I hope that the mainstream media is happy when Trump is elected. Because they bear a lions share of making that happen. Maybe when he sends troops into newsrooms and TV studios to shut down " The enemy of the people " they'll realize that they should have done their job in the year prior to the election.
If tRump gets into power, I don't believe that anything will stop him from rewriting the Constitution to favor his insanity. This is what Pinochet did in Chile. tRump is a sociopath just like Pinochet was.
I hope if those cuts go through, the FBI will announce that it is meeting them by reducing staff in all red states to 1 agent. Kid got kidnapped? Get in line. Bank robberies? Better write to the FDIC. Gang violence? Build a safe room.
It’s our job as citizens of this country to spread the word about Biden’s accomplishments and the fact that most people are doing just fine under his administration. People vote when they believe there’s strong reason to believe their person will win.
It is but the problem is ... where are we doing it - in our own echo chamber? I keep walking our old dog and I keep looking for the Latina with whom I spoke in 2018 or 2019 to see if she now knows how rump really made his money as a “businessman”. Should be interesting and I’ll keep looking.
You’re doing exactly the thing we need to do. Not with the rabid fans of Donald, but with people whose opinion we might not be sure of. Like the guy who owns the place I go for Indian food—I have no idea where he stands in all this. But I’m going to ask him. There are a lot of people I see around whose politics I don’t know at all. I’m going to start finding out.
If I tap my shoes 3 times, will I go back to RetroLube in NC where I was quietly told the owner is a rump fan so we had to keep our voices down. I'd give him a try, too. That was weird and circa 2015/16 but we were aware he was nasty and bigoted and racists back then.
All we need do is look to Lt Gov Robinson in NC winning the Republican primary for governor. What a hateful, frightening man but he does represent Republicans. I've also been reading summaries of Project 2025 and Mandate for Leadership - totally insane and depressing. So, we figure out how to support democracy and prepare to vote Blue. It's exhausting, but necessary. I think we can elect Biden but it'll be a long time until November.
Thanks! I had not heard of this organization before. Why is Project 2025 not top page news? I called my local newspaper and said that I was calling as a concerned citizen and I am concerned because there is very little news coverage warning the public about Project 2025. I asked if he had ever heard of Project 2025. Never heard of it. I asked if the newspaper would be interested in covering it. He said that because it is a national issue it is not something they would cover until the AP starts covering it and there is national coverage and he has not heard national coverage about this. He suggested that I write in to the newspaper an editorial and they will print it. I explained that Project 2025 is both a national and local issue. I explained that it includes attacks on the media and will affect the local newspaper and local schools as well as national issues and every faucet of life.
How concerning that journalists have not even heard of Project 2025. We desperately need to get the word out. This should be Front Page News.
STEP 1: let's all write an editorial to our local newspaper and contact the Associate Press (AP) and urge them to cover this. Give them the the above website that Holly linked. http://stopthecoup2025.org. We could also call NPR and PBS. These organizations are specifically mentioned in the report with plans to censor them and cut their funding so it is in their best interest to report on this.
STEP 2: once AP and national news sources cover this then call your local newspaper and ask them to cover this as it is now national news.
Makes sense. I walked with the woman (at a rally against rump) who was the Speaker of the NC House. She said the republicans immobilized anything from getting done. I know she said a lot more but I don’t remember what. It all makes sense. That’s why in 2016 HRC’s early loss when she lost VT, I think, hit me hard but it was immediately followed by the sea of red states then rump’s “win” (thanks, putin) and it was that Red Sea that scared me the most.
The GOP is so close to achieving all its goals after 40+ years of persistence, so the leaders, judges and representatives are falling over themselves to “enjoy” the fruits of their labor. Except that their goals have become fascistic, and have already resulted in a fire sale of Republican souls.
I disagree slightly with the word, “become”. John Dean had them pegged quite accurately in his book, Conservatives Without a Conscience. This is what they have been working towards for many decades. They are only showing their true colors now. They’ve been this way for a long time.
Awaiting anxiously the follow-up to your well-researched and pointedly insightful "Strongmen", that encompasses the tumultuous period from the 2020 election to the present day, Professor. I dearly hope that you have one in the works!
Joe Biden, who described himself as a "transition candidate," was 77 four years ago when he assured us, "Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else." That characterization made sense and therefore was taken at face value. Since then, however, he and his party's power structure convinced themselves that it is acceptable for a president to begin a second term at age 82 and serve until 86.
But if Trumpist autocracy does indeed take hold in 2025 and our democracy begins to wither away, history will show that the bait-and-switch on the promised transition to a younger generation of leadership will have tragically transformed what was supposed to be a bridge into the edge of a cliff.
Election Day is only eight months away. What's in our control as citizens is to vote resoundingly – in overwhelming, indisputable numbers – for democracy and the party that will uphold it. So that by 2026, when our country celebrates its 250th birthday, it will not have descended into authoritarianism.
The old Ruth bader Ginsburg treatment! Holy cow will we never learn? I haven't heard anybody speak of it but in my fantasy world Biden could be vice president to Amy klobuchar or Gretchen whitmer. Or even the avatar for president, Gavin Newsom
Just to share some of the resources and make sure everybody is getting the most out of the information pool. Please check out Jim stewartson and Alex alvarova (propaganda specialists) https://alexalvarova.substack.com/
I just read the Hartmann report(link below) and got sort of a wake up call.
The concept that the coup attempt was peanuts compared to what's coming. What will happen when Mike Johnson simply refuses to count electoral votes or to bring appointments to the floor?
This sub stack blew me away and I wanted to get some clarification from my trusted professor!
This is incorrect. Please see Robert Hubbell's Today's Edition newsletter, 2/27/24, where he addresses this issue. He explains:
"Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and the rules of the House, Mike Johnson’s term as Speaker ends on January 3, 2025, at 11:59 a.m.—three days before the electoral ballots are counted."
"On January 3, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., a new Congress begins (the 119th). Every member elected to the 119th Congress is a “representative-elect,” and no one—including Mike Johnson—has yet to be sworn in when the new Congress begins. All the unsworn 'representative-elects' of the 119th Congress vote for a new Speaker."
More news please about the Radical Manifesto for Trump being written by The Federalist Society. More news about the wild availability of Drugs in the Trump White House. Each day is more disheartening. What really ticks me off is seeing a blue lit pic of untouched Biden next to made up, tanned Trump in Sunlight. An hour of positive words for Joe doesn’t erase the memory of those pics side by side.
Excellent analysis Ruth.
Oh God! Wake up America !!!!
Thanks for sharing your insights as we creep ever so close to installing an authoritarian and losing our democracy.
I hope that the mainstream media is happy when Trump is elected. Because they bear a lions share of making that happen. Maybe when he sends troops into newsrooms and TV studios to shut down " The enemy of the people " they'll realize that they should have done their job in the year prior to the election.
If tRump gets into power, I don't believe that anything will stop him from rewriting the Constitution to favor his insanity. This is what Pinochet did in Chile. tRump is a sociopath just like Pinochet was.
True. The question “ could it happen here “ has been answered.
excellent as usual.
I hope if those cuts go through, the FBI will announce that it is meeting them by reducing staff in all red states to 1 agent. Kid got kidnapped? Get in line. Bank robberies? Better write to the FDIC. Gang violence? Build a safe room.
Spot on!!👍👍
It’s our job as citizens of this country to spread the word about Biden’s accomplishments and the fact that most people are doing just fine under his administration. People vote when they believe there’s strong reason to believe their person will win.
It is but the problem is ... where are we doing it - in our own echo chamber? I keep walking our old dog and I keep looking for the Latina with whom I spoke in 2018 or 2019 to see if she now knows how rump really made his money as a “businessman”. Should be interesting and I’ll keep looking.
You’re doing exactly the thing we need to do. Not with the rabid fans of Donald, but with people whose opinion we might not be sure of. Like the guy who owns the place I go for Indian food—I have no idea where he stands in all this. But I’m going to ask him. There are a lot of people I see around whose politics I don’t know at all. I’m going to start finding out.
If I tap my shoes 3 times, will I go back to RetroLube in NC where I was quietly told the owner is a rump fan so we had to keep our voices down. I'd give him a try, too. That was weird and circa 2015/16 but we were aware he was nasty and bigoted and racists back then.
All we need do is look to Lt Gov Robinson in NC winning the Republican primary for governor. What a hateful, frightening man but he does represent Republicans. I've also been reading summaries of Project 2025 and Mandate for Leadership - totally insane and depressing. So, we figure out how to support democracy and prepare to vote Blue. It's exhausting, but necessary. I think we can elect Biden but it'll be a long time until November.
only just heard of Robinson - what an obnoxious, loathsome individual inducing physical illness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Robinson_(American_politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_(United_States)#:~:text=A%20lieutenant%20governor%20is%20an,the%20state%20or%20temporarily%20incapacitated.
The folks at Stop the Coup 2025 are doing awesome explainers and putting out warnings about Project 2025 - check them out http://stopthecoup2025.org
Oy... I looked and bookmarked it. Thanks.
Thanks! I had not heard of this organization before. Why is Project 2025 not top page news? I called my local newspaper and said that I was calling as a concerned citizen and I am concerned because there is very little news coverage warning the public about Project 2025. I asked if he had ever heard of Project 2025. Never heard of it. I asked if the newspaper would be interested in covering it. He said that because it is a national issue it is not something they would cover until the AP starts covering it and there is national coverage and he has not heard national coverage about this. He suggested that I write in to the newspaper an editorial and they will print it. I explained that Project 2025 is both a national and local issue. I explained that it includes attacks on the media and will affect the local newspaper and local schools as well as national issues and every faucet of life.
How concerning that journalists have not even heard of Project 2025. We desperately need to get the word out. This should be Front Page News.
STEP 1: let's all write an editorial to our local newspaper and contact the Associate Press (AP) and urge them to cover this. Give them the the above website that Holly linked. http://stopthecoup2025.org. We could also call NPR and PBS. These organizations are specifically mentioned in the report with plans to censor them and cut their funding so it is in their best interest to report on this.
STEP 2: once AP and national news sources cover this then call your local newspaper and ask them to cover this as it is now national news.
Who's in?
Makes sense. I walked with the woman (at a rally against rump) who was the Speaker of the NC House. She said the republicans immobilized anything from getting done. I know she said a lot more but I don’t remember what. It all makes sense. That’s why in 2016 HRC’s early loss when she lost VT, I think, hit me hard but it was immediately followed by the sea of red states then rump’s “win” (thanks, putin) and it was that Red Sea that scared me the most.
Substack writer Andra Watkins has Project 2025. I encourage anyone to subscribe, she is dissecting every part of their 1,000 page Manifesto.
Andra has a very unique background in doing this, she was raised in the Christian National extremist environment, she was able to escape it.
Good to know, thanks for the information. Everyone should also read the Mandate for Leadership or a summary of it. Equally scary stuff.
Brava Ruth.
Brilliant encapsulation of the times and the stakes.
And Moscow Mitch endorsed trump today.
He had the chance to stop it by voting for the second impeachment.
But he said ‘let the courts doing’.
He’s stepping down from leader, won’t run again, trump insulted his wife.
Yet the endorsement.
The Rs are cowards devoid of integrity.
Inhuman(e) the “e” is silent seems to fit what they are.
The GOP is so close to achieving all its goals after 40+ years of persistence, so the leaders, judges and representatives are falling over themselves to “enjoy” the fruits of their labor. Except that their goals have become fascistic, and have already resulted in a fire sale of Republican souls.
Bonfire.🔥
I disagree slightly with the word, “become”. John Dean had them pegged quite accurately in his book, Conservatives Without a Conscience. This is what they have been working towards for many decades. They are only showing their true colors now. They’ve been this way for a long time.
Awaiting anxiously the follow-up to your well-researched and pointedly insightful "Strongmen", that encompasses the tumultuous period from the 2020 election to the present day, Professor. I dearly hope that you have one in the works!
As an alternative to the word "surreal" to describe our politics, I'd suggest "Kafkaesque."
Joe Biden, who described himself as a "transition candidate," was 77 four years ago when he assured us, "Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else." That characterization made sense and therefore was taken at face value. Since then, however, he and his party's power structure convinced themselves that it is acceptable for a president to begin a second term at age 82 and serve until 86.
But if Trumpist autocracy does indeed take hold in 2025 and our democracy begins to wither away, history will show that the bait-and-switch on the promised transition to a younger generation of leadership will have tragically transformed what was supposed to be a bridge into the edge of a cliff.
Election Day is only eight months away. What's in our control as citizens is to vote resoundingly – in overwhelming, indisputable numbers – for democracy and the party that will uphold it. So that by 2026, when our country celebrates its 250th birthday, it will not have descended into authoritarianism.
The old Ruth bader Ginsburg treatment! Holy cow will we never learn? I haven't heard anybody speak of it but in my fantasy world Biden could be vice president to Amy klobuchar or Gretchen whitmer. Or even the avatar for president, Gavin Newsom
MAGA is defunding the police- shocker, /s
Just to share some of the resources and make sure everybody is getting the most out of the information pool. Please check out Jim stewartson and Alex alvarova (propaganda specialists) https://alexalvarova.substack.com/
Ruth, and for anyone else to comment please;
I just read the Hartmann report(link below) and got sort of a wake up call.
The concept that the coup attempt was peanuts compared to what's coming. What will happen when Mike Johnson simply refuses to count electoral votes or to bring appointments to the floor?
This sub stack blew me away and I wanted to get some clarification from my trusted professor!
https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/the-new-over-the-top-secret-plan-518?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=91roo
The idea being, we can get out the vote all we want but it doesn't matter who is elected. The coup may succeed legally
A corrupt as f@$& Supreme Court.
This is incorrect. Please see Robert Hubbell's Today's Edition newsletter, 2/27/24, where he addresses this issue. He explains:
"Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and the rules of the House, Mike Johnson’s term as Speaker ends on January 3, 2025, at 11:59 a.m.—three days before the electoral ballots are counted."
"On January 3, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., a new Congress begins (the 119th). Every member elected to the 119th Congress is a “representative-elect,” and no one—including Mike Johnson—has yet to be sworn in when the new Congress begins. All the unsworn 'representative-elects' of the 119th Congress vote for a new Speaker."
Here's the link:
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/i/142122288/a-quick-comment-on-republican-plans-to-interfere-in-the-electoral-ballot-count
How does that work with the idiots who refuse to certify the votes for the Democrats?
More news please about the Radical Manifesto for Trump being written by The Federalist Society. More news about the wild availability of Drugs in the Trump White House. Each day is more disheartening. What really ticks me off is seeing a blue lit pic of untouched Biden next to made up, tanned Trump in Sunlight. An hour of positive words for Joe doesn’t erase the memory of those pics side by side.