Today, Wired reported that it had found four more Venmo accounts associated with the Trump administration officials who participated in the now-infamous Signal chat about a planned military attack on the Houthis in Yemen.
🚨 On Saturday, April 5th, we're peacefully taking to the (your town) sidewalks to fight back with a clear message: Hands off! 🚨
This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.
A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.
That is very good advice about focusing on nonviolence, for what good it will do. Do you really think Trump will think twice about sending the (para)military into a peaceful crowd of protesters? Trump has dreamed of this since he first envisioned military tanks tearing up the Capitol pavement for his first inaugural parade. Pete Hegseth will not face discipline for the security breach because that man will have no compunction about doing whatever lawless trampling on our rights of free speech and dissent that Dear Leader requests, unlike General Milley and Mark Esper. These intelligent students whose legal statuses are being withdrawn as they are hauled away simply because they have actively opposed genocide, Putin’s aggression, or write OpEds about not supporting Zionism, are just test cases for intimidating and silencing the rest of us. We were warned that the guardrails would be off this time around, and they are not only off, but the rails are greased.
Make no mistake, I have been and will be present at these protests, I have no plan to obey in advance. But the larger the demonstration, the more tempting it is for Trump and his regime to declare states of emergency and use force against us. Town halls, Arena rallies, high numbers spread out along the road sides are much more inconvenient targets. We need to go into any massive protest with our eyes wide open. We also must be cognizant of facial recognition technology and perhaps wear masks as precautions against future retaliation.
I refer you to the group organizers for your concerns.
My point of reference for myself right now is maintain my sanity, sense of self and not freak out. I am not giving in to what could happen. I am dealing with the needs of the moment as they unfold.
I am not so sure long, long writings such as yours are helpful.
How about we keep our heads, knuckle down and take care of business.
In mid winter a communication from the Democratic Party asked me for input on rethinking their future direction. I enthusiastically participated, especially after their months and months of silence to feedback I'd been volunteering them since Kamala's defeat and Trump's second Inaugural.
Sometimes long is necessary, Barbara.
Late yesterday morning a communication from DNC arrived in my Inbox. I read it immediately only to be dumbfounded, absolutely dumbfounded, by what it said!!
Nothing . . . NOTHING!!! . . . could captured save IN THE NEGATIVE what is so deeply awry in the Democratic Party at this very moment than the four pages it contained.
If I had been an astronaut landing back yesterday on earth after an unexpected and unplanned six silent months in orbit around the earth I would never have been able to tell by reading this DNC e-mail on its future course. Beginning January 20th our Republic came under a withering siege of a fascist-leaning incompetent and swiftly aging man-child, a 900-page blueprint shaped by Christian nationalist 'values' he had expressly disavowed during the campaign, a cabinet he filled with billionaires and numerous amateurs and incompetents at Federal administration, and precious little fundamental sympathy with the PEOPLE for, by, and of this Nation which our Republic has ever improved itself serving for almost 250 years. The out-of-power Democratic leadership at the Federal level has, with a few notable exceptions, failed to rise as a unified body to the requisite tasks of opposition this increasingly desperate situation demands. That includes the capacity to speak out, vote, block and parry as the procedures in both houses will allow and support on behalf of saving the Republic. The party as a whole wallows at the 20+ percent in public approval. From the four pages I received no one could imagine America was facing a huge, many-faceted and deepening constitutional crisis, and now also, with the startling emergence of an out-of-control DOGE interloper, a huge, unnecessary, and unexpected Federal administrative upheaval that is quickly transforming itself into parallel confusion and dismay at state and local levels.
And yet all this DNC 'memo of response' advances is a six column bar chart purporting to quantify what all us respondents advanced concerning where we believe the Party needs to work. Here are the six blue columns:
Building a stronger, more visible communication strategy
Transform how we engage with young voters
Strengthen outreach with rural communities
Hold more town halls and listening sessions
Increasing investment in protecting voting rights
Recruit and support more Democratic candidates
If this was meant to express the conclusions of a proper situation audit of where the party needs to direct itself given where it finds itself, this quantitative telling wholly misses the mark. At one point the e-mail actually says in so many words that their intent is "not just in fighting back against Trump but also on building our Party for the long term." Well, of course. Except that it misses the elephant in the room.
If the fight against Trump isn't successful the many dimensions of upheaval in the Republic will undercut the delivery of services, the balance of powers, and our protection against tyranny, losing the safeguards of freedom and liberty, spelling the end of the Republic. That is the crisis facing us and the Democratic Party; the summary memo is, I believe, simply and wholly off point, and I'll tell them so.
Late last evening I got an e-mail fundraising message from Senator Elizabeth Warren who apparently hasn't gotten the DNC e-mail either since she writes about DNC "organiz(ing) against Trump’s disastrous agenda." Except they're clearly not.
Now I'm off to breakfast, then my annual appointment with my cardiologist, and only then can I come back and send the memo of response direct to DNC. I judged its importance high enough, though, in the larger scheme of things, to sandwich this post into the developing Friday morning thread of the HCR faithful.
Well said! Articulate, accurate, and sound. Suggest you copy/paste into a more prominent level of today’s comments. I think Dems are lost. We either move forward without them, or they’ll set themselves adrift to nowhere. (Best wishes with your cardio appointment.)
i abandoned the DNC years ago when they burned Bernie. Bernie is out there with AOC doing huge rallies while the rest of the pathetic Dems, with a few exceptions, are sending “what can I say to make you give me money” emails. Bah.
I'm 83. major in Russian and minor in German. Later I worked with MD's who weren't allowed to practice in private, but had experienced the NAZI and and/or Stalinist regimes. To me, my education and experience are invaluable. Outside of my narrow circle of friends, I am yesterday's news. Watching what's happening, I'm seeing Mein Kampf play out again, only now it's called Project 2025. I can definitely empathize with your recent experience. BTW, I live in north central Minnesota, which makes me a (educated) jack pine savage. Don
I confess that I pay no attention to anything that the DNC sends out. Our Senators and my local Rep here in Oregon are meeting with all kinds of people including my county's R Board of Commissioners and doing what they can. Sadly, we are physically unable to do any protests, but donate where we can. It looks like we are going to need to help out our local food bank more frequently as they are being cut off from federal food help. Also I welcome thoughtful posts no matter how long they are.
Sadly, one thing we all seem to miss, MONEY. The democrats used to be able to count on money from working people through union support. Reagan ended the ability of unions to help democrats along with the wealthy conservatives that managed to corrupt union leadership with money. Sadly, again, democrats attempts to get outside money out of politics ended when Obama relied on outside money in his first run (Stewart Stevens). Democrats getting money from corporate america put them on better financial ground but then the republicans were able to use that to help get the Citizens United ruling and the flood gates opened.
Ditto--well said. What an uphill climb we face, but first we have to see it!!Recognize it. Many are still in a cloud of "it can't happen here" and "wait it out, it will crumble". No not without pushback, major rolling pushback.. not just April 5th out there... rolling, general strikes...
Barbara: For one's self interest and sanity, I understand your point! However, if one does not look ahead and make tactical decisions now for our futures, we are all doomed.
Tactical decisions yes absolutely. Running around like chicken little screaming the sky is falling-no. There are so many freak out voices right now I tune them out. I especially ignore those subversive voices saying all is lost.
I am being politically active, encouraging people to do so and managing the deep sadness I feel right now for my/our Country. I have loved America deeply since I was a kid.
Each of us must push ourselves while maintaining healthy coping mechanisms.
Subscribe to Simon Rosenberg's Hopium for his weekly zooms.
Listen to experts on historical resistance to fascism: Ruth Ben-Ghiat (who also hosts a weekly Zoom for subscribers) and Timothy Snyder (who has a lot of talks on YouTube in addition to his prolific writing).
I agree. There really is a need to be peaceful yet forceful when voicing opposition. Give them no excuse to use violence against the citizenry. There are just too many, including former trump voters, who are being railroaded by this administration. Any violence against them could be a turning point for the republican congress, a thing even this administration does not want to risk.
Barbara: "I am dealing with the needs of the moment as they unfold." Perfectly said.
The Curtis Yarvin letter included after today's HCR letter was crazy. Anyone who has dealt with someone in a psychotic episode knows that the way to respond is to keep calm and steady and sure. Thank you, Barbara.
How has this Curtis Yarvin gained such a following? From what does he arise? From what deep thinking or philosophizing have these ideas arisen? What has he created or done to warrant such focus on what he’s selling? He sounds like a 4-yr old boy bent on the fun of breaking things, stomping on sand castles wherever he can find them.
Free, well, I have thought of that, but we would not get away with that for a nanosecond. Only the uberwealthy who can afford accountants and lawyers en masse can do that.
I think that there are people who read the "long writings" who are already unnerved and on board. Then there are others that are still into denial and refusing to believe, and that this is overreaction. I think those of us that believe (know with good evidence) that we are in deep trouble and must act together, massively and ongoing if there is any hope, must allow for the repetitive messages to this effect to convince others of the seriousness of the moment. And yes, so hard to do, keep our heads... meditate, keep calm. Some of us need to cultivate this. It's not so easy. We all have different nervous systems. Know thyself.
Sixty people agreed with me. What followed from my comment was an excellent discussion. I don't recognize your name so maybe you are new to this Substack forum. We have spirited discussions. We are passionate. What we are not is deliberately mean such as you are being. It is a waste of time to post comments such as yours and try and stir up discord and a create a fight. It is interesting to me that out of all the very many comments and a robust discussion you show up ready for a fight because of my comment. This is just not that kind of forum.
If you like Dr. Richardson's Letters I highly recommend her podcasts.
All demonstrations require legal permits from local authorities. If sh*t is going to happen, it will be playing with permitting authority, counter-demonstrations provoking riots by the likes of Proud Boys, who I suspect are champing at the bit. Large AND peaceful, and LOUD.
Here in Oregon we have often seen the Proud Boys at protests. Unfortunately, we also have a small group of people who i believe are actually apolitical who use protests as a means of doing major property damage. We had one young man, aged 14, who did about 14 thousand in broken windows.
Trump will have no qualms about calling the National Guard and give them orders to shoot.......you are no longer in a free country ! Beware of these Bastards they shoot to kill !
This is a lie. We are still living in a free Country.
We are experiencing an attempted coup. We are seeing serious and terrifying violations of our rights. We are fighting back. Whether you fight back or not is your choice.
The least you can do is resist declaring victory for the fascists. Stop obeying in advance.
Frank. There have been losses. There has been heartbreak, death and great harm such as John Lewis, the Freedom Riders, the Suffrage Movement and MLK experienced. Millions of Americans have been protesting in the streets since this Country began. Are you telling people to stay home?
"In February 2025 alone, we have already tallied more than 2,085 protests, which included major protests in support of federal workers, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, Palestinian self-determination, Ukraine and demonstrations against Tesla and Donald Trump’s agenda more generally. This is compared with 937 protests in the United States in February 2017, which included major protests against the so-called Muslim ban along with other pro-immigrant and pro-choice protests.
Coordinated days of protest such as March Fourth for Democracy (4 March), Stand Up for Science (7 March), rallies in recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March) and protests demanding the release of the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil suggest little likelihood of these actions slowing down. These are all occurring in the background of a tidal wave of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s early moves."
Yes eyes wide open and be brave *unafraid*. Acting starting now is important .Act wisely. In numbers and rolling, spreading out. There will be those who are made examples of. It's a tactic to spread fear. There is no choice. It will get worse. This is a test on us. We are fighting for the country we thought we were living in just a couple of months ago, now being actively destroyed... quickly.. amazing.. and not something about which to rationalize or deny. And if you need to take a break, take care of yourself.
Agreed. There probably will be some sort of scuffle or even violence by the administration. After all they are "disappearing people"!
But freaking out in advance just plays into the intimidation playbook. It's like obeying in advance. I have selected the town where I will attend a "Hands Off" protest. I have never protested. I have a phobia about crowds and I am old. But my fury now exceeds my fears.
My only decision now? What I will write on my sign! So much to say.
Barbara, if you can’t adjust to the reality of a pending total breakdown of all things good, sincerely, I would suggest that you stop reading everything, and stay off the screens.
Murdered by the state. We have to be cognizant of the possibility of illegal, unconstitutional actions by our 'government'. But we cannot allow that to stop us.
Four died, nine were wounded by the Ohio National Guard. I was a reporter (for the Akron Beacon-Journal) for Kent State and Hiram College student actions the year before. It was Ohio state troopers who responded at Kent State at that time. I was with the students in a hallway of the administration building when state troopers appeared at both ends of the hallway to arrest the students and put them on buses. There was no violence and the troopers were respectful of reporters. I know; they let me out of the student section so I could continue my reporting. During those years, there were demonstrations all over the country protesting U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
I am not saying we should capitulate. I’m out there at least twice a week. But for the very large mass street events I believe there are higher risks that we need to be particularly aware of and prepared for and consequences later that we never thought could be problematic in the past. These students who are being picked up now would never have been detained or deported 6 mos ago. There’s a difference between ‘doom posting’ and advocating for a level of awareness under conditions that haven’t been seen since the Civil Rights protests in the South. If BLM protests happened today, you can be sure that violent suppression would be ordered by the Trump admin. The top tier has tried to equate harm to a Tesla with treason ffs. Yes, I’m out there, but I’m no Pollyanna either. Maybe harm happening to dissenters, if not ignored or trivialized by MSM, could wake people up. Kent State sure did. A bus of civil rights volunteers being set fire to did. And there’s not much time to right this ship.
100% right, IMHO. the ICZE seizings were just a warmup. Trump has not yet had his Brownshirt moment or his Krystallnacht, but I doubt he can resist. Please pick your venues with care and don't reenact Kent State. Also, it would be strategic to not to compel the US military to choose a side yet.
With the anticipated thousands [million+?] of heroic protestors on April 5th (actually any and all days, including Women's March) here's an updated partial list of those fighting back every day [as of 3-27=25). I'm also adding courageous law firms who haven't caved. Besides upstanding lawyers, and law-abiding honorable (present and former) judges (including James Boasberg, chief judge, D.C. District Ct.), here's a growing list of Profiles in Courage men, women, and advocacy groups who refuse to be cowed or kneel to the force of Trump/Musk/MAGA/Fox "News" intimidation:
I'll begin (again) with Missouri's own indomitable Jess[ica] (à la John Lewis's "get in good trouble") Piper/"The View from Rural Missouri," then, in no particular order, Heather Cox Richardson/"Letters from an American," Joyce Vance/"Civil Discourse," Bernie Sanders, AOC, Gov. Tim walz, Sarah Inama, Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Jasmine Crockett, Ruth Ben-Ghait, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Ali Velshi, Stephanie Miller, Gov. Janet Mills, Gov. Beshear, Gov. JB.Pritzker, Mayor Michelle Wu, J im Acosta, Jen Rubin And the Contrarians, Dan Rather, Robert Reich, Jay Kou, Steve Brodner, Rachel Cohen, Brian TylerCohen, Jessica Craven, Scott Dworkin, Anne Applebaum, Lucian Truscott IV, Chris Murphy, Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth,Sheldon Whitehouse, Adam Schiff, Jon Ossoff, Elyssa Slotkin, Delia Ramirez,Tim Snyder, Robert B. Hubbell, Ben Meiseilas, Rich wilson, Ron Filpkowski, Jeremy Seahill, Thom Hartmann, Jonathan Bernstein, Simon Rosenberg, Marianne Williamson, Mark Fiore, Jamie Raskin, Rebecca Solnit, Steve Schmidt, Josh Marshall, Paul Krugman, Andy Borowitz, Jeff Danziger, Ann Telnaes,͏ ͏Will Bunch, Jim Hightower, Dan Pfeifer, Dean Obeidallah, Liz Cheney, Adam Kimzinger, Cassidy Hutchinson--
American Bar Association, 23 blue state Attorney Generals, Indivisible. FiftyFifty one, MoveOn, DemCast, Blue Missouri, Third Act, Democracy Forward, Public Citizen, Democracy Index, DemocracyLabs, Fred Wellman/On Democracy, Hands Off, Marc Elias/Democracy Docket, Public Citizen, League of Women Voters Lambda Legal, CREW, CODEPINK, ACLU, The 19th/Errin Haines, Working Families Party, American Oversight, et al.
And, as Joyce Vance says, "We're in this together"--or via Jess Piper, from rural Missouri: "Solidarity." FIGHT BACK! WE ARE NOT ALONE! (Latest addition h/t , Robert B. Hubbell: Law firms, see below). All suggestions are welcome.
* Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling have resisted Trump, fighting back with the help of other courageous firms like Williams & Connolly. Per The ABA Journal,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, representing fired inspectors general. (Law.com)
Hogan Lovells, seeking to block executive orders to end federal funding for gender-affirming medical care. (Law.com)
Jenner & Block, also seeking to block the orders on cuts to medical research funding. (Law.com, Reuters)
Ropes & Gray, also seeking to block cuts to medical research funding. (Law.com)
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, representing the Amica Center for Immigrants Rights and others seeking to block funding cuts for immigrant legal services. (Law.com)
Thank you, Larry, for this hopeful reminder. There is a ground of strong and growing resistance. If we get out of this Trump-hell alive these names and others should be engraved on a wall of profiles in courage!,
Perhaps I should add our nation's motto--and on our Great Seal--the phrase "E pluribus unum" (out of many, One ). Ii's 13 letters makes its use symbolic of the original 13 Colonies which rebelled against the rule of the Kingdom of George III . . .And now we protest together against King Donald. As my rural MO. indomitable Jess Piper always says: "Solidarity"
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I think my list of never-give-up fighters is unique, and I do republish as often as it fits the subject discussed. Latest addition (3-28-25 update) is the law firm Wilmer Hale, who blasted back on Trump's executive orfer targeting them. Suggestions always welcome.
This is an awesome list! I guess I missed Rep Melanie Stansbury who is very vocal on the DOGE committee, and Maine’s AG Shanna Bellows? I do hope that if we can ever right this Ship of State, we tap into some of these new voices of leadership!!
Yes. It was public outcry, not Congress, which got the Social Security Administration to pause the plan to officially stop phone services. Although DOGE has crashed the SSA computer services.
Tesla is good. Can you get a group of people to stand on a corner with signs? Or is it just too risky in Texas? I am telling people to not risk their jobs or safety at this time. We all can do only what we can.
JDinTX. There is a "Hands Off! San Antonio fights back - Saturday, April 5th at Main Plaza. I heard about it from Beto. He said to Google "Hands Off & your city. The one for Tesla was a week or so ago - I didn't hear about it until after it happened.
Who's doing focus groups or discussing what will get people going. In Vietnam it took 1,00 of deaths and the threat of the same to get people to take to the streets. BLM v.1 the same.
Not needed. People are already in the streets. Find a protest and go there.
"In February 2025 alone, we have already tallied more than 2,085 protests, which included major protests in support of federal workers, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, Palestinian self-determination, Ukraine and demonstrations against Tesla and Donald Trump’s agenda more generally. This is compared with 937 protests in the United States in February 2017, which included major protests against the so-called Muslim ban along with other pro-immigrant and pro-choice protests. Coordinated days of protest such as March Fourth for Democracy (4 March), Stand Up for Science (7 March), rallies in recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March) and protests demanding the release of the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil suggest little likelihood of these actions slowing down. These are all occurring in the background of a tidal wave of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s early moves." The Guardian
Yay! You know Carol. We are joining history. We will be remembered as the fighters for the Resistance. Our children and our children's children will know we stood up.
I keep remembering the French Resistance book I translated. One must do something. And they did. One of my favorite stories is about taking explosives in a fishing “stool” to a factory by a canal.
The ideology written in Project 2025 is so antiquated...they talk about installing a dictatorship and handing all these departments back to the States...So we'll have 50 States with different laws?! Like 50 little countries?...What is the role of government supposed to be then?
Yup, my local group said the response is so large they've had to move the location. But Heather's post today scares me - at some point, will this new regime decide they can literally mow us down? They are so fanatical that it seems possible, if they see the American people fighting back against their Aryan dream.
Wicker, Tillis, Murrkowski, and even Rick Scott were strong on Ukraine and so were dozens of Republican House members. Many of them have been calling Trump a liar.
I keep saying that down here in Baghdad By the Sea, even our three MAGAT House members are complaining about immigrant abductions. We have more hispaics per square inch than any other county in the US, including muchos Venezuelans. All three are Cuban Americans, one, born in Cuba, was our Dem county mayor until 2020.
Many of them have personally lost stuff like cfrop payments, and every one of them has to hear it about SSA, education, etc.
I've been advocating pressing their consituents and donors, also. Once upon a time I rwpresented car dealers, school districts and local governments. I bet all are stressed.
With the bottomless pockets of Musk to fund campaigns or fund primary challengers, not enough Rs are going to stand up and speak against the coming destruction of our country. None.
"Congressional Republicans who have not completely bought into the axis of evil." Unless they are outspoken against him and voting against MAGA policies, they are collaborators and enablers. So, no points for them. And if they're holding out because they think Trump isn't going far enough, they're even worse.
Daniel, it seems to me that for too long, our media and social media legitimate contributors refuse to use the word "lie" and to call what is being done "treason." It seems that without our knowledge or permission, a bunch of supposed Americans have declared war on our nation, wrecking our government from within while we were being distracted with words like "woke" and "equity" being maligned, a talented, qualified woman's name trampled on, and a bunch of toddlers called "DOGE" when it was really "Destroy Our Government's Efficiency." The challenge is that our Trump government has control of our law enforcement, our military, and anything that could legally forcefully stop them since they see the courts as either irrelevant or already in their camp. Why anyone wanats to be ruled by an ignorant old man with dementia, a whiny 40-year-old who will lie at will even throwing his own constituents under the bus (Vance), and an ignorant rich immigrant and his toddler peers is beyond comprehension. I get it that Mikey Johnson thinks this is some kind of "god's will scenario but that's because he is as ignorant and inept as the rest of the crew. Where are the intelligent folks who could figure out how to take down the social media lying/disinformation and rework what is happening against Trump and Kump on behalf of the American people?
From Politico -- Top congressional appropriators — including a Republican — sent letters Thursday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to implement only a portion of the emergency money included in the recent stopgap funding bill.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Patty Murray of Washington — the chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, respectively — sent a letter Thursday to Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought raising alarm that the administration is not adhering to the funding measure’s spending directives.
IMHO Trump's Achilles heel is national security -- which is about the only thing that Confgressioanl Republicans have with us....
If Paty Murray can ask Collins about spending, she can ask about the axis of evil....
BTW this committee also has SSA on its plate. Mainers have to picket, sit in, follow her home....
"IMHO Trump's Achillies heel is national security" - that is my opinion as well. I expected the Signal episode to fade as all others have. But it hasn't.
This has finally touched a big nerve. We must, as you say Daniel, continue to keep the heat on. I am calling my reps every day on the Signal story.
While it's interesting that SOME Congressional gop have actually seen the "Signalgate" situation for what it really is AND been willing to speak out, I bet the majority have not read P2025 and have been so busy kowtowing to their perceived "king" that they don't really understand the main gameplan. Heather's overview is the best I've seen to explain exactly what musk & co. have been doing, AND where we're headed if the whole process is allowed to continue. The courts don't seem to be long for this world, and I'd be shocked if there are 2026 elections. (They'll be rigged up the wazoo if they are anyway.) I've been waiting for trump to find an excuse to implement martial law even if he has to manufacture one -- which this weekend's even bigger, well-advertised marches and protests might provide. And I think with all the recent "disappearances" going on, that's partly what it will look like. The snatching of the Tuft's student was chilling to watch, and we don't know how our own military might react to orders to "control the crowds", etc. However, it is poignantly clear that we've undoubtedly reached the place of no return. No more fiddling around. We should start with Jerry's gameplan then step up in every other way. Heather's overview needs to be sent to ALL senators and representatives along with a statement that we will NOT TOLERATE the continuation of musk's activities and that he and doge MUST be shut down immediately, all the federal employees reinstated and their associated agencies re-established. Then we should all be sharing Heather's overview with as many friends and relatives possible.
The place to start is with Trump's donors. Check out Joyce Vance and Contrarian documenting law firms defending against Trump attacks. Here is a list of TYrump donors They also donated to Congressional Republicans. Some are undergoing an epiphany over due process and the rule of law.
The White House is NOT in denial about anything. They want a government that serves the wealthy and powerful and throws us “ takers “ to the wolves. And they could not do any of this without taxes from us “takers “.
George Washington, Lincoln, Perkins, FDR, JFK, MLK, and others have made America that Trump - Musk and Projedt25 are destroying. Why? Because they are not Amricans in spirit. Hopefully enough Repulican congress persons are Americans in spirit and join DEMs to start saving America.
Last year we were rallying to “keep democracy.” That’s not sufficient. We need to reform democracy. In addition to calling out the wrongs of the current Republican regime, we must identify how government can support positive freedom (see Timothy Snyder)—create our Project 2029.
Thanks, Ellie, for sharing…am listening to the printer churn the pages as I write this, to make a copy I can read well after the sun comes up on the west coast! We, as a country, are at an inflection point…where have we been? where are we now? where do we want to go? So many interests, large and small (rich and poor) pulling in different directions…hope it stabilizes soon…an even keel.🤞
I think Barbara, the most important question even after reading today's letter, is where the regime wants to go.
We know the answer now which brings another question: would it be an midterm election in 2026. My feeling is, and I've been posting regularly about it, it won't be. Maga is already panicking of loosing it. To be continued.
I’m paying attention, joining non-violent protests (is something more than shaking my fist at the sky), and using my voice & vote. I am lucky that I have Congress critters I support & who support “we the people”. Will be at a town hall held by my House rep this Sunday (he has a very large, very rural district). 🗽🇺🇸
I am marching April 5th. Calling AARP today to tell them to get off their butts or lose my membership. Thinking about going to my local Social Security office to picket for them.
Just jealous as I can be Barbara , it’s near total Republican here , and the state bills GEESH! Today voting on requirements for photo ID ( passports next) ! Last week lowering standards for water protections where already a devastating spill stopped intake and thousands were w/o water for weeks. Skimming the surface and set backs.
Today’s “letter” is a continuum of dismay prompting cuss words I never use. Wondering when the next mistake costs us/the public lives of our own or family trying to protect status quos here or there and where are we …is a continual question.
Fewer are saying “Oh , It’ll be alright [or] , well he hasn’t had a chance to ( fill in the blank) see intended results yet , only been in office not even 3 mo. yet” when in actuality he’s been on the golf course mostly and “hasn’t been informed about ( fill in the blanks) “ while thousands are still gasping from being fired, have to move, services unable to be accessed…again ( fill in the blank) wondering if their health coverage/pills/grants will come to pay their bills/staff/ fill in the blank.
I’ve called, emailed, protested, worried.
Seems the judges are trying to stay abreast of how many challenged edicts now..I’ve lost track, sleep, count. How to believe a liar given no support to a cabinet that also lies, and state reps going backwards in safety mechanisms while taking large donations from corporate king pins/clueless billionaires/fill in the blank.
Do I care? Yes, I’m watching neighbors beginning to fall through the widening cracks dismayed saying “we didn’t vote for this “… yes , dear you certainly did -but I won’t say “I told ya so” and….whats your plan now?
What happens is one question brings another because it's a very complex situation. Once the situation is clear as it is, the obvious question is what to do .
Ricardo, folks posit that there may not be an “next election” (Trump even hinted at it…the “toss-off” comments he makes regarding this…real? or not?). The entrenched voter suppression scourge is already in many counties/states & that is very worrisome enough (and must be overcome….I don’t care WHAT party you belong to R, D, I, Green, etc., if you are eligible to vote, you should not be impeded from doing so!). I do worry in this “anything goes” & shoot first ask questions later admin that they will try to subvert the very process… Hope I’m wrong.
“ The sweeping order amends the federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship in order to vote. It demands documentary proof for citizenship such as a passport to be eligible to vote in federal elections, empowers federal agencies to cut funding to states deemed non-compliant and instructs the Department of Justice to prosecute what the White House paints as “election crimes”.
“ Many of the provisions in the order are likely to be quickly challenged and are legally suspect. The US constitution explicitly gives states and Congress the authority to set the rules for election and does not authorize the president to do so.
“The short answer is that this executive order, like all too many that we’ve seen before, is lawless and asserts all sorts of executive authority that he most assuredly does not have,” said Danielle Lang, a voting rights lawyer at the non-profit Campaign Legal Center.
“Republicans have long sought to add a citizenship question to the federal form and been stymied by the courts. “
It may be a ‘lawless’ executive order, but they sure are trying hard to make it law. Kansas (Kris Kobach SoS) enacted this 2013-2016 until it was struck down in state supreme court. This 2025 legislative session, Kansas supermajority is passing legislation attacking the state supreme court justice selection process… Kansas repubs don’t like their Supreme Court and are kneecapping the court.
Obama raised much if not most of his funding through crowdsourcing, so every bit helps. In Canada, i just started donating politically for the first time in my life, don't mind saying Liberal, which in the USA is omg LEFT and worse. Yes, unfortunately individual wealth is a prerequisite in modern democracies. I see Australia is currently struggling with an election financing reform which contains mixed motives. Bernie's ideas sound good to me!
If we don’t reform it, it’s every four years of chaos, if we’re lucky. Repubs have been planning for 40 years, we’re way behind. As muskrat keeps reminding them (why so few willing to oppose chump), it’s your last chance to do what you want, now or there will never be another chance. 99% agreement repubs…
You refer, Annabel, to "we the people," and to building "on mutual aid and support."
Unfortunately, beginning the with Powell memo of long ago (1971), the far right has viciously organized, and with billions of dollars ground its animus.
At first its rich and corporate leaders simply hated the obvious energy good libs, lefties, and progressives got from all the novels, films, and songs of the late 1960s. The far right hated, hated, hated the anti-war protestors, the women's lib people, the civil rights marchers, and all environmentalists. So the new Powell memo foundations (Heritage, 1973, ALEC 1973) first turned their attention to the schools -- to kill humanities there.
They succeeded. And put in place a yoke of strangling efficiency -- standardized testing.
Slowly the damages set in. Now we can see their bitter fruit. Reading Heather's today should make it apparent to everyone who reads it that "they" who hate, hate, hate stand poised to have killed the republic.
Dems, so feckless in the 2024 elections, had just totally lost touch with what really happened to working-class America -- so totally had Dems not seen what was really in so many novels, memoirs, essay collections, biographies, and histories, so totally had elites fallen to the Powell memo cold-blooded, billionaire-oligarch-worshipping designs.
Yes, turn out Dems in elections now. But can teachers organize to return to schools our vitally needed humanities? And begin practicing them? Begin citing the works really crucially well in touch with "we the people"?
It is not teachers who will return humanities to schools. It will need to be local communities who set curriculum. It will need to be federally funded monies that enable schools to be autonomous in their selection of curriculum. Please look at real solutions to problems instead of your "doom and gloom" comments.
I ve truly never met a more dedicated , consistently caring group. Teachers are we all ,in reality, by our walk , talk, and shop.But those that know our children are our future, for history to be a guide of what does or doesn’t work. The real ones ARE the front line.
THEY CHEATED in 2024 by eliminating millions of valid voters in red states and Trump has already introduced legislation to do this in ALL STATES so 2026 will be a bogus election. See the Vigilantes Inc video at gregpalast.com (or on U tube) for his interview with s single Vigilante that removed 32,000+ voters in Ga. There were 40,000+ Vigilantes removing votes in red states. Also, an after the vote audit shows dicrepancies in CLARK COUNTY, NV. so other methods were used.
I hope so.....however, it seems to me that what's going on reveals symptoms of a decaying society; we are living in a country devoid of values; the thing about being stupid is that it's becoming contagious; there's no joy in ruining lives - anyone who enjoys it is a psychopath.
Yes very much psychopaths. Curtis Yarvin is “a good friend of mine” says DOGE advisor Marc Andreessen.
Under his previous pen name, Yarvin once proposed converting unproductive people into biodiesel. Yarvin said he was joking but that the joke helps “describe the problem” and that the “goal” is a “humane alternative to genocide.”
American democracy is hanging by a thread. This isn’t just another political crisis, it’s an existential fight. MAGA extremists are using the system to destroy it, gutting institutions, silencing dissent, and consolidating power. Project 2025 is a blueprint for permanent authoritarian rule. If Americans don’t mobilize, vote, protest, organize it’s over. Courts will fall, elections will be rigged, and free speech crushed. History won’t save us; only action will. The next few years will determine whether America remains a democracy or becomes an authoritarian state. The time to fight is now.
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Tunnel-vision affects almost everyone. I look at how being a risk manager molded (¿moulded?) my thinking into reducing questions of ethics and morality to probabilities UNLESS I did a 'manual over-ride' intellectually. Imagine what years of coding -- where there are definitive solutions unchallenged by what others think or feel -- and the halo effect of wealth does to a world view. 😳 https://www.instagram.com/baratunde/reel/DF6Zq0ARm0C/?locale=de-DE (about the 'nerd reich' thought-leader, Curtis Yarvin.) 🤬
There is a consensus seeking change. Most, at least many, Americans, apparently, want a change of personnel and policies away from people whom they view as stale career politicians with hackneyed, over-priced policies.. That does not mean a change of institutions. Technocracy, in my view at least, has not served us well, dating back to the ghastly war in Viêt Nam. 😢 https://youtu.be/Ahv3IKzMdHA (Investigation into the family backgrounds of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk by 'Democracy Now!'.) 🤢
The solution, however, is not a gangster régime. 😱
Looking back over my time, I see so much misdirection in our body politic. LBJ was destined to be the modern day FDR but for his anti communist World War II mentality and foolish involvement in Vietnam. Then we swing in the other direction to Nixon who founded the modern day MAGAs unbeknownst to him as he expounded his southern strategy. Reagan destroyed. Bush I nominated Thomas and began foolish military adventures in the Middle East and after allowing American military stationed in Saudi Arabia, so inflamed bin Ladin to attack on 9/11. He eager son went back into the Middle East with not one but two invasions and nominated 2 corrupt supremes. And now we have the Antichrist of the ages.
Thank you for a thoughtful review of the swing to the right in the United States of AMarrogance. Dr Bandy Lee believe that a widespread insinuation of social psychopathy has extended the arc of this rightward swing from reactionary to an increasingly brutal authoritarianism as we now see with Trump and his cadre of violence, attracting even educated courtiers like Hegseth. I do not see Chief Justice Roberts as corrupt; Alito, Thomas, and, at least with respect to power, Justice Kavanaugh.
Make no mistake, 2026, will be critical to America's future. The MAGA American Fascist Party will do everything they can to keep a 2026 Democratic Party landslide from becoming reality. I fully expect trump will attempt to CANCEL the 2026 election. I know that sounds impossible but nothing he has done thus far seemed possible less than a year ago. We must be prepared!
we don't have until 2026. Project 2025 timeline is 180 days from inauguration.....we are halfway through this and STILL too many people have NO CLUE what is contained in Project 2025.
He does not have to cancel it. He just needs Musk to control voting computers and he needs to continue voter suppression (see current ex order). Orban playbook.
I so feel your pain... I remember attending a march In NYC that drew a large crowd of well over 100,000+ including some of the 'usual celebrities' (March for Peace, Justice and Democracy, April 29, 2006 with Susan Sarandon & Al Sharpton). I was aghast, disheartened and my spirit crushed when I found it mentioned on page 3 in a few newspapers the next day. The energy and can-do-spirit evaporated right then and there, and it taught me a valuable lesson: you can scream your lunges out & bang your head against the nearest walls, unless you grab x by the y, z will not happen.
x = current 'regime', y = money, z = change.
Withdraw the funds that are fuelling those in power. Do not pay your taxes as long as your president is using them against you and everything you hold dear.
Don't kid yourselves! The days of free and fair elections are very likely over! At the moment they're only concerned about maintaining their current majority, nothing more.
Annabel, I love your question about building another system. This is happening in the cooperative movement. Look to Mondragon in Spain for an amazing example of what is possible. My hope is that this incredible outpouring of greed and anger will finally show us all that we’ve had enough of it. Then we can restructure what remains based on solidarity, compassion and community. With respect for all of nature and each other. The co-ops will be there to show us how.
We are absolutely reaching a tipping point. It is astonishing how quickly the Trump machine has moved, like a crime mob family, only literally with more ruthlessness.
I have advocated for patience, but even I am running out of it. What is most shocking is how easily the MAGA millions have taken the Kool-Aid and capitulated to whatever Trump, Musk, and others have said. Unfortunately, the only result that seems even possible is a violent revolution. The country is torn virtually in thirds, one-third supporting Trump, one-third sort of supporting the Democratic "norm," and the other third not even sure if they want to bother.
It is 1860 all over again, and it looks like the endgame may be much worse.
If you Jon, the more patient among patient people and the more legalistic among legalistic people, are asking for radical action in view of the destructive speed of the current regime, the situation must be more severe and dangerous than it appears. Welcome to we the people. Reading today's letter was terrifying.
For anyone paying attention, it is hard to imagine how brutal they would have to be for it to be more obvious.
Sadly, not enough are paying attention. Hopefully, when they finally do wake up, they will blame right-wingers, send Republicans to the political wilderness forever, and amend the Constitution to make a more perfect union.
Yes I agree reading this letter was terrifying but we can't give up. Massive protests must continue all over the states to rebuke project 2025. We can't just depend on Bernie and AOC to reach out to the people. We need several Democratic leaders and Independent leaders to reach out to the people.
Where are the moderate Republican leaders? What are they waiting for?
Absolutely Patricia, we can't give up but it won't be easy. Look at what's happening in Turkey. I think similar will happen here. In reference to the republican leaders, I would call them maga leaders, they are afraid of the scumbag president and his close circle.
You owe it to us, Daniel, to say a few words to put your urging in context.
Goddammit, it's massive this inability of "educated" Americans to cite any reading and put it in any context. Just so normal from the tens of thousands of schools dedicated only to how many points our otherwise dehumanized get on tests.
At present, Republicans hold all the cards. But some, like Bacon and a few like him could negotiate a shared government. I can't speak for Jeffries, but behind the scenes, I bet they are.
I've been sayin' that if I were jeffries I'd offer the chairs of some committees to people like Bacon. MAGA mike removed a couple of chairs who he thought were too pro-Ukraine. These people are staunchly Republicans, but hopefully will salute the same flag we do.
I know for a fact that many are stressed -- like the 3 amigos here. One of them, Mario Diaz Balart's brother, Jose is a talking head at MSNBC. I knew his older brother who just passed away. The Cuban American Fund still has a lot of power -- Trump just reinstated Radio Marti -- and they can't like the way that Cubans are taken as DEI. Rubio's alter ego is Norman Braman, a car dealer -- the newly oppressed minority. Mrs. Rubio used to work there. Maybe she still does.
I can go on for a month -- but we don't have a month.
Most of what is happening is choreographed by Koch's A.L.E.C. , the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, Leonard Leo. You haven't heard from any of these groups since the election, have you?? They are NOT on vacation. The goal is to eviscerate the government and PRIVATIZE EVERYTHING. A Libertarian's dream.
Most of what is happening is a distraction: Tariffs, terrible, terrible tariffs. Oh Woe!! Dismantling of Social Security ... that is a Really good distraction. It affects the weakest among us .... who wouldn't be angry!?!
The meeting on Signal was a wonderful distraction. We really got mad about that. (Yeah, with good reason.) But ... did anything change?? No one got fired, No one even apologized. Musk is still cutting the legs off our government. And the administration is still jailing people who MIGHT dissent and frightening the universities.
MOST OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS A DISTRACTION TO THE STEALING OF OUR GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!
I just keep writing GOTV postcards to Democrats. Those in my Indivisible group (now grown in numbers hard to find meeting space for) are in larger and larger demonstrations, but at 91, I am faster and more useful at postcards. Watching WI; 200 postcards written and mailed. A drop in the bucket, so hope there were many more writing.
Virginia Whitmer, my wife and I, well into our 70s, live in rural northern Minnesota and joined Indivisible in late December, 2024. My wife is helping organize our group. Forty-seven people came to our first meeting in December, a hundred-plus to the January meeting, and now, in March, we're at 350 members. Still growing and, like you, looking for a larger venue.
We've held two demonstrations outside the office of our Congressional District 8 absentee Republican Congressman Pete Stauber, each drawing about 450 demonstrators and we meet for other actions like postcard-writing and one freezing-cold demonstration against Trump in a nearby small town (pop. 12,500 souls). I'm struck by how similar our experience is to yours! It gives us optimism that, though the numbers are small, there is energy to RESIST! even out here in rural America where there was no reason to expect it.
We are inspired more than I can express by @hrichardson 's "Letters", @jesspiper 's "View From Rural Missouri", and others on Substack.
The intended end game is worse. But we don't know what the end game was nearly a century ago. We do know the players today have skills they may not have had a century ago.
I think that the billionaire tech bros very consciously strive to bring about the Apocalypse. That is their end game. This way, they have the White Evangelicals on board. It satisfies the fantasies of both: one group dreams of Rapture and Judgment, fantasizing about Jesus racing onto the plains on a motorcycle with machine guns mowing down “unworthy libs” while they themselves ascend to heaven; the other group fantasizes about “rising and ruling from the ashes” as the new Gods. Think that’s crazy? Some billionaires are already deepfreezing their brains after death, expecting to be either uploaded in a machine, or built into a new cyborg body with technology that (they think) will be available in the future. True story.
Damn, Jesus sure had a makeover. And most of our Christian churches are on board, exactly like you said. When they kicked Jesus to the curb, (like he kicked the money changers out of the temple), the dye was cast and the greedy haters rewrote the script. May they get raptured tonight.
The Jesus people are gonna get fucked as well, WTF will they pray too then when their Orange God kicks them in teeth. We here all know this and watched him use them like a cheap date.
No, generally they are not, but when you look at the old generation in Senate and Congress - they all look constantly befuddled and confused when they're asked about the current events - I bet the vast majority as no idea what eg Signal actually is, they are so far removed from the average people that they don't seem to understand what is happening in the average persons life - except Bernie probably.
When folks I know ask me "can you imagine what it would be like if Bernie won"? I look at them and say "can you imagine what it would be like if Hillary won?".
Thing is, Hugh, that all those who have schemed high-tech “bolt-holes” and private islands are going to need people to “serve & support” them…how long, really, does one expect “allegiance” if it all goes to shit and basic survival is at stake…IMHO what is needed is to build a resilient communities who care for one another NOT fiefdoms!
That is what will happen I suspect - but don't forget that the richo's can run out of food too.. ( Hey - we need to cook Fred - is there any gas left for the barbecue?)
Yep. When the rich crash society, power grids stop working, too. They might have their private armies, but there will be a point where the last bullet is fired, and the factories producing them will be gone. That’s the very latest point where people will do away with the rich Demigods, but I hope it happens way before that point.
The white Christian nationalists are not going to be happy with trump's move on fertility treatments, which will scuttle their plan for fetal personhood.
Agree that's the end game. What's interesting is they truly don't believe they themselves will be negatively impacted. That somehow their families and friends will all be protected from this madness. That's not how it will end. What goes around comes around. And, as happens, those in Traitor's favor can fall out of it in the blink of an eye.
"those in Traitor's favor can fall out of it in the blink of an eye."
Exactly! If history has taught us ANY lesson, it should be this. I simply can't understand why people in the Orange Clown's inner circle are thinking "noooo, my Orange Hero will always love ME..."
And yes, I have a hard time to believe that Musk et al can be _so_ naive as to think they and their families will be unscathed by a collapse of the biosphere. On the other hand: the reductionist-materialist thinking is so strong in them, they probably don't see themselves as part of this world anyway...
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Still, if Elise Stefanik had even a speck of self-respect, she’d resign her House seat.
She debased herself in her shameless rise to the middle, went full MAGA, toadyed up to them, in the hopes of eventually getting a reward in exchange for her principles.
So, she did. She got a Cabinet-level job as Ambassador to the UN. Now, Orange has told her that , nope, you’re needed in the House.
But, she’s told her staff to find other jobs, closed her office and there’s someone else in her former job. And that woman isn’t stepping down.
Elise Stefanik should move into the private sector NOW and grab the big bux while she still can.
Commercial media are so complicit here, dispensing pablum. I’m thinking here of the 5pm local news, the big 4 networks, and cable - sattelite tv news. It’s been three decades of brainwashing, I guess it peaked starting with the first and second Gulf wars and things got cranked up to 11 after 9/11.
What I’m seeing in the central plains is a resurgence of local media; good journalists were kicked to the curb when newspapers were bought out and gutted by venture capital. I guess you can’t keep a good journalist down for long.
Support these local journalists. The battle now is local politics. The days are over for federal politics to serve as an anchor, I think red states now must be won over to purple and blue. MAGAs will listen when local issues hit them.
Not only must we slow and reverse the fascist federal tide, but rebuilt a just federal govt. after it is moth-eaten. National Dem. Leadership must be recharged or replaced with new strategies. I’m still getting Act-Blue-based text fundraiser texts and I won’t respond, I wish they’d quit and form a new platform that respects donors instead of exploiting them. I’m giving to local candidates and causes who I know are making a difference.
In general, the military MUST follow the commander in chief unless they are absolutely positive he is giving illegal unconstitutional commands. For instance, if a bunch of illegal immigrants take over a stadium, and he ordered that they assault the stadium and imprison the immigrants, that would be a perfectly legal (if grotesque) order, as those people would be violating the law even if we think they should be given some kind of forgiveness.
So far he has stayed within constitutional boundaries for the most part or at least within a potential presumption of those boundaries. In those cases we are forced to use the courts to try to stop him. To do otherwise would violate the law.
He is going to have to step so clearly outside the boundaries before we can presume that the rest of the country and the world would consider taking up arms against the government to be legitimate.
That is the dilemma. Like it or not he IS the elected President and his legal powers are immense. When he steps over them as he has, in our country we have legal processes we must follow to fight his oversteps.
He would have to go pretty far afield to justify our own violation of our laws.
OUR ROLE IS ACTUALLY THE ROLE OF OUR FORE FATHERS AND THAT IS DEMOCRACY. PERIOD.
“Their definition of “the Left” includes all Americans, Republicans and Independents as well as Democrats, who believe the government has a role to play in regulating business, providing a basic social safety net, promoting infrastructure, and protecting” civil rights and who support the institutional structures Americans have built since World War II.”
To prevent a king from forming through a democracy.
To care for one and another as human beings.
To protect Mother Earth.
To view our constitution as guiding principles, written with quill and ink, and by very smart people that knew the wrath of having a king. A wrath upon the people. A wrath upon a country. A wrath upon business.
Ask the REAL people of Russia and North Korea. If they can speak freely.
Talk with people from Romania and Ukraine. They can speak freely.
Spend time understanding the plight of ALL Americans.
Take time to read our constitution and her amendments over the years. Our constitution is not perfect, but if you don’t try to manipulate her with evil desires, it is amazing.
Brilliant guidelines.
And she starts with “We The People”. Not “We The Billionaires.”
Plan 2025 begins with:
“Mandate for Leadership
The Conservative Promise”
Peace to all those that believe in this country and died for her.
At the hands of less than fully enfranchised and badly misinformed voters. Project 2025 had very little support even before the election, but you can fool some of the people all of the time and it appears to me that Democrats which has always been the party I have identified with, kind of dropped the ball around letting the Party of Billionaires purchase and dominate the media. Democracy dies in darkness. We have every right to be mad as hell, and every need to be smart about it.
What strikes me is this is the 1917 Russian Revolution in reverse. There the stated goals were to destroy the billionaire class and give power to the people. Now it’s destroy the people and give everything to the billionaire class.
(Yes, of course, I know how the 1917 Revolution turned out. I’m more struck by the topsy-turvy of it all.)
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
I think that too many people see protest as an opportunity to vent, but to be successful, it is framed as a well thought out and executed way to deliver a compelling message; a method of increasing awareness of injustice and of building solidarity. A process that requires focus and discipline.
Many of the targets of protest, of rapacious and dangerous abuses of workers, of buses of black Americans and other ethnic minorities , of women, of gays, etc., draw attention to things to which the public has become inured, or prefers not to think about. And while liberators seek to build compelling focus, dominators make use any excuse to distract.
Is violence ever the way to go? Well it worked in the American Revolution; but it was touch and go, and Britain was very far away. The French Revolution was a lot less satisfactory, and also many revolution fail. A key to the success of ours was an underlying desire to not repeat so many of the old mistakes, and not create a new Boss, same as the old Boss. That effort is what the plutocrats, as is their historical wont, are attempting to sabotage, put down, and dismantle.
“If the administration is working not to save money but rather to destroy the government, the cuts that threaten the well-being of American citizens make more sense.” This chills my soul.
This is not a dystopian novel…this is real!
Saw this explained by an unnamed source (hate to share without vetting but here goes)
“If you’re a little confused about what Musk is trying to achieve with DOGE, here’s the breakdown:
…Peter Thiel, Elon Musk and JD Vance, …plus a lot of other tech billionaires subscribe to an ideology called the Dark Enlightenment espoused by this super weird, creepy dude: Curtis Yarvin aka Mencius Moldbug.
Yarvin preaches that the media and academia represent “The Cathedral” that secretly controls power and must be dismantled.”
He advocates for a corporate run, monarchy, led by a CEO-Dictator.
Says that Democracy is an “outdated software” and openly opposes it and that:
- Government agencies should be dismantled and The U.S. should be broken up into “patchworks” controlled by tech oligarchs.
- That the elite tech billionaires should rule because they have the intelligence to “fix” society
- That the “masses are asses” too dumb to govern themselves.
The strategy is to gut the government via R.A.G.E - Retire All Govt Employees to make government incapable of operating.
Then to replace government with private corporations.”
Yes, it is we, the people. I'm anti-violence as well except as last resort real self-defense. I think if enough people combine denounce this crap it will have an effect. Outfits like Columbia U that fold without a fight are part of the problem.
Sorry. I think that normally articles can be accessed without a subscription, but I do have one for that site.
Here is part of it:
The world’s wealthiest man previously sparked criticism on both sides of the political aisle after describing Kelly as a “traitor” earlier this month, following the senator’s trip to Ukraine.
In an interview with Fox News’ Special Report on Thursday night he defended his remarks. “I think somebody should care about the interests of the United States above another country, and if they don’t they’re a traitor,” Musk told Fox News host Brett Baier.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly has previously slammed Elon Musk for calling him a ‘traitor’ over his trip to Ukraine. He responded again after the billionaire doubled down on his insults
(...)
“That doesn’t mean it’s OK for him to put the interests of another country above America,” Musk replied.
Kelly said a short time later on CNN: “I don’t even know if he deserves a response.” He added: “What I will say is that I’ve spent an entire career standing up for our country, defending our country, flying in combat over Iraq, flying in space on the space shuttle, serving in the United States Senate.” Kelly noted: “My entire life has been about serving this country, and I always stand with the best interests of our nation. And I will tell you this … standing with our allies and standing up for democracy is in the best interest of the United States.”
Violence will come whether you want it to or not. The only nonviolent strategy that might work is a national general strike where nobody goes to work and does no business. How long could everyone hold out?
I think that’s al. a lot of huff and puff. An elaborate excuse for just one ploy: every dollar that is “saved” from government agencies is one more dollar for the coffers of the billionaires. They are here to bleed you, the American citizens, dry - down to the very last penny: they want it ALL. The irony, of course, is that for all their technological bravour and “love of science”, there’s absolutely no scientific proof that ruling a country like it’s a company actually works. It’s simply the epitome of reductionist materialistic thinking: they completely forget that society is a whole, and as soon as you make one current unidirectional (i.e. money flows only from the people to the billionaires), that whole perishes.
Then the REAL question appears: are these tech bros too daft to see this, or is their cold-hearted INTENTION to destroy everything and bring about the Apocalypse?Some are probably thinking that they are rich enough to survive that, others, like Musk, consider themselves Gods, and thus likely think they are invulnerable and immortal…
>The irony, of course, is that for all their technological bravour and “love of science”, there’s absolutely no scientific proof that ruling a country like it’s a company actually works. It’s simply the epitome of reductionist materialistic thinking: they completely forget that society is a whole, and as soon as you make one current unidirectional (i.e. money flows only from the people to the billionaires), that whole perishes.<
They also have no concept that we as biological beings, are utterly dependent on the beneficence of this planet - which they seem intent on destroying. That to my mind, is the other really big issue.
I remember an early SNL spoof with Alec Baldwin impersonating Trump during his first term when he was claiming that we would run the country like one of his businesses (presumably not the ones he bankrupted). In the spoof, Trump/Baldwin says: " I promised to run the country like a business, and that business is a waffle house at 2.00am in the morning, with all kinds of crazy people coming in and out, staff leaving before completing their shifts and others making payments to Russian mobsters." Not much has changed this time around.
It’s a terrible mistake to believe government should / could run like a business. Some Ayn Rand fans and the neoreactionaries (yarvin) are wrong on this.
I agree. It's all very well wanting government to be run in a business-like manner, which is another way of insisting on efficiency, but public services have also to consider the effectiveness of delivery. For example, if hospitals are treating more patients every week then they are more efficient, but if they're doing this by cutting corners on treatment and the same people are turning up again and again, then the service is failing and money is being wasted. DOGE's procrustean approach to achieving efficiency (if that's what they're actually really doing) is a perfect example of this problem. In fact, given that they are mostly acting unlawfully and are finding themselves having to rehire people they've fired, it's not efficient either. As conservative satirist, P. J. O'Rourke once wrote: "The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
Spot on, Hugh. Again: it’s the epitome of the reductionist materialistic philosophy of Descartes, Newton, Galileo et al. It’s the belief that a living being is just a machine, and as such, can be replaced by a manmade machine. Humans, and the earth, and all its creatures, are merely resources to be used by the tech billionaire gods.
The question is - how did we get here? That we let clearly the most unqualified and least capable people for the job run the joint? Personally I blame excessive capitalism. After the fall of the USSR it seems to have spread like a cancer all over the world, mainly driven by the US.
I really do think they want every red cent in their own pockets. Yarvin’s misanthropic ideas are the sort of thing cooked up by someone who has little contact with the real world outside of Silicon Valley.
Immortal? I think not, not with 30 million assault weapons in the land. Anything that would trigger them into action has to be colossally stupid. I don’t know what a bullet costs today, probably less than a dollar, if you think 30 million weapons are a problem consider that some of them come with 10’s of thousands of bullets and all it takes is one. I used to think this would protect us from a hostile foreign take over, now I see it as the foundation of a civil war. Like the insipid orange turd, most of the people pushing this new agenda have never fought in a war, and have no idea what it entails. As someone who has, I can assure you that the horrors of war will make their political gains and the destruction of our well meaning government, one of the most ignorant things any human has ever done.
My deepest respect for you having been in a war... But I totally agree with you: owning guns should be limited to the government, or in other words: the monopoly of armed violence should be with the government, not the citizens. Now you have millions of armed-to-the-teeth gun bunnies running around, who - as you rightly said - have never been in a war, don't know how to fight (strategically), but only have their fantasies of "killing off some libs". A wonderful recipe for disaster...
You mention an unnamed source but Heather had listed a link to an article straight from the horse's mouth, Curtis Yarvin, and the blahblahblah you cited above is real:
I am appalled by Yarvinism. Musk, who's very much influenced by it, really does seem to think that this is a game he's playing, and we are—all of us except him—nonplayer characters without our own lives, agency, dreams, or needs. The concept of the greater good is lost on the broligarchy. I have (so far) been unwilling to read Yarvin's oeuvre myself, but from where I sit, this "Dark Enlightenment" philosophy is just *benighted*: It looks like Objectivism on anabolic steroids and ketamine, plus a high dose of Adderall and maybe some cocaine. It's almost like they have the hubris to conveniently ignore the parts of history where the serfs rebelled.
Good points, Kari. What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t fight someone who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of millions saying NO!
The Heritage Foundation itself should be struck down. Its obviously political motivations are not allowed under 501(c)3 rules (Not that rules make any sense right now.)
What do you see as our way out of this quagmire, Heather? My concern is that elections will not make any difference after about a year. If that happens (no legitimate elections), all we have left is some form of violence. I would much prefer a move on the part of our military - if it is a move to the left.
I was thinking about Fred Rogers. In his PBS show he told children to look for "the helpers". Sadly, that might not be the military, the police officers, the sheriff's officers. 💔💔💔
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with NONVIOLENT NON-COOPERATION, VIOLENCE-FREE RESISTANCE, BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Dear Professor. You have hit the nail on the head. However, you do not go far enough in your thoughts about what to do about the current situation. You actually leave some of us readers with the comfy thought that there will be another election (see Annabel Ascher).
Someone on the Democrat side really really needs to GET IT! What Tim Snyder and other democracy advocates (none of which are in the current DNC) have been writing about. For God's sake, THERE WILL BE NO MORE AMERICAN STATE AS WE KNOW IT IN 2 YEARS IF WE ALLOW THESE REVOLUTIONARIES TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH WHICH YARVIN AND HIS IDENTITARY ACOLYTES HAVE SET. There will not be elections, no Administrations, no Culture, no education, no healthcare, no military, no CONSTITUTION that has any semblance to the past American structure if we do not set in motion a counter-revolution which is organized to obstruct and oppose all of Project 2025 immediately.
We are simply not 1: Understanding, and 2. not effectively organizing opposition. Which means our Party Strategy will be wrong, and we have no structure to counter the Trump Revolution to destroy the American State, wholesale. (listen to Senator Sanders, who just came back from a trip to put his "ear to the ground". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EirWe1z3kk&ab_channel=ForbesBreakingNews
Maybe I sound panicked? I am not. I have always been a very clear thinker and have been able to help CEO's of large companies globally to focus and do what needs to get done, when they admittedly can't any more. However, this clock is ticking at high decibels, my friends. And the People at the DNC need to wake up.
By the way I will be going to the German Dems Abroad AGM tomorrow to see if I can ask the DNC Vice Chairman Kenyatta what is going on. I will try to report back to you.
Drumph already said last year that November would be the last election his minions would have to vote in. He tells you what he will do. There will not be a U.S. in 2years.
Excellent points. Bruce. What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with NONVIOLENT NON-COOPERATION, VIOLENCE-FREE RESISTANCE, BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against someone who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
I have a question: At our safe communities meeting last night, we wondered if there's any way for us to pay our state taxes but put our federal taxes in escrow should the administration decide to follow through on its threats to withhold funding for the state. If anyone knows of any websites that explain how this might be possible, please reply with links.
Betsy, I have been wondering this too. Since the GOP Congress has ceded its power to Trump & Musk, it appears that they alone control the government purse strings. I don’t my federal tax dollars paying for their various inhumane, illegal, and feckless projects. Would love to find out more about how deferred or escrowed tax payments could work.
If popular opinion is swinging in favor of Democrats and away from MAGA, shouldn’t we expect more Republican legislators to abandon Trump and MAGA to join forces with congressional Democrats to apply the brakes to the wholesale destruction of our, OUR, government?
I’m hoping the expanding Signalgate scandal will shake enough Republicans out of their stupor. The political wind is shifting. It may take a hurricane to blow MAGA away.
Not a chance. It's not stupor. They're too closely tied to Trump and MAGA. They'd rather risk letting the ship sink. That hurricane is going to blow MAGA away, but it may take the country with it.
They are more fearful of Trump’s threats than they are of their constituents. Trump has even started threatening Jeffrey Goldberg’s family for Goldberg’s revealing the utter incompetence of the Secretary of Defense and other Trump appointees.
Signalgate is terrible, for sure, but it is occupying > 50% of the news cycle, which is covering over — distracting us from — all the executive-order crap coming from the white house. Distraction. Flood the zone with (3-ring-circus) sh!t — S.Bannon.
The object of the plan appears to be to destroy the government of the United States. A government that serves its citizens is to be obliterated, to be replaced by a state in which the body of citizens are servile to a small self-established group holding all power over their lives. Can and will we the citizens stop it? The cultists and the carefully and maliciously propagandized people form a minority of the country, but they are a still highly significant and powerful support group for the destruction. They, as well as the Musk-Trump core would have to be overwhelmed and overcome to correct course and save the United States. Congress and the Courts could reverse what has been done. How long do they have before it is too late? Before all vestiges of government for the people have been wiped out? If they cannot or will not act, what must true nontreasonous patriots do? I believe this one is the most salient, and maybe the only important, essential question. Is ours not unlike the circumstance facing Americans of the 1770s?
I would remind them that there are more firearms than people in this country. Perhaps they should reconsider who they fear the most. People with nothing left to lose are the most dangerous creatures on the planet. In a few years, there will be about 350M of them. Paraphrasing Tom Clancy, they have to be lucky every time. Their opponents only need to be lucky once.
So Trump is trying to change the way Americans understand our history by calling for Vance to "eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology from . . . the National Zoo.” Right on! Now you're talking! By all means!
"The president said there has been a 'concerted and widespread' effort over the past decade to rewrite US history by replacing 'objective facts' with a 'distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth'.
He signed an executive order putting JD Vance in charge of an effort to 'remove improper ideology' from the Smithsonian Institution, including its museums, education and research centers and the National Zoo.
Trump’s order specifically names the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Women’s history museum, which is in development."
Y’know, every policy at some point requires a manual. A list of good and bad, do’s and don’ts. At some point, the “ improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology “ will take form as a written policy, words on paper, and it will be a nasty tract. The administration will do all they can to NOT put this on paper, just bark orders based on how they feel their rage that day. (Steven Miller, I’m talking about you, the SHANDA of Santa Monica.)
We can shed light on this by insisting our elected reps (Rs) convey to us their lists, publish them for scrutiny, own the hate they have, and let sunlight disinfect that whole idea: let the elected reps own this. And then they’ll have to resign in shame, come around to sanity and humanity, or will not see another term in office.
Anything this anti-American regime espouses can be considered "improper ideology" for those who believe in the American project. As opposed to Project 2025.
The waddling, fat, orange mob boss – sorry, folks – still has his MAGA base.
The U.S. billionaires still spend billions to buy into the cowardice of all the Republicans in Congress.
Putin’s techies still feed massive, calculated disinformation to the U.S. MAGA tens of millions.
Heather doesn't mention Putin here. Nor the assorted sordid dictator allies of the U.S. billionaires only obsessed with destroying the country that raised them.
But Heather does a neat job describing their ruthlessness, determination, and systematic destruction.
Last night, I got an e-mail from Cedar Key Progress saying that 100 Democratic members of Congress had signed a letter demanding the resignation of Pete Hegseth or else his firing. I didn't count as I went down the list of signers at HegsethResign.org, but at least most, and perhaps all, of the MA delegation signed. I called my Rep and left voicemail thanking him. At that point, there were no Republicans who had joined them, but perhaps by later in the day, that will have happened. Obviously, as the damage and demolition continues, it is hard to have patience, but perhaps the tipping point is closer than we think. It's just hard to imagine which way the point will tip...
"The problem for those who embrace this vision of America is that it is not popular."
WE FIGHT BACK
1. Petition AARP to get more active in preserving Social Security.
2. Nationwide protest courtesy of Indivisible on April 5.
🚨 On Saturday, April 5th, we're peacefully taking to the (your town) sidewalks to fight back with a clear message: Hands off! 🚨
This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.
A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.
I stumbled across the Nerd Reich and the information about Curtis Yarvin at least a week ago. How the heck don't all those senators and representatives not know about the confluence of Project 2025 and the Techbro vision to reboot America? I'm guessing they are so blinded by the thought of remaining in power they don't see that they aren't just losing it they are giving it away with a big bow on top. Are they and their staff personnel so old and out of touch? Everyone's hair should be on fire. This isn't anything like normal and I am very worried about future elections...Will we have them? Are we all just trapped on this crazy train?
I think they are fully aware of our slide into fascism and helping to implement it with their inaction. And I'm sick of hearing about them commenting to some Democrats about how concerned they are but they are too afraid to speak up. If they can't make a stand to preserve the powers of their branch of the federal government, they are betraying us all.
The fact that they are concerned about Democrats gaining seats in Congress is good. It means they intend to at least maintain the FORM of elections.
But will the rogue regime pay any more attention to Congress than they do to the courts?
They want to destroy the institutions that make up the United States.
Can we the people build another system under their noses? Built on mutual aid and support?
We are most likely about to find out.
Hopefully there are a few Congressional Republicans who have not completely bought into the axis of evil.
“The White House is in denial that this was not classified or sensitive data,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a former Air Force brigadier general and member of the House Armed Services Committee, on Wednesday. “They should just own up to it and preserve credibility.” https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/26/congress/don-bacon-white-house-in-denial-00250692
Jerry Weiss has a list of Republicans who say they want to talk. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
We need to add pressure. Call. Write. Picket. Sit in. We'll see what happens Tuesday. Only need 3 to trigger it.
🚨 On Saturday, April 5th, we're peacefully taking to the (your town) sidewalks to fight back with a clear message: Hands off! 🚨
This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.
A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.
Check out handsoff2025.com for more information.
That is very good advice about focusing on nonviolence, for what good it will do. Do you really think Trump will think twice about sending the (para)military into a peaceful crowd of protesters? Trump has dreamed of this since he first envisioned military tanks tearing up the Capitol pavement for his first inaugural parade. Pete Hegseth will not face discipline for the security breach because that man will have no compunction about doing whatever lawless trampling on our rights of free speech and dissent that Dear Leader requests, unlike General Milley and Mark Esper. These intelligent students whose legal statuses are being withdrawn as they are hauled away simply because they have actively opposed genocide, Putin’s aggression, or write OpEds about not supporting Zionism, are just test cases for intimidating and silencing the rest of us. We were warned that the guardrails would be off this time around, and they are not only off, but the rails are greased.
Make no mistake, I have been and will be present at these protests, I have no plan to obey in advance. But the larger the demonstration, the more tempting it is for Trump and his regime to declare states of emergency and use force against us. Town halls, Arena rallies, high numbers spread out along the road sides are much more inconvenient targets. We need to go into any massive protest with our eyes wide open. We also must be cognizant of facial recognition technology and perhaps wear masks as precautions against future retaliation.
I refer you to the group organizers for your concerns.
My point of reference for myself right now is maintain my sanity, sense of self and not freak out. I am not giving in to what could happen. I am dealing with the needs of the moment as they unfold.
I am not so sure long, long writings such as yours are helpful.
How about we keep our heads, knuckle down and take care of business.
In mid winter a communication from the Democratic Party asked me for input on rethinking their future direction. I enthusiastically participated, especially after their months and months of silence to feedback I'd been volunteering them since Kamala's defeat and Trump's second Inaugural.
Sometimes long is necessary, Barbara.
Late yesterday morning a communication from DNC arrived in my Inbox. I read it immediately only to be dumbfounded, absolutely dumbfounded, by what it said!!
Nothing . . . NOTHING!!! . . . could captured save IN THE NEGATIVE what is so deeply awry in the Democratic Party at this very moment than the four pages it contained.
If I had been an astronaut landing back yesterday on earth after an unexpected and unplanned six silent months in orbit around the earth I would never have been able to tell by reading this DNC e-mail on its future course. Beginning January 20th our Republic came under a withering siege of a fascist-leaning incompetent and swiftly aging man-child, a 900-page blueprint shaped by Christian nationalist 'values' he had expressly disavowed during the campaign, a cabinet he filled with billionaires and numerous amateurs and incompetents at Federal administration, and precious little fundamental sympathy with the PEOPLE for, by, and of this Nation which our Republic has ever improved itself serving for almost 250 years. The out-of-power Democratic leadership at the Federal level has, with a few notable exceptions, failed to rise as a unified body to the requisite tasks of opposition this increasingly desperate situation demands. That includes the capacity to speak out, vote, block and parry as the procedures in both houses will allow and support on behalf of saving the Republic. The party as a whole wallows at the 20+ percent in public approval. From the four pages I received no one could imagine America was facing a huge, many-faceted and deepening constitutional crisis, and now also, with the startling emergence of an out-of-control DOGE interloper, a huge, unnecessary, and unexpected Federal administrative upheaval that is quickly transforming itself into parallel confusion and dismay at state and local levels.
And yet all this DNC 'memo of response' advances is a six column bar chart purporting to quantify what all us respondents advanced concerning where we believe the Party needs to work. Here are the six blue columns:
Building a stronger, more visible communication strategy
Transform how we engage with young voters
Strengthen outreach with rural communities
Hold more town halls and listening sessions
Increasing investment in protecting voting rights
Recruit and support more Democratic candidates
If this was meant to express the conclusions of a proper situation audit of where the party needs to direct itself given where it finds itself, this quantitative telling wholly misses the mark. At one point the e-mail actually says in so many words that their intent is "not just in fighting back against Trump but also on building our Party for the long term." Well, of course. Except that it misses the elephant in the room.
If the fight against Trump isn't successful the many dimensions of upheaval in the Republic will undercut the delivery of services, the balance of powers, and our protection against tyranny, losing the safeguards of freedom and liberty, spelling the end of the Republic. That is the crisis facing us and the Democratic Party; the summary memo is, I believe, simply and wholly off point, and I'll tell them so.
Late last evening I got an e-mail fundraising message from Senator Elizabeth Warren who apparently hasn't gotten the DNC e-mail either since she writes about DNC "organiz(ing) against Trump’s disastrous agenda." Except they're clearly not.
Now I'm off to breakfast, then my annual appointment with my cardiologist, and only then can I come back and send the memo of response direct to DNC. I judged its importance high enough, though, in the larger scheme of things, to sandwich this post into the developing Friday morning thread of the HCR faithful.
Well said! Articulate, accurate, and sound. Suggest you copy/paste into a more prominent level of today’s comments. I think Dems are lost. We either move forward without them, or they’ll set themselves adrift to nowhere. (Best wishes with your cardio appointment.)
i abandoned the DNC years ago when they burned Bernie. Bernie is out there with AOC doing huge rallies while the rest of the pathetic Dems, with a few exceptions, are sending “what can I say to make you give me money” emails. Bah.
I'm 83. major in Russian and minor in German. Later I worked with MD's who weren't allowed to practice in private, but had experienced the NAZI and and/or Stalinist regimes. To me, my education and experience are invaluable. Outside of my narrow circle of friends, I am yesterday's news. Watching what's happening, I'm seeing Mein Kampf play out again, only now it's called Project 2025. I can definitely empathize with your recent experience. BTW, I live in north central Minnesota, which makes me a (educated) jack pine savage. Don
I confess that I pay no attention to anything that the DNC sends out. Our Senators and my local Rep here in Oregon are meeting with all kinds of people including my county's R Board of Commissioners and doing what they can. Sadly, we are physically unable to do any protests, but donate where we can. It looks like we are going to need to help out our local food bank more frequently as they are being cut off from federal food help. Also I welcome thoughtful posts no matter how long they are.
Sadly, one thing we all seem to miss, MONEY. The democrats used to be able to count on money from working people through union support. Reagan ended the ability of unions to help democrats along with the wealthy conservatives that managed to corrupt union leadership with money. Sadly, again, democrats attempts to get outside money out of politics ended when Obama relied on outside money in his first run (Stewart Stevens). Democrats getting money from corporate america put them on better financial ground but then the republicans were able to use that to help get the Citizens United ruling and the flood gates opened.
Ditto--well said. What an uphill climb we face, but first we have to see it!!Recognize it. Many are still in a cloud of "it can't happen here" and "wait it out, it will crumble". No not without pushback, major rolling pushback.. not just April 5th out there... rolling, general strikes...
Sadly and frustratingly I agree with you. Also, referring to Trump or Musk as “ man child “? They are neither. If only they were.
Thank you for your 'long' response to BM. Thank you for fighting!
That about sums it up. All I could add is to echo Robert Prosky's classic admonition, "Be Careful Out There."
Barbara: For one's self interest and sanity, I understand your point! However, if one does not look ahead and make tactical decisions now for our futures, we are all doomed.
Tactical decisions yes absolutely. Running around like chicken little screaming the sky is falling-no. There are so many freak out voices right now I tune them out. I especially ignore those subversive voices saying all is lost.
I am being politically active, encouraging people to do so and managing the deep sadness I feel right now for my/our Country. I have loved America deeply since I was a kid.
Each of us must push ourselves while maintaining healthy coping mechanisms.
Listen to any of the Indivisible "What's the Plan?" videos with leaders Ezra and Leah:
https://youtu.be/294-t2aTvzA?si=HG5YdfNGjwz06lwE
Subscribe to Simon Rosenberg's Hopium for his weekly zooms.
Listen to experts on historical resistance to fascism: Ruth Ben-Ghiat (who also hosts a weekly Zoom for subscribers) and Timothy Snyder (who has a lot of talks on YouTube in addition to his prolific writing).
I agree. There really is a need to be peaceful yet forceful when voicing opposition. Give them no excuse to use violence against the citizenry. There are just too many, including former trump voters, who are being railroaded by this administration. Any violence against them could be a turning point for the republican congress, a thing even this administration does not want to risk.
Barbara: "I am dealing with the needs of the moment as they unfold." Perfectly said.
The Curtis Yarvin letter included after today's HCR letter was crazy. Anyone who has dealt with someone in a psychotic episode knows that the way to respond is to keep calm and steady and sure. Thank you, Barbara.
How has this Curtis Yarvin gained such a following? From what does he arise? From what deep thinking or philosophizing have these ideas arisen? What has he created or done to warrant such focus on what he’s selling? He sounds like a 4-yr old boy bent on the fun of breaking things, stomping on sand castles wherever he can find them.
Jim Stewartson writes quite frequently about Curtis Yarvin, “Dark Enlightenment” and the big plan of the “PayPal mafia”.
Scary stuff, scary people.
https://www.mind-war.com/
Been there, done that.
A non-violent approach that would have an impact is for Americans to stop paying taxes.
Free, well, I have thought of that, but we would not get away with that for a nanosecond. Only the uberwealthy who can afford accountants and lawyers en masse can do that.
You wrote: I am not so sure long, long writings such as yours are helpful.
How about we keep our heads, knuckle down and take care of business.
I ask: Huh? What does this even mean?
You say it simply-
I think that there are people who read the "long writings" who are already unnerved and on board. Then there are others that are still into denial and refusing to believe, and that this is overreaction. I think those of us that believe (know with good evidence) that we are in deep trouble and must act together, massively and ongoing if there is any hope, must allow for the repetitive messages to this effect to convince others of the seriousness of the moment. And yes, so hard to do, keep our heads... meditate, keep calm. Some of us need to cultivate this. It's not so easy. We all have different nervous systems. Know thyself.
How about you edit your own posts and leave everyone else to edit theirs, Barbara?
Sixty people agreed with me. What followed from my comment was an excellent discussion. I don't recognize your name so maybe you are new to this Substack forum. We have spirited discussions. We are passionate. What we are not is deliberately mean such as you are being. It is a waste of time to post comments such as yours and try and stir up discord and a create a fight. It is interesting to me that out of all the very many comments and a robust discussion you show up ready for a fight because of my comment. This is just not that kind of forum.
If you like Dr. Richardson's Letters I highly recommend her podcasts.
All demonstrations require legal permits from local authorities. If sh*t is going to happen, it will be playing with permitting authority, counter-demonstrations provoking riots by the likes of Proud Boys, who I suspect are champing at the bit. Large AND peaceful, and LOUD.
Permits? We don't need no stinkin' permits! Vamanos!
Here in Oregon we have often seen the Proud Boys at protests. Unfortunately, we also have a small group of people who i believe are actually apolitical who use protests as a means of doing major property damage. We had one young man, aged 14, who did about 14 thousand in broken windows.
Trump will have no qualms about calling the National Guard and give them orders to shoot.......you are no longer in a free country ! Beware of these Bastards they shoot to kill !
This is a lie. We are still living in a free Country.
We are experiencing an attempted coup. We are seeing serious and terrifying violations of our rights. We are fighting back. Whether you fight back or not is your choice.
The least you can do is resist declaring victory for the fascists. Stop obeying in advance.
At least we still have some rights, protest being one. let’s use it!
Yes, Barbara.
Fists up!
AMEN! Barbara!
There will be such events. This might cause us trouble but it's good trouble, necessary trouble.
that didn't work out so well for the Kent university shootings! Anything like this will be televised up to your ying yang.
Frank. There have been losses. There has been heartbreak, death and great harm such as John Lewis, the Freedom Riders, the Suffrage Movement and MLK experienced. Millions of Americans have been protesting in the streets since this Country began. Are you telling people to stay home?
"In February 2025 alone, we have already tallied more than 2,085 protests, which included major protests in support of federal workers, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, Palestinian self-determination, Ukraine and demonstrations against Tesla and Donald Trump’s agenda more generally. This is compared with 937 protests in the United States in February 2017, which included major protests against the so-called Muslim ban along with other pro-immigrant and pro-choice protests.
Coordinated days of protest such as March Fourth for Democracy (4 March), Stand Up for Science (7 March), rallies in recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March) and protests demanding the release of the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil suggest little likelihood of these actions slowing down. These are all occurring in the background of a tidal wave of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s early moves."
The Guardian
People watching on TV the government violence against the peaceful Selma marchers is what gave us the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
One would certainly HOPE so, Frank, although I have been losing faith in many of our MSM to represent what’s REALLY important these days.
.
The goons disappearing folks wear masks, i suggest red cloaks = handmaid revolt
Yes eyes wide open and be brave *unafraid*. Acting starting now is important .Act wisely. In numbers and rolling, spreading out. There will be those who are made examples of. It's a tactic to spread fear. There is no choice. It will get worse. This is a test on us. We are fighting for the country we thought we were living in just a couple of months ago, now being actively destroyed... quickly.. amazing.. and not something about which to rationalize or deny. And if you need to take a break, take care of yourself.
Remember KENT State ! They opened with live fire on the Student protesters ! Many died! Frightening !
Stop. Stop doom posting. What good does this do?
Agreed. There probably will be some sort of scuffle or even violence by the administration. After all they are "disappearing people"!
But freaking out in advance just plays into the intimidation playbook. It's like obeying in advance. I have selected the town where I will attend a "Hands Off" protest. I have never protested. I have a phobia about crowds and I am old. But my fury now exceeds my fears.
My only decision now? What I will write on my sign! So much to say.
Barbara, if you can’t adjust to the reality of a pending total breakdown of all things good, sincerely, I would suggest that you stop reading everything, and stay off the screens.
It's the truth.
I am afraid it is the reality ! I have already lived through it once !
Four died at Kent State and it was a galvanizing moment for the anti-war movement. It didn't stop us, it energized us.
Amen. Yes it did. Seeing the picture all over the media helped end the Vietnam war.
Murdered by the state. We have to be cognizant of the possibility of illegal, unconstitutional actions by our 'government'. But we cannot allow that to stop us.
Yes, and how did the nation go afterwards?? It mobilized and Nixon lost his job.
It was tragic. But it started conversations and changed the view of the war. It had political influence in ending the war.
Four died, nine were wounded by the Ohio National Guard. I was a reporter (for the Akron Beacon-Journal) for Kent State and Hiram College student actions the year before. It was Ohio state troopers who responded at Kent State at that time. I was with the students in a hallway of the administration building when state troopers appeared at both ends of the hallway to arrest the students and put them on buses. There was no violence and the troopers were respectful of reporters. I know; they let me out of the student section so I could continue my reporting. During those years, there were demonstrations all over the country protesting U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Who would have thought that in our country based on freedom for all we would have thought twice about protesting lest we get shot in the legs....
Yes to masks at large outdoor demonstrations! Thank you, Heather Elowe.
The military will resist a coup by force. Remember that the California National Guard is a large proportion of the entire military.
Accurate and True
Salute!
In Knox County, TN, the sheriff cooperates in the ICE program, one of only two counties in TN.
I think I'll wear my 'Good Trouble" mask!
I have sunflowers!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/28/protest-research-trump-musk#:~:text=Protest-,The%20resistance%20is%20alive%20and%20well%20%E2%80%93%20and%20our%20research%20shows%20it,-Erica%20Chenoweth%2C
I am not saying we should capitulate. I’m out there at least twice a week. But for the very large mass street events I believe there are higher risks that we need to be particularly aware of and prepared for and consequences later that we never thought could be problematic in the past. These students who are being picked up now would never have been detained or deported 6 mos ago. There’s a difference between ‘doom posting’ and advocating for a level of awareness under conditions that haven’t been seen since the Civil Rights protests in the South. If BLM protests happened today, you can be sure that violent suppression would be ordered by the Trump admin. The top tier has tried to equate harm to a Tesla with treason ffs. Yes, I’m out there, but I’m no Pollyanna either. Maybe harm happening to dissenters, if not ignored or trivialized by MSM, could wake people up. Kent State sure did. A bus of civil rights volunteers being set fire to did. And there’s not much time to right this ship.
100% right, IMHO. the ICZE seizings were just a warmup. Trump has not yet had his Brownshirt moment or his Krystallnacht, but I doubt he can resist. Please pick your venues with care and don't reenact Kent State. Also, it would be strategic to not to compel the US military to choose a side yet.
The alternative would most surely be worse.
With the anticipated thousands [million+?] of heroic protestors on April 5th (actually any and all days, including Women's March) here's an updated partial list of those fighting back every day [as of 3-27=25). I'm also adding courageous law firms who haven't caved. Besides upstanding lawyers, and law-abiding honorable (present and former) judges (including James Boasberg, chief judge, D.C. District Ct.), here's a growing list of Profiles in Courage men, women, and advocacy groups who refuse to be cowed or kneel to the force of Trump/Musk/MAGA/Fox "News" intimidation:
I'll begin (again) with Missouri's own indomitable Jess[ica] (à la John Lewis's "get in good trouble") Piper/"The View from Rural Missouri," then, in no particular order, Heather Cox Richardson/"Letters from an American," Joyce Vance/"Civil Discourse," Bernie Sanders, AOC, Gov. Tim walz, Sarah Inama, Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Jasmine Crockett, Ruth Ben-Ghait, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Ali Velshi, Stephanie Miller, Gov. Janet Mills, Gov. Beshear, Gov. JB.Pritzker, Mayor Michelle Wu, J im Acosta, Jen Rubin And the Contrarians, Dan Rather, Robert Reich, Jay Kou, Steve Brodner, Rachel Cohen, Brian TylerCohen, Jessica Craven, Scott Dworkin, Anne Applebaum, Lucian Truscott IV, Chris Murphy, Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth,Sheldon Whitehouse, Adam Schiff, Jon Ossoff, Elyssa Slotkin, Delia Ramirez,Tim Snyder, Robert B. Hubbell, Ben Meiseilas, Rich wilson, Ron Filpkowski, Jeremy Seahill, Thom Hartmann, Jonathan Bernstein, Simon Rosenberg, Marianne Williamson, Mark Fiore, Jamie Raskin, Rebecca Solnit, Steve Schmidt, Josh Marshall, Paul Krugman, Andy Borowitz, Jeff Danziger, Ann Telnaes,͏ ͏Will Bunch, Jim Hightower, Dan Pfeifer, Dean Obeidallah, Liz Cheney, Adam Kimzinger, Cassidy Hutchinson--
American Bar Association, 23 blue state Attorney Generals, Indivisible. FiftyFifty one, MoveOn, DemCast, Blue Missouri, Third Act, Democracy Forward, Public Citizen, Democracy Index, DemocracyLabs, Fred Wellman/On Democracy, Hands Off, Marc Elias/Democracy Docket, Public Citizen, League of Women Voters Lambda Legal, CREW, CODEPINK, ACLU, The 19th/Errin Haines, Working Families Party, American Oversight, et al.
And, as Joyce Vance says, "We're in this together"--or via Jess Piper, from rural Missouri: "Solidarity." FIGHT BACK! WE ARE NOT ALONE! (Latest addition h/t , Robert B. Hubbell: Law firms, see below). All suggestions are welcome.
* Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling have resisted Trump, fighting back with the help of other courageous firms like Williams & Connolly. Per The ABA Journal,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, representing fired inspectors general. (Law.com)
Hogan Lovells, seeking to block executive orders to end federal funding for gender-affirming medical care. (Law.com)
Jenner & Block, also seeking to block the orders on cuts to medical research funding. (Law.com, Reuters)
Ropes & Gray, also seeking to block cuts to medical research funding. (Law.com)
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, representing the Amica Center for Immigrants Rights and others seeking to block funding cuts for immigrant legal services. (Law.com)
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer.
Thank you, Larry, for this hopeful reminder. There is a ground of strong and growing resistance. If we get out of this Trump-hell alive these names and others should be engraved on a wall of profiles in courage!,
Perhaps I should add our nation's motto--and on our Great Seal--the phrase "E pluribus unum" (out of many, One ). Ii's 13 letters makes its use symbolic of the original 13 Colonies which rebelled against the rule of the Kingdom of George III . . .And now we protest together against King Donald. As my rural MO. indomitable Jess Piper always says: "Solidarity"
And now you can add you to this list.
This is an epic telling of the Resistance. Find a place to publish it over and over. Thank You so very much.
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I think my list of never-give-up fighters is unique, and I do republish as often as it fits the subject discussed. Latest addition (3-28-25 update) is the law firm Wilmer Hale, who blasted back on Trump's executive orfer targeting them. Suggestions always welcome.
Thank you, Larry McGinnity!!!
This is an awesome list! I guess I missed Rep Melanie Stansbury who is very vocal on the DOGE committee, and Maine’s AG Shanna Bellows? I do hope that if we can ever right this Ship of State, we tap into some of these new voices of leadership!!
Thank you Larry McGinnity!!!
Yes. It was public outcry, not Congress, which got the Social Security Administration to pause the plan to officially stop phone services. Although DOGE has crashed the SSA computer services.
I wouldn't miss this demo for anything! We're past the point of only venting our outrage and grief online. Time to take to the streets.
handsoff2025.com
Me neither! I have vertigo and am 75 so I bought a cool maple walking stick to help navigate around downtown.
Viva la resistance!
Not much in Texas, unless at a Tesla property.
Texas has 15 Tesla Takedown events scheduled for this Saturday, March 29:
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/teslatakedown
Great! Thanks Ellie! This is how we get this done-networking instead of complaining and doom posting.
I am going to one tomorrow.
Tesla is good. Can you get a group of people to stand on a corner with signs? Or is it just too risky in Texas? I am telling people to not risk their jobs or safety at this time. We all can do only what we can.
There have been 3 local Tesla takedowns.All have been peaceful.I live in MAGA-ville,Fl near Kennedy Space Center 🚀so there is support here for Elon.
Tesla headquarters is in Tejas. Find some Republicans who don't want to be part of an axis of evil.
Who knows one of those rare birds. Two sisters ditched republicans label a while back
The one I saw in Ft Worth yesterday is on a corner, concrete sidewalks, no windows. No shade, like a fortress. Not a good venue for old folks
JDinTX. There is a "Hands Off! San Antonio fights back - Saturday, April 5th at Main Plaza. I heard about it from Beto. He said to Google "Hands Off & your city. The one for Tesla was a week or so ago - I didn't hear about it until after it happened.
But at least there are Tesla protests even in TX!
Go marchers, go. I'm 92 and can't march any more. Please take an extra someone to march for me!!
I will Jane! We will name the honorary Jane Bainbridge protester. Best Regards.
We have to!
One would think that what's going on is sci-fi...but it's not.
Better strategy would be to arm for self defense.
I will be present....
Our rural conservative county run by Repubs has 2 44-seat school busses to April 5 DC Hands Off March!
No kidding!? This gives me chills. I am really looking forward to April 5. We must prevail.
May the 3.5% of American needed turn out.
Who's doing focus groups or discussing what will get people going. In Vietnam it took 1,00 of deaths and the threat of the same to get people to take to the streets. BLM v.1 the same.
Have you not seen the head of Indivisible on TV? If you don’t know Indivisible and have a computer, just type it in and go from there!
Focus groups? Get people going?
Not needed. People are already in the streets. Find a protest and go there.
"In February 2025 alone, we have already tallied more than 2,085 protests, which included major protests in support of federal workers, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, Palestinian self-determination, Ukraine and demonstrations against Tesla and Donald Trump’s agenda more generally. This is compared with 937 protests in the United States in February 2017, which included major protests against the so-called Muslim ban along with other pro-immigrant and pro-choice protests. Coordinated days of protest such as March Fourth for Democracy (4 March), Stand Up for Science (7 March), rallies in recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March) and protests demanding the release of the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil suggest little likelihood of these actions slowing down. These are all occurring in the background of a tidal wave of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s early moves." The Guardian
Orlando, 2-4 PM, City Hall.
Yay! You know Carol. We are joining history. We will be remembered as the fighters for the Resistance. Our children and our children's children will know we stood up.
I keep remembering the French Resistance book I translated. One must do something. And they did. One of my favorite stories is about taking explosives in a fishing “stool” to a factory by a canal.
You know Virginia. I do too. I am a huge fan of anything about Paris during that time.
Hands Off
The ideology written in Project 2025 is so antiquated...they talk about installing a dictatorship and handing all these departments back to the States...So we'll have 50 States with different laws?! Like 50 little countries?...What is the role of government supposed to be then?
I will be there! With almost everyone I know!
Yup, my local group said the response is so large they've had to move the location. But Heather's post today scares me - at some point, will this new regime decide they can literally mow us down? They are so fanatical that it seems possible, if they see the American people fighting back against their Aryan dream.
Thank you , thank you, 1000 thank you!
“ Hopefully there are a few Congressional Republicans who have not completely bought into the axis of evil.”
That hope has been fading fast.
Wicker, Tillis, Murrkowski, and even Rick Scott were strong on Ukraine and so were dozens of Republican House members. Many of them have been calling Trump a liar.
I keep saying that down here in Baghdad By the Sea, even our three MAGAT House members are complaining about immigrant abductions. We have more hispaics per square inch than any other county in the US, including muchos Venezuelans. All three are Cuban Americans, one, born in Cuba, was our Dem county mayor until 2020.
Many of them have personally lost stuff like cfrop payments, and every one of them has to hear it about SSA, education, etc.
I've been advocating pressing their consituents and donors, also. Once upon a time I rwpresented car dealers, school districts and local governments. I bet all are stressed.
The incompetence re national security is a gift.
I think done deliberately, certainly grabbed the headlines and showed that they can do as they damn well please.
Nobody like that in TX.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
Emily Dickinson
Thank you for such poetry, Daniel Solomon.
With the bottomless pockets of Musk to fund campaigns or fund primary challengers, not enough Rs are going to stand up and speak against the coming destruction of our country. None.
O ye of little faith
Only need 3 House members.
McConnell https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/27/congress/mitch-mcconnell-russia-ukraine-peace-00255827
"Congressional Republicans who have not completely bought into the axis of evil." Unless they are outspoken against him and voting against MAGA policies, they are collaborators and enablers. So, no points for them. And if they're holding out because they think Trump isn't going far enough, they're even worse.
Read Feathers of Hope. They're Republicans. All we need them to do is dissociate fcrom the axis of evil.
https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Thank you for the link.
A breath of sanity. Could it be…
Daniel, it seems to me that for too long, our media and social media legitimate contributors refuse to use the word "lie" and to call what is being done "treason." It seems that without our knowledge or permission, a bunch of supposed Americans have declared war on our nation, wrecking our government from within while we were being distracted with words like "woke" and "equity" being maligned, a talented, qualified woman's name trampled on, and a bunch of toddlers called "DOGE" when it was really "Destroy Our Government's Efficiency." The challenge is that our Trump government has control of our law enforcement, our military, and anything that could legally forcefully stop them since they see the courts as either irrelevant or already in their camp. Why anyone wanats to be ruled by an ignorant old man with dementia, a whiny 40-year-old who will lie at will even throwing his own constituents under the bus (Vance), and an ignorant rich immigrant and his toddler peers is beyond comprehension. I get it that Mikey Johnson thinks this is some kind of "god's will scenario but that's because he is as ignorant and inept as the rest of the crew. Where are the intelligent folks who could figure out how to take down the social media lying/disinformation and rework what is happening against Trump and Kump on behalf of the American people?
True. But you play the hand as dealt.
From Politico -- Top congressional appropriators — including a Republican — sent letters Thursday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to implement only a portion of the emergency money included in the recent stopgap funding bill.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Patty Murray of Washington — the chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, respectively — sent a letter Thursday to Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought raising alarm that the administration is not adhering to the funding measure’s spending directives.
IMHO Trump's Achilles heel is national security -- which is about the only thing that Confgressioanl Republicans have with us....
If Paty Murray can ask Collins about spending, she can ask about the axis of evil....
BTW this committee also has SSA on its plate. Mainers have to picket, sit in, follow her home....
"IMHO Trump's Achillies heel is national security" - that is my opinion as well. I expected the Signal episode to fade as all others have. But it hasn't.
This has finally touched a big nerve. We must, as you say Daniel, continue to keep the heat on. I am calling my reps every day on the Signal story.
It's a start.
While it's interesting that SOME Congressional gop have actually seen the "Signalgate" situation for what it really is AND been willing to speak out, I bet the majority have not read P2025 and have been so busy kowtowing to their perceived "king" that they don't really understand the main gameplan. Heather's overview is the best I've seen to explain exactly what musk & co. have been doing, AND where we're headed if the whole process is allowed to continue. The courts don't seem to be long for this world, and I'd be shocked if there are 2026 elections. (They'll be rigged up the wazoo if they are anyway.) I've been waiting for trump to find an excuse to implement martial law even if he has to manufacture one -- which this weekend's even bigger, well-advertised marches and protests might provide. And I think with all the recent "disappearances" going on, that's partly what it will look like. The snatching of the Tuft's student was chilling to watch, and we don't know how our own military might react to orders to "control the crowds", etc. However, it is poignantly clear that we've undoubtedly reached the place of no return. No more fiddling around. We should start with Jerry's gameplan then step up in every other way. Heather's overview needs to be sent to ALL senators and representatives along with a statement that we will NOT TOLERATE the continuation of musk's activities and that he and doge MUST be shut down immediately, all the federal employees reinstated and their associated agencies re-established. Then we should all be sharing Heather's overview with as many friends and relatives possible.
Right.
The place to start is with Trump's donors. Check out Joyce Vance and Contrarian documenting law firms defending against Trump attacks. Here is a list of TYrump donors They also donated to Congressional Republicans. Some are undergoing an epiphany over due process and the rule of law.
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus?cycle=2024&ind=K01
Writing postcards to voters in multiple elections. Addresses from TonyTheDemocrat. If you can print or relearn to print….
I've done that.
How about to Republican donors who didn't sign up for the axis of evil?
The White House is NOT in denial about anything. They want a government that serves the wealthy and powerful and throws us “ takers “ to the wolves. And they could not do any of this without taxes from us “takers “.
Who says otherwise?
George Washington, Lincoln, Perkins, FDR, JFK, MLK, and others have made America that Trump - Musk and Projedt25 are destroying. Why? Because they are not Amricans in spirit. Hopefully enough Repulican congress persons are Americans in spirit and join DEMs to start saving America.
Daniel, even if they own up to their mistakes I don’t think it will change their credibility in any way. Their true colors are showing (SNAKES) 👿
It's not a question of cedibility -- it's all about defending democracy.
Last year we were rallying to “keep democracy.” That’s not sufficient. We need to reform democracy. In addition to calling out the wrongs of the current Republican regime, we must identify how government can support positive freedom (see Timothy Snyder)—create our Project 2029.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/opinion/democrats-project-2029.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7U4.6aNy.-O7Zp6TCLiWk&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
And the people to do it: We The People, the emerging leadership highlighted by Rachel Maddow on 3/27/25.
Thanks, Ellie, for sharing…am listening to the printer churn the pages as I write this, to make a copy I can read well after the sun comes up on the west coast! We, as a country, are at an inflection point…where have we been? where are we now? where do we want to go? So many interests, large and small (rich and poor) pulling in different directions…hope it stabilizes soon…an even keel.🤞
I think Barbara, the most important question even after reading today's letter, is where the regime wants to go.
We know the answer now which brings another question: would it be an midterm election in 2026. My feeling is, and I've been posting regularly about it, it won't be. Maga is already panicking of loosing it. To be continued.
The most important question really is this:
What are we doing?
We each and every single person needs to be actively fighting back right now.
I’m paying attention, joining non-violent protests (is something more than shaking my fist at the sky), and using my voice & vote. I am lucky that I have Congress critters I support & who support “we the people”. Will be at a town hall held by my House rep this Sunday (he has a very large, very rural district). 🗽🇺🇸
I am marching April 5th. Calling AARP today to tell them to get off their butts or lose my membership. Thinking about going to my local Social Security office to picket for them.
I am turning 76. No matter our ages we fight.
Just jealous as I can be Barbara , it’s near total Republican here , and the state bills GEESH! Today voting on requirements for photo ID ( passports next) ! Last week lowering standards for water protections where already a devastating spill stopped intake and thousands were w/o water for weeks. Skimming the surface and set backs.
Today’s “letter” is a continuum of dismay prompting cuss words I never use. Wondering when the next mistake costs us/the public lives of our own or family trying to protect status quos here or there and where are we …is a continual question.
Fewer are saying “Oh , It’ll be alright [or] , well he hasn’t had a chance to ( fill in the blank) see intended results yet , only been in office not even 3 mo. yet” when in actuality he’s been on the golf course mostly and “hasn’t been informed about ( fill in the blanks) “ while thousands are still gasping from being fired, have to move, services unable to be accessed…again ( fill in the blank) wondering if their health coverage/pills/grants will come to pay their bills/staff/ fill in the blank.
I’ve called, emailed, protested, worried.
Seems the judges are trying to stay abreast of how many challenged edicts now..I’ve lost track, sleep, count. How to believe a liar given no support to a cabinet that also lies, and state reps going backwards in safety mechanisms while taking large donations from corporate king pins/clueless billionaires/fill in the blank.
Do I care? Yes, I’m watching neighbors beginning to fall through the widening cracks dismayed saying “we didn’t vote for this “… yes , dear you certainly did -but I won’t say “I told ya so” and….whats your plan now?
What happens is one question brings another because it's a very complex situation. Once the situation is clear as it is, the obvious question is what to do .
What is complex about this?
We are in a coup. We fight back.
Please do not overthink this. We need action right now.
Ricardo, folks posit that there may not be an “next election” (Trump even hinted at it…the “toss-off” comments he makes regarding this…real? or not?). The entrenched voter suppression scourge is already in many counties/states & that is very worrisome enough (and must be overcome….I don’t care WHAT party you belong to R, D, I, Green, etc., if you are eligible to vote, you should not be impeded from doing so!). I do worry in this “anything goes” & shoot first ask questions later admin that they will try to subvert the very process… Hope I’m wrong.
Oh, admin aiming to completely reverse voter eligibility? It is real.
While the Signal controversy was dominating the news there was this:
“ Trump signs executive order that will upend US voter registration processes.” 3/25
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/25/trump-executive-order-voter-registration-immigration
“ The sweeping order amends the federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship in order to vote. It demands documentary proof for citizenship such as a passport to be eligible to vote in federal elections, empowers federal agencies to cut funding to states deemed non-compliant and instructs the Department of Justice to prosecute what the White House paints as “election crimes”.
“ Many of the provisions in the order are likely to be quickly challenged and are legally suspect. The US constitution explicitly gives states and Congress the authority to set the rules for election and does not authorize the president to do so.
“The short answer is that this executive order, like all too many that we’ve seen before, is lawless and asserts all sorts of executive authority that he most assuredly does not have,” said Danielle Lang, a voting rights lawyer at the non-profit Campaign Legal Center.
“Republicans have long sought to add a citizenship question to the federal form and been stymied by the courts. “
It may be a ‘lawless’ executive order, but they sure are trying hard to make it law. Kansas (Kris Kobach SoS) enacted this 2013-2016 until it was struck down in state supreme court. This 2025 legislative session, Kansas supermajority is passing legislation attacking the state supreme court justice selection process… Kansas repubs don’t like their Supreme Court and are kneecapping the court.
And update for 4/1, this exec order, like so many others, also is beingbchallenged in court.
“ Trump’s attempt to revamp elections with proof of citizenship requirement challenged in court”, Tierney Sneed, CNN, Mon March 31, 2025.
https://lite.cnn.com/2025/03/31/politics/elections-proof-of-citizenship-order-challenged-lawsuits/index.html
Miracle if you are wrong.
Wish my measly contribution could match the dump from muskrat. Small donors won’t do it.
Obama raised much if not most of his funding through crowdsourcing, so every bit helps. In Canada, i just started donating politically for the first time in my life, don't mind saying Liberal, which in the USA is omg LEFT and worse. Yes, unfortunately individual wealth is a prerequisite in modern democracies. I see Australia is currently struggling with an election financing reform which contains mixed motives. Bernie's ideas sound good to me!
If we don’t reform it, it’s every four years of chaos, if we’re lucky. Repubs have been planning for 40 years, we’re way behind. As muskrat keeps reminding them (why so few willing to oppose chump), it’s your last chance to do what you want, now or there will never be another chance. 99% agreement repubs…
That is EXACTLY what America needs, alternatively you could call it PROJECT CATCH UP ie with the rest of the OECD.
You refer, Annabel, to "we the people," and to building "on mutual aid and support."
Unfortunately, beginning the with Powell memo of long ago (1971), the far right has viciously organized, and with billions of dollars ground its animus.
At first its rich and corporate leaders simply hated the obvious energy good libs, lefties, and progressives got from all the novels, films, and songs of the late 1960s. The far right hated, hated, hated the anti-war protestors, the women's lib people, the civil rights marchers, and all environmentalists. So the new Powell memo foundations (Heritage, 1973, ALEC 1973) first turned their attention to the schools -- to kill humanities there.
They succeeded. And put in place a yoke of strangling efficiency -- standardized testing.
Slowly the damages set in. Now we can see their bitter fruit. Reading Heather's today should make it apparent to everyone who reads it that "they" who hate, hate, hate stand poised to have killed the republic.
Dems, so feckless in the 2024 elections, had just totally lost touch with what really happened to working-class America -- so totally had Dems not seen what was really in so many novels, memoirs, essay collections, biographies, and histories, so totally had elites fallen to the Powell memo cold-blooded, billionaire-oligarch-worshipping designs.
Yes, turn out Dems in elections now. But can teachers organize to return to schools our vitally needed humanities? And begin practicing them? Begin citing the works really crucially well in touch with "we the people"?
.
By tomorrow, need an interim plan, wouldn’t you say. Need to work on yours for 40 years with the focus Repubs had.
Feathers of Hope. Co-opt Republicans.
It is not teachers who will return humanities to schools. It will need to be local communities who set curriculum. It will need to be federally funded monies that enable schools to be autonomous in their selection of curriculum. Please look at real solutions to problems instead of your "doom and gloom" comments.
Finland set the example of how teachers can do what you think they cannot do.
Local communities, Kathy -- all that nation -- set power in the hands of teachers, and Finnish schools rose from mediocrity to the world's best.
I ve truly never met a more dedicated , consistently caring group. Teachers are we all ,in reality, by our walk , talk, and shop.But those that know our children are our future, for history to be a guide of what does or doesn’t work. The real ones ARE the front line.
Many thanks to you, teachers .
🫶
You are right.
The concern (re: Stefanik's seat) is about the vulnerability of the current Republican majority. It does not speak to the future.
THEY CHEATED in 2024 by eliminating millions of valid voters in red states and Trump has already introduced legislation to do this in ALL STATES so 2026 will be a bogus election. See the Vigilantes Inc video at gregpalast.com (or on U tube) for his interview with s single Vigilante that removed 32,000+ voters in Ga. There were 40,000+ Vigilantes removing votes in red states. Also, an after the vote audit shows dicrepancies in CLARK COUNTY, NV. so other methods were used.
They just did analyses of PA—same thing in those precincts. https://youtu.be/gCWXpYAYdC4?feature=shared
They sure as hell cheated, Texas leads the pack
I hope so.....however, it seems to me that what's going on reveals symptoms of a decaying society; we are living in a country devoid of values; the thing about being stupid is that it's becoming contagious; there's no joy in ruining lives - anyone who enjoys it is a psychopath.
Yes very much psychopaths. Curtis Yarvin is “a good friend of mine” says DOGE advisor Marc Andreessen.
Under his previous pen name, Yarvin once proposed converting unproductive people into biodiesel. Yarvin said he was joking but that the joke helps “describe the problem” and that the “goal” is a “humane alternative to genocide.”
You are right
American democracy is hanging by a thread. This isn’t just another political crisis, it’s an existential fight. MAGA extremists are using the system to destroy it, gutting institutions, silencing dissent, and consolidating power. Project 2025 is a blueprint for permanent authoritarian rule. If Americans don’t mobilize, vote, protest, organize it’s over. Courts will fall, elections will be rigged, and free speech crushed. History won’t save us; only action will. The next few years will determine whether America remains a democracy or becomes an authoritarian state. The time to fight is now.
Correction: the next couple of months. The project 2025 timeline is 180 days. Yarvin projected the suppression of oppositional media and the deconstructed of the universities to be enacted by sometime in April. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/28/protest-research-trump-musk
It's a matter of weeks, not months, not years.
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Tunnel-vision affects almost everyone. I look at how being a risk manager molded (¿moulded?) my thinking into reducing questions of ethics and morality to probabilities UNLESS I did a 'manual over-ride' intellectually. Imagine what years of coding -- where there are definitive solutions unchallenged by what others think or feel -- and the halo effect of wealth does to a world view. 😳 https://www.instagram.com/baratunde/reel/DF6Zq0ARm0C/?locale=de-DE (about the 'nerd reich' thought-leader, Curtis Yarvin.) 🤬
There is a consensus seeking change. Most, at least many, Americans, apparently, want a change of personnel and policies away from people whom they view as stale career politicians with hackneyed, over-priced policies.. That does not mean a change of institutions. Technocracy, in my view at least, has not served us well, dating back to the ghastly war in Viêt Nam. 😢 https://youtu.be/Ahv3IKzMdHA (Investigation into the family backgrounds of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk by 'Democracy Now!'.) 🤢
The solution, however, is not a gangster régime. 😱
Looking back over my time, I see so much misdirection in our body politic. LBJ was destined to be the modern day FDR but for his anti communist World War II mentality and foolish involvement in Vietnam. Then we swing in the other direction to Nixon who founded the modern day MAGAs unbeknownst to him as he expounded his southern strategy. Reagan destroyed. Bush I nominated Thomas and began foolish military adventures in the Middle East and after allowing American military stationed in Saudi Arabia, so inflamed bin Ladin to attack on 9/11. He eager son went back into the Middle East with not one but two invasions and nominated 2 corrupt supremes. And now we have the Antichrist of the ages.
Thank you for a thoughtful review of the swing to the right in the United States of AMarrogance. Dr Bandy Lee believe that a widespread insinuation of social psychopathy has extended the arc of this rightward swing from reactionary to an increasingly brutal authoritarianism as we now see with Trump and his cadre of violence, attracting even educated courtiers like Hegseth. I do not see Chief Justice Roberts as corrupt; Alito, Thomas, and, at least with respect to power, Justice Kavanaugh.
That is on target. Dr. Ben-Ghiat explained that well in her book Strongmen.
Make no mistake, 2026, will be critical to America's future. The MAGA American Fascist Party will do everything they can to keep a 2026 Democratic Party landslide from becoming reality. I fully expect trump will attempt to CANCEL the 2026 election. I know that sounds impossible but nothing he has done thus far seemed possible less than a year ago. We must be prepared!
we don't have until 2026. Project 2025 timeline is 180 days from inauguration.....we are halfway through this and STILL too many people have NO CLUE what is contained in Project 2025.
He does not have to cancel it. He just needs Musk to control voting computers and he needs to continue voter suppression (see current ex order). Orban playbook.
I so feel your pain... I remember attending a march In NYC that drew a large crowd of well over 100,000+ including some of the 'usual celebrities' (March for Peace, Justice and Democracy, April 29, 2006 with Susan Sarandon & Al Sharpton). I was aghast, disheartened and my spirit crushed when I found it mentioned on page 3 in a few newspapers the next day. The energy and can-do-spirit evaporated right then and there, and it taught me a valuable lesson: you can scream your lunges out & bang your head against the nearest walls, unless you grab x by the y, z will not happen.
x = current 'regime', y = money, z = change.
Withdraw the funds that are fuelling those in power. Do not pay your taxes as long as your president is using them against you and everything you hold dear.
Don't kid yourselves! The days of free and fair elections are very likely over! At the moment they're only concerned about maintaining their current majority, nothing more.
WE are in an era of competitive authoritarianism, where the incumbent cheats in elections which are still held.
Annabel, I love your question about building another system. This is happening in the cooperative movement. Look to Mondragon in Spain for an amazing example of what is possible. My hope is that this incredible outpouring of greed and anger will finally show us all that we’ve had enough of it. Then we can restructure what remains based on solidarity, compassion and community. With respect for all of nature and each other. The co-ops will be there to show us how.
"But will the rogue regime pay any more attention to Congress than they do to the courts?"
Asked and answered.
The executive has already appropriated the 'power of the purse' and the authority over congressionally instituted federal agencies.
Not sure they are worrying about losing Stefanik’s seat as much as Hochuli delaying the election to fill the seat.
Still, it exhibits apprehension.
We are absolutely reaching a tipping point. It is astonishing how quickly the Trump machine has moved, like a crime mob family, only literally with more ruthlessness.
I have advocated for patience, but even I am running out of it. What is most shocking is how easily the MAGA millions have taken the Kool-Aid and capitulated to whatever Trump, Musk, and others have said. Unfortunately, the only result that seems even possible is a violent revolution. The country is torn virtually in thirds, one-third supporting Trump, one-third sort of supporting the Democratic "norm," and the other third not even sure if they want to bother.
It is 1860 all over again, and it looks like the endgame may be much worse.
If you Jon, the more patient among patient people and the more legalistic among legalistic people, are asking for radical action in view of the destructive speed of the current regime, the situation must be more severe and dangerous than it appears. Welcome to we the people. Reading today's letter was terrifying.
For anyone paying attention, it is hard to imagine how brutal they would have to be for it to be more obvious.
Sadly, not enough are paying attention. Hopefully, when they finally do wake up, they will blame right-wingers, send Republicans to the political wilderness forever, and amend the Constitution to make a more perfect union.
From your mouth to you know whom ears Mystic 🤞
Yes I agree reading this letter was terrifying but we can't give up. Massive protests must continue all over the states to rebuke project 2025. We can't just depend on Bernie and AOC to reach out to the people. We need several Democratic leaders and Independent leaders to reach out to the people.
Where are the moderate Republican leaders? What are they waiting for?
Is it surprising that GOP "leaders" aren't responding when our OWN leaders are totally missing in action?
Absolutely Patricia, we can't give up but it won't be easy. Look at what's happening in Turkey. I think similar will happen here. In reference to the republican leaders, I would call them maga leaders, they are afraid of the scumbag president and his close circle.
Thanks for your reply 👍
So, what you are saying is ~ in essence, really no, in reality, they have declared war on America and the question is how will they be stopped?
“ in reality, they have declared war on America and the question is how will they be stopped?”
Yes.
Read Feathers of Hope.
You owe it to us, Daniel, to say a few words to put your urging in context.
Goddammit, it's massive this inability of "educated" Americans to cite any reading and put it in any context. Just so normal from the tens of thousands of schools dedicated only to how many points our otherwise dehumanized get on tests.
At present, Republicans hold all the cards. But some, like Bacon and a few like him could negotiate a shared government. I can't speak for Jeffries, but behind the scenes, I bet they are.
I've been sayin' that if I were jeffries I'd offer the chairs of some committees to people like Bacon. MAGA mike removed a couple of chairs who he thought were too pro-Ukraine. These people are staunchly Republicans, but hopefully will salute the same flag we do.
I know for a fact that many are stressed -- like the 3 amigos here. One of them, Mario Diaz Balart's brother, Jose is a talking head at MSNBC. I knew his older brother who just passed away. The Cuban American Fund still has a lot of power -- Trump just reinstated Radio Marti -- and they can't like the way that Cubans are taken as DEI. Rubio's alter ego is Norman Braman, a car dealer -- the newly oppressed minority. Mrs. Rubio used to work there. Maybe she still does.
I can go on for a month -- but we don't have a month.
Nobody wants to be taken as DEI. Weird, isn’t it, as 90% of us are in some fashion. That pure white race is a myth of cosmic proportions
I expect even Hitler figured that out at some point. And Germany preWW2 was way more "pure" than the US has EVER been.
Here, even the a-hole Donalds is willing to work with Moakowitz to introduce bi-partisan legislation that tweaks Trump's nose. https://enewspaper.sun-sentinel.com/html5/desktop/production/default.aspx?edid=17239899-8920-40ad-b637-1a709cd303c7
I wonder whether Moskowitz has asked him whether he joined the axis of evil?
Whether he likes discrimination against Balcks?
Most of what is happening is choreographed by Koch's A.L.E.C. , the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, Leonard Leo. You haven't heard from any of these groups since the election, have you?? They are NOT on vacation. The goal is to eviscerate the government and PRIVATIZE EVERYTHING. A Libertarian's dream.
Most of what is happening is a distraction: Tariffs, terrible, terrible tariffs. Oh Woe!! Dismantling of Social Security ... that is a Really good distraction. It affects the weakest among us .... who wouldn't be angry!?!
The meeting on Signal was a wonderful distraction. We really got mad about that. (Yeah, with good reason.) But ... did anything change?? No one got fired, No one even apologized. Musk is still cutting the legs off our government. And the administration is still jailing people who MIGHT dissent and frightening the universities.
MOST OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS A DISTRACTION TO THE STEALING OF OUR GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!
I just keep writing GOTV postcards to Democrats. Those in my Indivisible group (now grown in numbers hard to find meeting space for) are in larger and larger demonstrations, but at 91, I am faster and more useful at postcards. Watching WI; 200 postcards written and mailed. A drop in the bucket, so hope there were many more writing.
Virginia Whitmer, my wife and I, well into our 70s, live in rural northern Minnesota and joined Indivisible in late December, 2024. My wife is helping organize our group. Forty-seven people came to our first meeting in December, a hundred-plus to the January meeting, and now, in March, we're at 350 members. Still growing and, like you, looking for a larger venue.
We've held two demonstrations outside the office of our Congressional District 8 absentee Republican Congressman Pete Stauber, each drawing about 450 demonstrators and we meet for other actions like postcard-writing and one freezing-cold demonstration against Trump in a nearby small town (pop. 12,500 souls). I'm struck by how similar our experience is to yours! It gives us optimism that, though the numbers are small, there is energy to RESIST! even out here in rural America where there was no reason to expect it.
We are inspired more than I can express by @hrichardson 's "Letters", @jesspiper 's "View From Rural Missouri", and others on Substack.
I honestly hate to say it, but: I told you so.
Indeed, some tried to find ears, but not enough interested…
Sadly…
Nobody is gloating - but also don't expect too much sympathy. You were told over and over again, you never wanted to listen.
It's your problem. I just hope the rest of us can stay out of that vortex and regroup successfully.
I’m definitely not gloating: I sincerely wish I was wrong…
No, I was answering to Elizabeth, who deleted her comment - something about not gloating and that it's no time for big egoes, along these lines.
I probably should delete mine as well, it looks/reads weird now. 😄
Oh, you’re right, I see it now: “comment deleted”…
The intended end game is worse. But we don't know what the end game was nearly a century ago. We do know the players today have skills they may not have had a century ago.
I think that the billionaire tech bros very consciously strive to bring about the Apocalypse. That is their end game. This way, they have the White Evangelicals on board. It satisfies the fantasies of both: one group dreams of Rapture and Judgment, fantasizing about Jesus racing onto the plains on a motorcycle with machine guns mowing down “unworthy libs” while they themselves ascend to heaven; the other group fantasizes about “rising and ruling from the ashes” as the new Gods. Think that’s crazy? Some billionaires are already deepfreezing their brains after death, expecting to be either uploaded in a machine, or built into a new cyborg body with technology that (they think) will be available in the future. True story.
Damn, Jesus sure had a makeover. And most of our Christian churches are on board, exactly like you said. When they kicked Jesus to the curb, (like he kicked the money changers out of the temple), the dye was cast and the greedy haters rewrote the script. May they get raptured tonight.
The Jesus people are gonna get fucked as well, WTF will they pray too then when their Orange God kicks them in teeth. We here all know this and watched him use them like a cheap date.
They deserve it, such self-cretins. With a tad of racism
For my part, they can rapture yesterday. They might be in for a surprise, though, when they meet the real God.
Proof that their belief is crap. They would be quaking in their booties if they really believed things Jesus advocated.
Damn right you are, JD.
The only good thing is - they are woefully incompetent in the real world. I mean - just look at Musk!
In my opinion really the only option is people power - general strike, protests, walk-outs, and sadly violence is a very likely future scenario.
You left the old people too long in power - I'm afraid it looks like they by-passed your systems and conventions.
I wonder if a resistance can be built quickly and strongly enough.
Old people are not necessarily a negative force.
No, generally they are not, but when you look at the old generation in Senate and Congress - they all look constantly befuddled and confused when they're asked about the current events - I bet the vast majority as no idea what eg Signal actually is, they are so far removed from the average people that they don't seem to understand what is happening in the average persons life - except Bernie probably.
When folks I know ask me "can you imagine what it would be like if Bernie won"? I look at them and say "can you imagine what it would be like if Hillary won?".
Turned into a Bernie bro in my old age, at least he looks alive. Guess we’re about the same age.
And given what they are doing - I very much doubt that the freezers will still be working.. (maybe try Albertson's <grin>)
Thing is, Hugh, that all those who have schemed high-tech “bolt-holes” and private islands are going to need people to “serve & support” them…how long, really, does one expect “allegiance” if it all goes to shit and basic survival is at stake…IMHO what is needed is to build a resilient communities who care for one another NOT fiefdoms!
That is what will happen I suspect - but don't forget that the richo's can run out of food too.. ( Hey - we need to cook Fred - is there any gas left for the barbecue?)
Yep. When the rich crash society, power grids stop working, too. They might have their private armies, but there will be a point where the last bullet is fired, and the factories producing them will be gone. That’s the very latest point where people will do away with the rich Demigods, but I hope it happens way before that point.
Absolutely right, Barbara. “Together” is the key. The billionaires only believe in “ME”.
The white Christian nationalists are not going to be happy with trump's move on fertility treatments, which will scuttle their plan for fetal personhood.
Agree that's the end game. What's interesting is they truly don't believe they themselves will be negatively impacted. That somehow their families and friends will all be protected from this madness. That's not how it will end. What goes around comes around. And, as happens, those in Traitor's favor can fall out of it in the blink of an eye.
"those in Traitor's favor can fall out of it in the blink of an eye."
Exactly! If history has taught us ANY lesson, it should be this. I simply can't understand why people in the Orange Clown's inner circle are thinking "noooo, my Orange Hero will always love ME..."
And yes, I have a hard time to believe that Musk et al can be _so_ naive as to think they and their families will be unscathed by a collapse of the biosphere. On the other hand: the reductionist-materialist thinking is so strong in them, they probably don't see themselves as part of this world anyway...
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Still, if Elise Stefanik had even a speck of self-respect, she’d resign her House seat.
She debased herself in her shameless rise to the middle, went full MAGA, toadyed up to them, in the hopes of eventually getting a reward in exchange for her principles.
So, she did. She got a Cabinet-level job as Ambassador to the UN. Now, Orange has told her that , nope, you’re needed in the House.
But, she’s told her staff to find other jobs, closed her office and there’s someone else in her former job. And that woman isn’t stepping down.
Elise Stefanik should move into the private sector NOW and grab the big bux while she still can.
"If Elise Stefanik had even a speck of self-respect, she’d resign her House seat."
Wait... please repeat that. I actually thought you said "If Elise Stefanik had even a speck of self-respect..."
So I am absolutely positive you must be drinking or something like that... LOL!
Been coming for a long time, before chump
Let patience turn to resolve.
Commercial media are so complicit here, dispensing pablum. I’m thinking here of the 5pm local news, the big 4 networks, and cable - sattelite tv news. It’s been three decades of brainwashing, I guess it peaked starting with the first and second Gulf wars and things got cranked up to 11 after 9/11.
What I’m seeing in the central plains is a resurgence of local media; good journalists were kicked to the curb when newspapers were bought out and gutted by venture capital. I guess you can’t keep a good journalist down for long.
Support these local journalists. The battle now is local politics. The days are over for federal politics to serve as an anchor, I think red states now must be won over to purple and blue. MAGAs will listen when local issues hit them.
Not only must we slow and reverse the fascist federal tide, but rebuilt a just federal govt. after it is moth-eaten. National Dem. Leadership must be recharged or replaced with new strategies. I’m still getting Act-Blue-based text fundraiser texts and I won’t respond, I wish they’d quit and form a new platform that respects donors instead of exploiting them. I’m giving to local candidates and causes who I know are making a difference.
I keep thinking about all of those guns that MAGA has .
I am worried about whether our own police ,& military will follow the Constitution, or Their Commander in Chief !
In general, the military MUST follow the commander in chief unless they are absolutely positive he is giving illegal unconstitutional commands. For instance, if a bunch of illegal immigrants take over a stadium, and he ordered that they assault the stadium and imprison the immigrants, that would be a perfectly legal (if grotesque) order, as those people would be violating the law even if we think they should be given some kind of forgiveness.
So far he has stayed within constitutional boundaries for the most part or at least within a potential presumption of those boundaries. In those cases we are forced to use the courts to try to stop him. To do otherwise would violate the law.
He is going to have to step so clearly outside the boundaries before we can presume that the rest of the country and the world would consider taking up arms against the government to be legitimate.
That is the dilemma. Like it or not he IS the elected President and his legal powers are immense. When he steps over them as he has, in our country we have legal processes we must follow to fight his oversteps.
He would have to go pretty far afield to justify our own violation of our laws.
Thank you Heather for all you do. I try each day to get just one more person to start reading your letter. Please take care of yourself. We need you!!
Thanks. I think my wife and I got another one tonight.
OUR ROLE IS ACTUALLY THE ROLE OF OUR FORE FATHERS AND THAT IS DEMOCRACY. PERIOD.
“Their definition of “the Left” includes all Americans, Republicans and Independents as well as Democrats, who believe the government has a role to play in regulating business, providing a basic social safety net, promoting infrastructure, and protecting” civil rights and who support the institutional structures Americans have built since World War II.”
To prevent a king from forming through a democracy.
To care for one and another as human beings.
To protect Mother Earth.
To view our constitution as guiding principles, written with quill and ink, and by very smart people that knew the wrath of having a king. A wrath upon the people. A wrath upon a country. A wrath upon business.
Ask the REAL people of Russia and North Korea. If they can speak freely.
Talk with people from Romania and Ukraine. They can speak freely.
Spend time understanding the plight of ALL Americans.
Take time to read our constitution and her amendments over the years. Our constitution is not perfect, but if you don’t try to manipulate her with evil desires, it is amazing.
Brilliant guidelines.
And she starts with “We The People”. Not “We The Billionaires.”
Plan 2025 begins with:
“Mandate for Leadership
The Conservative Promise”
Peace to all those that believe in this country and died for her.
John
March 28th
You're right, the American people are on the path to look more like the population of Russia and North Korea.
Going from the most successful, richest, and most powerful country in history to a totalitarian dystopia at the hands of our own voters.
Very sad.
At the hands of less than fully enfranchised and badly misinformed voters. Project 2025 had very little support even before the election, but you can fool some of the people all of the time and it appears to me that Democrats which has always been the party I have identified with, kind of dropped the ball around letting the Party of Billionaires purchase and dominate the media. Democracy dies in darkness. We have every right to be mad as hell, and every need to be smart about it.
What strikes me is this is the 1917 Russian Revolution in reverse. There the stated goals were to destroy the billionaire class and give power to the people. Now it’s destroy the people and give everything to the billionaire class.
(Yes, of course, I know how the 1917 Revolution turned out. I’m more struck by the topsy-turvy of it all.)
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
I think that too many people see protest as an opportunity to vent, but to be successful, it is framed as a well thought out and executed way to deliver a compelling message; a method of increasing awareness of injustice and of building solidarity. A process that requires focus and discipline.
Many of the targets of protest, of rapacious and dangerous abuses of workers, of buses of black Americans and other ethnic minorities , of women, of gays, etc., draw attention to things to which the public has become inured, or prefers not to think about. And while liberators seek to build compelling focus, dominators make use any excuse to distract.
Is violence ever the way to go? Well it worked in the American Revolution; but it was touch and go, and Britain was very far away. The French Revolution was a lot less satisfactory, and also many revolution fail. A key to the success of ours was an underlying desire to not repeat so many of the old mistakes, and not create a new Boss, same as the old Boss. That effort is what the plutocrats, as is their historical wont, are attempting to sabotage, put down, and dismantle.
“If the administration is working not to save money but rather to destroy the government, the cuts that threaten the well-being of American citizens make more sense.” This chills my soul.
This is not a dystopian novel…this is real!
Saw this explained by an unnamed source (hate to share without vetting but here goes)
“If you’re a little confused about what Musk is trying to achieve with DOGE, here’s the breakdown:
…Peter Thiel, Elon Musk and JD Vance, …plus a lot of other tech billionaires subscribe to an ideology called the Dark Enlightenment espoused by this super weird, creepy dude: Curtis Yarvin aka Mencius Moldbug.
Yarvin preaches that the media and academia represent “The Cathedral” that secretly controls power and must be dismantled.”
He advocates for a corporate run, monarchy, led by a CEO-Dictator.
Says that Democracy is an “outdated software” and openly opposes it and that:
- Government agencies should be dismantled and The U.S. should be broken up into “patchworks” controlled by tech oligarchs.
- That the elite tech billionaires should rule because they have the intelligence to “fix” society
- That the “masses are asses” too dumb to govern themselves.
The strategy is to gut the government via R.A.G.E - Retire All Govt Employees to make government incapable of operating.
Then to replace government with private corporations.”
- The “masses are asses” too dumb to govern themselves.
They are if they don't decisively reject this crap, and soon.
Yes, it is we, the people. I'm anti-violence as well except as last resort real self-defense. I think if enough people combine denounce this crap it will have an effect. Outfits like Columbia U that fold without a fight are part of the problem.
Here is one voice worth the listen:
Astronaut Senator Mark Kelly snaps back again after Elon Musk doubles down on ‘traitor’ slam because he traveled to Ukraine
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/mark-kelly-elon-musk-traitor-b2723089.html
They have no decency.
Thanks, JL. Kelly speaks with a strong message.
I went to your link, J L. Got nothing but ads.
Sorry. I think that normally articles can be accessed without a subscription, but I do have one for that site.
Here is part of it:
The world’s wealthiest man previously sparked criticism on both sides of the political aisle after describing Kelly as a “traitor” earlier this month, following the senator’s trip to Ukraine.
In an interview with Fox News’ Special Report on Thursday night he defended his remarks. “I think somebody should care about the interests of the United States above another country, and if they don’t they’re a traitor,” Musk told Fox News host Brett Baier.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly has previously slammed Elon Musk for calling him a ‘traitor’ over his trip to Ukraine. He responded again after the billionaire doubled down on his insults
(...)
“That doesn’t mean it’s OK for him to put the interests of another country above America,” Musk replied.
Kelly said a short time later on CNN: “I don’t even know if he deserves a response.” He added: “What I will say is that I’ve spent an entire career standing up for our country, defending our country, flying in combat over Iraq, flying in space on the space shuttle, serving in the United States Senate.” Kelly noted: “My entire life has been about serving this country, and I always stand with the best interests of our nation. And I will tell you this … standing with our allies and standing up for democracy is in the best interest of the United States.”
Violence will come whether you want it to or not. The only nonviolent strategy that might work is a national general strike where nobody goes to work and does no business. How long could everyone hold out?
I think that’s al. a lot of huff and puff. An elaborate excuse for just one ploy: every dollar that is “saved” from government agencies is one more dollar for the coffers of the billionaires. They are here to bleed you, the American citizens, dry - down to the very last penny: they want it ALL. The irony, of course, is that for all their technological bravour and “love of science”, there’s absolutely no scientific proof that ruling a country like it’s a company actually works. It’s simply the epitome of reductionist materialistic thinking: they completely forget that society is a whole, and as soon as you make one current unidirectional (i.e. money flows only from the people to the billionaires), that whole perishes.
Then the REAL question appears: are these tech bros too daft to see this, or is their cold-hearted INTENTION to destroy everything and bring about the Apocalypse?Some are probably thinking that they are rich enough to survive that, others, like Musk, consider themselves Gods, and thus likely think they are invulnerable and immortal…
>The irony, of course, is that for all their technological bravour and “love of science”, there’s absolutely no scientific proof that ruling a country like it’s a company actually works. It’s simply the epitome of reductionist materialistic thinking: they completely forget that society is a whole, and as soon as you make one current unidirectional (i.e. money flows only from the people to the billionaires), that whole perishes.<
They also have no concept that we as biological beings, are utterly dependent on the beneficence of this planet - which they seem intent on destroying. That to my mind, is the other really big issue.
I remember an early SNL spoof with Alec Baldwin impersonating Trump during his first term when he was claiming that we would run the country like one of his businesses (presumably not the ones he bankrupted). In the spoof, Trump/Baldwin says: " I promised to run the country like a business, and that business is a waffle house at 2.00am in the morning, with all kinds of crazy people coming in and out, staff leaving before completing their shifts and others making payments to Russian mobsters." Not much has changed this time around.
It’s a terrible mistake to believe government should / could run like a business. Some Ayn Rand fans and the neoreactionaries (yarvin) are wrong on this.
I agree. It's all very well wanting government to be run in a business-like manner, which is another way of insisting on efficiency, but public services have also to consider the effectiveness of delivery. For example, if hospitals are treating more patients every week then they are more efficient, but if they're doing this by cutting corners on treatment and the same people are turning up again and again, then the service is failing and money is being wasted. DOGE's procrustean approach to achieving efficiency (if that's what they're actually really doing) is a perfect example of this problem. In fact, given that they are mostly acting unlawfully and are finding themselves having to rehire people they've fired, it's not efficient either. As conservative satirist, P. J. O'Rourke once wrote: "The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
Spot on, Hugh. Again: it’s the epitome of the reductionist materialistic philosophy of Descartes, Newton, Galileo et al. It’s the belief that a living being is just a machine, and as such, can be replaced by a manmade machine. Humans, and the earth, and all its creatures, are merely resources to be used by the tech billionaire gods.
Actually plenty of proof it doesn't work. I.E. Cooledge, Hoover, Trump #45.
But Rupert rewrote that script
Yep.
The question is - how did we get here? That we let clearly the most unqualified and least capable people for the job run the joint? Personally I blame excessive capitalism. After the fall of the USSR it seems to have spread like a cancer all over the world, mainly driven by the US.
Yes. The error: not putting a cap on how much money one human is allowed to have.
I really do think they want every red cent in their own pockets. Yarvin’s misanthropic ideas are the sort of thing cooked up by someone who has little contact with the real world outside of Silicon Valley.
I would go one step further: I consider ideas like his as proof of a serious mental disorder.
You know us well. We can all be servants to the Gods. The tech bros have reduced us to “things,” that can be of use to them, or not.
Yep, as said: mere resources for the billionaire gods to use (up).
Wouldn't it be nice if these fascist politicians and Oligarchs all ended Mussolini style?
Immortal? I think not, not with 30 million assault weapons in the land. Anything that would trigger them into action has to be colossally stupid. I don’t know what a bullet costs today, probably less than a dollar, if you think 30 million weapons are a problem consider that some of them come with 10’s of thousands of bullets and all it takes is one. I used to think this would protect us from a hostile foreign take over, now I see it as the foundation of a civil war. Like the insipid orange turd, most of the people pushing this new agenda have never fought in a war, and have no idea what it entails. As someone who has, I can assure you that the horrors of war will make their political gains and the destruction of our well meaning government, one of the most ignorant things any human has ever done.
My deepest respect for you having been in a war... But I totally agree with you: owning guns should be limited to the government, or in other words: the monopoly of armed violence should be with the government, not the citizens. Now you have millions of armed-to-the-teeth gun bunnies running around, who - as you rightly said - have never been in a war, don't know how to fight (strategically), but only have their fantasies of "killing off some libs". A wonderful recipe for disaster...
You mention an unnamed source but Heather had listed a link to an article straight from the horse's mouth, Curtis Yarvin, and the blahblahblah you cited above is real:
https://open.substack.com/pub/graymirror/p/barbarians-and-mandarins?
Jeez - reading this you feel like asking him if he already took his meds today.
He’s seriously ill, just like Musk and Thiel. Trouble is, too many people actually listen to and obey them.
Their alien masters never sued thse men in that human beings aren't widgets
I am appalled by Yarvinism. Musk, who's very much influenced by it, really does seem to think that this is a game he's playing, and we are—all of us except him—nonplayer characters without our own lives, agency, dreams, or needs. The concept of the greater good is lost on the broligarchy. I have (so far) been unwilling to read Yarvin's oeuvre myself, but from where I sit, this "Dark Enlightenment" philosophy is just *benighted*: It looks like Objectivism on anabolic steroids and ketamine, plus a high dose of Adderall and maybe some cocaine. It's almost like they have the hubris to conveniently ignore the parts of history where the serfs rebelled.
Not really very smart to ignore the serfs. Serfs may be slow to rebel but once they begin, watch out.
I worry about what will happen the second a protest gets unruly. Martial law and empowered brownshirts.
Good points, Kari. What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with nonviolent noncooperation, violence-free resistance, by millions of people. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t fight someone who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of millions saying NO!
The Heritage Foundation itself should be struck down. Its obviously political motivations are not allowed under 501(c)3 rules (Not that rules make any sense right now.)
What do you see as our way out of this quagmire, Heather? My concern is that elections will not make any difference after about a year. If that happens (no legitimate elections), all we have left is some form of violence. I would much prefer a move on the part of our military - if it is a move to the left.
I wouldn't count on the military to act against trump. It's far more likely that the military will obey trumps orders to put down any dissent.
I was thinking about Fred Rogers. In his PBS show he told children to look for "the helpers". Sadly, that might not be the military, the police officers, the sheriff's officers. 💔💔💔
What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with NONVIOLENT NON-COOPERATION, VIOLENCE-FREE RESISTANCE, BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against an enemy who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Dear Professor. You have hit the nail on the head. However, you do not go far enough in your thoughts about what to do about the current situation. You actually leave some of us readers with the comfy thought that there will be another election (see Annabel Ascher).
Someone on the Democrat side really really needs to GET IT! What Tim Snyder and other democracy advocates (none of which are in the current DNC) have been writing about. For God's sake, THERE WILL BE NO MORE AMERICAN STATE AS WE KNOW IT IN 2 YEARS IF WE ALLOW THESE REVOLUTIONARIES TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH WHICH YARVIN AND HIS IDENTITARY ACOLYTES HAVE SET. There will not be elections, no Administrations, no Culture, no education, no healthcare, no military, no CONSTITUTION that has any semblance to the past American structure if we do not set in motion a counter-revolution which is organized to obstruct and oppose all of Project 2025 immediately.
We are simply not 1: Understanding, and 2. not effectively organizing opposition. Which means our Party Strategy will be wrong, and we have no structure to counter the Trump Revolution to destroy the American State, wholesale. (listen to Senator Sanders, who just came back from a trip to put his "ear to the ground". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EirWe1z3kk&ab_channel=ForbesBreakingNews
Maybe I sound panicked? I am not. I have always been a very clear thinker and have been able to help CEO's of large companies globally to focus and do what needs to get done, when they admittedly can't any more. However, this clock is ticking at high decibels, my friends. And the People at the DNC need to wake up.
Timothy Snyder has already left Yale and has taken a position at a university in Canada. I take that as a bad sign for you and me.
Yep
Right on Bruce. The politician who is badass is 83 yr old Senator Bernie Sanders ✅
By the way I will be going to the German Dems Abroad AGM tomorrow to see if I can ask the DNC Vice Chairman Kenyatta what is going on. I will try to report back to you.
Drumph already said last year that November would be the last election his minions would have to vote in. He tells you what he will do. There will not be a U.S. in 2years.
We are two months into the six-month goal set by Project 2025 to accomplish the takeover. They seem to be ahead of schedule.
Excellent points. Bruce. What no one seems to be saying is what I see: the chaos is deliberate. Getting people protesting is what they want. That will GIVE TRUMP AN EXCUSE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. And then he can declare himself king, dictator, whatever he wants. And guess what? WE ARE JUST A FEW SMALL STEPS AWAY FROM THAT SCENARIO! But if we get out on the streets in the millions and protest, they can’t imprison millions. Violent revolution is NOT the answer. Gandhi won independence for India with NONVIOLENT NON-COOPERATION, VIOLENCE-FREE RESISTANCE, BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. MLK won the Civil Rights fight the same way. They can’t win against someone who fights, not with guns, but with the presence of MILLIONS STANDING UP IN THE STREETS AND SAYING NO!
Headline in The Bulwalk today - I Did Not Have Textual Relations With That War Plan 🤣
thank you -- much needed chuckle!
I have a question: At our safe communities meeting last night, we wondered if there's any way for us to pay our state taxes but put our federal taxes in escrow should the administration decide to follow through on its threats to withhold funding for the state. If anyone knows of any websites that explain how this might be possible, please reply with links.
Betsy, I have been wondering this too. Since the GOP Congress has ceded its power to Trump & Musk, it appears that they alone control the government purse strings. I don’t my federal tax dollars paying for their various inhumane, illegal, and feckless projects. Would love to find out more about how deferred or escrowed tax payments could work.
I have been wondering this, also.
If popular opinion is swinging in favor of Democrats and away from MAGA, shouldn’t we expect more Republican legislators to abandon Trump and MAGA to join forces with congressional Democrats to apply the brakes to the wholesale destruction of our, OUR, government?
I’m hoping the expanding Signalgate scandal will shake enough Republicans out of their stupor. The political wind is shifting. It may take a hurricane to blow MAGA away.
Not a chance. It's not stupor. They're too closely tied to Trump and MAGA. They'd rather risk letting the ship sink. That hurricane is going to blow MAGA away, but it may take the country with it.
They are more fearful of Trump’s threats than they are of their constituents. Trump has even started threatening Jeffrey Goldberg’s family for Goldberg’s revealing the utter incompetence of the Secretary of Defense and other Trump appointees.
But...Feathers of Hope.
Hope springs eternal.
Signalgate is terrible, for sure, but it is occupying > 50% of the news cycle, which is covering over — distracting us from — all the executive-order crap coming from the white house. Distraction. Flood the zone with (3-ring-circus) sh!t — S.Bannon.
The object of the plan appears to be to destroy the government of the United States. A government that serves its citizens is to be obliterated, to be replaced by a state in which the body of citizens are servile to a small self-established group holding all power over their lives. Can and will we the citizens stop it? The cultists and the carefully and maliciously propagandized people form a minority of the country, but they are a still highly significant and powerful support group for the destruction. They, as well as the Musk-Trump core would have to be overwhelmed and overcome to correct course and save the United States. Congress and the Courts could reverse what has been done. How long do they have before it is too late? Before all vestiges of government for the people have been wiped out? If they cannot or will not act, what must true nontreasonous patriots do? I believe this one is the most salient, and maybe the only important, essential question. Is ours not unlike the circumstance facing Americans of the 1770s?
I would remind them that there are more firearms than people in this country. Perhaps they should reconsider who they fear the most. People with nothing left to lose are the most dangerous creatures on the planet. In a few years, there will be about 350M of them. Paraphrasing Tom Clancy, they have to be lucky every time. Their opponents only need to be lucky once.
It is exactly like the 1770’s. Next month April is the 250th anniversary of the shot heard round the world.
So Trump is trying to change the way Americans understand our history by calling for Vance to "eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology from . . . the National Zoo.” Right on! Now you're talking! By all means!
Well, deport all exotic animals.
"The president said there has been a 'concerted and widespread' effort over the past decade to rewrite US history by replacing 'objective facts' with a 'distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth'.
He signed an executive order putting JD Vance in charge of an effort to 'remove improper ideology' from the Smithsonian Institution, including its museums, education and research centers and the National Zoo.
Trump’s order specifically names the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Women’s history museum, which is in development."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/27/trump-smithsonian-executive-order
Nothing was ever accomplished by anyone but white men.
Good God, when will this petty bigotry end?
Extremely petty. Extremely dangerous.
I saw that, too. And my reaction was "Wut???"
He sounds as if he wants everyone to think as ignorantly as he does.
Yeah, my "Wut" button is getting worn.
Yeah. Can read the ‘proclamation’ here. Stunning. Can read but cannot stomach it. The US shall not be ruled by a king.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/
“ improper ideology ”
Y’know, every policy at some point requires a manual. A list of good and bad, do’s and don’ts. At some point, the “ improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology “ will take form as a written policy, words on paper, and it will be a nasty tract. The administration will do all they can to NOT put this on paper, just bark orders based on how they feel their rage that day. (Steven Miller, I’m talking about you, the SHANDA of Santa Monica.)
We can shed light on this by insisting our elected reps (Rs) convey to us their lists, publish them for scrutiny, own the hate they have, and let sunlight disinfect that whole idea: let the elected reps own this. And then they’ll have to resign in shame, come around to sanity and humanity, or will not see another term in office.
Oh wait. I guess Project 2025 is the document….
Anything this anti-American regime espouses can be considered "improper ideology" for those who believe in the American project. As opposed to Project 2025.
The waddling, fat, orange mob boss – sorry, folks – still has his MAGA base.
The U.S. billionaires still spend billions to buy into the cowardice of all the Republicans in Congress.
Putin’s techies still feed massive, calculated disinformation to the U.S. MAGA tens of millions.
Heather doesn't mention Putin here. Nor the assorted sordid dictator allies of the U.S. billionaires only obsessed with destroying the country that raised them.
But Heather does a neat job describing their ruthlessness, determination, and systematic destruction.
Last night, I got an e-mail from Cedar Key Progress saying that 100 Democratic members of Congress had signed a letter demanding the resignation of Pete Hegseth or else his firing. I didn't count as I went down the list of signers at HegsethResign.org, but at least most, and perhaps all, of the MA delegation signed. I called my Rep and left voicemail thanking him. At that point, there were no Republicans who had joined them, but perhaps by later in the day, that will have happened. Obviously, as the damage and demolition continues, it is hard to have patience, but perhaps the tipping point is closer than we think. It's just hard to imagine which way the point will tip...
"The problem for those who embrace this vision of America is that it is not popular."
WE FIGHT BACK
1. Petition AARP to get more active in preserving Social Security.
2. Nationwide protest courtesy of Indivisible on April 5.
🚨 On Saturday, April 5th, we're peacefully taking to the (your town) sidewalks to fight back with a clear message: Hands off! 🚨
This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.
A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.
Check out handsoff2025.com for more information.
I stumbled across the Nerd Reich and the information about Curtis Yarvin at least a week ago. How the heck don't all those senators and representatives not know about the confluence of Project 2025 and the Techbro vision to reboot America? I'm guessing they are so blinded by the thought of remaining in power they don't see that they aren't just losing it they are giving it away with a big bow on top. Are they and their staff personnel so old and out of touch? Everyone's hair should be on fire. This isn't anything like normal and I am very worried about future elections...Will we have them? Are we all just trapped on this crazy train?
Lazy Gardener
I think they are fully aware of our slide into fascism and helping to implement it with their inaction. And I'm sick of hearing about them commenting to some Democrats about how concerned they are but they are too afraid to speak up. If they can't make a stand to preserve the powers of their branch of the federal government, they are betraying us all.