Occupy Wall Street did it for me. From there, my group of Boomers started working on voter registration. Now we are also waiting and watching for the demographic changes that will come to our red area. Some Zoomers and Millennials are taking over.
In between we fought (and won) a huge foreign fossil fuel scheme. This type of story is happening everywhere. The big projects come to smaller communities and promise them the moon and stars and then deliver pollution, housing crises, and a big boom during construction with the inevitable bust to follow. Worst of all, the jobs they promise turn into smoke and mirrors. They do not hire "local" people, because they need experts. And then here come the robots.......
In essence crazy, rich f-ers have united. They are giving us Project 2025, while they plan to control us during what they want to believe is the end time. Our military is being used and abused in this experiment. Time to point out how EXPENSIVE that is. Put it on a sign, write about it, and TEACH. Fight like Thom and Company. See you in the streets.
The problem with using and abusing the military is that they can be pushed to the point where they rebel. Never piss off the folks with all the weapons and the knowledge how to use them.
On a more benign level, keep using them where they are not needed, don't give them a cot, don't feed them properly, keep them from their jobs and family for nothing and they are going to hate you. One way to retaliate---your vote and the vote of your family.
On the other hand to your point, they have decided to arm them. Uh-oh.
It’s sad. So sad! We are the world’s wealthiest country. We just increased taxes on and stripped benefits from the poor—all to feed the WEALTHY. Uncaringly ruthless Republicans, bought off by the WEALTHY, have an agenda of pain and suffering for the poor, the needy, the sinking middle class. For heaven’s sake, give heathcare, childcare, food assistance, and LIVING wages to everyone. Charge the total cost to the WEALTHY billionaires. They cannot be satisfied, and need their greedy asses kicked for this carnage. They are funding the ruthlessness; they are gouging and gorging. To what purpose is their $ billions? Hoarding alone. Outlaw this hoarding! They cannot spend it all, yet they fund tax cuts only for themselves. Sound about right to you? I made protest signs for your upcoming protests. Protesting is now critical for Occupied D.C. We must fill the streets! There is just enough time to get signs printed for your protest group. Fill the hands of the signless with signs…or hoagies. Where are your signs? It is time to post them so that others can use them. FreeDC!
I’m a pre-boomer. I’m not sure they even named our generation. I grew up under our Opportunity economy. As a single mom with three kids and an ex who never paid child support, I was still able to make it.
You are in the same generation as I, the Silent generation.
The Silent Generation refers to people born roughly between 1925 and 1945, a cohort that experienced significant global events like the Great Depression and World War II. Known for their emphasis on conformity, hard work, and respect for authority, their experiences shaped them to be cautious and less rebellious than subsequent generations, leading to their "silent" moniker. Key historical events for this generation include the Dust Bowl, the disruption of childhood during World War II, and the era of McCarthyism, which fostered a desire to remain inconspicuous.
Characteristics and Historical Context
Born During Hardship:
This generation grew up during a period of economic hardship, the Dust Bowl, and the uncertainty of World War II.
Conformity and Authority:
They were raised to respect authority and believed in collective action, contrasting with the more anti-establishment views of the subsequent Baby Boomer generation.
Impact of World War II:
The war significantly disrupted their childhoods, with many children evacuated from cities, and a disruption in education and supervision.
McCarthyism:
The fear of communism during the McCarthy era also reinforced the generation's tendency towards conformity and caution in public life.
Korean War:
Many soldiers in the Korean War, which began in 1950, came from the Silent Generation, a conflict that deeply affected them.
Why "Silent"?
The name reflects a 1951 TIME article that described the younger generation at the time as "working fairly hard and saying almost nothing," highlighting their quiet and compliant nature.
This silence also stemmed from a desire to avoid attention and controversy, especially during the era of McCarthyism.
However the eptithet does not describe me. I've been rebellious since I was 12 years old.
I certainly had a disruptive childhood, moving from place to place as my father found jobs and then moving in with my grandparents when he was in the army during WWII. In the long run, I think it was beneficial as I gradually changed from conservative Republican to liberal Democrat. That was because, in moving from place to place, I met different people and lived in different circumstances that changed my outlook.
The major change now is that we abandoned our post WWII Opportunity economy and adopted a predatory form of capitalism that has brought the country to the brink of fascism. We have to keep fighting.
You got that right Barbara, we abandoned our Opportunity Economy for a predatory form of capitalism. I thank you for the adjective, because captialism per se is not the enemy. Captialism is essentially the incentive to invest time and resources in hope of a reward tomorrow, and were it not for capitalism there would have been no Jamestown, no Plymouth Rock, no USA and no Barbara, William or any other reader of substack.
The prosperity of America has not changed from the 1990s. It has increased each year as shown by the GDP. The sharing has decreased. The impact was not felt until probably after 2010, but that decrease in sharing started in the late 1970s. Presently the greater share of the GDP goes to the upper 10%.
Increase in productivity was once shared more evenly with workers. Worker pay when adjusted for inflation has stagnated since the 1970s. The amount once shared with workers went to executive pay, increased shareholder dividends and buybacks. Focusing on buybacks. It’s estimated that corporations spent about 1 trillion on buybacks in 2024.
The money spent on buyback could go to Increase worker pay and not affect the sky-high executive pay nor dividends nor increase product price. Take the example of Lowe’s:
In 2022, Lowes bought back $13 billion in shares. The company could have given
each of its 325,000 employees $40,000. Instead, worker median pay fell
This is the kind of stuff that every activist should know. In Florida, data geeks can tell you registered voters who voted and who didn't. The subcontractors are on a state by state basis, but during to 2024 cycle I was a volunteer for several of them. I was a member of out local executive committee.
With repect to registrations, Field Team 6 uses different sub-contractors that don't rely on voter rolls to identify unregistered folk to should trend heavily Democratic. They use other "data mining" like buying histories and social contacts to establish an individual profile. Registration laws vary from state to state. E.G. in the swing states we could register people electronically, whereras in Tejas, it is verbotten.
Others have software that identifies every political donor.
Many of the people involved have PhDs in computer science and Field Tem 6 had formwer advertising company CEOs volunteer.
That questoin,"why" is the subject of several programs as we speak.
AI: VAN is primarily a voter file that serves as the backbone for grassroots organizing, enabling campaigns to focus their resources on the most important voters.
Targeted outreach: Campaign staff can create custom "universes" of voters based on criteria such as location, voting history, demographics, and contact data. This allows for a focus on specific segments, such as mobilizing supporters or persuading undecided voters.
Ballot tracking: The system can track which voters have requested or returned a ballot for absentee or early voting. This allows campaigns to focus get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts on supporters who have not yet voted, preventing wasted effort.
Efficient and mobile field operations
VAN's companion mobile app, MiniVAN, streamlines field operations, replacing old-fashioned paper walk lists with a digital solution.
Real-time data synchronization: Canvassers use MiniVAN to record voter data and survey responses directly into the database. The information syncs instantly, allowing campaigns to get real-time feedback and avoid manual data entry errors.
Scripting and volunteer management: Organizers can create and manage canvassing scripts that volunteers can access on their phones. The app also allows for monitoring volunteer progress in the field.
Cost savings: Digital canvassing reduces printing costs and saves the time and labor required for manual data entry.
Integrated fundraising and donor management:
VAN software is tightly integrated with NGP, a related platform that handles campaign fundraising and compliance.
Centralized donor data: The system maintains comprehensive donor records and tracks engagement history across multiple channels, including email and mobile messaging.
Targeted fundraising: Campaigns can use data to identify potential new donors and create custom reports to boost fundraising efforts.
Compliance reporting: NGP software helps campaigns file accurate and complete campaign finance reports with built-in accountability measures and audit trails.
Volunteer and event management
The platform includes tools to manage volunteers and events, which can be shared with supporters to boost engagement.
Automated event sign-ups: Organizers can create branded sign-up forms for in-person and virtual events, with participant information automatically flowing back into VAN.
Volunteer recruitment: The Mobilize platform, acquired by NGP VAN, helps campaigns recruit and manage volunteers for both events and field operations.
Scalable and reliable technology
The VAN platform has been proven to scale for large and demanding campaigns.
Extensive track record: NGP VAN's software has been used by nearly every major Democratic campaign, including presidential campaigns.
High performance: The system powered a record number of contact attempts during the 2024 election cycle with 100% uptime, demonstrating its reliability under high stress.
I think the psy ops is still effective as despite the tyranny of MAGA, we are losing Dems.
All politics is local and what's important in one place means nothing elsewhere. In some states, like Pa, the history of turnout is in dispute. Challenges to the voter array was filed in 5 counties, but is not being investigated by the Republican AG. Trump "won" by 121.000. Around 1.45 million did not cast a ballot.
As with all dreams, one eventually has to wake up. All the American Dream has been is a will-o-the-wisp, a phantasm. Our good fortune has been based on others' misery and the defiling of our environment to feed our insatiable appetite for more - and more...
While the Dream appeared real for many of us, others suffered so that we might slumber a little while longer. So now we are to save this American Dream for future generations, even though many would be refused entry even were the table to be overflowing with food and wealth. Better we wake up, care for ALL our brothers and sisters, and nurse our wounded planet/mother back to health, even if it means giving up next year's iPhone or that long-planned trip to the Seychelles. This planet is for all of us, not just for the fortunate few.
I just saw a news article that people in the 25-34 year age bracket are living very differently than their parents and grandparents did. As was reported:
For decades, four milestones often stood in for "made it": move out, get a job, marry, have kids. In 1975, nearly half of 25- to 34-year-olds had checked all four boxes. New Census data reveals that in 2024, less than one-quarter did. The most common pattern now? Young adults living on their own and in the labor force -- but not necessarily married or parenting (about 28%). In short: Economic steps are outpacing family steps.
Some of this is likely the normal demographic transition to smaller families and later marriages that developed countries typically take. But it appears evident that the "American Dream", if younger people even want the traditional steps, is becoming far too costly. I don't see how they will ever catch up, especially given the quality of far too much of America’s public education system.
Cost prohibitive, and they are not stupid enough to think being married and having kids is for everyone. Every milestone you mentioned will not make you happy, but it will absolutely add to one's stress.
My gay nephew and his partner live in a small apartment, focus on travel, and making memories. Both have good jobs---they simply don't want to catch-up.
Do you want to live in debt for life, get married and have kids. To raise a child to adulthood a couple of years ago cost over a quarter of a million dollars, and then they aren't appreciative, they bitch and hate you because you give them time outs, or limit computer time, and if you don't give them a cell phone, or a car with they are 16,you are guilty of child abuse.
Family plans for cell phones, streaming subscriptions for TV or cell phones, not to mention designer sneakers and clothes, got to keep up with their peers, and food yegads over priced crap.
It can happen, and you can do everything right and still end up with kids who are messed up. But some may appreciate you more as they get older. My kids were handfuls, and in totally different ways and I didn't expect they'd figure it out. But with the good foundation of home life (especially what my wife did) they got it. One's now a top manager at a big corporation, the other is a judge. I see the same thing when substitute teaching; in a class of 20 junior high kids most of them can't sit still and study, have terrible skills and they expect they'll all be professional sports stars. But a couple sit down, work hard, have focused goals and know how to think. Some did it on their own, most have parents who have the time and willingness to pay attention to them. Again, that is increasingly hard in our society but some get there. The rest? I don't see how we can have a functioning democracy with what the public schools are producing, and maybe that is the point.
Modern though discounts genetics in favor of environment, it is the old nature vs nurture argument, but both are correct.
Take the case of Ted Bundy. Ted was the result of a raped waitress, Adopted by a loving Christian Family in north Tacoma, WA. When he was eight, his parents found that he had snuck out the bathroom window. someone sighted him kicking dirt in a ditch on the University of Puget Sound, where they had laid pipe, at the same time, on the same day, a young girl about his age disappeared, her body was never found.
Then there is the Mendez brothers.
I served with a Captain, whose wife couldn't have children, so they adopted a child, again the offspring of a rapist and waitress. They showered him with love, attention, education but early on he started manifesting extreme antisocial behaviors.
I know of a man, born to a service man, and a 17 year old mother, that separated, when he was 6, he grew up in poverty, a high school drop out, and became a commissioned officer with an advanced degree.His mother had no time to pay attention to him, too busy trying to feed the family and too obsessed with her own travails.
And there are those born to wealth and privilege who become criminals, addicts, commit suicide and are a bane on society like Robert F Kennedy Jr.
The public schools have been taken over and subverted by right wing extremists, and those teachers that don't fall in line find themselves unemployed.
IMHO he has nailed the younger generation, especially males. AI: Scott Galloway sees young men in Western countries as a cohort in crisis, struggling with mental health, economic prospects, and finding purpose. He and Anthony Scaramucci have co-hosted a podcast called Lost Boys to explore these challenges. Galloway argues that while society has rightfully focused on the progress of women, it has neglected the declining trajectory of young men, leading to a void that is often filled by destructive influences.
I used to live in West Virginia. We all knew Manchin was a DINO. His conservative track record contradicted his sudden "Come to Jesus" moment. Too bad no one outside of the state believed us.
"If we can just get out enough votes to retake the House, hold the Senate and the White House, and get a few more states to flip like Michigan and Wisconsin have done, there’s considerable hope for the future of this nation."
There's that Hartmann optimism again. I don't mean being able to overcome gerrymandering and dirty campaigning, but thinking that Trump doesn't have a contiguency plan for the eventuality that the Democrats win control of one or both houses of Congress is naive.
How can those of us who are realistic about his ambitions to a dictator and already seeing how far he is willing to go by mobilzing the people with guns to take over cities be sanguine about Democrats stopping his juggernaut? Let's not forget how long it took the Allies to get strong enough to mount D-Day.
I'm a few years older than you, Thom, but like you I was part of the anti-war movement at Michigan State (I was in social work grad school) and even with all student protest success in moving public opinion against the war, it was a confluence of factors that led to LBJ stopping the war. In fact, one of the greatest elements that helped end the war was the Kent State massacre, and that couldn't have been planned. Today, if the same thing happened, or something even worse, I have the grim thought that Trump and MAGA would say the demonstrators had it coming since their protest wasn't authorized.
I know it is human nature to avoid being overcome by despair, and many who have a public form avoid sounding hyperbolic (Trump calls them victims of Trump derangement syndrome). However, there are time when we have to swallow a very bitter pill and admit that the metaphorical train has left the station and is just about to enter the gates of Aushwitz. Once inside, you don't get out until the forces for good liberate you, and in WWII that took years.
Mr. Brown, so nice to meet a fellow Spartan. I earned my PhD there a long time ago.
I think the war against the Vietnamese people ended because finally, the morons in Washington realized the U.S. was losing. Also, too many American mothers saw their brave, precious sons come home, hidden from public view, at an airbase in Dover Delaware or Travis base in California, IN PLASTIC BAGS. Kent State was tragic. But unimportant in the thinking of the war mongers in Washington D.C.
In WWll the Russians lost 26+ million while the U.S. lost 400k+. Nevertheless we are told the Americans defeated the Germans.
Two nuclear bombs convinced the Japanese emperor to step in and stop the war in the Pacific. Yet Americans are told they fought the Japanese to defeat.
The war against the Korean people was a defeat for the Americans. They threw us out.
The war against the Vietnamese was a defeat for the Americans. They threw us out.
The war against the Iraqi people was a defeat. They threw us out.
The war against the people of Afghanistan was a defeat. They through us out.
The proxy war against Russia in Ukraine is being lost to the Russians.
Ukrainian people are paying the terrible price with their precious blood.
Hal, I agree with your sentiment entirely. Before I noticed your comment, I wrote a note below saying much the same. THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION. We need people like Thom to keep us informed and to inspire us. BUT WE NEED TO ACT NOW. Not to prevent an authoritarian takeover. It has happened. But to prepare the ground for the next generation of "forces for good" to liberate an entire country imprisoned in Plutocracy, Fascism and Lies. Neither you nor I will live to see the recovery, but we must fight to help it happen.
Consider how long it took from the Nazi takeover until D-Day. Big difference, Hitler had most of Germany behind him, Trump has less than half, but Trump so far has the mulitary. This could change but would mean a soft or a hard coup.
Your interview with Velshi today was excellent. You made the point,again (and have tried again and again on air and in your letters) that saving democracy starts at the precinct level and if you want to save democracy, start by signing up for precinct chair and attending the local precinct before you pick up that sign.
The Republicans did, and that built the Tea Party, which has morphed into MAGA, while the Democrats have thrown all money and effort into the General election..
And you pointed out that there are 26 Congressional districts in which there are no Democratic precincts and opposition, the Republican reps run unopposed , talk about safe seats.
All politics is (and are) local. We've been successful in finding candidates to run in Gerrymandered Republican districts. In Florida we had candidates in those districts, but they all lost.
Thom's point is that elections start at the local level, as you say, but Democrats have not been emphasizing on the local level. It is incredible that there are 26 Representatives that were elected unopposed.
The party is suppose to be a bottom up party, but it is run top down, with no apparent real interest in the local, district, level. Apparently Baghdad by the sea is an exception to the rule.
It's local candidates who register and make sure that people vote. Some places are so Gerrymandered that elections are a waste of time and money.
I've been at this since my dad ran for DA the first time. I think I was 12. Pennsylvania. I worked in losing campaigns in Ohio and Kentucky before I was a lawyer. My wife in Baltimore. In DC.
There are some candidates who will listen, but they are rare. They hire "experts" who usually don't know the lay of the land.
Dems can win in red states and rural areas if they replicate the Andy Beshear/Jimmy Carter model. Holier than the opponent.
My friend, Moe Davis is running in a red district in N. Carolina. He plays the guitar and sings. https://moedavis.com/
At the same time we can identify every POTENTIAL Dem voter, register them and get them to show up. I can look at VAT and VAN and the data in say, Virginia and tell you what's wrong.
In March 2024, in a few hours Field Team 6 registered about 30,000 new Dems in N Carolina alone. If the candidates co-operate, this can be replicated. https://www.fieldteam6.org/. The DNC can not legally affiliate with them.
Well for sure, Democrats had best start learning to talk like Joe the plumber.
It is a fact that the Republican voter, be he MAGA, libertarian, or old guard conservative is racist, homo and transphobic and believes his a victim of DEI, and rubbing it in his face, doesn't hack it, even the ones on the margins that would be inclined to vote for single payer, universal education, and cut taxes for Joe Six pack while raising them for the wealthy, but the Democratic party has lost the messaging war, in fact it never actually engaged, ceding the high ground to the Republicans, who have employed the tactics of Jude Wanniski, Frank Luntz, Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove.
Democrats have been too GOOD to stoop that low, and have lost, not only elections but this country to the white Christian nationalists.
After going over to the dark side, Newsom appears to have pulled back sojme, we need more.
Most def, the fix is in, From voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, poll watching (with armed men). vote caging, and machine tampering (like PA)
There are 8 million Democrats in Tejas and 6 Million Republicans. I think that Wisconsin is in the same boat, but both states are so gerrymandered that Republicans always win.
Gerrymandering can only occur when a party controls the legislature and the Executive (a trifecta)
The deciding vote in Texas as the Latino vote, you would think that because of the DEI reputation of the Democrats, that the Latino vote would be Democrat, alas that seems not be the case, and the only accounting for it I have is that they vote so called family values, which is in essence patriarchal, misogynist and homophobic.
By example I present Mayra Flores, Texas 34th, herself a naturalized former illegal alien, she is anti immigrant and as MAGA as they come, her big thing is "family values"
It seems that "family values" "trumps" everything, of course "family values" is code. And the Latin culture is very conservative, and patriarchal.
This is what the Democratic party is up against Daniel. And I've read statements by Latin's who have been picked up by ICE, who voted for Trump, and I surmise still will. Narcisco Barranco didn't vote, as he is illegal, but he was a Trump humper as were his sons, Marines.
From AI generative:
Reports from 2025 detail multiple instances of Latino immigrants and U.S. citizens who supported or voted for Donald Trump being arrested or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These cases have led to public outcries from family members and some Latino Republicans, who cite the irony of the situation given their support for Trump's immigration policies.
Noteworthy arrests and detentions
Jensy Machado: A naturalized U.S. citizen from Virginia, Machado was detained in March 2025 by ICE agents who surrounded his truck with guns drawn while looking for another man. Machado, who voted for Trump in the 2024 election, was released after his U.S. citizenship was confirmed. He told reporters he was reconsidering his support for Trump, believing that ICE was "just following Hispanic people" and not just targeting criminals as he had assumed.
Brian Gavidia: An American citizen from Los Angeles, Gavidia was detained by ICE in 2025 despite his citizenship. A former Trump voter, he is now part of an ACLU lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's enforcement tactics.
Ariel Conde: The husband of a Cuban immigrant who voted for Trump, Conde was taken into ICE custody in June 2025 during a residency hearing. Despite his wife Elena telling him he had nothing to worry about, he was transferred to a detention center in Texas.
Arpineh Masihi: A vocal Trump supporter and legal permanent resident, Masihi was detained by ICE in June 2025 following a decade-old burglary conviction. Masihi, a Christian Armenian Iranian, was released after her green card was revoked. Even while in detention, she expressed support for Trump, stating, "He's doing the right thing because lots of these people don't deserve to be here".
Broader impact and data
Latino Republican reaction: The arrests of Trump-supporting immigrants have generated worry among Latino Republican lawmakers in 2025. Some have voiced concerns that the administration's aggressive enforcement tactics are undermining due process and harming immigrants who are following the law.
Questioning support: A July 2025 NPR report highlighted that some Latino voters, particularly those in areas with high Cuban and Venezuelan populations that supported Trump, are beginning to question their vote.
Shift in ICE arrest data: A July 2025 analysis of ICE data showed that under the second Trump administration, a smaller share of arrestees were convicted criminals compared to the Biden administration's last year. The analysis revealed that ICE sweeps were increasingly catching individuals for minor offenses like traffic violations or strictly immigration-related violations.
Thom, you wrote: "If we can just get out enough votes to retake the House, hold the Senate and the White House, and get a few more states to flip like Michigan and Wisconsin have done, there’s considerable hope for the future of this nation." Isn't that an ENORMOUS IF, especially considering how quickly and thoroughly Trump and Project 2025 are dismantling fair elections?
I think it is time to consider more drastic approaches for dealing with the current Authoritarian Takeover. We need to stop ranting and raving in a futile effort to alleviate our worst fears and to fool ourselves into believing that screaming will have some effect.
There will be NO American dream for generations unless all those who believe in truth, democracy and equality rise up NOW and start to recover our lost democracy.
Really, we do not need more Comments on posts. We don't need to hear ourselves TALK. We need swift action. As a medical doctor, the analogy might be: We don't need to talk about the physiology of infection. We need to cut off the gangrenous leg, or remove the suppurating appendix. NOW.
I hope we can find some crusaders to rise up and lead us to battle, win or lose.
What resonates with me is that there were times of struggle in our nation’s history but also the opportunity to figure it out - and that is the scary part. By taking away the opportunity we are doomed.
Even with our own children there were times we wondered given their individual struggles how they would become self sufficient and they have. In our blended family there was trauma they had to overcome.
They are still dealing with the trauma even as they make their way in the world. Just as we all did.
The oldest is my step-daughter and is a PHD who struggles with addictions and the side effects of sexual abuse at the hands of her mother. The second is my stepson struggles from the abuse as well and is a successful family marriage counselor/ owner of his own clinic, raising a family of three children. My oldest child is an attorney and a child I knew would not have a problem becoming a self sufficient adult. My second a boy (man now) who seems to be making great strides right now despite suffering from schizophrenia and the one who is the most outwardly appreciative of what we have done to help him.
I was always encouraging of them as individuals because each set of children had their own trauma to deal with. They didn’t get every new fad out there but what they needed. We helped them through undergraduate universities degrees.
Captain, my Captain, I’m sure we need things to happen the House and such then we will be hopeful for these things to happen. I hope we get there though. Always, great reading Thom. Really.
Crazy. Rich. Fascists.
Occupy Wall Street did it for me. From there, my group of Boomers started working on voter registration. Now we are also waiting and watching for the demographic changes that will come to our red area. Some Zoomers and Millennials are taking over.
In between we fought (and won) a huge foreign fossil fuel scheme. This type of story is happening everywhere. The big projects come to smaller communities and promise them the moon and stars and then deliver pollution, housing crises, and a big boom during construction with the inevitable bust to follow. Worst of all, the jobs they promise turn into smoke and mirrors. They do not hire "local" people, because they need experts. And then here come the robots.......
In essence crazy, rich f-ers have united. They are giving us Project 2025, while they plan to control us during what they want to believe is the end time. Our military is being used and abused in this experiment. Time to point out how EXPENSIVE that is. Put it on a sign, write about it, and TEACH. Fight like Thom and Company. See you in the streets.
The problem with using and abusing the military is that they can be pushed to the point where they rebel. Never piss off the folks with all the weapons and the knowledge how to use them.
On a more benign level, keep using them where they are not needed, don't give them a cot, don't feed them properly, keep them from their jobs and family for nothing and they are going to hate you. One way to retaliate---your vote and the vote of your family.
On the other hand to your point, they have decided to arm them. Uh-oh.
It’s sad. So sad! We are the world’s wealthiest country. We just increased taxes on and stripped benefits from the poor—all to feed the WEALTHY. Uncaringly ruthless Republicans, bought off by the WEALTHY, have an agenda of pain and suffering for the poor, the needy, the sinking middle class. For heaven’s sake, give heathcare, childcare, food assistance, and LIVING wages to everyone. Charge the total cost to the WEALTHY billionaires. They cannot be satisfied, and need their greedy asses kicked for this carnage. They are funding the ruthlessness; they are gouging and gorging. To what purpose is their $ billions? Hoarding alone. Outlaw this hoarding! They cannot spend it all, yet they fund tax cuts only for themselves. Sound about right to you? I made protest signs for your upcoming protests. Protesting is now critical for Occupied D.C. We must fill the streets! There is just enough time to get signs printed for your protest group. Fill the hands of the signless with signs…or hoagies. Where are your signs? It is time to post them so that others can use them. FreeDC!
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/sign-off-i-call-for-a-sign-off?r=3m1bs
DC in September.
https://removalcoalition.org/
I’m a pre-boomer. I’m not sure they even named our generation. I grew up under our Opportunity economy. As a single mom with three kids and an ex who never paid child support, I was still able to make it.
You are in the same generation as I, the Silent generation.
The Silent Generation refers to people born roughly between 1925 and 1945, a cohort that experienced significant global events like the Great Depression and World War II. Known for their emphasis on conformity, hard work, and respect for authority, their experiences shaped them to be cautious and less rebellious than subsequent generations, leading to their "silent" moniker. Key historical events for this generation include the Dust Bowl, the disruption of childhood during World War II, and the era of McCarthyism, which fostered a desire to remain inconspicuous.
Characteristics and Historical Context
Born During Hardship:
This generation grew up during a period of economic hardship, the Dust Bowl, and the uncertainty of World War II.
Conformity and Authority:
They were raised to respect authority and believed in collective action, contrasting with the more anti-establishment views of the subsequent Baby Boomer generation.
Impact of World War II:
The war significantly disrupted their childhoods, with many children evacuated from cities, and a disruption in education and supervision.
McCarthyism:
The fear of communism during the McCarthy era also reinforced the generation's tendency towards conformity and caution in public life.
Korean War:
Many soldiers in the Korean War, which began in 1950, came from the Silent Generation, a conflict that deeply affected them.
Why "Silent"?
The name reflects a 1951 TIME article that described the younger generation at the time as "working fairly hard and saying almost nothing," highlighting their quiet and compliant nature.
This silence also stemmed from a desire to avoid attention and controversy, especially during the era of McCarthyism.
However the eptithet does not describe me. I've been rebellious since I was 12 years old.
Got kicked out of High School in 1956.
I certainly had a disruptive childhood, moving from place to place as my father found jobs and then moving in with my grandparents when he was in the army during WWII. In the long run, I think it was beneficial as I gradually changed from conservative Republican to liberal Democrat. That was because, in moving from place to place, I met different people and lived in different circumstances that changed my outlook.
The major change now is that we abandoned our post WWII Opportunity economy and adopted a predatory form of capitalism that has brought the country to the brink of fascism. We have to keep fighting.
You got that right Barbara, we abandoned our Opportunity Economy for a predatory form of capitalism. I thank you for the adjective, because captialism per se is not the enemy. Captialism is essentially the incentive to invest time and resources in hope of a reward tomorrow, and were it not for capitalism there would have been no Jamestown, no Plymouth Rock, no USA and no Barbara, William or any other reader of substack.
Would that be the Depression Generation? IDK
American Dream? I think you're referring to the corporatist / libertarian nightmare.
The prosperity of America has not changed from the 1990s. It has increased each year as shown by the GDP. The sharing has decreased. The impact was not felt until probably after 2010, but that decrease in sharing started in the late 1970s. Presently the greater share of the GDP goes to the upper 10%.
Increase in productivity was once shared more evenly with workers. Worker pay when adjusted for inflation has stagnated since the 1970s. The amount once shared with workers went to executive pay, increased shareholder dividends and buybacks. Focusing on buybacks. It’s estimated that corporations spent about 1 trillion on buybacks in 2024.
The money spent on buyback could go to Increase worker pay and not affect the sky-high executive pay nor dividends nor increase product price. Take the example of Lowe’s:
In 2022, Lowes bought back $13 billion in shares. The company could have given
each of its 325,000 employees $40,000. Instead, worker median pay fell
7.6 percent to $22,6977. https://ips-dc.org/report-executive-excess-2022/
It’s information like this that can help to form policies to return that more even sharing of the wealth to the middle and working classes.
It depends so much on active participation. And we, here in the United States, don’t have a great, consistent, history of that.
I had so much hope in 2020. So many attending rallies before the primaries — and then they didn’t show up to vote.
Who didn't show up to vote, and more importantly why? Those are the questions not honestly asked, because no one wants to hear the answers.
I have some opinions, but opinions are like assholes.
We have data to show it. We can match the voter rolls with our VAN. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGP_VAN. I describe it in detail below.
This is the kind of stuff that every activist should know. In Florida, data geeks can tell you registered voters who voted and who didn't. The subcontractors are on a state by state basis, but during to 2024 cycle I was a volunteer for several of them. I was a member of out local executive committee.
With repect to registrations, Field Team 6 uses different sub-contractors that don't rely on voter rolls to identify unregistered folk to should trend heavily Democratic. They use other "data mining" like buying histories and social contacts to establish an individual profile. Registration laws vary from state to state. E.G. in the swing states we could register people electronically, whereras in Tejas, it is verbotten.
Others have software that identifies every political donor.
Many of the people involved have PhDs in computer science and Field Tem 6 had formwer advertising company CEOs volunteer.
That questoin,"why" is the subject of several programs as we speak.
AI: VAN is primarily a voter file that serves as the backbone for grassroots organizing, enabling campaigns to focus their resources on the most important voters.
Targeted outreach: Campaign staff can create custom "universes" of voters based on criteria such as location, voting history, demographics, and contact data. This allows for a focus on specific segments, such as mobilizing supporters or persuading undecided voters.
Ballot tracking: The system can track which voters have requested or returned a ballot for absentee or early voting. This allows campaigns to focus get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts on supporters who have not yet voted, preventing wasted effort.
Efficient and mobile field operations
VAN's companion mobile app, MiniVAN, streamlines field operations, replacing old-fashioned paper walk lists with a digital solution.
Real-time data synchronization: Canvassers use MiniVAN to record voter data and survey responses directly into the database. The information syncs instantly, allowing campaigns to get real-time feedback and avoid manual data entry errors.
Scripting and volunteer management: Organizers can create and manage canvassing scripts that volunteers can access on their phones. The app also allows for monitoring volunteer progress in the field.
Cost savings: Digital canvassing reduces printing costs and saves the time and labor required for manual data entry.
Integrated fundraising and donor management:
VAN software is tightly integrated with NGP, a related platform that handles campaign fundraising and compliance.
Centralized donor data: The system maintains comprehensive donor records and tracks engagement history across multiple channels, including email and mobile messaging.
Targeted fundraising: Campaigns can use data to identify potential new donors and create custom reports to boost fundraising efforts.
Compliance reporting: NGP software helps campaigns file accurate and complete campaign finance reports with built-in accountability measures and audit trails.
Volunteer and event management
The platform includes tools to manage volunteers and events, which can be shared with supporters to boost engagement.
Automated event sign-ups: Organizers can create branded sign-up forms for in-person and virtual events, with participant information automatically flowing back into VAN.
Volunteer recruitment: The Mobilize platform, acquired by NGP VAN, helps campaigns recruit and manage volunteers for both events and field operations.
Scalable and reliable technology
The VAN platform has been proven to scale for large and demanding campaigns.
Extensive track record: NGP VAN's software has been used by nearly every major Democratic campaign, including presidential campaigns.
High performance: The system powered a record number of contact attempts during the 2024 election cycle with 100% uptime, demonstrating its reliability under high stress.
Thanks, it seems that the tools are available, but they don't answer my question.
"Who didn't show up to vote, and more importantly why?"
The answer isn't simple. As the reasons are many, but can be sussed out.
Any answers? The cynic in me just says they only wanted to party.
We wuz robbed.
I think the psy ops is still effective as despite the tyranny of MAGA, we are losing Dems.
All politics is local and what's important in one place means nothing elsewhere. In some states, like Pa, the history of turnout is in dispute. Challenges to the voter array was filed in 5 counties, but is not being investigated by the Republican AG. Trump "won" by 121.000. Around 1.45 million did not cast a ballot.
As with all dreams, one eventually has to wake up. All the American Dream has been is a will-o-the-wisp, a phantasm. Our good fortune has been based on others' misery and the defiling of our environment to feed our insatiable appetite for more - and more...
While the Dream appeared real for many of us, others suffered so that we might slumber a little while longer. So now we are to save this American Dream for future generations, even though many would be refused entry even were the table to be overflowing with food and wealth. Better we wake up, care for ALL our brothers and sisters, and nurse our wounded planet/mother back to health, even if it means giving up next year's iPhone or that long-planned trip to the Seychelles. This planet is for all of us, not just for the fortunate few.
Share or steal, that's the choice we must make.
I just saw a news article that people in the 25-34 year age bracket are living very differently than their parents and grandparents did. As was reported:
For decades, four milestones often stood in for "made it": move out, get a job, marry, have kids. In 1975, nearly half of 25- to 34-year-olds had checked all four boxes. New Census data reveals that in 2024, less than one-quarter did. The most common pattern now? Young adults living on their own and in the labor force -- but not necessarily married or parenting (about 28%). In short: Economic steps are outpacing family steps.
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/aug/23/first-things-first-key-adult-milestones-are-not/
Some of this is likely the normal demographic transition to smaller families and later marriages that developed countries typically take. But it appears evident that the "American Dream", if younger people even want the traditional steps, is becoming far too costly. I don't see how they will ever catch up, especially given the quality of far too much of America’s public education system.
Great points, doc.
Cost prohibitive, and they are not stupid enough to think being married and having kids is for everyone. Every milestone you mentioned will not make you happy, but it will absolutely add to one's stress.
My gay nephew and his partner live in a small apartment, focus on travel, and making memories. Both have good jobs---they simply don't want to catch-up.
Do you want to live in debt for life, get married and have kids. To raise a child to adulthood a couple of years ago cost over a quarter of a million dollars, and then they aren't appreciative, they bitch and hate you because you give them time outs, or limit computer time, and if you don't give them a cell phone, or a car with they are 16,you are guilty of child abuse.
Family plans for cell phones, streaming subscriptions for TV or cell phones, not to mention designer sneakers and clothes, got to keep up with their peers, and food yegads over priced crap.
It can happen, and you can do everything right and still end up with kids who are messed up. But some may appreciate you more as they get older. My kids were handfuls, and in totally different ways and I didn't expect they'd figure it out. But with the good foundation of home life (especially what my wife did) they got it. One's now a top manager at a big corporation, the other is a judge. I see the same thing when substitute teaching; in a class of 20 junior high kids most of them can't sit still and study, have terrible skills and they expect they'll all be professional sports stars. But a couple sit down, work hard, have focused goals and know how to think. Some did it on their own, most have parents who have the time and willingness to pay attention to them. Again, that is increasingly hard in our society but some get there. The rest? I don't see how we can have a functioning democracy with what the public schools are producing, and maybe that is the point.
Modern though discounts genetics in favor of environment, it is the old nature vs nurture argument, but both are correct.
Take the case of Ted Bundy. Ted was the result of a raped waitress, Adopted by a loving Christian Family in north Tacoma, WA. When he was eight, his parents found that he had snuck out the bathroom window. someone sighted him kicking dirt in a ditch on the University of Puget Sound, where they had laid pipe, at the same time, on the same day, a young girl about his age disappeared, her body was never found.
Then there is the Mendez brothers.
I served with a Captain, whose wife couldn't have children, so they adopted a child, again the offspring of a rapist and waitress. They showered him with love, attention, education but early on he started manifesting extreme antisocial behaviors.
I know of a man, born to a service man, and a 17 year old mother, that separated, when he was 6, he grew up in poverty, a high school drop out, and became a commissioned officer with an advanced degree.His mother had no time to pay attention to him, too busy trying to feed the family and too obsessed with her own travails.
And there are those born to wealth and privilege who become criminals, addicts, commit suicide and are a bane on society like Robert F Kennedy Jr.
The public schools have been taken over and subverted by right wing extremists, and those teachers that don't fall in line find themselves unemployed.
I couldn't sit in my seat...
My wife and I watch Scott Galloway. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Galloway_(professor)#:~:text=or%20national%20security.%22-,Personal%20life,resided%20in%20London%20since%202022.
Programs with Kara Swisher and Jessica Tarlov. Tarlov btw, is great. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtQ-jBytlXCZRdJWyl1O_0Ee2ZBce6jCd
IMHO he has nailed the younger generation, especially males. AI: Scott Galloway sees young men in Western countries as a cohort in crisis, struggling with mental health, economic prospects, and finding purpose. He and Anthony Scaramucci have co-hosted a podcast called Lost Boys to explore these challenges. Galloway argues that while society has rightfully focused on the progress of women, it has neglected the declining trajectory of young men, leading to a void that is often filled by destructive influences.
We also watch Scaramucci in several venues. W/Katty Kay. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_6zDbB-zRec2U5IW4bbt-2lGcoGasW_M
What young men need is sex!
It's too costly even for two full-time workers.
I used to live in West Virginia. We all knew Manchin was a DINO. His conservative track record contradicted his sudden "Come to Jesus" moment. Too bad no one outside of the state believed us.
Who he really was, was evident from the guest list on his Yacht/Houseboat; Almost Heaven.
"If we can just get out enough votes to retake the House, hold the Senate and the White House, and get a few more states to flip like Michigan and Wisconsin have done, there’s considerable hope for the future of this nation."
There's that Hartmann optimism again. I don't mean being able to overcome gerrymandering and dirty campaigning, but thinking that Trump doesn't have a contiguency plan for the eventuality that the Democrats win control of one or both houses of Congress is naive.
How can those of us who are realistic about his ambitions to a dictator and already seeing how far he is willing to go by mobilzing the people with guns to take over cities be sanguine about Democrats stopping his juggernaut? Let's not forget how long it took the Allies to get strong enough to mount D-Day.
I'm a few years older than you, Thom, but like you I was part of the anti-war movement at Michigan State (I was in social work grad school) and even with all student protest success in moving public opinion against the war, it was a confluence of factors that led to LBJ stopping the war. In fact, one of the greatest elements that helped end the war was the Kent State massacre, and that couldn't have been planned. Today, if the same thing happened, or something even worse, I have the grim thought that Trump and MAGA would say the demonstrators had it coming since their protest wasn't authorized.
I know it is human nature to avoid being overcome by despair, and many who have a public form avoid sounding hyperbolic (Trump calls them victims of Trump derangement syndrome). However, there are time when we have to swallow a very bitter pill and admit that the metaphorical train has left the station and is just about to enter the gates of Aushwitz. Once inside, you don't get out until the forces for good liberate you, and in WWII that took years.
My Substack: https://halbrown.substack.com
Mr. Brown, so nice to meet a fellow Spartan. I earned my PhD there a long time ago.
I think the war against the Vietnamese people ended because finally, the morons in Washington realized the U.S. was losing. Also, too many American mothers saw their brave, precious sons come home, hidden from public view, at an airbase in Dover Delaware or Travis base in California, IN PLASTIC BAGS. Kent State was tragic. But unimportant in the thinking of the war mongers in Washington D.C.
In WWll the Russians lost 26+ million while the U.S. lost 400k+. Nevertheless we are told the Americans defeated the Germans.
Two nuclear bombs convinced the Japanese emperor to step in and stop the war in the Pacific. Yet Americans are told they fought the Japanese to defeat.
The war against the Korean people was a defeat for the Americans. They threw us out.
The war against the Vietnamese was a defeat for the Americans. They threw us out.
The war against the Iraqi people was a defeat. They threw us out.
The war against the people of Afghanistan was a defeat. They through us out.
The proxy war against Russia in Ukraine is being lost to the Russians.
Ukrainian people are paying the terrible price with their precious blood.
When will it stop? Will it stop? Ever?
I agree. Good to hear from you.
Hal, I agree with your sentiment entirely. Before I noticed your comment, I wrote a note below saying much the same. THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION. We need people like Thom to keep us informed and to inspire us. BUT WE NEED TO ACT NOW. Not to prevent an authoritarian takeover. It has happened. But to prepare the ground for the next generation of "forces for good" to liberate an entire country imprisoned in Plutocracy, Fascism and Lies. Neither you nor I will live to see the recovery, but we must fight to help it happen.
Consider how long it took from the Nazi takeover until D-Day. Big difference, Hitler had most of Germany behind him, Trump has less than half, but Trump so far has the mulitary. This could change but would mean a soft or a hard coup.
Your interview with Velshi today was excellent. You made the point,again (and have tried again and again on air and in your letters) that saving democracy starts at the precinct level and if you want to save democracy, start by signing up for precinct chair and attending the local precinct before you pick up that sign.
The Republicans did, and that built the Tea Party, which has morphed into MAGA, while the Democrats have thrown all money and effort into the General election..
And you pointed out that there are 26 Congressional districts in which there are no Democratic precincts and opposition, the Republican reps run unopposed , talk about safe seats.
All politics is (and are) local. We've been successful in finding candidates to run in Gerrymandered Republican districts. In Florida we had candidates in those districts, but they all lost.
No mention of VAT or VAN.
Thom's point is that elections start at the local level, as you say, but Democrats have not been emphasizing on the local level. It is incredible that there are 26 Representatives that were elected unopposed.
The party is suppose to be a bottom up party, but it is run top down, with no apparent real interest in the local, district, level. Apparently Baghdad by the sea is an exception to the rule.
It's local candidates who register and make sure that people vote. Some places are so Gerrymandered that elections are a waste of time and money.
I've been at this since my dad ran for DA the first time. I think I was 12. Pennsylvania. I worked in losing campaigns in Ohio and Kentucky before I was a lawyer. My wife in Baltimore. In DC.
There are some candidates who will listen, but they are rare. They hire "experts" who usually don't know the lay of the land.
Dems can win in red states and rural areas if they replicate the Andy Beshear/Jimmy Carter model. Holier than the opponent.
My friend, Moe Davis is running in a red district in N. Carolina. He plays the guitar and sings. https://moedavis.com/
At the same time we can identify every POTENTIAL Dem voter, register them and get them to show up. I can look at VAT and VAN and the data in say, Virginia and tell you what's wrong.
In March 2024, in a few hours Field Team 6 registered about 30,000 new Dems in N Carolina alone. If the candidates co-operate, this can be replicated. https://www.fieldteam6.org/. The DNC can not legally affiliate with them.
Well for sure, Democrats had best start learning to talk like Joe the plumber.
It is a fact that the Republican voter, be he MAGA, libertarian, or old guard conservative is racist, homo and transphobic and believes his a victim of DEI, and rubbing it in his face, doesn't hack it, even the ones on the margins that would be inclined to vote for single payer, universal education, and cut taxes for Joe Six pack while raising them for the wealthy, but the Democratic party has lost the messaging war, in fact it never actually engaged, ceding the high ground to the Republicans, who have employed the tactics of Jude Wanniski, Frank Luntz, Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove.
Democrats have been too GOOD to stoop that low, and have lost, not only elections but this country to the white Christian nationalists.
After going over to the dark side, Newsom appears to have pulled back sojme, we need more.
Those are "light blues" in that they wish to be like bluebloods. The model for Dems is to seem holier than the opponent --Jesus trumps Trump.
Not too many success stories in Confederate states, but they have more suceptibility to "faith." Georgia is a case study. 2 Dem senators.
If we can outregister in Tejas, which demographically votes against its own population, we can win an election.
I'd say the hope for a real election is 30% to 70% because the fix is in.
Most def, the fix is in, From voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, poll watching (with armed men). vote caging, and machine tampering (like PA)
There are 8 million Democrats in Tejas and 6 Million Republicans. I think that Wisconsin is in the same boat, but both states are so gerrymandered that Republicans always win.
Gerrymandering can only occur when a party controls the legislature and the Executive (a trifecta)
The deciding vote in Texas as the Latino vote, you would think that because of the DEI reputation of the Democrats, that the Latino vote would be Democrat, alas that seems not be the case, and the only accounting for it I have is that they vote so called family values, which is in essence patriarchal, misogynist and homophobic.
By example I present Mayra Flores, Texas 34th, herself a naturalized former illegal alien, she is anti immigrant and as MAGA as they come, her big thing is "family values"
It seems that "family values" "trumps" everything, of course "family values" is code. And the Latin culture is very conservative, and patriarchal.
This is what the Democratic party is up against Daniel. And I've read statements by Latin's who have been picked up by ICE, who voted for Trump, and I surmise still will. Narcisco Barranco didn't vote, as he is illegal, but he was a Trump humper as were his sons, Marines.
From AI generative:
Reports from 2025 detail multiple instances of Latino immigrants and U.S. citizens who supported or voted for Donald Trump being arrested or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These cases have led to public outcries from family members and some Latino Republicans, who cite the irony of the situation given their support for Trump's immigration policies.
Noteworthy arrests and detentions
Jensy Machado: A naturalized U.S. citizen from Virginia, Machado was detained in March 2025 by ICE agents who surrounded his truck with guns drawn while looking for another man. Machado, who voted for Trump in the 2024 election, was released after his U.S. citizenship was confirmed. He told reporters he was reconsidering his support for Trump, believing that ICE was "just following Hispanic people" and not just targeting criminals as he had assumed.
Brian Gavidia: An American citizen from Los Angeles, Gavidia was detained by ICE in 2025 despite his citizenship. A former Trump voter, he is now part of an ACLU lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's enforcement tactics.
Ariel Conde: The husband of a Cuban immigrant who voted for Trump, Conde was taken into ICE custody in June 2025 during a residency hearing. Despite his wife Elena telling him he had nothing to worry about, he was transferred to a detention center in Texas.
Arpineh Masihi: A vocal Trump supporter and legal permanent resident, Masihi was detained by ICE in June 2025 following a decade-old burglary conviction. Masihi, a Christian Armenian Iranian, was released after her green card was revoked. Even while in detention, she expressed support for Trump, stating, "He's doing the right thing because lots of these people don't deserve to be here".
Broader impact and data
Latino Republican reaction: The arrests of Trump-supporting immigrants have generated worry among Latino Republican lawmakers in 2025. Some have voiced concerns that the administration's aggressive enforcement tactics are undermining due process and harming immigrants who are following the law.
Questioning support: A July 2025 NPR report highlighted that some Latino voters, particularly those in areas with high Cuban and Venezuelan populations that supported Trump, are beginning to question their vote.
Shift in ICE arrest data: A July 2025 analysis of ICE data showed that under the second Trump administration, a smaller share of arrestees were convicted criminals compared to the Biden administration's last year. The analysis revealed that ICE sweeps were increasingly catching individuals for minor offenses like traffic violations or strictly immigration-related violations.
Thom, you wrote: "If we can just get out enough votes to retake the House, hold the Senate and the White House, and get a few more states to flip like Michigan and Wisconsin have done, there’s considerable hope for the future of this nation." Isn't that an ENORMOUS IF, especially considering how quickly and thoroughly Trump and Project 2025 are dismantling fair elections?
I think it is time to consider more drastic approaches for dealing with the current Authoritarian Takeover. We need to stop ranting and raving in a futile effort to alleviate our worst fears and to fool ourselves into believing that screaming will have some effect.
There will be NO American dream for generations unless all those who believe in truth, democracy and equality rise up NOW and start to recover our lost democracy.
Really, we do not need more Comments on posts. We don't need to hear ourselves TALK. We need swift action. As a medical doctor, the analogy might be: We don't need to talk about the physiology of infection. We need to cut off the gangrenous leg, or remove the suppurating appendix. NOW.
I hope we can find some crusaders to rise up and lead us to battle, win or lose.
What resonates with me is that there were times of struggle in our nation’s history but also the opportunity to figure it out - and that is the scary part. By taking away the opportunity we are doomed.
Even with our own children there were times we wondered given their individual struggles how they would become self sufficient and they have. In our blended family there was trauma they had to overcome.
They are still dealing with the trauma even as they make their way in the world. Just as we all did.
The oldest is my step-daughter and is a PHD who struggles with addictions and the side effects of sexual abuse at the hands of her mother. The second is my stepson struggles from the abuse as well and is a successful family marriage counselor/ owner of his own clinic, raising a family of three children. My oldest child is an attorney and a child I knew would not have a problem becoming a self sufficient adult. My second a boy (man now) who seems to be making great strides right now despite suffering from schizophrenia and the one who is the most outwardly appreciative of what we have done to help him.
I was always encouraging of them as individuals because each set of children had their own trauma to deal with. They didn’t get every new fad out there but what they needed. We helped them through undergraduate universities degrees.
Captain, my Captain, I’m sure we need things to happen the House and such then we will be hopeful for these things to happen. I hope we get there though. Always, great reading Thom. Really.