As a family doctor, I've spent decades watching my patients navigate a system that was imperfect but at least nominally trying. What's happening now is different. The institutions being dismantled — CDC, NIH, FDA — aren't abstractions to me. They're the infrastructure behind every vaccine recommendation I make, many treatment guidelines I follow, every public health crisis I help my patients understand. When those are hollowed out, along with millions kicked off health insurance or unable to afford sky-rocketing premiums, while billions flow to cronies and pardons go to literal felons and criminals, that's not any kind of excusable politics... that's a direct assault on my patients' health, and a moral injury to all of us. We need to say that loudly and clearly, as physicians, and we need to vote like our patients' lives depend on it. Because they freaking do. I'm also going to craft a post that will appeal to both sides regarding the UFC distraction, because that really gets me, granted they are counting on that very desecration "owning the libs" or some anti-American sentiment.
I'll go high. At least higher. Outside the cage they want all Americans inside, fighting like crabs.
We remain grateful to you and to all those fighting on the front lines, keeping our social safety nets intact even as hungry sharks keep trying to tear them to shreds.
A Sad Goodbye to Steven Colbert and a Kiss Off to CBS
The manipulation of public airwaves if you don’t disagree with channels still being used for public information and entertainment is reminiscent of dictator-states which we have become almost overnight. I hope that this loss sinks in and an uprising of voters use our diminishing power of the ballot to effect a wholesale slaughter of the current crop of republicans at the midterms.
I don’t lack resources to be a consumer but I refuse to buy anything I don’t need. The kitchen is my sacred ground to make the food I eat. I don’t even buy canned cat food. Nope. My cats eat 100% chicken sources from Costco. The best and it’s cheaper then the worst factory food in a can. Gas is $4.25 today and the Costco card gives 4 cents off the dollar. I drive an old van because sooner or later, a distracted driver will smash into my car.
I would like to see the staff and crew of 60 Minutes resign and move to NBC and call themselves 59 Minutes. The last minute could be used by a chosen member of the public to castigate the president.
All the wasted edifices that are in construction phase must be eventually fully destroyed. Trump must be wiped from the pages of history but relegated to a destroyer of everything good. And hopefully, his offspring will migrate to another country perhaps Russia.
Bill, speaking of "wasted edifices" I would suggest that after we demolish Trump's ballroom we might give the gold to artists who could make creations out of it.
That gold is as real as that cheesy cheap looking “ gold” sh*t that he has tacked all over the People’s House which he has defouled.It is no longer our house.This must stop.Yes.
I'm commenting out of concern for your cats. You may not like commercially-prepared foods, but major brands do contain essential and balanced nutrients (taurine and the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio) for your cats' eyes and bones respectively, among other things.
I had a client who had been home-cooking for his new kitten. I recommended major brand cat foods so that his pet's eyes and bones would develop properly. I did that twice, my colleagues did, also. The owner ended up bringing the kitten in as an emergency because the poor thing was having seizures. He then finally put the kitten on a balanced food, and the kitten fortunately recovered. It is not easy to prepare balanced, nutritionally complete pet foods at home.
Thank you but I includ all the nutrients as outlined by Dr Lisa Pierson and catnutrition.org. I’m extremely aware of portions including removing 30% of bone and yes I grind the bone. There is a video that was made of me doing this.
Glad you are so aware of cats' needs. Just be careful of RFK Jr-like 'experts'. There have also been veterinary vaccine-deniers who put pets and people at risk from rabies because of their opinions. Not substantiated facts, opinions.
My cats are relatively happy and certainly safe in my house. Three are feral. One is fiv positive and she will lead a good life in my home. It’s not ideal can’t be when you decide to take in an outside cat. It’s a full time job this is true. I can’t run off to the vet for annuals. One cat was sneezing and one vet wanted to do $800 in testing instead of just giving me cold remedies. I got the meds from another source. The vet industry today is not unlike many other industries they demand as much from you as possible. It’s a balancing act.
thank you! My little (8 lb.) kitty, Lena, is my friend and companion. I spend a lot of time, and money, trying to buy the most nutritious food for her. This could be just what I am looking for. I would rather make her meals, just like I do for me and my husband.
I highly doubt any respectable artists would want to create anything with gold plated, Michael’s style gaudy trash Trump picked out.
The only thing worse than his personality and governance is his test in clothes and design. He has and always will be rich white trash with an oranges plated veneer.
David Letterman Thursday night was classic Letterman. A great snub to CBS to destroy expensive property. And bring back Letterman after CBS was so rude to him and now Colbert. Late night viewing will be forever changed, and not for the better!
People just won't watch or record to watch later. I know I won't. I wonder if SNL will be next. Imagine not being able to laugh at yourself. What a miserable existence taking pleasure from other's pain. Cruelty is key in this regime.
The ends for such these people , display after display ..”look at me I’m the greatest , trust me” then “give me -give me -give me ..” and truly there are more classic cons …waiting in the wings ..yes their ends are.always.messy.
Always tapping…” but, but, just let me take one more bow “.
I have to agree with virtually everything you've said here. Especially tearing down ALL the idols and "erections" Donald Trump is stealing funds to build while lining his pockets. I never want to see his face nor hear his name again!
I lovey our idea about 60 minutes! We have enjoyed 60 minutes for so many years but watching its decline is painful. Bari Weiss & her ilk have taken the teeth out of their former investigative reports & now try to serve up Cream of Wheat stories. I’m going to hope I see 59 minutes for, sooner than later.
Trump should not be wiped from history any more than any such and worse in history. We as a society voted for him twice and need to learn the lesson and atone. But yes all the Trump edifices should be torn down. The people could do it for free. Maybe a small museum like the Holocaust Museum in NYC... with remnants... the red tie-- Ann Telnaes toons, some gold doodads. But not in DC.
Thank you for speaking up. The general public doesn’t understand what they are losing and the risks they are being exposed to. I’m a physician/internist scientist biochemist. I agree with all that you say in your comment. It will take a long time to restore what is being destroyed.
On January 19th and 20th, 2021, Trump pardoned at least 4 people convicted for Medicare/Medicaid fraud. They stole over $1.5 billion total from the US Treasury.
And since January 20th 2025, Trump has pardoned several more Medicare/Medicaid fraudsters.
As far as I am aware, both the Congressional Republicans and most/all of the MSM have said NOTHING every time he pardons another Medicare/Medicaid fraudster.
Notice he pardons convicted criminals - not innocent people who have been unjustly caught up in the mass incarceration system. Did you hear he's planning "250 pardons for the USA's 250th anniversary?" Bet you good money Ghislaine Maxwell is the number one pardon, the others are just to cover his tracks and flood the zone.
Same here Bill. Yesterday I tried to get my mother-in-law on SSI which was set up to help indigent people, get a few hundred extra bucks each month.
When I called the number the SSA website gives, the recording says that I can apply online. So I tried. About 20 questions in the systems comes back and tells me, I have to set up an appointment to finish the setup.
So I called and got stuck in a phone menu loop. Finally after going through the loop about 5 times, I said the magic word, "agent" and it took me to a human.
She said that we would have to set up an interview before my 88 year old mother-in-law could be approved. She then took me through all of the same questions I had answered online and then a few others. In the process, the various systems she was updated had glitches and she had to ask for help. This happened at least twice. Finally after about 20 minutes with her and the 15 before I could talk to an agent, the appointment was set.
No one raised their voices during this entire process, but Elon promised these systems would ALL be fixed or replaced by AI in July.. July 2025 that is. I have friends that have worked on the IRS systems and they have worked on the same old COBOL/BAL systems since 2018. And they are all contractors.
So, yeah, Bill, even when you know who to turn to, the process sucks for everyone. These agents for SSA, IRS, USPS, they are all heroes for putting up with Trump's fuckery.
Prime example of breaking the system, putting up so many obstacles that no one can access it. Then they will claim it doesn't work, and give it to their friends or bribers to privatize and enrich themselves (while STILL NOT providing the services needed or intended!) Putin must be laughing his a** off, watching the USA implode without having to fire a single shot. He's been pulling djt's puppet strings for decades.
It's so sad that so much money is left on the table with these programs.
I learned the other day from the director of the local food bank that the Republicans are LOWERING the daily food allowance for SNAP recipients to $4.80 a day from $6.00. Do they all believe that Trump lowered food prices?
There are many places you pay $5.00 for a coffee. No wonder there are so many people begging for money.
That is not necessarily true. The corner Begers have turned it into a profession. Most likely beg money to buy dope. Young people do not need to beg. I recall them in 2020 when merchants were themselves begging for workers. I once confronted one beggar who claimed he needed change to get to another city. I happened to be driving there and I offered to give him a ride. He refused. No shit. I knew he would.
Everyone should call their representatives and ask how he or she feels about Trump’s “compensation fund” for criminals, especially J6ers. Mine claims to be a deficit hawk, so I intend to make an issue of this.
Yeah, that sucks. Great you could step in and help your 88 year old mother-in-law. Imagine if she didn't have someone to negotiate through this awful system.
I KNOW, right?! Do you understand the surreal cognitive dissonance of having to open my Medicare correspondence and having Dr. Memhet Oz's name in all the letters? Snake oil supreme, and death panels indeed. Don't even get me started on that abomination Robert Kennedy, Jr and MAHA who are determined to kill us all.
Data centers should rid the country of many of us. One of many threats to life for this administration. Not long from now clean water will be worth more than oil.
And yet they had that horrendous Oval Office circus show with RFKjr telling us that teenage boys have less sperm now and Oz telling us we are "under babied". Insanity, pure insanity.
I worked in nursing for 40 years. We know this whole “fraud” claim is a farce since Medicare/Medicaid has always been so heavily regulated and policed for fraud. So much so that facilities have policed themselves ahead of the government auditors who constantly check them for fraud so facilities won’t be fined. So this is the Trump regime trying to destroy Medicare/ Medicaid with what is described as similar to “Nazi propaganda.” Make it appear as though the system is fraudulent then raid the accounts we all paid into and line their pockets with our money and steal the money set aside for our most vulnerable citizens. This is deadly.
Donald Trump is cognitively slipping. He is at a point where he cannot learn new things, a necessary requirement for his job, and therefore he is surrounded by people who repeat the same old tropes that he knows. Do we trust these people? NO! Do we trust who he is using to run departments? NO! Do we trust him on anything? NO!
It has not gotten to that point. However, given all the innocent children they took with them, it is a good thing. What he is doing, is making more of them poorer. Also, under him young men are getting big into online betting, I am sure young women are too, and older people too, but I am reading about them losing everything and getting addicted. I know someone whose son just spent all the money his parents had given him for a motorcycle and he bet it on "invested it in" crypto, and lost it all. A lesson to learn just as you are graduating high school.
Very sad to see someone squander money gambling. Most people lose gambling and the ones that one, certainly aren't set for life from their gambling winnings.
Linda, worse than "cognitively slipping" - he is malevolently and sadistically targeting people from his inherent basis of being a racist, a rapist, and a megalomaniac with access to the nuclear codes. Everything is from the root of violence. Even his birthday bash this year (considering his squeaky-wheel-tank military parade a la Russia, China and North Korea last year was such a fiasco) is based on violence as entertainment with his wrestling/MMA-type fight on what's left of the White House Lawn and for which he's pocketing "sponsorships" for the seats. Disgusting, embarrassing, abhorrent.
As I keep reminding, this is who is always was - pathological liar - noting about him about his mind slipping even comes to mind. He lies and people think it is him mentally slipping - nope just a plain liar.
WOW! I'm a 5th generation Nebraskan. We moved to ME from Lincoln almost 25 years ago, but I still have family across the state.
That is a very powerful ad for Ahlman. If only Nebraska had ranked choice voting, I would say he has a very good chance of winning. Mike Flood has done nothing to help Nebraska. Good riddance.
It seems amazing to me how many individuals are on board with the corruption, as long as they are getting handouts, any sense of doing what is right just goes out the window. One thing you can say dump did, was expose the level of bigotry in this country and how ‘ feeding ‘ the beast has exposed the worst of some people.
Thank you for raising red flags for the medical community. So important for Repub Congressional members to hear the truth from the front lines of health care.
Thank you, thank you. As an expert, you have a unique platform—and big enough for your fellow MDs as well. Has the AMA spoken? Nicoll (?) Wallace had an interesting discussion this week with Marc Elias and Eddie Glaude about influential individuals and entities that have so far said nothing about what Trump is doing.
Thank you. Here in Iowa, republican candidates are talking about the need for more research on the causes of the rising cancer rates - because they promote the idea that the federal agencies were compromised and cannot be trusted. As if the state has the infrastructure to do the research. The MAGAs have destroyed the idea of expertise and public service of those institutions for their own personal gain.
Many people think what this administration & cronies are doing might not be all that bad, might be good, or will have no effect. The accumulation of grievances in the past, when people felt challenged by wearing a mask or not getting insurance coverage or struggling through bureaucracy, created some anti-government sentiment. But the basis of those grievances pales in significance compared to what is and will be results of this administration’s corruption. It’s not about ‘them’ getting richer, it’s about all of us and the earth being in serious if not mortal danger.
Do us all a favor and stop your rhetorical nonsense. Nothing is changing, except that democracy is starting to take hold instead of autocracy by having Washington run everything instead of having the voters or their representatives run everything.
Instead of nine justices, deciding things like abortion it's going back to the states for the voters to decide instead of the autocracy of education that is ruined education in America in Washington DC led by liberals it's not going back to the state so they can make improvements and have a choice instead of tater regime by people like randy Wine Gardner. You basically ruined education and 98% votes liberal. What does that tell you
Hey Russell, I have an idea for you. Why don't you stick your poles up your foreign ass? They have no bearing on reality. People vote that's when you determine what people want or like And so far twice they have voted and elected Donald Trump president of the United States of America
Gee, I thought that was Bill Bennet in the Raygun admin that started the ruination of public education and then Betsy DeVoss and then wrestling aficionado Linda McMahon. But what do I know.
Rick: Suppose there is a pregnant woman who lives in a state where abortion is against the law. If she goes to another state where abortion is permitted, gets the abortion, and then returns to her home state do you think she ought to be punished to the full extent of the law?
Please don’t engage. Don’t try to teach the pig to sing. It wastes your time (and ours) and pleases the pig no end who’s here for one purpose only — to get your goat and force the rest of us to use the scroll bar. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Don’t just doom scroll. Take the information Professor Richardson provides every day and speak up! Resource below to easily contact all of Congress - Be LOUD. The administration is an embarrassment and dangerous for our country 💔🤍💙
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) to contact members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly.
Reach out (beyond your own) to as many in the Senate and House as you can. All of this is bigger than “I only represent my constituents” issues.
Democrats need to run on two themes: corruption and the economy. Firing the IGs is the clearest example you could possibly have of interfering with anti-corruption controls.
Write to your representatives and tell them you want independent Inspectors General and full staffing of their offices NOW. Document the Republican response to your letters. Use it as a talking point when you talk to your neighbors. Put the response on posters as you demonstrate.
Tell your Democratic senators and representatives that you want them to draft legislation to restore the power and independence of the IGs and their offices, similar to the independence of the Fed. Ask them to propose the legislation to force votes in committee and possible floor votes to document who supports the concept. It may not even reach a floor vote with this Congress, but it will be ready for a vote early in the next Congress. If Trump vetoes it, the vote to override the veto will be telling, and ammunition for 2028.
Democrats have to start showing they have a plan to bring us back from this mess. Right now, one tool that is not being used broadly is crafting legislation that may not pass in this Congress, but will as soon as possible in a Congress under Democratic control.
I agree Georgia. Democrats need to go scorched earth regarding the corruption of this regime. Bring out the receipts. All of them. Name names and shine a bright that shows them all running under the refrigerator like the cockroaches they are.
Show the voters exactly what type of smash and grab is happening on a daily basis. And then - very important - tie it to the economic woes that we are all suffering from. Add in the oppression, the lawfare, the health and environmental consequences. Show how the playing field has become completely un-level, that it is now truly government for and by the few. And then comes the call to action, that it is on us all to fix. We are the saviors or ourselves. Heroes don’t necessarily wear capes but you can always see them. Just look in the mirror.
Be relentless. Be loud. And fight to win because there is no alternative.
Also I agree 💯 about crafting the legislative agenda now. This is exactly the type of shadow government activity that Timothy Snyder recommended and which the Democratic Party inexplicably refuses to embrace. People need to understand that even bills that fall short become part of the congressional record, and that they can become the basis for future successful legislation. That Democrats are not doing this is in my opinion, utter malfeasance.
Thank you, Megan!! so good to see you here reminding We the People that we can speak up and make our opinions loud and clear about the current regime, and to keep our legislators aware that we are watching what they say and do! Your spreadsheet is a wonderful resource.
Megan apparently you've learned nothing about me. I'm here for the awareness and so far I've made probably 10,000 people aware of information they didn't know. I accomplish my goal every single day and I've received over 3000 likes for my posts so despite your closemindedness for the success of Donald Trump and America so far it continues to be an amazing ride. By the way, try not to spend all the money you've made in the market since Trump took Office. And try to continually ignore all this excessive all the businesses that continue to post record profits. Which translates down to the plot in the way of wage increases. Eight weeks.
He's saving your ass from the chance of a nuclear attack and he continues to win and win and win and every time he wins, the left goes crazy because they're not in control.
Yeah, if you simply follow Heather Richardson's information and advice you'll end up in the sewer of Of America in the toilet Of America, especially if you believe bullshit that she tells you every day, which is nothing but the truth that she wants you to know not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It's actually sickening but there's 2 million lemmings following this X historian and become a radical liberal activist for five bucks a month and a capitalist.
Interesting how you also give money to her monthly. Guess you spend money to try to stir the pot/create drama. You’re not spending money to change any of our opinions on here - hence why many times people just ignore you, laugh or call you a bot.
The community here might be wise to engage with the Rickster again. All the time he wastes here changing absolutely no minds is time he could be spending trying to regain those 2024 voters now leaving Trump and MAGA in droves. Easy enough to engage him and waste his time then collapse his responses so it's easy to scroll passed them.
By the way, if you call five dollars a month money I feel bad. But when you're looking at a couple million lemmings suckling At the radical teat ! That is what's so very disappointing. People who cant think for themselves people who not only just follow the crowd, but it's like a circle jerk.
By the way, I don't think you're even realizing what you say when they ignore me. Why would they ignore me if they're not reading me how would they call me a bot
3000 likes in a year and a half, which for a left-wing whacker website is not bad progress.
But I'm gonna continue to tell you the success Of America has been nothing short of incredible since in a year and a half and continues to be
The problem with your concept, this first you have to have brains in order for them to fall out. Try using them they're hiding in a place about 3 feet above your ass
If you would like to post anything factual here, I would love to hear it Been nice knowing you
Well, unfortunately, you're wrong as you probably have been ever since you decided you're not gonna like Trump despite every single victory every single day for America
While President Gimme, Grift, Graft and Grab ‘Em plans luxury hotels on prime waterfront property, courtesy of Florida slush money, China’s President Xi ignores his cheap, cringing flattery and his stupid dinner table chit-chat about Chinese laborers on the Transcontinental Railroad and Chinese restaurants in New York, warning him about Taiwan in language never seen in US-China relations before. You don’t have to be Greek or have read Thucydides to get the unsubtle message delivered by a rising power to an established, soft, flabby, flatulent one unclear on the concept about actions having consequences.
And that luxury hotel in Miami Beach will soon be under sea water anyway. Another Trumpty-Dumpty boondoggle at our expense.
“Well, it’s been calculated a few degrees rise in the earths temperature would melt the polar ice caps. And if this happens, an inland sea would fill a good portion of the Mississippi valley. Tourists in glass bottom boats would be viewing the drowned towers of Miami through 150 feet of tropical water. For in weather, were not only dealing with forces of a far greater variety than even the atomic physicist encounters, but with life itself.”
Donald wants to give all his 1,600 insurrectionists a million dollars each?
Of course all those violent Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and other convicted (and then Donald-pardoned) criminals need to be paid. From our money. Of course Donald has to be further thieving from us, grifting on us, the people. He has so many corrupted allies ever needing more comp.
Look at his fellow billionaires, and how he and they have to hurt more of us, hurt us more, similarly to how so many among them hurt all those underage girls and young women trafficked by Donald’s pals.
They’ve monstrously been growing the wealth gap over us, we the bottom 99%. While our share has remained flat or declined since 1973, as Scott Galloway has recently documented, the billionaires’ share has skyrocketed.
Our damages include much worse and pricier health costs, much less food and nutrition relief for those most hurting, too much neglected infrastructure, actual penalties imposed on all green sectors only to bestow additional edge to all the fossil fuel predators, and millions of school youth all no more than being held hostage for the testing billionaires.
They’ll laugh more, these billionaires, laugh at us comping the attackers of the Capitol $1,000,000 each. So much contempt have they for us whom they further rob, further hurt – it’s all one scenario they set earlier in their years’-long raping all those underage girls and young women.
Donald’s crime spree must worsen, as he mires in Iranian quagmire, sinks in cost overruns for all his Washington, D.C. vandalisms, and now, pathetic fool, gives away the store to Xi in China.
Putin has been spending a fortune to get various groups in the U.S. to be much more against each other: disrespectful, oblivious, hateful -- full ranges of division.
The rich ripped America apart with its offshoring. Now the former Confederacy has a plan to return to Jim Crow -- blessed by the highest court in the land.
Donald desperately wants private armies of his own so he can stay in power.
So here is poor Phil trying to make a point in a courtroom but your honor Trump is pathetic but your honor is covering up for epstein but your honor he's taking away our rights but you're on or he's on a crime spree.
Thank you very much Phil said the judge now would you like to provide any proof evidence or fax to back up your statements?
No Your Honor that's just my opinion. I'm sorry for wasting your time.
Next time, Mr. Phil, make sure your brain is engaged before you put your mouth in gear
If a monkey hoarded all the bananas while the rest of the troop starved, scientists would probably conclude the monkey was maladapted to communal life. In America, they give the monkey a media empire, tax cuts, and a seat in government to investigate Medicaid “fraud.”
Just FYI, real monkeys don't behave like real humans. A troop of chimpanzees is a simple fission-fusion society. Chimpanzee nature tells chimpanzees that their relationship with other chimpanzees is transactional. The chimpanzee social system (complex, adaptive, transformational relationships) is comprised of a mother and her juvenile offspring.
Our nature, plus the Gospel, science, justice, and many other moral traditions teach us our true human nature. Dissembler Don's a phony human thinking he's a silverback gorilla. Speaker Mike's a phony human thinking he's a male chimp trying to hold on to an "important" position in the dominance hierarchy as if it's a good thing despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Kazz, for those that think Vance would be better than the scumbag president just observe his performance announcing Medicaid cuts for those in need in California. He looked to me as a happy camper announcing some really good news...Cruelty it's his specially.
Trump is certifiable, but Vance is something else entirely. There’s a difference between not knowing right from wrong and knowing it perfectly well, and choosing power anyway. When this whole corrupt clown-car finally collapses, Trump will be raving in diapers in a psychiatric wing. Vance, meanwhile, will be left alone with the one thing Trump never had: a conscience.
Got my absentee ballot from Darcy here in Bath day before yesterday. I am excited for all the talented folks on the Democratic ticket. Will fill it out and walk it across the street to the dropbox this afternoon.
So inspired by the news coming from Hungary. I am grateful to Péter Dósa here on the stacks for his excellent reporting.
Our democracy is not dead yet. Keep fighting folks.
Where’s the free press when you need them? The truth needs to be repeated and reinforced lest the lies about fraud carry the day. The old saying is true: A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.
To clarify my comment about lack of free press I should have said thank you to Prof. Richardson for providing citations. I cannot imagine the time she must spend sifting through all these sources of information. I should also have said its up to us to amplify her work and spread the word.
Press totally co opted. Like scared 5 year olds. But earning a fortune. The leaders on every essay v should be incompetence corruption and sabotaging American lives and treasure.
I think the amount of great reporting and investigative reporting has skyrocketed under Trump. ...for obvious reasons -- "mass quantities" as the SNL Coneheads used to say.
I don’t know about you but I get an incessant flow of emails daily about campaign contributions from Democrats running for office While it worked for Obama 18yy ago they’re beating a dead horse now because it’s difficult to know where the D’s stand on anything except “fund my campaign because I’m a Democrat”
While the Republican party may have been purged of anyone who isn't a fascist, look at the cover-up currently going on in New Mexico regarding Zorro Ranch and you will realize that some Democrats are also fascists. Be sure to vote in the primaries, and be sure to vote for the Democrat who's not in it for personal power and wealth.
Both parties have severe problems It's just the R's are in this case worse and their corruption is more visible The Democratic party has as many problems and it's time that it undergo a restructuring The anger from the talking Congressional heads in the media is not enough The D's need to be held accountable to WE the People No $$$ just because they have a D next to their name WE need to hear what their positions are on: expand SCOTUS, complete restructuring of voting laws, restructuring of DHS and elimination of ICE, meaningful immigration reform, national abortion access, stop funding Israeli military budget, demand campaign contribution reform, insisting on a wealth tax going after the oligarchic class WE the People demand more of our elected D representatives
I can never figure out this type of circular firing squad mentality, filled with threats and incoherence, especially as momentum builds in our favor and we continue to win tactical victories and field impressive candidates. Ready, once more, to snatch defeat from the mouth of victory…
It's not a circular firing squad mentality to call out Democrats who are acting less than democratically. The late, great Paul Wellstone once said that he was from the "democratic wing of the Democratic Party". I would like to think that we all are, but in fact, some are not. This is not a judgment on anyone's personal character, just acting objectively. The Schumers, Fettermans, Wasserman-Schulzes, etc., that prattle on incessantly, while conspicuously failing to speak to the purveyors of the problems who happen to be some of their donors----AIPAC, Big Oil, Insurance companies etc., --don't get to cosplay as Tribunes of the People while constantly serving the Corporations.
And yes, I too am tired of constantly deleting daily emails seeking money from Democratic candidates that I would likely vote for were I in their districts, states, etc.,
Remember, we all coalesced around Hillary Clinton in 2016, a clearly flawed candidate, an effort in groupthink that led to the election of the Mango Mussolini, when we had a far more truly democratic alternative in the Sanders available. Talk about snatching defeat from the mouth of victory!
I think that Hillary's greatest "flaw" was her gender. I would urge anyone who cares about any female you know to please read The Atlantic's "The Men Who Want Women to be Quiet" cover story for June -- by Helen Lewis. (You might not want to read it before you are trying to go to sleep for the night.) The misogyny in 2016 was there, but back then, most people had the sense of shame to try to hide it. After almost 11 years of our nation being sullied by the great insulter/liar/grabber, many have decided to go full throttle with their hatred. We might be in a post-shame world now.
While I understand and empathize with your perspective, and while misogyny indeed raised its ugly head in 2016, we cannot blind ourselves to the fact that-- seductive imagery of glass ceilings shattering aside-- HRC was a corporatist, war mongering Democrat in a year when populism was called for. Sanders, a true populist, would have been preferable to contrast with the Con Man and faux populist Trump.
And yes, you are correct that we now sadly live in a "post shame" world
Some of us found a cantankerous, hand-waggling old socialist as tiresome back then as we do today. Thankfully, many more appealing choices can be found on today’s menu.
No doubt misogyny played a role in Hilary's defeat. (Though I don't think it was her biggest problem.) But look at what happened in 2008: America elected a Black man. Is/was racism less of an obstacle to victory than misogyny? I don't think so. If we managed, despite America's racism, to elect a Black man in 2008 and 2012, we should have been able to elect a female in 2016 or 2024, even taking misogyny into account. Yes, there was no doubt misogyny at work in the minds of some voters. But the Democratic Party had a bigger problem: they did not offer the kind of change we wanted.
Hilary's gender was not her flaw. In fact her gender 'engendered' much support and money for her. The biggest problem was that despite possibly being the first-female president, she was very much a status-quo candidate. The candidate of the neoliberal Democrats. Her sense of entitlement, her connection to her very flawed husband and to the politics he represented, were off-putting even to many feminists.
Protect the Vote and Daniel Streeter are so right. The Democrats failed us in 2016. How else to explain the victory of the most unfit, morally bankrupt, vulgar, craven, corrupt, emotional cripple America has ever produced? He should have been a pushover. He ran as an outsider--yes of course he lied. But he ran against two towering insiders, Clinton and Jeb Bush. The Democrats didn't see the need for change he was claiming to fill (albeit dishonestly).
And what’s not mentioned enough is her sense of entitlement resulted in her running a really shitty campaign. Despite that, she got 3 million more votes than Stinky Diapers. We also have the goddam Electoral College to thank for this debacle.
I agree ICTT. November may be a Federal election but I just voted in the ME primary and the only Federal candidates were for Congressman and Senator.
The Democratic candidates, at least in ME, are all super engaged, many knocking on doors.
But, certainly not the Republican candidates. My door is open to all who wish to plead their case, no matter which party they're from. Mike Johnson prefers the Republicans hide from their constituents.
Do you live in a red state? I've been to several fundraisers for Democratic candidates and they are doing way more than what the national party is doing. And that's the way it should be.
The depressing part is how little a lot of Americans understand just how deep the corruption is.
This is not the fault of mainstream media and watchdog orgs such as ProPublica, who have reported all of it. It's that a large segment of the public is either hopelessly distracted by empty-calorie social media, or only watches right wing propaganda.
Mainstream media covered the congressional Jan. 6 committee in detail, revealing Trump's complicity. All the information was out there, along with all his other corruption in his first term. Yet the voters chose him again. We can only hope that they start to get a clue before this November.
The Republican Party, with the power to stop this corruption today, does….nothing. Trump et fils are doing what they’ve always done, and will always do given half a chance. They have been true to form throughout.
It is the Republicans, the New American Nazi Party, NANP, they bears the most responsibility for the sale and destruction of American democracy and honest government.
Maybe it could be called some kind of Bond villain evil genius...but Donold is just a grifting conman that is driven by his greed. He's completely shameless, unrepentant, and relentless in his corruption. It's so brazen and sickening, truly infuriating and appalling...
Good point. As HCR has pointed out, we already have laws on the books to deal with
the current situation; we just need people who will enforce them. No need to invent the wheel again, but many updates may be needed at the coming overhaul.
I worked in nursing for 40 years. We know this whole “fraud” claim is a farce since Medicare/Medicaid has always been so heavily regulated and policed for fraud. So much so that facilities have policed themselves ahead of the government auditors who constantly check them for fraud so facilities won’t be fined. So this is the Trump regime trying to destroy Medicare/ Medicaid with what is described as similar to “Nazi propaganda.” Make it appear as though the system is fraudulent then raid the accounts we all paid into and line their pockets with our money and steal the money set aside for our most vulnerable citizens. This is deadly.
We might as well retire the old saw "Cheaters never prosper." Trump has blown it away.
And where did all of the debt and deficit hawks fly to? As we approach $40T in debt, we're going to pay insurrectionists who attacked us? If they can't muster the moral outrage (and common sense/decency) not to pay the criminals, could they at least argue against adding to the national debt?
As a family doctor, I've spent decades watching my patients navigate a system that was imperfect but at least nominally trying. What's happening now is different. The institutions being dismantled — CDC, NIH, FDA — aren't abstractions to me. They're the infrastructure behind every vaccine recommendation I make, many treatment guidelines I follow, every public health crisis I help my patients understand. When those are hollowed out, along with millions kicked off health insurance or unable to afford sky-rocketing premiums, while billions flow to cronies and pardons go to literal felons and criminals, that's not any kind of excusable politics... that's a direct assault on my patients' health, and a moral injury to all of us. We need to say that loudly and clearly, as physicians, and we need to vote like our patients' lives depend on it. Because they freaking do. I'm also going to craft a post that will appeal to both sides regarding the UFC distraction, because that really gets me, granted they are counting on that very desecration "owning the libs" or some anti-American sentiment.
I'll go high. At least higher. Outside the cage they want all Americans inside, fighting like crabs.
We remain grateful to you and to all those fighting on the front lines, keeping our social safety nets intact even as hungry sharks keep trying to tear them to shreds.
❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for pointing out these consistent winning ways , winning people, ICTT.
STEADY at THE HELM MATES.
Dissembler Don: Show me the money.
Honest Abe: Let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith, let us dare to do our duty as we understand it.
Question: Who you gonna believe?
Answer (in Maya Angelou’s words): I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGj85pVzRJs&list=RDCGj85pVzRJs&start_radio=1
Thank you.
A Sad Goodbye to Steven Colbert and a Kiss Off to CBS
The manipulation of public airwaves if you don’t disagree with channels still being used for public information and entertainment is reminiscent of dictator-states which we have become almost overnight. I hope that this loss sinks in and an uprising of voters use our diminishing power of the ballot to effect a wholesale slaughter of the current crop of republicans at the midterms.
I don’t lack resources to be a consumer but I refuse to buy anything I don’t need. The kitchen is my sacred ground to make the food I eat. I don’t even buy canned cat food. Nope. My cats eat 100% chicken sources from Costco. The best and it’s cheaper then the worst factory food in a can. Gas is $4.25 today and the Costco card gives 4 cents off the dollar. I drive an old van because sooner or later, a distracted driver will smash into my car.
I would like to see the staff and crew of 60 Minutes resign and move to NBC and call themselves 59 Minutes. The last minute could be used by a chosen member of the public to castigate the president.
All the wasted edifices that are in construction phase must be eventually fully destroyed. Trump must be wiped from the pages of history but relegated to a destroyer of everything good. And hopefully, his offspring will migrate to another country perhaps Russia.
This must end.
Bill, speaking of "wasted edifices" I would suggest that after we demolish Trump's ballroom we might give the gold to artists who could make creations out of it.
It’s probably fool’s gold. Not real.
He buys it on Amazon.
Or, Jeff gives it to him in exchange for ____ (add your favorite category of bribe here.)
All of tRumps's gold is by definition "fools gold".
That gold is as real as that cheesy cheap looking “ gold” sh*t that he has tacked all over the People’s House which he has defouled.It is no longer our house.This must stop.Yes.
Gold leaf is cheap. One once of gold leaf can cover a 300' square.
Good gold leaf is not cheap Harvey. I buy and use this in my art work when I can afford it. It is about 4K an ounce today.
I'm commenting out of concern for your cats. You may not like commercially-prepared foods, but major brands do contain essential and balanced nutrients (taurine and the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio) for your cats' eyes and bones respectively, among other things.
I had a client who had been home-cooking for his new kitten. I recommended major brand cat foods so that his pet's eyes and bones would develop properly. I did that twice, my colleagues did, also. The owner ended up bringing the kitten in as an emergency because the poor thing was having seizures. He then finally put the kitten on a balanced food, and the kitten fortunately recovered. It is not easy to prepare balanced, nutritionally complete pet foods at home.
Thank you but I includ all the nutrients as outlined by Dr Lisa Pierson and catnutrition.org. I’m extremely aware of portions including removing 30% of bone and yes I grind the bone. There is a video that was made of me doing this.
Glad you are so aware of cats' needs. Just be careful of RFK Jr-like 'experts'. There have also been veterinary vaccine-deniers who put pets and people at risk from rabies because of their opinions. Not substantiated facts, opinions.
My cats are relatively happy and certainly safe in my house. Three are feral. One is fiv positive and she will lead a good life in my home. It’s not ideal can’t be when you decide to take in an outside cat. It’s a full time job this is true. I can’t run off to the vet for annuals. One cat was sneezing and one vet wanted to do $800 in testing instead of just giving me cold remedies. I got the meds from another source. The vet industry today is not unlike many other industries they demand as much from you as possible. It’s a balancing act.
Grinding to bone - never thought of that- brilliant.
Here is a resource for making balanced meals for pets:
https://balance.it/
It’s a little user unfriendly. I prefer cat nutrition.org
Catnutrition.org is my bible.
thank you! My little (8 lb.) kitty, Lena, is my friend and companion. I spend a lot of time, and money, trying to buy the most nutritious food for her. This could be just what I am looking for. I would rather make her meals, just like I do for me and my husband.
I agree but cats all over the world eat out of the garbage. I suppose they don't live long.
I highly doubt any respectable artists would want to create anything with gold plated, Michael’s style gaudy trash Trump picked out.
The only thing worse than his personality and governance is his test in clothes and design. He has and always will be rich white trash with an oranges plated veneer.
Gold leaf is cheap. One once of gold leaf can cover a 300' square.
David Letterman Thursday night was classic Letterman. A great snub to CBS to destroy expensive property. And bring back Letterman after CBS was so rude to him and now Colbert. Late night viewing will be forever changed, and not for the better!
People just won't watch or record to watch later. I know I won't. I wonder if SNL will be next. Imagine not being able to laugh at yourself. What a miserable existence taking pleasure from other's pain. Cruelty is key in this regime.
Now Soviet TV
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYWHd8Zml5T/?
Property destruction messaging we can support!
I LOOOOVE this. Been a Colbert fan since Comedy Central. CBS is truly shooting itself in the foot to please the orange god.
CBS who… what? Never heard of them.
59 minutes- great idea!
The ends for such these people , display after display ..”look at me I’m the greatest , trust me” then “give me -give me -give me ..” and truly there are more classic cons …waiting in the wings ..yes their ends are.always.messy.
Always tapping…” but, but, just let me take one more bow “.
Sad.
You’re nuts.
I have to agree with virtually everything you've said here. Especially tearing down ALL the idols and "erections" Donald Trump is stealing funds to build while lining his pockets. I never want to see his face nor hear his name again!
or hear that awful voice or see that cringey dance!
Beverly, Great use of the word “erections”🤓
Steven should get a ticker tap parade through manhattan.
I love the idea of the 60 minutes crew moving and calling their new show 59 minutes.
I agree so emphatically.
The problem is that along with his edifices, everything else may be destroyed, too.
I lovey our idea about 60 minutes! We have enjoyed 60 minutes for so many years but watching its decline is painful. Bari Weiss & her ilk have taken the teeth out of their former investigative reports & now try to serve up Cream of Wheat stories. I’m going to hope I see 59 minutes for, sooner than later.
Bill, I love your outrage and share it completely. An excellent comment, I actually look for your comments as they so accurately reflect my thinking.
Thank you. You are welcome to sign up to my blog. No pay wall to post comments.
Trump should not be wiped from history any more than any such and worse in history. We as a society voted for him twice and need to learn the lesson and atone. But yes all the Trump edifices should be torn down. The people could do it for free. Maybe a small museum like the Holocaust Museum in NYC... with remnants... the red tie-- Ann Telnaes toons, some gold doodads. But not in DC.
My cat eats only Fancy Feast...insists on it.
I too have bought Costco's chicken for my dog. It is the cheapest protein anyone can buy.
Thank you for speaking up. The general public doesn’t understand what they are losing and the risks they are being exposed to. I’m a physician/internist scientist biochemist. I agree with all that you say in your comment. It will take a long time to restore what is being destroyed.
On January 19th and 20th, 2021, Trump pardoned at least 4 people convicted for Medicare/Medicaid fraud. They stole over $1.5 billion total from the US Treasury.
And since January 20th 2025, Trump has pardoned several more Medicare/Medicaid fraudsters.
As far as I am aware, both the Congressional Republicans and most/all of the MSM have said NOTHING every time he pardons another Medicare/Medicaid fraudster.
Notice he pardons convicted criminals - not innocent people who have been unjustly caught up in the mass incarceration system. Did you hear he's planning "250 pardons for the USA's 250th anniversary?" Bet you good money Ghislaine Maxwell is the number one pardon, the others are just to cover his tracks and flood the zone.
Looking no further than Senator Scott of Florida. Huge accusation against him for Medicare fraud but yet he is a senator
I know. He is criminal.
As a person on Medicare, I’m not even sure what is covered. And who to ask. I don’t feel I have a government to turn to anymore.
Same here Bill. Yesterday I tried to get my mother-in-law on SSI which was set up to help indigent people, get a few hundred extra bucks each month.
When I called the number the SSA website gives, the recording says that I can apply online. So I tried. About 20 questions in the systems comes back and tells me, I have to set up an appointment to finish the setup.
So I called and got stuck in a phone menu loop. Finally after going through the loop about 5 times, I said the magic word, "agent" and it took me to a human.
She said that we would have to set up an interview before my 88 year old mother-in-law could be approved. She then took me through all of the same questions I had answered online and then a few others. In the process, the various systems she was updated had glitches and she had to ask for help. This happened at least twice. Finally after about 20 minutes with her and the 15 before I could talk to an agent, the appointment was set.
No one raised their voices during this entire process, but Elon promised these systems would ALL be fixed or replaced by AI in July.. July 2025 that is. I have friends that have worked on the IRS systems and they have worked on the same old COBOL/BAL systems since 2018. And they are all contractors.
So, yeah, Bill, even when you know who to turn to, the process sucks for everyone. These agents for SSA, IRS, USPS, they are all heroes for putting up with Trump's fuckery.
Prime example of breaking the system, putting up so many obstacles that no one can access it. Then they will claim it doesn't work, and give it to their friends or bribers to privatize and enrich themselves (while STILL NOT providing the services needed or intended!) Putin must be laughing his a** off, watching the USA implode without having to fire a single shot. He's been pulling djt's puppet strings for decades.
It's so sad that so much money is left on the table with these programs.
I learned the other day from the director of the local food bank that the Republicans are LOWERING the daily food allowance for SNAP recipients to $4.80 a day from $6.00. Do they all believe that Trump lowered food prices?
There are many places you pay $5.00 for a coffee. No wonder there are so many people begging for money.
That is not necessarily true. The corner Begers have turned it into a profession. Most likely beg money to buy dope. Young people do not need to beg. I recall them in 2020 when merchants were themselves begging for workers. I once confronted one beggar who claimed he needed change to get to another city. I happened to be driving there and I offered to give him a ride. He refused. No shit. I knew he would.
Everyone should call their representatives and ask how he or she feels about Trump’s “compensation fund” for criminals, especially J6ers. Mine claims to be a deficit hawk, so I intend to make an issue of this.
Yeah, that sucks. Great you could step in and help your 88 year old mother-in-law. Imagine if she didn't have someone to negotiate through this awful system.
Bill- as if the whole system was redesigned to confuse. I’m now getting e mails posing as Social Security. Ugh.
You speak for millions, Bill.
I KNOW, right?! Do you understand the surreal cognitive dissonance of having to open my Medicare correspondence and having Dr. Memhet Oz's name in all the letters? Snake oil supreme, and death panels indeed. Don't even get me started on that abomination Robert Kennedy, Jr and MAHA who are determined to kill us all.
And some things never. Not to say we can't limit the damage.
The level of corruption is staggering.
Decades will pass before all the Trump/Epstein/Musk/Republican damage can be repaired.
Nothing is being destroyed, except you radical liberal activists who prefer socialism over capitalism
Trump Denying Syndrome!
To me it looks like Trump and his cronies intend to murder us in whatever way they can.
Data centers should rid the country of many of us. One of many threats to life for this administration. Not long from now clean water will be worth more than oil.
That bears repeating: "Not long from now, clean water will be worth more than oil."
And yet they had that horrendous Oval Office circus show with RFKjr telling us that teenage boys have less sperm now and Oz telling us we are "under babied". Insanity, pure insanity.
An exhortation from Oz (is he really a doctor? I forget) is just the thing to make women want to have a larger family. SHeesh.
I agree: water is the new oil or even gold.
You don't count the dead when God's on your side. But you sure count the plunder.
I worked in nursing for 40 years. We know this whole “fraud” claim is a farce since Medicare/Medicaid has always been so heavily regulated and policed for fraud. So much so that facilities have policed themselves ahead of the government auditors who constantly check them for fraud so facilities won’t be fined. So this is the Trump regime trying to destroy Medicare/ Medicaid with what is described as similar to “Nazi propaganda.” Make it appear as though the system is fraudulent then raid the accounts we all paid into and line their pockets with our money and steal the money set aside for our most vulnerable citizens. This is deadly.
100%
Too true to be good. 😩
Well, they've already indicted 98 people and 70 them are already serving time so much for the fraud you think is a fraud. Ooooops
Receipts?
Donald Trump is cognitively slipping. He is at a point where he cannot learn new things, a necessary requirement for his job, and therefore he is surrounded by people who repeat the same old tropes that he knows. Do we trust these people? NO! Do we trust who he is using to run departments? NO! Do we trust him on anything? NO!
If you are a US citizen or have US residency, would you please read my piece explaining the campaign to impeach Trump and his cabinet and help us get 2 million signatures by signing the petition in it? https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/indivisible-abroad-supports-the-impeach?r=f0qfn
If you can't find the link to the petition in the above piece, here it is.
https://www.impeachtrumpagain.org/
Why learn when you can always fake it?
And your willing acolytes pretend that they believe your fake pronouncements.
Unfortunately, many of the MAGA followers actually believe Trump never lies.
Is it a good thing that Trump doesn't sell Jim Jones Kool-aid?
It has not gotten to that point. However, given all the innocent children they took with them, it is a good thing. What he is doing, is making more of them poorer. Also, under him young men are getting big into online betting, I am sure young women are too, and older people too, but I am reading about them losing everything and getting addicted. I know someone whose son just spent all the money his parents had given him for a motorcycle and he bet it on "invested it in" crypto, and lost it all. A lesson to learn just as you are graduating high school.
Very sad to see someone squander money gambling. Most people lose gambling and the ones that one, certainly aren't set for life from their gambling winnings.
I’m all in.
Thanks Bill. ❤️
Linda, worse than "cognitively slipping" - he is malevolently and sadistically targeting people from his inherent basis of being a racist, a rapist, and a megalomaniac with access to the nuclear codes. Everything is from the root of violence. Even his birthday bash this year (considering his squeaky-wheel-tank military parade a la Russia, China and North Korea last year was such a fiasco) is based on violence as entertainment with his wrestling/MMA-type fight on what's left of the White House Lawn and for which he's pocketing "sponsorships" for the seats. Disgusting, embarrassing, abhorrent.
As I keep reminding, this is who is always was - pathological liar - noting about him about his mind slipping even comes to mind. He lies and people think it is him mentally slipping - nope just a plain liar.
No. Hes a liar fraud cheat and felony. He belongs behind bars. Hes not slipping!
One can be both at the same time.
Signed.
Any bets on whether he pocketed the chopsticks from the state dinner they threw him in Beijing?
You know China hid any cans of gold paint that were laying around Sharon.
Why did Xi have those rows of little girls to greet Trump? Were they distracting him just prior to negotiating?
Subtle as a cold sore Gloria. I mean Xi putting out the girls, not your comment.
Do you think you can continue to hide the fact that you were on Epstein Island so I've heard that's the rumor. And you didn't wanna leave.
So you keep telling the bullshit and what you're gonna get back is bullshit
And the rumor is that you liked women and men at the same time
You feel better now ?
Ryan, your comment made me think of this campaign ad from a Nebraska candidate.https://youtu.be/rYE10gacxiE?si=HkrkISYIG9Aq9_Fl
Exactly the kind of candidates we need in every state and nationally!
WOW! I'm a 5th generation Nebraskan. We moved to ME from Lincoln almost 25 years ago, but I still have family across the state.
That is a very powerful ad for Ahlman. If only Nebraska had ranked choice voting, I would say he has a very good chance of winning. Mike Flood has done nothing to help Nebraska. Good riddance.
Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Amazing ad, Sandra. I hope it will resonate with voters. Curious to learn more about this candidate.
It seems amazing to me how many individuals are on board with the corruption, as long as they are getting handouts, any sense of doing what is right just goes out the window. One thing you can say dump did, was expose the level of bigotry in this country and how ‘ feeding ‘ the beast has exposed the worst of some people.
Thank you for raising red flags for the medical community. So important for Repub Congressional members to hear the truth from the front lines of health care.
Thank you, thank you. As an expert, you have a unique platform—and big enough for your fellow MDs as well. Has the AMA spoken? Nicoll (?) Wallace had an interesting discussion this week with Marc Elias and Eddie Glaude about influential individuals and entities that have so far said nothing about what Trump is doing.
Agree, ML- “Come out, call out wherever you are”(MDs)
Thank you Dr McCormick.
Thank you. Here in Iowa, republican candidates are talking about the need for more research on the causes of the rising cancer rates - because they promote the idea that the federal agencies were compromised and cannot be trusted. As if the state has the infrastructure to do the research. The MAGAs have destroyed the idea of expertise and public service of those institutions for their own personal gain.
Many people think what this administration & cronies are doing might not be all that bad, might be good, or will have no effect. The accumulation of grievances in the past, when people felt challenged by wearing a mask or not getting insurance coverage or struggling through bureaucracy, created some anti-government sentiment. But the basis of those grievances pales in significance compared to what is and will be results of this administration’s corruption. It’s not about ‘them’ getting richer, it’s about all of us and the earth being in serious if not mortal danger.
It isn't difficult to go higher with this administration.
Do us all a favor and stop your rhetorical nonsense. Nothing is changing, except that democracy is starting to take hold instead of autocracy by having Washington run everything instead of having the voters or their representatives run everything.
Instead of nine justices, deciding things like abortion it's going back to the states for the voters to decide instead of the autocracy of education that is ruined education in America in Washington DC led by liberals it's not going back to the state so they can make improvements and have a choice instead of tater regime by people like randy Wine Gardner. You basically ruined education and 98% votes liberal. What does that tell you
Sorry guys. I’m just a Dick. Cant help it.
Voters are not being allowed to make decisions on abortion access and when they are consulted they mostly agree to protect abortion rights.
https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/abortion-on-the-ballot
Polls show that most US adults continue to support the protection of abortion rights.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/
Even Trump once supported this. As usual with him, because he's an idiot who cannot think anything through, he's been on every side of this issue.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trumps-many-abortion-positions-timeline-rcna146601
You are a prime example of the abject failure of the US education system.
Hey Russell, I have an idea for you. Why don't you stick your poles up your foreign ass? They have no bearing on reality. People vote that's when you determine what people want or like And so far twice they have voted and elected Donald Trump president of the United States of America
Gee, I thought that was Bill Bennet in the Raygun admin that started the ruination of public education and then Betsy DeVoss and then wrestling aficionado Linda McMahon. But what do I know.
Rick: Suppose there is a pregnant woman who lives in a state where abortion is against the law. If she goes to another state where abortion is permitted, gets the abortion, and then returns to her home state do you think she ought to be punished to the full extent of the law?
Please don’t engage. Don’t try to teach the pig to sing. It wastes your time (and ours) and pleases the pig no end who’s here for one purpose only — to get your goat and force the rest of us to use the scroll bar. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Nope, I don't think she should be punished her AT ALL
But what I do think is that if she wants an abortion, then she ought to pay for it herself 100%!!
JUST KEEP IN MIND EVERYBODY HAS A CHOICE AS TO WHERE THEY LIVE. AND THAT'S THE AMERICAN WAY
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU'RE FREE TO MOVE AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH PEOPLE FLEEING THE BLUE STATES AT A NUCLEAR PACE
YOU'VE LEFT YOUR CAPS LOCK ON AGAIN, YOU FUCKING NITWIT.
Gawd forbid I contribute when it’s always HER fault.
Don’t just doom scroll. Take the information Professor Richardson provides every day and speak up! Resource below to easily contact all of Congress - Be LOUD. The administration is an embarrassment and dangerous for our country 💔🤍💙
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) to contact members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly.
Reach out (beyond your own) to as many in the Senate and House as you can. All of this is bigger than “I only represent my constituents” issues.
Comments/reactions help keep this bumped ✊
Democrats need to run on two themes: corruption and the economy. Firing the IGs is the clearest example you could possibly have of interfering with anti-corruption controls.
Write to your representatives and tell them you want independent Inspectors General and full staffing of their offices NOW. Document the Republican response to your letters. Use it as a talking point when you talk to your neighbors. Put the response on posters as you demonstrate.
Tell your Democratic senators and representatives that you want them to draft legislation to restore the power and independence of the IGs and their offices, similar to the independence of the Fed. Ask them to propose the legislation to force votes in committee and possible floor votes to document who supports the concept. It may not even reach a floor vote with this Congress, but it will be ready for a vote early in the next Congress. If Trump vetoes it, the vote to override the veto will be telling, and ammunition for 2028.
Democrats have to start showing they have a plan to bring us back from this mess. Right now, one tool that is not being used broadly is crafting legislation that may not pass in this Congress, but will as soon as possible in a Congress under Democratic control.
Hungary did it. So can we.
I agree Georgia. Democrats need to go scorched earth regarding the corruption of this regime. Bring out the receipts. All of them. Name names and shine a bright that shows them all running under the refrigerator like the cockroaches they are.
Show the voters exactly what type of smash and grab is happening on a daily basis. And then - very important - tie it to the economic woes that we are all suffering from. Add in the oppression, the lawfare, the health and environmental consequences. Show how the playing field has become completely un-level, that it is now truly government for and by the few. And then comes the call to action, that it is on us all to fix. We are the saviors or ourselves. Heroes don’t necessarily wear capes but you can always see them. Just look in the mirror.
Be relentless. Be loud. And fight to win because there is no alternative.
Also I agree 💯 about crafting the legislative agenda now. This is exactly the type of shadow government activity that Timothy Snyder recommended and which the Democratic Party inexplicably refuses to embrace. People need to understand that even bills that fall short become part of the congressional record, and that they can become the basis for future successful legislation. That Democrats are not doing this is in my opinion, utter malfeasance.
Thank you, Megan!! so good to see you here reminding We the People that we can speak up and make our opinions loud and clear about the current regime, and to keep our legislators aware that we are watching what they say and do! Your spreadsheet is a wonderful resource.
Thank you, Megan.
Thank you Megan!
We have agency and Megan’s spreadsheet makes contact with congress critters easy!
Megan apparently you've learned nothing about me. I'm here for the awareness and so far I've made probably 10,000 people aware of information they didn't know. I accomplish my goal every single day and I've received over 3000 likes for my posts so despite your closemindedness for the success of Donald Trump and America so far it continues to be an amazing ride. By the way, try not to spend all the money you've made in the market since Trump took Office. And try to continually ignore all this excessive all the businesses that continue to post record profits. Which translates down to the plot in the way of wage increases. Eight weeks.
He's saving your ass from the chance of a nuclear attack and he continues to win and win and win and every time he wins, the left goes crazy because they're not in control.
In what part of cyberspace are you receiving 3,000 'likes', Rick? Is there a cyber universe for morons?
Your posts are mostly content-free and when you make assertions, they're invariably wrong.
Oh, don't be upset, Russell. It's OK just stay where you are. America is much better off without people who are so close minded as you.
“Winning!” 🤣
Yeah, if you simply follow Heather Richardson's information and advice you'll end up in the sewer of Of America in the toilet Of America, especially if you believe bullshit that she tells you every day, which is nothing but the truth that she wants you to know not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It's actually sickening but there's 2 million lemmings following this X historian and become a radical liberal activist for five bucks a month and a capitalist.
Interesting how you also give money to her monthly. Guess you spend money to try to stir the pot/create drama. You’re not spending money to change any of our opinions on here - hence why many times people just ignore you, laugh or call you a bot.
The community here might be wise to engage with the Rickster again. All the time he wastes here changing absolutely no minds is time he could be spending trying to regain those 2024 voters now leaving Trump and MAGA in droves. Easy enough to engage him and waste his time then collapse his responses so it's easy to scroll passed them.
Poor sod, sitting at home in his basement counting his 'likes'.
By the way, if you call five dollars a month money I feel bad. But when you're looking at a couple million lemmings suckling At the radical teat ! That is what's so very disappointing. People who cant think for themselves people who not only just follow the crowd, but it's like a circle jerk.
By the way, I don't think you're even realizing what you say when they ignore me. Why would they ignore me if they're not reading me how would they call me a bot
3000 likes in a year and a half, which for a left-wing whacker website is not bad progress.
But I'm gonna continue to tell you the success Of America has been nothing short of incredible since in a year and a half and continues to be
Poor old Rick. No likes, no friends and just venting bile here because he has nothing sensible to say.
Not anything that you can make sense of Russell and that's your problem.
Maybe one day you'll move to the middle and get out out of your cave and see the truth because you know nothing about America
Including me. I’m a lemming for the right. I’m also a Dick.
I'm actually a lemming for the center. Where open minded people live.
There are times when being open minded just means your brains fell out. You’re living in one of those times.
The problem with your concept, this first you have to have brains in order for them to fall out. Try using them they're hiding in a place about 3 feet above your ass
If you would like to post anything factual here, I would love to hear it Been nice knowing you
I don’t really care what you love to hear. Nice to meet you too.
🤖
Well, unfortunately, you're wrong as you probably have been ever since you decided you're not gonna like Trump despite every single victory every single day for America
Trump is a genius. I love the corruption. Who else could grift this spectacularly?
While President Gimme, Grift, Graft and Grab ‘Em plans luxury hotels on prime waterfront property, courtesy of Florida slush money, China’s President Xi ignores his cheap, cringing flattery and his stupid dinner table chit-chat about Chinese laborers on the Transcontinental Railroad and Chinese restaurants in New York, warning him about Taiwan in language never seen in US-China relations before. You don’t have to be Greek or have read Thucydides to get the unsubtle message delivered by a rising power to an established, soft, flabby, flatulent one unclear on the concept about actions having consequences.
And that luxury hotel in Miami Beach will soon be under sea water anyway. Another Trumpty-Dumpty boondoggle at our expense.
From AT&T science film from 1958:
Dr. Frank C. Baxter:
“Well, it’s been calculated a few degrees rise in the earths temperature would melt the polar ice caps. And if this happens, an inland sea would fill a good portion of the Mississippi valley. Tourists in glass bottom boats would be viewing the drowned towers of Miami through 150 feet of tropical water. For in weather, were not only dealing with forces of a far greater variety than even the atomic physicist encounters, but with life itself.”
glub…glub…glub…
Love it…”President Gimme, Grift, and Grabem”
The corruption and gaslighting are staggering. Can we please be a Hungary?
Donald wants to give all his 1,600 insurrectionists a million dollars each?
Of course all those violent Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and other convicted (and then Donald-pardoned) criminals need to be paid. From our money. Of course Donald has to be further thieving from us, grifting on us, the people. He has so many corrupted allies ever needing more comp.
Look at his fellow billionaires, and how he and they have to hurt more of us, hurt us more, similarly to how so many among them hurt all those underage girls and young women trafficked by Donald’s pals.
They’ve monstrously been growing the wealth gap over us, we the bottom 99%. While our share has remained flat or declined since 1973, as Scott Galloway has recently documented, the billionaires’ share has skyrocketed.
Our damages include much worse and pricier health costs, much less food and nutrition relief for those most hurting, too much neglected infrastructure, actual penalties imposed on all green sectors only to bestow additional edge to all the fossil fuel predators, and millions of school youth all no more than being held hostage for the testing billionaires.
They’ll laugh more, these billionaires, laugh at us comping the attackers of the Capitol $1,000,000 each. So much contempt have they for us whom they further rob, further hurt – it’s all one scenario they set earlier in their years’-long raping all those underage girls and young women.
Donald’s crime spree must worsen, as he mires in Iranian quagmire, sinks in cost overruns for all his Washington, D.C. vandalisms, and now, pathetic fool, gives away the store to Xi in China.
“These guys are Nazis, they’re boogaloo boys, they’re Proud Boys. These are the same people we fought in World War II.” — Gen. Mark Milley
It's bad, J L.
Putin has been spending a fortune to get various groups in the U.S. to be much more against each other: disrespectful, oblivious, hateful -- full ranges of division.
The rich ripped America apart with its offshoring. Now the former Confederacy has a plan to return to Jim Crow -- blessed by the highest court in the land.
Donald desperately wants private armies of his own so he can stay in power.
Bad, J L. Really bad.
Abominably bad. Most corrupt US administration is history, by HCR, and it surely must be. A @#$%&* coup.
The coup happened 11/22/63. This is the empire.
I remember every moment of that day. 81 now and still crying.
It’s ok to cry and ok to be angry and get political. (I’m 83, healthy and grateful.) Be well.
But, Trump just said, he doesn't care about American's financial situation.
DUH!!! But giving criminals money without Congressional approval will prove to be illegal.
Of course, he reneged on refund us $2000 tariff reimbursement and gave it to a few Trump corporations probably with kickbacks to himself.
So here is poor Phil trying to make a point in a courtroom but your honor Trump is pathetic but your honor is covering up for epstein but your honor he's taking away our rights but you're on or he's on a crime spree.
Thank you very much Phil said the judge now would you like to provide any proof evidence or fax to back up your statements?
No Your Honor that's just my opinion. I'm sorry for wasting your time.
Next time, Mr. Phil, make sure your brain is engaged before you put your mouth in gear
Dissembler Don: Show me the money.
Honest Abe: Let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith, let us dare to do our duty as we understand it.
Question: Who you gonna believe?
Answer (in Maya Angelou’s words): I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGj85pVzRJs&list=RDCGj85pVzRJs&start_radio=1
If a monkey hoarded all the bananas while the rest of the troop starved, scientists would probably conclude the monkey was maladapted to communal life. In America, they give the monkey a media empire, tax cuts, and a seat in government to investigate Medicaid “fraud.”
Kazz ... great observation.
Just FYI, real monkeys don't behave like real humans. A troop of chimpanzees is a simple fission-fusion society. Chimpanzee nature tells chimpanzees that their relationship with other chimpanzees is transactional. The chimpanzee social system (complex, adaptive, transformational relationships) is comprised of a mother and her juvenile offspring.
Our nature, plus the Gospel, science, justice, and many other moral traditions teach us our true human nature. Dissembler Don's a phony human thinking he's a silverback gorilla. Speaker Mike's a phony human thinking he's a male chimp trying to hold on to an "important" position in the dominance hierarchy as if it's a good thing despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
That would explain why Bobblehead Johnson always makes me picture an organ-grinder’s monkey, cap in hand.
Cavemanosphere.
Neo-neo ... (con job) ... lythic!
Spot on, Kazz!
Kazz, for those that think Vance would be better than the scumbag president just observe his performance announcing Medicaid cuts for those in need in California. He looked to me as a happy camper announcing some really good news...Cruelty it's his specially.
Trump is certifiable, but Vance is something else entirely. There’s a difference between not knowing right from wrong and knowing it perfectly well, and choosing power anyway. When this whole corrupt clown-car finally collapses, Trump will be raving in diapers in a psychiatric wing. Vance, meanwhile, will be left alone with the one thing Trump never had: a conscience.
I agreed with everything you posted Kazz, except for "a conscience". Vance doesn't have a soul, empathy and much less, a conscience.
MASPD (monkey anti-social personality disorder).
OMG…you recognized him too! 🦧
Got my absentee ballot from Darcy here in Bath day before yesterday. I am excited for all the talented folks on the Democratic ticket. Will fill it out and walk it across the street to the dropbox this afternoon.
So inspired by the news coming from Hungary. I am grateful to Péter Dósa here on the stacks for his excellent reporting.
Our democracy is not dead yet. Keep fighting folks.
Where’s the free press when you need them? The truth needs to be repeated and reinforced lest the lies about fraud carry the day. The old saying is true: A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.
Heather lists her media sources when she concludes
her posts. Fortunately there are some diligent journalists working hard.
To clarify my comment about lack of free press I should have said thank you to Prof. Richardson for providing citations. I cannot imagine the time she must spend sifting through all these sources of information. I should also have said its up to us to amplify her work and spread the word.
You just did!
Might want to check the ''Notes'' section of today's Letter.
Press totally co opted. Like scared 5 year olds. But earning a fortune. The leaders on every essay v should be incompetence corruption and sabotaging American lives and treasure.
I think the amount of great reporting and investigative reporting has skyrocketed under Trump. ...for obvious reasons -- "mass quantities" as the SNL Coneheads used to say.
Leads on ...
WE The People Demand More Of The Democratic Party
I don’t know about you but I get an incessant flow of emails daily about campaign contributions from Democrats running for office While it worked for Obama 18yy ago they’re beating a dead horse now because it’s difficult to know where the D’s stand on anything except “fund my campaign because I’m a Democrat”
While the Republican party may have been purged of anyone who isn't a fascist, look at the cover-up currently going on in New Mexico regarding Zorro Ranch and you will realize that some Democrats are also fascists. Be sure to vote in the primaries, and be sure to vote for the Democrat who's not in it for personal power and wealth.
Both parties have severe problems It's just the R's are in this case worse and their corruption is more visible The Democratic party has as many problems and it's time that it undergo a restructuring The anger from the talking Congressional heads in the media is not enough The D's need to be held accountable to WE the People No $$$ just because they have a D next to their name WE need to hear what their positions are on: expand SCOTUS, complete restructuring of voting laws, restructuring of DHS and elimination of ICE, meaningful immigration reform, national abortion access, stop funding Israeli military budget, demand campaign contribution reform, insisting on a wealth tax going after the oligarchic class WE the People demand more of our elected D representatives
I can never figure out this type of circular firing squad mentality, filled with threats and incoherence, especially as momentum builds in our favor and we continue to win tactical victories and field impressive candidates. Ready, once more, to snatch defeat from the mouth of victory…
It's not a circular firing squad mentality to call out Democrats who are acting less than democratically. The late, great Paul Wellstone once said that he was from the "democratic wing of the Democratic Party". I would like to think that we all are, but in fact, some are not. This is not a judgment on anyone's personal character, just acting objectively. The Schumers, Fettermans, Wasserman-Schulzes, etc., that prattle on incessantly, while conspicuously failing to speak to the purveyors of the problems who happen to be some of their donors----AIPAC, Big Oil, Insurance companies etc., --don't get to cosplay as Tribunes of the People while constantly serving the Corporations.
And yes, I too am tired of constantly deleting daily emails seeking money from Democratic candidates that I would likely vote for were I in their districts, states, etc.,
Remember, we all coalesced around Hillary Clinton in 2016, a clearly flawed candidate, an effort in groupthink that led to the election of the Mango Mussolini, when we had a far more truly democratic alternative in the Sanders available. Talk about snatching defeat from the mouth of victory!
I think that Hillary's greatest "flaw" was her gender. I would urge anyone who cares about any female you know to please read The Atlantic's "The Men Who Want Women to be Quiet" cover story for June -- by Helen Lewis. (You might not want to read it before you are trying to go to sleep for the night.) The misogyny in 2016 was there, but back then, most people had the sense of shame to try to hide it. After almost 11 years of our nation being sullied by the great insulter/liar/grabber, many have decided to go full throttle with their hatred. We might be in a post-shame world now.
While I understand and empathize with your perspective, and while misogyny indeed raised its ugly head in 2016, we cannot blind ourselves to the fact that-- seductive imagery of glass ceilings shattering aside-- HRC was a corporatist, war mongering Democrat in a year when populism was called for. Sanders, a true populist, would have been preferable to contrast with the Con Man and faux populist Trump.
And yes, you are correct that we now sadly live in a "post shame" world
Some of us found a cantankerous, hand-waggling old socialist as tiresome back then as we do today. Thankfully, many more appealing choices can be found on today’s menu.
No doubt misogyny played a role in Hilary's defeat. (Though I don't think it was her biggest problem.) But look at what happened in 2008: America elected a Black man. Is/was racism less of an obstacle to victory than misogyny? I don't think so. If we managed, despite America's racism, to elect a Black man in 2008 and 2012, we should have been able to elect a female in 2016 or 2024, even taking misogyny into account. Yes, there was no doubt misogyny at work in the minds of some voters. But the Democratic Party had a bigger problem: they did not offer the kind of change we wanted.
Hilary's gender was not her flaw. In fact her gender 'engendered' much support and money for her. The biggest problem was that despite possibly being the first-female president, she was very much a status-quo candidate. The candidate of the neoliberal Democrats. Her sense of entitlement, her connection to her very flawed husband and to the politics he represented, were off-putting even to many feminists.
Protect the Vote and Daniel Streeter are so right. The Democrats failed us in 2016. How else to explain the victory of the most unfit, morally bankrupt, vulgar, craven, corrupt, emotional cripple America has ever produced? He should have been a pushover. He ran as an outsider--yes of course he lied. But he ran against two towering insiders, Clinton and Jeb Bush. The Democrats didn't see the need for change he was claiming to fill (albeit dishonestly).
And what’s not mentioned enough is her sense of entitlement resulted in her running a really shitty campaign. Despite that, she got 3 million more votes than Stinky Diapers. We also have the goddam Electoral College to thank for this debacle.
I agree ICTT. November may be a Federal election but I just voted in the ME primary and the only Federal candidates were for Congressman and Senator.
The Democratic candidates, at least in ME, are all super engaged, many knocking on doors.
But, certainly not the Republican candidates. My door is open to all who wish to plead their case, no matter which party they're from. Mike Johnson prefers the Republicans hide from their constituents.
Do you live in a red state? I've been to several fundraisers for Democratic candidates and they are doing way more than what the national party is doing. And that's the way it should be.
As Tip O'Neal said, "All politics are local."
The depressing part is how little a lot of Americans understand just how deep the corruption is.
This is not the fault of mainstream media and watchdog orgs such as ProPublica, who have reported all of it. It's that a large segment of the public is either hopelessly distracted by empty-calorie social media, or only watches right wing propaganda.
Mainstream media covered the congressional Jan. 6 committee in detail, revealing Trump's complicity. All the information was out there, along with all his other corruption in his first term. Yet the voters chose him again. We can only hope that they start to get a clue before this November.
“Empty-calorie social media” is a great metaphor.
The Republican Party, with the power to stop this corruption today, does….nothing. Trump et fils are doing what they’ve always done, and will always do given half a chance. They have been true to form throughout.
It is the Republicans, the New American Nazi Party, NANP, they bears the most responsibility for the sale and destruction of American democracy and honest government.
That fact must never be forgotten.
Ralph, add in SCOTUS and Fox News
One more; white christian fascist voters, about 35% of the country.
May we see the Republican Party follow the Whig Party to the ash heap of American history.
You have to admit that when it comes to corruption Trump is an absolute genius.
Maybe it could be called some kind of Bond villain evil genius...but Donold is just a grifting conman that is driven by his greed. He's completely shameless, unrepentant, and relentless in his corruption. It's so brazen and sickening, truly infuriating and appalling...
Not genius. People don't enforce laws and don't fight back. Bamk robber and no police and no locks. Someone should call him corrupt yo his face.
Good point. As HCR has pointed out, we already have laws on the books to deal with
the current situation; we just need people who will enforce them. No need to invent the wheel again, but many updates may be needed at the coming overhaul.
I worked in nursing for 40 years. We know this whole “fraud” claim is a farce since Medicare/Medicaid has always been so heavily regulated and policed for fraud. So much so that facilities have policed themselves ahead of the government auditors who constantly check them for fraud so facilities won’t be fined. So this is the Trump regime trying to destroy Medicare/ Medicaid with what is described as similar to “Nazi propaganda.” Make it appear as though the system is fraudulent then raid the accounts we all paid into and line their pockets with our money and steal the money set aside for our most vulnerable citizens. This is deadly.
Justin Wolfers is an economics Professor at the University of Michigan. He wrote an opinion article in the NYT recently that uses factual data to estimate the cost of the Iran war to the U.S. It is much different from what Pete Hegseth and other U.S. government officials are saying. You may be surprised: “NYTimes.com: Hegseth Says This War Has Cost $25 Billion. I Tallied Up the True Amount.”. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/opinion/hegseth-war-cost.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ilA.pZ_n.Obn8nOcdzbpB&smid=em-share Enjoy.
We might as well retire the old saw "Cheaters never prosper." Trump has blown it away.
And where did all of the debt and deficit hawks fly to? As we approach $40T in debt, we're going to pay insurrectionists who attacked us? If they can't muster the moral outrage (and common sense/decency) not to pay the criminals, could they at least argue against adding to the national debt?
Watchdog groups say Trump and his family have made from roughly $1.4 billion to $4 billion or more so far this term:
* actual cash profits,
* increases in paper wealth or asset valuations,
* crypto token valuations,
* licensing deals,
* and future estimated value.
Examples of revenue streams include:
* the Trump family crypto venture “World Liberty Financial,”
* the $TRUMP meme coin,
* Trump-branded merchandise,
* golf club and resort spending by political groups and foreign visitors,
* licensing deals,
* media ventures,
* and speaking fees.
The gold plated Trump phone was his latest scam. There has never been a more corrupt president and administration in American history!! Period.