Thom, Thank you for another thoughtful Independence Day reflection.
Regardless of where people fall politically, I believe your central message is one worth considering: a constitutional republic ultimately depends on informed citizens and institutions that remain accountable to the people.
For more than twenty years I've worked on election transparency, and I've come to believe that public confidence cannot rest on trust alone. It must be supported by evidence that ordinary citizens can independently verify.
Voting should always remain secret. Counting should always be publicly verifiable.
When citizens can see the evidence for themselves—whether they ultimately agree with the outcome or not—confidence grows because transparency replaces suspicion.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, perhaps the greatest gift we can leave future generations is not simply asking them to trust our institutions, but building institutions that deserve their trust through openness and verification.
Happy Fourth of July, and thank you for continuing to encourage thoughtful public discussion.
The ruling elite want you to believe that things are not as bad as they are, that, for instance, that SCOTUS is not totally white, male, Christian, fascist, by trumpeting the few times that the court has ruled or appeared to rule against Trump. The strategy is to not alarm the victims that they are next on the chopping block.
Take the latest ruling on birth right citizenship, was it rally a victory? Read Kavanaughs dissent, he didn’t just disagree, he gave Trump a roadmap to overturning birthright citizenship, in fact SCOTUS in every ruling against Trump has done so on hard to deny technical terms, but then showed him how to do it “right”. And Trump treats judicial rulings, even SCOTUS, as optional and who is going to stop him? The DOJ his personal law firm,his personal police?
Where the partisanship and prejudice of the judicial system comes into play, is first: at lower courts by issuing temporary injunctions, which they know are temporary thud tellomh the Trump regime go back and refine your case, then the appeals court, especially the 5th, 8th, 11th and DC courts will find for and with Trump, but when district appeals courts do not side with Trump, SCOTUS will side with him in the shadow docket, and because it is an unsigned refusal by the shadow docket it doesn’t get the publicity of an open court case and ruling.
During his first term, the Trump administration secured a high success rate at the Supreme Court, winning in approximately \(90\%\) of the cases and emergency orders it was involved in
In his second Administration he has won 31 our of 35 times in open court, and 100% in the shadow docket and with his losses, he is provided a road map by the judges how to go back and win
The only solution is to expand the SCOTUS (and the nation's judiciary), institute term limits, and establish a code of conduct. A couple of impeachments would be nice also.
But I have no confidence that any of that will happen.
Already deeply depressed about what the Trumpublicans have done to my country, Thom's rundown as of today could not make me more depressed. If anything, it made me less depressed, because it reflects that many Americans share my view of America right now.
The trigger of my depression today was a FB post about a retired Vietnam AF vet who spent several years in the Hanoi Hilton. The impact of that post on me was a bit harder because I now live in the house of the longest-serving Vietnam POW, the late COL Larry Guerino, USAF. Larry flew combat tours until VE-Day, then was sent to the Pacific and flew combat tours until VJ-Day. Later, he flew all through the Korean War and got shot down in Nam. That was about 7 years before I got there and spent almost 2 years as a Navy junior officer on the Saigon River, then as DESRON1 flagship navigator along the Vietnam coast.
Our heroic 250 Fair Master of Selfemonies and MAGA patriot, President Bonespurs, has several times publicly mocked military members as losers and suckers, even while "honoring" real patriots at Arlington Cemetery ceremonies. I guess his belief in God is so fictional that he could not anticipate how the weather would dampen his self-promoting event meant to honor 250 years of our rapidly-disappearing democracy.
Millions of Americans understand what is happening and share your view. But they are clueless as to the solutions, because money rules everything, and most of it is in the hands of miscreants and racketeers.
That sounds defeatist. Not everyone in Congress is a schmuck. AOC, Sanders, Warren, are examples of activists who have well-considered their actions and legislation. Bob Reich just posted a few days back the main steps to stop the corruption IF the Blue wave materializes. The more people who express powerless cynicism, the fewer will see the value of going to the polls.
Trump is, indeed, a racketeer. He leads by extortion: Do what I say, or else! That is not leadership. Moreover, it is an affront to our democracy. It is, of course, necessary when you want to RULE vs Govern. Not having competent staff means you will often issue edicts with unintended negative consequences, like algae reflecting-ponds, global tariffs, and pointless whimsical invasions of harmless far-off countries - all of which have gutted our Nation's wealth.
Rachel Maddow recently characterized the Declaration of Independence as an indictment of King George III, and that leads me to wonder if there could be some sort of legal proceeding to indict not just Trump, but the whole capitalist system for whom he serves as its avatar. A grand jury could be convened and evidence presented of the grave harm, wars, and death resulting as collateral damage from, or in direct service of, the freebooting free enterprise system. Or perhaps a class action lawsuit of all humanity against the millionaires and billionaires.
Money is a good servant but a poor master. Nobody, even a 21 year old needs no more than 10 million bucks to live a charmed life. Most of the greedy selfish heartless rich are way past their prime and need the money like they need a hole in the head. Shame on them to be surrounded by many, many poor people and not lend a helping hand. They don't have the brains to know the money owns them.
Tax the rich. Reform campaign finance. Institute RCV (Ranked Choice Voting). Expand the Court to reflect the number of Districts, and institute term limits for the Justices. Expand the House of Representatives and modify the Senate to reflect the population. Congress is the preeminent Branch; elect representatives willing and able to perform their Constitutionally-prescribed oversight duties. As the Court’s “originalists” are loathe to admit, the Constitution enables each of these actions, and Jefferson’s observation about response to a failing government demands and supports them. And importantly, punish those who criminally abuse power, regardless of their wealth, station, or stature.
I too support ranked-choice voting because I’m tired of choosing the lesser of two evils. I want to vote for hope first befor I die, without feeling like I’m helping the worst candidate win. Ranked-choice voting changes that: your third choice can still matter, and ranking candidates means you are not throwing your vote away. Combined with transparent elections, it could help transform our democracy. Election transparency is my specialty, so please follow me on John Brakey on Substack to learn more. We have a book coming out and have already published several series on this work. https://johnrbrakey.substack.com/
Is it “Freedom Day” today? 250 years seems a long time ago.
I sit at breakfast near our 8th floor-to-ceiling windows looking north east out to Lake Michigan and to the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago, with the “Great Wheel” on our Navy Pier stretching out into the lake.
Below us is the high school with its parking lots and football field finally empty as they have all gone home to celebrate our thunder-stormy hot summer weather.
But one symbol of freedom remains: one or two white seagulls flying in circles over their domain - every morning they check out that no intruders (could I call them immigrant seagulls) have arrived overnight.
You might expect these invaders, perhaps from across the lake, might be summarily dismissed and chased away. But, no! They are welcomed and all three or four continue to fly around at the heights of the tall lakeside buildings. Later in the day one finds them grouped on the limestone steps of the idyllic Chicago lakefront, together as in community, watching, watching as people and cyclists pass by. I envy them as they frequently take a dip in the cool lake water.
Each of us, humans and other social animals have our freedom today - let’s keep it!
Soon we will be joining the community’s 4th of July parade - including those dressed as the Statue of Liberty or of Abraham Lincoln himself; with our gallant African-American Academists horses and riders bringing up the rear; and later to listen to music in the park as we eat our luncheon sandwiches.
The Nazi Republican Redistricting War: The Democratic Long Term Strategy
In order to hold onto power as much as they can by narrowing an expected House Democratic majority after the November midterms, the Nazi Republican successfully redrew maps in 8 states where they have legislative majorities while Democratics redrew maps in 2 states. The end result is a potentially 14 seat Nazi advantage to a potential 5 seat gain by Democrats. If this holds up with a 9 seat Nazi advantage with a current 3 seat majority, Democrats will have to flip 12 seats to stay even.( https://bit.ly/3SIw27M)
But it will not end there because Nazi redistricting plans include 3 more states after the midterms. So anything to steal power away from the electorate with this midcycle redistricting shenanigan. This would in another parlance be called “legal cheating by the minority” to stay in power as long as possible.
This has been the long range plan since Reagan because the monied business interests of the CNPP(Christian Nationalist Pedo Party) want minority rule, ie oligarchic control of the federal legislature so they can pursue Project 2025 and authoritarian rule. Cheeto has greased the skids in other ways, hoping to throw $$ for votes. Pardons are just “vote bribes” and his executive order gifts to the wealthy are to foster more donor $$ and votes.
So this disenfranchisement of the average voter needs to be solved by Democrats. Unfortunately expansion of SCOTUS, getting big money out of campaigns, and voting reform can only take place after the 2028 election if Democrats win control of the executive branch. This Democratic long term strategy requires COURAGE ie no sunshine patriot need apply, persistent, and consistent engagement by the majority electorate. So this will require focus, determination, and at least 3y and more of hard work by the average voter to right the ship of democracy and restore the power to WE the People.
On this day an excellent historical review by Thom Hartmann summarizes the 250y struggle(bit.ly/3QYQkJz) though long a mandatory read. Happy 4th!!
Another stab in the gut: Major Jason Watson was arrested on the Capitol steps after speaking publicly and calling for tRump's impeachment and removal. We know WHY he really was arrested, but the purported offense was protesting when there wasn't a Congress member present (there was one when he started, but he left during the speech). Really. The same Capitol that was brutally assaulted and damaged and the police assaulted and killed and all the Congress members threatened, who all got off scott-free by pardons from the President.
The word "irony" doesn't come close to explaining this. And we can be pretty certain that Maj Watson will be made into an example and court-martialed.
Thom, Thank you for another thoughtful Independence Day reflection.
Regardless of where people fall politically, I believe your central message is one worth considering: a constitutional republic ultimately depends on informed citizens and institutions that remain accountable to the people.
For more than twenty years I've worked on election transparency, and I've come to believe that public confidence cannot rest on trust alone. It must be supported by evidence that ordinary citizens can independently verify.
Voting should always remain secret. Counting should always be publicly verifiable.
When citizens can see the evidence for themselves—whether they ultimately agree with the outcome or not—confidence grows because transparency replaces suspicion.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, perhaps the greatest gift we can leave future generations is not simply asking them to trust our institutions, but building institutions that deserve their trust through openness and verification.
Happy Fourth of July, and thank you for continuing to encourage thoughtful public discussion.
— John Brakey
Executive Director, AUDIT USA
The ruling elite want you to believe that things are not as bad as they are, that, for instance, that SCOTUS is not totally white, male, Christian, fascist, by trumpeting the few times that the court has ruled or appeared to rule against Trump. The strategy is to not alarm the victims that they are next on the chopping block.
Take the latest ruling on birth right citizenship, was it rally a victory? Read Kavanaughs dissent, he didn’t just disagree, he gave Trump a roadmap to overturning birthright citizenship, in fact SCOTUS in every ruling against Trump has done so on hard to deny technical terms, but then showed him how to do it “right”. And Trump treats judicial rulings, even SCOTUS, as optional and who is going to stop him? The DOJ his personal law firm,his personal police?
Where the partisanship and prejudice of the judicial system comes into play, is first: at lower courts by issuing temporary injunctions, which they know are temporary thud tellomh the Trump regime go back and refine your case, then the appeals court, especially the 5th, 8th, 11th and DC courts will find for and with Trump, but when district appeals courts do not side with Trump, SCOTUS will side with him in the shadow docket, and because it is an unsigned refusal by the shadow docket it doesn’t get the publicity of an open court case and ruling.
During his first term, the Trump administration secured a high success rate at the Supreme Court, winning in approximately \(90\%\) of the cases and emergency orders it was involved in
In his second Administration he has won 31 our of 35 times in open court, and 100% in the shadow docket and with his losses, he is provided a road map by the judges how to go back and win
The only solution is to expand the SCOTUS (and the nation's judiciary), institute term limits, and establish a code of conduct. A couple of impeachments would be nice also.
But I have no confidence that any of that will happen.
Yes, and to expand SCOTUS we need
1. Control of the Senate (for confirmation)
3. The Presidency
3. A president that has guts, and is not a vacilator or facilator.
Already deeply depressed about what the Trumpublicans have done to my country, Thom's rundown as of today could not make me more depressed. If anything, it made me less depressed, because it reflects that many Americans share my view of America right now.
The trigger of my depression today was a FB post about a retired Vietnam AF vet who spent several years in the Hanoi Hilton. The impact of that post on me was a bit harder because I now live in the house of the longest-serving Vietnam POW, the late COL Larry Guerino, USAF. Larry flew combat tours until VE-Day, then was sent to the Pacific and flew combat tours until VJ-Day. Later, he flew all through the Korean War and got shot down in Nam. That was about 7 years before I got there and spent almost 2 years as a Navy junior officer on the Saigon River, then as DESRON1 flagship navigator along the Vietnam coast.
Our heroic 250 Fair Master of Selfemonies and MAGA patriot, President Bonespurs, has several times publicly mocked military members as losers and suckers, even while "honoring" real patriots at Arlington Cemetery ceremonies. I guess his belief in God is so fictional that he could not anticipate how the weather would dampen his self-promoting event meant to honor 250 years of our rapidly-disappearing democracy.
Millions of Americans understand what is happening and share your view. But they are clueless as to the solutions, because money rules everything, and most of it is in the hands of miscreants and racketeers.
That sounds defeatist. Not everyone in Congress is a schmuck. AOC, Sanders, Warren, are examples of activists who have well-considered their actions and legislation. Bob Reich just posted a few days back the main steps to stop the corruption IF the Blue wave materializes. The more people who express powerless cynicism, the fewer will see the value of going to the polls.
Trump is, indeed, a racketeer. He leads by extortion: Do what I say, or else! That is not leadership. Moreover, it is an affront to our democracy. It is, of course, necessary when you want to RULE vs Govern. Not having competent staff means you will often issue edicts with unintended negative consequences, like algae reflecting-ponds, global tariffs, and pointless whimsical invasions of harmless far-off countries - all of which have gutted our Nation's wealth.
Rachel Maddow recently characterized the Declaration of Independence as an indictment of King George III, and that leads me to wonder if there could be some sort of legal proceeding to indict not just Trump, but the whole capitalist system for whom he serves as its avatar. A grand jury could be convened and evidence presented of the grave harm, wars, and death resulting as collateral damage from, or in direct service of, the freebooting free enterprise system. Or perhaps a class action lawsuit of all humanity against the millionaires and billionaires.
The dangerous nuns... How revolting can ICE get?
At least she is still alive
Thanks Thom for this and other shocks to our consciences
Happy day of liberty to all...
Declaration of Independence has 12 warnings for Trump: Illustrated edition
https://thedemlabs.org/2026/07/04/declaration-of-independence-no-kings-warning-for-trump/
Money is a good servant but a poor master. Nobody, even a 21 year old needs no more than 10 million bucks to live a charmed life. Most of the greedy selfish heartless rich are way past their prime and need the money like they need a hole in the head. Shame on them to be surrounded by many, many poor people and not lend a helping hand. They don't have the brains to know the money owns them.
Tax the rich. Reform campaign finance. Institute RCV (Ranked Choice Voting). Expand the Court to reflect the number of Districts, and institute term limits for the Justices. Expand the House of Representatives and modify the Senate to reflect the population. Congress is the preeminent Branch; elect representatives willing and able to perform their Constitutionally-prescribed oversight duties. As the Court’s “originalists” are loathe to admit, the Constitution enables each of these actions, and Jefferson’s observation about response to a failing government demands and supports them. And importantly, punish those who criminally abuse power, regardless of their wealth, station, or stature.
I too support ranked-choice voting because I’m tired of choosing the lesser of two evils. I want to vote for hope first befor I die, without feeling like I’m helping the worst candidate win. Ranked-choice voting changes that: your third choice can still matter, and ranking candidates means you are not throwing your vote away. Combined with transparent elections, it could help transform our democracy. Election transparency is my specialty, so please follow me on John Brakey on Substack to learn more. We have a book coming out and have already published several series on this work. https://johnrbrakey.substack.com/
We can’t tax the rich because they hold all the power.
..And on another topical note:
Is it “Freedom Day” today? 250 years seems a long time ago.
I sit at breakfast near our 8th floor-to-ceiling windows looking north east out to Lake Michigan and to the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago, with the “Great Wheel” on our Navy Pier stretching out into the lake.
Below us is the high school with its parking lots and football field finally empty as they have all gone home to celebrate our thunder-stormy hot summer weather.
But one symbol of freedom remains: one or two white seagulls flying in circles over their domain - every morning they check out that no intruders (could I call them immigrant seagulls) have arrived overnight.
You might expect these invaders, perhaps from across the lake, might be summarily dismissed and chased away. But, no! They are welcomed and all three or four continue to fly around at the heights of the tall lakeside buildings. Later in the day one finds them grouped on the limestone steps of the idyllic Chicago lakefront, together as in community, watching, watching as people and cyclists pass by. I envy them as they frequently take a dip in the cool lake water.
Each of us, humans and other social animals have our freedom today - let’s keep it!
Soon we will be joining the community’s 4th of July parade - including those dressed as the Statue of Liberty or of Abraham Lincoln himself; with our gallant African-American Academists horses and riders bringing up the rear; and later to listen to music in the park as we eat our luncheon sandwiches.
Enjoy the day - everyone!
Revolution is in our collective DNA
The Nazi Republican Redistricting War: The Democratic Long Term Strategy
In order to hold onto power as much as they can by narrowing an expected House Democratic majority after the November midterms, the Nazi Republican successfully redrew maps in 8 states where they have legislative majorities while Democratics redrew maps in 2 states. The end result is a potentially 14 seat Nazi advantage to a potential 5 seat gain by Democrats. If this holds up with a 9 seat Nazi advantage with a current 3 seat majority, Democrats will have to flip 12 seats to stay even.( https://bit.ly/3SIw27M)
But it will not end there because Nazi redistricting plans include 3 more states after the midterms. So anything to steal power away from the electorate with this midcycle redistricting shenanigan. This would in another parlance be called “legal cheating by the minority” to stay in power as long as possible.
This has been the long range plan since Reagan because the monied business interests of the CNPP(Christian Nationalist Pedo Party) want minority rule, ie oligarchic control of the federal legislature so they can pursue Project 2025 and authoritarian rule. Cheeto has greased the skids in other ways, hoping to throw $$ for votes. Pardons are just “vote bribes” and his executive order gifts to the wealthy are to foster more donor $$ and votes.
So this disenfranchisement of the average voter needs to be solved by Democrats. Unfortunately expansion of SCOTUS, getting big money out of campaigns, and voting reform can only take place after the 2028 election if Democrats win control of the executive branch. This Democratic long term strategy requires COURAGE ie no sunshine patriot need apply, persistent, and consistent engagement by the majority electorate. So this will require focus, determination, and at least 3y and more of hard work by the average voter to right the ship of democracy and restore the power to WE the People.
On this day an excellent historical review by Thom Hartmann summarizes the 250y struggle(bit.ly/3QYQkJz) though long a mandatory read. Happy 4th!!
thank you Thom
Another stab in the gut: Major Jason Watson was arrested on the Capitol steps after speaking publicly and calling for tRump's impeachment and removal. We know WHY he really was arrested, but the purported offense was protesting when there wasn't a Congress member present (there was one when he started, but he left during the speech). Really. The same Capitol that was brutally assaulted and damaged and the police assaulted and killed and all the Congress members threatened, who all got off scott-free by pardons from the President.
The word "irony" doesn't come close to explaining this. And we can be pretty certain that Maj Watson will be made into an example and court-martialed.
Thanks, Thom. You are right of course.