The problem is that Trump/FCC has the force of law.
The threat was to ABC's FCC license.
The head of the FCC appeared on Fox to annouce policy. A lot of the biggest donors to politicians are media companies that compete with and are hostile to Fox.
One way to control the media is through shareholder derivitive litigation.
E.G. In Delaware state court, Plaintiffs the New York City Funds and the State of Oregon, against certain directors and officers of Fox Corporation. In connection with Fox News’ propagation of unfounded, defamatory conspiracy theories concerning the U.S. presidential election of 2020, the action alleges breach of fiduciary duties for: (1) the adoption of an illegal business model by which Fox News pursues profits by committing actionable defamation; (2) the lack of good faith efforts to establish systems or practices for minimizing, mitigating, or monitoring defamation risk; and (3) inaction in the face of red flags of defamation risk.
We should be keeping track.
Only takes a few House Republicans to get it started. Check out their donors.
Some of the most widely available channels, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC are often referred to as the "big three" and Fox News has the highest viewership and ratings. While the networks are usually referred to as 24-hour news networks, reruns of news programs and analysis or opinion programming are played throughout the night, with the exception of breaking news. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cable_news
Concast is/was controlled by the Roberts family, Philadelphia. Brian Roberts is chair. Owns a minority stake in the economic shares of Comcast, but has 33.3% of the combined voting power of the company through his ownership of all Class B common stock. He owns over 23 million Class A shares, but these carry no voting rights and are a small percentage of the total outstanding Class A shares. From Google. Trump has called Comcast, CEO Brian Roberts disgraces to 'integrity of Broadcasting' https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/trump-calls-comcast-ceo-brian-roberts-disgraces
Cable networks like MSNBC and USA Network are part of NBCUniversal, which was owned by Comcast but is undergoing a spin-off into a new, independent, publicly traded company that will be separate from Comcast but will include many of its cable assets.
not sure what you mean by 'trump and the FCC have the force of law.' if you're arguing that the FCC's coercive threats to punish political speech are legal, that is wholly incorrect. I even expect the Roberts court to push back on this case.
Jimmy Kimmel evolved before our eyes when his son was born with a heart condition. Scary, but his operation was successful, and Billy's quite a character at eight.
Jimmy cried explaining it on the show, because he could afford great doctors, but he knew other parents could not. He wasn't all that political before, but he sure as hell figured out politics after that.
He actually was empathetic about Charlie. Just like Colbert's, this was another false flag to cover a "suspension" that was a bribe paid to allow another merger. Corruption. Psychopaths. Hate.
America will evolve too. TRump likes to be the E-S-T of everything. Well he is the biggest loser, biggest bully, and the biggest joke that ever existed. Jimmy will get the last laugh and share it with Stephen. As Thom says, we cannot afford to not fight back! See you in the streets
Colbert's show is on until May and until then he can say anything he wants (and he does). I think that he should have Kimmel cohost the show with him....
Between the two of them, they were only getting 4 million viewers a night. They can create online a much larger audience, but the days of getting paid 15 million dollars a year are over. Huge financial loss for the writers and crew.
I can see Jimmy doing stand-up on Colbert as well, so I hope you are right on some level, Sophia.
While fighting fascism we should be simultaneously working for a new system. Like off grid internet news local bartering. In other words make the old system obsolete, this will be more that boycotting it will be changing the whole system.
I just do not understand why so many people put stock in TV networks anyway. Isn’t this the internet age. I go to peoples houses and they have the tv going while there seems to be som much more on the internet.
Could it be that we can just make network obsolete by promoting internet radio internet tv internet writings and news such as Substack.
I've been saying this since the 1st Executive order. This is not the United State of America, a Democratic Republic, it is a fascist regime, and the longer people avoid acknowledging that reality, the more solid it is embedded.Oh there will be elections and the fools will vote, believing that they have a chance to change. After all there are elections in Hungary, Russia and Turkey
Trump has his Horst Wessel and his Reichstag moment, rolled up into one. Speak truth about Charlie Kirk, being a hate monger, and your career and safety or on the line. Teachers, principals, politicians, comedians are all getting fired for speaking truth about Kimmel.
It is too late, we can't pull ourselves back from the brink, that passed on Nov 6th, 2024.
What do we do now. All that is left is resistance and an uprising. any suggestions?
The man has full control of the organs of the state, from the administrative, the police, the military and the judicial and a final authority the Supreme court, which is aligned with his cultural, social, agenda and gives him everything he wants.
I was heartened yesterday when after Patel denied there are coconspirators in the Trumpepstein case, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie told him that Epstein victims told the FBI about at least 20 other men involved. Takes only one more Republican signature to force every Republican House member to go on the record in Trumpepstein.
Hope many MAGA are going off on both Patel and Trump.
The victims of Epstein, have the names of those involved, more can come forward with encouragement. Rep Massie has said that he would read that list aloud on the floor of the house protected by the speech and debate clause.
So why hasn't he. If not him, then Ro Khanna. Actually I don't expect Ro to read the names aloud, he evades and equivocates when asked tough questions on Thom's Radio/TV Show
Edit added:
I see nothing to be heartened about in the Patel interrview. Nothing will come of it, he was evasive, didn't answer the questions, he was outright disrespectful and contemptuous, and nothing was done, nothing can be done, nothing will be done, because the only person who can do anything is Pam Bondi.
With Pam and Kash Trump can get away with literal murder, he is getting away with murder anyway, murdering people in boats.
Massie only had 5 minutes to examine Patel. It's not the proper venue to read all the names.
I think 90% of the members don't know how to cross examine. Plenty of documents from the civil suits haven't been turned over. Witness statements are no longer protected because Epstein is dead and there is no expectation of privacy for most statements. Supposedly Acosta testified in secret yesterday. No mention by the media.
I was not talking about venue Daniel. Every representative has time to take the floor and make a speech that will be entered into the congressional record, even if there is no one else on the floor.
That is what I am talking about, reading the names into the congressional record and of course the media.
Hearings are a dog and pony show, for public consumption, when the person being interrogated can tell the inquisition to fuck off, without consequence, then they are worthless
“The original sin in the Epstein case was the way it was initially brought by Mr. Acosta,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Mr. Acosta allowed Epstein to enter — in 2008 — to plea to a non-prosecution agreement which then the courts issued mandates and protective orders legally prohibiting anyone from ever seeing that material ever again without the permission of the court. The non-prosecution also barred future prosecutions of those involved at that time.”
Wikipedia before yesterday had the George Lincoln Rockwell version (American NAZI party) versionof the Horst Wessel Lied, the image showed the Madison Square Garden Rally of 1940 complete with banners of George Washington and the Swastika.
Quite evidently since it has been noticed that Charlie Kirk will be Trump's Horst Wessel, they pulled all of the versions, but left up the article. Horst Wessel, as you know was the martyr of the NAZI's the first killed in a brawl.
Hmmm---everything he wants. He wants to be young, look good, and live forever. In some twisted kind of way, giving him everything is making him unhappier. The more the Cult loves him, the more he hates them.
Is he an "enigma" or just your Rose Garden variety psychopath with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel? Remember the Nazis and fascists LOST.
Answer may be in our pocketbooks. One of the nationwide actions coming is about consuming. Look what happened to Target.
Colbert and Kimmel are both making roughly 15 million. Don't think for one minute, most of this isn't about money and showing future "talent" what they are worth. Why wouldn't corporate fascist bastards want to merge with a government that has been kissing their ass and giving them tax breaks for years? Wanted the merger---it's a bribe.
They lost because of logistics. German soldiers were eating k rations, and smoking American cigarettes picked up off the dead. While American soldiers were eating chocolate cake sent from home.
On the eastern front, Stalin was using the same tactics that Putin uses. throwing meat at the Germans. Lots of meat, also meat is logistics.
The Reich made several strategic mistakes, the primary one choosing ton fight a two-front war. Had they been patient they could have forced Great Britain to quit and seek the best terms possible. And THEN they could have gotten on with Operation Barbarossa. Another moment of abject stupidity was when Hitler ordered Paulus not to attempt a breakout from Stalingrad. Never let a corporal make strategic decisions.
Seems to me we're dealing with a similar unteremensch, The Big Orange Fairy, who hopefully is also overextending his reach and underestimating his strength of the enemy.. Of course, his enemy is yet to manifest in any meaningful way. Perhaps once ICE comes for people on the Blogosphre who have been a little less than iknd to His Eminence?
Hitler had no choice but to launch Operation Barbarossa. Stalin was building up an offensive. When Hans Rudel, the Stukka pilot (wrote a book of the same name) attacked Russian airfields, there were rows upon rows of medium bombers.
Icevreaker by Suvorov: Who started the Second World War?
The Suvorov thesis explains why Germany invaded Russia in June 1941. It explains that Stalin's Operatsia Groza had amassed overwhelming forces on Russia's borders that would have invaded Germany in July of 1941 with every chance of conquering Germany and the rest of Europe. Germany's defensive and preventative Barbarossa was Europe's only chance for survival.
A little wishful thinking maybe, that Trump is overextending his reach. He has the entire world, including the King of England, kissing his ass, he controls the police and judicial system of the United States, and by police I mean the Federal police force, the many Sheriffs and cops, as well as the military
Then there is the Sturmabeitlung, the militias, Proud Boys, Boogaloo Boyz, 3%ers, etc who are aching to be let loose on the libs whom they hate with a passion.
Trump is just doing what Trump will do. What is really worse is ABC/Disney's easy capitulation to a thoroughly unreasonable demand, just to protect their pile of gold. Trump would not be possible if there wasn't such a moral vacuum among the nation's leaders.
“The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Or a FOX News host, Brian Kilmeade, who said on FOX ‘the mentally ill homeless people who decline help should be given "involuntary lethal injection.”’
(Consequently, homeless people were shot and two men were hung; the homeless man’s legs were broken and he was badly bruised).
Yet Trump goes after Kimmel for making a TRUE statement as a JOKE (it’s a comedy show - that’s what they do) while Trump had FALSELY accused Kirk’s killer as being from the “left.”
“Trump blames the 'radical left' for Charlie Kirk's killing
While many politicians stuck to unifying themes, Trump put out a message going after the left. The shooter's identity and motive weren't yet known.”
No one should lose sight of the fact that Charlie Kirk was not a legitimate spokesperson, journalist, pundit, politician, or intellectual. He was a fanatic brainwashed and well-financed ideologue who trafficked in right-wing delusions and xenophobic fear and hate. He was apparently shot because of his attacks on trans people or gay people and because he did not promote free speech, justice or equality for everyone. Nothing justifies using violence or killing him or anyone else. But the people who backed him and who are legitimizing the lies and deception and those who inflame the ignorant and frightened people on the far right are where the real danger lies. I'm thinking about Rupert Murdoch, various other billionaires, Christian nationalists, Trump, and the Republican leadership. The question is whether in the end their officially sanctioned violence will leave no choice for the rest of us for mere survival.
Fascists grow power by racketeering - extorting support using fear and loathing - something the late Hunter Thompson pointed out as the GOP's century-long political strategy. Hitler used the same tactics to rule the 3rd Reich. First weaken the existing power structure by stoking citizen anger using fear & loathing - especially toward helpless minorities like immigrants, Jews, and what back then were called queers. Second, co-opt the dominant new sources, religious leaders, and the most powerful businesses via extortion (fear) and the promise of lucrative awards (greed). Third, create a domestic police force to arrest and disappear annoying political resistors.
Once their autocracy is in power, the Fearless Leaders always seem to pursue unconstrained ambitions to grow an empire instead of govern the one he has. And it is always a HE, except in rare instances of monarchical nepotism.
Of course, historically, autocracy overreach always implodes the nation's economy and the dictators are removed from power. Maintaining a thriving economy is the one enemy autocrats seem impotent to achieve. As Prof. R.O. Paxton points out in "The Anatomy of Fascism," for dictators, ruling trumps governing. So the loyalty of government officials is more important than their competence. Trumponomics is already on the path to recession.
Speaking of "ambitions to grow an empire," yesterday a USAF AWACS jet overflew Ottawa Canada at low altitude with no warning. The CBC is reporting on it, but leaving out the "no warning, no contact" part. I think they're doing that so as not to alarm the public. There are a few aviation outlets with the entire story.
I'm as open as the next guy to a good epigram, and am particularly fond of this one: “Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.” Take it from me, when you're living through it, it doesn't feel like "rhyme" or "farce"!
A month ago, hardly anyone knew of Horst Wessel, yet now, in plain sight, he has reincarnated in the mind and body of Charlie Kirk. I'm sorry the man was murdered, political assassination is not a valid political strategy, but to have the loss of a single man be the pivot point on which democracy may very well be lost is incomprehensible and horrifying to me.
On some levels, it's amazing to see how rapidly, almost eagerly, our country has frayed to the point of unrecognition. In 240 days we have gone from Abrego Garcia being deported to a third world hellhole for being brown to the deification of a racist, someone who called Martin Luther King an "awaul man" and the civil rights movement a "mistake". For the ultraconservatives, his has been a very convenient death.
We were warned, repeatedly warned, that Trump, if elected ,most likely presaged the failure of our nation. Once in office, it was blatantly obvious that such was his intent, but many believed that the Constitution, and thereby our very rights, would be protected by Congress's unwillingness to uphold their responsibilities to all the people, to We The People. It was their sacred duty. They swore an oath. They lied.
Then we turned to the Judicial system, but once again we were betrayed, the Supreme Court having repeatedly bowed to who was at the outset a grifter, a wannabe dictator. They ceded their responsibility, one they swore an oath to protect. They lied.
There is no point in placing blame, other than on ourselves, for this collapse. The best time to fight a fire is when it first starts. Better yet, care for the land so that no fire starts in the first place. There are way too many missed opportunities, too constant our inaction Even now, as the curtain begins to fall, we persevere in our inaction. And so, as Yeats' "... Rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
I see in the news that Trump has declared Antifa a "terrorist organization", never mind that there is not any such structured group, just a loose coalition of people with generally similar goals and ideas:
It's a bit like "woke", which can mean anything you want it to. But imagining a vast conspiracy is a good way to justify whatever is done, including destroying civil rights and putting masked police and military forces in the streets. Even more dangerously, anyone who supports this non-existent group can be branded a "terrorist" sympathizer, with all that implies in post-9/11 America. In a different context Bush said it, “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists", but he never imagined that might include the entire Democratic Party.
We often forget our own history of violence, used to force a position, a law, a decree, even within our own government painted as civilized gentlemen as we filter through the events of the past.
It seemed to many of us that it has been a quick slide into a crumbled democracy and society. Reliving our history reminds us of the roots of this evolution into an autocracy, the seeds of which were planted many decades ago.
And what better vision of a King being crowned, with all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Trump's reception by King Charles. No longer just a colony, we are now certified as a land subjected and ruled by an unwanted royalty.
I also wonder why Schumer -- any politician -- is not using the podium to shout loudly against the blatant abuse of power, if not all the bigotry (I'll use this as a catch word for all the despicable immoral speech and activities, blatantly and proudly espoused). Trump is left to babble on and on -- if I hear one more time how he's settled 6 wars, without any pushback or simple fact-check, I doubt that we can look to anyone in politics, or journalism to help break the back of this (you put it so well) personalist sovereignty.
Republicans of conscience? This sounds like an oxymoron, if we're speaking of those who haven't renounced the label. Let's look at Dr. Cassidy, for example, who cast the deciding vote for RFK, the most immediately dangerous man, in my opinion, in the cabinet. Now in 2 successive congressional hearings he has come to express some doubts about RFK, and the deaths that will result from RFK's implemented directives on vaccines. But, has Cassidy recognized that he was played by RFK at his confirmation? Has he held a press conference, or even urged the President to fire him?
No, we must rely on ourselves, even if it feels like "grasping at straws". In our everyday lives, we must speak to our better angels, and react, as well as act thoughtfully. In our political lives we must mass together and force coverage of our protests through civil disobedience of any and all kinds. If we can learn which part of a conglomerate is capitulating, doing harm to our community and democracy we need to organize economic boycotts. If the only currency of change profits, we must look to that as our agent wedge.
King Charles may want to proect his brother from Trumpepstein.
Prince Andrew settled a civil sexual abuse lawsuit in February 2022 with Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim, who accused the prince of sexually assaulting her on three separate occasions around 2001, when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied all of her claims. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Giuffre_v._Prince_Andrew
"Two conspicuous absentees from the visit: Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, and Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the United States. Both would have been on hand, but both have been banished because of their long-ago associations with Mr. Epstein, unlike Mr. Trump who has managed to float above the Epstein scandal, even as protesters hammered home the connection." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/world/europe/epstein-ghost-trump-uk.html
British author Andrew Lownie's new biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, claims that Prince Andrew and Donald Trump discussed and "swapped tales" about girls during social encounters facilitated by Jeffrey Epstein. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entitled:_The_Rise_and_Fall_of_the_House_of_York
“The present state of America is truly alarming to every man who is capable of reflection. Without law, without government, without any other mode of power than what is founded on, and granted by, courtesy. Held together by an unexampled occurrence of sentiment, which is nevertheless subject to change, and which every secret enemy is endeavoring to dissolve. Our present condition is, Legislation without law; wisdom without a plan; a constitution without a name; and, what is strangely astonishing, perfect independance contending for dependance. The instance is without a precedent, the case never existed before, and who can tell what may be the event? The property of no man is secure in the present unbraced system of things. The mind of the multitude is left at random, and seeing no fixed object before them, they pursue such as fancy or opinion presents. Nothing is criminal; there is no such thing as treason; wherefore, every one thinks himself at liberty to act as he pleases”. Thomas Paine
From the Song: "The World is On Fire"
“When did The Land of the Free become The Home of the Afraid?
Afraid of the world, afraid of the truth
Afraid of each other
Give rest to the tired, give mercy to the poor
Give warmth to the huddled masses
And I'll show you freedom
The load is heavy and the road is long
And we've only begun to fight
We just can't give in, we just can't give up
We must go boldly into the darkness
And be the light”
--Song by American Aquarium, NC Country Roc Band
And from the utterly fantastic Taylor Goldsmith of the Quintessential Folk Rock Band "Dawes":
I've never lost a 1st Amendment case in 30 years. I'd represent Kimmel for free just to get these idiots under oath. https://open.substack.com/pub/sabrinahaake/p/brett-kavanaughs-swiss-cheese-excuse?r=17fuyn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
The problem is that Trump/FCC has the force of law.
The threat was to ABC's FCC license.
The head of the FCC appeared on Fox to annouce policy. A lot of the biggest donors to politicians are media companies that compete with and are hostile to Fox.
One way to control the media is through shareholder derivitive litigation.
E.G. In Delaware state court, Plaintiffs the New York City Funds and the State of Oregon, against certain directors and officers of Fox Corporation. In connection with Fox News’ propagation of unfounded, defamatory conspiracy theories concerning the U.S. presidential election of 2020, the action alleges breach of fiduciary duties for: (1) the adoption of an illegal business model by which Fox News pursues profits by committing actionable defamation; (2) the lack of good faith efforts to establish systems or practices for minimizing, mitigating, or monitoring defamation risk; and (3) inaction in the face of red flags of defamation risk.
We should be keeping track.
Only takes a few House Republicans to get it started. Check out their donors.
Fox is a broadcasting company competing with the big three -- ABC, NBC, CBS. Elsewhere, I noted that Trump has called Comcast, CEO Brian Roberts disgraces to 'integrity of Broadcasting' https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/trump-calls-comcast-ceo-brian-roberts-disgraces
Why annouce FCC policy on Fox?
Some of the most widely available channels, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC are often referred to as the "big three" and Fox News has the highest viewership and ratings. While the networks are usually referred to as 24-hour news networks, reruns of news programs and analysis or opinion programming are played throughout the night, with the exception of breaking news. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cable_news
Concast is/was controlled by the Roberts family, Philadelphia. Brian Roberts is chair. Owns a minority stake in the economic shares of Comcast, but has 33.3% of the combined voting power of the company through his ownership of all Class B common stock. He owns over 23 million Class A shares, but these carry no voting rights and are a small percentage of the total outstanding Class A shares. From Google. Trump has called Comcast, CEO Brian Roberts disgraces to 'integrity of Broadcasting' https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/trump-calls-comcast-ceo-brian-roberts-disgraces
Cable networks like MSNBC and USA Network are part of NBCUniversal, which was owned by Comcast but is undergoing a spin-off into a new, independent, publicly traded company that will be separate from Comcast but will include many of its cable assets.
Most of the corporate media is sensitive to institutional investors that control large blocks of stock. Corportate media.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership#:~:text=Discovery%2C%20Fox%20Corporation%2C%20Hearst%20Communications,Discovery%2C%20and%20Paramount%20Skydance.
It's possible that there will be shareholder derivitive suits stemming from capitulation to Trump extortion. https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/did-9-law-firms-making-deals-with-trump-violate-bribery-anti-fraud-laws-democratic-letters-seek-answers
We can complain to the House Energy and Commerce Committee Communications Subcommittee: . https://energycommerce.house.gov/
To the Senate:https://www.commerce.senate.gov/home
FCC complaints: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
Moreover, the fact that the head of the FCC, knows this and appears on Fox to call out Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, etc could be the basis for impeaching him.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Communications Subcommittee: . https://energycommerce.house.gov/representatives
Senate:https://www.commerce.senate.gov/home
not sure what you mean by 'trump and the FCC have the force of law.' if you're arguing that the FCC's coercive threats to punish political speech are legal, that is wholly incorrect. I even expect the Roberts court to push back on this case.
Trump is immune, per SCOTUS. At this point, I don't know whether that extends to members of his administration.
Probably not a defamation case. Intentional interference case. Federal Tort Act case.
First amendment case.
You're a gem, Sabrina. Get 'em.
Tears for all the Billys
Jimmy Kimmel evolved before our eyes when his son was born with a heart condition. Scary, but his operation was successful, and Billy's quite a character at eight.
Jimmy cried explaining it on the show, because he could afford great doctors, but he knew other parents could not. He wasn't all that political before, but he sure as hell figured out politics after that.
He actually was empathetic about Charlie. Just like Colbert's, this was another false flag to cover a "suspension" that was a bribe paid to allow another merger. Corruption. Psychopaths. Hate.
America will evolve too. TRump likes to be the E-S-T of everything. Well he is the biggest loser, biggest bully, and the biggest joke that ever existed. Jimmy will get the last laugh and share it with Stephen. As Thom says, we cannot afford to not fight back! See you in the streets
Colbert's show is on until May and until then he can say anything he wants (and he does). I think that he should have Kimmel cohost the show with him....
Between the two of them, they were only getting 4 million viewers a night. They can create online a much larger audience, but the days of getting paid 15 million dollars a year are over. Huge financial loss for the writers and crew.
I can see Jimmy doing stand-up on Colbert as well, so I hope you are right on some level, Sophia.
While fighting fascism we should be simultaneously working for a new system. Like off grid internet news local bartering. In other words make the old system obsolete, this will be more that boycotting it will be changing the whole system.
I just do not understand why so many people put stock in TV networks anyway. Isn’t this the internet age. I go to peoples houses and they have the tv going while there seems to be som much more on the internet.
Could it be that we can just make network obsolete by promoting internet radio internet tv internet writings and news such as Substack.
I've been saying this since the 1st Executive order. This is not the United State of America, a Democratic Republic, it is a fascist regime, and the longer people avoid acknowledging that reality, the more solid it is embedded.Oh there will be elections and the fools will vote, believing that they have a chance to change. After all there are elections in Hungary, Russia and Turkey
The 2026 Election is already under attack, https://popular.info/p/the-2026-election-is-already-under and that is just one aspect.
Trump has his Horst Wessel and his Reichstag moment, rolled up into one. Speak truth about Charlie Kirk, being a hate monger, and your career and safety or on the line. Teachers, principals, politicians, comedians are all getting fired for speaking truth about Kimmel.
It is too late, we can't pull ourselves back from the brink, that passed on Nov 6th, 2024.
What do we do now. All that is left is resistance and an uprising. any suggestions?
The man has full control of the organs of the state, from the administrative, the police, the military and the judicial and a final authority the Supreme court, which is aligned with his cultural, social, agenda and gives him everything he wants.
I was heartened yesterday when after Patel denied there are coconspirators in the Trumpepstein case, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie told him that Epstein victims told the FBI about at least 20 other men involved. Takes only one more Republican signature to force every Republican House member to go on the record in Trumpepstein.
Hope many MAGA are going off on both Patel and Trump.
Hope this could start the ball rolling.
The victims of Epstein, have the names of those involved, more can come forward with encouragement. Rep Massie has said that he would read that list aloud on the floor of the house protected by the speech and debate clause.
So why hasn't he. If not him, then Ro Khanna. Actually I don't expect Ro to read the names aloud, he evades and equivocates when asked tough questions on Thom's Radio/TV Show
Edit added:
I see nothing to be heartened about in the Patel interrview. Nothing will come of it, he was evasive, didn't answer the questions, he was outright disrespectful and contemptuous, and nothing was done, nothing can be done, nothing will be done, because the only person who can do anything is Pam Bondi.
With Pam and Kash Trump can get away with literal murder, he is getting away with murder anyway, murdering people in boats.
Epstein's victims will not allow the dragon to sleep....
How I hope you're right. Considering the current climate, I hope they don't die of bee stings, or snake bites, or a tree falling in the forest.
Massie only had 5 minutes to examine Patel. It's not the proper venue to read all the names.
I think 90% of the members don't know how to cross examine. Plenty of documents from the civil suits haven't been turned over. Witness statements are no longer protected because Epstein is dead and there is no expectation of privacy for most statements. Supposedly Acosta testified in secret yesterday. No mention by the media.
I was not talking about venue Daniel. Every representative has time to take the floor and make a speech that will be entered into the congressional record, even if there is no one else on the floor.
That is what I am talking about, reading the names into the congressional record and of course the media.
Hearings are a dog and pony show, for public consumption, when the person being interrogated can tell the inquisition to fuck off, without consequence, then they are worthless
So...send them a message.
Can't, I tried. I am not in his district. Got that problem with most other Reps.
Turns out Acosta will testify tomorrow.
“The original sin in the Epstein case was the way it was initially brought by Mr. Acosta,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Mr. Acosta allowed Epstein to enter — in 2008 — to plea to a non-prosecution agreement which then the courts issued mandates and protective orders legally prohibiting anyone from ever seeing that material ever again without the permission of the court. The non-prosecution also barred future prosecutions of those involved at that time.”
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article312146310.html#storylink=cpy
Yes, we're living under the rule of Erdogan....
The first thing that crossed my mind when I heard about Kirk's murder was Horst Wessel.
Wikipedia before yesterday had the George Lincoln Rockwell version (American NAZI party) versionof the Horst Wessel Lied, the image showed the Madison Square Garden Rally of 1940 complete with banners of George Washington and the Swastika.
Quite evidently since it has been noticed that Charlie Kirk will be Trump's Horst Wessel, they pulled all of the versions, but left up the article. Horst Wessel, as you know was the martyr of the NAZI's the first killed in a brawl.
Hmmm---everything he wants. He wants to be young, look good, and live forever. In some twisted kind of way, giving him everything is making him unhappier. The more the Cult loves him, the more he hates them.
Is he an "enigma" or just your Rose Garden variety psychopath with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel? Remember the Nazis and fascists LOST.
The NAZI's and Fascists lost, ONLY because of an overheliming countervailing EXTERNAL force.
Where is the external force that will displace Trump and his fascists?
Answer may be in our pocketbooks. One of the nationwide actions coming is about consuming. Look what happened to Target.
Colbert and Kimmel are both making roughly 15 million. Don't think for one minute, most of this isn't about money and showing future "talent" what they are worth. Why wouldn't corporate fascist bastards want to merge with a government that has been kissing their ass and giving them tax breaks for years? Wanted the merger---it's a bribe.
Answer: Definitely not that kind of war, yet.
Consumption is America's superpower, the entire world debases itself that it can sell us shit.
The latest to debase himself is King Charles.
Our superpower is itself charged by debt, from credit cards and mortgages to government securities.
And the capacity for debt is limited by credit ratings, ours is in decline.
They lost because they couldn't believe they could be defeated.
They lost because of logistics. German soldiers were eating k rations, and smoking American cigarettes picked up off the dead. While American soldiers were eating chocolate cake sent from home.
On the eastern front, Stalin was using the same tactics that Putin uses. throwing meat at the Germans. Lots of meat, also meat is logistics.
The Reich made several strategic mistakes, the primary one choosing ton fight a two-front war. Had they been patient they could have forced Great Britain to quit and seek the best terms possible. And THEN they could have gotten on with Operation Barbarossa. Another moment of abject stupidity was when Hitler ordered Paulus not to attempt a breakout from Stalingrad. Never let a corporal make strategic decisions.
Seems to me we're dealing with a similar unteremensch, The Big Orange Fairy, who hopefully is also overextending his reach and underestimating his strength of the enemy.. Of course, his enemy is yet to manifest in any meaningful way. Perhaps once ICE comes for people on the Blogosphre who have been a little less than iknd to His Eminence?
Hitler had no choice but to launch Operation Barbarossa. Stalin was building up an offensive. When Hans Rudel, the Stukka pilot (wrote a book of the same name) attacked Russian airfields, there were rows upon rows of medium bombers.
Icevreaker by Suvorov: Who started the Second World War?
The Suvorov thesis explains why Germany invaded Russia in June 1941. It explains that Stalin's Operatsia Groza had amassed overwhelming forces on Russia's borders that would have invaded Germany in July of 1941 with every chance of conquering Germany and the rest of Europe. Germany's defensive and preventative Barbarossa was Europe's only chance for survival.
https://www.amazon.com/Icebreaker-Who-Started-Second-World-ebook/dp/B07NRV2XRZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30F2YWO4ORYEZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Zq99AwxjXrr8psWIIN7kzCBM9HjgiJ6UABbgiC4uiKzLfUMDFJKxX9CP3EkdztuISZdsFB0J3GLD-1UC6Hp6_QZTRccj0eeRQ2xJCStPFjf1KW78lvJo5jPdXSH-64gL42fMUdN96_Kyp8ESfOitHsPNK5ofV8sqrT27elQv0yNSBy7lxfYqjdJfcYMg8hAfv_sSwI-VXSo2AZ-GXtSy5JovwihmjyA7nFj-x3Ghh-c.fuYpXVmLpTkzcU1qKoqlJpEQCubSqd2nvUHsCap57RI&dib_tag=se&keywords=icebreaker&qid=1758287428&s=books&sprefix=icebreaker%2Cstripbooks%2C325&sr=1-2
A little wishful thinking maybe, that Trump is overextending his reach. He has the entire world, including the King of England, kissing his ass, he controls the police and judicial system of the United States, and by police I mean the Federal police force, the many Sheriffs and cops, as well as the military
Then there is the Sturmabeitlung, the militias, Proud Boys, Boogaloo Boyz, 3%ers, etc who are aching to be let loose on the libs whom they hate with a passion.
Got your passport? and Savings?
Trump is just doing what Trump will do. What is really worse is ABC/Disney's easy capitulation to a thoroughly unreasonable demand, just to protect their pile of gold. Trump would not be possible if there wasn't such a moral vacuum among the nation's leaders.
They already did.
Looking for Disney shareholders to stand up for the brand.
We can hope, but I'm not expecting it.
Well....I'm a shareholder.
Which is WORSE?
A comedian who said:
“The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Or a FOX News host, Brian Kilmeade, who said on FOX ‘the mentally ill homeless people who decline help should be given "involuntary lethal injection.”’
(Consequently, homeless people were shot and two men were hung; the homeless man’s legs were broken and he was badly bruised).
Yet Trump goes after Kimmel for making a TRUE statement as a JOKE (it’s a comedy show - that’s what they do) while Trump had FALSELY accused Kirk’s killer as being from the “left.”
“Trump blames the 'radical left' for Charlie Kirk's killing
While many politicians stuck to unifying themes, Trump put out a message going after the left. The shooter's identity and motive weren't yet known.”
[This fuels hate and violence]
~ NBC News
No one should lose sight of the fact that Charlie Kirk was not a legitimate spokesperson, journalist, pundit, politician, or intellectual. He was a fanatic brainwashed and well-financed ideologue who trafficked in right-wing delusions and xenophobic fear and hate. He was apparently shot because of his attacks on trans people or gay people and because he did not promote free speech, justice or equality for everyone. Nothing justifies using violence or killing him or anyone else. But the people who backed him and who are legitimizing the lies and deception and those who inflame the ignorant and frightened people on the far right are where the real danger lies. I'm thinking about Rupert Murdoch, various other billionaires, Christian nationalists, Trump, and the Republican leadership. The question is whether in the end their officially sanctioned violence will leave no choice for the rest of us for mere survival.
Kirk should never have been shot for his speech, but MAGA is taking full advantage.
As far as legitimacy goes, this is a reign that makes its own.
Fascists grow power by racketeering - extorting support using fear and loathing - something the late Hunter Thompson pointed out as the GOP's century-long political strategy. Hitler used the same tactics to rule the 3rd Reich. First weaken the existing power structure by stoking citizen anger using fear & loathing - especially toward helpless minorities like immigrants, Jews, and what back then were called queers. Second, co-opt the dominant new sources, religious leaders, and the most powerful businesses via extortion (fear) and the promise of lucrative awards (greed). Third, create a domestic police force to arrest and disappear annoying political resistors.
Once their autocracy is in power, the Fearless Leaders always seem to pursue unconstrained ambitions to grow an empire instead of govern the one he has. And it is always a HE, except in rare instances of monarchical nepotism.
Of course, historically, autocracy overreach always implodes the nation's economy and the dictators are removed from power. Maintaining a thriving economy is the one enemy autocrats seem impotent to achieve. As Prof. R.O. Paxton points out in "The Anatomy of Fascism," for dictators, ruling trumps governing. So the loyalty of government officials is more important than their competence. Trumponomics is already on the path to recession.
Speaking of "ambitions to grow an empire," yesterday a USAF AWACS jet overflew Ottawa Canada at low altitude with no warning. The CBC is reporting on it, but leaving out the "no warning, no contact" part. I think they're doing that so as not to alarm the public. There are a few aviation outlets with the entire story.
If that's not a threat, I don't know what it is.
I'm as open as the next guy to a good epigram, and am particularly fond of this one: “Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.” Take it from me, when you're living through it, it doesn't feel like "rhyme" or "farce"!
A month ago, hardly anyone knew of Horst Wessel, yet now, in plain sight, he has reincarnated in the mind and body of Charlie Kirk. I'm sorry the man was murdered, political assassination is not a valid political strategy, but to have the loss of a single man be the pivot point on which democracy may very well be lost is incomprehensible and horrifying to me.
On some levels, it's amazing to see how rapidly, almost eagerly, our country has frayed to the point of unrecognition. In 240 days we have gone from Abrego Garcia being deported to a third world hellhole for being brown to the deification of a racist, someone who called Martin Luther King an "awaul man" and the civil rights movement a "mistake". For the ultraconservatives, his has been a very convenient death.
We were warned, repeatedly warned, that Trump, if elected ,most likely presaged the failure of our nation. Once in office, it was blatantly obvious that such was his intent, but many believed that the Constitution, and thereby our very rights, would be protected by Congress's unwillingness to uphold their responsibilities to all the people, to We The People. It was their sacred duty. They swore an oath. They lied.
Then we turned to the Judicial system, but once again we were betrayed, the Supreme Court having repeatedly bowed to who was at the outset a grifter, a wannabe dictator. They ceded their responsibility, one they swore an oath to protect. They lied.
There is no point in placing blame, other than on ourselves, for this collapse. The best time to fight a fire is when it first starts. Better yet, care for the land so that no fire starts in the first place. There are way too many missed opportunities, too constant our inaction Even now, as the curtain begins to fall, we persevere in our inaction. And so, as Yeats' "... Rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Good luck to us all.
In children's stories of long ago - even the King used to give the Joker his freedom to tell jokes .
This joke is definitely on THE FELON. Don't let him destroy our 1st Amendment.
The evil Kings were given their just desserts - as was the Queen of Hearts.
Volodymyr Zelenskii could teach us - he was a comedian and now works to free his people from the villains of the East.
Bravo for that last sentence, Gordon!
Slava Ukraini and Viva Zelenskii!
Trump may see himself as "the White Nat Turner," leading his wage-slaves to revolution.
As it happened, Nat was not a Lucky man, nor were his followers.
Nat's sole beneficiary was the author: William Styron
I see in the news that Trump has declared Antifa a "terrorist organization", never mind that there is not any such structured group, just a loose coalition of people with generally similar goals and ideas:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-targets-antifa-movement-terrorist-organization-2025-09-18/
It's a bit like "woke", which can mean anything you want it to. But imagining a vast conspiracy is a good way to justify whatever is done, including destroying civil rights and putting masked police and military forces in the streets. Even more dangerously, anyone who supports this non-existent group can be branded a "terrorist" sympathizer, with all that implies in post-9/11 America. In a different context Bush said it, “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists", but he never imagined that might include the entire Democratic Party.
I fear we are very near to widespread political violence, if not a civil war.
And Putin and Xi are laughing.
We often forget our own history of violence, used to force a position, a law, a decree, even within our own government painted as civilized gentlemen as we filter through the events of the past.
It seemed to many of us that it has been a quick slide into a crumbled democracy and society. Reliving our history reminds us of the roots of this evolution into an autocracy, the seeds of which were planted many decades ago.
And what better vision of a King being crowned, with all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Trump's reception by King Charles. No longer just a colony, we are now certified as a land subjected and ruled by an unwanted royalty.
I also wonder why Schumer -- any politician -- is not using the podium to shout loudly against the blatant abuse of power, if not all the bigotry (I'll use this as a catch word for all the despicable immoral speech and activities, blatantly and proudly espoused). Trump is left to babble on and on -- if I hear one more time how he's settled 6 wars, without any pushback or simple fact-check, I doubt that we can look to anyone in politics, or journalism to help break the back of this (you put it so well) personalist sovereignty.
Republicans of conscience? This sounds like an oxymoron, if we're speaking of those who haven't renounced the label. Let's look at Dr. Cassidy, for example, who cast the deciding vote for RFK, the most immediately dangerous man, in my opinion, in the cabinet. Now in 2 successive congressional hearings he has come to express some doubts about RFK, and the deaths that will result from RFK's implemented directives on vaccines. But, has Cassidy recognized that he was played by RFK at his confirmation? Has he held a press conference, or even urged the President to fire him?
No, we must rely on ourselves, even if it feels like "grasping at straws". In our everyday lives, we must speak to our better angels, and react, as well as act thoughtfully. In our political lives we must mass together and force coverage of our protests through civil disobedience of any and all kinds. If we can learn which part of a conglomerate is capitulating, doing harm to our community and democracy we need to organize economic boycotts. If the only currency of change profits, we must look to that as our agent wedge.
King Charles may want to proect his brother from Trumpepstein.
Prince Andrew settled a civil sexual abuse lawsuit in February 2022 with Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim, who accused the prince of sexually assaulting her on three separate occasions around 2001, when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied all of her claims. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Giuffre_v._Prince_Andrew
"Two conspicuous absentees from the visit: Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, and Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the United States. Both would have been on hand, but both have been banished because of their long-ago associations with Mr. Epstein, unlike Mr. Trump who has managed to float above the Epstein scandal, even as protesters hammered home the connection." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/world/europe/epstein-ghost-trump-uk.html
British author Andrew Lownie's new biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, claims that Prince Andrew and Donald Trump discussed and "swapped tales" about girls during social encounters facilitated by Jeffrey Epstein. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entitled:_The_Rise_and_Fall_of_the_House_of_York
WE MUST ALL FIGHT FOR FREE SPEECH AND THE VOTE. According to my dad who taught me well, these are two of our LAST American right.
FIGHT TO YOUR LAST BREATH AND I'LL FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU!
Let's talk a little "Common Sense":
“The present state of America is truly alarming to every man who is capable of reflection. Without law, without government, without any other mode of power than what is founded on, and granted by, courtesy. Held together by an unexampled occurrence of sentiment, which is nevertheless subject to change, and which every secret enemy is endeavoring to dissolve. Our present condition is, Legislation without law; wisdom without a plan; a constitution without a name; and, what is strangely astonishing, perfect independance contending for dependance. The instance is without a precedent, the case never existed before, and who can tell what may be the event? The property of no man is secure in the present unbraced system of things. The mind of the multitude is left at random, and seeing no fixed object before them, they pursue such as fancy or opinion presents. Nothing is criminal; there is no such thing as treason; wherefore, every one thinks himself at liberty to act as he pleases”. Thomas Paine
From the Song: "The World is On Fire"
“When did The Land of the Free become The Home of the Afraid?
Afraid of the world, afraid of the truth
Afraid of each other
Give rest to the tired, give mercy to the poor
Give warmth to the huddled masses
And I'll show you freedom
The load is heavy and the road is long
And we've only begun to fight
We just can't give in, we just can't give up
We must go boldly into the darkness
And be the light”
--Song by American Aquarium, NC Country Roc Band
And from the utterly fantastic Taylor Goldsmith of the Quintessential Folk Rock Band "Dawes":
"Finding out that we occupy
Somebody else's opposing side
Two versions of a dream
I wanna call off the cavalry
Declare no winners or losers
And forgive our shared mistakes
You can pick the time and place
Maybe that will crack the case"
Let's start listening to the artists among us....
Curiously, Jimmy gave artists a venue to reach millions every night. That too was stifled by the fascists.
We appreciate every post!