The American people begged their leaders to stand up to Trumpism. Instead, their Senate “leader” sold them out. When courage becomes optional, democracy becomes impossible...
A lot of good it does to whine and play victim. The remedy is fight, fight, fight show the same aggression that the Republicans have,. They mobilize around the culture war, and don't back off from a fight, in fact they start them.
The Democratic response, "go high when they go low" and the result is rrght in front of our eyes. Trump has remade the W H into Mar a Lago north, because he isn't going to leave. And he has 3 1/2 year to ensure that is going to happen.
So Trump commits murder on the high seas in contravention of international ;law , he invades our cities, arrests people without a warrsnt or due process, he ignores the Supreme Court, violates the constitution with impunity and concern destroys the W H to remake it in his own image as his own personal possession. he wilfully and with impunity steals from the tax payer, makes commitments with, and business deals with foreign countries, friendly and hostile. Accepts gratituties from foreign countries.
Punishes his adversaries, rewards and pardons his friends. and we are not held captive by a dictator?
What is the reality Daniel? That the law and a handful of lower court judges are going to save us? Really.
Lower court rules against Trump, Applleate court agrees, defendant appeals to SCOTUS, and SCOTUS denies the appeal with shadow docket.
Supreme court rules against Trump, Trump ignores supreme court ruling.
What did I get wrong there Daniel.?Examples.
The deck is stacked against us, the law is not going to save us, Trump commands the law, well Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation/Federalist Society does.
The institutions are in the hands of the enemy. Hitler commands the Reichstag, the military, the courts, the police.
All we have left is collective action, a general strike, a national intifada.
Daniel,I agree with you in some of your posts and enjoy the give and take you have with William.However I think it is time for either the Democratic party or other groups to stop,playing defense. It is time to go on the offense against local and state Republicans .SDurely their some Dems with the brainpower and guts to design an offensive strategy.
In my district North Fulton,outside of Atlanta,I have a Rep "Rich McCormick" who is 100 maga,an airforce guy who signs off with " Semper Fi" .He supports the " Nazis" in every issue. He is the consummate " asshole" He send out his little weekly emails and I respond by telling him what an asshole he is.
Of course we are all frustrated, but folks need to keep in mind the realities of how our political system works. Dems do not have the power in Congress right now to 'force' Repugs to do anything.
Further prolonging the shutdown would not change that fundamental balance of power, and would give opportunities to folks like Miller and Vought to do even more damage. More importantly, the human suffering from the shutdown was increasing daily. It was always going to be the Democrats who ultimately took the action to alleviate that.
What Dems through the shutdown did accomplish was to help make clearly visible just how mean, selfish and frankly evil the Repugs have become ... which paid big dividends in last Tuesday's elections...and helped set the stage for Dems to retake actual political power in Congress in 2026.
Unfortunately, too many Dems want to engage in intra-party warfare that if not contained...will guarantee the Repugs keep total control after 2026.
Folks need to keep their eye on the prize. To avoid a complete fascist dictatorship, Dems need to win a majority in at least one of the two chambers.
If people can't see and appreciate the difference between total control by the Trump/MAGA/fascists and having at least some real political power held by Democrats (including some 'weak moderates'), then God help us.
Trump is planning to corrupt the mid term elections. The American democratic system was broken when Trump and his MAGA fascists took over the federal government. It does not seem Schumer can comprehend just how big a disaster America is in, because since the rise of the neoliberal "New Democrats" in the 1990s, people like Schumer have been a big part of the problem of inequality and the collapse of belief in democracy that gave birth to Trump and MAGA. There will be no overall election victory for the Dems in 2026, however many intend to vote for them. This is the world of hyper corrupt elections.
Lara: We have seen that Schumer will do everything in his power to make sure that MAGA wins all the elections for a long time to come. He will try to keep it out of the public eye, but he will take the actions below the radar that he can. And he will keep on pretending that he wants the Dems to win. What does he have to gain from this treacherous campaign?
Schumer and the Democrat leadership will lose a great deal. I know the capture of the German Weimar democracy by Hitler, was made possible by miscalculation by conservative elites. Getting beyond the smoke and noise of the street battles of the time, these elites were afraid of the radical changes proposed by the socialists in a time of economic crisis. They believed Hitler would need the conservatives in order to rule, and so they told themselves they would become a moderating force to Nazism. They persuaded themselves that Hitler's extremism was a political tactic. Obviously seems absurd now. Since Carter when the Republicans and Democrats adopted neoliberal economics, the leadership of the Democrats have become the conservatives in this comparison, the radical left Democrats are the socialists, while the Republicans through Trump and MAGA have moved to autocratic far right ethno-nationalism and so are the Nazis in this comparison.
In this comparison Hitler's enabling Great Depression economic crisis, is mirrored by the crisis of the rise of inequality in America which is now at 1930 levels (together with debt of all types) when expressed as percentage of GDP. In Germany when Hitler seized power millions of workers were starving, but it was the middle class who voted Nazi, stung by economic status anxiety created by the depression and the loss of savings (inflation, and loss WW1 bonds).
Clearly Trump-MAGA intends an effective dictatorship. How extreme it will become depends on how much power Trump and MAGA can appropriate by taking control of the federal government structure. Hannah Arendt in "Origins of Totaliatarianism" described how dictatorships with unchallenged power enter a vortex of self radicalization, as occurred in Hitler's and Stalin's regimes. Autocratic governments without resources and facing rival centres of power are restrained in their journey to extremism.
The federal budget (including transfers to states) is around five times bigger than the combined budgets of states. The budget of the national armed forces is around twenty five times bigger than the combined budgets of the national guards controlled by the states. America's long history of stable democracy and economic power has resulted in a powerful federal government. Since the 1980s as inequality, status anxiety and so ethno-nationalism has grown the democratic system that controls the federal government has become broken. This leaves a powerful state in the hands of a committed aspiring far-right autocrat like Trump. Expect extremism from him and his MAGA successors. Schumer and the democrat leadership will just be swept aside if Trump succeeds, just as the German conservative enablers of Hitler were. They are making an avoidable miscalculation with ruinous consequences for America.
This wasn’t a compromise; it was a séance. The Schumer era keeps trying to resurrect the centrism of the ‘90s, whispering “triangulate” into a world that’s already burned down the triangle.
When leadership becomes an inheritance instead of an act, you get governance by ghost.
You (and I) have no clue how this will turn out. It may be negotiation strategy. It's not over. It will bring the House back to session. Jeffries says he'll hold the line. May lead to further negotiations.
Hopefully it'll be Epstein time. The most recent revelations involve money laudering allegations.
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Since you don't watch MSNBC Daniel. I'll summarize last nights how with Lawrence O'Donnell. He went to lengths to explain to us, how it is that the the caucus leaders have their own rooms into which they repair for discussion, no media allowed and it gets ugly and it once went to blows. Point is that the Minority (and Majority) leader really don't have that much control over their caucus.
Admittedly he wad defending Schumer, and I will give him that, in this case, not in the last Continuing resolution though.
The problem with the current CR is the eight Democrats what voted with the Republicans are the same eight Democrats that have voted with the Republicans to confirm Trump's cabinet. I made an effort to research every cabinet appointment, as to which Democrats voted for their confirmation. Almost always the following, who also voted to pass the CR
These are the Democrats dumb enough to consider trusting the GOP and caving. The following Dems gave up all leverage and might as well be Republicans.
Call them if they're your Senator.
Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada
John Fetterman Pennsylvania
Dick Durbin Illinois
Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire
Maggie Hassan New Hampshire
Tim Kaine, Virginia
Jacky Rosen Nevada
I take note that all of the above have a history of voting with Republicans in the past, especially in the confirmation process
I have had them on my list as DINO's or Conservadems.
Tim Kaine and Shaheen said that the Republicans made some promises. And yet again they are falling like Charlie for Lucy with the football.
Mike Johnson has said that Sen Thune's commitment does not apply to the house, .
Not to mention that Shaheen and Hasan represent NH which is home to some of the biggest insurance companies, and boy did they benefit from passage of the Continuing Resolution, while millions of Americans go into bankruptcy and die because they can't afford insurance.
Mastos and Rosen represent Las Vegas (in reality) and Las Vegas is run by the casino owners, like Steve Wynn and Miriam Addelson
Go to Opensecret.org and search the names of the above for their donors and who gets their loyalty.
William,excellent post. I was surprised with the vigor Lawrence O"Donnell supported Shumer last night,especially with the increasing # of people and pols who are asking Shumer to step down. Unfortunately he is "Old School" where you could talk to your opponents and they might listen. In the " Nazi" model /there are no concessions,only aggression and of course follow the Trump mentor rules of Roy Cohn. 1.Attack,attack,attack 2. Admit nothing,deny everything 3. Always claim victory,never admit defeat.
William,I did not realize they all voted for they voted for Trumps cabinet,total sellouts.
Lawrence attitude and position are understandable, As he admitted he was inside the room where shit happens., and few people are not even the media.
He is a stalwart part of the institution, and institutionalist, a compromisor, that is why he was hired by MSNBC, and they make salaries in the millions, even an "analyst" gets $10,000 a hit every time they show up on a show.
Like a lot of old codgers, who worked their way up from the inside, they can't grasp that there has been a seismic shift in the political landscape,they believe the old rules still apply. That the system they grew up in worked in devoted their life to still applies.
Many years ago I was sitting at the bar of the NCO club, and this old grey haired gent, noticed that we had jump wings, he was a WWII vet, and started o regale us, then he talked of being able to roll up his chute with the best of them.
Until after WWII, we didn;t have quick releases (got that idea from the Germans), that enabled you to separate the chute and risers so you wouldn't bet dragged, then they had to get up and roll on the chute to keep it from getting inflated and carry you off.
In my day they had chutes that looked like mushrooms and for special ops they were biddable because they had slits in the back and cords to pull which would open and close the slits. Now they have chutes that look like boxes, and special ops have oara gliders and I know nothing about them.
Lawrence is like that old gent who jumped on Normandy, or the tank driver of a Sherman or the pilot of a P-51.
Things change, procedures, change policies change, attitudes change.
Congress has gone through many changes since he worked as an aide.
You are right,as much as I have liked him in the past there is little doubt he believes in the rules which is commendable but not realistic. We are fighting a "Nazi" gov't,the rules have changed and it is time the message goes out that will adopt the Roy Cohn model.
We’ll see, and you may be right. But people still have every right to be frustrated by how this played out, and by how something as fundamental as healthcare costs keeps getting lost in the fog of process wars. We’re now in the ninth year of democratic drift, where governing feels more like surviving inertia than shaping the future.
When this happened in March, I published how my staff and I were never repaid for lost wages for the Obama era variation on this theme when Tommy Perez determined that judges were not "necessary" to the operation of government.
When facts are in equipoise, I had to take out my decisional coin...in a judicial setting, the burden of proof determies the outcome. In a legislative setting, there is no burden of proof.
That’s a powerful way to put it, as in politics, without the burden of proof, is only momentum. Feels like the citizen’s role has become exactly that: jujitsu in the dark.
At first, a large number of FBI agents had access to ALL the Epstein Files. Patel screwed-up the scrub. There are going to be witnesses that saw the actual recordings and pictures:
Americans have been trained to freak out at the sound of the word "socialism", but democratic socialism, by any other name, is what they clearly want. And they want a party that represents that viewpoint with a full heart. Corporate power must be subdued, not accommodated.
Don't use words like socialism. Instead get specific about what people really want. Also use some real historical perspectives. Tell people what real progressive ideas were and not the garbage that POS and Fox are feeding them.
This is your best piece ever, Thom Hartmann. Anniversaries will do that to you. May you have many more. Your insights into the problems that confront the Democratic Party are profound. I agree that Schumer is complicit. The fix was in. You can try to convince me that Schumer was not in on the deal. His whip (not running in 2026) was a leader in the GOP CR passing. Indeed Shumer’s Whip was the Whip of the treasonous Cabal of 8. Talk about conflict of interest. Jeanne Shaheen is also not running. Tim Kaine was safe. All others are up in 2028 but think you will have forgotten by then. What a tangled subterfuge. I am working on an ancillary piece focused of where we go from HERE. I will quote you, if you don’t mind. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/pieces-of-8-shit?r=3m1bs
What do you think of this idea? (From Substack author Christopher Armitage):
“States control the mechanism to stop it.
Employers across blue states withhold federal taxes from worker paychecks every year and send that money straight to the IRS. State legislatures can order them to stop.
Pass a law requiring every employer in the state to redirect federal tax withholdings to a state escrow account instead of D.C. The money then sits in state control. Does the federal government want access? Then they can submit to independent audit proving funds will be allocated according to congressional appropriations, not redirected through executive action.
Demonstrate spending complies with constitutional limits and active court orders. Prove compliance with anti-commandeering doctrine and due process protections. Pass the audit, get the money. Fail it, the billions stay in escrow until constitutional compliance can be verified.”
During the Vietnam War, tax protestors were prosecuted. My local bar association fiiled amicus briefs in support of Amish employers who refused to withhold SS and other taxes. We lost.
To view the link one has to sign up for Jerry Weiss substack, and I am not signing up for anymore substacks.
Summarize Jerry Weiss's plan, for those that don't want to have to sign up for another substack.
It already takes me half a day to clear my inbox.
If anything goes to SCOTUS. we know how they will rule, so it is past time for Governors to give SCOTUS the finger, just as Trump does. That's the only way to save us.
I've had to start cutting back on my Substack subscriptions because I just can't keep up with them. I have too many interests and if I'm not careful, I get more them I can possibly read.
Wow, I like it. Finally a solution, but there is a problem. ICE agents violate state and municipal law, while governors and mayors talk big and tough, they do nothing, all they have to do is direct the State and municipal police to arrest those that break the law.
Good idea. Since Trump and MAGA fascists took over the federal government and embarked on their paln to destroy democracy, America has ceased to have a democratic federal government. In this case a new federal government has to be created, until free and fair democratic elections can be restored. A kind of second Continental Congress, the original was the federal government of the states until the Revolutionary War was won. another ideas to stop Trump would be tens of millions swearing in public to defend American democracy.
I blame his stroke in part. It can and does affect how people think/act, sometimes very drastically. i.e. the soft spoken grandmother who turns into a foul-mouthed psychotic and violent person.
“Federal spending conceals systematic constitutional violations funded by blue state revenue. California remits over $400 billion annually in federal withholding taxes. That money pays for ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles conducted over state objections. New York sends hundreds of billions that fund DOJ prosecutions targeting Democratic officials. Illinois revenue deploys National Guard units to Chicago despite the governor’s explicit refusal to cooperate. Federal agents conduct immigration raids without warrants or probable cause in Democratic cities, violating active court injunctions. The administration ignores judicial orders whenever they don’t agree with them. Blue states finance an apparatus that occupies their own territory, corruptly prosecutes their own officials, and violates their own constitutionally codified authorities.”
And then Trump WITHHOLDS EMERGENCY FUNDS to the blue states.
The problem is that the Democratic party is convinced that it has to slop at the same trough as the Republicans and they spend their time trying to elbow each other out of the way, the problem is that the Republicans get the bigger slop, as they are more corporate compromised than the Democrats.
Back in 2016, a lone wolf from Vermont, by name of Bernie Sanders, proved that they don't need corporate funding, that a motivated and believing public will fund them, but that was too risky, because it meant advancing policies that actually put their individual portfolios at risk.
Here is the nasty secret about politics. For what ever reason a person gets involved, they soon became part of the animal, forgetting why they got involved in the first place, all that matters is the survival of the creature, because survival of the creature means your own personal survival.
In this congress 179 members have law degrees.The salary of an average lawyer is approximately $136,000 to $151,000 per year, though this can vary significantly based on location, experience, and specialty
And unless a partner in a large firm, you are struggling for clients and billing hours.
Being a member of Congress nets you $174,000 a year, plus Cadillac health benefits paid for by the tax payer.
And when you retire, you get a pension and are employed by a lobbying firm, with whom you had formed a relationship
While there is no single, universally agreed-upon percentage, data from recent years shows that a significant portion of former members of Congress become lobbyists, with some reports suggesting over 50% or even two-thirds of former members joining the lobbying industry after leaving office. For example, a study on the 115th Congress found that nearly 60% of retired or defeated members found jobs in lobbying.
Retired generals and flag officers, even Colonels and Senior NCO's wind up as managers and executive in defense companies. (I've known a few in my time)
The bottom line is that politics has been dirty for a very long time—always?
This whole concept that one hand washes the other, etc., so many of these sayings, Quid pro quo, BS. It all boils down to what are you going to give ME? This is the greed that humanity seems to always eventually succumb to when dealing as a member of a large group that depends upon each other for moving in any direction. Cooperation turns into self feeding.
What is due is never enough—some want more and more while others stand waiting only to get fed up and give in to the lowest common denominator and the greedy get larger in scope.
Our system of economics and government is designed to foster this, it feeds in our weaknesses. It’s nothing more than a loop. Nothing changes in our system because so many refuse to change themselves. In this case, majority rule just causes more of the same crap, because the majority refuse to change and grow—they perpetuate.
So many of us now, feel frustrated and defeated because the whole scenario feels like the dung beetle rolling his prize up the hill, everything we do leads to the same.
Đilas posited that the new class' specific relationship to the means of production was one of collective political control, and that the new class' property form was political control. For Đilas, the new class not only seeks expanded material reproduction to politically justify its existence to the working class but also seeks expanded reproduction of political control as a form of property in itself.
As I said, our system of government and economics fosters—agrees with—our base human nature. I’d go so far as to say it encourages our least common denominator of character.
This can and has to change as we humans change. This is human nature.
You are living in the past Daniel, This was the political system we had.
Typical, thinking that we are still in a boxing ring, with Marquis of Queensbury rules, when in fact we are in an Octagon, an MMA cage match.
Yes the immediate threat is fascism, and we are knee deep in it Daniel. It is all around us, it is no longer a threat but a reality, the slime of fascism is on the skin of us all, and if we don't strike back it will be inside of us as well,, parts of America have already ingest fascism and become the beast that we fear.
Persuading Trump and his whores at the Supreme Court and on the Hill to stop card-counting and marking cards is like trying to get Willie Sutton to stop robbing banks. They can't . . . It just pays too well.
What we have to do is recognize this lethal gop virus for what it is. Then attack it using its strengths against it.
Me? I'm picketing the White House today to try to save the West Wing before he replaces it with a ceremonial crypt for himself.
Maybe you can stop in some Republican House members' offices and ask them to sign the Trumpepstein petition. Get the lay of the land. Check out the staff. Eat lunch in the House cafeteria.
Placing all your hopes on the Discharge petition is a fools errand.
Here is what is going to happen if, the petion is signed and delivered to the speaker.
He will sit on it, let it ripen, and when he moves he will bring HR 4405 to the floor for a vote, at that time the Republicans will vote against it, to a person, except perhaps for MTG, Massie, Boebert and Mace, that is if one or more of them haven't withdrawn their names from the petition
Johnson will create a committee to review the files in secret of course, the petition will be sent to Bondi, who will sit on it, and if she does comply, the files she forwards will have been scrubbed and redacted.
And all the while time has passed and the 2026 election is over.
.
Meanwhile : A significant majority of Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considered safe due to partisan gerrymandering and political polarization, with estimates suggesting over 80% are non-competitive. ,
Of the remaining 20%, the Trump regime has already targeted the vulnerable districts, and are hitting them with voter caging, MAGA election commissions, reductions of ballot boxes (Austin Tex as a good example), and poll watchers, trained and possibly armed.
The only way to counter them is to be as aggressive and non apologetic as they are, don't go on the defense, push back with every tool available, keep them on the backfoot
TRump is not afraid---he is a PSYCHOPATH. He wants people to go hungry and die from disease just like the Nazis. He is thoroughly enjoying himself.
The insurance bills have literally already gone out. Republicans are not going to pay them or even a part of them. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
So why let every government worker and SNAP recipient suffer through the holidays? Why let air traffic get so bad it ruins businesses and tourism? The Pod Save America guys said TRump and the psychos "out-crueled us".
Someone was going to suffer and die, and it was always going to be those depending on a program called Obamacare. See you in the streets.
Because a shutdown the Republicans control and will not stop exposes the extremism of MAGA when it is still fightable. If MAGA wins then universal benefits of all kinds are dead. Democracy is dead.
Big picture, once the stories surface, sad though they will be, this could be the birth of a public option or single-payer.
We're gonna corner their asses into doing something. All of a sudden TRump hates the insurance companies too.....wants to give everyone money to buy insurance. He is starting government drug program. Slippery slope. Let them fall
I don't think Trump wants people to go hungry. I think he doesn't care that they do. I'm not really convinced that he knows what is actually going on around him. Certainly the Haitians eating the dogs and the cats points in that direction. He wouldn't have brought it up if he knew it was BS; it was such a patently obvious ground for ridicule. I don't know that a narcissist would risk being mocked if he knew it was as absurd a claim ever made in a presidential debate.
I wish he were JUST a narcissist, but he is a psychopath as well. Dark Triad. A recent study indicated psychopaths just don't see the consequences coming, that includes the ridicule.
I do wonder what goes on in Tiny Tim's mind. I watched a snippet of the crowd's general attitude toward him at a recent footballll game. He had one of his patented smiley faces, as if he were oblivious to it all. At the same time he is renowned for throwing ketchup against a wall in the Oval Office. Possibly there's a threshold at which time he reacts violently with anything less not registering. Besides the narcissism and psychopathology he definitely has daddy issues and an overarching contempt for women.
“Schumer’s’ leadership — and, generally, the leadership of the DNC since the 1990s Clinton years — have turned the Democratic Party from the party of FDR into a cautious club managed by well-paid consultants who tremble at their own shadows while they fill their bank accounts with blood money.” That’s it in a nutshell. If Democrats are ever again to regain the trust and respect of voters, they’ll need someone who the consultants, the corporate Democrats, and the corporate media will call “radical”, because radical change is exactly what’s needed. The damage that’s been done by corrupt Repugnicans and corrupt,acquiescent Democrats will take years of “radical” effort to repair.
Happy anniversary. Happy Veteran's Day to vets. Let's all take the day off to recoup and regroup.
I am more than a little confused because I lack enough of the facts and details of all of this back and forth to be sure of where things stand. I certainly agree that there have been far too many Democrats in Congress who have accepted terms and conditions which disadvantage ordinary citizens because of lobbying, bribes, neoliberalism, ignorance, religious motivation (as in supporting Israel to ostensibly hasten the "Second Coming" myth) etc., etc. I do agree that Schumer has gone along to get along for too long. As a NV resident I was outraged when I heard that both of my Senators were among the eight who "caved". But if you listened to Lawrence O'Donnell last night, you have to suspect that this is hugely complicated at this point. I will not pretend to be able to explain all he said, part of which I missed, but having been in the rooms where the sausage is made, he clearly has a different take and an appreciation for the tough dilemmas faced constantly by people such as Schumer in a system that has evolved in the direction of corruption and manipulation by big money, radical reactionaries, and egomaniacal presidents. We should probably take a step back and focus now even more on our popular movement and opposition to the R's and Trump and not waste time bickering among ourselves. As Lawrence says, no one has said they are willing or anxious to take Schumer's job and not a single senator is ready to challenge or oppose him. He is not going anywhere.
Thanks for talking about the O'Donnell analysis. All this dinging on Schumer is ridiculous. Blame the Ds who voted for it. But also listen to why they voted as they did. Even Bernie was sounding more reasonable. And yeah, nobody wants the job.
I forgot to mention the list of highly significant and substantial concessions that those 8, (or 5) democrats got from republicans in the deal, such as putting thousands of federal workers back to work with back pay. If the R's still persist in eliminating the ACA subsidies, it will be another fight which is sure to lead to another shutdown, but in 6 weeks, anything could happen. We could wake up tomorrow morning and see leaked Epstein files with pictures or an announcement that Trump is dead (do you believe in prayer?). Keep your fingers crossed.
There is the whole hijacked machinery of the federal govt being corrupted to make sure anything does not happen.This is what happens when voters allow fascists into government.
What is now The Schumer Party is something you support so long as you remain registered as a member of it. "Real Democrats" should resign in protest for a while until this "Party" aspiring to be a gang replaces its operative leadership. They've become the Republican maggot auxiliary.
I have to disagree with you on this one. The core problem is that the Democrats actually have no leverage...because the REPUBLICANS DON'T GIVE A DAMN if SNAP funds cease, if federal workers don't get paid, if federal programs crumble, etc. So they would be willing to let the shutdown proceed endlessly. It was always going to eventually fall on the backs of Democrats to get the government open.
What the Democrats "won" is a very clear public display of how totally heartless Trump and the Republicans are. Hold Thune's feet to the fire and force that vote on renewing the ACA credits. If Thune and/or Johnson and/or Trump block that, it will remove all ambiguity about who is to blame. This sets the stage for a potential Democratic landslide in 2026... as long as the Democrats stick together.
Unfortunately, as almost always happens, we are seeing another Democrat 'circular firing squad' emerge. Please, put the focus and the condemnation where it belongs... on Trump and Speaker Johnson and the Republicans. The only important goal is achieving a Democratic majority in the House, and hopefully the Senate, in 2026. God help us if this intra-party fight over tactics wrecks the ability to do that.
Trump in his second term with the Republican party under near complete MAGA control and a majority in Congress intends to destroy the substance of democratic politics in America. So creating an effective permanent MAGA autocracy. Record inequality with the associated increase in ethno-nationalism and distrust in democracy are the forces driving MAGA. Schumer and the Democrat leadership are playing the old game, while it is being dismantled. The question for Schumer and the rest of the Democrat leadership is how to fight MAGA fascism when the fascists are inside the gates and have the levers of federal power?
As Professor Synder says the fascist takeover of power via elections depends on bluff. Their democratic opponents keep hoping that they do not mean what they say and that in any case mismanagerment or scandal will force them out. Power is taken by fascists via democratic backsliding because people who are not fascists work for fascists. The first rule is to not obey in advance, do not compromise with the indefensible. The longer it can be pretended the intentions of the fascists are limited, the stronger the fascists are allowed to become. SNAP, indeed universal benefits and meaningful elections will not survive Trump. The importance of the shutdown with the Congress under Republican control was to expose the extremism of Trump at the earliest time, when the bluff can be exposed. When his control of the Republican party, when his fake patriotism, when his extremism can be fought and defeated.
I agree! The Democrats didn’t just bring a knife to a gunfight, they brought a vibes check and a donation link.
Chuck Schumer out here doing political yoga, full bend, zero spine.
At this point, the party’s motto might as well be “We didn’t lose, we just surrendered early to save time.”
We wuz screwed. We are crime victims.
A lot of good it does to whine and play victim. The remedy is fight, fight, fight show the same aggression that the Republicans have,. They mobilize around the culture war, and don't back off from a fight, in fact they start them.
The Democratic response, "go high when they go low" and the result is rrght in front of our eyes. Trump has remade the W H into Mar a Lago north, because he isn't going to leave. And he has 3 1/2 year to ensure that is going to happen.
Appearance is not reality That's the problem.
And what does that mean Daniel. Explain.
Trump sees himself as a dictator. But he's not, despite what you say.
We have had some success with lawfare thet may/may not bear fruit. Can't give up on it.
IMHO we also have the power of persuaion, which is something that has yet to be tried. A mass action Nov. 18 may make it a reality.
So Trump commits murder on the high seas in contravention of international ;law , he invades our cities, arrests people without a warrsnt or due process, he ignores the Supreme Court, violates the constitution with impunity and concern destroys the W H to remake it in his own image as his own personal possession. he wilfully and with impunity steals from the tax payer, makes commitments with, and business deals with foreign countries, friendly and hostile. Accepts gratituties from foreign countries.
Punishes his adversaries, rewards and pardons his friends. and we are not held captive by a dictator?
What is the reality Daniel? That the law and a handful of lower court judges are going to save us? Really.
Lower court rules against Trump, Applelate court, overturns, Supreme court concurs wit happlellate court.
Lower court rules against Trump, Applleate court agrees, defendant appeals to SCOTUS, and SCOTUS denies the appeal with shadow docket.
Supreme court rules against Trump, Trump ignores supreme court ruling.
What did I get wrong there Daniel.?Examples.
The deck is stacked against us, the law is not going to save us, Trump commands the law, well Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation/Federalist Society does.
The institutions are in the hands of the enemy. Hitler commands the Reichstag, the military, the courts, the police.
All we have left is collective action, a general strike, a national intifada.
c
Daniel,I agree with you in some of your posts and enjoy the give and take you have with William.However I think it is time for either the Democratic party or other groups to stop,playing defense. It is time to go on the offense against local and state Republicans .SDurely their some Dems with the brainpower and guts to design an offensive strategy.
In my district North Fulton,outside of Atlanta,I have a Rep "Rich McCormick" who is 100 maga,an airforce guy who signs off with " Semper Fi" .He supports the " Nazis" in every issue. He is the consummate " asshole" He send out his little weekly emails and I respond by telling him what an asshole he is.
Of course we are all frustrated, but folks need to keep in mind the realities of how our political system works. Dems do not have the power in Congress right now to 'force' Repugs to do anything.
Further prolonging the shutdown would not change that fundamental balance of power, and would give opportunities to folks like Miller and Vought to do even more damage. More importantly, the human suffering from the shutdown was increasing daily. It was always going to be the Democrats who ultimately took the action to alleviate that.
What Dems through the shutdown did accomplish was to help make clearly visible just how mean, selfish and frankly evil the Repugs have become ... which paid big dividends in last Tuesday's elections...and helped set the stage for Dems to retake actual political power in Congress in 2026.
Unfortunately, too many Dems want to engage in intra-party warfare that if not contained...will guarantee the Repugs keep total control after 2026.
Folks need to keep their eye on the prize. To avoid a complete fascist dictatorship, Dems need to win a majority in at least one of the two chambers.
If people can't see and appreciate the difference between total control by the Trump/MAGA/fascists and having at least some real political power held by Democrats (including some 'weak moderates'), then God help us.
Trump is planning to corrupt the mid term elections. The American democratic system was broken when Trump and his MAGA fascists took over the federal government. It does not seem Schumer can comprehend just how big a disaster America is in, because since the rise of the neoliberal "New Democrats" in the 1990s, people like Schumer have been a big part of the problem of inequality and the collapse of belief in democracy that gave birth to Trump and MAGA. There will be no overall election victory for the Dems in 2026, however many intend to vote for them. This is the world of hyper corrupt elections.
Lara: We have seen that Schumer will do everything in his power to make sure that MAGA wins all the elections for a long time to come. He will try to keep it out of the public eye, but he will take the actions below the radar that he can. And he will keep on pretending that he wants the Dems to win. What does he have to gain from this treacherous campaign?
Schumer and the Democrat leadership will lose a great deal. I know the capture of the German Weimar democracy by Hitler, was made possible by miscalculation by conservative elites. Getting beyond the smoke and noise of the street battles of the time, these elites were afraid of the radical changes proposed by the socialists in a time of economic crisis. They believed Hitler would need the conservatives in order to rule, and so they told themselves they would become a moderating force to Nazism. They persuaded themselves that Hitler's extremism was a political tactic. Obviously seems absurd now. Since Carter when the Republicans and Democrats adopted neoliberal economics, the leadership of the Democrats have become the conservatives in this comparison, the radical left Democrats are the socialists, while the Republicans through Trump and MAGA have moved to autocratic far right ethno-nationalism and so are the Nazis in this comparison.
In this comparison Hitler's enabling Great Depression economic crisis, is mirrored by the crisis of the rise of inequality in America which is now at 1930 levels (together with debt of all types) when expressed as percentage of GDP. In Germany when Hitler seized power millions of workers were starving, but it was the middle class who voted Nazi, stung by economic status anxiety created by the depression and the loss of savings (inflation, and loss WW1 bonds).
Clearly Trump-MAGA intends an effective dictatorship. How extreme it will become depends on how much power Trump and MAGA can appropriate by taking control of the federal government structure. Hannah Arendt in "Origins of Totaliatarianism" described how dictatorships with unchallenged power enter a vortex of self radicalization, as occurred in Hitler's and Stalin's regimes. Autocratic governments without resources and facing rival centres of power are restrained in their journey to extremism.
The federal budget (including transfers to states) is around five times bigger than the combined budgets of states. The budget of the national armed forces is around twenty five times bigger than the combined budgets of the national guards controlled by the states. America's long history of stable democracy and economic power has resulted in a powerful federal government. Since the 1980s as inequality, status anxiety and so ethno-nationalism has grown the democratic system that controls the federal government has become broken. This leaves a powerful state in the hands of a committed aspiring far-right autocrat like Trump. Expect extremism from him and his MAGA successors. Schumer and the democrat leadership will just be swept aside if Trump succeeds, just as the German conservative enablers of Hitler were. They are making an avoidable miscalculation with ruinous consequences for America.
Virgin,that is a terrific quote.Please repost that everyday.
This wasn’t a compromise; it was a séance. The Schumer era keeps trying to resurrect the centrism of the ‘90s, whispering “triangulate” into a world that’s already burned down the triangle.
When leadership becomes an inheritance instead of an act, you get governance by ghost.
More thoughts: https://www.stewonthis.com/p/two-silences
You (and I) have no clue how this will turn out. It may be negotiation strategy. It's not over. It will bring the House back to session. Jeffries says he'll hold the line. May lead to further negotiations.
Hopefully it'll be Epstein time. The most recent revelations involve money laudering allegations.
Many Congressional Republicans privately admit Trump is nuts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNzVt7q0W5A
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Massive Congressional visits November 18.
https://www.instagram.com/flare.usa/p/DP_mdOyjdiG/
Visit CongressionalRepublicans.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/851451/
I think that if we play our cards right, many can be convinced by the election outcome to come forward.
Since you don't watch MSNBC Daniel. I'll summarize last nights how with Lawrence O'Donnell. He went to lengths to explain to us, how it is that the the caucus leaders have their own rooms into which they repair for discussion, no media allowed and it gets ugly and it once went to blows. Point is that the Minority (and Majority) leader really don't have that much control over their caucus.
Admittedly he wad defending Schumer, and I will give him that, in this case, not in the last Continuing resolution though.
The problem with the current CR is the eight Democrats what voted with the Republicans are the same eight Democrats that have voted with the Republicans to confirm Trump's cabinet. I made an effort to research every cabinet appointment, as to which Democrats voted for their confirmation. Almost always the following, who also voted to pass the CR
These are the Democrats dumb enough to consider trusting the GOP and caving. The following Dems gave up all leverage and might as well be Republicans.
Call them if they're your Senator.
Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada
John Fetterman Pennsylvania
Dick Durbin Illinois
Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire
Maggie Hassan New Hampshire
Tim Kaine, Virginia
Jacky Rosen Nevada
I take note that all of the above have a history of voting with Republicans in the past, especially in the confirmation process
I have had them on my list as DINO's or Conservadems.
Tim Kaine and Shaheen said that the Republicans made some promises. And yet again they are falling like Charlie for Lucy with the football.
Mike Johnson has said that Sen Thune's commitment does not apply to the house, .
Not to mention that Shaheen and Hasan represent NH which is home to some of the biggest insurance companies, and boy did they benefit from passage of the Continuing Resolution, while millions of Americans go into bankruptcy and die because they can't afford insurance.
Mastos and Rosen represent Las Vegas (in reality) and Las Vegas is run by the casino owners, like Steve Wynn and Miriam Addelson
Go to Opensecret.org and search the names of the above for their donors and who gets their loyalty.
I've called them all.
William,excellent post. I was surprised with the vigor Lawrence O"Donnell supported Shumer last night,especially with the increasing # of people and pols who are asking Shumer to step down. Unfortunately he is "Old School" where you could talk to your opponents and they might listen. In the " Nazi" model /there are no concessions,only aggression and of course follow the Trump mentor rules of Roy Cohn. 1.Attack,attack,attack 2. Admit nothing,deny everything 3. Always claim victory,never admit defeat.
William,I did not realize they all voted for they voted for Trumps cabinet,total sellouts.
Lawrence attitude and position are understandable, As he admitted he was inside the room where shit happens., and few people are not even the media.
He is a stalwart part of the institution, and institutionalist, a compromisor, that is why he was hired by MSNBC, and they make salaries in the millions, even an "analyst" gets $10,000 a hit every time they show up on a show.
Like a lot of old codgers, who worked their way up from the inside, they can't grasp that there has been a seismic shift in the political landscape,they believe the old rules still apply. That the system they grew up in worked in devoted their life to still applies.
Many years ago I was sitting at the bar of the NCO club, and this old grey haired gent, noticed that we had jump wings, he was a WWII vet, and started o regale us, then he talked of being able to roll up his chute with the best of them.
Until after WWII, we didn;t have quick releases (got that idea from the Germans), that enabled you to separate the chute and risers so you wouldn't bet dragged, then they had to get up and roll on the chute to keep it from getting inflated and carry you off.
In my day they had chutes that looked like mushrooms and for special ops they were biddable because they had slits in the back and cords to pull which would open and close the slits. Now they have chutes that look like boxes, and special ops have oara gliders and I know nothing about them.
Lawrence is like that old gent who jumped on Normandy, or the tank driver of a Sherman or the pilot of a P-51.
Things change, procedures, change policies change, attitudes change.
Congress has gone through many changes since he worked as an aide.
N
You are right,as much as I have liked him in the past there is little doubt he believes in the rules which is commendable but not realistic. We are fighting a "Nazi" gov't,the rules have changed and it is time the message goes out that will adopt the Roy Cohn model.
Can we say "sleeper cells"?
It;s more complicated...individuals have their own rationales.
You guys have never persuaded a hostile jury.
Apples and oranges Daniel. Comparing the present situation to a jury.
How about converting a Muslim to Judaism? Or even Christianity?
It does work the other way around,I've known a few, but it doesn't work that way.
We don't need to convert anybody. You are nuts. Need subpoena power.
I had Muslim law clerks. One Sikh.
You don't know jackl shit about persuasion.
We’ll see, and you may be right. But people still have every right to be frustrated by how this played out, and by how something as fundamental as healthcare costs keeps getting lost in the fog of process wars. We’re now in the ninth year of democratic drift, where governing feels more like surviving inertia than shaping the future.
When this happened in March, I published how my staff and I were never repaid for lost wages for the Obama era variation on this theme when Tommy Perez determined that judges were not "necessary" to the operation of government.
When facts are in equipoise, I had to take out my decisional coin...in a judicial setting, the burden of proof determies the outcome. In a legislative setting, there is no burden of proof.
We have no power, other than jujitsu.
That’s a powerful way to put it, as in politics, without the burden of proof, is only momentum. Feels like the citizen’s role has become exactly that: jujitsu in the dark.
At first, a large number of FBI agents had access to ALL the Epstein Files. Patel screwed-up the scrub. There are going to be witnesses that saw the actual recordings and pictures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEi77Ibr7r8&t=4s
Americans have been trained to freak out at the sound of the word "socialism", but democratic socialism, by any other name, is what they clearly want. And they want a party that represents that viewpoint with a full heart. Corporate power must be subdued, not accommodated.
Don't use words like socialism. Instead get specific about what people really want. Also use some real historical perspectives. Tell people what real progressive ideas were and not the garbage that POS and Fox are feeding them.
South Florida Republicans are right to sound the alarm on Mamdani’s victory | Opinion By Mary Anna Mancuso November 10, 2025
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/article312860406.html#storylink=cpy
This is your best piece ever, Thom Hartmann. Anniversaries will do that to you. May you have many more. Your insights into the problems that confront the Democratic Party are profound. I agree that Schumer is complicit. The fix was in. You can try to convince me that Schumer was not in on the deal. His whip (not running in 2026) was a leader in the GOP CR passing. Indeed Shumer’s Whip was the Whip of the treasonous Cabal of 8. Talk about conflict of interest. Jeanne Shaheen is also not running. Tim Kaine was safe. All others are up in 2028 but think you will have forgotten by then. What a tangled subterfuge. I am working on an ancillary piece focused of where we go from HERE. I will quote you, if you don’t mind. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/pieces-of-8-shit?r=3m1bs
I'm sorry. I don't agree with this at all. You're looking for a fall guy.
What do you think of this idea? (From Substack author Christopher Armitage):
“States control the mechanism to stop it.
Employers across blue states withhold federal taxes from worker paychecks every year and send that money straight to the IRS. State legislatures can order them to stop.
Pass a law requiring every employer in the state to redirect federal tax withholdings to a state escrow account instead of D.C. The money then sits in state control. Does the federal government want access? Then they can submit to independent audit proving funds will be allocated according to congressional appropriations, not redirected through executive action.
Demonstrate spending complies with constitutional limits and active court orders. Prove compliance with anti-commandeering doctrine and due process protections. Pass the audit, get the money. Fail it, the billions stay in escrow until constitutional compliance can be verified.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage/p/experts-say-blue-states-can-stop
Pretty convoluted and Trump/Bessent are nuts -- will take it to SCOTUS.
I still think if we put on massive pressure the best tactic is the Jerry Weiss scenario. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
During the Vietnam War, tax protestors were prosecuted. My local bar association fiiled amicus briefs in support of Amish employers who refused to withhold SS and other taxes. We lost.
To view the link one has to sign up for Jerry Weiss substack, and I am not signing up for anymore substacks.
Summarize Jerry Weiss's plan, for those that don't want to have to sign up for another substack.
It already takes me half a day to clear my inbox.
If anything goes to SCOTUS. we know how they will rule, so it is past time for Governors to give SCOTUS the finger, just as Trump does. That's the only way to save us.
Free.
I don't care if it is free. My inbox is clogged up in the morning with between 30 and 50 substacks,news letters and blogs.
Save me the time and summarize please. I am not signing up for another.
I've had to start cutting back on my Substack subscriptions because I just can't keep up with them. I have too many interests and if I'm not careful, I get more them I can possibly read.
I have the same problem. Since Trump ran for the presidency I have several thousands of emails!
Wow, I like it. Finally a solution, but there is a problem. ICE agents violate state and municipal law, while governors and mayors talk big and tough, they do nothing, all they have to do is direct the State and municipal police to arrest those that break the law.
Good idea. Since Trump and MAGA fascists took over the federal government and embarked on their paln to destroy democracy, America has ceased to have a democratic federal government. In this case a new federal government has to be created, until free and fair democratic elections can be restored. A kind of second Continental Congress, the original was the federal government of the states until the Revolutionary War was won. another ideas to stop Trump would be tens of millions swearing in public to defend American democracy.
If that "fall guy" is caught with his finger on the button, pressing it, is that a "fall guy"?
No. It is Krasnov.
Fetterman has a history of siding with Republicans. Why did he get so depressed after WINNING? Why did he go to Mar-a-Lago? His actions are nefarious.
I blame his stroke in part. It can and does affect how people think/act, sometimes very drastically. i.e. the soft spoken grandmother who turns into a foul-mouthed psychotic and violent person.
Fetterman is not fit to be a senator. He is emotionally unstable.
All politics is (and are) local. I've told you how the local NAACP chapter in my home Pennsyltucky county is Republican.
How can THIS be legal?
“Federal spending conceals systematic constitutional violations funded by blue state revenue. California remits over $400 billion annually in federal withholding taxes. That money pays for ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles conducted over state objections. New York sends hundreds of billions that fund DOJ prosecutions targeting Democratic officials. Illinois revenue deploys National Guard units to Chicago despite the governor’s explicit refusal to cooperate. Federal agents conduct immigration raids without warrants or probable cause in Democratic cities, violating active court injunctions. The administration ignores judicial orders whenever they don’t agree with them. Blue states finance an apparatus that occupies their own territory, corruptly prosecutes their own officials, and violates their own constitutionally codified authorities.”
And then Trump WITHHOLDS EMERGENCY FUNDS to the blue states.
https://open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage/p/experts-say-blue-states-can-stop
Hope he has lots of malpractice insurance.
He has the “gold card:”. IMMUNITY thanks to 6 corrupt Supreme Court justices.
Not Trump. The author.
You mean they might come after Armitage for suggesting this? Is that lawsuit worthy?
Chuck is not, that's NOT, a leader. He could not herd cattle, much less cats.
His mantra? Short-term gain, for long-term pain.
BOHICA [Bend Over Here It Comes Again]
The problem is that the Democratic party is convinced that it has to slop at the same trough as the Republicans and they spend their time trying to elbow each other out of the way, the problem is that the Republicans get the bigger slop, as they are more corporate compromised than the Democrats.
Back in 2016, a lone wolf from Vermont, by name of Bernie Sanders, proved that they don't need corporate funding, that a motivated and believing public will fund them, but that was too risky, because it meant advancing policies that actually put their individual portfolios at risk.
Here is the nasty secret about politics. For what ever reason a person gets involved, they soon became part of the animal, forgetting why they got involved in the first place, all that matters is the survival of the creature, because survival of the creature means your own personal survival.
In this congress 179 members have law degrees.The salary of an average lawyer is approximately $136,000 to $151,000 per year, though this can vary significantly based on location, experience, and specialty
And unless a partner in a large firm, you are struggling for clients and billing hours.
Being a member of Congress nets you $174,000 a year, plus Cadillac health benefits paid for by the tax payer.
And when you retire, you get a pension and are employed by a lobbying firm, with whom you had formed a relationship
While there is no single, universally agreed-upon percentage, data from recent years shows that a significant portion of former members of Congress become lobbyists, with some reports suggesting over 50% or even two-thirds of former members joining the lobbying industry after leaving office. For example, a study on the 115th Congress found that nearly 60% of retired or defeated members found jobs in lobbying.
Retired generals and flag officers, even Colonels and Senior NCO's wind up as managers and executive in defense companies. (I've known a few in my time)
Well, that kind of sums it up, don’t it?
The bottom line is that politics has been dirty for a very long time—always?
This whole concept that one hand washes the other, etc., so many of these sayings, Quid pro quo, BS. It all boils down to what are you going to give ME? This is the greed that humanity seems to always eventually succumb to when dealing as a member of a large group that depends upon each other for moving in any direction. Cooperation turns into self feeding.
What is due is never enough—some want more and more while others stand waiting only to get fed up and give in to the lowest common denominator and the greedy get larger in scope.
Our system of economics and government is designed to foster this, it feeds in our weaknesses. It’s nothing more than a loop. Nothing changes in our system because so many refuse to change themselves. In this case, majority rule just causes more of the same crap, because the majority refuse to change and grow—they perpetuate.
So many of us now, feel frustrated and defeated because the whole scenario feels like the dung beetle rolling his prize up the hill, everything we do leads to the same.
It isn't our system of economics and government G P, it is human nature.
Milovan Djias, former Deputy PM of Yugoslavia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milovan_Djilas
Wrote the New Class:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_class
Đilas posited that the new class' specific relationship to the means of production was one of collective political control, and that the new class' property form was political control. For Đilas, the new class not only seeks expanded material reproduction to politically justify its existence to the working class but also seeks expanded reproduction of political control as a form of property in itself.
As I said, our system of government and economics fosters—agrees with—our base human nature. I’d go so far as to say it encourages our least common denominator of character.
This can and has to change as we humans change. This is human nature.
Finance? Also post-politics lobbyists-whores. A mess I tell you.
I'm sorry but this is the political system we have and if we want to prevail, have to PERSUADE people to do the right thing.
The immediate threat is outright fascism. Everthing else is meaningless. Got to put the eye on the prize.
You are living in the past Daniel, This was the political system we had.
Typical, thinking that we are still in a boxing ring, with Marquis of Queensbury rules, when in fact we are in an Octagon, an MMA cage match.
Yes the immediate threat is fascism, and we are knee deep in it Daniel. It is all around us, it is no longer a threat but a reality, the slime of fascism is on the skin of us all, and if we don't strike back it will be inside of us as well,, parts of America have already ingest fascism and become the beast that we fear.
The system we "had."
Persuading Trump and his whores at the Supreme Court and on the Hill to stop card-counting and marking cards is like trying to get Willie Sutton to stop robbing banks. They can't . . . It just pays too well.
What we have to do is recognize this lethal gop virus for what it is. Then attack it using its strengths against it.
Me? I'm picketing the White House today to try to save the West Wing before he replaces it with a ceremonial crypt for himself.
Good for you.
Maybe you can stop in some Republican House members' offices and ask them to sign the Trumpepstein petition. Get the lay of the land. Check out the staff. Eat lunch in the House cafeteria.
Placing all your hopes on the Discharge petition is a fools errand.
Here is what is going to happen if, the petion is signed and delivered to the speaker.
He will sit on it, let it ripen, and when he moves he will bring HR 4405 to the floor for a vote, at that time the Republicans will vote against it, to a person, except perhaps for MTG, Massie, Boebert and Mace, that is if one or more of them haven't withdrawn their names from the petition
Johnson will create a committee to review the files in secret of course, the petition will be sent to Bondi, who will sit on it, and if she does comply, the files she forwards will have been scrubbed and redacted.
And all the while time has passed and the 2026 election is over.
.
Meanwhile : A significant majority of Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considered safe due to partisan gerrymandering and political polarization, with estimates suggesting over 80% are non-competitive. ,
Of the remaining 20%, the Trump regime has already targeted the vulnerable districts, and are hitting them with voter caging, MAGA election commissions, reductions of ballot boxes (Austin Tex as a good example), and poll watchers, trained and possibly armed.
The only way to counter them is to be as aggressive and non apologetic as they are, don't go on the defense, push back with every tool available, keep them on the backfoot
Democrats have Sophie's Choice.....
TRump is not afraid---he is a PSYCHOPATH. He wants people to go hungry and die from disease just like the Nazis. He is thoroughly enjoying himself.
The insurance bills have literally already gone out. Republicans are not going to pay them or even a part of them. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
So why let every government worker and SNAP recipient suffer through the holidays? Why let air traffic get so bad it ruins businesses and tourism? The Pod Save America guys said TRump and the psychos "out-crueled us".
Someone was going to suffer and die, and it was always going to be those depending on a program called Obamacare. See you in the streets.
Because a shutdown the Republicans control and will not stop exposes the extremism of MAGA when it is still fightable. If MAGA wins then universal benefits of all kinds are dead. Democracy is dead.
I get your thinking, Lara.
Big picture, once the stories surface, sad though they will be, this could be the birth of a public option or single-payer.
We're gonna corner their asses into doing something. All of a sudden TRump hates the insurance companies too.....wants to give everyone money to buy insurance. He is starting government drug program. Slippery slope. Let them fall
I don't think Trump wants people to go hungry. I think he doesn't care that they do. I'm not really convinced that he knows what is actually going on around him. Certainly the Haitians eating the dogs and the cats points in that direction. He wouldn't have brought it up if he knew it was BS; it was such a patently obvious ground for ridicule. I don't know that a narcissist would risk being mocked if he knew it was as absurd a claim ever made in a presidential debate.
I wish he were JUST a narcissist, but he is a psychopath as well. Dark Triad. A recent study indicated psychopaths just don't see the consequences coming, that includes the ridicule.
Cage fighting is coming to the White House.
I do wonder what goes on in Tiny Tim's mind. I watched a snippet of the crowd's general attitude toward him at a recent footballll game. He had one of his patented smiley faces, as if he were oblivious to it all. At the same time he is renowned for throwing ketchup against a wall in the Oval Office. Possibly there's a threshold at which time he reacts violently with anything less not registering. Besides the narcissism and psychopathology he definitely has daddy issues and an overarching contempt for women.
“Schumer’s’ leadership — and, generally, the leadership of the DNC since the 1990s Clinton years — have turned the Democratic Party from the party of FDR into a cautious club managed by well-paid consultants who tremble at their own shadows while they fill their bank accounts with blood money.” That’s it in a nutshell. If Democrats are ever again to regain the trust and respect of voters, they’ll need someone who the consultants, the corporate Democrats, and the corporate media will call “radical”, because radical change is exactly what’s needed. The damage that’s been done by corrupt Repugnicans and corrupt,acquiescent Democrats will take years of “radical” effort to repair.
You are exactly right, Professor. We need courage of conviction, not the kind of spineless crap we’ve had. We need progressive policies.
Thank you for telling it straight and furious. It helps.
Happy anniversary. Happy Veteran's Day to vets. Let's all take the day off to recoup and regroup.
I am more than a little confused because I lack enough of the facts and details of all of this back and forth to be sure of where things stand. I certainly agree that there have been far too many Democrats in Congress who have accepted terms and conditions which disadvantage ordinary citizens because of lobbying, bribes, neoliberalism, ignorance, religious motivation (as in supporting Israel to ostensibly hasten the "Second Coming" myth) etc., etc. I do agree that Schumer has gone along to get along for too long. As a NV resident I was outraged when I heard that both of my Senators were among the eight who "caved". But if you listened to Lawrence O'Donnell last night, you have to suspect that this is hugely complicated at this point. I will not pretend to be able to explain all he said, part of which I missed, but having been in the rooms where the sausage is made, he clearly has a different take and an appreciation for the tough dilemmas faced constantly by people such as Schumer in a system that has evolved in the direction of corruption and manipulation by big money, radical reactionaries, and egomaniacal presidents. We should probably take a step back and focus now even more on our popular movement and opposition to the R's and Trump and not waste time bickering among ourselves. As Lawrence says, no one has said they are willing or anxious to take Schumer's job and not a single senator is ready to challenge or oppose him. He is not going anywhere.
We are fools. Circular firing squad.
Thanks for talking about the O'Donnell analysis. All this dinging on Schumer is ridiculous. Blame the Ds who voted for it. But also listen to why they voted as they did. Even Bernie was sounding more reasonable. And yeah, nobody wants the job.
I forgot to mention the list of highly significant and substantial concessions that those 8, (or 5) democrats got from republicans in the deal, such as putting thousands of federal workers back to work with back pay. If the R's still persist in eliminating the ACA subsidies, it will be another fight which is sure to lead to another shutdown, but in 6 weeks, anything could happen. We could wake up tomorrow morning and see leaked Epstein files with pictures or an announcement that Trump is dead (do you believe in prayer?). Keep your fingers crossed.
There is the whole hijacked machinery of the federal govt being corrupted to make sure anything does not happen.This is what happens when voters allow fascists into government.
What is now The Schumer Party is something you support so long as you remain registered as a member of it. "Real Democrats" should resign in protest for a while until this "Party" aspiring to be a gang replaces its operative leadership. They've become the Republican maggot auxiliary.
Says someone who hates Democrats.
Happy Anniversary! I agree with all you wrote Hard to stay positive about The Democratic Party, but what option do we have
We personally don't have an option, however as I wrote today in "The Paucity of Hope" https://halbrown.substack.com/p/the-paucity-of-hope-by-hal-m-brown the generals and admirals do. It is about as extreme as it gets.
I have to disagree with you on this one. The core problem is that the Democrats actually have no leverage...because the REPUBLICANS DON'T GIVE A DAMN if SNAP funds cease, if federal workers don't get paid, if federal programs crumble, etc. So they would be willing to let the shutdown proceed endlessly. It was always going to eventually fall on the backs of Democrats to get the government open.
What the Democrats "won" is a very clear public display of how totally heartless Trump and the Republicans are. Hold Thune's feet to the fire and force that vote on renewing the ACA credits. If Thune and/or Johnson and/or Trump block that, it will remove all ambiguity about who is to blame. This sets the stage for a potential Democratic landslide in 2026... as long as the Democrats stick together.
Unfortunately, as almost always happens, we are seeing another Democrat 'circular firing squad' emerge. Please, put the focus and the condemnation where it belongs... on Trump and Speaker Johnson and the Republicans. The only important goal is achieving a Democratic majority in the House, and hopefully the Senate, in 2026. God help us if this intra-party fight over tactics wrecks the ability to do that.
Trump in his second term with the Republican party under near complete MAGA control and a majority in Congress intends to destroy the substance of democratic politics in America. So creating an effective permanent MAGA autocracy. Record inequality with the associated increase in ethno-nationalism and distrust in democracy are the forces driving MAGA. Schumer and the Democrat leadership are playing the old game, while it is being dismantled. The question for Schumer and the rest of the Democrat leadership is how to fight MAGA fascism when the fascists are inside the gates and have the levers of federal power?
As Professor Synder says the fascist takeover of power via elections depends on bluff. Their democratic opponents keep hoping that they do not mean what they say and that in any case mismanagerment or scandal will force them out. Power is taken by fascists via democratic backsliding because people who are not fascists work for fascists. The first rule is to not obey in advance, do not compromise with the indefensible. The longer it can be pretended the intentions of the fascists are limited, the stronger the fascists are allowed to become. SNAP, indeed universal benefits and meaningful elections will not survive Trump. The importance of the shutdown with the Congress under Republican control was to expose the extremism of Trump at the earliest time, when the bluff can be exposed. When his control of the Republican party, when his fake patriotism, when his extremism can be fought and defeated.
This is a much more nuanced explanation of what happened. I think you can read it for free. https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-10-2025?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=20533&post_id=178572854&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=false&r=9tet7&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
I was able to see it, thanks Eva.