And now the orange nightmare is trashing the First Amendment by tweeting about how he's going to make America "more religious than ever." That dude is the least religious person I've ever seen. Sometimes "I can't even" just can't even.
Even worse -- why are our elected officials, who supposedly took an oath to uphold the Constitution, just letting this slide?
Everything he (the rapey traitor felon) says or does is targeted to appease his brainwashed supporters and of course the end game is to enrich himself, his family, and his criminal billionaire buddies. There is no doubt that he panders to the brain worm inflicted minions who lack the ability to see through his absurd claims and nonstop lies. When he is finally gone, we, the actual majority, need to mobilize and demand accountability from the supplicant GOP for allowing this abomination to derail our democracy and trash our standing in the world. The damage to the rule of law by the rapey felon, criming out in the open, and the participation by his boot lickers should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
I know some Congressional Republicans. They're professional Republicans. The big thing they have, which most Democrats don't is patronage. It goes to other, non political organizations so that a chairable donation to say, the Red Cross or to many churches, is actually a contribution to the Republican Party and their lawyers and other patrons who are hired and employed through their Republican connections. E.G. Virtually all BIG LAW clients are Republican donors. https://www.opensecrets.org/2024-presidential-race/donald-trump/candidate?id=N00023864
They are primarily sensitive to their donors, who in some cases have been screwed by Trump tariffs and Musk and his Muskovites killng off patron jobs via a ripple effect. Imagine being a board member of a charity like a university that lost its grant money. Lost dozens if not thousands of jobs held by Repubicans. Lost their capacity to hustle via the alma mater.
Many of them know that Trump is not a patriot and is probably nutsy koo koo but they will take one for the team.
National security, i.e. the incompetency of Hegseth, SIGNAL, makes them irate. They could care less about most other issues that are important to us.
Trump is playing to his base, Full steam ahead on anti DEI, Anti Trans, immigration, and he will retain the loyalty of MAGAts (about 40% of the population). And that is all it takes, MAGAts will turn out to vote, the rest of us, well not so much, 70 million voters sat out the last election.
Trump's base is top and bottom. The top are oligarchs, techbros, financiers, manufacturers, farmers who want zero regulations and zero taxes, the bottom, the 40%, are fueled by fear of loss of power and control, the Viagra, Cialis and Incel, crowd, the misogynists, the male supremacists, and of course white Christian Nationalists.
Like I said above, many of the pols know he's flawed but hold their noses for team unity. Many of those people at the top are his partners in ventures that should be investigated.
Those who are not on the favored team, those losing big time, should be resentful.
National secutity should be our opening and we need to motivate Republicans like Don Bacon and Mike Turner.
Now we have a very good , actionable suggestion from David !
David, if I understand you correctly you are suggesting a serious strategy for dividing and conquering a major component of Trump’s support in the top tier of our society!
Let’s work to develop these strategy immediately!
It makes good sense to me!
Background:
(1) The Republican clients of big law ( major donors to the Republican Party) are big losers (jobs and grants) due to Musk’s reckless anti-government axe-wielding !
Many industries and corporations must be hurting in red districts here!
(2) The major Hawks and foreign policy experts in the Republican Party didn’t count on Vlad (Putin) calling all the shots! They didn’t believe Trump was actually a Russian asset, named “Krasnov!”
Let’s get to work dividing the top tier of the fascist tyranny!
Love of country demands it!
Let losers who may NOT WANT TO TSKE ONE FOR THE TESM SNYMORE!
The People, the protectors of Democracy, are out and about. What "people," out where, about what--and why? First, millions said "Hand Off"to Trump/Musk et al, then on the 19th via 50501" (50 protests, 5o states, 1 Movement + Indivivable) millions more protested the mess in WDC. Also on the 19th we celebrated the "the shot heard around the world at Lexington and Concord, starting the Revolution and our country. On the 22nd protectors of the environment cleaned up a different kind of mess on Earth Day.
As important as the participants in environmental mess cleanup and American history are, this post is dedicated to the named and unnamed protestors fighting the Trump/Musk Washington, DC, tyrannical mess. Or as Susan Grymes calls it: "Protectors" of democracy, and so shall I in this post.
Who are the Protectors of democracy on April 5, 19th, May 1st--or all the everydays in between and into the future?? We will never know the names of each individual marcher, sign holder (or just standing together in solidarity). But we do know by name some people, advocacy groups, judges and law firms, and other entities who have not been cowed, and have fought back publicly--sometimes under threat of death.. Some, such as Sen. Cory Booker, with his 25 hour righteous speech on ethics, morality, and American democracy,have become an inspiration. Here then, in no particular order of noteworthy (except the first three), are the names of many of the army of protectors of democracy--and remember Courage is Contagious:
(Of course, the list is imperfect, Additions are welcomed. Also re-posting is permitted and encouraged.
PROTECTORS OF DEMOCRACY (By pen, voice, sign, or act)
(Updated April 28, 2025) Individuals
Heather Cox Richardson/"Letters from an American,"
Jess Piper/"View from Rural Missouri,"
Joyce Vance/"Civil Discourse,"
Rep. AOC,
AGs, 23 Blue States,
Aaron Parnas,
Adam Kinzinger,
Sen. Adam Schiff,
Adam Smith,
Alex Wagner,
Alexander Vindman,
Ali Velshi,
Alison Gill
Alvin Bragg (and the unnamed Manhattan jurors),
Amb. Susan Rice,
Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales/Democracy Now,
Anand Giridharadas,
Anat Shenker-Osario,
Andrew Weissmann,
Andy Borowitz,
Ann Telnaes,
Anne Applebaum,
Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF (Freedom from Religion Founda
Ariella Elm
]
Ari Melber,
Asha Rangappa
August Flentje,
Ben Meiselas/MTN,
Beth Benike,
Brett Meiselas,
Brian Tyler Cohen,
Cassidy Hutchinson,
Charlotte Clymer,
Chris Geidne/LAW Dork
Chris Hayes,
Chris Krebs,
Col. Susannah Meyers,
Congressman Jim Himes,
D. Earl Stevens,
Dan Barker, FFRF (Freedom from Religion Foundation)
Dan Pfeiffer,
Dan Rather,
Daniel Berulis,
Daniel Morton-Bentley,
David Frumm,
David Hogg,
Dean Obeidallah,
Delia Ramirez,
Sen. Elizabeth Warren,
Sen. Elyssa Slotkin,
Erez Reuveni,
Rep. Eric Swalwell,
Francie Garber Pepper (1940-2025),
Garrison Keillor,
Garry Kasparov,
George Conway,
Glenn Kirschner,
Gov. Beshear,
Gov. Janet Mills,
Gov. Kathy Hochul,
Gov. Maura Healey (MA),
Gov. Tim Walz (MN),
Gov. Tony Evers (WI),
Greg Olear,
Harry Litman,
J.B. Pritzker,
Jake Auchincloss,
Rep. Jamie Raskin,
Rep. Jasmine Crockett,
Jay Kou,
Jeff Danziger,
Sen. Jeff Merkley,
Jeff Stein,
Jeff Tiedrich,
Jen Rubin And the Contrarians,
,Jeremy Seahill,
Jessica Craven,
Jessica Yellin,
Jill Filipovic
Jim Acosta,
Jim Hightower,
Jimmy Kimmel,
J-L Cauvin,
John Cusack,
John Larson
Sen. Jon Ossoff,
Jonathan Bernstein,
Jordy Meiselas,
Josh Johnson (stand-up comedian),
Josh Marshall/TPM,
Joy Reid,
Judd Legum (Popular Information),
Julie Roginsky,
Katie Phang,
Ken Harbaugh,
Lawrence O'Donnell,
Liz Cheney,
Lucian Truscott IV,
Marianne Williamson,
Mark Fiore,
Marvin Kalb,
Mary L. Trump,
Maxwell Frost,
Mayor Michelle Wu,
Mehdi Hasan,
Melvin Gurai,
Michael Bennett,
Michael Cohen,
Michel Zeitgeist,
Miles Taylor,
Nicolle Wallllace,
Noel Casler (former and current staff of the Inter-American Foundation, a small but mighty federal agency for Latin America)
Olga Lautman,
Oliva Troye,
Paul Krugman,
Prof. Lawrence Tribe,
Qasim Rachid,
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman,
Rachel Cohen,
Rachel Maddow,
Rebecca Solnit,
Rep. Andrew Egger,
Rep. Emily Randall,
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries,
Rep. Jessica Denson,
Rep. Jonathan V. Last,
Rep. Noe Casler,
Rep. Pramila Jayapal,
Rep. Sarah Longwell,
Rep. Al Green,
Rep. Don Beyer,
Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde,
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II,
Representative Yassamin Ansari
Rez Reuveni (acting deputy director for the Office of Immigration Litigation, and his supervisor),
Rich Wilson,
Robert B. Hubbell,
Robert Reich,
Roger Parloff,
Ron Filipkowski,
Ruth Ben-Ghait,
Sarah Inama,
Scott Dworkin,
Sen. Amy Klobuchar,
Sen. Andy Kim,
Sen. Angus King,
Sen. Bernie Sanders,
Sen. Chris Murphy,
Sen. Chris Van Hollen,
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand,
Sen. Lisa Murkowski,
Sen. Maria Cantwell,
Sen. Patty Murray,
Sen. Raphael Warnock,
Sen. Ron Wyden,
Sharon McMahon,
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse,
Simon Rosenberg,
Stacey Abrams,
Stephanie Miller,
Stephen King,
Steve Brodner,
Steve Schmidt,
Sue Nethercott,
Sen. Tammy Duckworth,
Tennessee Brandon,
Thom Hartmann,
Tim Miller,
Tim Snyder,
Timothy Snyder
Tristan Snell,
Will Bunch,
Zev Shalev,
ADVOCACY GROUPS, MEDIA NETWORKS
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union),
AICN (North Carolina),
American Oversight,
Bill Kristol/all NeverTrumpers,
Blue Future,
Blue Missouri,
Blue Wave,
Bluesky,
Bulwark Media,
CODEPINK,
CREW,
DemCast,
Democracy Forward,
Democracy Index,
DemocracyLabs,
Every State Blue,
Feathers of Hope/Jerry Weiss,,
Field Team 6 (North Carolina),
FiftyFifty one (50501),
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF),
Fred Wellman/On Democracy,
"Hands Off,"
Indivisible,
Jessica Valenti/Abortion Everyday,
Lambda Legal,
League of Women Voters/Dr. Allan Lichtman,
Marc Elias/Democracy Docket,
MeidasTouch Network,
MoveOn,
MSNBC (an exception to corporate news, and their suppressing news0,
No Kings,
Olivia Troye,
Protect Democracy,
Public Citizen/Co-president Robert Weissman,
Run for Something,
Seneca Project,
Substack,
Team Sunrise,
The 19th/Errin Haines,
The American Manifesto,
The Bulwark,
The Civic Center,
The Dean's List/ Dean Obeidallah,
The Dr. Martin Luther King Center
The Lincoln Project,
The Politics Girl,
The States Project (North Carolina),
The Union (North Carolina)
Third Act,,
Thomas Zimmer/Democracy Americana,
Truth Matters,
We the People Dissent,
Working Families Party,
LAW FIRMS/ORGANIZATIONS, LAWYERS, COURTS, ACADEMIA
American Bar Association,
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer,
Big Ten Universities,
Brenna Trout Frey
David Pepper,
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (representing the Amica Center for Immigrants Rights and others seeking to block funding cuts for immigrant legal services),
Harvard/President Alan M. Garber,
Hogan Lovells (seeking to block executive orders to end federal funding for gender-affirming medical care),
Jenner & Block (also seeking to block the orders on cuts to medical research funding),
Judge Hannah Dugan,
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III,
(former) Judge J. Michael Luttig,
Judge James Boasberg,
Judge Paula Xinis,
Judge Royce Lamberth,
Justice Elena Kagan,
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson,
Justices Sonia Sotomayer,
Lawyers for Good Government,
Northwestern University,
Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling (have resisted Trump, fighting back with the help of other courageous firms like Williams& Connolly),
Presidents of 328 U.S. colleges and universities who have signed a letter condemning “government overreach" (including St. Louis University),
Ropes & Gray (seeking to block cuts to medical research funding), Susman Godfrey law firm,
UC Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (per the ABA Journal, representing fired inspectors general),
Wilmer Hale Keker, Van Nest & Peters,
Southern Poverty Law Center,
Letter signed by 500 law firms joined a court brief supporting Perkins Coie lawsuit against the Trump Administration),
To paraphrase Churchill: We shall fight them in the streets, we shall fight them on the sidewalks, we shall fight them on the internet, we shall fight them in the courts, we shall fight them in the Congress, we shall fight them in the voting booth--We shall never surrender. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. SOLIDARITY..
Thom did not address the MAGA cult. What I am hearing here in Deep-Red Florida, in contrast to Thom's hopeful statement, is: "Buckle up, Buttercup. Democracy is ours now, as your woke courts will fall in line, because WE are making America great again." Currently, America's voters are not yet on the same page.
We do have a ray of hope from history. All autocrats fail because they too need guardrails, but their arrogance makes them vulnerable to massive failure because they surround themselves with yes-men and yes-women. Sooner or later, they will do some stupid things, maybe like impose global tariffs, and the consequences will be dire. Just ask Benito or Adolf.
My best job ever was working on the staff of the Admiral of the Navy. I oversaw his personnel and training-related studies. One day after a meeting with one of his Fleet Commanders, he reminded me how much he valued guardrails.
As he was leaving, the Fleet Admiral asked my boss what my job was. His response explained what true leadership is. "Oh, Tom? He's my "other-hand man." When asked for clarification, he explained: "You and I have people coming into our offices every day recommending new policies and programs. But they always tell us just what is on the "one hand." I have Tom here to help me find out what is on the other hand that might go wrong."
The lack of WH guardrails is what gives me hope for a unified reaction to Trump's rule.
I am not so hopeful Tom, that the dictatorship that Trusk is building will collapse of it's own weight. The dictatorships of Adolph, Beninto, Tojo and Franco did not collapse of their own weight, the first three collapsed from without (e..g D day), Franco's regime never collapsed Franco died in 1975 at the age of 82. He restored the Spanish monarchy before his death and made his successor King Juan Carlos I, who led the Spanish transition to democracy.
The USSR was an authoritarian regime, and it's successor the Federation is an authoritarian regime. Instead of national resources and assets owned by government bureaus, they are now owned by private individuals (oligarchs) who bought them cheap in a fire sale by Yeltsin.
As authoritarian regimes cannabalize their country, the public discontent grows, and the regime then tightens up social controls, with increasing violence.
We are seeing that now, with the arrest of Judge Dugan, the submission of law firms and educational institutions, and the free wheeling violence of ICE agents, walking the street in civvies and arresting people out in the open.
I probably should have included "sooner or later." The USSR imploded, Russia held on to only a few states afterwards. Mussolini was left hanging by his heels in the town square, Hitler supposedly died by suicide to avoid execution. Of course, none of those countries were democracies in any real sense of the word. The USA still sorta is.
My point is that fascist regimes do not collapse from within, but from without.
The fall of the USSR is problematic. When working on my Masters in finance, I received the gold covered annual reports for the Bank of International Settlements for three years straight.
In one report, there was a sentence. The USSR is a failed economic experiment and needs to be reorganized. Five years later, they found the man, Gorbachev, for his efforts he was rewarded with a dacha on Lake Geneva, a very healthy annual stipend and his own NGO, the Green Cross.
Also in my research I came across a 1922 Fortnightly Magazine. The USSR was a combine of seven trusts, the organization papers were being held in Sweden.
The Trusts were organized along lines of resources, KGB was in charge of human resources, there was a trust for mining, timber, agriculture, heavy industry.
Each trust had their own bank. Bank were used to clear accounts between trusts, with barter first and gold second.
It seems that with the deconstruction of the Soviets, Yeltsin sold the trusts, like Gazprom, off to high ranking KGB officers.
I discussed Spain. Franco was at the end of the trail, and he knew there was no successor or successive regime, do he hand the government over to King Juan Carlos. Both Franco and the King had in common their intense Catholic faith.
Evidenced in the high status and love that the people have for the Spanish Legion. Whose record of war crimes during the civil war is unequaled
Can you imagine SEALS or Special Forces or Rangers doing something like this:
Chile's constitutional make up is quite different than ours and evidently Pinochet did not have the financial help that Trump has, from financiers, industrialists, tech bros and the billionaire class.
Thank You, Tomonthebeach, for this and for your service. I hope and pray there is "true leadership" in every military unit, police and sheriff's department, and all levels of our representative government, as well as "on the other hand" men and women advising every leader.
Alas, Trump has encouraged people with eugenic feelings of superiority, who resent serving under women and people of color. Resenting DEI helps them, like it did failed Maj. Hegseth, to rationalize their sluggish careers and regretable decisions like Nazi social medial posts and tattoos. Unfortunately, I have observed that there are racist bullies in every color of uniform - sheriffs especially. They are attracted to a president who will not hold them accountable for excessive force on the job.
As a retired organizational psychologist (a role I picked up 12 years into my Navy career), I could not help but witness validation of research findings. There are two kinds of leaders - "leaders," who LISTEN to their staff and try to build concensus, and "rulers," those who TELL everybody what to do and punish those who dare point out potential negative consequences.
Alas, you are right. "Sheriff's especially" as I learned on the evening of January 4th, 2021, when I reported my violent trumper neighbor as he raised hell before his trip to D.C. to "Save America."
But to reinstall a proven failure at kingship, a mental cripple, to anoint him by popular vote merely because he is a known hater of "outgroups," bespeaks a national descent into hallucinatory, evangelically induced, endtimes madness.
Now he is exporting 2-year-olds. A 4 y.o. w/ cancer, w/out his medication. One 7 y.o,, too.
However a few will have a hard time rationalizing it with their consitients and donors.
A Cuban woman living in Tampa who came to the United States in 2019 and is married to a U.S. citizen was abruptly detained by immigration authorities and deported to Cuba on Thursday, leaving behind her one-year-old child. Heidy Sánchez, 44, a Hillsborough County resident, was among 82 Cuban migrants sent on a plane from Miami back to Cuba on Thursday morning,
Not presuming to read Vlad the Invader's (aka Vlad the Defenestrator) mind, I think there's something that would warm his ice-cold heart even more an America in an authoritarian nightmare, and that would be anarchic collapse. He may get both before trump is finished.
If SCOTUS does not eventually (soon) act to restrain this maniacal dictator, then I imagine our military must act - a very bold thought. Obviously, Hegseth is the perfect goon and cannot wait to follow his instructions to suppress the growing protests. But frustration and embarrassment within the DoD is growing. Perhaps I'm thinking too far ahead, but I see it as our only hope. Fascism is not just at our doorstep; it's busted down the door and is in our homes, schools, courthouses and workplaces.
Michael, while there might be some frustration within the DoD, it is not enough or able to stop the Trump juggernaut.
The vast majority of enlisted, whose oath is to obey the orders of the President and Officers appointed over them, are from the South and red state America.
Are the people listening? Will this message break through to enough of the apathetic citizens who have not been paying attention and laying low? Are we reaching outside of our bubbles to affect the masses? I have serious doubts. It should be noted that the Republicans in Congress are not nearly as afraid of Trump as they are of his cult members and the reactionary base. I don't recall who made that point last week. A small minority must be willing to risk re-election or retribution to oppose the Orange Menace and vote for his conviction. Democrats should isolate a select few for pigeonholing and intense pressure and get their commitment to convict, regardless of threats or pressure and then move swiftly with an impeachment trial. Donald Tramp probably thinks that a third attempt will go just like the first two.
All right already I'll protest again, write and call elected officials again and again. Unfortunately I see on TV big crowds at sporting events and for the NFL draft that dwarf protests in the same cities. Yeah got it, we have to fight for our democracy, but where in the (expletive) are the huge masses of demonstrators necessary to alter the authoritarian trajectory? Nationwide, college campuses are not blowing up in loud sustained protest. Sorry for negativity here but it looks to me that most Americans just don't give a (expletive). Dumbed down in their drug cyber dream worlds that nothing matters to them beyond the next game?
Unfortunately I think you are right. Perhaps if we opened a betting line on whether or not krasnov will take over the country we might garner more involvement.
Dictators love sports and casinos. They have equaled religion as the opiate for the masses.
Nobody can honestly say "I did not see it coming"! Of course honesty has become a rare commodity since apparently millions voted for a convict orange fascist asshole. Ref project 2025 in case
Actually Louise's music is, IMO, better than the 60's and 70's protest music, It has a country flare to it, and that means that it will appeal to that particular crowd.
Love Louise's songs especially in combination with Thom's powerful podcasts and stories. It's leaders like you two that will move the masses to save America and our democracy.
These delusional sadists must be so deeply under Dear Leader's spell they think they will never be held accountable for what they are doing. They really are "going for it".
The Nazis thought the same thing and ended up being hunted and tried. Mussolini, the Ceaușescus, Hussein, and Qaddafi---dead, dead dead. There were the trials from the Balkans, Pol Pot, and now Duterte is in the Hague.
I wonder how they will be treated, because if they are held accountable for their crimes, it will be in a courtroom in front of a JUDGE. I hope it is a judge that REALLY loves children.
Bear in mind Alis, that the NAZI's were hunted down only because the United States entered the war. Had not Hitler declared war on the U.S., Europe would be either NAZI or Commie.
I just watched a German movie called "Goebbels and the Fuhrer". It is from Goebbels' point of view. The Russians would have torn them apart---suicide made sense for them, but those poor children!
I also found an article from De Gruyter Brill concerning Russian prosecution: (Post)War Trials of Nazi Perpetrators and Their Auxiliaries ...
They had laws in place and used them DURING the war, then they played an integral part at Nuremberg.
More interesting to me is Krasnov's supporters. Nothing is heard about the wrongs done to citizens. Drump's administration makes no evidence accusations and they all fall in line. Are there no sane Repubs that cannot see that their freedoms are at stake as well? Maybe they do not care as numbers are on their side that authorities cannot get to them. That is what the males counted on in Germany but they were wrong. Half the male population died leaving only kids and old men to rebuild a destroyed nation. Those that knew what was going on and did nothing bc they thought they could keep themselves safe died. In the streets American's will find their metel. The unknown and unlooked for force will stand up and do what cannot be done. The Chosen One rises and the people cry with surprise and wonder. The Dark Divine Feminine energy visionary will stand and nothing shall be able stand against God's appointed. The people will know God is God. Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
Great article, Thom! Do you know any of the details of how this Judges arrest went down? You cited that they had no arrest warrant for her? I would imagine with that being the case, they are responding that their legal grounds for arresting the Judge, would be obstructing the feds apprehension of the migrant??? In other words, they will get by with it? Right? Sorry, I heard about this Judges arrest, but no details other than that........
And now the orange nightmare is trashing the First Amendment by tweeting about how he's going to make America "more religious than ever." That dude is the least religious person I've ever seen. Sometimes "I can't even" just can't even.
Even worse -- why are our elected officials, who supposedly took an oath to uphold the Constitution, just letting this slide?
Everything he (the rapey traitor felon) says or does is targeted to appease his brainwashed supporters and of course the end game is to enrich himself, his family, and his criminal billionaire buddies. There is no doubt that he panders to the brain worm inflicted minions who lack the ability to see through his absurd claims and nonstop lies. When he is finally gone, we, the actual majority, need to mobilize and demand accountability from the supplicant GOP for allowing this abomination to derail our democracy and trash our standing in the world. The damage to the rule of law by the rapey felon, criming out in the open, and the participation by his boot lickers should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
To appease his brainwashed donors.
I know some Congressional Republicans. They're professional Republicans. The big thing they have, which most Democrats don't is patronage. It goes to other, non political organizations so that a chairable donation to say, the Red Cross or to many churches, is actually a contribution to the Republican Party and their lawyers and other patrons who are hired and employed through their Republican connections. E.G. Virtually all BIG LAW clients are Republican donors. https://www.opensecrets.org/2024-presidential-race/donald-trump/candidate?id=N00023864
They are primarily sensitive to their donors, who in some cases have been screwed by Trump tariffs and Musk and his Muskovites killng off patron jobs via a ripple effect. Imagine being a board member of a charity like a university that lost its grant money. Lost dozens if not thousands of jobs held by Repubicans. Lost their capacity to hustle via the alma mater.
Many of them know that Trump is not a patriot and is probably nutsy koo koo but they will take one for the team.
National security, i.e. the incompetency of Hegseth, SIGNAL, makes them irate. They could care less about most other issues that are important to us.
We can take advantage of the situation.
How do you recommend that we take advantage of this situation?
Yes Delia, I’d really like to know that as well. Thanks
FEATHERS OF HOPE. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Trump is playing to his base, Full steam ahead on anti DEI, Anti Trans, immigration, and he will retain the loyalty of MAGAts (about 40% of the population). And that is all it takes, MAGAts will turn out to vote, the rest of us, well not so much, 70 million voters sat out the last election.
Trump's base is top and bottom. The top are oligarchs, techbros, financiers, manufacturers, farmers who want zero regulations and zero taxes, the bottom, the 40%, are fueled by fear of loss of power and control, the Viagra, Cialis and Incel, crowd, the misogynists, the male supremacists, and of course white Christian Nationalists.
Like I said above, many of the pols know he's flawed but hold their noses for team unity. Many of those people at the top are his partners in ventures that should be investigated.
Those who are not on the favored team, those losing big time, should be resentful.
National secutity should be our opening and we need to motivate Republicans like Don Bacon and Mike Turner.
I’m in!
Let’s do it!
Suggestions please, NOW!
✅
Now we have a very good , actionable suggestion from David !
David, if I understand you correctly you are suggesting a serious strategy for dividing and conquering a major component of Trump’s support in the top tier of our society!
Let’s work to develop these strategy immediately!
It makes good sense to me!
Background:
(1) The Republican clients of big law ( major donors to the Republican Party) are big losers (jobs and grants) due to Musk’s reckless anti-government axe-wielding !
Many industries and corporations must be hurting in red districts here!
(2) The major Hawks and foreign policy experts in the Republican Party didn’t count on Vlad (Putin) calling all the shots! They didn’t believe Trump was actually a Russian asset, named “Krasnov!”
Let’s get to work dividing the top tier of the fascist tyranny!
Love of country demands it!
Let losers who may NOT WANT TO TSKE ONE FOR THE TESM SNYMORE!
Thanks, David!
Can someone
I'm in. I'm listening. Let's do this.
And, I do declare......you are right! He is NOT religious by any measure. This is only the mask he wears to play to his religious base voters.
They’re cowards. That’s why
Yep. Cowards, the lot of them.
Let’s try! Come on!
Even cowards have their pride!
Let’s find it!
Now!
We the People at Work
The People, the protectors of Democracy, are out and about. What "people," out where, about what--and why? First, millions said "Hand Off"to Trump/Musk et al, then on the 19th via 50501" (50 protests, 5o states, 1 Movement + Indivivable) millions more protested the mess in WDC. Also on the 19th we celebrated the "the shot heard around the world at Lexington and Concord, starting the Revolution and our country. On the 22nd protectors of the environment cleaned up a different kind of mess on Earth Day.
As important as the participants in environmental mess cleanup and American history are, this post is dedicated to the named and unnamed protestors fighting the Trump/Musk Washington, DC, tyrannical mess. Or as Susan Grymes calls it: "Protectors" of democracy, and so shall I in this post.
Who are the Protectors of democracy on April 5, 19th, May 1st--or all the everydays in between and into the future?? We will never know the names of each individual marcher, sign holder (or just standing together in solidarity). But we do know by name some people, advocacy groups, judges and law firms, and other entities who have not been cowed, and have fought back publicly--sometimes under threat of death.. Some, such as Sen. Cory Booker, with his 25 hour righteous speech on ethics, morality, and American democracy,have become an inspiration. Here then, in no particular order of noteworthy (except the first three), are the names of many of the army of protectors of democracy--and remember Courage is Contagious:
(Of course, the list is imperfect, Additions are welcomed. Also re-posting is permitted and encouraged.
PROTECTORS OF DEMOCRACY (By pen, voice, sign, or act)
(Updated April 28, 2025) Individuals
Heather Cox Richardson/"Letters from an American,"
Jess Piper/"View from Rural Missouri,"
Joyce Vance/"Civil Discourse,"
Rep. AOC,
AGs, 23 Blue States,
Aaron Parnas,
Adam Kinzinger,
Sen. Adam Schiff,
Adam Smith,
Alex Wagner,
Alexander Vindman,
Ali Velshi,
Alison Gill
Alvin Bragg (and the unnamed Manhattan jurors),
Amb. Susan Rice,
Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales/Democracy Now,
Anand Giridharadas,
Anat Shenker-Osario,
Andrew Weissmann,
Andy Borowitz,
Ann Telnaes,
Anne Applebaum,
Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF (Freedom from Religion Founda
Ariella Elm
]
Ari Melber,
Asha Rangappa
August Flentje,
Ben Meiselas/MTN,
Beth Benike,
Brett Meiselas,
Brian Tyler Cohen,
Cassidy Hutchinson,
Charlotte Clymer,
Chris Geidne/LAW Dork
Chris Hayes,
Chris Krebs,
Col. Susannah Meyers,
Congressman Jim Himes,
D. Earl Stevens,
Dan Barker, FFRF (Freedom from Religion Foundation)
Dan Pfeiffer,
Dan Rather,
Daniel Berulis,
Daniel Morton-Bentley,
David Frumm,
David Hogg,
Dean Obeidallah,
Delia Ramirez,
Sen. Elizabeth Warren,
Sen. Elyssa Slotkin,
Erez Reuveni,
Rep. Eric Swalwell,
Francie Garber Pepper (1940-2025),
Garrison Keillor,
Garry Kasparov,
George Conway,
Glenn Kirschner,
Gov. Beshear,
Gov. Janet Mills,
Gov. Kathy Hochul,
Gov. Maura Healey (MA),
Gov. Tim Walz (MN),
Gov. Tony Evers (WI),
Greg Olear,
Harry Litman,
J.B. Pritzker,
Jake Auchincloss,
Rep. Jamie Raskin,
Rep. Jasmine Crockett,
Jay Kou,
Jeff Danziger,
Sen. Jeff Merkley,
Jeff Stein,
Jeff Tiedrich,
Jen Rubin And the Contrarians,
,Jeremy Seahill,
Jessica Craven,
Jessica Yellin,
Jill Filipovic
Jim Acosta,
Jim Hightower,
Jimmy Kimmel,
J-L Cauvin,
John Cusack,
John Larson
Sen. Jon Ossoff,
Jonathan Bernstein,
Jordy Meiselas,
Josh Johnson (stand-up comedian),
Josh Marshall/TPM,
Joy Reid,
Judd Legum (Popular Information),
Julie Roginsky,
Katie Phang,
Ken Harbaugh,
Lawrence O'Donnell,
Liz Cheney,
Lucian Truscott IV,
Marianne Williamson,
Mark Fiore,
Marvin Kalb,
Mary L. Trump,
Maxwell Frost,
Mayor Michelle Wu,
Mehdi Hasan,
Melvin Gurai,
Michael Bennett,
Michael Cohen,
Michel Zeitgeist,
Miles Taylor,
Nicolle Wallllace,
Noel Casler (former and current staff of the Inter-American Foundation, a small but mighty federal agency for Latin America)
Olga Lautman,
Oliva Troye,
Paul Krugman,
Prof. Lawrence Tribe,
Qasim Rachid,
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman,
Rachel Cohen,
Rachel Maddow,
Rebecca Solnit,
Rep. Andrew Egger,
Rep. Emily Randall,
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries,
Rep. Jessica Denson,
Rep. Jonathan V. Last,
Rep. Noe Casler,
Rep. Pramila Jayapal,
Rep. Sarah Longwell,
Rep. Al Green,
Rep. Don Beyer,
Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde,
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II,
Representative Yassamin Ansari
Rez Reuveni (acting deputy director for the Office of Immigration Litigation, and his supervisor),
Rich Wilson,
Robert B. Hubbell,
Robert Reich,
Roger Parloff,
Ron Filipkowski,
Ruth Ben-Ghait,
Sarah Inama,
Scott Dworkin,
Sen. Amy Klobuchar,
Sen. Andy Kim,
Sen. Angus King,
Sen. Bernie Sanders,
Sen. Chris Murphy,
Sen. Chris Van Hollen,
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand,
Sen. Lisa Murkowski,
Sen. Maria Cantwell,
Sen. Patty Murray,
Sen. Raphael Warnock,
Sen. Ron Wyden,
Sharon McMahon,
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse,
Simon Rosenberg,
Stacey Abrams,
Stephanie Miller,
Stephen King,
Steve Brodner,
Steve Schmidt,
Sue Nethercott,
Sen. Tammy Duckworth,
Tennessee Brandon,
Thom Hartmann,
Tim Miller,
Tim Snyder,
Timothy Snyder
Tristan Snell,
Will Bunch,
Zev Shalev,
ADVOCACY GROUPS, MEDIA NETWORKS
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union),
AICN (North Carolina),
American Oversight,
Bill Kristol/all NeverTrumpers,
Blue Future,
Blue Missouri,
Blue Wave,
Bluesky,
Bulwark Media,
CODEPINK,
CREW,
DemCast,
Democracy Forward,
Democracy Index,
DemocracyLabs,
Every State Blue,
Feathers of Hope/Jerry Weiss,,
Field Team 6 (North Carolina),
FiftyFifty one (50501),
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF),
Fred Wellman/On Democracy,
"Hands Off,"
Indivisible,
Jessica Valenti/Abortion Everyday,
Lambda Legal,
League of Women Voters/Dr. Allan Lichtman,
Marc Elias/Democracy Docket,
MeidasTouch Network,
MoveOn,
MSNBC (an exception to corporate news, and their suppressing news0,
No Kings,
Olivia Troye,
Protect Democracy,
Public Citizen/Co-president Robert Weissman,
Run for Something,
Seneca Project,
Substack,
Team Sunrise,
The 19th/Errin Haines,
The American Manifesto,
The Bulwark,
The Civic Center,
The Dean's List/ Dean Obeidallah,
The Dr. Martin Luther King Center
The Lincoln Project,
The Politics Girl,
The States Project (North Carolina),
The Union (North Carolina)
Third Act,,
Thomas Zimmer/Democracy Americana,
Truth Matters,
We the People Dissent,
Working Families Party,
LAW FIRMS/ORGANIZATIONS, LAWYERS, COURTS, ACADEMIA
American Bar Association,
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer,
Big Ten Universities,
Brenna Trout Frey
David Pepper,
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (representing the Amica Center for Immigrants Rights and others seeking to block funding cuts for immigrant legal services),
Harvard/President Alan M. Garber,
Hogan Lovells (seeking to block executive orders to end federal funding for gender-affirming medical care),
Jenner & Block (also seeking to block the orders on cuts to medical research funding),
Judge Hannah Dugan,
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III,
(former) Judge J. Michael Luttig,
Judge James Boasberg,
Judge Paula Xinis,
Judge Royce Lamberth,
Justice Elena Kagan,
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson,
Justices Sonia Sotomayer,
Lawyers for Good Government,
Northwestern University,
Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling (have resisted Trump, fighting back with the help of other courageous firms like Williams& Connolly),
Presidents of 328 U.S. colleges and universities who have signed a letter condemning “government overreach" (including St. Louis University),
Ropes & Gray (seeking to block cuts to medical research funding), Susman Godfrey law firm,
UC Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (per the ABA Journal, representing fired inspectors general),
Wilmer Hale Keker, Van Nest & Peters,
Southern Poverty Law Center,
Letter signed by 500 law firms joined a court brief supporting Perkins Coie lawsuit against the Trump Administration),
To paraphrase Churchill: We shall fight them in the streets, we shall fight them on the sidewalks, we shall fight them on the internet, we shall fight them in the courts, we shall fight them in the Congress, we shall fight them in the voting booth--We shall never surrender. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. SOLIDARITY..
E pluribus unum ( "Out of many, one")
Thanks for adding Jerry Weiss. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
BTW Jessica Denson isn't a house member. She sued Trump and won. http://propublica.org/article/trump-campaign-harassment-bullying-lawsuits
She has her own movement to impeach Trump via the 14th Amendment. https://www.youtube.com/@JessicaDenson07
Thank you, this is inspiring!
You're welcome. Forward together in Soliditarity.
Thank You, Larry.
You're welcome. Forward together in Soliditarity
Thom did not address the MAGA cult. What I am hearing here in Deep-Red Florida, in contrast to Thom's hopeful statement, is: "Buckle up, Buttercup. Democracy is ours now, as your woke courts will fall in line, because WE are making America great again." Currently, America's voters are not yet on the same page.
We do have a ray of hope from history. All autocrats fail because they too need guardrails, but their arrogance makes them vulnerable to massive failure because they surround themselves with yes-men and yes-women. Sooner or later, they will do some stupid things, maybe like impose global tariffs, and the consequences will be dire. Just ask Benito or Adolf.
My best job ever was working on the staff of the Admiral of the Navy. I oversaw his personnel and training-related studies. One day after a meeting with one of his Fleet Commanders, he reminded me how much he valued guardrails.
As he was leaving, the Fleet Admiral asked my boss what my job was. His response explained what true leadership is. "Oh, Tom? He's my "other-hand man." When asked for clarification, he explained: "You and I have people coming into our offices every day recommending new policies and programs. But they always tell us just what is on the "one hand." I have Tom here to help me find out what is on the other hand that might go wrong."
The lack of WH guardrails is what gives me hope for a unified reaction to Trump's rule.
I am not so hopeful Tom, that the dictatorship that Trusk is building will collapse of it's own weight. The dictatorships of Adolph, Beninto, Tojo and Franco did not collapse of their own weight, the first three collapsed from without (e..g D day), Franco's regime never collapsed Franco died in 1975 at the age of 82. He restored the Spanish monarchy before his death and made his successor King Juan Carlos I, who led the Spanish transition to democracy.
The USSR was an authoritarian regime, and it's successor the Federation is an authoritarian regime. Instead of national resources and assets owned by government bureaus, they are now owned by private individuals (oligarchs) who bought them cheap in a fire sale by Yeltsin.
As authoritarian regimes cannabalize their country, the public discontent grows, and the regime then tightens up social controls, with increasing violence.
We are seeing that now, with the arrest of Judge Dugan, the submission of law firms and educational institutions, and the free wheeling violence of ICE agents, walking the street in civvies and arresting people out in the open.
I probably should have included "sooner or later." The USSR imploded, Russia held on to only a few states afterwards. Mussolini was left hanging by his heels in the town square, Hitler supposedly died by suicide to avoid execution. Of course, none of those countries were democracies in any real sense of the word. The USA still sorta is.
My point is that fascist regimes do not collapse from within, but from without.
The fall of the USSR is problematic. When working on my Masters in finance, I received the gold covered annual reports for the Bank of International Settlements for three years straight.
In one report, there was a sentence. The USSR is a failed economic experiment and needs to be reorganized. Five years later, they found the man, Gorbachev, for his efforts he was rewarded with a dacha on Lake Geneva, a very healthy annual stipend and his own NGO, the Green Cross.
Also in my research I came across a 1922 Fortnightly Magazine. The USSR was a combine of seven trusts, the organization papers were being held in Sweden.
The Trusts were organized along lines of resources, KGB was in charge of human resources, there was a trust for mining, timber, agriculture, heavy industry.
Each trust had their own bank. Bank were used to clear accounts between trusts, with barter first and gold second.
It seems that with the deconstruction of the Soviets, Yeltsin sold the trusts, like Gazprom, off to high ranking KGB officers.
Except Spain. ...maybe Chile.
I discussed Spain. Franco was at the end of the trail, and he knew there was no successor or successive regime, do he hand the government over to King Juan Carlos. Both Franco and the King had in common their intense Catholic faith.
Evidenced in the high status and love that the people have for the Spanish Legion. Whose record of war crimes during the civil war is unequaled
Can you imagine SEALS or Special Forces or Rangers doing something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kzIGTvc84w
Chile's constitutional make up is quite different than ours and evidently Pinochet did not have the financial help that Trump has, from financiers, industrialists, tech bros and the billionaire class.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_dictatorship_of_Chile#:~:text=In%20that%20plebiscite%2C%2055%25%20of,Christian%20Democrat%20candidate%20Patricio%20Aylwin.
Juan Carlos stole the national treasury and lives in exile in the UAE. They have democracy.
Chile is now a democracy.
Thank You, Tomonthebeach, for this and for your service. I hope and pray there is "true leadership" in every military unit, police and sheriff's department, and all levels of our representative government, as well as "on the other hand" men and women advising every leader.
Alas, Trump has encouraged people with eugenic feelings of superiority, who resent serving under women and people of color. Resenting DEI helps them, like it did failed Maj. Hegseth, to rationalize their sluggish careers and regretable decisions like Nazi social medial posts and tattoos. Unfortunately, I have observed that there are racist bullies in every color of uniform - sheriffs especially. They are attracted to a president who will not hold them accountable for excessive force on the job.
As a retired organizational psychologist (a role I picked up 12 years into my Navy career), I could not help but witness validation of research findings. There are two kinds of leaders - "leaders," who LISTEN to their staff and try to build concensus, and "rulers," those who TELL everybody what to do and punish those who dare point out potential negative consequences.
Alas, you are right. "Sheriff's especially" as I learned on the evening of January 4th, 2021, when I reported my violent trumper neighbor as he raised hell before his trip to D.C. to "Save America."
It's bad enough having "any" monarch.
But to reinstall a proven failure at kingship, a mental cripple, to anoint him by popular vote merely because he is a known hater of "outgroups," bespeaks a national descent into hallucinatory, evangelically induced, endtimes madness.
Now he is exporting 2-year-olds. A 4 y.o. w/ cancer, w/out his medication. One 7 y.o,, too.
All 3 American-born!!!
Jesus!!!
Most Congressional Republicans can care less.
However a few will have a hard time rationalizing it with their consitients and donors.
A Cuban woman living in Tampa who came to the United States in 2019 and is married to a U.S. citizen was abruptly detained by immigration authorities and deported to Cuba on Thursday, leaving behind her one-year-old child. Heidy Sánchez, 44, a Hillsborough County resident, was among 82 Cuban migrants sent on a plane from Miami back to Cuba on Thursday morning,
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article305077166.html#storylink=cpy
Mike Fernandez: Open letter to the Miami-Dade delegation: Defend immigrants now | Opinion
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article304271841.html
Not presuming to read Vlad the Invader's (aka Vlad the Defenestrator) mind, I think there's something that would warm his ice-cold heart even more an America in an authoritarian nightmare, and that would be anarchic collapse. He may get both before trump is finished.
The latter is TrumPutin's goal.
If SCOTUS does not eventually (soon) act to restrain this maniacal dictator, then I imagine our military must act - a very bold thought. Obviously, Hegseth is the perfect goon and cannot wait to follow his instructions to suppress the growing protests. But frustration and embarrassment within the DoD is growing. Perhaps I'm thinking too far ahead, but I see it as our only hope. Fascism is not just at our doorstep; it's busted down the door and is in our homes, schools, courthouses and workplaces.
Michael, while there might be some frustration within the DoD, it is not enough or able to stop the Trump juggernaut.
The vast majority of enlisted, whose oath is to obey the orders of the President and Officers appointed over them, are from the South and red state America.
Are the people listening? Will this message break through to enough of the apathetic citizens who have not been paying attention and laying low? Are we reaching outside of our bubbles to affect the masses? I have serious doubts. It should be noted that the Republicans in Congress are not nearly as afraid of Trump as they are of his cult members and the reactionary base. I don't recall who made that point last week. A small minority must be willing to risk re-election or retribution to oppose the Orange Menace and vote for his conviction. Democrats should isolate a select few for pigeonholing and intense pressure and get their commitment to convict, regardless of threats or pressure and then move swiftly with an impeachment trial. Donald Tramp probably thinks that a third attempt will go just like the first two.
All right already I'll protest again, write and call elected officials again and again. Unfortunately I see on TV big crowds at sporting events and for the NFL draft that dwarf protests in the same cities. Yeah got it, we have to fight for our democracy, but where in the (expletive) are the huge masses of demonstrators necessary to alter the authoritarian trajectory? Nationwide, college campuses are not blowing up in loud sustained protest. Sorry for negativity here but it looks to me that most Americans just don't give a (expletive). Dumbed down in their drug cyber dream worlds that nothing matters to them beyond the next game?
Unfortunately I think you are right. Perhaps if we opened a betting line on whether or not krasnov will take over the country we might garner more involvement.
Dictators love sports and casinos. They have equaled religion as the opiate for the masses.
Nobody can honestly say "I did not see it coming"! Of course honesty has become a rare commodity since apparently millions voted for a convict orange fascist asshole. Ref project 2025 in case
Wow! Louise is extremely talented and her songs are excellent!! It brings me back to the 60s protest songs.
Actually Louise's music is, IMO, better than the 60's and 70's protest music, It has a country flare to it, and that means that it will appeal to that particular crowd.
Agreed!
Is it surprising that someone with an unmarred history of failure to gift us with a failed state?
Love Louise's songs especially in combination with Thom's powerful podcasts and stories. It's leaders like you two that will move the masses to save America and our democracy.
Rally! Protest!
Do you wonder?
These delusional sadists must be so deeply under Dear Leader's spell they think they will never be held accountable for what they are doing. They really are "going for it".
The Nazis thought the same thing and ended up being hunted and tried. Mussolini, the Ceaușescus, Hussein, and Qaddafi---dead, dead dead. There were the trials from the Balkans, Pol Pot, and now Duterte is in the Hague.
I wonder how they will be treated, because if they are held accountable for their crimes, it will be in a courtroom in front of a JUDGE. I hope it is a judge that REALLY loves children.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Bear in mind Alis, that the NAZI's were hunted down only because the United States entered the war. Had not Hitler declared war on the U.S., Europe would be either NAZI or Commie.
Couple of things of interest.
I just watched a German movie called "Goebbels and the Fuhrer". It is from Goebbels' point of view. The Russians would have torn them apart---suicide made sense for them, but those poor children!
I also found an article from De Gruyter Brill concerning Russian prosecution: (Post)War Trials of Nazi Perpetrators and Their Auxiliaries ...
They had laws in place and used them DURING the war, then they played an integral part at Nuremberg.
More interesting to me is Krasnov's supporters. Nothing is heard about the wrongs done to citizens. Drump's administration makes no evidence accusations and they all fall in line. Are there no sane Repubs that cannot see that their freedoms are at stake as well? Maybe they do not care as numbers are on their side that authorities cannot get to them. That is what the males counted on in Germany but they were wrong. Half the male population died leaving only kids and old men to rebuild a destroyed nation. Those that knew what was going on and did nothing bc they thought they could keep themselves safe died. In the streets American's will find their metel. The unknown and unlooked for force will stand up and do what cannot be done. The Chosen One rises and the people cry with surprise and wonder. The Dark Divine Feminine energy visionary will stand and nothing shall be able stand against God's appointed. The people will know God is God. Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
It's his donors. Some made money some lost. We need to identify and enliist our fellow losers. Feathers of Hope.
Great article, Thom! Do you know any of the details of how this Judges arrest went down? You cited that they had no arrest warrant for her? I would imagine with that being the case, they are responding that their legal grounds for arresting the Judge, would be obstructing the feds apprehension of the migrant??? In other words, they will get by with it? Right? Sorry, I heard about this Judges arrest, but no details other than that........