🇨🇦Canadian here. This is chilling! No, we don’t want to give up our own freedoms for some false lure of economic advancement. We are Hansel and Gretel and Trump is the evil witch.
It’s time for every democratic government to call this out - that America is no longer a democracy, but is turning itself into a more prosperous version of Putin’s Russia.
Elizabeth, Please throw us a lifeline. America is no longer the Ally that your country stood with to defeat Hitler in World War II. We have been taken over by a Republican invasion led by Trump and Musk. There is nothing left of our Constitution that can save us from the total destruction of our Democracy. The world's stability and peace can only be restored once Trump is defeated. We no longer have the the protection from our Constitution that would allow us to accomplish this task. So we beg that Canada and all of the other Democracratic nations around the world BOYCOTT every product or service provided by the United States. If our economy fails, so does Donald Trump. An other Recession or Great Depression in our country is necessary to motivate the public into totally rejecting Trump and his Republican enablers. It will cause great hardship for the American people, but at least we won't be as bad as sending our sons and daughters to fight in a Second Civil War or in World W lll. The future Peace and Stability of the World depends on the support of All People, from All Nations that value freedom and liberty, to help the American people protest Trump's desire to make our country into one like Russia and North Korea. The United States was a valued neighbor of Canada when it was the beacon of light for all aspiring Democratic Nations of the World. Please help us restore that light!!
We support that campaign! No buying of US goods, NO travel to the US. Our government is cancelling contracts with American suppliers whenever possible and federal departments have been instructed to buy Canadian or look for other than American sources. It all sounds so harsh to boycott the American economy because this affects average people as well. But we have no choice, both if we want to remain sovereign, and if we want to inflict pain on the American economy.
The good news is that I just read that Justice Roberts spoke out against Trump’s remarks re impeaching Judge Boasberg. Your Supreme Court is the last legal authority that can stop Trump’s evil. He seems to control everything else. Let’s hope that this is a sign that they will not simply roll over.
One of the biggest enablers of the trump/musk regime has been Chief Justice Roberts as well as the rest of the right-wing, bought-off corrupt so-called "Supreme Court," namely Alito(haughty little weasel), Thomas(rapist, allegedly and doesn't actually think he's black anymore IMHO), and nasty little puke of a clown, Cavanaugh(thinks his 💩 doesn't stink and he's better than everyone else, but he's just a nasty little 💩 without empathy or sense, a real 💩 weasel.) I'm really glad old man Roberts is reaping what he's sown for so many years, being as bought and paid for as the rest of that nasty bunch.. I think now he's seeing what his ridiculous ruling have led to, and realizes the folly and error of his decision making and is possibly trying to make up for those decisions in some small ways now that he's closer to the end of his career than to the beginning of it.. that and he's maybe trying to get into heaven now.. he may as well forget that idea. He's done everything he could do to f democracy since he got on the bench, don't go all soft and nostalgic for the good old days now that you've screwed the next 4 generations at least... You have made your bed, Justice Roberts, now you must lie in it..
It is truly frightening. I was reading a very scary post yesterday that made my blood run cold about the quick and surgical destruction of democracy. I would also add that it is interesting that Trump claims to be all about "law and order" and yet defies the court's decisions; however, i would like to point out to the orange menace, that it is that same democratic process ... legal process that kept him out of jail, able to appeal his obvious criminal activity and dare I say, kept him from being executed for treason!!
On this morning's news, trump henchman Reinhard Heydrich - oops, sorry, Stephen Miller - declared that a federal district court has no jurisdiction over presidential actions. Silly me! I thought I had a reasonable understanding of Articles II & III, and I wasn't aware of any such provision in either. I'll try to get Obergruppenführer Heydrich - oops again, Mr. Miller - to tutor me on the correct reading of the Constitution. Maybe he can even turn it into a regular course at an esteemed institution of higher learning, perhaps PragerU.
Republicans have always felt more comfortable with authoritarian methods--police, military, force, punishment--because these transmogrify their fear into an empowering hate. We can't accommodate them; it only enables them. They must be opposed vigorously, and I'm afraid the Democrats in charge of the party don't understand that.
We'll find out today whether the rubber meets the road in a DC courtroom. Phony war powers vs an injunction.
Thom sez: But this fight is not just for Congress—it is for every American. We must flood the streets in protest. We must call our representatives and demand accountability. We must challenge this in the courts, in the media, and at the ballot box. Silence is complicity.
22 Republican senators, dozens of Republican House members voted to fund Ukraine. Many of them call Trump a liar about Putin.
Get those Republicans who oppose Putin on the record!
Those Republicans are responsive to their consituents and donors.
1. Virtually everyone involved in beef and in meat packing is in a state of panic, and 20 senators in cow country should be paniciking also.
2. The Trump/Tesla infomercial pisses off every car dealer in the US. It's up to us to get them to protest to their local Congresspeople. Pressure NADA. https://www.nada.org/
Trump's chaos must be ignored. There is one issue and one issue only that we as Americans must grapple with. That issue is, regardless of anything Trump does or says, he holds the office of the presidency in clear violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment (14A, hereafter). The 14A holds no requirement that an insurrectionist be adjudicated as one by any court. Yet, Trump had his day in court, and the evidence against him was so overwhelming that Colorado's courts quickly ruled that his name could not appear on their state ballot.
Despite the objectively INCORRECT ruling by the SCOTUS that only Congress can decide who can either appear or not on a state ballot (clearly absurd because, per the Constitution, the individual states run their elections in accordance with state law, not federal law), Section 3 of the 14A is self-executing. Section 5 exists to allow Congress to override any decision by a state to place an insurrectionist's name on their ballot in contravention to Section 3. The SCOTUS decision is, literally, the opposite of the intent of Section 5. In fact, despite that ruling, Trump continues to hold a federal elective office in clear violation of Section 3. It does not matter what circumstances placed him there, nor how many people voted for him, nor whether or not Congress allowed his name to remain on the ballot.
It is, therefore, incumbent upon Congress to correct this clear violation of the Constitution. Congress, being overrun by cowardly politicians, must be reminded over and over again by the American public that, regardless of party, they each swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the USA and that most definitely includes the 14A.
If you care about the rule of law and the foundational document of our Republic it is incumbent upon YOU, regardless of your own partisan political views, to remind EVERY member of Congress, daily, that they are ALL in violation of their sworn oath of office until they take action to remove Trump from office. This is the only way we have left to save our Republic and prevent this country from becoming part of the axis of evil dictatorships that rule much of the world's population.
If you do not care about the rule of law or the Constitution then you will get precisely what you deserve, a klepto-oligarcho-Christo-fascist dictatorship. Heaven help us all!
I'll continue to do my bit, contribute to keep journalism alive, give money to office holders and to office seekers who go against this assault on our constitution. Mass open defiance may yet happen and this old man will do his bit there too. I'll keep showing up with the other white haired folk. Where are the young people? Their futures are at stake. Seeing them demonstrate in big numbers could energize resistance.
Indivisible is planning a nationwide protest on Saturday, April 5. Put it on your calendar and attend one near you! Or, if you can, attend the protest in Washington, DC.
Breizhfan, I am all in favor of Indivisible's protest. It cannot hurt. It gets people thinking. But there is no power in protest. Anyone who thinks there is, confuses power with influence. They are not the same thing. There are two sources of power in society:
1) government power which legitimately comes through the barrel of a gun.
2) the power of the 3% of Americans who own the institution of business and control wages. The remaining 97% of us are at their mercy.
The only power we working people have is to with-hold our labor. Refusing to submit to authority is the only way for ordinary people to grab power in any society. We must support organized labor. It is our only hope; short of a revolution.
Mr. Solomon, that's a good thought. I saw in the news that the "Big Three" auto dealers are already enraged over the Tesla advertisement which Trump and Musk delivered in front of the White House the other day. This ad. was paid for by the tax payers. More socialism for Musk, I would say. Perhaps these two out of touch psychos shall make bigger mistakes of this kind in the future.
I called out car dealers, the beef industry, local chambers of commerce, In my comments above. There are many others affected this way. My agency, DOL, regulated virtually all of them in some way. IMHO it doesn't take much to get the ball rolling.
I am banned on X and Facebook and I just got a warning from Bluesky...I wish others would spread the news. I was in an OSHER discussion group yesterday with many orthers -- all have war stories. All are retired... all get SS...all have kids and neighborfs and friends who have been "Musked."
I believe we can and should do both...protest in huge and undeniable numbers in every state AND support labor organizations AND barrage our members of Congress in opposition to Trump & DOGE's corrupt & illegal actions.
I understand your perspective, Gerald. And a protest will only have a chance of succeeding if it's massive. LBJ was moved by the masses of people in the streets protesting the Vietnam War. But we need millions of people to come out to make it effective.
I'm guessing that in the not too distant future, we'll have to contend with martial law and then all protests will be illegal.
So it might be worth a shot while we still have the chance.
Yes Breizhfan, the bigger the demonstration is, the better it is. When I was young I was teargassed while in a huge protest in D.C [200,000 of us]. It was broadcast all over the world on TV. Today, right now, there are protests going on in hundreds of locals in this country. But the Mass Media are refusing to cover them. Instead they are talking about how Musk's rocket returned the stranded astronauts from the IS Space Station. The people who will be talking about the protests are those like Amy Goodman, Rachel Madow and Rick Wolff.
G2, in answer to your question "Where are the young people?" The pollsters in the democratic party are well aware that the young people no longer can be relied upon to support the Dems. There has been a significant shift in the political concerns of the young in America in the last 8 years. An important shift away from the Dems' policies.
There is no explanation coming forth from the Dem. pollsters as to why this shift has occurred. Some have whispered that the shift might be related to the saturation of the use of the modern smart phones during that 8 year period. The smart phone came onto the market only about a decade ago. The youth of today have known no other world but the one of the electronic screen and what it is they learn from it. This is an artificial world, from the point of view of anyone over 19 years old. If you are 20 or older, you were socialized into a different world. A world I would call "the real world."
It is not, therefore, a surprise that a gap exists between the youth of America and the adults. Young people no longer support the Dems. The leadership of both parties is geriatric and out of touch. Chuck Schumer just demonstrated it. But it is undeniably true that even though Trump is old and one of the wealthy elite; he is great at lying to the public and saying all the right things. His performance at the state of the union address was a masterpiece of the art of the flummox. It was as spellbinding as it was phony and effective. Especially among the uneducated working class voters and the young. He has them all in his hands.
Added to this is the undeniable fact that even when the Dems had the ability to give people good policy; they failed to do so, for the last two generations.
I do not dare predict the future. But I suspect the economy will collapse in the next 6 to 12 months. According to the time-tested theory of Keynesian economics all the signs are in place. The big investors in the stock exchanges are all liquidating their holdings. China, France and other Countries are buying gold like mad, the price of it has skyrocketed and the U.S. economy has been sliding downhill since Trump's election. The world economy is unstable. A deep depression could change everything; for the better, or for the worse.
Thank you, Professor Hartmann, for your chillingly accurate appraisal of our current circumstances. Our democracy is vanishing very quickly. When the president defies a court order, and worse, declares that no court can constrain him, that person has become a dictator. It’s all happening very quickly and should alarm citizens. It’s as you said, we need to stop this now, before it’s too late, before journalists are jailed. We’re not that far from it.
It's the oldest trick in the book. If advertising is "create a need and fill it," then authoritarian action is "create an enemy and oppose it." I heard the same lies about Iraq as I did about Vietnam, and people were equally panicked into following the leader into a disaster. One doesn't need to repeat the lies that the Nazis used, or the Stalinists, or the McCarthyites or so many others who talked about the "enemies trying to destroy us" to see the same playbook here. For now it is a little lighter--outside aliens among us, not disloyal citizens--but that can change. On the plus side this time more people are aware of the lies and hysteria but whether that translates into anything being different remains to be seen. And that is up to all of us.
We have had the benefit and the privilege of reading these posts daily which instruct us on the US Constitution and history (which we should have learned something about in school, but many did not). Could an open letter addressed specifically to Alito, Thomas, Roberts, and others including Trump and Vance, written by Thom and published in major newspapers and online to explain the most significant principles of the Constitution for those people who have gotten it all wrong or have simply ignored it? We have learned here that the branches of government are not equal, that the founders did not want an omnipotent executive, that the courts interpret and advise but do not write law, and that consent of the governed is fundamental, among many other things. A primer for those people, as well as for the uninformed and misinformed public, could have an enormous impact. It would probably have to be somewhere in the range of 10,000 words. Thom could address all the most pertinent issues facing us now, with references in the relevant history, in his sleep or on a weekend. It should name those people who have made erroneous claims and statements, such as Alito's bizarre misstatements on the power of the court and his nonsense elevating religious beliefs over secular beliefs. People need this information desperately and certainly it would be picked up by big publications.
I seriously doubt any of those you mentioned are going to be dissuaded by a "good talking to." I doubt Trumputin has any idea what the Constitution says because he's functionally illiterate. But even if he could read it, he wouldn't care and, of course, Thomas and Alito know the Constitution, but where they disagree with it, they rule against it because they also don't give a shit.
Your skepticism is exceeded only by your cynicism! I hear what you are saying, and I largely share your sentiments. But accurate information and insightful and intelligent analyses are crucial, and debate is still a possibility in some quarters. Of course, Trump will not learn anything and someone like Alito and Thomas will not be swayed by rational arguments because they do not live in a rational universe. But readers of newspapers have lots of questions and doubts and most have no clue what the actual words of the Constitution represent. An open letter would get attention and interest average citizens, and education is the core problem, after all is said and done. I just read that Roberts made a public statement chastising Trump for calling for the impeachment of federal judges and Amy Coney Barrett has recused herself on a case on the separation of church and state involving public funds to private schools in OK. No stone should remain unturned in this environment. Thom knows the Constitution backward and forward and he knows the issues and can correct the record about as well as any law professor. He can also simplify things for the public who have massive confusion on the things that are being done and are being lied about daily. When framed as a direct challenge, in the manner of the Federalist Papers, for example, people perk up their ears. Even a knight stops to reflect before a fight.
The only asylum people will soon find in our country is the Arkham variety as in Gotham City. All of what is happening closely resembles something in a DC Comic. It comes complete with horrific corruption and villains of the worst kind that are criminally insane.
The next election and a strong Democratic Congress has to be the beginning of an end to these bastards' reign of terror. It will be won in the streets before it is won at the ballot box.
Protest like you mean it! It is happening, and it's not just in the USA. All life on this planet is dependent on these democracies.
Indivisible is planning a nationwide protest on Saturday, April 5. Put it on your calendar and attend one near you! Or, if you can, attend the protest in Washington, DC.
The US is not just going after those who are not here legally, they are setting it up that even a forum like this will be considered illegal and we have to go. What should be happening is that WE THE PEOPLE should show Trump and Musk that they need to go and they can take the horrendous cabinet with them.
Trump needs to be stopped! Impeachment is the only way to do it. The fact that republicans can do this at any time is not said out loud often enough. Democrats need to stop being polite and broadcast the need to impeach at every town hall and public event. The DNC should start petitions in every state calling for Trump to be removed!
🇨🇦Canadian here. This is chilling! No, we don’t want to give up our own freedoms for some false lure of economic advancement. We are Hansel and Gretel and Trump is the evil witch.
It’s time for every democratic government to call this out - that America is no longer a democracy, but is turning itself into a more prosperous version of Putin’s Russia.
Elizabeth, Please throw us a lifeline. America is no longer the Ally that your country stood with to defeat Hitler in World War II. We have been taken over by a Republican invasion led by Trump and Musk. There is nothing left of our Constitution that can save us from the total destruction of our Democracy. The world's stability and peace can only be restored once Trump is defeated. We no longer have the the protection from our Constitution that would allow us to accomplish this task. So we beg that Canada and all of the other Democracratic nations around the world BOYCOTT every product or service provided by the United States. If our economy fails, so does Donald Trump. An other Recession or Great Depression in our country is necessary to motivate the public into totally rejecting Trump and his Republican enablers. It will cause great hardship for the American people, but at least we won't be as bad as sending our sons and daughters to fight in a Second Civil War or in World W lll. The future Peace and Stability of the World depends on the support of All People, from All Nations that value freedom and liberty, to help the American people protest Trump's desire to make our country into one like Russia and North Korea. The United States was a valued neighbor of Canada when it was the beacon of light for all aspiring Democratic Nations of the World. Please help us restore that light!!
We support that campaign! No buying of US goods, NO travel to the US. Our government is cancelling contracts with American suppliers whenever possible and federal departments have been instructed to buy Canadian or look for other than American sources. It all sounds so harsh to boycott the American economy because this affects average people as well. But we have no choice, both if we want to remain sovereign, and if we want to inflict pain on the American economy.
The good news is that I just read that Justice Roberts spoke out against Trump’s remarks re impeaching Judge Boasberg. Your Supreme Court is the last legal authority that can stop Trump’s evil. He seems to control everything else. Let’s hope that this is a sign that they will not simply roll over.
Many of us in the US support what you are doing in Canada. I hope that you don't think all Americans are like Trump. I think that Trump is truly the
Ugly American. They found a way to high jack the US.
One of the biggest enablers of the trump/musk regime has been Chief Justice Roberts as well as the rest of the right-wing, bought-off corrupt so-called "Supreme Court," namely Alito(haughty little weasel), Thomas(rapist, allegedly and doesn't actually think he's black anymore IMHO), and nasty little puke of a clown, Cavanaugh(thinks his 💩 doesn't stink and he's better than everyone else, but he's just a nasty little 💩 without empathy or sense, a real 💩 weasel.) I'm really glad old man Roberts is reaping what he's sown for so many years, being as bought and paid for as the rest of that nasty bunch.. I think now he's seeing what his ridiculous ruling have led to, and realizes the folly and error of his decision making and is possibly trying to make up for those decisions in some small ways now that he's closer to the end of his career than to the beginning of it.. that and he's maybe trying to get into heaven now.. he may as well forget that idea. He's done everything he could do to f democracy since he got on the bench, don't go all soft and nostalgic for the good old days now that you've screwed the next 4 generations at least... You have made your bed, Justice Roberts, now you must lie in it..
Want to do something? Please read feathers of hope,
Canadian Florida Chamber of Commerce. https://canadafloridachamber.com/#!event-list
American Chamber of Commerce in Canada (AmCham Canada). https://ca.linkedin.com/company/american-chamber-of-commerce-in-canada
AmChan Canada https://www.amchamcanada.ca/about
It is truly frightening. I was reading a very scary post yesterday that made my blood run cold about the quick and surgical destruction of democracy. I would also add that it is interesting that Trump claims to be all about "law and order" and yet defies the court's decisions; however, i would like to point out to the orange menace, that it is that same democratic process ... legal process that kept him out of jail, able to appeal his obvious criminal activity and dare I say, kept him from being executed for treason!!
He likes law and order- his law, his order.
He claims this is The Golden Age. He gets the gold and we all get to age without any!
Whenever Law Ends Tyranny Begins. John Locke
On this morning's news, trump henchman Reinhard Heydrich - oops, sorry, Stephen Miller - declared that a federal district court has no jurisdiction over presidential actions. Silly me! I thought I had a reasonable understanding of Articles II & III, and I wasn't aware of any such provision in either. I'll try to get Obergruppenführer Heydrich - oops again, Mr. Miller - to tutor me on the correct reading of the Constitution. Maybe he can even turn it into a regular course at an esteemed institution of higher learning, perhaps PragerU.
Republicans have always felt more comfortable with authoritarian methods--police, military, force, punishment--because these transmogrify their fear into an empowering hate. We can't accommodate them; it only enables them. They must be opposed vigorously, and I'm afraid the Democrats in charge of the party don't understand that.
I support shared government. Our national sovereignty has been lost. We lost the cold war. Patriotic Americans of all stripes should oppose that.
Read Feathers of Hope. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
We'll find out today whether the rubber meets the road in a DC courtroom. Phony war powers vs an injunction.
Thom sez: But this fight is not just for Congress—it is for every American. We must flood the streets in protest. We must call our representatives and demand accountability. We must challenge this in the courts, in the media, and at the ballot box. Silence is complicity.
22 Republican senators, dozens of Republican House members voted to fund Ukraine. Many of them call Trump a liar about Putin.
Get those Republicans who oppose Putin on the record!
Impeach. Feathers of Hope. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/p/remove-impeach-impeach
When will Thom cover it?
Those Republicans are responsive to their consituents and donors.
1. Virtually everyone involved in beef and in meat packing is in a state of panic, and 20 senators in cow country should be paniciking also.
2. The Trump/Tesla infomercial pisses off every car dealer in the US. It's up to us to get them to protest to their local Congresspeople. Pressure NADA. https://www.nada.org/
2a. Pressure local car dealers. https://dcnation.dealercenter.com/blog/auto-dealer-associations
3. Pressure local chambers of commerce. https://www.uschamber.com/co/chambers
4. Where I live we have more Canadians, many with dual citizenships, who are pissed. More here than in some Canadian provinces. Highly influential.
5. Ukranian Americans. Not just in Parma..... in David Joyce's neck of the woods.David Joyce: (202) 225-5731 D.C. —— (440) 352-3939.
6. You get the idea. If you are Cuban, contact CANF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_American_National_Foundation
Trump's chaos must be ignored. There is one issue and one issue only that we as Americans must grapple with. That issue is, regardless of anything Trump does or says, he holds the office of the presidency in clear violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment (14A, hereafter). The 14A holds no requirement that an insurrectionist be adjudicated as one by any court. Yet, Trump had his day in court, and the evidence against him was so overwhelming that Colorado's courts quickly ruled that his name could not appear on their state ballot.
Despite the objectively INCORRECT ruling by the SCOTUS that only Congress can decide who can either appear or not on a state ballot (clearly absurd because, per the Constitution, the individual states run their elections in accordance with state law, not federal law), Section 3 of the 14A is self-executing. Section 5 exists to allow Congress to override any decision by a state to place an insurrectionist's name on their ballot in contravention to Section 3. The SCOTUS decision is, literally, the opposite of the intent of Section 5. In fact, despite that ruling, Trump continues to hold a federal elective office in clear violation of Section 3. It does not matter what circumstances placed him there, nor how many people voted for him, nor whether or not Congress allowed his name to remain on the ballot.
It is, therefore, incumbent upon Congress to correct this clear violation of the Constitution. Congress, being overrun by cowardly politicians, must be reminded over and over again by the American public that, regardless of party, they each swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the USA and that most definitely includes the 14A.
If you care about the rule of law and the foundational document of our Republic it is incumbent upon YOU, regardless of your own partisan political views, to remind EVERY member of Congress, daily, that they are ALL in violation of their sworn oath of office until they take action to remove Trump from office. This is the only way we have left to save our Republic and prevent this country from becoming part of the axis of evil dictatorships that rule much of the world's population.
If you do not care about the rule of law or the Constitution then you will get precisely what you deserve, a klepto-oligarcho-Christo-fascist dictatorship. Heaven help us all!
Call Congress: (202) 224-3121.
I'll continue to do my bit, contribute to keep journalism alive, give money to office holders and to office seekers who go against this assault on our constitution. Mass open defiance may yet happen and this old man will do his bit there too. I'll keep showing up with the other white haired folk. Where are the young people? Their futures are at stake. Seeing them demonstrate in big numbers could energize resistance.
Indivisible is planning a nationwide protest on Saturday, April 5. Put it on your calendar and attend one near you! Or, if you can, attend the protest in Washington, DC.
It's time to take to the streets!
More info here: https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
Breizhfan, I am all in favor of Indivisible's protest. It cannot hurt. It gets people thinking. But there is no power in protest. Anyone who thinks there is, confuses power with influence. They are not the same thing. There are two sources of power in society:
1) government power which legitimately comes through the barrel of a gun.
2) the power of the 3% of Americans who own the institution of business and control wages. The remaining 97% of us are at their mercy.
The only power we working people have is to with-hold our labor. Refusing to submit to authority is the only way for ordinary people to grab power in any society. We must support organized labor. It is our only hope; short of a revolution.
If businesses, with millions of employees threatened with bankrupcy protest, especially to Congressional Republicans, it will work.
Mr. Solomon, that's a good thought. I saw in the news that the "Big Three" auto dealers are already enraged over the Tesla advertisement which Trump and Musk delivered in front of the White House the other day. This ad. was paid for by the tax payers. More socialism for Musk, I would say. Perhaps these two out of touch psychos shall make bigger mistakes of this kind in the future.
I called out car dealers, the beef industry, local chambers of commerce, In my comments above. There are many others affected this way. My agency, DOL, regulated virtually all of them in some way. IMHO it doesn't take much to get the ball rolling.
I am banned on X and Facebook and I just got a warning from Bluesky...I wish others would spread the news. I was in an OSHER discussion group yesterday with many orthers -- all have war stories. All are retired... all get SS...all have kids and neighborfs and friends who have been "Musked."
I believe we can and should do both...protest in huge and undeniable numbers in every state AND support labor organizations AND barrage our members of Congress in opposition to Trump & DOGE's corrupt & illegal actions.
I understand your perspective, Gerald. And a protest will only have a chance of succeeding if it's massive. LBJ was moved by the masses of people in the streets protesting the Vietnam War. But we need millions of people to come out to make it effective.
I'm guessing that in the not too distant future, we'll have to contend with martial law and then all protests will be illegal.
So it might be worth a shot while we still have the chance.
Yes Breizhfan, the bigger the demonstration is, the better it is. When I was young I was teargassed while in a huge protest in D.C [200,000 of us]. It was broadcast all over the world on TV. Today, right now, there are protests going on in hundreds of locals in this country. But the Mass Media are refusing to cover them. Instead they are talking about how Musk's rocket returned the stranded astronauts from the IS Space Station. The people who will be talking about the protests are those like Amy Goodman, Rachel Madow and Rick Wolff.
Thank you,will do.
G2, in answer to your question "Where are the young people?" The pollsters in the democratic party are well aware that the young people no longer can be relied upon to support the Dems. There has been a significant shift in the political concerns of the young in America in the last 8 years. An important shift away from the Dems' policies.
There is no explanation coming forth from the Dem. pollsters as to why this shift has occurred. Some have whispered that the shift might be related to the saturation of the use of the modern smart phones during that 8 year period. The smart phone came onto the market only about a decade ago. The youth of today have known no other world but the one of the electronic screen and what it is they learn from it. This is an artificial world, from the point of view of anyone over 19 years old. If you are 20 or older, you were socialized into a different world. A world I would call "the real world."
It is not, therefore, a surprise that a gap exists between the youth of America and the adults. Young people no longer support the Dems. The leadership of both parties is geriatric and out of touch. Chuck Schumer just demonstrated it. But it is undeniably true that even though Trump is old and one of the wealthy elite; he is great at lying to the public and saying all the right things. His performance at the state of the union address was a masterpiece of the art of the flummox. It was as spellbinding as it was phony and effective. Especially among the uneducated working class voters and the young. He has them all in his hands.
Added to this is the undeniable fact that even when the Dems had the ability to give people good policy; they failed to do so, for the last two generations.
I do not dare predict the future. But I suspect the economy will collapse in the next 6 to 12 months. According to the time-tested theory of Keynesian economics all the signs are in place. The big investors in the stock exchanges are all liquidating their holdings. China, France and other Countries are buying gold like mad, the price of it has skyrocketed and the U.S. economy has been sliding downhill since Trump's election. The world economy is unstable. A deep depression could change everything; for the better, or for the worse.
Amen brother.
Thank you, Professor Hartmann, for your chillingly accurate appraisal of our current circumstances. Our democracy is vanishing very quickly. When the president defies a court order, and worse, declares that no court can constrain him, that person has become a dictator. It’s all happening very quickly and should alarm citizens. It’s as you said, we need to stop this now, before it’s too late, before journalists are jailed. We’re not that far from it.
It's the oldest trick in the book. If advertising is "create a need and fill it," then authoritarian action is "create an enemy and oppose it." I heard the same lies about Iraq as I did about Vietnam, and people were equally panicked into following the leader into a disaster. One doesn't need to repeat the lies that the Nazis used, or the Stalinists, or the McCarthyites or so many others who talked about the "enemies trying to destroy us" to see the same playbook here. For now it is a little lighter--outside aliens among us, not disloyal citizens--but that can change. On the plus side this time more people are aware of the lies and hysteria but whether that translates into anything being different remains to be seen. And that is up to all of us.
We have had the benefit and the privilege of reading these posts daily which instruct us on the US Constitution and history (which we should have learned something about in school, but many did not). Could an open letter addressed specifically to Alito, Thomas, Roberts, and others including Trump and Vance, written by Thom and published in major newspapers and online to explain the most significant principles of the Constitution for those people who have gotten it all wrong or have simply ignored it? We have learned here that the branches of government are not equal, that the founders did not want an omnipotent executive, that the courts interpret and advise but do not write law, and that consent of the governed is fundamental, among many other things. A primer for those people, as well as for the uninformed and misinformed public, could have an enormous impact. It would probably have to be somewhere in the range of 10,000 words. Thom could address all the most pertinent issues facing us now, with references in the relevant history, in his sleep or on a weekend. It should name those people who have made erroneous claims and statements, such as Alito's bizarre misstatements on the power of the court and his nonsense elevating religious beliefs over secular beliefs. People need this information desperately and certainly it would be picked up by big publications.
I seriously doubt any of those you mentioned are going to be dissuaded by a "good talking to." I doubt Trumputin has any idea what the Constitution says because he's functionally illiterate. But even if he could read it, he wouldn't care and, of course, Thomas and Alito know the Constitution, but where they disagree with it, they rule against it because they also don't give a shit.
Your skepticism is exceeded only by your cynicism! I hear what you are saying, and I largely share your sentiments. But accurate information and insightful and intelligent analyses are crucial, and debate is still a possibility in some quarters. Of course, Trump will not learn anything and someone like Alito and Thomas will not be swayed by rational arguments because they do not live in a rational universe. But readers of newspapers have lots of questions and doubts and most have no clue what the actual words of the Constitution represent. An open letter would get attention and interest average citizens, and education is the core problem, after all is said and done. I just read that Roberts made a public statement chastising Trump for calling for the impeachment of federal judges and Amy Coney Barrett has recused herself on a case on the separation of church and state involving public funds to private schools in OK. No stone should remain unturned in this environment. Thom knows the Constitution backward and forward and he knows the issues and can correct the record about as well as any law professor. He can also simplify things for the public who have massive confusion on the things that are being done and are being lied about daily. When framed as a direct challenge, in the manner of the Federalist Papers, for example, people perk up their ears. Even a knight stops to reflect before a fight.
The only asylum people will soon find in our country is the Arkham variety as in Gotham City. All of what is happening closely resembles something in a DC Comic. It comes complete with horrific corruption and villains of the worst kind that are criminally insane.
The next election and a strong Democratic Congress has to be the beginning of an end to these bastards' reign of terror. It will be won in the streets before it is won at the ballot box.
Protest like you mean it! It is happening, and it's not just in the USA. All life on this planet is dependent on these democracies.
alis,If things don't change quickly,there will be no more next election.
We have to have a platform and a leader. The courts need us in the streets. You thought there were only 3, but we are the 4th branch of this government. March on DC! https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/a-just-movement?r=3m1bs
Indivisible is planning a nationwide protest on Saturday, April 5. Put it on your calendar and attend one near you! Or, if you can, attend the protest in Washington, DC.
It's time to take to the streets!
More info here: https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
The US is not just going after those who are not here legally, they are setting it up that even a forum like this will be considered illegal and we have to go. What should be happening is that WE THE PEOPLE should show Trump and Musk that they need to go and they can take the horrendous cabinet with them.
Trump needs to be stopped! Impeachment is the only way to do it. The fact that republicans can do this at any time is not said out loud often enough. Democrats need to stop being polite and broadcast the need to impeach at every town hall and public event. The DNC should start petitions in every state calling for Trump to be removed!
We are all reading these articles and writing a comment today because nothing has happened to any of us - yet.