This was a wonderful read. Thank you. I look forward to reading what you send every day. I am almost 82 and appalled at what Trump and Musk are doing. I knew it was going to be bad but I wasn’t prepared for the speed at which it was going to happen. When will the people who voted for him wake up and realize what he is doing to this country and our allies.
If our democracy falls on your watch, history will remember—not just the fall, but the bloodshed and suffering that follow. For 249 years, we have defended this great nation, not just with weapons, but with principles, courage, and a commitment to freedom.
Now is the time to honor that legacy. If you truly love this country, stand for democracy. Be the leaders who uphold the values that make America a shining beacon of hope—not the ones who let that light fade.”
I find the specifics in the Wonkett article to be right on and so pointed the language to jar the mind. Every word seethes with outrage. The article's use of adjectives is one of the best I have read lately (except for Thom's!)
Thank you for this, and some Democrats should read it too as they will buckle when push comes to shove. But to answer your question, no there is no bottom to these "leaders", elected or otherwise. Follow the ridiculous thread about the non-existent $50 million for condoms abroad. It's all mixed up which of course didn't stop Trump from expanding and lying about the whole subject. As for Musk, his comment that for an AIDS riddled country “I’m not sure we should be sending $50 million worth of condoms to anywhere, frankly.” it shows his utter lack of empathy and basic humanity. Basically the people in government are very scared. It may not be at the stage where the North Korean dictator dragged his uncle out of a terrified Parliament and murdered him, or Nero killed his mother and then a cowed Roman Senate gave thanks for his protecting the state, but we're on the same path.
Democrats are already buckling Doc. I watched Joy Reid last night question Amy Klobuchar.
Joy put up on the TV a scorecard showing how many Democrats caved to Trump and especially on the confirmation of Marco Rubia, 99-0. Klobuchar launched into a non sequitur diatribe, which previously has been the trademark of right wingers, deflecting from the fact that she was among the defecting Democrats.
It is going to get worse now that the corporate media, and the digital world are defecting to Musk, err Trump.
I googled Gulf of Mexico and google returned Gulf of America and a map showing Gulf of America.
It's over folks, and sans an uprising, we are doomed. Even the law is no help. Judges are issuing Temporary Restraining orders, emphasis Temporary, and they are as effective as wolves barking at the moon. MuskTrump is plowing ahead ignoring the law and legal rulings.
Who is going to stop him? He controls DOJ, FBI, US Marshalls, law enforcement, and there is the Constitutional Sheriff and Peace Officers Association, and the fact that LEO is conservative and hate progressives and the progressive agenda. And now He controls the Dept of Defense, the worlds largest police force, and is staffing it with sycophants.
All that is left is as spontaneous national uprising and a general strike, lots of luck with that as at least 30% of the population are cult members, and 60% don't want to get involved and only want a paycheck and tolive an unencumbered life.
History will remember us in the streets. We are here with you, and gathering in strength. The courts are standing strong. Where they need to be backed up, we will back them up by taking to the streets en masse. Protests are beginning every day. This will continue and grow. As it escalates, and IT WILL, on every street in which Mump plans to travel, it will be blocked.
When they ignore the courts, our first wave of protestors will cross the Rappahannock and the Potomac. We will be in the hundreds of thousands, but only until our reserves arrive after crossing the Susquehanna and the Delaware. Then we will be in the millions. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/peaceful-and-lawful?r=3m1bs
If anyone is counting on Republicans to step up and do the right thing to save the country, I'm afraid you will be sorely disappointed. Never, ever count on Republicans to do the right thing. If they had any integrity and a conscience, they wouldn't be Republicans in the first place. This country is so screwed.
Barry Goldwater would have been driven out of today's Republican Party. Today's Republican Party in Congress are kindred spirits with the former Nazi members of the German Reichstag that were in lockstep (or is it goosestep?) to their leader of the cult.
May this reach and be heard by those who need to hear it. Decisive analysis like this is difficult—but not impossible—to ignore. But, I fear, ignored it will be. Their consciences are lost.
Today's GOPee only cares about low (or no) taxes and weak (or no) regulations. I fear we may be seeing the end of the American experiment in democracy.
This is the Republiscumbags in a brief statement. Totally spineless, regressive confederacy supporters, amoral, all in on corruption and willfully selling out our democracy for power and deregulation.
I've been sayin' that Hakeem Jeffries can identify about 20 House Republicans who possibly could flip. Three are Cuban Americans from Miami. Here's a letter from a MAGAT, my rep, who represents a majority Dem district.
Yesteerday I posted a series of letters. I've written her several times. I reminded her about the prooblem with Treasury, and about the Ukraine vs Putin problem. She is a member of the Foreign Affairs committee.
I also reminded her that there are about a million humanitarian visas and most of the sponsors are in Miami, many in her district.
We have two others. Gimenez was our Democratic mayor until 2020 when he flipped for Trump. Diaz Barlart's brother, Jose, is a MSNBC talking head.
We have a Democratic majority, county wide. Psy ops was effective and many Dems voted for Trump and the 3 amigos.
Now thery are screwed.
Please identify all these reps and interview them. Pressure them.
Imagine if all those unhappy constituents and those affected show up every day to protest.
Honesty is starving to death in this democracy. I have never registered as a D brand, or an R brand. DTS all my life. Why? The truth is elusive when bold claims are made that either one POV or another are the only choices available.
I never understood, evan as a kid in civics classes, why 'majority rule' was logical or reasonable or even functional in a country with 50 independent states and dozens of religions and ethnic groups and numerous languages and ancient cultures that guided citizen behaviors. How can 51 people actually rule over 49 and expect to get anything intelligent and useful done?
I used to say that it is difficult to chose sides when there is only 25 percent difference between them. I studied human history. Nothing but wars, rebellions, genocides, uprisings, inquisitions, murders, grief, misery and death. For 4000 years or more. Some choice, huh?
I grew up in the middle of nowhere. My families had little or nothing, no fortunes, no vast land holdings, no political power, and little to no maliciousness. No time for it. Too much work to do if one was to survive with a simple roof above one's head. Both my families were small 'c' conservative, one side extremely religious, the other just practical, modest and optimistic. I never once felt, within either immediate family, that they would be fascistic. But I was mistaken, as I found out later in life.
IMO, most of 'murka suffers from a lie so huge it is invisible, the lie of personal favoritism. 'Do as I say, not as I do.' DesCartes may have begun the jihad of individualism bathed in subjectivity, but Reagan enshrined it in political/economic glorification. Rules were only created for rulers to use against the unruly. For rulers, there were only 'exceptions.' He who has the gold makes the rules, and the rulers' enforcers attend to the coverage of those rules, under the direction of their rulers.
My long gone dad, if alive today, would be beating thousands of 'conservatives' to a pulp. Dignity was his strong suit, and both dignity and respect were earned, not given. His Eisenhower R brand would today be moderate D brands, diverse, educated, honest, fair-minded, conscientious and forward thinking. He and his dad, and many of my uncles, fought in two 'real' wars to defeat fascism and Naziism. They lived their lives with PTSD and still functioned with dignity.
They, and most of their offspring, are now either dead or severely ethically compromised. Some of my family, after my dad's death many years ago, let their true fascistic colors shine through. Perhaps they had no bellwethers left to look up to or be admonished by. I suspect there are millions out there right now that find themselves in this lie, and cannot escape its consequences. It must be up to us to remind them that forgiveness is a kind of justice, and humility leads to self-forgiveness.
It is very sad that the ‘ Republican Party’ has been usurped. Abraham Lincoln would be so completely distraught. Candidly if Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney created a Presidential ticket I might campaign for them.
The American Party system as it is today is distraught and may not be functioning. Is it time for a new party or for serious reflection and reorganization and perhaps more.
We are in for important profound change. Pope Francis’s engagement today is a wonderful place to start.
We must understand, learn and reflect so much that is important in sharing and shaping our lives as Americans.
We are essentially a country of immigrants. We must learn and remember the acceptance and kindness we received and bring it forward to others… be the change we sought or seek.
Except Okie, it is not the fake GOP, the Current GOP is the logical growth, evolution of the GOP of Teddy Roosevelt, the GOP of the Gilded age, the GOP of William F Buckley Jr, the GOP of Jerry Falwell, the GOP of Ted Haggart, the GOP of Ronald Reagan the GOP of George Bush's, there is no alien bug wearing the skin of Edgar, There is an alien bug that has taken over 100 years to finally mature and show itself.
Excellent piece this morning ☕ Thom, and a Great Question you've posed. If it came right down to it, would these Maga Republican's Nazi salute Musk/trump? or stand up for Democracy? I can't think it, so I'm eager for your program this morning!! Thank You, and will reStack ASAP 🙏💯👍🇺🇸
Am I the only one who is done with words? I agree about your writings - you are an eloquent historian and journalist and I thank God for your truth telling and your moral compass. But, I'm really tired of everyone's words and warnings and I want someone somewhere to have the guts to take action - to arrest these two law breaking criminals. They need to be held to the same standards as the rest of us!
Sally, the only law enforcement that can arrest them, and they can't be arrested without charges and a warrant, are the Dept of Justice, the FBI, the US Marshalls and guess who controls them, guess who controls the Sergeants at Arms of the House and the Senate.
Consider the ideological disposition of Sheriffs and Peace Officers, and there is the ultra right wing Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association,
People like Cheney and Kinzinger will come out on the right side of history. Those who kowtow to Trump will be buried as traitors to our country, all for short term gains in the form of retention of their grifting positions. They have no pride and we will suffer as a result. Shame on them.
This was a wonderful read. Thank you. I look forward to reading what you send every day. I am almost 82 and appalled at what Trump and Musk are doing. I knew it was going to be bad but I wasn’t prepared for the speed at which it was going to happen. When will the people who voted for him wake up and realize what he is doing to this country and our allies.
It’s hard to awaken zombies.
True and they don’t die easy.
Dear GOP Senators,
If our democracy falls on your watch, history will remember—not just the fall, but the bloodshed and suffering that follow. For 249 years, we have defended this great nation, not just with weapons, but with principles, courage, and a commitment to freedom.
Now is the time to honor that legacy. If you truly love this country, stand for democracy. Be the leaders who uphold the values that make America a shining beacon of hope—not the ones who let that light fade.”
Got this from Wonkette. Letter to Republicans. https://www.wonkette.com/p/an-open-letter-to-the-17-sane-congressional
I find the specifics in the Wonkett article to be right on and so pointed the language to jar the mind. Every word seethes with outrage. The article's use of adjectives is one of the best I have read lately (except for Thom's!)
Thank you for this, and some Democrats should read it too as they will buckle when push comes to shove. But to answer your question, no there is no bottom to these "leaders", elected or otherwise. Follow the ridiculous thread about the non-existent $50 million for condoms abroad. It's all mixed up which of course didn't stop Trump from expanding and lying about the whole subject. As for Musk, his comment that for an AIDS riddled country “I’m not sure we should be sending $50 million worth of condoms to anywhere, frankly.” it shows his utter lack of empathy and basic humanity. Basically the people in government are very scared. It may not be at the stage where the North Korean dictator dragged his uncle out of a terrified Parliament and murdered him, or Nero killed his mother and then a cowed Roman Senate gave thanks for his protecting the state, but we're on the same path.
Democrats are already buckling Doc. I watched Joy Reid last night question Amy Klobuchar.
Joy put up on the TV a scorecard showing how many Democrats caved to Trump and especially on the confirmation of Marco Rubia, 99-0. Klobuchar launched into a non sequitur diatribe, which previously has been the trademark of right wingers, deflecting from the fact that she was among the defecting Democrats.
It is going to get worse now that the corporate media, and the digital world are defecting to Musk, err Trump.
I googled Gulf of Mexico and google returned Gulf of America and a map showing Gulf of America.
It's over folks, and sans an uprising, we are doomed. Even the law is no help. Judges are issuing Temporary Restraining orders, emphasis Temporary, and they are as effective as wolves barking at the moon. MuskTrump is plowing ahead ignoring the law and legal rulings.
Who is going to stop him? He controls DOJ, FBI, US Marshalls, law enforcement, and there is the Constitutional Sheriff and Peace Officers Association, and the fact that LEO is conservative and hate progressives and the progressive agenda. And now He controls the Dept of Defense, the worlds largest police force, and is staffing it with sycophants.
All that is left is as spontaneous national uprising and a general strike, lots of luck with that as at least 30% of the population are cult members, and 60% don't want to get involved and only want a paycheck and tolive an unencumbered life.
History will remember us in the streets. We are here with you, and gathering in strength. The courts are standing strong. Where they need to be backed up, we will back them up by taking to the streets en masse. Protests are beginning every day. This will continue and grow. As it escalates, and IT WILL, on every street in which Mump plans to travel, it will be blocked.
When they ignore the courts, our first wave of protestors will cross the Rappahannock and the Potomac. We will be in the hundreds of thousands, but only until our reserves arrive after crossing the Susquehanna and the Delaware. Then we will be in the millions. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/peaceful-and-lawful?r=3m1bs
Contempt. https://www.newsweek.com/what-judges-can-do-if-trump-ignores-court-orders-opinion-2029455
Double penalties for ensuing violations to infinity.
Great input Daniel. The courts will not cede their authority, and civil contempt is not a pardonable offense.
If anyone is counting on Republicans to step up and do the right thing to save the country, I'm afraid you will be sorely disappointed. Never, ever count on Republicans to do the right thing. If they had any integrity and a conscience, they wouldn't be Republicans in the first place. This country is so screwed.
Barry Goldwater would have been driven out of today's Republican Party. Today's Republican Party in Congress are kindred spirits with the former Nazi members of the German Reichstag that were in lockstep (or is it goosestep?) to their leader of the cult.
Eisenhower would have been driven out of today's GOP, and he was the best Republican president I can recall in my lifetime.
May this reach and be heard by those who need to hear it. Decisive analysis like this is difficult—but not impossible—to ignore. But, I fear, ignored it will be. Their consciences are lost.
Check this out. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Today's GOPee only cares about low (or no) taxes and weak (or no) regulations. I fear we may be seeing the end of the American experiment in democracy.
This is the Republiscumbags in a brief statement. Totally spineless, regressive confederacy supporters, amoral, all in on corruption and willfully selling out our democracy for power and deregulation.
I've been sayin' that Hakeem Jeffries can identify about 20 House Republicans who possibly could flip. Three are Cuban Americans from Miami. Here's a letter from a MAGAT, my rep, who represents a majority Dem district.
https://files.constantcontact.com/1849eea4801/cd2e90be-43c8-4171-b3c6-a357621f7db9.pdf?_gl=1*uo1jgf*_ga*MDMwMjhjMzctZTFlNy00YzExLWE3NTEtZGUxMmY1OGY0YjEw*_ga_14T5LGLSQ3*MTczNzc0NTk1My4zLjEuMTczNzc0Njg2Ny44LjAuMA..
Yesteerday I posted a series of letters. I've written her several times. I reminded her about the prooblem with Treasury, and about the Ukraine vs Putin problem. She is a member of the Foreign Affairs committee.
I also reminded her that there are about a million humanitarian visas and most of the sponsors are in Miami, many in her district.
We have two others. Gimenez was our Democratic mayor until 2020 when he flipped for Trump. Diaz Barlart's brother, Jose, is a MSNBC talking head.
We have a Democratic majority, county wide. Psy ops was effective and many Dems voted for Trump and the 3 amigos.
Now thery are screwed.
Please identify all these reps and interview them. Pressure them.
Imagine if all those unhappy constituents and those affected show up every day to protest.
Honesty is starving to death in this democracy. I have never registered as a D brand, or an R brand. DTS all my life. Why? The truth is elusive when bold claims are made that either one POV or another are the only choices available.
I never understood, evan as a kid in civics classes, why 'majority rule' was logical or reasonable or even functional in a country with 50 independent states and dozens of religions and ethnic groups and numerous languages and ancient cultures that guided citizen behaviors. How can 51 people actually rule over 49 and expect to get anything intelligent and useful done?
I used to say that it is difficult to chose sides when there is only 25 percent difference between them. I studied human history. Nothing but wars, rebellions, genocides, uprisings, inquisitions, murders, grief, misery and death. For 4000 years or more. Some choice, huh?
I grew up in the middle of nowhere. My families had little or nothing, no fortunes, no vast land holdings, no political power, and little to no maliciousness. No time for it. Too much work to do if one was to survive with a simple roof above one's head. Both my families were small 'c' conservative, one side extremely religious, the other just practical, modest and optimistic. I never once felt, within either immediate family, that they would be fascistic. But I was mistaken, as I found out later in life.
IMO, most of 'murka suffers from a lie so huge it is invisible, the lie of personal favoritism. 'Do as I say, not as I do.' DesCartes may have begun the jihad of individualism bathed in subjectivity, but Reagan enshrined it in political/economic glorification. Rules were only created for rulers to use against the unruly. For rulers, there were only 'exceptions.' He who has the gold makes the rules, and the rulers' enforcers attend to the coverage of those rules, under the direction of their rulers.
My long gone dad, if alive today, would be beating thousands of 'conservatives' to a pulp. Dignity was his strong suit, and both dignity and respect were earned, not given. His Eisenhower R brand would today be moderate D brands, diverse, educated, honest, fair-minded, conscientious and forward thinking. He and his dad, and many of my uncles, fought in two 'real' wars to defeat fascism and Naziism. They lived their lives with PTSD and still functioned with dignity.
They, and most of their offspring, are now either dead or severely ethically compromised. Some of my family, after my dad's death many years ago, let their true fascistic colors shine through. Perhaps they had no bellwethers left to look up to or be admonished by. I suspect there are millions out there right now that find themselves in this lie, and cannot escape its consequences. It must be up to us to remind them that forgiveness is a kind of justice, and humility leads to self-forgiveness.
It is very sad that the ‘ Republican Party’ has been usurped. Abraham Lincoln would be so completely distraught. Candidly if Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney created a Presidential ticket I might campaign for them.
The American Party system as it is today is distraught and may not be functioning. Is it time for a new party or for serious reflection and reorganization and perhaps more.
We are in for important profound change. Pope Francis’s engagement today is a wonderful place to start.
We must understand, learn and reflect so much that is important in sharing and shaping our lives as Americans.
We are essentially a country of immigrants. We must learn and remember the acceptance and kindness we received and bring it forward to others… be the change we sought or seek.
The GOP of your dad's time? It no longer exists.
The GOP is "Edgar."
Who Dat?
In the 1997 movie "Men in Black" there's a character name of Edgar. Big Edgar's skin is taken over by an alien known as a "Bug."
Said Bug wears Edgar's skin as a costume. A disguise. Camouflage.
This leads to some humorous, ultimately scarifying moments as Edgar's skin lurches awkwardly, and speaks strangely.
Of course, fake Edgar has evil intent.
So does the fake GOP, re-branded the GOE: Grand Old Edgar.
The GOE is a similarly hostile alien entity, kitted up in the skin of the GOP.
And like Agents J and K we must use the "Noisy Cricket" weapon to explode the GOE.
Alien Bug Lands, Becomes Big E - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_bnRD7aaok&t=4s
Except Okie, it is not the fake GOP, the Current GOP is the logical growth, evolution of the GOP of Teddy Roosevelt, the GOP of the Gilded age, the GOP of William F Buckley Jr, the GOP of Jerry Falwell, the GOP of Ted Haggart, the GOP of Ronald Reagan the GOP of George Bush's, there is no alien bug wearing the skin of Edgar, There is an alien bug that has taken over 100 years to finally mature and show itself.
The earlier iterations were, yes, quite vile, but the GOE is beyond vile. It's lethal to democracy.
Hate him or not, Tricky's GOP had a self-destructive decorum.
The GOE on the other hand is a raging homicidal maniac.
The GOP vs the GOE? They're as different as chalk and cheese.
What is the GOE?
The present Republican party is the natural evolution of Reagan's Republican party.
Reagan's GOP was the teen, today's party is the adult.
There's a gradient, to be sure.
But, this is not politics as usual.
This is a takeover.
A hijacking.
This virus is as lethal as COVID-19 was in 2020.
PS GOE is defined in my 1st comment. Cheers.
Excellent piece this morning ☕ Thom, and a Great Question you've posed. If it came right down to it, would these Maga Republican's Nazi salute Musk/trump? or stand up for Democracy? I can't think it, so I'm eager for your program this morning!! Thank You, and will reStack ASAP 🙏💯👍🇺🇸
Am I the only one who is done with words? I agree about your writings - you are an eloquent historian and journalist and I thank God for your truth telling and your moral compass. But, I'm really tired of everyone's words and warnings and I want someone somewhere to have the guts to take action - to arrest these two law breaking criminals. They need to be held to the same standards as the rest of us!
Sally, the only law enforcement that can arrest them, and they can't be arrested without charges and a warrant, are the Dept of Justice, the FBI, the US Marshalls and guess who controls them, guess who controls the Sergeants at Arms of the House and the Senate.
Consider the ideological disposition of Sheriffs and Peace Officers, and there is the ultra right wing Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association,
People like Cheney and Kinzinger will come out on the right side of history. Those who kowtow to Trump will be buried as traitors to our country, all for short term gains in the form of retention of their grifting positions. They have no pride and we will suffer as a result. Shame on them.
When Dear Leader calls for the abolishment of Congress as being totally irrelevant those magats in Congress will gladly vote themselves out of a job.
Likely to see something similar to the 1933 Enablement Act in Germany.
A future-oriented game plan is desperately needed. History is interesting but the future is more critical.