"This Christmas, your daughter can only get one or two dolls, but cheer up. The Christmas gift President Donald is getting is a $400 million dollar luxurious plane, free from a foreign country. No, it’s not from the guy in the funny red suit on the North Pole."
“I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits.”
I keep having to pinch my arm, but this is probably the third or fourth comment from Loomer that’s sounded halfway sane. Another was her strong, lengthy defense of Medicaid.
"[Last Monday, the MAGA influencer Laura Loomer] … posted more than four hundred words on X defending Medicaid, the government insurance program that pays medical bills for more than 70 million mostly low-income Americans."
I'm interested in the ultra-right wing that seems to be turning on Donny 2 Dolls. Meidas Touch has been posting about the Epstein files -- apparently some of the Loomer-esque folks have been pressuring Pam Bondi to release the tapes, and she is resisting, after initially saying she would.
Medicaid is an outstanding populist program, as are SS and Medicare. If the GOP wants to keep its stranglehold on [faux] populist sentiment, destroying these programs are not the way to do it. Loomer seems to understand that, so I'll definitely give her a few sanity points for recognizing that, although she still has a massive deficit :-)
Dems must capitalize on these Trump-GOP moves as anti-populist, anti-working-class, and contrast how almost everything Dems have done over the past 20 years has been true populism and supporting working-class folks (despite what Bernie and AOC say... Dems have absolutely not abandoned the working class-- they've moved the ball forward almost every time they had enough of a majority to do so).
It is great that this is getting lots of attention. Any spotlight on Trump's unbelievably brazen and titanic corruption is excellent, welcomed, and I hope goes viral in the most destructive way possible for the orange idiot.
But I'd almost guarantee that if the "gift" came from Russia, she'd have nothing bad to say about it, and would probably praise it for showing how much Trump has strengthened US-Russian relations.
We need a name for it. Norm Eisen called it "Emoluments Force 1", which is fine, but not punchy enough.
I think AF1 is not exactly configured like a standard 747. This will probably require other defense measures, and he probably won't want to retrofit whatever else the plane needs to make it a functional tool. If nothing else, it will cost a bundle to fit it out, and some time.
The other possibility is he just flies it "as is" and it doesn't function properly for the job. Like whatever needs to be there from a national security perspective. He might just fly it anyhow and risk it.
I doubt anyone in the media quite understands what using this plane as AF1 (or EF1) actually means.
I have reminded my fellow constituents in GA-11 on social media that, in order to use the gift plane as Air Force One, it will need to undergo extensive retrofitting in an Air Force hangar -- tens of millions of taxpayer dollars.
Before it can be transferred back to Trump when he leaves office, it will need to undergo work to remove all the stuff done during the retrofit. Many more millions.
Barry's mushrooms > He keeps them in the dark and feeds them shit.
I don’t see how leaving in place a 30-percent tariff on Chinese goods is suddenly going to help restock the shelves in American stores. Moreover, even if tariffs were dropped tomorrow, revamping the supply chain is going to take a lot of time.
This astonishing news nugget from Friday is worth repeating:
.
ZERO SHIPS from China Are Bound for California
“On Friday morning, West Coast port officials told CNN about a startling sight: Not a single cargo vessel had left China with goods for the two major West Coast ports in the past 12 hours. That hasn’t happened since the pandemic.”
I am starting to ramp up my purchasing of alkaline batteries. China, is by far, the largest producers of alkaline, lithium and ev batteries in the world. We could get by with minimal purchases at Christmas, but not without my decorations much of which run on batteries! LOL!!!
My wife and I go low tech. We wait for winter itself to decorate the conifers in our woods. It’s magnificent when the boughs are heavy with fresh snow!
I can tell you, that would not fly with my son, plus we have had very little snow the past few winters. In addition, I could not chance having lit candles in the house, my son is a bit of a pyromaniac. Had to get rid of a gas stove and get an electric because he threw autumn leaves on the stove and turned on the gas. He has been better over the last few years but I have a child proof home for a 33 year-old, but I love him to the moon and back!
Agree! He seems to think it will all go away, like Covid, but that is of course ridiculous. Reality is going to bite hard, and we need to be poised to take advantage of the coming wave of fury from the electorate.
Donnie 2 planes while we get nothing! Not only is health care being compromised every which way, nursing homes put at risk and leaving families with no good solutions for elder health care, if this horrible budget passes, but they continue to threaten peace protests with jail and revoking habeas corpus with Stephen Miller aka Trumps Goering leading the way. This evil and corruption does need to be kept in front of the public.
While thinking about July 4th as a celebration of the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, I found two essays. They are about the Constitution and Presidential Oath of Office as annotations posted on a congressional website. Perhaps the ideas are connected to comments from The Saboteur.
Under ArtII.S1.C8.1.2 Presidential Oath’s Effect on Executive Power it says this.
"President Abraham Lincoln relied on the oath to defend his decision to suspend unilaterally the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, claiming that the presidential oath required the President to disregard a single law if doing so would preserve the Union... measures, otherwise unconstitutional, might become lawful, by becoming indispensable to the preservation of the Constitution, through the preservation of the nation...
Since the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Lear Siegler, the executive branch continued to advance the notion that the oath allows or obligates the President to disregard a law the President deems unconstitutional...The [Ninth Circuit] court concluded that permitting the President to suspend laws would expand the President’s legislative role beyond what the Constitution specifically provides in the Presentment Clause."
I still can’t use that acronym to talk about DC, am a native to the city proper (living in NJ now) and “DMV” has nothing but negative connotations to me.
On a beautiful Mother's Day afternoon, I joined 250 people at our town center to protest ICE tactics. At least three more people were grabbed from our town in the western suburbs of Boston on Saturday. Also happened in neighboring towns. That so many could come together on Mother's Day, when the weather is fine, with signs about due process and protecting our neighbors, with less than 24 hours notice is a sign of how upset people are. Indivisible network and Acton Democratic Town Committees helped spread the word.
Yesterday I emailed Senator Patty Murray who is on the Senate appropriations committee to urge her to vote no on making a $400 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). First I looked up the list of all members of the committee to confirm that one of my Senate or House reps had a seat there. I’m glad to say that I found Senator Murray on this powerful committee.
This retired math prof has actually signed on to work for a true blue state assembly candidate in ruby-redland! Said individual has actually prevailed at the district level. Tomorrow I will get details, but I think I’ll be slinging data into spreadsheets. I keep remembering that if the grassroots don’t get tended, the wheat won’t flourish.
While I’m happy the circle of defiance is growing, it gives me pause that the fate of democracy more or less hinges on how the economy holds up over the next few years. If it goes south, MAGA’s fortune’s will go with it. If it holds up, too many voters will accept the dismantling of our democracy. The mad king’s horrible flaws were no secret but many voters chose him because the thought he’d improve the economy. And if he somehow does, then they’ll be OK with the gulags. I’m thinking out loud here, when we get through this, how do we create a new politics where the fate of our leaders doesn’t hinge on so many forces outside their control? For the mad king we can easily draw a line between his policies and the outcomes, and he completely deserves all the negative political consequences. But Biden and Harris were thrown out of office because of global prices issues that were largely caused by (or at least made worse) by their predecessor. They had a handle on the problem and were solving it, but not fast enough for November. I’m saying this not to complain, or whine about the last election, but I really want our next generation leaders to break this cycle where we’re only a few inflation points away from the next Hitler coming to power.
While I agree with your overall assessment, and of course, have been advocating for such a course since the first day of Trump 2.0, I do not agree with this line nor do I believe it is knowable:
If it holds up, too many voters will accept the dismantling of our democracy.
I agree it’s unknowable. And I hope the work we are doing to enlarge the circle of defiance makes the dismantling of democracy unacceptable under any economic conditions.
Great commentary as always. Not sure where to leave this question . I read a lot of back and forth from Dems on a progressive agenda vs a more centrist one. Do you have thoughts? Does it depend on the district? Which is more likely to entice low info voters?
I just read The Rise and Fall of The Third Rich, so a powerful book. I felt like I was reading about TRUMP. I cannot believe that so many people still support this want to be DICTATOR. We must all stand together and fight for our COUNTRY. NOW. THE Democrats must fine some messages that will convince the REPUBLICANS ,INDEPENDENTS, and sure the DEMOCRATS, that will bring them to our side in the upcoming elections. I just hope our votes will count. Peace to all.
Self report from WI… first round of calls are in to republican congress members regarding tariffs and reconciliation bill. Heading to a protest in River Falls- their weekly “Moral Monday” protest. More calls will go out this afternoon. The topic will be the gutting of our government emphasizing science and research.
Question... is there any interest in identifying Hopiumers who live nearby, for collaboration on protests and such? I don't remember if we provided location data when we joined, but would some IRL connections be useful? I think so, but how do y'all feel?
It is about the Article V Convention issue under Trump. Even before Trump, R politicians have been wanting to use this to radically reshape our government. I plan to write more about this myself in the next few days to a week; it has been a concern of mine since the first days he was in office.
Please spread the word. If the author of this post is right, the time leading up to the midterms may (key word: may) become as important and as critical to the future of our republic as the midterms themselves.
I want to go on record saying how much I disagree with this sentiment. Anything that discourages us from competing in day to day politics is dangerous in my mind. My piece today includes clear evidence that losing in the midterms is causing the White House to change course. The midterms are not a fucking distraction.
For what it's worth, I have a slightly different take on the whole Article V matter than the author of the post above. One that's more useful for Democratic campaign messaging purposes (especially as Trump backs off from the biggest pieces of his agenda). More on that to come from my end, of course :)
With all the items to listen to/read, I focused on David Jolly. What an inspiration! Wow, never thought I'd feel positively towards Florida. Thank you, Simon, for bringing that to all of us.
With my limited funds and attention, I'll try to support as many of iur "friends" as I can, in whatever ways I can, but I sure found this great
The only thing that will make things change in the US federal government is when the soulless GOP members of Congress turn on him. It’s not happening fast enough for my taste but will keep working it. While there’s reason to hope for 2026, I am not counting ANY chickens before they hatch.
I don’t see how Trump’s lukewarm endorsement of taxing the rich has any teeth if it’s matched with steep cuts to the IRS. Message it.
Finally debate tonight for NJ’s Democratic governor candidates per the link:
Simon writes that “Republicans’ prospects next November are top of mind for Trump”.
Somehow we need to bring more political pressure to the GOP. One way would be a bigger, louder and more effective communication system, as Simon has described, that makes what’s actually going on visible to GOP voters and threatens GOP reelections unless they change their act.
The DON’s FLYING EMOLUMENT
"This Christmas, your daughter can only get one or two dolls, but cheer up. The Christmas gift President Donald is getting is a $400 million dollar luxurious plane, free from a foreign country. No, it’s not from the guy in the funny red suit on the North Pole."
– Suggested Democratic messaging
When you’ve lost Laura Loomer...
“I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits.”
– Laura Loomer
For a split second there, she almost sounded WOKE!😂
I keep having to pinch my arm, but this is probably the third or fourth comment from Loomer that’s sounded halfway sane. Another was her strong, lengthy defense of Medicaid.
wow. missed the defense of Medicaid comment.
Here you go.
"[Last Monday, the MAGA influencer Laura Loomer] … posted more than four hundred words on X defending Medicaid, the government insurance program that pays medical bills for more than 70 million mostly low-income Americans."
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/laura-loomer-just-called-the-gop-bluff-on-medicaid-cuts-maga
I'm interested in the ultra-right wing that seems to be turning on Donny 2 Dolls. Meidas Touch has been posting about the Epstein files -- apparently some of the Loomer-esque folks have been pressuring Pam Bondi to release the tapes, and she is resisting, after initially saying she would.
Medicaid is an outstanding populist program, as are SS and Medicare. If the GOP wants to keep its stranglehold on [faux] populist sentiment, destroying these programs are not the way to do it. Loomer seems to understand that, so I'll definitely give her a few sanity points for recognizing that, although she still has a massive deficit :-)
Dems must capitalize on these Trump-GOP moves as anti-populist, anti-working-class, and contrast how almost everything Dems have done over the past 20 years has been true populism and supporting working-class folks (despite what Bernie and AOC say... Dems have absolutely not abandoned the working class-- they've moved the ball forward almost every time they had enough of a majority to do so).
It is great that this is getting lots of attention. Any spotlight on Trump's unbelievably brazen and titanic corruption is excellent, welcomed, and I hope goes viral in the most destructive way possible for the orange idiot.
But I'd almost guarantee that if the "gift" came from Russia, she'd have nothing bad to say about it, and would probably praise it for showing how much Trump has strengthened US-Russian relations.
It's a weird feeling to agree with something Laura Loomer posts... but she's not wrong here.
I couldn’t agree more. Never thought I would be on the same page as her – on anything!
We need a name for it. Norm Eisen called it "Emoluments Force 1", which is fine, but not punchy enough.
I think AF1 is not exactly configured like a standard 747. This will probably require other defense measures, and he probably won't want to retrofit whatever else the plane needs to make it a functional tool. If nothing else, it will cost a bundle to fit it out, and some time.
The other possibility is he just flies it "as is" and it doesn't function properly for the job. Like whatever needs to be there from a national security perspective. He might just fly it anyhow and risk it.
I doubt anyone in the media quite understands what using this plane as AF1 (or EF1) actually means.
how about HAMAS 1?
I've been working along those lines. It works. It needs something else. It is a start.
Mordida Uno? Big Graft One? MoneyLaunder First?
CECOT 1 ?
The plane might look good on the White House lawn. They could host tours.
LOL!
With a sign next to it that says Bribe Me
"Suggested Democratic messaging"
I have reminded my fellow constituents in GA-11 on social media that, in order to use the gift plane as Air Force One, it will need to undergo extensive retrofitting in an Air Force hangar -- tens of millions of taxpayer dollars.
Before it can be transferred back to Trump when he leaves office, it will need to undergo work to remove all the stuff done during the retrofit. Many more millions.
Barry's mushrooms > He keeps them in the dark and feeds them shit.
EMPTY AMERICAN SHELVES SOON
I don’t see how leaving in place a 30-percent tariff on Chinese goods is suddenly going to help restock the shelves in American stores. Moreover, even if tariffs were dropped tomorrow, revamping the supply chain is going to take a lot of time.
This astonishing news nugget from Friday is worth repeating:
.
ZERO SHIPS from China Are Bound for California
“On Friday morning, West Coast port officials told CNN about a startling sight: Not a single cargo vessel had left China with goods for the two major West Coast ports in the past 12 hours. That hasn’t happened since the pandemic.”
https://politicalwire.com/2025/05/10/zero-ships-from-china-are-bound-for-california/
Trump does not want to see empty shelves for Christmas. Businesses start ordering from China about now.
In the meantime, there is going to be a lot of serious pain.
I am starting to ramp up my purchasing of alkaline batteries. China, is by far, the largest producers of alkaline, lithium and ev batteries in the world. We could get by with minimal purchases at Christmas, but not without my decorations much of which run on batteries! LOL!!!
My wife and I go low tech. We wait for winter itself to decorate the conifers in our woods. It’s magnificent when the boughs are heavy with fresh snow!
I can tell you, that would not fly with my son, plus we have had very little snow the past few winters. In addition, I could not chance having lit candles in the house, my son is a bit of a pyromaniac. Had to get rid of a gas stove and get an electric because he threw autumn leaves on the stove and turned on the gas. He has been better over the last few years but I have a child proof home for a 33 year-old, but I love him to the moon and back!
Agree! He seems to think it will all go away, like Covid, but that is of course ridiculous. Reality is going to bite hard, and we need to be poised to take advantage of the coming wave of fury from the electorate.
It takes 30 days for a cargo ship from China to arrive.
Numerous experts on the supply chain, logistics and international trade are predicting very serious problems this summer.
Donnie 2 planes while we get nothing! Not only is health care being compromised every which way, nursing homes put at risk and leaving families with no good solutions for elder health care, if this horrible budget passes, but they continue to threaten peace protests with jail and revoking habeas corpus with Stephen Miller aka Trumps Goering leading the way. This evil and corruption does need to be kept in front of the public.
too funny: donnie 2 planes!! and donnie 2 dolls!!
While thinking about July 4th as a celebration of the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, I found two essays. They are about the Constitution and Presidential Oath of Office as annotations posted on a congressional website. Perhaps the ideas are connected to comments from The Saboteur.
Under ArtII.S1.C8.1.2 Presidential Oath’s Effect on Executive Power it says this.
"President Abraham Lincoln relied on the oath to defend his decision to suspend unilaterally the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, claiming that the presidential oath required the President to disregard a single law if doing so would preserve the Union... measures, otherwise unconstitutional, might become lawful, by becoming indispensable to the preservation of the Constitution, through the preservation of the nation...
Since the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Lear Siegler, the executive branch continued to advance the notion that the oath allows or obligates the President to disregard a law the President deems unconstitutional...The [Ninth Circuit] court concluded that permitting the President to suspend laws would expand the President’s legislative role beyond what the Constitution specifically provides in the Presentment Clause."
https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S1-C8-1-2/ALDE_00013933/
Another essay under ArtII.S1.C8.1.5 Violation of the Presidential Oath says that violation of the Presidential Oath of Office could be dealt with by impeachment or "political accountability." https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S1-C8-1-5/ALDE_00013936/
FDR Memorial has always been my favorite! When I lived in the DMV I made sure to take all my guests to see it.
I still can’t use that acronym to talk about DC, am a native to the city proper (living in NJ now) and “DMV” has nothing but negative connotations to me.
Yeah, I get it! It took me years to realize it meant DC/MD/VA to many 😉and I was in Arlington. Guess “DC Metro”would be better!
On a beautiful Mother's Day afternoon, I joined 250 people at our town center to protest ICE tactics. At least three more people were grabbed from our town in the western suburbs of Boston on Saturday. Also happened in neighboring towns. That so many could come together on Mother's Day, when the weather is fine, with signs about due process and protecting our neighbors, with less than 24 hours notice is a sign of how upset people are. Indivisible network and Acton Democratic Town Committees helped spread the word.
Do you know why so many towns are being targeted in Massachusetts lately?
Maybe because we have a history of opposing mad kings?
Yesterday I emailed Senator Patty Murray who is on the Senate appropriations committee to urge her to vote no on making a $400 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). First I looked up the list of all members of the committee to confirm that one of my Senate or House reps had a seat there. I’m glad to say that I found Senator Murray on this powerful committee.
Self-reporting for Monday:
This retired math prof has actually signed on to work for a true blue state assembly candidate in ruby-redland! Said individual has actually prevailed at the district level. Tomorrow I will get details, but I think I’ll be slinging data into spreadsheets. I keep remembering that if the grassroots don’t get tended, the wheat won’t flourish.
Wonderful self-report!
🙌🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you, Emily. This is true service.
While I’m happy the circle of defiance is growing, it gives me pause that the fate of democracy more or less hinges on how the economy holds up over the next few years. If it goes south, MAGA’s fortune’s will go with it. If it holds up, too many voters will accept the dismantling of our democracy. The mad king’s horrible flaws were no secret but many voters chose him because the thought he’d improve the economy. And if he somehow does, then they’ll be OK with the gulags. I’m thinking out loud here, when we get through this, how do we create a new politics where the fate of our leaders doesn’t hinge on so many forces outside their control? For the mad king we can easily draw a line between his policies and the outcomes, and he completely deserves all the negative political consequences. But Biden and Harris were thrown out of office because of global prices issues that were largely caused by (or at least made worse) by their predecessor. They had a handle on the problem and were solving it, but not fast enough for November. I’m saying this not to complain, or whine about the last election, but I really want our next generation leaders to break this cycle where we’re only a few inflation points away from the next Hitler coming to power.
While I agree with your overall assessment, and of course, have been advocating for such a course since the first day of Trump 2.0, I do not agree with this line nor do I believe it is knowable:
If it holds up, too many voters will accept the dismantling of our democracy.
I agree it’s unknowable. And I hope the work we are doing to enlarge the circle of defiance makes the dismantling of democracy unacceptable under any economic conditions.
Great commentary as always. Not sure where to leave this question . I read a lot of back and forth from Dems on a progressive agenda vs a more centrist one. Do you have thoughts? Does it depend on the district? Which is more likely to entice low info voters?
I just read The Rise and Fall of The Third Rich, so a powerful book. I felt like I was reading about TRUMP. I cannot believe that so many people still support this want to be DICTATOR. We must all stand together and fight for our COUNTRY. NOW. THE Democrats must fine some messages that will convince the REPUBLICANS ,INDEPENDENTS, and sure the DEMOCRATS, that will bring them to our side in the upcoming elections. I just hope our votes will count. Peace to all.
Self report from WI… first round of calls are in to republican congress members regarding tariffs and reconciliation bill. Heading to a protest in River Falls- their weekly “Moral Monday” protest. More calls will go out this afternoon. The topic will be the gutting of our government emphasizing science and research.
Question... is there any interest in identifying Hopiumers who live nearby, for collaboration on protests and such? I don't remember if we provided location data when we joined, but would some IRL connections be useful? I think so, but how do y'all feel?
That would be very useful. Attempts at self-organizing us here in NJ have not been successful thus far.
Hello everyone,
In the spirit of Paul Revere perhaps, I just wanted to ring the alarm on this: https://substack.com/home/post/p-163275728.
It is about the Article V Convention issue under Trump. Even before Trump, R politicians have been wanting to use this to radically reshape our government. I plan to write more about this myself in the next few days to a week; it has been a concern of mine since the first days he was in office.
But here is a more basic introduction to the idea, that may answer any lingering questions you may have: https://substack.com/@loricorbetmann/p-162968366.
Please spread the word. If the author of this post is right, the time leading up to the midterms may (key word: may) become as important and as critical to the future of our republic as the midterms themselves.
In the name of democracy,
David.
I want to go on record saying how much I disagree with this sentiment. Anything that discourages us from competing in day to day politics is dangerous in my mind. My piece today includes clear evidence that losing in the midterms is causing the White House to change course. The midterms are not a fucking distraction.
David if it is the wrong word and thus misleading people please remove it and the article from your post.
For what it's worth, I have a slightly different take on the whole Article V matter than the author of the post above. One that's more useful for Democratic campaign messaging purposes (especially as Trump backs off from the biggest pieces of his agenda). More on that to come from my end, of course :)
With all the items to listen to/read, I focused on David Jolly. What an inspiration! Wow, never thought I'd feel positively towards Florida. Thank you, Simon, for bringing that to all of us.
With my limited funds and attention, I'll try to support as many of iur "friends" as I can, in whatever ways I can, but I sure found this great
David Jolly was fabulous. I hope he decides to run!
The only thing that will make things change in the US federal government is when the soulless GOP members of Congress turn on him. It’s not happening fast enough for my taste but will keep working it. While there’s reason to hope for 2026, I am not counting ANY chickens before they hatch.
I don’t see how Trump’s lukewarm endorsement of taxing the rich has any teeth if it’s matched with steep cuts to the IRS. Message it.
Finally debate tonight for NJ’s Democratic governor candidates per the link:
https://newjerseyglobe.com/campaigns/watch-the-nj-pbs-democratic-gubernatorial-debate-at-7-pm/
Simon writes that “Republicans’ prospects next November are top of mind for Trump”.
Somehow we need to bring more political pressure to the GOP. One way would be a bigger, louder and more effective communication system, as Simon has described, that makes what’s actually going on visible to GOP voters and threatens GOP reelections unless they change their act.