My take on Thom's post today is that it can be summed up in two words: Citizens United. The Democrats have had ample time to neuter that SCOTUS ruling legislatively, but did not. Now, we look forward to 2 more years, at least, of private ownership of all elected officials. By then, our government may well look like downtown Gaza. The cost to restore our government will be in the trillions.
It is bitter watching Putin, Trump, and the Republicans try to do this to our country. The oligarchs and theocrats will chip away, but they are looking crazier day after day. Trump keeps blinking. It all appears to be silly, expensive, and impossible.
They do have some pesky problems. Americans have BIG mouths and know how to use them. The media reaches far beyond traditional roles and way beyond this country. Human rights organizations do too. Americans did THAT, and now WE are the ones in need of it.
Silence is no longer an option. It is what they hope to use to prevail. Keep using your big mouth, Thom. The rest of us should follow your example.
Democratic lawmakers descend en masse on USAID Headquarters to protest the outrageous weekend shutdown of our primary foriegn aid department that was created by law in 1961.
This would go beyond the "blanket hold" that Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has placed on State Department nominees. Democrats are furious at Trump's actions, and want to signal a strong response.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios on Tuesday that he's willing to place holds on Trump nominees on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Blumenthal said the caucus is proceeding as if there is a blanket hold on Trump nominations.
Trump and Musk have overreached -- exposed themselves to litigation and may have pissed off enough Congressional Republicans to undermine their legislative agenda.....
Colbert had Samantha Power on Tues. night. She ran USAID. The work stopped immediately. She is heartbroken, and so am I for all the people this will hurt.
Chinese cannot wait to fill the vacuum---this is a big win for them.
I first take notice that every since Putin's puppet has assumed power, people like our "friend" Barry the D.O. have been noticeably absent.
The power of the purse controls people, households and governments.
Musk has flexed his muscles, and has taken control of the purse, the payments system and here is sad and laughable part. He did it by posting one huge burley man at the entrance to the Treasury and stopped all from entering, including a handful of Democratic Congresscritters
one brute stood in the way of a complete government takeover, our fearless Democratic Congressmen, stood back in this awesome display of brute power.
The government is now in the hands of Elon Musk, with Trump as the figurehead.
Trump will get what he wants and needs, obsequious behavior on the part of politicians and foreign leaders, enrichment as China and all those who seek favor funnel money to him
It is pretty much known that Musk is named for the Leader of Mars, the Elon, in Wehrner von Brains, the Mars Project, a Technical Tale., and yes Musk is making a big deal about Occupy Mars, and having the US taxpayer fund his fantasy, despite the fact that humans can never live on Mars, visit maybe, live no. not in a gravitational field .38 that of Earth, and Mars is 1.5 AU or 142 million miles more distant from the Sun than Earth. meaning a lot colder, and inhospitable to plant growth, it is a co2 rich atmosphere so there is that, but no water, so there is that. and even if the subterranean water table, which I am certain exists, could be tapped due to the lack of a supporting atmosphere, it Water would boil off like it does at altitude here on Earth.
There is more to show that it is an impossible fantasy.
But the real Elon, that Musk has in mind,is to be the leader here on Earth and he is starting with America and Britain.
Trump is like a chimp in a cage, throw him a banana now and then and he is happy. Musk has the banana's.
What about a one day walk out of all Federal employees... The appeal should be, "why wait for them to pick you off, one at a time. Let's show them what happens if we all are gone."
Is there an organization, or some locus of contact that organizers with name recognition can propose it happening?
A lot better than Schumer standing up in the Senate holding an avocado and a Corona beer. Was that Carville's idea, or maybe Hillary's. God help us...
I very afraid that this person would eventually achieve what he wanted because of the funding behind him. I am fearful that a system similar to this being imposed upon us.
This is the last paragraph of my Substack today: “With more than half the country that didn’t vote for Trump plus more and more of the people who supported him becoming disaffected from him, I’m watching for some moment when there’s a dramatic incident and virtually everyone turns on him. Law-abiders are at a disadvantage dealing with someone who has no regard for the law and has power, but I even wonder about a coup. Not a bloody one. Does acting lawfully and losing our country make sense? I’m just asking…”
And I'd say it's a red herring about a fascist takeover. Too many of us smarties, and more disaffection from Trump all the time. It's the oligarchs we have to protect ourselves from -- that takeover is already in play.
The only truly beyond belief part of this is that for all these past decades the democrats did NOTHING. I won’t believe that the dems KNEW NOTHING for all the years those conservative think tanks were working on this. The words "republican think tank" have been all over the news since I was young and I'm 71.
So - what conclusion(s) might one make :
- the democrats are that stupid and inept
- the democrats are as corrupt as the republicans and were paid off
- the dems just “really don’t care” because we've been told Trump and Republicans "really don't care"
- the dems can’t organize cohesively to stand up to all or any of this (because they can be individually bought off - Manchin and Cinema and now who else?)
- the dems are totally bowed and afraid of retribution - who wants to put their family in the line of fire
- THE DEMS ARE AND HAVE BEEN IN ON IT FOR MANY YEARS and so has SCOTUS
A "no response" to any of this past week's news letters by our elected democratic officials is a YES response to all of it. It's been this way for decades. Where are the Big D think tanks to give us a reasonable workable plan? Or maybe there aren't any and we're on our own.
The “let’s get'em this year” is a dog chasing its tail exhortation to move the public into action. The public has been moved to action - but our elected representatives did nothing. What is the alternative to no legislative or judicial reprieve? Are we ready for that? The Hungarians weren't.
Why are you blaming the Dems, does that make you feel good as our government is being taken over by a convicted criminal and his billionaire?
Aren’t you a bit concerned about what’s going on? Democracy is at stake and all you can do is put the democrats down? These are two dumb criminals that are doing stupid things to the government.
Dems are doing something something. They have shown up the past two days with hundreds of protesters to get into the treasury department but weren’t let in. They have brought on lawsuits to stop this madness in court. They are planning to stop the hearings in congress and stop the confirmation s
Jeffries has ordered the representatives to all hold town halls in their districts and will keep track to make sure they do. Man citizens are out and ready to do whatever is necessary to stop the takeover of the United States. Much more is happening with indivisible groups, Dems,republicans and millions of concerned citizens ready to fight and show up.
Why don’t you stand up and fight like you care about this country.
The Democrats have been drinking at the same trough as the Republicans, Now they stand in fear of their careers and lives.
The easy ones have already folded.
25 Democrats, the Senate voted Thursday to confirm U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of the Interior, billionaire and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum—an ally of the fossil fuel industry.
The following voted to Confirm Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy, These seven are notorious DINO's, which Manchin and Sinema ran cover for.
Michael Bennet Colo.
Ruben Gallego Ariz.
Margaret Wood Hassan N.H.
Martin Heinrich N.M.
John Hickenlooper Colo.
Ben Ray Luján N.M.
Jeanne Shaheen N.H.
The downhill slide started with Clinton.
Newt Gingrich knew that Bill was a satyr, a horn dog, and saw to it that, unknown to her, a needy and brainless waif, was put in front of him, and she did her job, ensuring that some of his cum got on her dress, that only made it easier to get him to sign all of those bills that were on the Republican wish list
And of course he was aided and abetted by the cryptoRepublicans of the Third Way, New Democrats like Jerry Rubin and James Carville.
Trump was re-hired by millions of very unsound minds to effect their irrational, shared racism.
The homophobia and misogyny were a bonus.
Donnie Boy was NOT hired to Destroy America, but that's what he's doing.
Well, to all the Black men, the Hispanics, and the Whites who allowed America to Don a fresh pair of tighty whities figuratively. And then proceed to have a disgraceful bout of explosive, Musk-smelling diarrhea in said tighties . . . the Founders thank you. Also, they are grateful for just enough lunatic voters to ensconce him in the Oval once more.
Finally, they wish to thank God for bimbos such as Schumer, Jeffries, and the random Democratic cast of dunces (not the good ones, who know who they are (e.g., AOC)) on The Hill.
Feckless is not a strong enough word.
But . . . How do you say "Well done." in Russian? Hungarian? N. Korean?
It is important to be aware that Elon Musk has control of Star Link communications network. What is going to stop him from shutting down all communications except his?
The question is who is going to stand against the karmics of the world. If the legal system is unwilling to uphold democracy, then some other moral force will take a stand and the world will come to have another path of truth for its journey. Otherwise, civilization collapses and nobody knows how to rebuild which has occurred before.
The USA already lost the status of a full democracy. Voting has been a joke for decades to the extent that there have been so many faults in the system that Jimmy Carter refused to seriously monitor voting here after being President, while he was helping other countries monitor their systems, and where it was possible to do so.
In the paragraph that begins , “While the Democrats over the past fifty years”, you fail to note that during this same 50 year period Democrats forgot that the States determine and hold elections for state and national office. Thus although Repubs are a minority, they control a majority of the state houses and have implemented voter suppression laws. This makes it difficult for Dems to vote and win, because they lost sight of that important control. Obama lost 1,000 state house Dem seats, and he was a Constitutional law professor who surely should have known to keep his focus on state legislators.
Simply said, they can’t f’ing have anything back .. we as working people want them out of our lives. Who cares if they make billions and trillions as long as we, the working folk have somewhat of a level playing field to make our lives better. They should realize that as the oligarchs take over, they have less and less of a chance to make it big. At some point they need to fight with each other. So go fight with each other and leave us alone!
My take on Thom's post today is that it can be summed up in two words: Citizens United. The Democrats have had ample time to neuter that SCOTUS ruling legislatively, but did not. Now, we look forward to 2 more years, at least, of private ownership of all elected officials. By then, our government may well look like downtown Gaza. The cost to restore our government will be in the trillions.
Tom do you really think that there will be a real democracy and a real election in 2 more years,?
Especially now that Musk has appropriated the power of the purse.
Except for a brave handful politicians and media have been intimidated, silenced, co opted or swung to the side of the winner.
He has taken control of the payments system on Dept of Treasury, and with algorithms and AI, can identify victims and scrub them
Reasonable question. I guess we will see. Not sure Trump-n-company can stop a reshuffle.
Who said stop Tom, how about sabotage. They sure did a good job this time around, and North Carolina is still fighting their problem.
It is bitter watching Putin, Trump, and the Republicans try to do this to our country. The oligarchs and theocrats will chip away, but they are looking crazier day after day. Trump keeps blinking. It all appears to be silly, expensive, and impossible.
They do have some pesky problems. Americans have BIG mouths and know how to use them. The media reaches far beyond traditional roles and way beyond this country. Human rights organizations do too. Americans did THAT, and now WE are the ones in need of it.
Silence is no longer an option. It is what they hope to use to prevail. Keep using your big mouth, Thom. The rest of us should follow your example.
Federal employees unions and others are suing the Treasury Department and Secretary Bessent for allowing Elon Musk’s henchmen access to all of the databases and payment systems. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277055/gov.uscourts.dcd.277055.1.0.pdf
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/03/unions-sue-block-musk-treasury-payment-00202243?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Senate Dems plot to delay all Trump nominees in retaliation for USAID restructuring https://www.axios.com/2025/02/04/senate-democrats-holds-nominees-usaid
Democratic lawmakers descend en masse on USAID Headquarters to protest the outrageous weekend shutdown of our primary foriegn aid department that was created by law in 1961.
This would go beyond the "blanket hold" that Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has placed on State Department nominees. Democrats are furious at Trump's actions, and want to signal a strong response.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios on Tuesday that he's willing to place holds on Trump nominees on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Blumenthal said the caucus is proceeding as if there is a blanket hold on Trump nominations.
Trump and Musk have overreached -- exposed themselves to litigation and may have pissed off enough Congressional Republicans to undermine their legislative agenda.....
Colbert had Samantha Power on Tues. night. She ran USAID. The work stopped immediately. She is heartbroken, and so am I for all the people this will hurt.
Chinese cannot wait to fill the vacuum---this is a big win for them.
Stop the coup.
Hakeem Jeffries can identify about 20 House Republicans who possibly could flip. Three are Cuban Americans from Miami. Here's a letter from a MAGAT, my rep, who represents a majority Dem district. https://files.constantcontact.com/1849eea4801/cd2e90be-43c8-4171-b3c6-a357621f7db9.pdf?_gl=1*uo1jgf*_ga*MDMwMjhjMzctZTFlNy00YzExLWE3NTEtZGUxMmY1OGY0YjEw*_ga_14T5LGLSQ3*MTczNzc0NTk1My4zLjEuMTczNzc0Njg2Ny44LjAuMA..
Please identify all these reps and interview them. Pressure them.
I first take notice that every since Putin's puppet has assumed power, people like our "friend" Barry the D.O. have been noticeably absent.
The power of the purse controls people, households and governments.
Musk has flexed his muscles, and has taken control of the purse, the payments system and here is sad and laughable part. He did it by posting one huge burley man at the entrance to the Treasury and stopped all from entering, including a handful of Democratic Congresscritters
one brute stood in the way of a complete government takeover, our fearless Democratic Congressmen, stood back in this awesome display of brute power.
The government is now in the hands of Elon Musk, with Trump as the figurehead.
Trump will get what he wants and needs, obsequious behavior on the part of politicians and foreign leaders, enrichment as China and all those who seek favor funnel money to him
It is pretty much known that Musk is named for the Leader of Mars, the Elon, in Wehrner von Brains, the Mars Project, a Technical Tale., and yes Musk is making a big deal about Occupy Mars, and having the US taxpayer fund his fantasy, despite the fact that humans can never live on Mars, visit maybe, live no. not in a gravitational field .38 that of Earth, and Mars is 1.5 AU or 142 million miles more distant from the Sun than Earth. meaning a lot colder, and inhospitable to plant growth, it is a co2 rich atmosphere so there is that, but no water, so there is that. and even if the subterranean water table, which I am certain exists, could be tapped due to the lack of a supporting atmosphere, it Water would boil off like it does at altitude here on Earth.
There is more to show that it is an impossible fantasy.
But the real Elon, that Musk has in mind,is to be the leader here on Earth and he is starting with America and Britain.
Trump is like a chimp in a cage, throw him a banana now and then and he is happy. Musk has the banana's.
Trying to be hopeful. Don’t want King Elon 🤬
Thom, all...
What about a one day walk out of all Federal employees... The appeal should be, "why wait for them to pick you off, one at a time. Let's show them what happens if we all are gone."
Is there an organization, or some locus of contact that organizers with name recognition can propose it happening?
A lot better than Schumer standing up in the Senate holding an avocado and a Corona beer. Was that Carville's idea, or maybe Hillary's. God help us...
D.
I very afraid that this person would eventually achieve what he wanted because of the funding behind him. I am fearful that a system similar to this being imposed upon us.
This is the last paragraph of my Substack today: “With more than half the country that didn’t vote for Trump plus more and more of the people who supported him becoming disaffected from him, I’m watching for some moment when there’s a dramatic incident and virtually everyone turns on him. Law-abiders are at a disadvantage dealing with someone who has no regard for the law and has power, but I even wonder about a coup. Not a bloody one. Does acting lawfully and losing our country make sense? I’m just asking…”
And I'd say it's a red herring about a fascist takeover. Too many of us smarties, and more disaffection from Trump all the time. It's the oligarchs we have to protect ourselves from -- that takeover is already in play.
The only truly beyond belief part of this is that for all these past decades the democrats did NOTHING. I won’t believe that the dems KNEW NOTHING for all the years those conservative think tanks were working on this. The words "republican think tank" have been all over the news since I was young and I'm 71.
So - what conclusion(s) might one make :
- the democrats are that stupid and inept
- the democrats are as corrupt as the republicans and were paid off
- the dems just “really don’t care” because we've been told Trump and Republicans "really don't care"
- the dems can’t organize cohesively to stand up to all or any of this (because they can be individually bought off - Manchin and Cinema and now who else?)
- the dems are totally bowed and afraid of retribution - who wants to put their family in the line of fire
- THE DEMS ARE AND HAVE BEEN IN ON IT FOR MANY YEARS and so has SCOTUS
A "no response" to any of this past week's news letters by our elected democratic officials is a YES response to all of it. It's been this way for decades. Where are the Big D think tanks to give us a reasonable workable plan? Or maybe there aren't any and we're on our own.
The “let’s get'em this year” is a dog chasing its tail exhortation to move the public into action. The public has been moved to action - but our elected representatives did nothing. What is the alternative to no legislative or judicial reprieve? Are we ready for that? The Hungarians weren't.
Why are you blaming the Dems, does that make you feel good as our government is being taken over by a convicted criminal and his billionaire?
Aren’t you a bit concerned about what’s going on? Democracy is at stake and all you can do is put the democrats down? These are two dumb criminals that are doing stupid things to the government.
Dems are doing something something. They have shown up the past two days with hundreds of protesters to get into the treasury department but weren’t let in. They have brought on lawsuits to stop this madness in court. They are planning to stop the hearings in congress and stop the confirmation s
Jeffries has ordered the representatives to all hold town halls in their districts and will keep track to make sure they do. Man citizens are out and ready to do whatever is necessary to stop the takeover of the United States. Much more is happening with indivisible groups, Dems,republicans and millions of concerned citizens ready to fight and show up.
Why don’t you stand up and fight like you care about this country.
Thank you for writing like I’m thinking!
All of the above Feldman.
The Democrats have been drinking at the same trough as the Republicans, Now they stand in fear of their careers and lives.
The easy ones have already folded.
25 Democrats, the Senate voted Thursday to confirm U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of the Interior, billionaire and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum—an ally of the fossil fuel industry.
The following voted to Confirm Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy, These seven are notorious DINO's, which Manchin and Sinema ran cover for.
Michael Bennet Colo.
Ruben Gallego Ariz.
Margaret Wood Hassan N.H.
Martin Heinrich N.M.
John Hickenlooper Colo.
Ben Ray Luján N.M.
Jeanne Shaheen N.H.
The downhill slide started with Clinton.
Newt Gingrich knew that Bill was a satyr, a horn dog, and saw to it that, unknown to her, a needy and brainless waif, was put in front of him, and she did her job, ensuring that some of his cum got on her dress, that only made it easier to get him to sign all of those bills that were on the Republican wish list
And of course he was aided and abetted by the cryptoRepublicans of the Third Way, New Democrats like Jerry Rubin and James Carville.
The system that I am fearing will be imposed upon us is a fascist one.
Trump was re-hired by millions of very unsound minds to effect their irrational, shared racism.
The homophobia and misogyny were a bonus.
Donnie Boy was NOT hired to Destroy America, but that's what he's doing.
Well, to all the Black men, the Hispanics, and the Whites who allowed America to Don a fresh pair of tighty whities figuratively. And then proceed to have a disgraceful bout of explosive, Musk-smelling diarrhea in said tighties . . . the Founders thank you. Also, they are grateful for just enough lunatic voters to ensconce him in the Oval once more.
Finally, they wish to thank God for bimbos such as Schumer, Jeffries, and the random Democratic cast of dunces (not the good ones, who know who they are (e.g., AOC)) on The Hill.
Feckless is not a strong enough word.
But . . . How do you say "Well done." in Russian? Hungarian? N. Korean?
/s (i.e., sarcasm)
It is important to be aware that Elon Musk has control of Star Link communications network. What is going to stop him from shutting down all communications except his?
Does anyone see a mandatory draft coming? Could really be any age
( all men under…35, 40)..whatever they want. Life in a blender.
As consctiped cannon fodder myself, I don't favor a draft of humans.
Draft drones and robots.
The question is who is going to stand against the karmics of the world. If the legal system is unwilling to uphold democracy, then some other moral force will take a stand and the world will come to have another path of truth for its journey. Otherwise, civilization collapses and nobody knows how to rebuild which has occurred before.
The USA already lost the status of a full democracy. Voting has been a joke for decades to the extent that there have been so many faults in the system that Jimmy Carter refused to seriously monitor voting here after being President, while he was helping other countries monitor their systems, and where it was possible to do so.
In the paragraph that begins , “While the Democrats over the past fifty years”, you fail to note that during this same 50 year period Democrats forgot that the States determine and hold elections for state and national office. Thus although Repubs are a minority, they control a majority of the state houses and have implemented voter suppression laws. This makes it difficult for Dems to vote and win, because they lost sight of that important control. Obama lost 1,000 state house Dem seats, and he was a Constitutional law professor who surely should have known to keep his focus on state legislators.
Simply said, they can’t f’ing have anything back .. we as working people want them out of our lives. Who cares if they make billions and trillions as long as we, the working folk have somewhat of a level playing field to make our lives better. They should realize that as the oligarchs take over, they have less and less of a chance to make it big. At some point they need to fight with each other. So go fight with each other and leave us alone!