Thank you. Robert Hubbell, who writes an excellent newsletter and sometimes quotes you wrote yesterday on September 11, that his eldest granddaughter was born on September 11 two years ago and he also now responds to the date as a sign of hope for the future. My first day in Italy ever was a beautiful May afternoon on the magically peaceful Lago di Lugano. I have a photograph. I learned and understood later that at that moment anti-Mafia Judge Giovanni Falcone and his wife were blown up on his weekly trip to visit his mother in Sicily. Two Italys, both real, two September 11 both real.
I'm taking your marriage--and your sharing it--as a reminder of how in the midst of all that is 2022, how important it is to honor, enjoy, and live fully our personal lives, both profoundly and in small ways. Please continue to seize these days and let's all remember to have fun.
We are currently watching a series based on the aftermath of the killing of Falcone.....something called The Hunter. I have just been trying to find recipes for chicken cacciatore. I also cheering on the Ukrainians and I do hope this puts Putin in a very bad place. And I like all those subpoenas. As for mafia don at the his golf course, he is probably doing mafia type things, a gathering of goons and maybe lawyers who are still foolish enough to work for him.
Thank you so much for telling me this. Falcone is one of my heroes. We went to see the memorial tree for him in Palermo. My first trip to Italy adumbrated (?) day my meeting and marrying my husband from Liguria the following year. He is an amazing cook. If I knew how I'd ask him to send recipe. In the meantime, look in cookbooks of Bibi Gaggiano.
I'll try to find the TV series. There is a very good book about him by Alessandro Stille called the Excellent Cadaver. Stille also wrote (to me an even better) Benovolence and Betrayal: The Story of Five Jewish Families under Fascism.
Carol, your comment led me on such a fun romp this morning. I found the cookbook by Biba Caggiano on Amazon, grabbed a recipe from Pinterest, looked up the meaning of adumbrated, read the Wikipedia entry for Giovanni Falcone, looked up Excellent Cadavers on Goodreads and read some reviews, then got hooked by an advertisement there for 100 Saturdays which was illustrated by my favorite Maira Kalman, read a bunch of this stuff out loud to my husband, who is sitting beside me trying to read the news.
Thank you for the tragic story of Judge Falcone and his wife, and "Benevolence and Betrayal." It reminded me of "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis." When I was 13 years old and on a class trip to New York City, our teacher took us to see this movie--it had a lifelong impact.
LOL. Me too! I have found so many good books from these suggestions! I just started Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean. After beginning it last night, I am thinking that maybe "we" are waking up to "the deep history of the radical right's stealth plan for America". It has been in the works for a very long time. Hopefully, we now have a 2nd chance to save our democracy!
Democracy in Chains is excellent. If you want to read a very good fiction book about WWII, I recommend The Lost Song of Paris by Sarah Steele. It completely absorbed me.
I didn't know a thing about Falcone or the Anti Mafia group. Thank you for the heads up on cookbooks. Lucky you with a husband who is a fab Italian cook. The TV series we are getting through PBS. Also thank you for the book suggestions.
Read an article recently about Putin and why he'll never lose power the way he has set up and organized all his friends in top positions and his close military assasins who create "accidents" for his opposition. I can't find the article; it was excellent. Will keep looking later today
Someone commenting on a WaPo article said Putin was sending in his second-stringer soldiers; saving the well trained ones for a big assault TBD. Don't think so.
If he's conscripting prisoners he's already scraping the bottom of the barrel. They have no deeply held convictions to fight.
The latest secret weapon? Ukrainian women are cooking a hot meal for these kids and listening, really listening to their stories. These young soldiers are abandoning their posts; throwing down their weapons, stealing civilian clothes and bicycles, and blending in with the civilians. Never underestimate the power of a hot bowl of soup and a kindly grandmother.
Cheryl The frightened young Russian soldiers fleeing the Ukrainian offensive in northern Ukraine remind me of the Congolese Army during the 1964 rebellion. The Congolese would back their trucks up to a hill and leave the motors running. When the shooting commenced, they would rush to the trucks and be off. A 200 mile scurry-and-run retreat may have set a Guinness World’s Record.
These troops, like the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton on 1776 Christmas Day, don’t want to die in a fraudulent ‘special military operation’ directed against a sovereign state with a courageous president and populous. Putin has a Potemkin army, from its generals down to many of its frightened front-line invaders.
Perhaps Bone Spur Donald should come to the assistance of his Putin buddy by joining the infamous Wagner Group. I’m sure that they would permit him to ride his golf cart into battle, with cheeseburgers and ketchup tucked close to his tummy.
We need to keep our elected insurrectionists here to face the music. We have historically let them go. We cannot this time. We have got to finish them this time if we want a future.
Loree I tend to agree that our ‘elected insurrectionists’ should remain here to face the music. However, as an historian I’d relish the opportunity to write about Bone Spur Donald as a modern-day Benedict Arnold. My working title: “American Traitors—from Benedict to Bone Spur.”
The Ukrainian media says they are snatching people out of homeless shelters for soldiers, Russian media say they aren't just snatching them, they're giving them worthless contracts promising to pay them. The Russians are also trying to hire any mercenaries they can. We should let our insurrectionists know. There's a place for them on Russia's front lines.
Thanks Lee. I get a daily reminder of the need for humor from The New Yorker via "The Horowitz Report". Andy's quip today: "Benedict Arnold Wishes He Had Had a Special Master".
'HELL (The Borowitz Report)—In a rare public statement, the late Benedict Arnold said that he would never have been remembered as the worst traitor in American history if he had had the benefit of a special master.'
'The disgraced military officer called his switching sides in the Revolutionary War “the kind of evidence that any special master worth his salt would have ruled out.”
One more thing, friend, Bryan McKown, In the Letter today, HCR provided CONCRETE reasons to HOPE. I think that ❤️s "Hope" is the thing with feathers Lyric by Emily Dickinson. What say you, McKown?
Dr. Brown had two fascinating threads last year about the DC pipe bomber suspect and a related one about Marjorie Taylor Greene. Highly detailed and nuanced.
"In September 2021, former vice president Mike Pence spoke in Budapest at a forum denouncing immigration and urging traditional social values, where he told the audience he hoped that the U.S. Supreme Court would outlaw abortion thanks to the three justices Trump put on the court." Yesterday, I went to the funeral of a 98 year old friend (I am a kid at 80). Speakers recalled that his proudest moment was when he became an American citizen. He had many proud moments. His family left Austria in the 1930s. When we traveled to Vienna he urged us to stop at his high school where he and other Jewish students had been required to clean the front steps with toothbrushes. This immigrant to the US had many proud moments -- joining the US Army when he turned 18, serving as a spy with the Ritchie Boys in a return to Europe and later in the war interrogating Nazis. After the war, back in the US, he became a successful businessman, wrote a memoir and two novels. Opposition to immigrants is an insult to his memory and the memory of the enormous number of immigrants who have made the United States a vibrant, interesting, and powerful country. Len Lubinsky, Len's Political Notes.
We are a nation of immigrants, genealogy reinforces that in almost every instance. It is heresy to pretend otherwise. It’s the “I got here on the boat before you, so I deserve to be here and you don’t.” How stupid, pathetic and an insult to Lady Liberty. My hope is that Dems get enough clout in the midterms to come up with an immigration overhaul that will acknowledge that diversity is the way of the future and describes the America that I always thought we were. Enough of the oligarchs and old guard, transplanted from European shores. Do I dream?
“We are a nation of immigrants” you wrote. And I would add, “. A nation of forced and unforced immigrants. Humans roam the earth and always will. Honoring the peoples we stole our land from, by at least creating a sustainable, just democracy, is the least we could do.
Mr. Lubinsky, thank you for the tribute to your friend. PBS had a piece on the Ritchie Boys recently; he was a true hero. And thank you for the way you put something I have been struggling to express: your last sentence is just the words I have been searching for.
Unless we are Native Americans, all of US are immigrants whether willing or brought in chains. We must continue to make progress toward democracy and not fall back on our ugly past mistakes that made some people horrifically rich and powerful.
And many are here because their ancestors were forcibly brought to this country and their descendants treated shamefully for years. And, yet, many of them have done marvelous things, too.
Dang HCR! Take another day! We love you but sheesh. The news can wait. I’m glad you at least posted before 2:00 am….. We can entertain ourselves: we do it a lot here in the safe zone of your substack page.
All these interlocking very good news developments are on theme with your very good news on the home front. It must be gratifying to return to your labors and share reasons for us to feel optimistic.
Let's hope this trend continues when Judge Cannon rules next and you can assert the rule of law is winning. Her ruling will signal whether she's committed to doing Trump's bidding, slowing his prosecution for stealing classified documents, or committed to beginning to undo the legal travesties she's wrought.
Legal experts on MSNBC tonight had complimentary things to say about Trump's special master nominee Judge Raymond Dearie who was agreed to by the DOJ. So at least that's a relief.
As for Heather's Very Good News about her marriage and the gratification of returning to labors with optimism, we have an opportunity to match her pragmatism and tireless dedication with our own contributions to the cause. If folks haven't already, we can congratulate Heather on this wonderful occasion with a gift in the name of Heather & Buddy on the HCR-inspired Tending to Democracy Giving Circle site. Can we imagine her wanting anything more than helping to save democracy? Join us!
Thanks for this Ellie. But I am missing something when I go to the "giving circle" grapevine link. There doesn't seem to be a description of how the funds are distributed. Who gets what?
I am a couple of keystrokes away from donating because I think this is brilliant. But I am not clear on where the money ends up.
Thank you, Bill. The States Project researches which are the most pivotal house races state by state, who needs funding, and distributes funds accordingly by October 3 so the identified candidates can focus on in-person events most effective for getting votes.
Thank you Professor for an early bird letter full of hope. My hope is that the American people start to realize what a Democratic government does for the people, all the citizens (still working on that) and not just white Christian males, which is what we see more and more from repubs who have embraced Orban and his ideals. I’m happy to see and hear President Biden speak to the American people about legislation and policies that are helping us all, no matter party affiliation or vote. Even more I hope we can live together in a country that cares for its children, the environment and believes in Science, Truth, Equality and Democracy. For now and the future. Yes, we have much work to do to get there. That’s my speech!
Irenie, over the weekend, I participated in an art fair here in MN - I make and sell bead woven jewelry. I often get people from Eastern Europe and Russia in my tent as they have hundreds of years of bead making and weaving traditions, and love to chat (and occasionally buy, lol).
On Sunday, a couple who emigrated here from Ukraine last March, came into my booth. I’d seen them several times this summer but this time they had an interpreter with them. She was an Art History professor in Kiev and had a bunch of questions for me. I was beyond delighted to chat with her and her husband about art and jewelry making.
While talking with the Ukrainian couple, another couple walked in and after listening for a moment, started chatting with the Ukrainians in what turned out to be Russian. They stepped out of the booth for a while and then stepped back in. The Russian-born pair, Mike and Irenie (!) and the Ukrainians asked a few more technical questions and then thanked me. Then Mike declared loudly, “We are brothers and sisters and neighbors, and we must act like it now and forever.” At which point I started crying tears of deep joy and gratitude. Wow, what a moment of hope in my tiny corner of the world.
Turns out that when meeting over art, differences recede and common interests and passions can step forward. And they shared their appreciation for being able to live in a country that cares for the environment, believes in science, offers opportunity and still believes in the rule of law. Then, with a smile, Irenie said, “we all must vote, no?” Yep!
Oh, Sheila, my first cry of the day! Thank you for sharing. You are my sister! I love your story. How beautiful to connect over art, over beauty and creativity. And respect. Not only connecting with our names. But heritage; my father’s parents originally from Lithuania, emigrated through Canada to Minnesota , where my father was born, 1913. And my other grandparents from Kiev. All Jewish. And other relatives (many lost in the wars or still in Kiev) but I am not able to contact, yet are still there, in Ukraine and lived (or still live) in Chernobyl. Grandparents who escaped the Czar in 1909. Who became citizens here and voted. It is my poetry and the reality of our world. Gratitude to you. And we will vote. It’s our heritage and our duty.
Its always amazing to me how resilient and resourceful people have been to survive war and persecution, to emigrate and start over, and learn to survive and even thrive halfway around the world - where sadly, some of those same conditions occasionally rear their ugly heads. My ancestry is Irish, English and Scots, half Protestant, half Catholic. We all know where that led and I lived in Ireland in ‘77 & ‘78 at the height of “The Troubles.” Saw death and destruction first hand in Belfast while visiting a friend. Terrifying! Sisters indeed!
What a fabulous interaction you had! Art is the language of the world. As a musician, if I cannot speak a word of another person's language (nor they mine) we can share a stand and read the language of music together.
Never thought of that! Reading music is an international skill!! Whoop! (Laughing a bit - took piano lessons with one of the nuns at my school- who was Italian born. Yes, I learned how to read Italian because of her so I knew EXACTLY what speed to play in what section. Still laughing.....)
I had a friend give me some musical "funnies" regarding tempo. My favorite was "allaregreto", the conductor's regret at starting a piece too fast. I have to look stuff up sometimes....
My art is ballet, my two teachers are Russian and Ukrainian( unable to return home and hired by the school’s owners after her recent tour in US)
I learn so much from them besides ballet. They are strong, resilient ,compassionate ,non-judgmental and with a wicked sense of humor…and at such a young age !They have experienced so much. And this 63-year-old is grateful for all those lessons learned…
One of the reasons I love doing art fairs is the people I meet - the world is so full of creative, amazing people! And Russians and Ukrainians come from such rich cultural traditions - what a great experience to be taught by some of the masters of ballet! I still try and see the Nutcracker around the holidays every couple of years. Kudos to you for keeping up with ballet. Makes my hip hurt just thinking about it, lol (i’m 68 - 12 hour days on my feet at art fairs is quite enough. On my toes? Not happening!)
Art and music, and Poetry, the universal language! And movement. Imagine children in every school in America (the world) learning music- singing, musical instruments/ with teachers who love them and are inspired. And daily art, hands on, tactile and not worried about evaluation and judgment. I want to be ten again with an inspired and loving teacher. And Poetry. Art for Social Change, for the joy of it, might bring Peace.
It seems to me that considering the general approval most Americans accord to democracy, our society provides strangely little discussion of what democracy is, what it matters, and how much of a feat is requires to pull off successfully. We are all taught to aim for "liberty and justice for all", but that's really a tall order. Liberty will mean many differing, sometimes competing, and sometimes conflicting agendas; and some choices are too irresponsible or predatory for society to tolerate. Even in an environment of good faith, there will be conflicting agendas, such as who gets to drive across an intersection first, so we need protocols to minimize dangers. And also need human rights to discourage a tyranny of the majority against minority races and others, and against choices that do no harm. I think that embracing democracy with all it asks requires a high degree of emotional maturity. If so, are we being adequately prepared for this?
And beguiling, "quick fix" quack alternatives are marketed aggressively. Yes, much work to do to get there.
"Many forms of government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time." - Churchill
Love your letter tonight so full of hope and goodwill for our future. I remember having a violin lesson as I was falling in love with the man who would become my husband. After playing for a few minutes my teacher stopped me and asked what had happened. Told him I had fallen in love and he nodded sagely. Congratulations on your marriage, Heather and Buddy!
Once again congrats! ❤️💕❤️ And while we I appreciate this update I'm certain we will all be able to endure a should you take a few more days off to celebrate 🍾 your honeymoon 😊.
"Hey Yuri, try to look like we're playing golf for those reporters' cameras over there. Listen, I need you to give me back the originals of the classified stuff I provided you. You can keep copies, but I've got to get the originals back really fast. Fast."
“As recently as May 2021, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared a Russian propaganda video about its troops and suggested they were superior to the American military, which was trying to demonstrate that it includes all Americans equally. He tweeted: “Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea….”
which is all the proof we need that billionaire Libertarian Charles Koch pays Cruz ( and other GOP officials) through his dark $ PACs to protect his oil oligarchy. Putin takes advantage of this too through donations laundered through the NRA, the Christian evangelical PACs, and by nurturing white national groups and militias. The war in Ukraine is about oil and majority of oil suppling countries are authoritarian regimes. There is a link between these authoritarian regimes, the global oil oligarchy ( Koch’s being just one) to the GOP to not only maintain our dependence on oil and subvert a positive Climate Change agenda, but also to degrade democracies. Winning in Ukraine is vital to maintaining healthy and vibrant Western Democracies and the rule of law. We can then approach Climate constructively. By doing so we can build more equity into the middle class through investment, innovation, education, research, and usher in what will become the largest expansion of the global economy all the while protecting and spreading democracy.
Thanks for this reminder. The supremacy of oil also explains the unquestioning GOP embrace of the Saudis. I will never get over the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi, and in the days after, G W. Bush gave members of the Saudi royal family free movement to leave the US while every single plane was grounded, no questions asked.
And we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq from Saudi Arabia. Russia wanted us to consult them on all things “war on terrorism” because that what they do to stoke irrational fear and excess Nationalism…that always leads to imperial wars of conquest. In a way, our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan normalized wars like Russia’s invasion of Chechnya, Georgia, AND Ukraine. Wars by oil oligarchy/authoritarian regimes, and the oil companies love it, as it’s their opportunity to claim scarcity and raise prices artificially.
One guy was wearing blue jeans. No one plays golf in blue jeans! Allegedly, a major golf faux pas. (My husband is not a golfer and showed up in jeans to play golf with a friend who is a golfer. His friend provided him with a pair of khakis before they headed out on the course.)
There are plenty of MAGAts where I live, even an old crone who has a TrumpPence sign on her door with 2020 marked through and 2024 inked in. Boy, is she behind the times.
Pretty big fail this morning as Poppy Harlow/CNN interviewing chevron’s CEO. Watch for Chevron ads on CNN now. Harlow did a soft interview, not critical at all even helping falsely explain price gouging consumers while also taking billions in subsidies from tax payers. The oh wait, oil and gas lobby promotional ad immediately followed the interview! CNN is lost! This is the economy of fossil monopoly & mass media, their mission to sell “clean gas” and economic insecurity fear over Climate Change.
"They claim that it is inefficient, making democratically led countries unable to react as quickly to the modern world as countries with a strong leader, "
Evolution is driven in part by efficiency; wild geese fly in formation for that very reason; and much of the evolutionary process is driven by the degree efficiency provides a survival edge; but that is only part of the story.
Evolution is also very much enabled by random recombinations, and also by for-its-own-sake exploratory behavior. It is powered by cooperation, conscious and opportunistic, as in the exhaust gas of green plants being O², which we need, and our's being CO², which they need. Cooperation extends down to the unicellular level.
Sexual reproduction is not very efficient, but it is resilient and creative. We as humans evolved to display a wide array of interests and talents, which we pool to become, apparently, the most creative creatures on the planet (for the good and the bad of that). We are, so far as I know, the only earthly creatures to have walked on the surface of the moon. Our science is replete with consequential discoveries that began with pure curiosity. Efficient? Fortune favors the prepared mind; prepared for a useful response to the unexpected.
Democracy is herding cats by design, and that is its burden and its strength. How else can you accommodate diversity; and how can you experience liberty without a diverse palette of responsible choices? And how can you support a diverse society without a certain amount of chaotic and sometimes frustrating complications? But we can do so and be existentially richer for it if we preponderantly act in good faith.
Thank you. Robert Hubbell, who writes an excellent newsletter and sometimes quotes you wrote yesterday on September 11, that his eldest granddaughter was born on September 11 two years ago and he also now responds to the date as a sign of hope for the future. My first day in Italy ever was a beautiful May afternoon on the magically peaceful Lago di Lugano. I have a photograph. I learned and understood later that at that moment anti-Mafia Judge Giovanni Falcone and his wife were blown up on his weekly trip to visit his mother in Sicily. Two Italys, both real, two September 11 both real.
I'm taking your marriage--and your sharing it--as a reminder of how in the midst of all that is 2022, how important it is to honor, enjoy, and live fully our personal lives, both profoundly and in small ways. Please continue to seize these days and let's all remember to have fun.
We are currently watching a series based on the aftermath of the killing of Falcone.....something called The Hunter. I have just been trying to find recipes for chicken cacciatore. I also cheering on the Ukrainians and I do hope this puts Putin in a very bad place. And I like all those subpoenas. As for mafia don at the his golf course, he is probably doing mafia type things, a gathering of goons and maybe lawyers who are still foolish enough to work for him.
Thank you so much for telling me this. Falcone is one of my heroes. We went to see the memorial tree for him in Palermo. My first trip to Italy adumbrated (?) day my meeting and marrying my husband from Liguria the following year. He is an amazing cook. If I knew how I'd ask him to send recipe. In the meantime, look in cookbooks of Bibi Gaggiano.
I'll try to find the TV series. There is a very good book about him by Alessandro Stille called the Excellent Cadaver. Stille also wrote (to me an even better) Benovolence and Betrayal: The Story of Five Jewish Families under Fascism.
Carol, your comment led me on such a fun romp this morning. I found the cookbook by Biba Caggiano on Amazon, grabbed a recipe from Pinterest, looked up the meaning of adumbrated, read the Wikipedia entry for Giovanni Falcone, looked up Excellent Cadavers on Goodreads and read some reviews, then got hooked by an advertisement there for 100 Saturdays which was illustrated by my favorite Maira Kalman, read a bunch of this stuff out loud to my husband, who is sitting beside me trying to read the news.
Yes, we’ve become a community of friends thanks to Heather.
LOL!
😅💙
Thank you for the tragic story of Judge Falcone and his wife, and "Benevolence and Betrayal." It reminded me of "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis." When I was 13 years old and on a class trip to New York City, our teacher took us to see this movie--it had a lifelong impact.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Garden_of_the_Finzi-Continis_(film)
loved that film
Thank you for the book suggestions. I am always looking. It is an addiction.
LOL. Me too! I have found so many good books from these suggestions! I just started Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean. After beginning it last night, I am thinking that maybe "we" are waking up to "the deep history of the radical right's stealth plan for America". It has been in the works for a very long time. Hopefully, we now have a 2nd chance to save our democracy!
Democracy in Chains is excellent. If you want to read a very good fiction book about WWII, I recommend The Lost Song of Paris by Sarah Steele. It completely absorbed me.
Thank you! I have added to my list!
I didn't know a thing about Falcone or the Anti Mafia group. Thank you for the heads up on cookbooks. Lucky you with a husband who is a fab Italian cook. The TV series we are getting through PBS. Also thank you for the book suggestions.
Think maybe tfg will offer his bff Putin a place to call his own at MAL when he flees Russia?
Read an article recently about Putin and why he'll never lose power the way he has set up and organized all his friends in top positions and his close military assasins who create "accidents" for his opposition. I can't find the article; it was excellent. Will keep looking later today
That festering boil encompassed by his now quivering lips is calling in all his "Chips" before they are all taken away, Eh!?
Carol Morrison Straforini
"...live fully, both profoundly and in small ways..."
AND
Congratulation in your Holy Matrimony. May you always strive to help each other become the love to each other that now awaits you as One in Paradise!
Oh Carol. Such a moving post and reminder. Thank you.
Someone commenting on a WaPo article said Putin was sending in his second-stringer soldiers; saving the well trained ones for a big assault TBD. Don't think so.
If he's conscripting prisoners he's already scraping the bottom of the barrel. They have no deeply held convictions to fight.
The latest secret weapon? Ukrainian women are cooking a hot meal for these kids and listening, really listening to their stories. These young soldiers are abandoning their posts; throwing down their weapons, stealing civilian clothes and bicycles, and blending in with the civilians. Never underestimate the power of a hot bowl of soup and a kindly grandmother.
I’m sure Putin has held back a few elite units, but they are not for a surprise attack on Ukraine. They are to protect him inside the Kremlin.
Cheryl The frightened young Russian soldiers fleeing the Ukrainian offensive in northern Ukraine remind me of the Congolese Army during the 1964 rebellion. The Congolese would back their trucks up to a hill and leave the motors running. When the shooting commenced, they would rush to the trucks and be off. A 200 mile scurry-and-run retreat may have set a Guinness World’s Record.
These troops, like the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton on 1776 Christmas Day, don’t want to die in a fraudulent ‘special military operation’ directed against a sovereign state with a courageous president and populous. Putin has a Potemkin army, from its generals down to many of its frightened front-line invaders.
Perhaps Bone Spur Donald should come to the assistance of his Putin buddy by joining the infamous Wagner Group. I’m sure that they would permit him to ride his golf cart into battle, with cheeseburgers and ketchup tucked close to his tummy.
We need to keep our elected insurrectionists here to face the music. We have historically let them go. We cannot this time. We have got to finish them this time if we want a future.
Loree I tend to agree that our ‘elected insurrectionists’ should remain here to face the music. However, as an historian I’d relish the opportunity to write about Bone Spur Donald as a modern-day Benedict Arnold. My working title: “American Traitors—from Benedict to Bone Spur.”
Great working title!
The Ukrainian media says they are snatching people out of homeless shelters for soldiers, Russian media say they aren't just snatching them, they're giving them worthless contracts promising to pay them. The Russians are also trying to hire any mercenaries they can. We should let our insurrectionists know. There's a place for them on Russia's front lines.
Wonder what's happened with all of those mercenaries Putin was expecting to import from Syria.
So glad for today's missive, but *honeymoon* a bit. xoxo
Speculating on what Trump is doing in DC and the identity of the other non golfers has surpassed Wordle as top online game.
The Twitter interpretations were entertaining, including those calling the meeting "mob-like."
A serious interpretation is from Dr. Jack Brown, an expert on body language and behavior analysis. https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1569530548930117632.html
Some pretty creative IDs going around. Some people had the entire Republican House on the ninth hole
I saw 1 report that said they were all at the 19th Hole.
trump doesn't drink, according to people who were on the Apprentice, he takes adderall.
Thanks Lee. I get a daily reminder of the need for humor from The New Yorker via "The Horowitz Report". Andy's quip today: "Benedict Arnold Wishes He Had Had a Special Master".
Bryan, why not go all the way?
'HELL (The Borowitz Report)—In a rare public statement, the late Benedict Arnold said that he would never have been remembered as the worst traitor in American history if he had had the benefit of a special master.'
'The disgraced military officer called his switching sides in the Revolutionary War “the kind of evidence that any special master worth his salt would have ruled out.”
One more thing, friend, Bryan McKown, In the Letter today, HCR provided CONCRETE reasons to HOPE. I think that ❤️s "Hope" is the thing with feathers Lyric by Emily Dickinson. What say you, McKown?
Illuminating; got to read some more Emily D. Update: Got it FERN; it"s from Emily D's Fasicle 13 written in 1861!
Bet he's selling plots on the course for further tax breaks.....
Plots of one sort or another.
Looks to me like he's showing the course off to potential buyers or investors.
So weird. I think they're going to turn the golf course into a cemetery.
It's in my county. He bulldozed all the trees and tossed them in the river. County gave him a slap on the wrist.
How interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Dr. Brown had two fascinating threads last year about the DC pipe bomber suspect and a related one about Marjorie Taylor Greene. Highly detailed and nuanced.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1440875459445542926.html
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1471702222396276743.html
👋 👋 👋
Hey, thanks! Dr. Brown makes sense.
Very interesting, Michael. Body language can tell us so much. Wish we could see their faces.
Probably attorneys.
MAGA stands for “Most Attorneys Get Attorneys “
Could be a planned distraction.
Yes, like a meeting with all his lawn maintenance men to get some adoration attention.
Maybe it’s related to his feelings of rejection by his beloved home of criminal incubation? LOL
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/nyregion/trump-golf-saudi-adams.html
"In September 2021, former vice president Mike Pence spoke in Budapest at a forum denouncing immigration and urging traditional social values, where he told the audience he hoped that the U.S. Supreme Court would outlaw abortion thanks to the three justices Trump put on the court." Yesterday, I went to the funeral of a 98 year old friend (I am a kid at 80). Speakers recalled that his proudest moment was when he became an American citizen. He had many proud moments. His family left Austria in the 1930s. When we traveled to Vienna he urged us to stop at his high school where he and other Jewish students had been required to clean the front steps with toothbrushes. This immigrant to the US had many proud moments -- joining the US Army when he turned 18, serving as a spy with the Ritchie Boys in a return to Europe and later in the war interrogating Nazis. After the war, back in the US, he became a successful businessman, wrote a memoir and two novels. Opposition to immigrants is an insult to his memory and the memory of the enormous number of immigrants who have made the United States a vibrant, interesting, and powerful country. Len Lubinsky, Len's Political Notes.
We are a nation of immigrants, genealogy reinforces that in almost every instance. It is heresy to pretend otherwise. It’s the “I got here on the boat before you, so I deserve to be here and you don’t.” How stupid, pathetic and an insult to Lady Liberty. My hope is that Dems get enough clout in the midterms to come up with an immigration overhaul that will acknowledge that diversity is the way of the future and describes the America that I always thought we were. Enough of the oligarchs and old guard, transplanted from European shores. Do I dream?
“We are a nation of immigrants” you wrote. And I would add, “. A nation of forced and unforced immigrants. Humans roam the earth and always will. Honoring the peoples we stole our land from, by at least creating a sustainable, just democracy, is the least we could do.
Mr. Lubinsky, thank you for the tribute to your friend. PBS had a piece on the Ritchie Boys recently; he was a true hero. And thank you for the way you put something I have been struggling to express: your last sentence is just the words I have been searching for.
Unless we are Native Americans, all of US are immigrants whether willing or brought in chains. We must continue to make progress toward democracy and not fall back on our ugly past mistakes that made some people horrifically rich and powerful.
Yes, indeed. Most of us are here because of immigrants in our ancestry somewhere. Some of those immigrants did marvelous things.
And many are here because their ancestors were forcibly brought to this country and their descendants treated shamefully for years. And, yet, many of them have done marvelous things, too.
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Well written, Leonard! Thank you. We learn from each other and spread it around.
Dang HCR! Take another day! We love you but sheesh. The news can wait. I’m glad you at least posted before 2:00 am….. We can entertain ourselves: we do it a lot here in the safe zone of your substack page.
"We can entertain ourselves..." Love it!
Like Wally on Leave it to Beaver.
All these interlocking very good news developments are on theme with your very good news on the home front. It must be gratifying to return to your labors and share reasons for us to feel optimistic.
Let's hope this trend continues when Judge Cannon rules next and you can assert the rule of law is winning. Her ruling will signal whether she's committed to doing Trump's bidding, slowing his prosecution for stealing classified documents, or committed to beginning to undo the legal travesties she's wrought.
Legal experts on MSNBC tonight had complimentary things to say about Trump's special master nominee Judge Raymond Dearie who was agreed to by the DOJ. So at least that's a relief.
https://twitter.com/AWeissmann_/status/1568567956614909953?s=20&t=U0mfnfMQ79qGtHECuJ3Org
As for Heather's Very Good News about her marriage and the gratification of returning to labors with optimism, we have an opportunity to match her pragmatism and tireless dedication with our own contributions to the cause. If folks haven't already, we can congratulate Heather on this wonderful occasion with a gift in the name of Heather & Buddy on the HCR-inspired Tending to Democracy Giving Circle site. Can we imagine her wanting anything more than helping to save democracy? Join us!
https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/1XQhnyD/Tending-to-Democracy
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Thanks for this Ellie. But I am missing something when I go to the "giving circle" grapevine link. There doesn't seem to be a description of how the funds are distributed. Who gets what?
I am a couple of keystrokes away from donating because I think this is brilliant. But I am not clear on where the money ends up.
From what I understand by October 3rd the group will decide which races are most in need of funding and will release funds to those campaigns.
Thank you, Bill. The States Project researches which are the most pivotal house races state by state, who needs funding, and distributes funds accordingly by October 3 so the identified candidates can focus on in-person events most effective for getting votes.
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Hi, Ellie! I donated, but can’t figure out how to join Tending to Democracy.
Hi Ashley, thank you so much! Please email:
tendingtodemocracy@gmail.com
and request the assistance of one of our two terrific troubleshooters (also from TN)!
Thanks again!
Thank you Professor for an early bird letter full of hope. My hope is that the American people start to realize what a Democratic government does for the people, all the citizens (still working on that) and not just white Christian males, which is what we see more and more from repubs who have embraced Orban and his ideals. I’m happy to see and hear President Biden speak to the American people about legislation and policies that are helping us all, no matter party affiliation or vote. Even more I hope we can live together in a country that cares for its children, the environment and believes in Science, Truth, Equality and Democracy. For now and the future. Yes, we have much work to do to get there. That’s my speech!
Irenie, over the weekend, I participated in an art fair here in MN - I make and sell bead woven jewelry. I often get people from Eastern Europe and Russia in my tent as they have hundreds of years of bead making and weaving traditions, and love to chat (and occasionally buy, lol).
On Sunday, a couple who emigrated here from Ukraine last March, came into my booth. I’d seen them several times this summer but this time they had an interpreter with them. She was an Art History professor in Kiev and had a bunch of questions for me. I was beyond delighted to chat with her and her husband about art and jewelry making.
While talking with the Ukrainian couple, another couple walked in and after listening for a moment, started chatting with the Ukrainians in what turned out to be Russian. They stepped out of the booth for a while and then stepped back in. The Russian-born pair, Mike and Irenie (!) and the Ukrainians asked a few more technical questions and then thanked me. Then Mike declared loudly, “We are brothers and sisters and neighbors, and we must act like it now and forever.” At which point I started crying tears of deep joy and gratitude. Wow, what a moment of hope in my tiny corner of the world.
Turns out that when meeting over art, differences recede and common interests and passions can step forward. And they shared their appreciation for being able to live in a country that cares for the environment, believes in science, offers opportunity and still believes in the rule of law. Then, with a smile, Irenie said, “we all must vote, no?” Yep!
Oh, Sheila, my first cry of the day! Thank you for sharing. You are my sister! I love your story. How beautiful to connect over art, over beauty and creativity. And respect. Not only connecting with our names. But heritage; my father’s parents originally from Lithuania, emigrated through Canada to Minnesota , where my father was born, 1913. And my other grandparents from Kiev. All Jewish. And other relatives (many lost in the wars or still in Kiev) but I am not able to contact, yet are still there, in Ukraine and lived (or still live) in Chernobyl. Grandparents who escaped the Czar in 1909. Who became citizens here and voted. It is my poetry and the reality of our world. Gratitude to you. And we will vote. It’s our heritage and our duty.
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Its always amazing to me how resilient and resourceful people have been to survive war and persecution, to emigrate and start over, and learn to survive and even thrive halfway around the world - where sadly, some of those same conditions occasionally rear their ugly heads. My ancestry is Irish, English and Scots, half Protestant, half Catholic. We all know where that led and I lived in Ireland in ‘77 & ‘78 at the height of “The Troubles.” Saw death and destruction first hand in Belfast while visiting a friend. Terrifying! Sisters indeed!
What a fabulous interaction you had! Art is the language of the world. As a musician, if I cannot speak a word of another person's language (nor they mine) we can share a stand and read the language of music together.
Never thought of that! Reading music is an international skill!! Whoop! (Laughing a bit - took piano lessons with one of the nuns at my school- who was Italian born. Yes, I learned how to read Italian because of her so I knew EXACTLY what speed to play in what section. Still laughing.....)
I had a friend give me some musical "funnies" regarding tempo. My favorite was "allaregreto", the conductor's regret at starting a piece too fast. I have to look stuff up sometimes....
🤣🤣🤣 (my mother, a violin player, is laughing hysterically from the beyond too.) Thanks Ally.
ha ha ha ha. Thanks, Ally. My laugh of the day.
Sheila,💙your posts! They often bring me to tears.
My art is ballet, my two teachers are Russian and Ukrainian( unable to return home and hired by the school’s owners after her recent tour in US)
I learn so much from them besides ballet. They are strong, resilient ,compassionate ,non-judgmental and with a wicked sense of humor…and at such a young age !They have experienced so much. And this 63-year-old is grateful for all those lessons learned…
One of the reasons I love doing art fairs is the people I meet - the world is so full of creative, amazing people! And Russians and Ukrainians come from such rich cultural traditions - what a great experience to be taught by some of the masters of ballet! I still try and see the Nutcracker around the holidays every couple of years. Kudos to you for keeping up with ballet. Makes my hip hurt just thinking about it, lol (i’m 68 - 12 hour days on my feet at art fairs is quite enough. On my toes? Not happening!)
Art and music, and Poetry, the universal language! And movement. Imagine children in every school in America (the world) learning music- singing, musical instruments/ with teachers who love them and are inspired. And daily art, hands on, tactile and not worried about evaluation and judgment. I want to be ten again with an inspired and loving teacher. And Poetry. Art for Social Change, for the joy of it, might bring Peace.
Tak!
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It seems to me that considering the general approval most Americans accord to democracy, our society provides strangely little discussion of what democracy is, what it matters, and how much of a feat is requires to pull off successfully. We are all taught to aim for "liberty and justice for all", but that's really a tall order. Liberty will mean many differing, sometimes competing, and sometimes conflicting agendas; and some choices are too irresponsible or predatory for society to tolerate. Even in an environment of good faith, there will be conflicting agendas, such as who gets to drive across an intersection first, so we need protocols to minimize dangers. And also need human rights to discourage a tyranny of the majority against minority races and others, and against choices that do no harm. I think that embracing democracy with all it asks requires a high degree of emotional maturity. If so, are we being adequately prepared for this?
And beguiling, "quick fix" quack alternatives are marketed aggressively. Yes, much work to do to get there.
"Many forms of government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time." - Churchill
JL, your Churchill quote is so appropriate. And add Human Rights and the rights of all beings. People, animals, plants, Planet Earth, equally.
It’s a good one. Irenie!!
Love your letter tonight so full of hope and goodwill for our future. I remember having a violin lesson as I was falling in love with the man who would become my husband. After playing for a few minutes my teacher stopped me and asked what had happened. Told him I had fallen in love and he nodded sagely. Congratulations on your marriage, Heather and Buddy!
Wonderful story Cathy! ❤️
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Love this story Cathy!!
Once again congrats! ❤️💕❤️ And while we I appreciate this update I'm certain we will all be able to endure a should you take a few more days off to celebrate 🍾 your honeymoon 😊.
"Hey Yuri, try to look like we're playing golf for those reporters' cameras over there. Listen, I need you to give me back the originals of the classified stuff I provided you. You can keep copies, but I've got to get the originals back really fast. Fast."
Congratulations you two, you look so sweet together and I wish you so much happiness.
“As recently as May 2021, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared a Russian propaganda video about its troops and suggested they were superior to the American military, which was trying to demonstrate that it includes all Americans equally. He tweeted: “Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea….”
which is all the proof we need that billionaire Libertarian Charles Koch pays Cruz ( and other GOP officials) through his dark $ PACs to protect his oil oligarchy. Putin takes advantage of this too through donations laundered through the NRA, the Christian evangelical PACs, and by nurturing white national groups and militias. The war in Ukraine is about oil and majority of oil suppling countries are authoritarian regimes. There is a link between these authoritarian regimes, the global oil oligarchy ( Koch’s being just one) to the GOP to not only maintain our dependence on oil and subvert a positive Climate Change agenda, but also to degrade democracies. Winning in Ukraine is vital to maintaining healthy and vibrant Western Democracies and the rule of law. We can then approach Climate constructively. By doing so we can build more equity into the middle class through investment, innovation, education, research, and usher in what will become the largest expansion of the global economy all the while protecting and spreading democracy.
Thanks for this reminder. The supremacy of oil also explains the unquestioning GOP embrace of the Saudis. I will never get over the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi, and in the days after, G W. Bush gave members of the Saudi royal family free movement to leave the US while every single plane was grounded, no questions asked.
And we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq from Saudi Arabia. Russia wanted us to consult them on all things “war on terrorism” because that what they do to stoke irrational fear and excess Nationalism…that always leads to imperial wars of conquest. In a way, our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan normalized wars like Russia’s invasion of Chechnya, Georgia, AND Ukraine. Wars by oil oligarchy/authoritarian regimes, and the oil companies love it, as it’s their opportunity to claim scarcity and raise prices artificially.
There were not even any golf clubs or bags on any of the golf carts.
They were clearly going to remote greens and teeboxes where their conversations couldn't be overheard.
One guy was wearing blue jeans. No one plays golf in blue jeans! Allegedly, a major golf faux pas. (My husband is not a golfer and showed up in jeans to play golf with a friend who is a golfer. His friend provided him with a pair of khakis before they headed out on the course.)
Too stupid (or, i hope, rushed?) to even set up a scene with proper props.
It's a plot
For a brief moment, I read "Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)" as "Senator Ted Cruz (Russia-TX)."
Exactly. Cruz’s only constituents are the oil oligarchs both foreign and domestic.
There are plenty of MAGAts where I live, even an old crone who has a TrumpPence sign on her door with 2020 marked through and 2024 inked in. Boy, is she behind the times.
Pretty big fail this morning as Poppy Harlow/CNN interviewing chevron’s CEO. Watch for Chevron ads on CNN now. Harlow did a soft interview, not critical at all even helping falsely explain price gouging consumers while also taking billions in subsidies from tax payers. The oh wait, oil and gas lobby promotional ad immediately followed the interview! CNN is lost! This is the economy of fossil monopoly & mass media, their mission to sell “clean gas” and economic insecurity fear over Climate Change.
Disgusting.
The only ones that matter.
"They claim that it is inefficient, making democratically led countries unable to react as quickly to the modern world as countries with a strong leader, "
Evolution is driven in part by efficiency; wild geese fly in formation for that very reason; and much of the evolutionary process is driven by the degree efficiency provides a survival edge; but that is only part of the story.
Evolution is also very much enabled by random recombinations, and also by for-its-own-sake exploratory behavior. It is powered by cooperation, conscious and opportunistic, as in the exhaust gas of green plants being O², which we need, and our's being CO², which they need. Cooperation extends down to the unicellular level.
Sexual reproduction is not very efficient, but it is resilient and creative. We as humans evolved to display a wide array of interests and talents, which we pool to become, apparently, the most creative creatures on the planet (for the good and the bad of that). We are, so far as I know, the only earthly creatures to have walked on the surface of the moon. Our science is replete with consequential discoveries that began with pure curiosity. Efficient? Fortune favors the prepared mind; prepared for a useful response to the unexpected.
Democracy is herding cats by design, and that is its burden and its strength. How else can you accommodate diversity; and how can you experience liberty without a diverse palette of responsible choices? And how can you support a diverse society without a certain amount of chaotic and sometimes frustrating complications? But we can do so and be existentially richer for it if we preponderantly act in good faith.
The good, the bad, and the ugly. Trod on humans