destroy the democratic process here if given the chance? They aren't. Perhaps they're thinking that Trump is "God's messenger" to establish the U.S. as a Christian theocracy. It's difficult, if not impossible, to fix this kind of "stupidity."
I don't know that money is a significant part of their thinking. The "religious mind" has difficulty, and in some instances finding it impossible, to process certain information. For example, Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Co-chair of the Human Genome Project understands and knows that all life on earth (plants, animals and insects) share the same DNA, meaning that all life on earth is descended from one ancestor (LUCA, 3.5 billion years ago.) But, Collins is a fundamentalist Christian. He explains why, being totally oblivious to the facts, on the one hand, and the complete inability to present facts to support his beliefs in the existence or divinity of Jesus. Some of us, if not all, believe what we want to believe.
Richard-The phrase “white Christian nationalist” encompasses all aspects of their thinking and doing. The ideals of democracy are getting in their way. It’s not just stupidity-they just don’t subscribe to “liberty and justice for all”.
Richard, isn't it fair to state that Roman Catholicism is a dictatorship? What the pope says goes? By papal decree, he can alter the theology of the church, and decide if its followers are in the right or in the wrong.
For that matter, isn't it fair to state that all of Christianity is a dictatorship? God is alleged to have the final word on everything. Denominational differences are just a matter of quibbling over interpretations of "God's will."
If this is the mindset of any religious person, then it's logical that they are predisposed to accept – or even prefer – a dictatorship, especially if they can be convinced that a dictator is "doing the will of God," no matter how flawed a vessel he might be.
When you combine that mindset with the message of "Prosperity Gospel," the notion that God financially "blesses" his loyal followers, this contributes to the belief that "the wealthy are more worthy than the rest of us." Which opens the door allowing obscene levels of money poured into our elections and our governance.
Dale, I had not thought of Roman Catholicism in those terms before -the Roman Catholic Church a dictatorship, but it certainly fits the bill. And here in the U.S., Trump is now our "Pope" and our members of Congress Cardinals (Senators) and Bishops (Congress men and women,) violating their oaths of office by refusing to discharge the Constitutional duties for which they took an oath. Obsequious servants to Pope Donald. Are we now experiencing the American "Inquisition?" Trump can inflict horrendous punishment and even death without fear of retribution because his "Cardinals" and "Bishops" are craven cowards. I think that it is fair to say that Christianity in America has been a stupendous failure.
A few months after Citizens United became law I spoke at a Senior Center about the opinion. I made a comment about the East India Co. being the world's first global corporation and it's greed led it to enslaving people. One of the people there stopped me and said, "No. The Roman Catholic Church is the world's first global corporation and it's greed led it to enslaving people." I had already learned by a former history professor about the way Father Junípero Serra, who founded Mission San Juan Capistrano, CA in 1776, had starved the local Indians who worked in his fields. Archaeologists compared skeletons of Mission Indians to skeletons of other local Indians and the evidence was that Mission Indians were starved while locals were much more healthy. BTW, the Church has since elevated Junípero to Saint.
Certainly Roberts is a legal conundrum?!? However, let's not tar all the Roman Catholics, please. There are plenty who are for women's rights over their own bodies. They may not go the church on Sunday anymore...And as far as blaming Roman Catholics on Supreme Court for granting dictatorial powers to the President (?), why would it be due to religion? Why not due to their political ideology? That's the problem with labels. They don't take into consideration individuals, each with their own perspectives. And those perspectives can change...Same re all the money being thrown at these political campaigns. Musk's millions didn't prevent election of a judge (can't remember which state...). Same for recent elections where money for ads, promotion, is less of a factor as ideology.
Point well made, Ayesha. I draw the inference from what it is that they all have in common that could make an intellectual difference. In this case, their adherence to Roman Catholicism doctrine. After all, Roman Catholicism has but one supreme leader - the Pope, a male. All of the leaders - Cardinals, Bishops, Patriarchs, Monsignors, Priests and Deacons - all male.
Yes indeed, you are correct. No women priests. But the point I was trying to make is that, even though we are born into a religion, does not mean we adhere to it as we age. Many are born & raised Roman Catholic. Doesn't mean we follow the dictates of the Church all our lives. It's the labelling...
You are, of course, correct Ayesha - many leave the church when they grow up. I did. I was raised in a liberal Presbyterian family, one of seven children. At this point I am of the firm belief that there is no such thing as a personal transcendental God, humans do not have souls, there is no afterlife, and Jesus probably never existed. Nothing in the New Testament is written by anyone who ever saw, spoke with or heard anything that the supposed Jesus ever said. That having been said, I believe that the lesson in Matthew 25: 34-46, the "least-of-these" sermon, is maybe the best ever. And, it was put into action by Frances Perkins, FDR's Sec. of Labor and the person most responsible for our having Social Security. Her theory of government:
"The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to facilitate the means by which all the people under its jurisdiction can access the best possible life."
And let us not forget Bush v Gore when Roberts took it upon himself along with his 4 conspirators to stop the counting of votes and select the president himself. What a different world this would be, if only…
That was a real disaster. It was Justice Scalia who made the ruling. I have never forgiven Ralph Nader for getting into the race. Had he not, Gore would have won because those votes would have gone to Gore - 90,000 I believe.
I believe Nader and the whole Green Party is a con. They make millions selling B.S. to a fringe group who cannot reason. There are only two teams on the field during the Super Bowl. The same is true with American elections. Nader was like a streaker who had fans who would buy a football bat.
Does everyone remember when Roberts was asked about that disastrous decision called “Citizens United?” He was asked by a reporter if he wasn’t afraid that the amount of money that was going to flow into elections might cause an oligarchy. He said the case wasn’t going to have much effect because giving a lot of money would be embarrassing to the giver! Oh, c’mon, Justice Roberts, really? I would like to think you aren’t a complete idiot, but this one was just the worst. Can you believe it? Is this guy one of the best and the brightest? He must not have known many humans. I agree that Obama failed us utterly when he didn’t speak out about this case. I miss Obama but there were some things he just didn’t understand. Trump, on the other hand, knows some things very well. He deeply enmeshed in greed, and understands rich people. And he will say anything to stay in power to become richer.
Obama picked Garland because Republicans liked him. He knew they’d vote down anyone he’d picked that was favored by democrats. Mitch didn’t allow the vote.
Gina, thanks for setting the record straight. Careful, methodical Garland, who was obsessed with appearing non-partisan, would have made a good justice. Obama made a good choice.
Mitch McConnell, the senator who vowed to make Obama a one-term president (and failed), made it his life's mission to block Obama at every possible turn. He blocked Garland's hearing, which probably would have resulted in confirmation.
The president who made the mistake where Garland was concerned was Biden, who gave Garland the AG position as a "consolation prize," a position for which Garland was woefully unsuited. That forced error has changed the course of U.S. history.
FYI: Obama DID systematically attack the SC Citizens United ruling as soon as it happened. And not only did he continue to attack it again and again, he and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid DID SOMETHING about it. They passed a very important campaign finance reform bill in the House, which included repealing the SC ruling entirely.
Unfortunately, by then too many progressives had turned against Democrats for not making progress fast enough (read: in a fascist rather than democratic way), so the GOP managed to block it in the Senate. More than a decade later, they still do.
No, I am talking about informing Americans what corporate personhood is and why it must be repealed. Obama did not do that as he should have. It should have been a primary issue for the next seven years in office. That major issue goes back to just after the Civil War. You mention The Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act, or DISCLOSE Act, which if it had become law would stop "dark money" in elections. That is important also and I discuss it much in my Memorandum and model amendment but standing alone it goes the whole nine yards. Moreover, when I see that kind of hype over something that totally fails to focus on a cure I get very suspicious. Imagine going to the E.R. with a life threatening bleed and the doctor only wants to set your broken wrist. Off kilter. Don't get me started on Comey.
Actually, it began under ronny reagan in the late 1980's. It just wasn't codified until 2011. I vividly remember standing in the kitchen with my father and feeling shocked when he said, upon reading about reagan's actions, "Well, there goes our democracy." How right he was.
I like your Dad. Ike was the last Republican. In my Memrandum I have a chapter on the Powell Memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advising how to coordinate an aggressive campaign against, as what he named his Memo, the “Attack On American Free Enterprise System”. That was August 23, 1971. Four months after Powell mailed the Powell Memo, President Richard Nixon appointed him as a Justice to the Supreme Court. In 1978, Justice Powell wrote the majority opinion in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, 435 US 765. That opinion was a foundation in Citizens United. That is how these corporatist fascist on the Court work. They have nothing written in the Constitution to base their lies upon and so they pull it all out from where the sun does not shine and call it "Court Doctrine," IOW lies.
Way back in 1888, in "Pembina Consolidated Silver Mining Co. v. Pennsylvania",
25 U.S. 181 the Court held as to the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause, “Under the designation of person there is no doubt that a private corporation is included. Such corporations are merely associations of individuals united for a special purpose ...” That B.S. is what every pro-corporation opinion stands upon and it must be repealed. Please read and share my Memorandum at UnitedWeAmend.org
His choice of Merrick Garland, I think, was made because he was facing a Republican congress and wanted to put forth someone who wasn't too radically left. However, what we got was Captain Kangaroo as AG. And Mueller was timid and almost as spineless, in my opinion....
And I'll bet you a plate lunch Amy Acton said "I won't take any PAC-like money" and like J. Tester, she'll probably lose. I'm so tired of democratic candidates that won't fight fire with fire & bet maga candidates at their own game. You have to win 1st before you can govern. I want to stop feeling like all my campaign donations I've been making for the mid-terms aren't a waste of money. Not a day goes by when I want to send it all to non-profits help people get food & housing.
I agree. I love the movie quote in "October Sky" (1999), the father character John Hickam (Chris Cooper) expresses his philosophy on fighting to his son, Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal), saying, "If you're gonna go, you're gonna go full bore. You don't go halfway." Also, talking to another man, "If I see him with a bruise... you get a scar. If I see him with a limp... you get crutches!" Democrats need to fight like the original union bosses.
You're right about Citizens United. Roberts has been a truly awful chief judge. Though I think he may be realizing just how much he has betrayed his country and Constitution.
Tonight on PBS News Hour they opened with the fact that the younger Ayatollah Khameni’s father, mother and wife were all killed in Bebe’s and Peepee’s big adventure! I wonder where and what the first attack on the US will be?
Interestingly, Timothy Snyder ( and others) have written that the degradation of our intelligence gathering agencies and (mis) direction of Homeland Security will increase the likelihood of an attack on US soil.
The Administration (all the same clones) have announced that a terror attack here would be Joe Biden's fault.
For the paranoid, the announcement suggests the possibility they are protecting themselves from the consequence of their own actions.
Any reasonable person knows our country is run by egotistic fools.
Those attacks will be random and geographically dispersed - like the shooting at Dominion College in Va., the attack on a synagogue I think in Michigan. Because not knowing where and when instills more uncertainty and fear.
These attacks were apparently by rogue individuals - not yet directed by the regime in Iran. Our own government it seems did not factor in this danger to the American people - or did not care - and it is only beginning.
Correct. They will be so-called lone wolves for now. We have plenty of home grown terrorists - they've shot up schools, churches, synagogues, universities, malls, and Wal Marts -
I am currently watching "The Night Agent" on Netflix. Although it is fiction, it has reminded me that we live in a world where governments have enormous power that is directed through secret channels that are deeply hidden from public view. If screenwriters can imagine scenarios, it's reasonable to conclude that government operatives can imagine the same. The older TV series, "Scandal," offered the same proposal.
Apparently "random" acts of terror are just as likely to be orchestrated by an adversarial government as not.
From elsewhere on the Intertubes: "Top Trump officials acknowledged to lawmakers during recent classified briefings that they did not plan for the possibility of Iran closing the strait in response to strikes."
I think we can accurately shorten that sentence to:
"Top Trump officials acknowledged that they did not plan."
Hello ICTT... It has been said by Trita Parsi, of the Quincy Institute, that Netanyahu, who has visited DJT six times since January 2025, promised DJT that this Iran War of 2026 would last 3-4 Days.. DJT thought that this would be a Cheap & Easy Victory towards his Glory, and that DJT would have a Victory Parade & Monument erected in DJT's Glory like a Conquering Roman Emperor... Would You Buy A Rug From Netanyahu The 'Rug Merchant'?...
Chump got played, wonder if Vlad is happy. I’m sure that Netanyahu also promised that he would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. What could go wrong…
The war is a self inflicted wound - Bibi persuaded him to shoot -- and here we are bleeding life, money, foreign influence, funds for social programs - and for what - so Trump can feel he's in the same camp as Bibi and Vlad. It's horrifying.
What's even more horrifying is the probability the new Ayatollah Khameni is already negotiating with the North Koreans or the Pakistanis for a nuke with the necessary rocketry to avenge the death of his wife and parents...
Hello JD... I am confident that Vlad, and Xi are Jubilant... With USA drawing Resources from Ukraine, and Taiwan, this helps their Strategic Goals... The easing of Sanctions on Russian Oil, and High Oil Prices was a Gift for Vlad... Let's see if DJT gets a 'Lenin Prize'....
I thought he already had. We know how that turned out. So then he nominated him for the Israel Peace Prize. And since then, Infantino has given him a FIFA Peace Prize. Someone could make him a big, beautiful chocolate cake for his 80th birthday, marked into easy-slice pieces decorated with the word NOBEL in gold lettering.
Seems T has just lifted US sanctions on P's oil, and US is expending all the munitions that should've gone to Ukraine, and Iranians AND Americans are expending lives and treasure to P's benefit. P'd already brought the Iranian drone manufacturing in-country. What's not to like?
Apache: No, but I'd certainly buy a Persian rug, if woven in Iran. Speaking of Trita Parsi, did you see the video of the discussion with Bernie Sanders this morning? I thought it was marvellous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CHIR1J8Zq8
Most salient fact here, Anne-Louise, how "it all goes back to 1953."
Trouble is, that history doesn't stop at 1953. Its dark money avatars and beyond-the-law elites continue, grow into the Powell memo's far right foundations following 1971, solidify into those growing U.S. inequality with the offshoring of the 1980s onward, with testing suffocating U.S. (and world) schools also from the 1980s onward, and finally Citizens United of 2010.
Donald and Jeffrey's rapists of underage girls? Just a side bar to the larger rapes the same class of elites were perpetrating at the same time, over a wider stage.
Add my thanks to Ms. Luccarini for the video; Sen. Sanders -- repeatedly my presidential choice -- is as formidably brilliant as ever. (Little I didn't already know -- I was still part of the working press in '79 -- but absolutely vital background for those who were unaware of the relentless petroleum-stealing viciousness of U.S. aggression against Iran and the regional natural-resource theft that prompts the USian plutocracy's weaponization of Israel as its primary Middle Eastern death squad.)
Also: love Ms. Luccarini's characterization of the Trump as "Infantino." Prompts me to ask, how does one say "Infant Terrible" in Italian? (Or better yet, "Infant Apocalyptic," preferably in pejorative Sicilian...)
Hello lin... I know that... 'Rug' originally applied to Persian Rugs... Whenever I see Talking Heads from that Region of the World, I know that they are Lying...
The capacity to grasp consequences lies beyond the mentality of a seven-year-old. Anyone applauding Trump for brilliant, decisive leadership is every bit as clueless as the man himself. He is mentally and psychologically unfit to run anything of consequence — let alone the world's most powerful military.
One unrestrained individual has gutted our government agencies, deranged the global economy with his self-proclaimed brilliant tariffs, and now destabilized both a region and the world order with a wag-the-dog war launched to distract from his mounting failures at home. We are all held hostage by a single malignant narcissist — a megalomaniac whose finger rests on triggers he cannot begin to comprehend.
A seven-year-old making life-and-death decisions. The consequences are not hypothetical. They are unfolding in real time.
I personally have known seven year olds who are much clearer on right and wrong than Trump and have a moral compass that could help guide them in making decisions. Trump has none.
Pyschologists usually put the age of 6-7 year olds that can forsee to some extend the consequences of their behavior. No person who is immature as trump should ever be given the responsibilities that he has. As a result, just look at the vast damage he has wrought.
Heather rightly points out a question, "Republicans are sounding the alarm about the ballooning debt and suggesting the only way to address it is to cut more programs that benefit the American people. But that raises fundamental questions about the purpose of the U.S. government. What should it do? Whom should it benefit, and why?"
Whom should it benefit? I say if it is not benefitting us why should we be funding it? We should be asking not for billionaires to get tax breaks, but for us not to pay taxes until the government works for us. It has to be a lawsuit. Draw attention to whom the government is really serving. If we are not getting representation then should we be paying taxes?
Linda, the problem with this is that the very wealthy are completely insulated from harm but "normal" people withholding taxes leads to everyone going to jail. I am furious that my taxes are going to support this (words fail me) maladministration and its goal to destroy everything that is good in the world but we all lack support from the people who could make a difference: Congresspeople and senators. And they are signally unwilling--yes, even the Dems--to do anything. Any news about "negotiations" to rein in ICE and Border Control and end the partial shutdown, which is being used gleefully by DHS critters to make normal people suffer and hasn't changed an iota of behavior by ICE? Oh: that would be a no. Any real moves to put the kibosh on the Felon Bros Netanyahu and Drumpf? That would also be a no. What I think could have an effect would be for Dem reps to physically impose themselves on public spaces and be willing to be arrested and roughed up. As we "celebrated" the anniversary of the Pettis Bridge horror this past week, I was reminded that it took that level of disgusting violence to get LBJ and Congress to make civil rights law come to pass. I doubt that anything short of this will have any effect at all.
Linda, That is why I say lawsuit. It has to be done legally. As Heather points out we did not always have federal taxes. They came about to fund the Civil war. I was just having a lunch with a Swiss friend who was pointing out that Switzerland just says no to war. They haven't had a war since 1847 when they were not really Switzerland. They used to have military conscription, and they stopped it, but may go back given the current climate, and everyone who owned a house had to have a stocked bomb shelter in their basement, which they also stopped, but may go back to. Still, they are not part of any alliance that would compel them to go to war. So, they are not funding war, and they have their tax structure much more local than federal.
There is much to admire about Switzerland but the black mark for me is the fact that they didn't give women the vote until 1971. Even worse than France.
insulated is correct and they are becoming more so. The extreme wealthy avoid the airline security checks we all go through. They have their own drivers and now advertise communities where they can have their private airstrips where they can taxi up their home. Bunkers, gate compounds, communities, makes me think of the series Fallout on Amazon.
I'm not in tune with your "everyone pay no taxes, Linda.
The billionaires will keep getting their tax exemptions and other privileges. That's what the Powell memo initiated (1971) and that's what Citizens United confirmed (2010).
The human hurt from all this? It's in our humanities, which are no longer in our schools, or in our media.
If we do not contribute to the federal tax pot, there is no money to fund this evil anti the people government and no money from which to give the billionaires tax breaks. If we sue for no federal taxes it comes down to the all states issuing taxes for all services. Blue states will not let the billionaires get away with not paying taxes.
because they are a cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads! And even if we declared victory and withdrew tomorrow it likely wouldn't end the war. So we don't have control of that outcome either.
The White House is following a different plan. Donald Trump appears to envision a world divided into three major spheres of influence. US control;s the western hemisphere Russia controls eastern Europe, China controls Taiwan. It has alsoo been reported that Iran, Russia and the US are working together on the present war in the Middle East.
For those who might not understand your comment. Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia are fictional superstates in George Orwell's novel 1984. Each of those fictional countries covers a region of the world,, as tRump would like to do.
Eadie: you've left out Netanyahu. Doesn't he has something to do with the present war in the Middle East? And now there's the Shield of the Americas (just had their inaugural "summit" - everything south of Texas except Mexico and Brazil and maybe one other, I can't remember.
Hard to know where to begin Anne- Louise. Certainly, Netanyahu has something to do with this war, but my answer will not satisfy you. I deliberately left him out. Why, you may ask? He is not innocent in this affair, but I believe he does have reason to be there, where trump is there because he's a Russian asset. Iran is there because Iran has been Russia's accomplice for decades, because they both want to see Israel wiped off the face of the map. Space does not allow me to defend Israel's existence. Suffice it to say The League of Nations was signed by all the allied countries. Despite this, Israel had to fight for their independence beginning in 1948. Treaties count, not to mention the thousands of acres purchased from the Mullahs by Jews before that. It was a barren wasteland at the time. No one including Britain thought they would win the 1948 war against the whole Arab world. No one came to their defense, shades of Ukraine today. Israel won the war for their independence and defeated the whole Arab world. For 75 years, Israelis have had to live in bunkers. You cannot name one skirmish between Israel and their neighbors where Israel has been the aggressor. Random murders of Israelis have occurred on buses, at weddings, at Bar Mitzvahs by Hamas terrorists for 75 years
You might also note that Israel treats Middle East children and adults in their hospitals. Monsour Abbas representing Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians in his United List party in the Knesset was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, no friend of Israel. He graduated from Hebrew University as a dentist. Name an Arab country that allows Jews to partake in their gov't. or attend their universities or be treated in their hospitals. Name a country that sends out thousands of flyers explaining where there next targets are. Did we do that in Iraq? The world is only too anxious to buy into the propaganda spewed 24/7 about Palestinian deaths. Where were they when Israel was attacked. Hardly a whimper. The best they could manage was Israel has the right to defend itself, with one hand tied behind their back. Now, it's Netanyahu who is a convenient pretext for the Hamas murders, 40,000 Americans murdered in one day, when populations are compared on 10/7. Was the US attacked when tRump entered this war? The ministry of health, whose numbers of Palestinian deaths are repeated ad nauseam, are funded by Iran, who has the elimination of Israel in their charter. The United nations spokesperson is a known antisemite. Their work in Gaza found UN workers working hand in hand with Hamas.They are now claiming that Israel committed genocide, a bold faced lie! The numbers are questionable and photos of children are outright slanderous and misleading. In point of fact, Hamas was found murdering Gazans when they tried to follow Israeli warnings. Hamas called them martyrs. This is not the first time Hamas propaganda tried to lie about the numbers of deaths at the hands of Israelis. They exaggerated the deaths at the hands of the Israeli military at Shifa hospital years ago. US intelligence found their own guns backfired and explosives were found under the hospital.
Netanyahu is not stupid. He realized that tRump was working with the world's number one terrorist Putin and he jumped at the chance of finally having an opportunity to rid him of this pestilence. I don't support Netanyahu because he's succumbed to bribery, but he has been an Israeli patriot fighting in an Israeli war that took the life of his brother. What Netanyahu did was in defense of his country, whereas tRump committed treason. You might believe I will defend Netanyahu no matter what he has done. You would be wrong. I believe he might be in on the cabal with Putin, but for different reasons. I've also supported Mamdani along with my family. Millions of Israelis do NOT support Netanyahu.
It's, Nicely put. I read your quote to my husband who is a fan of Machiavelli. I agree totally with your last sentence including your description of the cabal. Nothing about this makes any sense unless you belong to the billionaire class who think their money will save them.
It is my opinion that "W" broke the Middle East, which subsequently led to the mass migration to Europe where they were not welcomed and has contributed to the ongoing turmoil, violence and divisiveness. Then you add the blunders of the current president who is ignorant about the history - both historical and religious - of the area, and we have a recipe for decades more disaster.
I love your last paragraph and would love to share it on Facebook. I won’t without your approval. The downside is I don’t have some huge following and might get just a few views. But it’s one way I voice mine and others opinions.
ICTT--I went to early vote in my Chicago suburb yesterday. I've done that "stand outside the poll to push your candidate/initiative" myself, so I try to not be rude to anyone. As we walked in, and 7 people descended upon me, I said "DON'T EVEN TALK TO ME IF YOU'RE PUSHING REPUBLICANS!"
My husband breezed past, but it was all Democrats, and I spoke to each of them. One guy handing out cards for a judgeship muttered something about Iran being a hot mess.
I keep wondering WHAT it will be that finally turns the tide on Trump?
Buried in the news cycle is the Trump-Epstein files, esp the search of the Zorro ranch. This is from a few days ago, but Glenn Kirshner is a trusted source, and this will take only 15 minutes of your time to listen. It's simmering in the background, and I sure hope it boils over soon! This could be really huge.
There hasn't been a war in the Middle East with foreign troops involved that wasn't started by foreign intervention. Arabs as a lot, have often been a welcoming people. That the turmoil now existing within that region, is the sole manufactured responsibility of the West, now loosely led (if even that) by the current US administration and its diseased insipid lack of intellect. Many diplomats, in the past assigned to the Middle East, knew this and undertook the pains to learn Arabic and attempt to build bridges. "Arabists" in the State Department were a thoughtful welcome cadre for the communicative coexistence between the US and the Arab region. The implant of the Zionists within that region essentially threw all within into turmoil. The Arabists were the only cadre that had any "street cred"; that group was foolishly dismantled by the W. Bush administration when they were most needed. The incessant rise of Zionist Christianity played no small part in the dismantling of this critical cabal within the State Department. We've been paying for it ever since. That the Middle East is currently the hot spot it now is, in its origin, is the responsibility of the Truman administration in forwarding the recognition of Israel and Zionism in the region. Judaism has always been a part of the Middle East; therefore, Judaism is not the problem. The problem is and always has been Zionism; Zionists creating their wish for a "Greater Israel" by stealing land having never belonged to them, even outside Palestine, has been a mainstay for their existence. In 1979, Yassar Arafat went to Tehran claiming that "the road to Jerusalem runs through Iran." Since then, Iran committed itself to freeing Palestine from the Zionist yolk and returning the land to the original owners who had deeds in their hands and keys to their homes. In spite of Obama's outreach to the Arab population in 2009, the US has never been an honest broker. Until the Zionist problem is settled fairly and equitably, there will always, at least, be the undercurrent of hostility in that region to anything Western. I often remember Peter Ustinov's wise and salient reflection in defining terrorism: "terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich." If any uniformed military proves this statement to be correct, it is born in the example of the IDF: the progeny of both the Irgun and Lehi, both world known terrorist organizations.
Sorry, the implication that foreign intervention has been the sole cause of Arab on Arab conflict is simply inaccurate.
The wars between Shai and Sunni are well documented. Killing over who is the legitimate heir to Mohammad may be a side show, but it is a side show nonetheless.
Why is the Middle East so volatile? It's the birthplace of three religions who all claim to the one and true religion.
There will be no peace until mankind gets the memo on religion, superstitions, and dogma.
Clearly Gary, you’ve missed the central point. What you mention in Middle East is intra-conflict fighting. I specifically said where *foreign troops* were involved essentially started Middle East wars. Please reread my statement carefully and then we may return for further discussion.
Clearly Riad you missed the central point of my response. I addressed your assertion that foreign troops essentially started Middle East wars. Arabs have been happy to kill one another long before the arrival of foreign troops, and left to their own devices will continue to do so.
That so many are adherents to a religion bent on superstition, violence, and ignorance is a sure recipe for continued strife.
Consider for one moment the leading role Arabs took in the world slave trade. Arabs are no more or less suspectable to cruelty, territorial ambitions, and war than any other race.
There will be no peace in the Middle East until mankind gets the memo on religion, superstitions, and dogma.
Please reread my response and then we may return to further discussion.
The corruption is mind boggling. Of course we need equitable taxation where everyone pays their fair share. Yes we’ll always argue about what’s fair. But no matter how good the laws are they are worthless unless they are enforced. Nobody likes the tax man but clearly billionaires won’t pay unless they are made to. Kneecapping the IRS has only let the scofflaws get away with it.
As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once wrote -- whose words are emblazoned on the building of the IRS itself -- taxes are the price we pay to live in civilized society.
but the flipside they use to justify the cuts is they pay something like 60% of the collected taxes? I have seen the libertarian think tanks put out those figures that show that the rich provide most f the total government revenue. That is how the republicans keep getting hoodwinked into the cuts. Never mind that they have over 50% of the total wealth and most of that has come through exploitation of workers, financial schemes, and tax avoidance.
Maybe we need to be non supportive of billionaires business. Turn off CBS it's all trump lies anyway. Benos Amazon isn't the only store on line, try Walmart. Anyone who uses Starlink Internet, available now, will be paying to be monitored by Elon Musk and Palandir. Your money, your choice. Hurt their bottom line.
The billionaires' ability to use their money to so blatantly bribe the politicians to govern entirely in their favor was due to the Citizens United ruling.
It was authored by highly educated men, deep thinkers all: Anthony Kennedy, John G. Roberts, Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas. Those five men's opinion changed the course of our nation. They are the enablers of the oligarchy's perversion of our system of government.
They did their work in a judicial system in which, as we have seen in the last 14 months, there are no constraints or ability to review and reverse the decisions SCOTUS makes. The recourse is to wait until enough of the current justices die or retire under a new administration. The alternative is to expand the court. Then new cases can be brought before a different set of justices, who can issue a new ruling that reverses the old one.
That assumes there will be free and fair elections to elect a President who would nominate, and a Senate that would confirm, new justices with different opinions.
The crux of the problem is that the timeline for checks and balances on SCOTUS is too long and too dependent on nominations by the president and the party in power in the Senate, especially since the filibuster rule requiring a supermajority for confirmation was removed.
This is one more issue to add to the list of amendments to the Constitution when we declare corporations are not people and money is not political speech: a mechanism for rapid judicial review of SCOTUS decisions, and changes to how justices to SCOTUS are nominated and confirmed.
There is another way: elect representatives who are not beholden to moneyed interests, and have them pass laws. This will force the Supreme Court to reconsider the issue. There are hopefully enough justices who are not corrupt and who recognize the damage the decision has done.
If the same people are on the SCOTUS bench, they will most likely keep applying the same logical framework in their decisions and cite stare decisis of their own rulings.
Maybe the way to correct the timeline issue is to have staggered 5-year term limits with the possibility of a second term for SCOTUS with a 2/3 supermajority required for confirmation in the Senate and nominations made from a list generated and approved by a majority of the judges on the federal appeals courts.
But we know that money is often the decider. Those low minded voters are easily persuaded. A few neighbors regretfully voted for him. They were one issue or no issue voters. They wanted someone to clean the swamp. Right.
AIPAC is a monstrosity of a pro-Israeli PAC which has many other PAC offshoots. The negative effect on the Democratic Party is immense. Go look up the leaders today in the Democratic Party-Schumer, Schiff, Jeffries etc. Take a look at the stocks they own. You can look up the PAC names and then what committees they are on. This is where the gears click. No wonder these people have been dragging their corporate shackled feet for so long. Even better you can look up candidates. The integrityindex.us site looks at a bigger picture and even assigns a grade.
There is an attitude going around of vote blue no matter who. This has not proven to be a good idea. We are in a nightmare with the Democratic Party Leaders being weak and ineffective. The best news is there are some very good candidates running who are PAC free. We can effect change without relying on the Supreme Court or the PAC owned entrenched members of Congress.
It's clear that corruption goes where the power is. It's also good that groups like this are shining a light on it, regardless of party affiliation.
To put it bluntly, beyond the obvious effects of Citizens United we as a citizenry are living with the consequences of paying too little attention to how our government is run. Blame media overload, media capture, the tribalization of our politics - we need to call out the people in office who have failed in their obligation to represent their voters. It sounds like integrityindex.us is helping provide that information to the rest of us.
Agree. We got the government we deserved. This is, of course, an unpopular viewpoint but it is true. We have historical low voter turnout. Americans know more about their sports teams than the issues of the day. Americans know even less about a candidate. We elected SCOTUS. How else do we think those Presidents who nominated them and the congress people approved got into office?
It's all on us. This is such good news. We can call out the people in Office. I have been doing this by publishing their PAC and stocks information when they are on a podcast etc. We stop voting "blue no matter who" and kick Schummer, Jeffries etc out.
Remind people that this chaos is owned by all the elected republicans. They own the tariffs mess, the reduction in government services around health safety, environmental safety, public safety, national security, and all the law breaking in this administration. All of it.
Let's not deify one political party please. The Democratic Party has known for 10 years of the threat of who trump is. The let MAGA grow and grow. They have made one massively bad calculation after another. The Democratic party "leadership" continues to issue "strongly worded statements" while Americans suffer and are scared.
By examining the PAC money controlling the Democratic Party Leadership it all begins to make sense. It's time we stop letting the Democrats off the hook.
We demand change in the complete political system in America.
"We want an opposition Party that fights back. Fighting back against the regime does work… and we will remake this party to represent the people because it is currently full of too many people who are too weak. We’re not asking. We’re demanding.
Indivisible Las Vegas"
And
"This message is for the members of Congress who are supposed to be looking out for us their constituents and voters:
Find a spine. Find a vertebra. Find some strength in yourself to stand up for this Country and the people who live here. You have a masked militia in the street murdering citizens who are doing nothing wrong. If you cannot find it in yourself to do something about that then please know we will find new leadership. If you think you are safe because you live in a non-competitive district, think again. We are not afraid to change our party in order to defeat you. We are not afraid to figure out how to work the system to get you out of office if you will not keep us safe. Do your jobs. Do it with an ounce of bravery. All it takes is a hundredth of the bravery that Renee Good or Nurse Pretti had. Do better or do a different job."
Absolutely. For the decades since the Powell Memo went out, the dems have let the cancer grow. The decimation of the VTA, CRA, with the death by a thousands cuts strategy is their most serious fault I believe. Sadly, the facts how the GOP has totally been coopted into their current state as well as the haphazard way the dems resist. Sarah Kenzdior's book They Knew is an eye opener. One of the strongest indictment of our politicians I have ever read. She brings the receipts.
I feeling more of a dooms dayer now. Perhaps like I felt in 2007 when I stated that we were heading for a major recession the following year. This time, it’s recession, depression or a little or a lot of both. I’m preach to the choir here when I say that Trump only damages and destroys. He was damaged during his developmental stages. His father and apparently his mother damaged him permanently. Accumulating assets, raping underage girls (the idea of virgin sex was always desirable on account of std fear. And now, vengeance at any and all costs. One thing Trump has in common with the darkest figures in human history; total destruction. Hang on to your purses and wallets. The worst is yet to come.
Side note; I had my brief chat with the chief knucklehead Rick Sender. A few words with him and I blocked him again. He is no fun anymore because he won’t respond to my taunts of how stupid he was after I convinced him to buy my little book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums.”
We should enjoy Rick Sender. He seems totally addicted to Heir Trump, our national avatar of hatred. Reading his circuitous rantings about why liberals are idiots because we can't see the wonderful things Trump and facisim are bringing to America is instructive.
Rick? If you mean him, he communicated with me a few times after I unblocked him but as I said, he isn’t fun anymore. Rick is hard to understand as are any who fully support Trump. Trump has no values. No morals nor ethics. He believes in nothing except money accumulation and destruction for its own sake. How could anyone with any degree of intelligence support that?
Justices also need to be subjected to term limits, maybe 12 years, maybe 18. We can debate on the length. No more lifetime appointments that shield them from accountability. Additionally, the court should be expanded to 13 justices with each justice responsible for oversight of one circuit (they already have this responsibility but it’s not a 1:1 match). 12 circuits, 12 justices, with an at large Chief Justice.
I agree, Chris. I'd like to see either a time limit or an age limit for justices. Oregon "ages out"* their Circuit Court judges at 75. I think I'd like to see 70 as the upper limit.
* Aging out is what happens to kids competing in Drum Corps International (DCI) hit 21 before June 1; if their birthday is after that, they can finish that season.
Term limits rather than age limits. Lots of women took time out for child rearing and elder care so they are still rising in the ranks compared to male peers, not to mention that we live longer. You don't want to waste that talent and potential!
We will never get an amendment until we get people in congress to pass it. AIPAC Tracker and integrityindex.us go to the root of the problem. We weed out the career politicians who essentially do nothing. We elect people who will work for the voters.
Interesting, but my first question is that it uses the word “reasonable” in the amendment and what is reasonable to me or you may be open to wide interpretations by the originalist justices.
The amendment has to be written to avoid those issues. “Only individual citizens may donate to political candidates and parties up to a maximum total amount in each election cycle equal to the average national poverty level as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year prior to that of the election.”
We are also being screwed by the latitude the states currently have to define their own rules, so that needs to be tightened up, especially regarding privacy of voter data and who is allowed to see it and who is allowed to challenge it.
The billionaires think they are some sort of aristocracy, who by right, should have whatever they want, while children go hungry and families are bankrupted by medical debt because someone got sick or injured. What America cannot afford is billionaires. Tax them out of existence.
Exactly, The book When a Libertarian Walks Into a Bear does a great job of explaining how this individualism actually creates less freedom and why we need government to run for the people.
Didn't trump say that he paid $750 in income tax on millions of income? I guess we all don't have the luxury of using a cemetery on our golf course as a deduction.
If it benefits the payer like a bribe and corrupts the public's interests like a bribe, then it is, in effect a bribe. See what the US Constitution has to say about bribery. We have been fools to put up with this.
I live in Ohio. And I talk to people. 'Swampi' doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of winning here. I hope he burns through every penny of the Epstein Class' money, and then tries to blame 'the system', and voter fraud. I think then he just may be run out of the country!
Please go to AIPAC Tracker and integrityindex.us. It is a valuable tool for calling out incumbents and candidates. Thank you not only for your work but also your enthusiasm. We need both right now.
"The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves---in their separate, and individual capacities.
In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interfere." - Lincoln
Anybody hoping for election would do well to read the words of Lincoln. All of them. Then, if they reach the stage of taking the oath, they will know what it is that's expected of them. And if they aren't honest, they shouldn't have been elected. But what am I saying?
In Texas the ads run non-stop. The tv is Goebbels on steroids. But the cult loves the hate fest. I don’t pretend, I don’t keep my head down, maybe somebody will notice.
This has been my conclusion as well: anger and hatred are the fuel of the MAGA cult. It's really very sad, and so destructive, and completely unnecessary.
But it works surprisingly well, doesn’t it. If pre-trump you had told me some Americans feel this level of hate for others, I wouldn’t have believed you. Guess I’m lucky to have lived this ignorant as long as I have. It’s terribly disillusioning.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has banned independent press photographers from Pentagon briefings because they were unhappy with "unflattering" photos of him.
The restriction began after a March 2, 2026, press conference—Hegseth’s first briefing appearance in months—where photographers from outlets like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty Images captured images his aides deemed unappealing.
The head of our 'Department of War' was literally a Fox News talking head who is a misogynist and a drunk. He has no experience at anything except cheating on his wife.
He has the IQ of a potato and the vanity of a Kardashian.
Better yet, tax 'em silly. We did that years ago and yet the world still spun. Oh, and there once was this thing called "antitrust" that helped keep monopolies at bay....
When we taxed the rich, the country could afford to create the environment that created innovation and even more wealth. Remember the NIH and the NSF? NASA?
These oligarchs, especially the American ones, believe they pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps and owe nothing to anybody. They need to understand that taxes are the way they pay back their debt and create the environment for the next generation of innovators.
Of course, they see the next generation as their competiton. Far easier to pull the ladder up behind them and count their money in peace than to welcome others into the club and help the continued advancement of civilization.
I feel like everything I learned in school about antitrust and monopolies has been somehow thrown away when I wasn’t paying attention. wtf is going on? I can’t believe the consolidation of media (print and broadcast). I’ve unsubscribed to paramount Disney etc now I’ll have to get rid of HBO too? Guess I’ll need to read more until we get government that regulates these clowns again. Won’t hold my breath though.
Jonathon Swift wrote a satirical essay A Modest Proposal suggesting fattening up Irish babies for eating them would be a great idea. His words created a great stir. Whatever makes this administration go and I am getting to think of some not so nice things these nights.
3/12/26 Thursday Night LFAA post on the Old Dominion & the Beth Israel west of Pittsburg, shootings today. Because of professional & rapid responses both Perps are deceased at the 2 separate scenes.
Per VA Governor Abigail Spanberger at Old Dominion University U.S.Army ROTC teacher Lt. BRANDON SCHAH was killed in his ODU class room & 2 were injured.
What is an accurate analysis of this afternoon's over hanging national Question?
Let's ask MICHAEL FEINER a fellow at Lawfare.
So where is the Billionaire money being spent? Michael says: "The draw down & massive shift of personnel to "immigration" like going after 5 year old Liam but, multiplied by thousands of misdirected hours & assets.
In other more direct words, FEINER concludes LESS agents are not meeting with sources which means we're 100% LESS safe while the Billionaire flood the stem with cash.
I have donated to AMY ACTON 3 times. You get updates on her campaign.
I remember a few decades ago a legal case of a NYC landlord who refused to attend to his ghetto tenement. The judge made that landlord live in one of his own rat-infested apartments with 24/7 noise and non-working appliances. I think that kind of justice would be more appropriate for the corrupt billionaires.
Wild guess, I don’t have numbers, but would be great if my congressperson could research this and yeay/nay the validity:
If taxes could have some absolute floor of 10% of income, or double what they currently pay, whichever is greater, and tax “carried interest”, etc, etc: could all the public good and schools be funded and lift everyone out of poverty and hunger and homelessness, and the weak could be strengthened. All without harming that so-sacred ‘invisible hand of the free market’ the Rand-ites like to worship.
What would be todays parallel of Jesus’ tearing apart the market?
It’s worth noting that Linda McMahon tried, and failed, twice to buy a Connecticut Senate seat, (2010, 2012) blowing through tens of millions of her own money and probably much more in campaign contributions from her billionaire friends. Ross Perot presents a similar history in his run for President.
That said, the tax code absolutely must be engineered to make billionaires impossible. I think $500 million is still way too much power for one person to control.
That’s right; money is power. SCOTUS got it all wrong calling money speech. Money is power and the greed of billionaires is the lust for power over the rest of us.
I think all money should be declared public property, but I’ll leave that discussion for another day.
The Spring equinox is a week away. As Chief Dan George said, “Let us endeavor to persevere.”
As the attack on the synagogue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and same day attack in Old Dominion University both show, Donald giving himself permission to start a new war is just encouraging more of our worst sectarian hatreds and atavistic stereotyping.
Eleven billion dollars in the first six days of his war of choice. Unappropriated, so it goes straight to the National Debt where it will accrue interest forever.
Trump must be over the moon at being able to spend money so fast. His father would be so proud.
Meanwhile Social Security's trust funds are expected to run out of money in 2032, according to a recent CBO report revising its forecast, and Medicare will run out of money in 2040 instead of 2052.
About a third of Americans say they believe Social Security won’t be there for them when they retire, according to a December survey from the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank.
These fears are stoked by the idea that Social Security is going bankrupt. But economist Stephen Nuñez argues that the word “bankrupt” is misleading and isn’t a good way to think about what’s happening with Social Security.
“There is no bankruptcy or collapse in the cards,” Nuñez, an economic director at the liberal-leaning Roosevelt Institute, wrote in a recent report.
That’s because, experts say, even if Social Security’s trust funds were fully depleted, about 80% of Social Security benefits would continue to flow because they are funded in real time through payroll taxes. And that scenario assumes Congress ignores the issue.
“Even if nothing is done, people will continue to receive the bulk of their benefits,” Alicia Munnell, founder of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, wrote last May. “No one, however, wants to see an immediate 20% across-the-board benefit cut in Social Security retirement benefits.”
Social Security is extremely popular regardless of political affiliation, leading Nuñez to find it unlikely that lawmakers will simply let Social Security fall into insolvency.
He noted that Social Security faced a similar shortfall in the 1980s, and lawmakers rallied to pass reforms in 1983. Those changes were supposed to ensure decades of financial stability until 2058. However, the Great Recession and increased income inequality have changed the calculus the reforms were built upon, and Social Security is in need of a legislative tweak again.
Some popular fixes include subjecting wages over $400,000 to the payroll tax, gradually increasing the retirement age and reducing benefits for top earners.
Nuñez said finding the best fix — “rather than predictions of doom and gloom” — should be the focus
Good Evening to All, and congratulations to Shai-Gilgeous Alexander!
It seems to me that there are two points to elucidate (or attempt to do so) in response to Heather's Epistle of this late winter evening.
One revolves around the famous Louis Brandeis quote---"We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both".
The bracing truth of that statement is one that seems to have been lost on the political class for quite a while, even in the halcyon days before the Despicable One and his Slovenian Braun descended the "Married to the Mob" escalator.
In the Revolutionary era, John Hancock was one of the richest men on the continent. His shipping and propertied empire was immense. Yet, he tossed in with the Revolutionaries, including a certain corset maker named Thomas Paine, who normally would have no truck with such a grandee, both to secure his ability to steer his own businesses and wealth in the way he chose, and because he had a citizen's nobility of vision, understanding that a tyrannical government like that of Britain's at the then high water mark of its imperial power, would never allow the full expression of liberty's endeavors, whether business, artistic, political, etc. When Paul Revere rode from the two lanterned steeple of the Old North Church into the Massachusetts night, he warned his countrymen that "The British were coming". Yet the British were coming both to strangle any incipient uprising in its crib, and to take the heads of two of those who would lead such an uprising---Samuel Adams, cousin of our second President, and maker of a wonderful ale (God Bless Him!), and of course, John Hancock. The British, sly and cruel in their imperial means, as those from India and Ireland can attest, would have loved to have paraded the heads of Adams and Hancock across a rebellious New England so as to strike fear and intimidation into the hearts of those who might otherwise have found themselves gathering their courage on Lexington's green.
Thank the Lord for the nighttime, for Revere and Dawes preventing said calamity.
The other point to raise, is more difficult all around. The billionaires that Heather discusses will do their thing, striving with every entitled and arrogant fiber within their tax exempted, dignity deprived souls to hang onto their ill gotten gains. This is not news, but rather, the story of human history in many ways. The real question, and the oh-so-difficult question is, what is it within our fellow Americans that is so susceptible to the campaigns that the billionaires pay for that they would vote against their Country's values, principles and future, but also against their own interests?!?
Warren Buffet pays hundreds of millions every year in federal, state and local taxes and is happy to do it. He understands the truth behind President Obama's 'you didn't build this just by yourself' he once spoke about (and was excoriated by fright-wing talk radio for).
Our wealthy are privileged to live in a land that not only permits them to accumulate wealth, but enjoy all the public goods that a robustly-funded progressive taxation system buys. Roads, bridges, ports and all infrastructure, education, research, health, food and drug safety, social security, a true national defense, and our wonderful national park, forest, nature preservation systems all make up these marvelous things known as "public goods." Countries marked by vast income disparities, where the top 1-2% value wealth accumulation alone -- and whose government matches their private greed by not investing in public goods -- are poor countries indeed.
I would like to see Warren Buffet and other sensible billionaires (yes, they exist!) invest more in American democracy.
For starters, they ought to buy Sinclair Broadcast and Fox News and turn them into real news outlets. Likewise companies who own all-too-many local newspapers: Gannett, Lee Enterprises, Alden Global, Chatham et al. Buffet and others *should* have been there to snatch up CNN and CBS before Trump’s allies bought them up. And it’s a travesty that Trump was able to orchestrate the sale of a controlling interest in TikTok to his cronies.
PS. Warren Buffet, George Soros & Co. should also invest couple of billion dollars in this midterm elections cycle. It is absolutely vital that Democrats retake control of the Senate as well as the House. We need to stop this slide into Fascism!
More than that, ArcticStones; your "sensible Billionaires" should have put together a program to match the caliber of the work that the Koch Bros' $13 Billion has produced... that created the propaganda envelope that spawned the "low-information voters" who elected the government we have... who created Project 2025... who bought over 500 professors' chairs in universities across the country... who cunningly created the "tea party" with a secret plan staged by Sean Hannity, paid $1 Million a year through a back door.
There's so much the Limousine Liberal Billionaires could have done. Instead they've been caught taking a banana to a knife fight.
Not just Americans, Daniel, but humans in history have often acted against their own interests. Or, their primary interests just aren't obvious to the rest of us. Don't "saints" act against their human interests?
Secularly, perhaps the unseen evolutionary lever for change just hasn't yet reached critical mass. If we could discover it, we could throw our "weight" to it.
For every one billionaire dollar going to Democrats, five go to Republicans....
Not only is this a truth that disproves the premise behind "Citizens United" that money is nothing but speech, it's also an argument for strengthening political-party based Congressional and Senatorial Committees. Many here think individual contributions are the way to go. That itself is part of the problem -- and the effect -- of Citizens United. Republican Party coffers are oozing with cash right now, Democratic ones are not.
Without money, momentum often just dies on the vine. And you cannot make up for lost momentum with individual donations to whomever you please alone. You need the organizing arms of parties to put money where it's needed most, where it will be most effective. Those of you who refuse to do this based on some sort of 'principle' -- please reconsider.
IMHO, Warren Buffet, George Soros & other billionaires who value American democracy need to invest couple of billion dollars in this midterm elections cycle. (Yes, it shouldn’t be so, but until Citizens United is repealed, we need these billionaires as allies!)
If we are to prevent a further slide into American Fascism, it is absolutely vital that Democrats retake control of the Senate as well as the House, and that we strengthen our power at the state level.
No question that the amount of money being accumulated by individuals and corporations is corrupting the American experiment and the “The World is not enough” mind set will rip the democratic process apart. Nothing will change unless the amassing of wealth is controlled.
Amassing of wealth should not reach a point of eroding unalienable rights, equal protection, and equal rights of any American. That's the whole idea of the process launched nearly 250 years ago; and while application of those principles was pretty uneven in the early days, the pursuit of those ideals have extended those rights substantially. Now the "same old serpent", The Empire, is striking back. We have lost it if we let them succeed.
The "Citizens United" decision of the Roberts SCOTUS was a defacto legalization of political corruption in the USA. The straight line from that decision to the Trump presidency is crystal clear. The war against Iran is just the latest tragic result. We have a thoughtless billionaire problem. Big time.
Here is a fav journalist having a real 1:1 conversation with Anthropic, which I am sharing here. Turn on [CC] closed caption.
It’s the best Q&A on how we can be ready for the career disruption coming soon to our economy from AI.
Not only do I admire Dario / Daniela Amodei from Anthropic, for pushing back on reckless Trump’s bullying, but this 90-minute YouTube with Jack Clark shows that he has the knowledge and the integrity to be a responsible leader for the revolution coming.
Trump will never help or care about our current American workforce getting displaced with their jobs, but Jack Clark explains that he is sensitive, strong and smart enough to help support our generation of young people looking forward to a career and a future.
You're so right -- Trump will never care -- he's touting higher gas prices as "patriotic" and claiming that higher oil prices will make "us" a lot of money -- let's see if the base buys that bushel of bullshit.
Please, someone explain to me how former Senator Al Franken was forced to resign his Senate seat, after a photo surfaced showing him clowning around (quite mild, relative to the trump/Epstein photos we see regularly today!), but a thug like Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) can just simply walk away after a brazen assault that resulted in serious bodily injury??? Why is there no outrage?? Why are the Dem Senators not DEMANDING he get his criminal ass out of DC, like TODAY!!
Everyone benefits from good infrastructure, good education, good governance all funded by taxes. Equitable taxation should reflect our collective values and serve the larger common good.
And, We the People should be able to decide if we want wars of choice to be funded with those taxes, because at over $1 billion a day most Americans would want that money spent on something much more beneficial.
The gang that couldn't think straight, indeed.
“Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.” — Machiavelli, “Florentine Histories”
Those with brains, education and expertise, counselors to princes, presidents and prime ministers, spend sleepless nights thinking precisely about this truth. Even those without expertise know that in the Middle East — *especially* in the Middle East — there are no magic wands to ‘flick and swish’ to make imaginary things suddenly become real. Idiots neither know — nor care — about either of these truths.
In a previous Middle East incursion, we were at least warned about the existence of “unknown unknowns.” The edges of medieval maps were once marked with “Here Be Monsters” — a warning and metaphor both about the perils of uncharted, unforeseen, un-thought about places, not just on maps, but in the unexamined recesses of our own minds and hearts.
Why a cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads in the White House and Pentagon think this war will be the exception to truths wise people have known since ancient times, I do not know.
All these mega-millions in politics is a result of the Roberts’s 5, “Citizens United” opinion. That money is what put the cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads in the White House. One year after President Obama was sworn into Office the Roberts’s 5, reacted with that opinion. The “Southern strategy” of appealing to racism against African Americans to increase political support among white voters in the South finally failed the Republican Party. They freaked out and have been freaking out more ever since. Now not only is money in politics secured under the "Free speech" clause of the First Amendment but soon they will make the sky the limit for such corruption. Oh, and gerrymandering is now the law of the land too.
I miss President Obama. Although I do feel he screwed up by appointing Republican James Comey as Director of the FBI, one of three men who sabotaged Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign. President Obama also dropped the ball by not combining his 12 years of being a professor of Constitutional Law with the bully pulpit power of the Executive branch to repeatedly and systematically attack the Roberts’s 5 and their “Citizens United” opinion. He should have at least incrementally spoon-fed to the public that “Citizens United” is a major attack upon our Republic, our Democracy and we must Amend our Constitution to repeal it. My Memorandum does that and I have mailed it to President Obama. Yet I miss his cool, calm and ethical genius. One example I have is I always suspected President Obama’s plan in “Operation Neptune Spear” to include how he played Donald Trump for the fool that he is.
Only four or five persons within the White House knew about the early morning raid against Osama bin Laden on Monday, May 2, 2011 (Pakistan time). Beyond the secrecy however was creating a misconception that the only thing on the President’s mind was running for a second term. Thus President Obama set out to make news which Al-Qaeda would read as, “Boring American politics.” On Wednesday just four and one half days prior to what has been described as the "Night of Justice" three things made news: President Obama released his long-form birth certificate, a major Tornado occurred in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Trump called a press conference to tell the world how proud he is of himself for forcing the release of the birth certificate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6hsm81VXKY Two days later on Friday President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama surveyed the tornado damage in Tuscaloosa. Then two days after that on Sunday night, E.T., President Obama and Secretary Clinton monitored the live operation against Osama bin Laden. Five years later on September 16, 2016, Trump was the Republican nominee for president and still pounding his chest. His campaign issued a statement saying, "In 2011, Mr. Trump was finally able to bring this ugly incident to its conclusion by successfully compelling President Obama to release his birth certificate". No clue that he was hooked, gaffed, clubbed and fried. One week ago President Obama paid tribute to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, he wrote, "Reverend Jesse Jackson called on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope; to step forward and say ‘Send me’ wherever we have a chance to make an impact".
Please download, read and share my Memorandum on Facebook, X and with friends. I put it all in one place. Discuss those facts and the strong model amendment at the end. Also Mr. Dale Rowett of LexiGraphics.Pro designed beautiful Red, White and Blue logo posters which you can also download from my page at UnitedWeAmend.org. Have them printed at Staples, Office Depot, etc. Perfect for the back of your “No Kings” posters.
I’m so glad to see this spelled out so clearly. Ever since Prof Heather had a Political Chat with Sen. Ron Wyden and his discussion of a constitutional amendment to nullify (?) Citizens United have I been so hopeful of a way to get billionaires, Epstein Elites, and American oligarchs money out of politics.
I couldn’t even read the entire letter tonight to see if other subscribers saw the connection to the actions being taken by Wyden and ironically actually uniting all the American citizens.
I am not sure what proposed amendment Sen., Wyden co-sponsored. I found this one which includes his name. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/25/text It is very much like the one by Adam Schiff, et, al., which you can read at https://www.schiff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Citizens-Over-Corporations-Amendment.pdf.
Beware the legal terms of art such as “...may regulate and set reasonable limits...”, and “...shall have power to implement...” I am sure you see the problem with such fast and loose terms. It allows Congress and the States to decide whether they “may” or “shall” not regulate, enact, or implement anything whatsoever. Some people elected to Office may even read those words as a way to profit from such decision making. I see those words as not being the rampart we need but rather a swinging gate which for a “campaign contribution” will be left wide open to mega-money in politics. Moreover, in the last 16 years since Citizens United the Roberts's 6 have continued to assault our constitution and no proposed amendment addresses these newer cases. My model amendment does and much more. Please compare and contrast that loose language above with what I wrote in Section 1, of my model amendment below which begins with an all inclusive ERA,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, All individual persons are endowed with equal non-transferable rights, To secure these rights the Government of the United States of America has been granted just powers from the consent of the governed, The Governments of the United States, every State, and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States has no powers to create, grant, apply or transfer any of these equal non-transferable rights of individual persons to an assembly thereof, or to property, private sector enterprises, creatures of the state, anything manufactured, artificial intelligence, or to allow any property, private sector enterprises, or creatures of the state to endorse or provide support for, or against, any candidate for public political or judicial office or ballot measure, or to engage in any form of political expression within the United States, every State, and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States.
The legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of the United States of America shall each assure that this government, all State governments, and governments of every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States, are a Republican Form of Government in which the just powers granted thereto by the consent of the governed, are separated among the legislative, executive and judicial branches, to the end it shall be a government of laws and not of any persons acting above the law, thus no monarch, dictator, or tyrant shall exist within the jurisdiction of the United States, and through secure, fair, open and transparent democratic elections elect officials to make laws, and the enforcement and application of the laws in every jurisdiction thereof, are to be of Blind and Equal Justice under the law, and the Courts of the United Sates, every State, and every insular area, Shall enforce the rights of all individual persons secured by the Constitution of the United States against any majority vote.
All laws and judicial holdings and decisions of the United States, every State and every insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States inconsistent with this section are hereby repealed. Neither the United States nor any State or any insular area within the jurisdiction of the United States shall assume or pay any claim of loss by this repeal; but all such asserted debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void. Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with or deny any of the equal non-transferable rights of individual persons enumerated in this Constitution or disparage other equal fundamental non-transferable substantive rights including the rights of life – the pursuit of happiness, retained by individual persons.” Please see my Memorandum and Sections 2-5. There are no "Donate Now" buttons. All I am trying to do is inform, organize and agitate at UnitedWeAmend.org
There was an American Conversations episode on YouTube with Prof Heather and Jim Clements about the American Promise, For Our Freedom amendment on January 28, 2026. 24 state legislatures are on board with this amendment.
Following that was an episode with Senator Ron Wyden called Following the Money in the Epstein Files on February 9, 2026. Both were eye-opening discussions about the negative power of unlimited spending.
On that web page I see "Donate" and again, in that proposed amendment, I see "Congress and the States shall have the power to..." which is not the rampart we need, but rather a swinging gate. Please read my Section 1, edited into my post above.
Actually Jeffrey Clements (not Jim). I met him before the event and helped him set up for nearly an hour before the start of the "Writing the 28th Amendment Town Hall" at UCLA in Oct 2018. See http://www.americanpromise.net/writing_the_28th_amendment_los_angeles_ca
My notes sent to my daughter the day after:
I had Jeffery Clements to myself about an hour before others arrived, and seemed naturally in sync with all his views before seeing all the people I respect that commented on his book "Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy from Big Money and Global Corporations" and especially the foreword by Bill Moyers. Other presenters, panelists, commenters, were:
Adam Winkler - Author of ""We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights" (which I bought along with "Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy from Big Money and Global Corporations" Among other things, Winkler was a John M. Olin Fellow at USC 2001-02 (which to me, establishes his very conservative expertise) and author of "Gun Fight" (not at that town hall, but on the legal battles over gun control attempts). His book available last night has the most information I trust on Jim Bopp's philosophy and participation in the Citizens United case. We didn't get enough time to do much more than recognize my interest in Bopp's role (especially after seeing him in a photo with Maine legislators), but I certainly appreciate Winkler's views of him as a very skilled lawyer.
My concerns are not so much with strict legal interpretations as they are with, in effect, knocking supports out from under a shaky house before putting some shoring under it. I don't understand how the courts can sometimes say something is wrong but put a stay on forcing a change to give people time to write a legitimate, constitutionally sound replacement for a faulty or nonexistent basis. In the meantime, there has been at least $16 Billion spent on elections and ballot measures, and I can't believe that doesn't corrupt, or at least massively distract from what we would like our legislators spending their time on. I believe Adam Winkler is the type to try to making the shoring sound, and balance the popular demand (80 - 90% of the people) who want Citizens United "ended" (with or without what I would think would be a much better constitutional solution).
Kathay Feng - of Common Cause. After the meeting we discussed the distortions the press and others allow by sometimes showing state distortions of representatives relative to popular vote percentages in House elections. Most show percentages and not seat counts although at least one makes an exception for California, which since we have 53, makes a mismatch of 10 seem the most extreme (but isn't by percentage of reps or percentage of popular vote),
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California (Voting age population 29,649,348, 53 reps) is mismatched by 10 seats advantage (39 seats to 14 when perfect would be 34 to 19) but is only 18.87% mismatched with popular votes.
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Pennsylvania (Voting age population 10,086,316, 18 reps) is mismatched by 6 seats advantage (13 seats to 5 when perfect would be 10 to 8) but is fully 33.33% mismatched with popular votes.
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North Carolina (Voting age population 7,656,415, 13 reps) is mismatched by 6 seats advantage (10 seats to 3 when perfect would be 7 to 6) but is fully 47.12% mismatched with popular votes.
David Burke - Citizens Take Action, Restore Democracy Amendment (seemed best on making sense of corporate and union treasurer/finance rules on who gets to spend on campaigns, to me giving no more advantage to corporations (for profit and non-profit distinctions) than unions have, which already have few more rules on how they can collect and spend funds). Pretty middle of the road to me (like I prefer).
Michelle Sutter - MOVI (Money Out Voters In) Higher priority on getting action sooner, due to the damage done in the last 8 years. Great on the priorities the others need to find the best balance to limit corrupting influences (and preferable reduction in distractions caused by need to raise so much money, to have any voice at all).
Molly Greene - ACS (American Constitution Society) Distinctions to be considered in rules for Commercial (For Profit) Speech and Free (Non-Profit) Speech
Ralph Nader sounded these alarms 20 years ago and was dismissed, repudiated, scorned by the pundits.
I agree. We should not support vague language in any bill without understanding the possibilities.
Yes Linda, vague language contributed mightily to the nightmare we are in.
I go into that issue in my Memoprandum. Especially as to the President "shall" nominate and with the "advice and consent of the Senate" appoint. The part is the Senate is not required to act. That is what happened in 2016 after Scalia died.
One of my professors always said, "unclear writing is indicative of unclear thinking." My mom always said, "have the strength of your convictions."
The Congress should have more of that understanding. Figure out what you believe and then say it. Figure out what you stand for and then create a clear bill that makes clear what it stands for.
I found this on tha American Promise website. https://americanpromise.net/for-our-freedom-amendment/
Yeah, beware language in there like "...shall have the power to implement and enforce..." That is not a mandate. If it read as "...shall implement and enforce..." that might be stronger. Please compare it to my language in my edited reply above.
Yes. "'shall" means mandatory
Albert, complicated, but worthy of pursuit. I need to read it a couple more times to be sure it says what I think it does.
The Memorandum chapters before the model amendment explain in detail what the amendment will be about. The type of wording needed is introduced there.
Keep it up Albert. You seem to have a grasp on things. Many others do as well. This is no 'tea party' coalition forming. As we gradually continue to communicate with the MAGA the key will not be shoving the shovel up their ass.
I agree with what you say about MAGA. Many of them do love the USA and want what they feel is best for the future. I believe if they were to read my Memorandum many might agree with it.
And how will all of that apply to the internet?
I don't understand. What do you mean "...apply to the internet?"
You want to repeal CItizens United, with which I would agree (assuming it could be done, which will clearly take a rather different SCOTUS - one more like the Warren Court), but much of the problem we face in terms of electoral influence is what comes over the internet. How would repealing CU have any effect on that?
Citizens United needs to be erased. Money needs to be squeezed out of politics.
I hope this becomes a top priority.
This means building brick by brick an effective machine to accomplish this.
For me David, free and fair elections is/are the first rung on the ladder.
I discuss that in my Memorandum.
Koch will spend his billions to amend the Constitution too. How do you stop him.
One thing about billionaires is they hate losing profits. Civil war does that more than any political campaign. Civil war does not need to be a hot war to achieve that. I like the idea of putting the names of the oil companies in one bowl, the TV networks in another bowl, and all the other corporations supporting the Republican party in bowls for each of their products. Once each Sunday night a name is pulled from one of the bowls and We the People pledge to never buy anything from that corporation ever again and to campaign so others do not either: picket lines, etc. Cold war works better than hot war because there is no blood. We can even make a YouTube video of cremating the corporate "person" (Articles of Incorporation) and scattering the ashes on a pile of steer manure. A good read is “Rules for Radicals,” by Saul Alinsky.
In your first line, Albert, you refer to how billionaires "hate loosing profits."
Please note that "loosing profits" and "losing profits" are opposites.
My Thanks. I need sleep, maybe tonight. I also need all the help I can get. Can you also offer which you see as correct with this? Which should it be, Roberts 6, Roberts' 6, or Roberts's 6? Thanks.
Profits is their game of keeping score. Since they have everything and no longer need to work to survive, profit keeping take them back to the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy with profits replacing safety and security.
Yep. Too often they actually play it out with teams, armies on a battle filed. Ike had a warning about that. The GOP died with Ike.
Good idea, adaptable to be hyped-up like a weekly TV show (or whatever these days captures a unified audience. How do they announce lottery winners? In addition to wars with no blood, I like them to have no heartache. Good to see your playful side!
No blood? Surely you don't expect Trump to deny his MAGAstapo their joy at wholesale slaughter were such resistance measures to become effective.
Big money never loses! They heavily invest in the ‘stuff’ needed for war!
I suppose if the ratification gets closer the Buck$ will kick in to oppose, but the For Our Freedom Amendment from American Promise already has 24 states signed on to urge Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to restore the power of states and Congress to set election-spending rules. And WI is working on it as well. Look for the American Conversations on YouTube that Prof Heather had with Jeff Clements on January 28, 2026 and also with Sen Ron Wyden on February 9, 2026.
I don’t know the what relationship or difference between the “American Promise” and the “United We Amend.org” amendments are but I hope it is a unified attempt to undo what the SCOTUS got wrong!
"Charles Koch, through his advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, has supported efforts to call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments that would limit federal power and, specifically, establish a balanced budget amendment. These efforts aim to reduce federal spending and regulations."
- Google AI
Koch Brothers Push for a U.S. Constitutional Convention | Local Union No. 3 IBEW
https://www.local3ibew.org/news/koch-brothers-push-us-constitutional-convention
Koch Bros. are Exhibit A in Case Against Citizens United » Senator Bernie Sanders, 2012
.https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/koch-bros-are-exhibit-a-in-case-against-citizens-united/.
Koch brothers from what I’ve read, over the years, have only worked on their own behalf, tying in political contributions given to those candidates running for office, to that person signing an agreement agreeing to all their terms.
Wasn’t their father a libertarian respect to his political beliefs, who he shared with his sons. I thought I recalled him being a member of The John Birch Society as well? Or am i confusing him with someone else?
The Project 2025 was ‘guided’ developed by those whose toddler pablum was infused with the libertarian juices! Koch pere et fils disdained the common folk, but needed them to buy their products, Brawny, Dixie brand, Weyerhaeuser wood products! Regulations are bad, they ‘hinder’ profit making!!!! Small government is good, fewer people to enforce regulations the better! The Koch crime family are founding members of the Lust for Greed club!
Kochland - Christopher Leonard.
One story out of the book that I found incredibly disturbing is when they bought a distressed utility coop then proceeded to jack up the rates and then sell it off for profit and leaving all the member high and dry. Disgusting.
Lin, I tried your suggestion. I should make up a handout sheet on the differences between the organizations, American Promise vs Americans for Prosperity, or simply use the summary of the Google AI description I found by entering, "Difference between American Promise organization and Americans for Prosperity."
"...In summary, American Promise seeks to decrease the influence of large donors and corporations in elections, while Americans for Prosperity advocates for a policy environment that often benefits from the influence of large donors and corporate interests..."
Even simpler:
American Promise seeks to decrease the influence of large donors and corporations in elections
Americans for Prosperity seeks to increase the influence and benefits to large donors and corporate interest
Bingo! Folly to think ANY amendment can be passed! North Carolina has NOT ratied the equal rights an amendment! As Marj notes in the comment above, ELECTIONs are the key!
Heather rightly identifies concentrated wealth as a democratic threat. In the essay below, I argue the crisis runs deeper: capitalism itself converts wealth into power, while Resourceism and participatory democracy offer a humane, structural alternative.
''Capitalism Is the Problem. Resourceism Is the Answer''
Capitalism does not merely permit oligarchy. It produces it.
It concentrates power by concentrating ownership, then translates ownership into political influence. It takes what should belong to everyone, land, water, energy, food systems, infrastructure, and converts those shared foundations of life into commodities to be bought, sold, hoarded, and leveraged. Once survival itself becomes a marketplace transaction, democracy begins to decay.
Citizens are no longer participants in a common civic project. They become consumers, debtors, workers, and data points inside a system designed to maximize profit, not human flourishing.
https://essayx.substack.com/p/capitalism-is-the-problem-resourceism
Michael-Thanks so much for highlighting the ways American style capitalism focuses less on the common good and more on producing oligarchy who seize control of resources and most aspects of our lives.
We the people are becoming increasingly aware of how our democratic ideals are being thwarted by what capitalism has produced.
We need to reform not just our democracy but also to redefine what capitalism means in the context of a just society.
Our “Human Resources” are important to our ability to change for the better which is why we must continue to educate people about our history and opportunities for a better future.
Beautifully said. Capitalism has not just distorted markets, it has distorted democracy, citizenship, and our sense of the common good. I agree that education is essential. People must understand both how we got here and that alternatives are possible. I would go one step further, though: not merely redefine capitalism, but begin imagining and building systems beyond it, grounded in justice, stewardship, and democratic participation.
Like Adam Smith suggested.
The slave economy created a slave culture which lingers on today in the form of white male privilege. It is so deep still that we have Felon Trump rather than Attorney General Harris as President. I fear the impact of a combined white male privilege with the effects of the capitalism / corporatist culture. How deep and long lasting it may be. To think that so many workers fall for the lie that corporations are "Job Creators" and not us consumers. It is part of the corporate culture. The proposed amendments by Democrats do nothing to repeal corporate personhood but only go as far as saying governments "may" or "shall have power to" control spending in elections meaning they will do noting for a fee. Not one word about only individual persons having equal rights.
Someone needs to adapt this premise to fiction and begin the transition to a better post-capitalist world. Money is the root of all evil, which helps explain how our politics have become so corrupt since Citizens United.
Exactly. Fiction can do what policy language often can’t, it can help people emotionally inhabit a different world before they can politically build it. And yes, Citizens United accelerated the corruption by making wealth even more transferable into power. If we want a post-capitalist future, we need both structural models and compelling stories that make that future imaginable.
Michael, my comment back to you about "resourceism" was inadvertently posted down below. I copied the link here back to you so you would see it. Thanks!
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-12-2026/comment/227317605?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1spg29
I keep coming back and re-reading your post here. Now I am going to put it in my notes. It is so scary and so true. Well stated, Thank you. I would like the system to work but it is based upon greed. It is so greedy that the corporatist who see nothing wrong with investors forming a corporation that sells "shares" to form a union of investors is totally opposed to workers forming a union. Such greed will fail. In my Memorandum I wrote,
Today’s corporations are far more numerous, powerful and destructive of our economy, lives and Earth than all their predecessors combined – plus organized crime – yet they wail like a beast, “Get government off our backs,” and there is an “Attack On American Free Enterprise System.” Yes, there certainly is. The American Revolution, now in its 250th year, is a war challenging The System. If The System is our best bet for a strong economic future, then we should see it as a racehorse on the track. A dangerous beast that can harm people unless restrained by solid rail barriers (defined boundaries) and guided by a skilled jockey (strong government) holding a whip in one hand and a rein held tightly in the other (well regulated!)."
Good one 'Lynn ... Again'.
Wyden is my senior Senator. He absolutely rocks!
There is a proposed ballot initiative to amend the Montana constitution. It’s called The Montana Plan. Basically, it changes the definition of corporations to say they cannot donate to campaigns. Check it out at:
montanaplan.com. It is endorsed by John Tester and others.
Never heard the term "resourceism", and can't say i like it. Another "-ism"?! But, I like your idea. Perhaps it could be a type of altruism - resource altruism?
Altruism has been around for awhile, coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in the 19th century, deriving from the French word autrui ("other people"). It is often contrasted with egoism and defined as the unselfish concern for the welfare of others, often involving actions that benefit others at a personal cost. It focuses on helping without expecting external rewards, commonly driven by empathy.
Types of altruism:
Genetic Altruism: Acting to help close family members, often seen in evolutionary biology to ensure gene survival.
Reciprocal Altruism: Helping someone with the expectation that the favor will be returned in the future.
Pure/Moral Altruism: Assisting others despite significant personal risk or cost, driven entirely by internal moral principles.
Perhaps Resource Altruism (appart from moral altruism) could be construed as the development of social, economic and political systems that invest in the shared physical environment all people depend on for their health and well-being?
Thank you, this is a thoughtful distinction. I like “resource altruism” as an ethical companion to Resourceism. For me, altruism describes personal moral action, while Resourceism describes the larger social and economic framework needed to protect and fairly manage the shared material basis of life. So yes, they overlap, but Resourceism is meant to be structural, not just personal.
Good points, Michael. I get that you propose a major structural shift from capitalism to a new resource-based economic system, and like the idea.
But I don't see resource altruism as strictly personal. There are many examples of large organizations with enlightened people working selflessly to protect our resources already. Build on that first.
Any conversion to a resource structure will undoutedly be fought by powerful forces who stand to lose (in their estimation) by a transition to something new. However, strategically, to build the coalition needed to succeed, I don't think it's prudent to start by obviously attacking the current system.
I would recommend building allies with "resource altruism" before the entrenched capitaists get wind of "resourceism" and all the threats it represents to the old guard. They can make enemies out of socialism, liberalism, communism, and even conservatism. Don't let them do the same (yet) with resourceism.
How are the jillions of dollars spent to buy Republicans only? Ads? Ticktock? Door knocking? Hardly expensive especially up against citizen volunteerism. Would ANY Democrat ever get elected?
Chief Justice John Roberts (Harvard Law '79) will be long remembered and often written about by historians - the person who almost virtually single-handedly brought American democracy to an end - the "Citizens United" case (2010), declaring that money is speech and corporations are persons and then "Shelby County vs. Holder," (2013) gutting the Voting Rights Act. And on top of that giving Trump virtual total immunity from prosecution of criminal actions while in office. If democracy survives in the U.S. it will be owing to a lot of hard work and enormous luck. How to explain John Roberts? The ancient Greeks had a term - Amathia, meaning "Intelligent stupidity" or "Willful ignorance." I think that it is a blind spot, one harboring a belief so strongly that that person is unable to see and assess countervailing facts and arguments. We have six Roman Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court, including John Roberts. Is it any wonder that the right to an abortion was struck down, or that dictatorial powers were granted to the U.S. President?
It's the Epstein class all over again, Richard.
John Roberts needn't have done to underage girls what Donald, Jeffrey, and many of their richest pals did, but he lived in the same world as all the billionaires as empty of humanities as any Russian oligarch, Iranian mullah, or West Bank Israeli settler stealing more Palestinian land.
I think that Roberts' Catholicism is a strong guiding influence, as it is with the other five Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court. There are a number of such fundamentalist Christians in Congress, such as Senator John Cornyn, a Restorationist (Chuck of Christ sect.) So, how can they rationalize supporting a depraved person such as Donald Trump? What is it that he represents that they support? Are they blind to the fact that Trump will destroy the democratic process here if given the chance? They aren't. Perhaps they're thinking that Trump is "God's messenger" to establish the U.S. as a Christian theocracy. It's difficult, if not impossible, to fix this kind of "stupidity."
OPUS DEI AND THE MONEYBAGS KID
“In his new book OPUS, Gareth Gore examines the ties binding Supreme Court puppetmaster Leonard Leo and a radical, powerful Catholic organization.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/opus-dei-leonard-leo-supreme-court-moneybags-kid-1235115538/
Thank you, Kathy. I will read this.
They OBVIOUSLY don't rationalize ANYTHING but $$$$!
I don't know that money is a significant part of their thinking. The "religious mind" has difficulty, and in some instances finding it impossible, to process certain information. For example, Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Co-chair of the Human Genome Project understands and knows that all life on earth (plants, animals and insects) share the same DNA, meaning that all life on earth is descended from one ancestor (LUCA, 3.5 billion years ago.) But, Collins is a fundamentalist Christian. He explains why, being totally oblivious to the facts, on the one hand, and the complete inability to present facts to support his beliefs in the existence or divinity of Jesus. Some of us, if not all, believe what we want to believe.
Richard-The phrase “white Christian nationalist” encompasses all aspects of their thinking and doing. The ideals of democracy are getting in their way. It’s not just stupidity-they just don’t subscribe to “liberty and justice for all”.
Typo? I think you mean Church of Christ.
Richard, isn't it fair to state that Roman Catholicism is a dictatorship? What the pope says goes? By papal decree, he can alter the theology of the church, and decide if its followers are in the right or in the wrong.
For that matter, isn't it fair to state that all of Christianity is a dictatorship? God is alleged to have the final word on everything. Denominational differences are just a matter of quibbling over interpretations of "God's will."
If this is the mindset of any religious person, then it's logical that they are predisposed to accept – or even prefer – a dictatorship, especially if they can be convinced that a dictator is "doing the will of God," no matter how flawed a vessel he might be.
When you combine that mindset with the message of "Prosperity Gospel," the notion that God financially "blesses" his loyal followers, this contributes to the belief that "the wealthy are more worthy than the rest of us." Which opens the door allowing obscene levels of money poured into our elections and our governance.
Dale, I had not thought of Roman Catholicism in those terms before -the Roman Catholic Church a dictatorship, but it certainly fits the bill. And here in the U.S., Trump is now our "Pope" and our members of Congress Cardinals (Senators) and Bishops (Congress men and women,) violating their oaths of office by refusing to discharge the Constitutional duties for which they took an oath. Obsequious servants to Pope Donald. Are we now experiencing the American "Inquisition?" Trump can inflict horrendous punishment and even death without fear of retribution because his "Cardinals" and "Bishops" are craven cowards. I think that it is fair to say that Christianity in America has been a stupendous failure.
A few months after Citizens United became law I spoke at a Senior Center about the opinion. I made a comment about the East India Co. being the world's first global corporation and it's greed led it to enslaving people. One of the people there stopped me and said, "No. The Roman Catholic Church is the world's first global corporation and it's greed led it to enslaving people." I had already learned by a former history professor about the way Father Junípero Serra, who founded Mission San Juan Capistrano, CA in 1776, had starved the local Indians who worked in his fields. Archaeologists compared skeletons of Mission Indians to skeletons of other local Indians and the evidence was that Mission Indians were starved while locals were much more healthy. BTW, the Church has since elevated Junípero to Saint.
Certainly Roberts is a legal conundrum?!? However, let's not tar all the Roman Catholics, please. There are plenty who are for women's rights over their own bodies. They may not go the church on Sunday anymore...And as far as blaming Roman Catholics on Supreme Court for granting dictatorial powers to the President (?), why would it be due to religion? Why not due to their political ideology? That's the problem with labels. They don't take into consideration individuals, each with their own perspectives. And those perspectives can change...Same re all the money being thrown at these political campaigns. Musk's millions didn't prevent election of a judge (can't remember which state...). Same for recent elections where money for ads, promotion, is less of a factor as ideology.
Point well made, Ayesha. I draw the inference from what it is that they all have in common that could make an intellectual difference. In this case, their adherence to Roman Catholicism doctrine. After all, Roman Catholicism has but one supreme leader - the Pope, a male. All of the leaders - Cardinals, Bishops, Patriarchs, Monsignors, Priests and Deacons - all male.
Yes indeed, you are correct. No women priests. But the point I was trying to make is that, even though we are born into a religion, does not mean we adhere to it as we age. Many are born & raised Roman Catholic. Doesn't mean we follow the dictates of the Church all our lives. It's the labelling...
You are, of course, correct Ayesha - many leave the church when they grow up. I did. I was raised in a liberal Presbyterian family, one of seven children. At this point I am of the firm belief that there is no such thing as a personal transcendental God, humans do not have souls, there is no afterlife, and Jesus probably never existed. Nothing in the New Testament is written by anyone who ever saw, spoke with or heard anything that the supposed Jesus ever said. That having been said, I believe that the lesson in Matthew 25: 34-46, the "least-of-these" sermon, is maybe the best ever. And, it was put into action by Frances Perkins, FDR's Sec. of Labor and the person most responsible for our having Social Security. Her theory of government:
"The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to facilitate the means by which all the people under its jurisdiction can access the best possible life."
You nailed it Richard Sutherland
And let us not forget Bush v Gore when Roberts took it upon himself along with his 4 conspirators to stop the counting of votes and select the president himself. What a different world this would be, if only…
That was a real disaster. It was Justice Scalia who made the ruling. I have never forgiven Ralph Nader for getting into the race. Had he not, Gore would have won because those votes would have gone to Gore - 90,000 I believe.
I believe Nader and the whole Green Party is a con. They make millions selling B.S. to a fringe group who cannot reason. There are only two teams on the field during the Super Bowl. The same is true with American elections. Nader was like a streaker who had fans who would buy a football bat.
Does everyone remember when Roberts was asked about that disastrous decision called “Citizens United?” He was asked by a reporter if he wasn’t afraid that the amount of money that was going to flow into elections might cause an oligarchy. He said the case wasn’t going to have much effect because giving a lot of money would be embarrassing to the giver! Oh, c’mon, Justice Roberts, really? I would like to think you aren’t a complete idiot, but this one was just the worst. Can you believe it? Is this guy one of the best and the brightest? He must not have known many humans. I agree that Obama failed us utterly when he didn’t speak out about this case. I miss Obama but there were some things he just didn’t understand. Trump, on the other hand, knows some things very well. He deeply enmeshed in greed, and understands rich people. And he will say anything to stay in power to become richer.
Obama did speak against it but once it was law everyone just jumped on board and started forming PACs.
One other spot where Obama goofed was in ever trying to appoint Merrick Garland to anything important.
Obama picked Garland because Republicans liked him. He knew they’d vote down anyone he’d picked that was favored by democrats. Mitch didn’t allow the vote.
Gina, thanks for setting the record straight. Careful, methodical Garland, who was obsessed with appearing non-partisan, would have made a good justice. Obama made a good choice.
Mitch McConnell, the senator who vowed to make Obama a one-term president (and failed), made it his life's mission to block Obama at every possible turn. He blocked Garland's hearing, which probably would have resulted in confirmation.
The president who made the mistake where Garland was concerned was Biden, who gave Garland the AG position as a "consolation prize," a position for which Garland was woefully unsuited. That forced error has changed the course of U.S. history.
Jesse: in hindsight a terrible choice. Instead Joe decided to "in your face, Mitch" and stuck him in as AG.
FYI: Obama DID systematically attack the SC Citizens United ruling as soon as it happened. And not only did he continue to attack it again and again, he and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid DID SOMETHING about it. They passed a very important campaign finance reform bill in the House, which included repealing the SC ruling entirely.
Unfortunately, by then too many progressives had turned against Democrats for not making progress fast enough (read: in a fascist rather than democratic way), so the GOP managed to block it in the Senate. More than a decade later, they still do.
No, I am talking about informing Americans what corporate personhood is and why it must be repealed. Obama did not do that as he should have. It should have been a primary issue for the next seven years in office. That major issue goes back to just after the Civil War. You mention The Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act, or DISCLOSE Act, which if it had become law would stop "dark money" in elections. That is important also and I discuss it much in my Memorandum and model amendment but standing alone it goes the whole nine yards. Moreover, when I see that kind of hype over something that totally fails to focus on a cure I get very suspicious. Imagine going to the E.R. with a life threatening bleed and the doctor only wants to set your broken wrist. Off kilter. Don't get me started on Comey.
Actually, it began under ronny reagan in the late 1980's. It just wasn't codified until 2011. I vividly remember standing in the kitchen with my father and feeling shocked when he said, upon reading about reagan's actions, "Well, there goes our democracy." How right he was.
I like your Dad. Ike was the last Republican. In my Memrandum I have a chapter on the Powell Memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advising how to coordinate an aggressive campaign against, as what he named his Memo, the “Attack On American Free Enterprise System”. That was August 23, 1971. Four months after Powell mailed the Powell Memo, President Richard Nixon appointed him as a Justice to the Supreme Court. In 1978, Justice Powell wrote the majority opinion in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, 435 US 765. That opinion was a foundation in Citizens United. That is how these corporatist fascist on the Court work. They have nothing written in the Constitution to base their lies upon and so they pull it all out from where the sun does not shine and call it "Court Doctrine," IOW lies.
Way back in 1888, in "Pembina Consolidated Silver Mining Co. v. Pennsylvania",
25 U.S. 181 the Court held as to the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause, “Under the designation of person there is no doubt that a private corporation is included. Such corporations are merely associations of individuals united for a special purpose ...” That B.S. is what every pro-corporation opinion stands upon and it must be repealed. Please read and share my Memorandum at UnitedWeAmend.org
His choice of Merrick Garland, I think, was made because he was facing a Republican congress and wanted to put forth someone who wasn't too radically left. However, what we got was Captain Kangaroo as AG. And Mueller was timid and almost as spineless, in my opinion....
And I'll bet you a plate lunch Amy Acton said "I won't take any PAC-like money" and like J. Tester, she'll probably lose. I'm so tired of democratic candidates that won't fight fire with fire & bet maga candidates at their own game. You have to win 1st before you can govern. I want to stop feeling like all my campaign donations I've been making for the mid-terms aren't a waste of money. Not a day goes by when I want to send it all to non-profits help people get food & housing.
I agree. I love the movie quote in "October Sky" (1999), the father character John Hickam (Chris Cooper) expresses his philosophy on fighting to his son, Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal), saying, "If you're gonna go, you're gonna go full bore. You don't go halfway." Also, talking to another man, "If I see him with a bruise... you get a scar. If I see him with a limp... you get crutches!" Democrats need to fight like the original union bosses.
You're right about Citizens United. Roberts has been a truly awful chief judge. Though I think he may be realizing just how much he has betrayed his country and Constitution.
Roberts is 100% corporatist fascist. The whole Roberts' 6 are far gone.
Tonight on PBS News Hour they opened with the fact that the younger Ayatollah Khameni’s father, mother and wife were all killed in Bebe’s and Peepee’s big adventure! I wonder where and what the first attack on the US will be?
What would this country think if the first attack hit trump and his family? How can a country be angry and thankful at the same time?
Wait! Is that a trick question? 🎆 🍻 👏
Interestingly, Timothy Snyder ( and others) have written that the degradation of our intelligence gathering agencies and (mis) direction of Homeland Security will increase the likelihood of an attack on US soil.
The Administration (all the same clones) have announced that a terror attack here would be Joe Biden's fault.
For the paranoid, the announcement suggests the possibility they are protecting themselves from the consequence of their own actions.
Any reasonable person knows our country is run by egotistic fools.
…. 🎉 PARTY! 🎉
It seems like the attacks have already started…sadly
Lynn, based upon the denials of the cross-wearing liar behind the press room podium, it's likely we won't know until after it happens.
On a synagogue in Michigan yesterday?
Those attacks will be random and geographically dispersed - like the shooting at Dominion College in Va., the attack on a synagogue I think in Michigan. Because not knowing where and when instills more uncertainty and fear.
These attacks were apparently by rogue individuals - not yet directed by the regime in Iran. Our own government it seems did not factor in this danger to the American people - or did not care - and it is only beginning.
Correct. They will be so-called lone wolves for now. We have plenty of home grown terrorists - they've shot up schools, churches, synagogues, universities, malls, and Wal Marts -
Did not care.
Eleanor, "lone wolves" as far as we know.
I am currently watching "The Night Agent" on Netflix. Although it is fiction, it has reminded me that we live in a world where governments have enormous power that is directed through secret channels that are deeply hidden from public view. If screenwriters can imagine scenarios, it's reasonable to conclude that government operatives can imagine the same. The older TV series, "Scandal," offered the same proposal.
Apparently "random" acts of terror are just as likely to be orchestrated by an adversarial government as not.
Rumors about a new bunker under the new ballroom?
https://thedreydossier.substack.com/p/trumps-ballroom-is-the-lid
From February, an interesting look at what might be going on with the bunker
From elsewhere on the Intertubes: "Top Trump officials acknowledged to lawmakers during recent classified briefings that they did not plan for the possibility of Iran closing the strait in response to strikes."
I think we can accurately shorten that sentence to:
"Top Trump officials acknowledged that they did not plan."
They did it before; how could US planners be so literally thoughtless (without thought) that they’d do it again.
How? Criminal incompetence is what 77 million of our fellow Americans voted for. Nobody should be surprised.
“. . . for the most screamingly obvious retaliatory action Iran could take. . . “ OK, maybe the second most.
Hello ICTT... It has been said by Trita Parsi, of the Quincy Institute, that Netanyahu, who has visited DJT six times since January 2025, promised DJT that this Iran War of 2026 would last 3-4 Days.. DJT thought that this would be a Cheap & Easy Victory towards his Glory, and that DJT would have a Victory Parade & Monument erected in DJT's Glory like a Conquering Roman Emperor... Would You Buy A Rug From Netanyahu The 'Rug Merchant'?...
Chump got played, wonder if Vlad is happy. I’m sure that Netanyahu also promised that he would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. What could go wrong…
The war is a self inflicted wound - Bibi persuaded him to shoot -- and here we are bleeding life, money, foreign influence, funds for social programs - and for what - so Trump can feel he's in the same camp as Bibi and Vlad. It's horrifying.
What's even more horrifying is the probability the new Ayatollah Khameni is already negotiating with the North Koreans or the Pakistanis for a nuke with the necessary rocketry to avenge the death of his wife and parents...
For those who doubt that Pakistan has concerns about this war I would remind them to just look at a map.
Hello JD... I am confident that Vlad, and Xi are Jubilant... With USA drawing Resources from Ukraine, and Taiwan, this helps their Strategic Goals... The easing of Sanctions on Russian Oil, and High Oil Prices was a Gift for Vlad... Let's see if DJT gets a 'Lenin Prize'....
I hate to say it would finally be one he earned.
Vlad is very happy. His oil is worth a lot more now and he’ll have more money to fund his favorite ongoing project.
I thought he already had. We know how that turned out. So then he nominated him for the Israel Peace Prize. And since then, Infantino has given him a FIFA Peace Prize. Someone could make him a big, beautiful chocolate cake for his 80th birthday, marked into easy-slice pieces decorated with the word NOBEL in gold lettering.
Seems T has just lifted US sanctions on P's oil, and US is expending all the munitions that should've gone to Ukraine, and Iranians AND Americans are expending lives and treasure to P's benefit. P'd already brought the Iranian drone manufacturing in-country. What's not to like?
Just like putin believed that the WAR in Ukraine would be short lived...and trump believes the WAR in Iran will be short lived, too.
NONE of them have a CLUE what people can do when they UNITE under OPPRESSION!!
Because NONE of them care about ANYTHING other than themselves!
putin and netanyahu STARTED and PERPETUATED a WAR to stay IN POWER and OUT of PRISON!!
Make no mistake.. trump IS doing the SAME THING NOW with his TRUMP-EPSTEIN WAR in Iran!
trump IS starting an UNNECESSARY WWIII
War is a misnomer here. This is state sponsored terrorism!
Apache: No, but I'd certainly buy a Persian rug, if woven in Iran. Speaking of Trita Parsi, did you see the video of the discussion with Bernie Sanders this morning? I thought it was marvellous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CHIR1J8Zq8
Most salient fact here, Anne-Louise, how "it all goes back to 1953."
Trouble is, that history doesn't stop at 1953. Its dark money avatars and beyond-the-law elites continue, grow into the Powell memo's far right foundations following 1971, solidify into those growing U.S. inequality with the offshoring of the 1980s onward, with testing suffocating U.S. (and world) schools also from the 1980s onward, and finally Citizens United of 2010.
Donald and Jeffrey's rapists of underage girls? Just a side bar to the larger rapes the same class of elites were perpetrating at the same time, over a wider stage.
Definitely worth your time. Just watched it.
Thanks so much for the link.
Thank you for putting the link above. I just listened to it. Excellent.
Note to others -- it's a video, and one can also see Bernie's three guests talking.
Add my thanks to Ms. Luccarini for the video; Sen. Sanders -- repeatedly my presidential choice -- is as formidably brilliant as ever. (Little I didn't already know -- I was still part of the working press in '79 -- but absolutely vital background for those who were unaware of the relentless petroleum-stealing viciousness of U.S. aggression against Iran and the regional natural-resource theft that prompts the USian plutocracy's weaponization of Israel as its primary Middle Eastern death squad.)
Also: love Ms. Luccarini's characterization of the Trump as "Infantino." Prompts me to ask, how does one say "Infant Terrible" in Italian? (Or better yet, "Infant Apocalyptic," preferably in pejorative Sicilian...)
Excellent video presentation- thank you- sharing widely
Thanks from me as well.
"Would You Buy A Rug From Netanyahu The 'Rug Merchant'?..."
Actually, "Rug Merchant" is an ethnic slur against Arabs.
Hello lin... I know that... 'Rug' originally applied to Persian Rugs... Whenever I see Talking Heads from that Region of the World, I know that they are Lying...
The capacity to grasp consequences lies beyond the mentality of a seven-year-old. Anyone applauding Trump for brilliant, decisive leadership is every bit as clueless as the man himself. He is mentally and psychologically unfit to run anything of consequence — let alone the world's most powerful military.
One unrestrained individual has gutted our government agencies, deranged the global economy with his self-proclaimed brilliant tariffs, and now destabilized both a region and the world order with a wag-the-dog war launched to distract from his mounting failures at home. We are all held hostage by a single malignant narcissist — a megalomaniac whose finger rests on triggers he cannot begin to comprehend.
A seven-year-old making life-and-death decisions. The consequences are not hypothetical. They are unfolding in real time.
I personally have known seven year olds who are much clearer on right and wrong than Trump and have a moral compass that could help guide them in making decisions. Trump has none.
Pyschologists usually put the age of 6-7 year olds that can forsee to some extend the consequences of their behavior. No person who is immature as trump should ever be given the responsibilities that he has. As a result, just look at the vast damage he has wrought.
Heather rightly points out a question, "Republicans are sounding the alarm about the ballooning debt and suggesting the only way to address it is to cut more programs that benefit the American people. But that raises fundamental questions about the purpose of the U.S. government. What should it do? Whom should it benefit, and why?"
Whom should it benefit? I say if it is not benefitting us why should we be funding it? We should be asking not for billionaires to get tax breaks, but for us not to pay taxes until the government works for us. It has to be a lawsuit. Draw attention to whom the government is really serving. If we are not getting representation then should we be paying taxes?
Linda, the problem with this is that the very wealthy are completely insulated from harm but "normal" people withholding taxes leads to everyone going to jail. I am furious that my taxes are going to support this (words fail me) maladministration and its goal to destroy everything that is good in the world but we all lack support from the people who could make a difference: Congresspeople and senators. And they are signally unwilling--yes, even the Dems--to do anything. Any news about "negotiations" to rein in ICE and Border Control and end the partial shutdown, which is being used gleefully by DHS critters to make normal people suffer and hasn't changed an iota of behavior by ICE? Oh: that would be a no. Any real moves to put the kibosh on the Felon Bros Netanyahu and Drumpf? That would also be a no. What I think could have an effect would be for Dem reps to physically impose themselves on public spaces and be willing to be arrested and roughed up. As we "celebrated" the anniversary of the Pettis Bridge horror this past week, I was reminded that it took that level of disgusting violence to get LBJ and Congress to make civil rights law come to pass. I doubt that anything short of this will have any effect at all.
Linda, That is why I say lawsuit. It has to be done legally. As Heather points out we did not always have federal taxes. They came about to fund the Civil war. I was just having a lunch with a Swiss friend who was pointing out that Switzerland just says no to war. They haven't had a war since 1847 when they were not really Switzerland. They used to have military conscription, and they stopped it, but may go back given the current climate, and everyone who owned a house had to have a stocked bomb shelter in their basement, which they also stopped, but may go back to. Still, they are not part of any alliance that would compel them to go to war. So, they are not funding war, and they have their tax structure much more local than federal.
There is much to admire about Switzerland but the black mark for me is the fact that they didn't give women the vote until 1971. Even worse than France.
Linda, I think a nation deserves credit for making the right decision, no matter how long it takes them to make it.
I would channel my grudge energy toward governments that are trying to take away voting rights for women. Such as the United States, for instance.
insulated is correct and they are becoming more so. The extreme wealthy avoid the airline security checks we all go through. They have their own drivers and now advertise communities where they can have their private airstrips where they can taxi up their home. Bunkers, gate compounds, communities, makes me think of the series Fallout on Amazon.
I'm not in tune with your "everyone pay no taxes, Linda.
The billionaires will keep getting their tax exemptions and other privileges. That's what the Powell memo initiated (1971) and that's what Citizens United confirmed (2010).
The human hurt from all this? It's in our humanities, which are no longer in our schools, or in our media.
If we do not contribute to the federal tax pot, there is no money to fund this evil anti the people government and no money from which to give the billionaires tax breaks. If we sue for no federal taxes it comes down to the all states issuing taxes for all services. Blue states will not let the billionaires get away with not paying taxes.
Exactly!
Hannibal, Verus, Napoleon, Hitler, Johnson, Bush, Putin all learned the hard way, when you invade a foreign country they only need not lose.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ~Santayana
because they are a cabal of ignorant, arrogant, entitled, lazy fuckheads! And even if we declared victory and withdrew tomorrow it likely wouldn't end the war. So we don't have control of that outcome either.
The Trump regime gives new meaning to the words "mediocre" and "affirmative action."
Where's Niccolo when we need him? Like, now? Given up and gone back to where he came from, I guess.
Trump’s exhausted him.
One could see this trend at least eight years ago.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/us-republican-party-gop-whigging-out-you-make-call-ned/
The White House is following a different plan. Donald Trump appears to envision a world divided into three major spheres of influence. US control;s the western hemisphere Russia controls eastern Europe, China controls Taiwan. It has alsoo been reported that Iran, Russia and the US are working together on the present war in the Middle East.
Such as Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia?
For those who might not understand your comment. Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia are fictional superstates in George Orwell's novel 1984. Each of those fictional countries covers a region of the world,, as tRump would like to do.
Eadie: you've left out Netanyahu. Doesn't he has something to do with the present war in the Middle East? And now there's the Shield of the Americas (just had their inaugural "summit" - everything south of Texas except Mexico and Brazil and maybe one other, I can't remember.
Hard to know where to begin Anne- Louise. Certainly, Netanyahu has something to do with this war, but my answer will not satisfy you. I deliberately left him out. Why, you may ask? He is not innocent in this affair, but I believe he does have reason to be there, where trump is there because he's a Russian asset. Iran is there because Iran has been Russia's accomplice for decades, because they both want to see Israel wiped off the face of the map. Space does not allow me to defend Israel's existence. Suffice it to say The League of Nations was signed by all the allied countries. Despite this, Israel had to fight for their independence beginning in 1948. Treaties count, not to mention the thousands of acres purchased from the Mullahs by Jews before that. It was a barren wasteland at the time. No one including Britain thought they would win the 1948 war against the whole Arab world. No one came to their defense, shades of Ukraine today. Israel won the war for their independence and defeated the whole Arab world. For 75 years, Israelis have had to live in bunkers. You cannot name one skirmish between Israel and their neighbors where Israel has been the aggressor. Random murders of Israelis have occurred on buses, at weddings, at Bar Mitzvahs by Hamas terrorists for 75 years
You might also note that Israel treats Middle East children and adults in their hospitals. Monsour Abbas representing Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians in his United List party in the Knesset was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, no friend of Israel. He graduated from Hebrew University as a dentist. Name an Arab country that allows Jews to partake in their gov't. or attend their universities or be treated in their hospitals. Name a country that sends out thousands of flyers explaining where there next targets are. Did we do that in Iraq? The world is only too anxious to buy into the propaganda spewed 24/7 about Palestinian deaths. Where were they when Israel was attacked. Hardly a whimper. The best they could manage was Israel has the right to defend itself, with one hand tied behind their back. Now, it's Netanyahu who is a convenient pretext for the Hamas murders, 40,000 Americans murdered in one day, when populations are compared on 10/7. Was the US attacked when tRump entered this war? The ministry of health, whose numbers of Palestinian deaths are repeated ad nauseam, are funded by Iran, who has the elimination of Israel in their charter. The United nations spokesperson is a known antisemite. Their work in Gaza found UN workers working hand in hand with Hamas.They are now claiming that Israel committed genocide, a bold faced lie! The numbers are questionable and photos of children are outright slanderous and misleading. In point of fact, Hamas was found murdering Gazans when they tried to follow Israeli warnings. Hamas called them martyrs. This is not the first time Hamas propaganda tried to lie about the numbers of deaths at the hands of Israelis. They exaggerated the deaths at the hands of the Israeli military at Shifa hospital years ago. US intelligence found their own guns backfired and explosives were found under the hospital.
Netanyahu is not stupid. He realized that tRump was working with the world's number one terrorist Putin and he jumped at the chance of finally having an opportunity to rid him of this pestilence. I don't support Netanyahu because he's succumbed to bribery, but he has been an Israeli patriot fighting in an Israeli war that took the life of his brother. What Netanyahu did was in defense of his country, whereas tRump committed treason. You might believe I will defend Netanyahu no matter what he has done. You would be wrong. I believe he might be in on the cabal with Putin, but for different reasons. I've also supported Mamdani along with my family. Millions of Israelis do NOT support Netanyahu.
It's, Nicely put. I read your quote to my husband who is a fan of Machiavelli. I agree totally with your last sentence including your description of the cabal. Nothing about this makes any sense unless you belong to the billionaire class who think their money will save them.
It is my opinion that "W" broke the Middle East, which subsequently led to the mass migration to Europe where they were not welcomed and has contributed to the ongoing turmoil, violence and divisiveness. Then you add the blunders of the current president who is ignorant about the history - both historical and religious - of the area, and we have a recipe for decades more disaster.
I love your last paragraph and would love to share it on Facebook. I won’t without your approval. The downside is I don’t have some huge following and might get just a few views. But it’s one way I voice mine and others opinions.
ICTT--I went to early vote in my Chicago suburb yesterday. I've done that "stand outside the poll to push your candidate/initiative" myself, so I try to not be rude to anyone. As we walked in, and 7 people descended upon me, I said "DON'T EVEN TALK TO ME IF YOU'RE PUSHING REPUBLICANS!"
My husband breezed past, but it was all Democrats, and I spoke to each of them. One guy handing out cards for a judgeship muttered something about Iran being a hot mess.
I keep wondering WHAT it will be that finally turns the tide on Trump?
Buried in the news cycle is the Trump-Epstein files, esp the search of the Zorro ranch. This is from a few days ago, but Glenn Kirshner is a trusted source, and this will take only 15 minutes of your time to listen. It's simmering in the background, and I sure hope it boils over soon! This could be really huge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwkoXi-NA3Y
There hasn't been a war in the Middle East with foreign troops involved that wasn't started by foreign intervention. Arabs as a lot, have often been a welcoming people. That the turmoil now existing within that region, is the sole manufactured responsibility of the West, now loosely led (if even that) by the current US administration and its diseased insipid lack of intellect. Many diplomats, in the past assigned to the Middle East, knew this and undertook the pains to learn Arabic and attempt to build bridges. "Arabists" in the State Department were a thoughtful welcome cadre for the communicative coexistence between the US and the Arab region. The implant of the Zionists within that region essentially threw all within into turmoil. The Arabists were the only cadre that had any "street cred"; that group was foolishly dismantled by the W. Bush administration when they were most needed. The incessant rise of Zionist Christianity played no small part in the dismantling of this critical cabal within the State Department. We've been paying for it ever since. That the Middle East is currently the hot spot it now is, in its origin, is the responsibility of the Truman administration in forwarding the recognition of Israel and Zionism in the region. Judaism has always been a part of the Middle East; therefore, Judaism is not the problem. The problem is and always has been Zionism; Zionists creating their wish for a "Greater Israel" by stealing land having never belonged to them, even outside Palestine, has been a mainstay for their existence. In 1979, Yassar Arafat went to Tehran claiming that "the road to Jerusalem runs through Iran." Since then, Iran committed itself to freeing Palestine from the Zionist yolk and returning the land to the original owners who had deeds in their hands and keys to their homes. In spite of Obama's outreach to the Arab population in 2009, the US has never been an honest broker. Until the Zionist problem is settled fairly and equitably, there will always, at least, be the undercurrent of hostility in that region to anything Western. I often remember Peter Ustinov's wise and salient reflection in defining terrorism: "terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich." If any uniformed military proves this statement to be correct, it is born in the example of the IDF: the progeny of both the Irgun and Lehi, both world known terrorist organizations.
Sorry, the implication that foreign intervention has been the sole cause of Arab on Arab conflict is simply inaccurate.
The wars between Shai and Sunni are well documented. Killing over who is the legitimate heir to Mohammad may be a side show, but it is a side show nonetheless.
Why is the Middle East so volatile? It's the birthplace of three religions who all claim to the one and true religion.
There will be no peace until mankind gets the memo on religion, superstitions, and dogma.
Clearly Gary, you’ve missed the central point. What you mention in Middle East is intra-conflict fighting. I specifically said where *foreign troops* were involved essentially started Middle East wars. Please reread my statement carefully and then we may return for further discussion.
Clearly Riad you missed the central point of my response. I addressed your assertion that foreign troops essentially started Middle East wars. Arabs have been happy to kill one another long before the arrival of foreign troops, and left to their own devices will continue to do so.
That so many are adherents to a religion bent on superstition, violence, and ignorance is a sure recipe for continued strife.
Consider for one moment the leading role Arabs took in the world slave trade. Arabs are no more or less suspectable to cruelty, territorial ambitions, and war than any other race.
There will be no peace in the Middle East until mankind gets the memo on religion, superstitions, and dogma.
Please reread my response and then we may return to further discussion.
The corruption is mind boggling. Of course we need equitable taxation where everyone pays their fair share. Yes we’ll always argue about what’s fair. But no matter how good the laws are they are worthless unless they are enforced. Nobody likes the tax man but clearly billionaires won’t pay unless they are made to. Kneecapping the IRS has only let the scofflaws get away with it.
As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once wrote -- whose words are emblazoned on the building of the IRS itself -- taxes are the price we pay to live in civilized society.
Only small people pay taxes, so said Leona Helmsley.
And only women go to jail for not paying
So noted.
Sorry I misread the entry. I though it was The only woman ... So it looks like you're right. Except for Capone.
No, there was Martha Stewart.
Wealthiest Americans pay just 3.4% of income in taxes, investigation reveals
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/13/wealthiest-americans-tax-income-propublica-investigation
but the flipside they use to justify the cuts is they pay something like 60% of the collected taxes? I have seen the libertarian think tanks put out those figures that show that the rich provide most f the total government revenue. That is how the republicans keep getting hoodwinked into the cuts. Never mind that they have over 50% of the total wealth and most of that has come through exploitation of workers, financial schemes, and tax avoidance.
Well I am happy to tiptoe through the tulips
Maybe we need to be non supportive of billionaires business. Turn off CBS it's all trump lies anyway. Benos Amazon isn't the only store on line, try Walmart. Anyone who uses Starlink Internet, available now, will be paying to be monitored by Elon Musk and Palandir. Your money, your choice. Hurt their bottom line.
We should try that... being a civilized society!
The billionaires' ability to use their money to so blatantly bribe the politicians to govern entirely in their favor was due to the Citizens United ruling.
It was authored by highly educated men, deep thinkers all: Anthony Kennedy, John G. Roberts, Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas. Those five men's opinion changed the course of our nation. They are the enablers of the oligarchy's perversion of our system of government.
They did their work in a judicial system in which, as we have seen in the last 14 months, there are no constraints or ability to review and reverse the decisions SCOTUS makes. The recourse is to wait until enough of the current justices die or retire under a new administration. The alternative is to expand the court. Then new cases can be brought before a different set of justices, who can issue a new ruling that reverses the old one.
That assumes there will be free and fair elections to elect a President who would nominate, and a Senate that would confirm, new justices with different opinions.
The crux of the problem is that the timeline for checks and balances on SCOTUS is too long and too dependent on nominations by the president and the party in power in the Senate, especially since the filibuster rule requiring a supermajority for confirmation was removed.
This is one more issue to add to the list of amendments to the Constitution when we declare corporations are not people and money is not political speech: a mechanism for rapid judicial review of SCOTUS decisions, and changes to how justices to SCOTUS are nominated and confirmed.
There is another way: elect representatives who are not beholden to moneyed interests, and have them pass laws. This will force the Supreme Court to reconsider the issue. There are hopefully enough justices who are not corrupt and who recognize the damage the decision has done.
If the same people are on the SCOTUS bench, they will most likely keep applying the same logical framework in their decisions and cite stare decisis of their own rulings.
Maybe the way to correct the timeline issue is to have staggered 5-year term limits with the possibility of a second term for SCOTUS with a 2/3 supermajority required for confirmation in the Senate and nominations made from a list generated and approved by a majority of the judges on the federal appeals courts.
But we know that money is often the decider. Those low minded voters are easily persuaded. A few neighbors regretfully voted for him. They were one issue or no issue voters. They wanted someone to clean the swamp. Right.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏
I have been talking about this topic a lot lately. We have the chance right now to change PAC money in politics.
Go to: AIPAC Tracker and Integrityindex.us
AIPAC is a monstrosity of a pro-Israeli PAC which has many other PAC offshoots. The negative effect on the Democratic Party is immense. Go look up the leaders today in the Democratic Party-Schumer, Schiff, Jeffries etc. Take a look at the stocks they own. You can look up the PAC names and then what committees they are on. This is where the gears click. No wonder these people have been dragging their corporate shackled feet for so long. Even better you can look up candidates. The integrityindex.us site looks at a bigger picture and even assigns a grade.
There is an attitude going around of vote blue no matter who. This has not proven to be a good idea. We are in a nightmare with the Democratic Party Leaders being weak and ineffective. The best news is there are some very good candidates running who are PAC free. We can effect change without relying on the Supreme Court or the PAC owned entrenched members of Congress.
It's clear that corruption goes where the power is. It's also good that groups like this are shining a light on it, regardless of party affiliation.
To put it bluntly, beyond the obvious effects of Citizens United we as a citizenry are living with the consequences of paying too little attention to how our government is run. Blame media overload, media capture, the tribalization of our politics - we need to call out the people in office who have failed in their obligation to represent their voters. It sounds like integrityindex.us is helping provide that information to the rest of us.
Agree. We got the government we deserved. This is, of course, an unpopular viewpoint but it is true. We have historical low voter turnout. Americans know more about their sports teams than the issues of the day. Americans know even less about a candidate. We elected SCOTUS. How else do we think those Presidents who nominated them and the congress people approved got into office?
It's all on us. This is such good news. We can call out the people in Office. I have been doing this by publishing their PAC and stocks information when they are on a podcast etc. We stop voting "blue no matter who" and kick Schummer, Jeffries etc out.
Thanks for the links.
Remind people that this chaos is owned by all the elected republicans. They own the tariffs mess, the reduction in government services around health safety, environmental safety, public safety, national security, and all the law breaking in this administration. All of it.
Let's not deify one political party please. The Democratic Party has known for 10 years of the threat of who trump is. The let MAGA grow and grow. They have made one massively bad calculation after another. The Democratic party "leadership" continues to issue "strongly worded statements" while Americans suffer and are scared.
By examining the PAC money controlling the Democratic Party Leadership it all begins to make sense. It's time we stop letting the Democrats off the hook.
We demand change in the complete political system in America.
"We want an opposition Party that fights back. Fighting back against the regime does work… and we will remake this party to represent the people because it is currently full of too many people who are too weak. We’re not asking. We’re demanding.
Indivisible Las Vegas"
And
"This message is for the members of Congress who are supposed to be looking out for us their constituents and voters:
Find a spine. Find a vertebra. Find some strength in yourself to stand up for this Country and the people who live here. You have a masked militia in the street murdering citizens who are doing nothing wrong. If you cannot find it in yourself to do something about that then please know we will find new leadership. If you think you are safe because you live in a non-competitive district, think again. We are not afraid to change our party in order to defeat you. We are not afraid to figure out how to work the system to get you out of office if you will not keep us safe. Do your jobs. Do it with an ounce of bravery. All it takes is a hundredth of the bravery that Renee Good or Nurse Pretti had. Do better or do a different job."
Author: Kate Compton Barr
Absolutely. For the decades since the Powell Memo went out, the dems have let the cancer grow. The decimation of the VTA, CRA, with the death by a thousands cuts strategy is their most serious fault I believe. Sadly, the facts how the GOP has totally been coopted into their current state as well as the haphazard way the dems resist. Sarah Kenzdior's book They Knew is an eye opener. One of the strongest indictment of our politicians I have ever read. She brings the receipts.
Thank you for this. It gives me great hope when people start to wake up to the truth of the Democrats. I will look into Kenzdor's book.
An act of omission is equal to an act of commission. "find a spine" indeed.
Agree. I call it implicit and explicit screwing up.
And war is not peace, freedom is not slavery.
I feeling more of a dooms dayer now. Perhaps like I felt in 2007 when I stated that we were heading for a major recession the following year. This time, it’s recession, depression or a little or a lot of both. I’m preach to the choir here when I say that Trump only damages and destroys. He was damaged during his developmental stages. His father and apparently his mother damaged him permanently. Accumulating assets, raping underage girls (the idea of virgin sex was always desirable on account of std fear. And now, vengeance at any and all costs. One thing Trump has in common with the darkest figures in human history; total destruction. Hang on to your purses and wallets. The worst is yet to come.
Side note; I had my brief chat with the chief knucklehead Rick Sender. A few words with him and I blocked him again. He is no fun anymore because he won’t respond to my taunts of how stupid he was after I convinced him to buy my little book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums.”
Well, Bill, as a retired educator, he is the classic kid that the parents never disciplined. Essentially, he was allowed to eat his siblings.
We should enjoy Rick Sender. He seems totally addicted to Heir Trump, our national avatar of hatred. Reading his circuitous rantings about why liberals are idiots because we can't see the wonderful things Trump and facisim are bringing to America is instructive.
Aside: what happened to him? Tired of trolling?
Rick? If you mean him, he communicated with me a few times after I unblocked him but as I said, he isn’t fun anymore. Rick is hard to understand as are any who fully support Trump. Trump has no values. No morals nor ethics. He believes in nothing except money accumulation and destruction for its own sake. How could anyone with any degree of intelligence support that?
and no soul.
Justices also need to be subjected to term limits, maybe 12 years, maybe 18. We can debate on the length. No more lifetime appointments that shield them from accountability. Additionally, the court should be expanded to 13 justices with each justice responsible for oversight of one circuit (they already have this responsibility but it’s not a 1:1 match). 12 circuits, 12 justices, with an at large Chief Justice.
I agree, Chris. I'd like to see either a time limit or an age limit for justices. Oregon "ages out"* their Circuit Court judges at 75. I think I'd like to see 70 as the upper limit.
* Aging out is what happens to kids competing in Drum Corps International (DCI) hit 21 before June 1; if their birthday is after that, they can finish that season.
Term limits rather than age limits. Lots of women took time out for child rearing and elder care so they are still rising in the ranks compared to male peers, not to mention that we live longer. You don't want to waste that talent and potential!
Spot on!
https://americanpromise.net/ is trying to change that.
We will never get an amendment until we get people in congress to pass it. AIPAC Tracker and integrityindex.us go to the root of the problem. We weed out the career politicians who essentially do nothing. We elect people who will work for the voters.
Interesting, but my first question is that it uses the word “reasonable” in the amendment and what is reasonable to me or you may be open to wide interpretations by the originalist justices.
The amendment has to be written to avoid those issues. “Only individual citizens may donate to political candidates and parties up to a maximum total amount in each election cycle equal to the average national poverty level as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year prior to that of the election.”
We are also being screwed by the latitude the states currently have to define their own rules, so that needs to be tightened up, especially regarding privacy of voter data and who is allowed to see it and who is allowed to challenge it.
The billionaires think they are some sort of aristocracy, who by right, should have whatever they want, while children go hungry and families are bankrupted by medical debt because someone got sick or injured. What America cannot afford is billionaires. Tax them out of existence.
The plan man, from P2025. They warned us
Exactly, The book When a Libertarian Walks Into a Bear does a great job of explaining how this individualism actually creates less freedom and why we need government to run for the people.
Didn't trump say that he paid $750 in income tax on millions of income? I guess we all don't have the luxury of using a cemetery on our golf course as a deduction.
If it benefits the payer like a bribe and corrupts the public's interests like a bribe, then it is, in effect a bribe. See what the US Constitution has to say about bribery. We have been fools to put up with this.
1) What indeed is the purpose of the US Government?
2) Will an expensive long-running ad campaign make Mr Vivek Ramaswamy a more attractive candidate?
3) Are voters enjoying Mr Hegseth's action TV style presentation of the activity of his "warfighters"?
(Signed) Disgusted, Melbourne.
I live in Ohio. And I talk to people. 'Swampi' doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of winning here. I hope he burns through every penny of the Epstein Class' money, and then tries to blame 'the system', and voter fraud. I think then he just may be run out of the country!
You just made my day. Keep us posted please.
You bet I will!! That's in between my active campaigning for Dr. Acton, of course!
Please go to AIPAC Tracker and integrityindex.us. It is a valuable tool for calling out incumbents and candidates. Thank you not only for your work but also your enthusiasm. We need both right now.
My motivation comes from the likes of you, and the many others here at LFAA!!
Well, look what Musk's big spending did with the Wisconsin Supreme Court (I think) last year. The Democratic candidate won in spite of him!
Proof positive that lots of money does NOT equate to lots of intelligence!!
"The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves---in their separate, and individual capacities.
In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interfere." - Lincoln
Anybody hoping for election would do well to read the words of Lincoln. All of them. Then, if they reach the stage of taking the oath, they will know what it is that's expected of them. And if they aren't honest, they shouldn't have been elected. But what am I saying?
People need a reminder - I guess we need a vocal pledge for people to create a better country, for all.
In Texas the ads run non-stop. The tv is Goebbels on steroids. But the cult loves the hate fest. I don’t pretend, I don’t keep my head down, maybe somebody will notice.
This has been my conclusion as well: anger and hatred are the fuel of the MAGA cult. It's really very sad, and so destructive, and completely unnecessary.
But it works surprisingly well, doesn’t it. If pre-trump you had told me some Americans feel this level of hate for others, I wouldn’t have believed you. Guess I’m lucky to have lived this ignorant as long as I have. It’s terribly disillusioning.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has banned independent press photographers from Pentagon briefings because they were unhappy with "unflattering" photos of him.
The restriction began after a March 2, 2026, press conference—Hegseth’s first briefing appearance in months—where photographers from outlets like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty Images captured images his aides deemed unappealing.
https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-pentagon-briefings-photographers-ad0cc21ad17d299c90284788fba62b5a
https://people.com/unflattering-pete-hegseth-photos-barred-press-photographers-report-11924046#:~:text=Pentagon%20Reporters%20from%20All%20but,to%20use%2C%22%20Wilson%20continued.
Lights - camera - action. And was he any good at his previous job?
If you mean, drinking on the job? It's hard to rate it but seems good at being a rage-aholic and getting blackout drunk.
Oh. Ah. Then why......? oh, never mind. Captain's choice.
The head of our 'Department of War' was literally a Fox News talking head who is a misogynist and a drunk. He has no experience at anything except cheating on his wife.
He has the IQ of a potato and the vanity of a Kardashian.
So needless to say.. Trump loves him.
Nice, concise description.
Which is how it’s confirmed he belonged in the job he had—TV pretty boy—not the one he has. But for trump being a pretty boy is what matters most.
Yes, as well as being a yes man, sycophant and war crime collaborator.
I lived in two farming counties in northwest Ohio. I cannot see the people in those counties voting for Vivek.
Eat the billionaires. I hear they're mighty tasty, lightly sauteed, with a nice chianti.
Better yet, tax 'em silly. We did that years ago and yet the world still spun. Oh, and there once was this thing called "antitrust" that helped keep monopolies at bay....
When we taxed the rich, the country could afford to create the environment that created innovation and even more wealth. Remember the NIH and the NSF? NASA?
These oligarchs, especially the American ones, believe they pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps and owe nothing to anybody. They need to understand that taxes are the way they pay back their debt and create the environment for the next generation of innovators.
Of course, they see the next generation as their competiton. Far easier to pull the ladder up behind them and count their money in peace than to welcome others into the club and help the continued advancement of civilization.
I feel like everything I learned in school about antitrust and monopolies has been somehow thrown away when I wasn’t paying attention. wtf is going on? I can’t believe the consolidation of media (print and broadcast). I’ve unsubscribed to paramount Disney etc now I’ll have to get rid of HBO too? Guess I’ll need to read more until we get government that regulates these clowns again. Won’t hold my breath though.
Jonathon Swift wrote a satirical essay A Modest Proposal suggesting fattening up Irish babies for eating them would be a great idea. His words created a great stir. Whatever makes this administration go and I am getting to think of some not so nice things these nights.
Go for it Mary OMalley. Here's my effort tonight.
3/12/26 Thursday Night LFAA post on the Old Dominion & the Beth Israel west of Pittsburg, shootings today. Because of professional & rapid responses both Perps are deceased at the 2 separate scenes.
Per VA Governor Abigail Spanberger at Old Dominion University U.S.Army ROTC teacher Lt. BRANDON SCHAH was killed in his ODU class room & 2 were injured.
***************************************************************
What is an accurate analysis of this afternoon's over hanging national Question?
Let's ask MICHAEL FEINER a fellow at Lawfare.
So where is the Billionaire money being spent? Michael says: "The draw down & massive shift of personnel to "immigration" like going after 5 year old Liam but, multiplied by thousands of misdirected hours & assets.
In other more direct words, FEINER concludes LESS agents are not meeting with sources which means we're 100% LESS safe while the Billionaire flood the stem with cash.
I have donated to AMY ACTON 3 times. You get updates on her campaign.
Go Amy!
If we're "100% less safe," we aren't safe at all. Is that what you meant?
Yes, but not me. The Fellow's key point is the waste of valuable human assets needed elsewhere like at ODU & Michigan west of Detroit yesterday.
I remember a few decades ago a legal case of a NYC landlord who refused to attend to his ghetto tenement. The judge made that landlord live in one of his own rat-infested apartments with 24/7 noise and non-working appliances. I think that kind of justice would be more appropriate for the corrupt billionaires.
Horrors, my digestive track heaves at the thought. Even the hogs would turn away. They are toxic slop
Wild guess, I don’t have numbers, but would be great if my congressperson could research this and yeay/nay the validity:
If taxes could have some absolute floor of 10% of income, or double what they currently pay, whichever is greater, and tax “carried interest”, etc, etc: could all the public good and schools be funded and lift everyone out of poverty and hunger and homelessness, and the weak could be strengthened. All without harming that so-sacred ‘invisible hand of the free market’ the Rand-ites like to worship.
What would be todays parallel of Jesus’ tearing apart the market?
They’re eating the Rich? 🎶
Just like the (late, great?) Hannibal Lechter admitted to, "eating their liver with fava beans and a nice chianti"...
Ptui! Gag me with a spoon
Slow roasted over a spit...
It’s worth noting that Linda McMahon tried, and failed, twice to buy a Connecticut Senate seat, (2010, 2012) blowing through tens of millions of her own money and probably much more in campaign contributions from her billionaire friends. Ross Perot presents a similar history in his run for President.
That said, the tax code absolutely must be engineered to make billionaires impossible. I think $500 million is still way too much power for one person to control.
That’s right; money is power. SCOTUS got it all wrong calling money speech. Money is power and the greed of billionaires is the lust for power over the rest of us.
I think all money should be declared public property, but I’ll leave that discussion for another day.
The Spring equinox is a week away. As Chief Dan George said, “Let us endeavor to persevere.”
Good points. Bloomberg tried it in the 2020 election as well.
This is what the USA has become. Our voices are our most powerful weapons and they are trying to drown us out! We must not let them!
Say the magic word: EPSTEIN!
We have many resources on fighting back that are proving to work:
boycotts
protests
contacting Congress
elections!
registering people to vote
There are more of us than them. And we will win.
Money is loud and proud, makes evil palpable
Trump bankrupted five corporations…will he succeed in bankrupting the US Treasury?
And morally bankrupting us, too, Observer?
As the attack on the synagogue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and same day attack in Old Dominion University both show, Donald giving himself permission to start a new war is just encouraging more of our worst sectarian hatreds and atavistic stereotyping.
Eleven billion dollars in the first six days of his war of choice. Unappropriated, so it goes straight to the National Debt where it will accrue interest forever.
Trump must be over the moon at being able to spend money so fast. His father would be so proud.
Sure. If we let him. He's running with it.
It’s his splinter skill. A master destroyer
“ Trump bankrupted five corporations…will he succeed in bankrupting the US Treasury?”
Yes. Wars will do that, especially.
Meanwhile Social Security's trust funds are expected to run out of money in 2032, according to a recent CBO report revising its forecast, and Medicare will run out of money in 2040 instead of 2052.
That is some scary news, especially with the jackass we have in the White House.
This should be a powerful political talking point in the upcoming midterm campaigns.
Just a little rejoinder here, something from Money magazine. I’m no fan of CATO but this needs clarity.
https://money.com/social-security-insolvency-date-2032/
“Is Social Security really going bankrupt?
About a third of Americans say they believe Social Security won’t be there for them when they retire, according to a December survey from the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank.
These fears are stoked by the idea that Social Security is going bankrupt. But economist Stephen Nuñez argues that the word “bankrupt” is misleading and isn’t a good way to think about what’s happening with Social Security.
“There is no bankruptcy or collapse in the cards,” Nuñez, an economic director at the liberal-leaning Roosevelt Institute, wrote in a recent report.
That’s because, experts say, even if Social Security’s trust funds were fully depleted, about 80% of Social Security benefits would continue to flow because they are funded in real time through payroll taxes. And that scenario assumes Congress ignores the issue.
“Even if nothing is done, people will continue to receive the bulk of their benefits,” Alicia Munnell, founder of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, wrote last May. “No one, however, wants to see an immediate 20% across-the-board benefit cut in Social Security retirement benefits.”
Social Security is extremely popular regardless of political affiliation, leading Nuñez to find it unlikely that lawmakers will simply let Social Security fall into insolvency.
He noted that Social Security faced a similar shortfall in the 1980s, and lawmakers rallied to pass reforms in 1983. Those changes were supposed to ensure decades of financial stability until 2058. However, the Great Recession and increased income inequality have changed the calculus the reforms were built upon, and Social Security is in need of a legislative tweak again.
Some popular fixes include subjecting wages over $400,000 to the payroll tax, gradually increasing the retirement age and reducing benefits for top earners.
Nuñez said finding the best fix — “rather than predictions of doom and gloom” — should be the focus
Good Evening to All, and congratulations to Shai-Gilgeous Alexander!
It seems to me that there are two points to elucidate (or attempt to do so) in response to Heather's Epistle of this late winter evening.
One revolves around the famous Louis Brandeis quote---"We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both".
The bracing truth of that statement is one that seems to have been lost on the political class for quite a while, even in the halcyon days before the Despicable One and his Slovenian Braun descended the "Married to the Mob" escalator.
In the Revolutionary era, John Hancock was one of the richest men on the continent. His shipping and propertied empire was immense. Yet, he tossed in with the Revolutionaries, including a certain corset maker named Thomas Paine, who normally would have no truck with such a grandee, both to secure his ability to steer his own businesses and wealth in the way he chose, and because he had a citizen's nobility of vision, understanding that a tyrannical government like that of Britain's at the then high water mark of its imperial power, would never allow the full expression of liberty's endeavors, whether business, artistic, political, etc. When Paul Revere rode from the two lanterned steeple of the Old North Church into the Massachusetts night, he warned his countrymen that "The British were coming". Yet the British were coming both to strangle any incipient uprising in its crib, and to take the heads of two of those who would lead such an uprising---Samuel Adams, cousin of our second President, and maker of a wonderful ale (God Bless Him!), and of course, John Hancock. The British, sly and cruel in their imperial means, as those from India and Ireland can attest, would have loved to have paraded the heads of Adams and Hancock across a rebellious New England so as to strike fear and intimidation into the hearts of those who might otherwise have found themselves gathering their courage on Lexington's green.
Thank the Lord for the nighttime, for Revere and Dawes preventing said calamity.
The other point to raise, is more difficult all around. The billionaires that Heather discusses will do their thing, striving with every entitled and arrogant fiber within their tax exempted, dignity deprived souls to hang onto their ill gotten gains. This is not news, but rather, the story of human history in many ways. The real question, and the oh-so-difficult question is, what is it within our fellow Americans that is so susceptible to the campaigns that the billionaires pay for that they would vote against their Country's values, principles and future, but also against their own interests?!?
I continue to wonder.
Warren Buffet pays hundreds of millions every year in federal, state and local taxes and is happy to do it. He understands the truth behind President Obama's 'you didn't build this just by yourself' he once spoke about (and was excoriated by fright-wing talk radio for).
Our wealthy are privileged to live in a land that not only permits them to accumulate wealth, but enjoy all the public goods that a robustly-funded progressive taxation system buys. Roads, bridges, ports and all infrastructure, education, research, health, food and drug safety, social security, a true national defense, and our wonderful national park, forest, nature preservation systems all make up these marvelous things known as "public goods." Countries marked by vast income disparities, where the top 1-2% value wealth accumulation alone -- and whose government matches their private greed by not investing in public goods -- are poor countries indeed.
I would like to see Warren Buffet and other sensible billionaires (yes, they exist!) invest more in American democracy.
For starters, they ought to buy Sinclair Broadcast and Fox News and turn them into real news outlets. Likewise companies who own all-too-many local newspapers: Gannett, Lee Enterprises, Alden Global, Chatham et al. Buffet and others *should* have been there to snatch up CNN and CBS before Trump’s allies bought them up. And it’s a travesty that Trump was able to orchestrate the sale of a controlling interest in TikTok to his cronies.
PS. Warren Buffet, George Soros & Co. should also invest couple of billion dollars in this midterm elections cycle. It is absolutely vital that Democrats retake control of the Senate as well as the House. We need to stop this slide into Fascism!
More than that, ArcticStones; your "sensible Billionaires" should have put together a program to match the caliber of the work that the Koch Bros' $13 Billion has produced... that created the propaganda envelope that spawned the "low-information voters" who elected the government we have... who created Project 2025... who bought over 500 professors' chairs in universities across the country... who cunningly created the "tea party" with a secret plan staged by Sean Hannity, paid $1 Million a year through a back door.
There's so much the Limousine Liberal Billionaires could have done. Instead they've been caught taking a banana to a knife fight.
I regret that I must fully agree with your 20-20 hindsight. And yet the relevant question is: what can we and they do with where we are right now?
THEY CAN START ACTING LIKE THEY CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY.
Some do. In fact, more than a few.
(All-caps post are the equivalent of shouting. Please don’t do that – leave that to Trump.)
Not just Americans, Daniel, but humans in history have often acted against their own interests. Or, their primary interests just aren't obvious to the rest of us. Don't "saints" act against their human interests?
Secularly, perhaps the unseen evolutionary lever for change just hasn't yet reached critical mass. If we could discover it, we could throw our "weight" to it.
For every one billionaire dollar going to Democrats, five go to Republicans....
Not only is this a truth that disproves the premise behind "Citizens United" that money is nothing but speech, it's also an argument for strengthening political-party based Congressional and Senatorial Committees. Many here think individual contributions are the way to go. That itself is part of the problem -- and the effect -- of Citizens United. Republican Party coffers are oozing with cash right now, Democratic ones are not.
Without money, momentum often just dies on the vine. And you cannot make up for lost momentum with individual donations to whomever you please alone. You need the organizing arms of parties to put money where it's needed most, where it will be most effective. Those of you who refuse to do this based on some sort of 'principle' -- please reconsider.
IMHO, Warren Buffet, George Soros & other billionaires who value American democracy need to invest couple of billion dollars in this midterm elections cycle. (Yes, it shouldn’t be so, but until Citizens United is repealed, we need these billionaires as allies!)
If we are to prevent a further slide into American Fascism, it is absolutely vital that Democrats retake control of the Senate as well as the House, and that we strengthen our power at the state level.
No question that the amount of money being accumulated by individuals and corporations is corrupting the American experiment and the “The World is not enough” mind set will rip the democratic process apart. Nothing will change unless the amassing of wealth is controlled.
Amassing of wealth should not reach a point of eroding unalienable rights, equal protection, and equal rights of any American. That's the whole idea of the process launched nearly 250 years ago; and while application of those principles was pretty uneven in the early days, the pursuit of those ideals have extended those rights substantially. Now the "same old serpent", The Empire, is striking back. We have lost it if we let them succeed.
The "Citizens United" decision of the Roberts SCOTUS was a defacto legalization of political corruption in the USA. The straight line from that decision to the Trump presidency is crystal clear. The war against Iran is just the latest tragic result. We have a thoughtless billionaire problem. Big time.
Wanna buy a pardon?
How Fast Will A.I. Agents Rip Through the Economy? | Ezra Klein interviews Jack Clark, Co-Founder & Policy Director at Anthropic (2/24/26)
https://youtu.be/lIJelwO8yHQ?si=8jBRucigbejXfotq
Here is a fav journalist having a real 1:1 conversation with Anthropic, which I am sharing here. Turn on [CC] closed caption.
It’s the best Q&A on how we can be ready for the career disruption coming soon to our economy from AI.
Not only do I admire Dario / Daniela Amodei from Anthropic, for pushing back on reckless Trump’s bullying, but this 90-minute YouTube with Jack Clark shows that he has the knowledge and the integrity to be a responsible leader for the revolution coming.
Trump will never help or care about our current American workforce getting displaced with their jobs, but Jack Clark explains that he is sensitive, strong and smart enough to help support our generation of young people looking forward to a career and a future.
You're so right -- Trump will never care -- he's touting higher gas prices as "patriotic" and claiming that higher oil prices will make "us" a lot of money -- let's see if the base buys that bushel of bullshit.
Please, someone explain to me how former Senator Al Franken was forced to resign his Senate seat, after a photo surfaced showing him clowning around (quite mild, relative to the trump/Epstein photos we see regularly today!), but a thug like Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) can just simply walk away after a brazen assault that resulted in serious bodily injury??? Why is there no outrage?? Why are the Dem Senators not DEMANDING he get his criminal ass out of DC, like TODAY!!
Among other things, this is a timely reminder that tax is not a punishment; it is the way we agree to pay for the things we collectively want.
And its burden should fall fairly on all citizens as a percentage of all income for each one.
Why is this not said more clearly by more people?
Everyone benefits from good infrastructure, good education, good governance all funded by taxes. Equitable taxation should reflect our collective values and serve the larger common good.
And, We the People should be able to decide if we want wars of choice to be funded with those taxes, because at over $1 billion a day most Americans would want that money spent on something much more beneficial.
Well said.
It's a matter of common sense; this should go without saying.