Trying to stay strong Ruth following everything that happens and doing my best to spread your message to everyone I meet and giving away your book “ Strongman” to anyone that wants it
Keep sharing your brilliance with the world and we will try to make it known
Linda it’s just so horrible what’s happening but as predicted by some ( Thom Hartman) layed it out pretty clearly. What of the future? I lived in a middle class neighborhood where most people are still trumpers who can’t be trusted and I follow everything and want to help educate people and change things so I make great efforts to be positive and helpful to my neighbors and I think that it’s working
Rick, today Noah Smith of Noahpinion Substack said in response to why ICE is getting so violent.
"The fundamental problem remains the same: The MAGA movement has convinced themselves that they’re in an existential race war, that mass deportations are the only way to win that race war, and that anyone who opposes those deportations is their existential enemy. That “Great Replacement” ideology is being used to recruit the ICE agents who carry out these killings, and is also the reason that Trump’s base bends over backward to justify each killing. Until we either A) assemble a sufficiently strong and durable political coalition to utterly defeat Great Replacement ideology, or B) disabuse large numbers of MAGA supporters of the idea that they’re in an existential race war, killings like this will probably continue."
A friend of mine attended Chicago's Anti-ICE demonstration yesterday, in solidarity with the people of Minnesota. She told me there were around 5-7,000 people there in the freezing cold and snow, and sent me some pictures. It looked like a good crowd.
Yes Linda you are right about this exactly 👍 great advice and direction
I can’t remember when Thin wrote this but probably ongoing and before Trump took over just explaining project 2025 and what has occurred
I believe what wanted by 47 and them are riots and violence so to enact the insurrection act and take full control of the country it’s amazing it hasn’t happened yet but everything Ruth has posted about the past regimes is happening now except much quicker I believe it was Robert Reich who posted how much influence Miller has over the group and they just let 47 be himself to mix it up and change the scenario when they hit a stop sign like now gaslighting and making a new threat and or grift
Yes Rick, things are happening fast, but Ruth has pointed out that that is why some people are turning against Trump. Miller is a horrid driver of the evil policies of regime.
A bouquet of white roses to you, dear Ruth. Your courage and clarity is such an inspiration. I propose that a series of monuments featuring courageous women like you, Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance, Asha Rangappa, and hundreds of others, known and unknown to me, be carved somewhere near Mt. Rushmore, to illustrate what modern heroes, look like.
We're going to need new monuments. I was just fantasizing about a series of national architectural design competitions, starting with what goes on top of the new White House bunker. Also wondering about the future of Trump's presidential library: can it be transformed into a Memorial for the Murdered Humans?
How about a gigantic, functional golden toilet somewhere in the vicinity of the Mall. One where in the future politicians who defy our laws and Constituion can be flushed in effigy?
I was in attendance with you, Professor Ben-Ghiat, at your zoom meeting with those two extraordinary people. Your essay today is a reminder of just how serious and significant this moment in time is. We are suffering through an overthrow of democracy for the establishment of corruption and authoritarianism as nationwide policy. These ice agents are doing exactly what you said: working to frighten us into submission. It’s not about immigrants really, though the right wing wants a white country, but control and fear. And now bondi just admitted: it’s a shakedown; give us your voter database and ice will leave Minnesota. Are you kidding me? She said the quiet part out loud. Thank you so much for your truth and your leadership, Dr. Ben-Ghiat, because we need it. We need to stop this regime. I called Schumer this week. I’ll call him again.
Resistance is essential, but so is addressing the cause. Authoritarianism only rises when enough citizens lose faith in democracy. The upper class has both intentionally and unintentionally excluded the middle class from the prosperity it has enjoyed over the past 40 years. We must include a solution to our macro problems as part of the resistance or authoritarianism will succeed. www.informedcitizens.com
This discussion was very helpful for me. I lived in Poland in the 1980s during the Solidarity protest period, and the conversation helped me put what is happening in the US now to what I witnessed then. I have been shocked at the blatant corruption in the Trump administration, and you also helped put that into context. Certainly there is much corruption in the Supreme Court and in Congress as well.
This was an absolutely brilliant and wonderful conversation and I am so grateful to have watched (and will watched again.) I agree that the speed at which this administration is moving will be there downfall. The speed would appeal to a nearly 80-year old wanna be who knows he's running out of time. And I suspect he knows it better than we do. As a result he wants to get as much as he can as quickly as we can. As Mark Carney reminded us, "We're on the menu."
“[I]f it were up to [Stephen] Miller, there’d only be 100 million people in this country, and they’d all look like Miller.”
- Donald J. Trump (2024)
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
- Lyndon B. Johnson
“WE MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER AS BROTHERS OR PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Folks:
So, our ongoing RACIAL reckoning saga continues. On a personal note, I was given a story second-hand by someone in my family. Its validity was enhanced by the recent interview by Simon of Richard Carlbom, the Chair of the DFL in Minnesota. Chair Carlbom confirmed (along with significant media coverage) the implementation of heavy racial profiling.
Supposedly, the pre-teen child of an extended family member was involved in a “Kavanaugh Stop” while riding in a carpool back from the end of the school day in Minneapolis. One of the children in the back of the car was “obviously” of African descent; a Caucasian woman (a mother) was driving the vehicle. It seems that after some interaction with the “officer,” they were allowed to continue to their destination (unmolested?).
Life is going to get complex for Miller, Bannon, Hegseth, Trump, and their follow-eliminationists. Even with zero population growth, this country should get to a majority-minority by 2044 at the latest. Another difficulty for them is that around 14% (and growing) of all children in the country are of mixed race or ethnicity: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/06/12/key-facts-about-race-and-marriage-50-years-after-loving-v-virginia/ . Do they bring back the “one-drop” rule? Will there be penalties for “race-traitors”? Are they looking for a modern “Zyklon B”?
This group in the White House has so much to worry about with its “exclusionary” agenda: https://www.yahoo.com/news/analyzed-9-years-trump-political-183304148.html?guccounter=1 . As with 1930s Germany, the changing demographics are the “WHY” of the fascism/brutality of the current moment. Always remember that this country killed more Americans (yes, including a disproportionate number of Confederate traitors) on a scale larger than the combined deaths from two World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam with the Civil War—a war about enslavement: https://nchstats.com/new-civil-war-death-toll/ . Another poignant note is that the population was significantly smaller (e.g. a delta of 100 million) during the Civil War compared to WWII.
In a related matter, here is a segment with Professor Eddie Glaude of Princeton from MSNOW’s “The 11th Hour” about ICE and “The Great Replacement Theory” (timestamp - 20:44): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2HYR7w0mYg. The pull quote is the following: “…White Nationalists have captured the Executive Branch of the US Government!” So, this is the “lens” that this regime should be seen beyond low poll numbers. Remember, their focus is the “enemy within” (i.e., 6-month-old infants tear-gassed in car seats and 5-year-olds with Spiderman backpacks sent to Texas).
CARTHAGO DELENDA EST (i.e. “Carthage must be destroyed” via nonviolence).
P.S.: Do the following now! FIRST, TEACH CIVICS. Second, register voters. THIRD, TEACH CIVICS. Rinse. Repeat.
Excellent article by Vexler. tRump's multiple disorders and abnormalities makes for some complex behavior since he has NPD, ASPD, sadism, Machiavellianism, delusion, paranoia, magical thinking and covetousness. For me, the two most stunning characteristics I see in him are his total lack of a conscience and his God-like grandiosity.
A psych eval is absolutely necessary for anyone seeking public office. We can't afford another toxic leader like tRump. Mussolini was a sociopath, so we should have learned from that mess but we did not.
Most likely: Stephen Miller has ordered ICE to brutalize citizens until some small number push back with violence. Then invoke the Insurrection Act and eventually martial law.
After that, US troops can open fire on protestors, just like in Iran. Forget about midterms. Trump will NEVER give up
I disagree. Trump has zero authority without supporters/enablers — & a few of those may be peeling off — due to the lousy Trump economy & the unpopular "policies" -or- random whipsaw moves. GOP hacks wanna be reelected — so, they begin to distance themselves from dismal Donald. Never. Give. Up. Hope.
RBG, another interesting Zoom meeting on Jan 23, thank you for ‘Learning from Foreign Dissidents: the Wisdom of STROIKA’ and for making available to everyone the video of your conversation with Yelena V. Litvinov and Tatyana Margolin, co-founding partners of STROIKA, whose mission is to reverse the tide of rising authoritarianism by building, resourcing, and connecting resistance movements around the globe. Even the CHAT stream was popping with action :: THANK YOU ::
Trying to stay strong Ruth following everything that happens and doing my best to spread your message to everyone I meet and giving away your book “ Strongman” to anyone that wants it
Keep sharing your brilliance with the world and we will try to make it known
Yes. We count on Ruth to explain what is going on. Strongmen was eye opening to me as well.
The citizens of the US have ICE, which are Trump's Masked Mercenary Murderers roaming their cities and towns.
Linda it’s just so horrible what’s happening but as predicted by some ( Thom Hartman) layed it out pretty clearly. What of the future? I lived in a middle class neighborhood where most people are still trumpers who can’t be trusted and I follow everything and want to help educate people and change things so I make great efforts to be positive and helpful to my neighbors and I think that it’s working
Rick, today Noah Smith of Noahpinion Substack said in response to why ICE is getting so violent.
"The fundamental problem remains the same: The MAGA movement has convinced themselves that they’re in an existential race war, that mass deportations are the only way to win that race war, and that anyone who opposes those deportations is their existential enemy. That “Great Replacement” ideology is being used to recruit the ICE agents who carry out these killings, and is also the reason that Trump’s base bends over backward to justify each killing. Until we either A) assemble a sufficiently strong and durable political coalition to utterly defeat Great Replacement ideology, or B) disabuse large numbers of MAGA supporters of the idea that they’re in an existential race war, killings like this will probably continue."
It sounds like you are doing B, by being helpful and friendly. That is ultimately the strength of the neighbor model. I will look at the Thom Harmann piece. Did you mean the one posted on the 24th? https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/saturday-report-12426-trump-is-targeting?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
A friend of mine attended Chicago's Anti-ICE demonstration yesterday, in solidarity with the people of Minnesota. She told me there were around 5-7,000 people there in the freezing cold and snow, and sent me some pictures. It looked like a good crowd.
Yes Linda you are right about this exactly 👍 great advice and direction
I can’t remember when Thin wrote this but probably ongoing and before Trump took over just explaining project 2025 and what has occurred
I believe what wanted by 47 and them are riots and violence so to enact the insurrection act and take full control of the country it’s amazing it hasn’t happened yet but everything Ruth has posted about the past regimes is happening now except much quicker I believe it was Robert Reich who posted how much influence Miller has over the group and they just let 47 be himself to mix it up and change the scenario when they hit a stop sign like now gaslighting and making a new threat and or grift
Yes Rick, things are happening fast, but Ruth has pointed out that that is why some people are turning against Trump. Miller is a horrid driver of the evil policies of regime.
A bouquet of white roses to you, dear Ruth. Your courage and clarity is such an inspiration. I propose that a series of monuments featuring courageous women like you, Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance, Asha Rangappa, and hundreds of others, known and unknown to me, be carved somewhere near Mt. Rushmore, to illustrate what modern heroes, look like.
We're going to need new monuments. I was just fantasizing about a series of national architectural design competitions, starting with what goes on top of the new White House bunker. Also wondering about the future of Trump's presidential library: can it be transformed into a Memorial for the Murdered Humans?
How about a gigantic, functional golden toilet somewhere in the vicinity of the Mall. One where in the future politicians who defy our laws and Constituion can be flushed in effigy?
🤦🏻♀️💩😂
Renee Goode & Alex Pretti are just the latest victims.
Most any Dem is orders of magnitude better than the MAGA alternative. No Dem circular firing squads.
Resist MAGA gangster grifter authoritarianism! Vote Sane. #VoteBlue!
I was in attendance with you, Professor Ben-Ghiat, at your zoom meeting with those two extraordinary people. Your essay today is a reminder of just how serious and significant this moment in time is. We are suffering through an overthrow of democracy for the establishment of corruption and authoritarianism as nationwide policy. These ice agents are doing exactly what you said: working to frighten us into submission. It’s not about immigrants really, though the right wing wants a white country, but control and fear. And now bondi just admitted: it’s a shakedown; give us your voter database and ice will leave Minnesota. Are you kidding me? She said the quiet part out loud. Thank you so much for your truth and your leadership, Dr. Ben-Ghiat, because we need it. We need to stop this regime. I called Schumer this week. I’ll call him again.
Resistance is essential, but so is addressing the cause. Authoritarianism only rises when enough citizens lose faith in democracy. The upper class has both intentionally and unintentionally excluded the middle class from the prosperity it has enjoyed over the past 40 years. We must include a solution to our macro problems as part of the resistance or authoritarianism will succeed. www.informedcitizens.com
This discussion was very helpful for me. I lived in Poland in the 1980s during the Solidarity protest period, and the conversation helped me put what is happening in the US now to what I witnessed then. I have been shocked at the blatant corruption in the Trump administration, and you also helped put that into context. Certainly there is much corruption in the Supreme Court and in Congress as well.
This was an absolutely brilliant and wonderful conversation and I am so grateful to have watched (and will watched again.) I agree that the speed at which this administration is moving will be there downfall. The speed would appeal to a nearly 80-year old wanna be who knows he's running out of time. And I suspect he knows it better than we do. As a result he wants to get as much as he can as quickly as we can. As Mark Carney reminded us, "We're on the menu."
What did Mussolini's thugs do with castor oil?
Thank you Ruth.
Per Dr. George, #47 will become more violent/active as he experiences NARCISSISTIC COLLAPSE (mostly from Epstein haunting him): https://frankgeorge8675309.substack.com/p/this-is-not-politics-its-the-next .
“[I]f it were up to [Stephen] Miller, there’d only be 100 million people in this country, and they’d all look like Miller.”
- Donald J. Trump (2024)
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
- Lyndon B. Johnson
“WE MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER AS BROTHERS OR PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Folks:
So, our ongoing RACIAL reckoning saga continues. On a personal note, I was given a story second-hand by someone in my family. Its validity was enhanced by the recent interview by Simon of Richard Carlbom, the Chair of the DFL in Minnesota. Chair Carlbom confirmed (along with significant media coverage) the implementation of heavy racial profiling.
Supposedly, the pre-teen child of an extended family member was involved in a “Kavanaugh Stop” while riding in a carpool back from the end of the school day in Minneapolis. One of the children in the back of the car was “obviously” of African descent; a Caucasian woman (a mother) was driving the vehicle. It seems that after some interaction with the “officer,” they were allowed to continue to their destination (unmolested?).
Life is going to get complex for Miller, Bannon, Hegseth, Trump, and their follow-eliminationists. Even with zero population growth, this country should get to a majority-minority by 2044 at the latest. Another difficulty for them is that around 14% (and growing) of all children in the country are of mixed race or ethnicity: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/06/12/key-facts-about-race-and-marriage-50-years-after-loving-v-virginia/ . Do they bring back the “one-drop” rule? Will there be penalties for “race-traitors”? Are they looking for a modern “Zyklon B”?
This group in the White House has so much to worry about with its “exclusionary” agenda: https://www.yahoo.com/news/analyzed-9-years-trump-political-183304148.html?guccounter=1 . As with 1930s Germany, the changing demographics are the “WHY” of the fascism/brutality of the current moment. Always remember that this country killed more Americans (yes, including a disproportionate number of Confederate traitors) on a scale larger than the combined deaths from two World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam with the Civil War—a war about enslavement: https://nchstats.com/new-civil-war-death-toll/ . Another poignant note is that the population was significantly smaller (e.g. a delta of 100 million) during the Civil War compared to WWII.
In a related matter, here is a segment with Professor Eddie Glaude of Princeton from MSNOW’s “The 11th Hour” about ICE and “The Great Replacement Theory” (timestamp - 20:44): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2HYR7w0mYg. The pull quote is the following: “…White Nationalists have captured the Executive Branch of the US Government!” So, this is the “lens” that this regime should be seen beyond low poll numbers. Remember, their focus is the “enemy within” (i.e., 6-month-old infants tear-gassed in car seats and 5-year-olds with Spiderman backpacks sent to Texas).
CARTHAGO DELENDA EST (i.e. “Carthage must be destroyed” via nonviolence).
P.S.: Do the following now! FIRST, TEACH CIVICS. Second, register voters. THIRD, TEACH CIVICS. Rinse. Repeat.
P.P.S.: The political philosopher, Vlad Vexler, has a powerful take on the malignant narcissism of Dolos: https://substack.com/home/post/p-184773823 .
Excellent article by Vexler. tRump's multiple disorders and abnormalities makes for some complex behavior since he has NPD, ASPD, sadism, Machiavellianism, delusion, paranoia, magical thinking and covetousness. For me, the two most stunning characteristics I see in him are his total lack of a conscience and his God-like grandiosity.
A psych eval is absolutely necessary for anyone seeking public office. We can't afford another toxic leader like tRump. Mussolini was a sociopath, so we should have learned from that mess but we did not.
Most likely: Stephen Miller has ordered ICE to brutalize citizens until some small number push back with violence. Then invoke the Insurrection Act and eventually martial law.
After that, US troops can open fire on protestors, just like in Iran. Forget about midterms. Trump will NEVER give up
I disagree. Trump has zero authority without supporters/enablers — & a few of those may be peeling off — due to the lousy Trump economy & the unpopular "policies" -or- random whipsaw moves. GOP hacks wanna be reelected — so, they begin to distance themselves from dismal Donald. Never. Give. Up. Hope.
RBG, another interesting Zoom meeting on Jan 23, thank you for ‘Learning from Foreign Dissidents: the Wisdom of STROIKA’ and for making available to everyone the video of your conversation with Yelena V. Litvinov and Tatyana Margolin, co-founding partners of STROIKA, whose mission is to reverse the tide of rising authoritarianism by building, resourcing, and connecting resistance movements around the globe. Even the CHAT stream was popping with action :: THANK YOU ::
A Conversation on AI and Humanity @wef | Yuval Noah Harari (01/25/26)
“If you want to influence where humanity is going, you need to make a decision now.”
https://youtu.be/QiT2yK-5-yg?si=5XyHaKuTNxXjLDFp
"The immigrants this time will not be human beings coming in fragile boats without a visa, or trying to cross a border in the middle of the night.
The immigrants will be millions of AIs that can write love poems better than us, and can travel at the speed of light, without any need of visas."
🤖How will your racist hatred over the color of skin play out when the ‘immigrant’ is not human?
It will be a computer-generated bot.
Excellent conversation, thank you all! ✌🏻
Thank you Ruth. It’s building
The MAGA Algorithm Shits Itself in the Minneapolis Cold
Psywar and attempted cult mind control meet reality, and Trump's bubble of delusion is again revealed. It has to pop, and ICE has to stop
https://sunmoonlight.substack.com/p/the-maga-algorithm-shits-itself-in
I so appreciate you, Ruth.