Hard for me to imagine that Democrats stand united against funding it. BUT, if we do fund it, keep it limited and conditional – e.g. NO deficit-driving tax cuts, and NO new cuts to Obamacare, Medicare or Social Security or similar.
Also: insist that the war funding be in the form of clawbacks from the outrageous ICE and CBP appropriations. I would love to see Homeland Security forced to sell all those warehouses they intend to use as massive detention centers.
Why can't Democrats unite against funding this war? Why did four House Democrats vote against the War Powers Act? As Jeffries mentioned in the speech Simon highlighted, we dropped the bombs based on Trump's "feeling" that Iran would attack first, (despite the fact that is completely stupid, and without any intel.) He attacked because a) Netanyahu duped him into it, b) Epstein c) distraction from all his other failed policies d) record low favorables. What could go wrong?
Who are these DINOs that will fund the war? Let's treat them like the state legislators in NC last Tuesday and primary every one of them... hopefully by double digits. That's a message that sends the message, louder than phone calls, louder than No Kings.
update: I did find this article from Time Magazine this afternoon about the reasons 3 of the 4 House Dems gave for their no vote on War Powers Act. Pesonally I was not moved by their arguments.Senator John Fettereman also voted against it. IMHO~ vote em out!
Good news! He just announced that he's not going to sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed. So I guess he doesn't need any more money for the war after all /s
yeah... but he is a liar and often a TACO. Just another stupid moment by our stupid president, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
I called my MoCs today and the message was find an off-ramp and either no further war allocations or take back the tax breaks for the rich and/or ICE funding from the big ugly to fund the war. Maybe if the billionaires paid for the war, they would have a different attitude towards this president.
IF he institutes a draft, I'm sure that will help his numbers... not.
Silly me, I said last week he'd tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He's also doing this right before the beginning of growing season in the Northern Hemisphere. The latest from Trump and Fox to tanker captains -- just go for it! Run the Strait, it'll be ok!
Someone had a good "rule of thumb" for that connection between oil and gas prices. It was, for every $40/barrel increase, expect an additional $1.00/gallon at the pump. So if we are around $3.50/gallon now, then if oil goes to $150/barrel, it would seem gas could hit around $4.50/gallon.
Pretty soon he's going to say we've basically won (I think he more or less already has said that) and then go on to Cuba. Then we talk about that for awhile.
Mailed 10 postcards this morning, need to get stamps this afternoon to mail 25 more.
Yeah maybe those courageous Fox News hosts could borrow Murdoch’s yacht and lead the way through the strait of Hormuz. Show those oil tanker captains how it’s done! What a broadcast that could be.
I called Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen and Rep. Raskin earlier today with this basic message:
I am calling to express my opinion that the war in Iran has to end: now. In just a week, the Trump regime’s actions have resulted in the appointment of an even more hardcore and intolerant leader in Tehran. They’ve also undermined our alliances in Europe and the Persian Gulf and sent shocks through the global economic system.
The Trump regime has suggested that it is not concerned by the deaths of American service members in the conflict nor even by the fact that Russia is assisting Iran in targeting US assets. Trump and Hegseth also seem to have no compunction about committing war crimes against the Iranian people, as shown by the attack on the desalinization plant and the careless targeting that resulted in the bombing of a girls’ school.
Therefore, please refuse to pass any supplemental funding for the war. It would also be helpful if you, jointly with other members of Congress, issued a statement to American service members that they should not attack civilians and civilian infrastructure--even if they are ordered to do so.
But Senator Wnitehouse has shown us that trumpi's destruction makes sense if he is not an American president but is the american president for Russia. And like the Communist Party outlawed in the 1950's, the Republicans are dedicated now to the overthrow of the American government. That explains why they went after VOA and AID and put Rubberio over State.
everything he has done has weakened america. everything he has done has made us the laughing stock of the world. everything he has done has hurt the american people. everything he has done has made the world less safe. mostly everything he has done has been illegal. it's everything putin would do to us if he could. maybe he's an asset?
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say please do not fund this war. I also stressed the need to regularly discuss Trump's declining mental state. I'm writing postcards to NC voters.
I continue to call my complicit US repub senators daily; M-F & sometimes Sundays.
Today's call:
Iranian drones hit our embassy in Riyadh. After the explosions, the State Dept finally ordered our diplomats in Saudi Arabia to leave immediately. Our State Dept has been totally unprepared with no answers to combat the attacks on our embassy, no plans for diplomats evacuations, nothing. How are our diplomats going to get to safety?
Senator, you go directly to the WH today and demand that Trump end this latest Gulf War and his talk of attacks on countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Oil prices have surged to $108/barrel. Put America back on the side of rule of law and democracy, here & globally, & end this illegal, unnecessary war that is now threatening TNs, the US, & global economies.
It is high time for YOU to call for Trump’s, Rubio’s , Gabbard's, Ratcliff's, and Hegseth's resignations, and time for YOU to call for the resignations of Miller, Bondi, Blanche,Kennedy, Vought, & for removal of Noem in any capacity within our government. Do your job!
This war with Iran is a fools' errand run by amateurs, (Senator/Congressman). Have you people learned nothing from Viet Nam? From Iraq and Afghanistan? The president and his 'war secretary' haven't articulated a clear rationale for their operation. They underestimated the adversary. They bombed a girls' school and left thousands of Americans stranded in the region. They didn't plan for what comes next. What hubris!
This isn't a video game, (Senator/Congressman). Stop the immature chest thumping and put a halt to this insane and cruel war, before more American soldiers and innocent civilians are needlessly killed. Digging the hole deeper is not the solution.
In reply to Rep. Smith's video, yes, most of us have learned from history about the tragic dangers of starting a war in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Trump and his dunces are ignorant, so off the go dragging us along. I've been contacting Senators Durbin and Duckworth daily to pressure the regime to end their illegal, immoral, and ill-advised war.
Because of the war, Sen Jon Husted(R) claimed he couldn't make it back to Ohio to testify in person, in what's known as the First Energy bribery case (HB6) where he is "State Official #2". However, he was seen hustling through airports to make it back to a $1000-a-plate Republican fundraiser that evening.
Social Media continues to bash Husted, but I have not seen any polls lately.
Sherrod Brown's ads state that he is pulling ahead. I hope so.
The Talarico poll is the most hopeful thing I’ve seen. All the polling I saw with Beto showed him behind by a couple of points in his Senate run. I’m very interested to see how some of the better polls find the race in the next few weeks. When Cornyn is willing to say it will be a blood bath something is shaking. I’ve wished for a long time for change in Texas. Talarico caught my eye as I was a Middle school teacher for 33 years and he is the best debater I’ve seen in the Texas House. I’m retired now but still involved in politics as the Republicans have continued to chip away at what once was a good public school system. But just look at that polling. Usually James finishes strong which means this might really be possible. When Kamala was in Houston she said it was the same way in California, always Republican, until it wasn’t. That has stayed with me as hope. We have lost lots of rights and children are treated with out the care they deserve. We have great solid candidates, hoping and doing the work. Chairman Schudder has been very energizing!
Trump is the lowest IQ president America has had. He reads nothing, he studies nothing, he learns nothing. He will repeat the errors of history because he not only knows nothing of history but his arrogance and hubris tell him he knows more than everyone else. America will be in this war with Iran until congress or trump’s staff (using the 25th amendment) stops him because neither he nor Kegseth will find an exit ramp and use it.
What you observe here seems to be a classic case of the Dunning-Kruger effect. From the linked article below, this is "a type of cognitive bias in which people believe they are smarter and more capable than they are. Low-ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence. The combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability leads them to overestimate their capabilities."
My ResistBot letter for Mar 9: Oil prices surging, civilians dead, U.S. troops killed. Congress must step in to prevent another open-ended war in the Middle East. Follow this link to send letters to your members of Congress.
As depressing as things have been, Saturday (3/7) was a day for Hopium. I attended a small rally downtown where the focus was on the Iraq war. Lots of honks from pickup and semi drivers which was remarkable given the small number of participants (~50). Afterward we had a sign-making event at the public library where we made signs for the community to use during the No-Kings Rally scheduled for 3/28. This was a creative and therapeutic exercise, and given my background I made four illustrated signs focusing on animals: Frogs Fighting Fascism; Dogs Dig Democracy; Owls Oppose Oligarchy; and, Ants Against Authoritarians. Happy Monday, Hopiates!
Public protests give visibility to issues so that marginally-involved voters who drive by have permission to question, and express, their previous support for the GOP. Hopefully, No Kings 3 will be huge on March 28th.
Tell your Senators and congress member not fund Trump's war of choice!
Hard for me to imagine that Democrats stand united against funding it. BUT, if we do fund it, keep it limited and conditional – e.g. NO deficit-driving tax cuts, and NO new cuts to Obamacare, Medicare or Social Security or similar.
Also: insist that the war funding be in the form of clawbacks from the outrageous ICE and CBP appropriations. I would love to see Homeland Security forced to sell all those warehouses they intend to use as massive detention centers.
A.S.,
Why can't Democrats unite against funding this war? Why did four House Democrats vote against the War Powers Act? As Jeffries mentioned in the speech Simon highlighted, we dropped the bombs based on Trump's "feeling" that Iran would attack first, (despite the fact that is completely stupid, and without any intel.) He attacked because a) Netanyahu duped him into it, b) Epstein c) distraction from all his other failed policies d) record low favorables. What could go wrong?
Who are these DINOs that will fund the war? Let's treat them like the state legislators in NC last Tuesday and primary every one of them... hopefully by double digits. That's a message that sends the message, louder than phone calls, louder than No Kings.
update: I did find this article from Time Magazine this afternoon about the reasons 3 of the 4 House Dems gave for their no vote on War Powers Act. Pesonally I was not moved by their arguments.Senator John Fettereman also voted against it. IMHO~ vote em out!
https://time.com/7382846/democrats-who-voted-against-war-powers-resolution-iran-conflict-trump/
Good news! He just announced that he's not going to sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed. So I guess he doesn't need any more money for the war after all /s
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-says-he-will-not-sign-other-bills-until-the-save-act-is-passed/ar-AA1XQqCo?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=69af1d463c794cda9f14274e2c8a4ff5&ei=8
yeah... but he is a liar and often a TACO. Just another stupid moment by our stupid president, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
I called my MoCs today and the message was find an off-ramp and either no further war allocations or take back the tax breaks for the rich and/or ICE funding from the big ugly to fund the war. Maybe if the billionaires paid for the war, they would have a different attitude towards this president.
IF he institutes a draft, I'm sure that will help his numbers... not.
Silly me, I said last week he'd tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He's also doing this right before the beginning of growing season in the Northern Hemisphere. The latest from Trump and Fox to tanker captains -- just go for it! Run the Strait, it'll be ok!
Someone had a good "rule of thumb" for that connection between oil and gas prices. It was, for every $40/barrel increase, expect an additional $1.00/gallon at the pump. So if we are around $3.50/gallon now, then if oil goes to $150/barrel, it would seem gas could hit around $4.50/gallon.
Pretty soon he's going to say we've basically won (I think he more or less already has said that) and then go on to Cuba. Then we talk about that for awhile.
Mailed 10 postcards this morning, need to get stamps this afternoon to mail 25 more.
Yeah maybe those courageous Fox News hosts could borrow Murdoch’s yacht and lead the way through the strait of Hormuz. Show those oil tanker captains how it’s done! What a broadcast that could be.
Thanks Simon, as always, for your hard work documenting all of the Trump show horrors. Let’s hope this “47” year war ends soon!
I called Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen and Rep. Raskin earlier today with this basic message:
I am calling to express my opinion that the war in Iran has to end: now. In just a week, the Trump regime’s actions have resulted in the appointment of an even more hardcore and intolerant leader in Tehran. They’ve also undermined our alliances in Europe and the Persian Gulf and sent shocks through the global economic system.
The Trump regime has suggested that it is not concerned by the deaths of American service members in the conflict nor even by the fact that Russia is assisting Iran in targeting US assets. Trump and Hegseth also seem to have no compunction about committing war crimes against the Iranian people, as shown by the attack on the desalinization plant and the careless targeting that resulted in the bombing of a girls’ school.
Therefore, please refuse to pass any supplemental funding for the war. It would also be helpful if you, jointly with other members of Congress, issued a statement to American service members that they should not attack civilians and civilian infrastructure--even if they are ordered to do so.
Thank you! See and share : https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/why-escalation-favors-iran
Good article. Really explains Iran’s strategy in widening the conflict and its implications.
Excellent statement!
Totally stealing this - great job!
Thanks!
Read National Affairs.com new article- Why- Escalation- Favors- Iran" and share it when you call your Reps and Senators!
Oops, your link goes to an Atlanta catering company! Could you re-post please?
I thought this was a joke until I clicked on it myself!
Ha!
This is what they linked to further up the thread. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/why-escalation-favors-iran
Excellent piece, John--thanks much for sharing! :)
But Senator Wnitehouse has shown us that trumpi's destruction makes sense if he is not an American president but is the american president for Russia. And like the Communist Party outlawed in the 1950's, the Republicans are dedicated now to the overthrow of the American government. That explains why they went after VOA and AID and put Rubberio over State.
everything he has done has weakened america. everything he has done has made us the laughing stock of the world. everything he has done has hurt the american people. everything he has done has made the world less safe. mostly everything he has done has been illegal. it's everything putin would do to us if he could. maybe he's an asset?
A Russian Republican in the White House
How true is it that some Democrats are considering funding this illegal war? I heard that on a podcast a couple of days ago and hope it isn't true.
Simon, thank you for the summary of where we are.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say please do not fund this war. I also stressed the need to regularly discuss Trump's declining mental state. I'm writing postcards to NC voters.
I continue to call my complicit US repub senators daily; M-F & sometimes Sundays.
Today's call:
Iranian drones hit our embassy in Riyadh. After the explosions, the State Dept finally ordered our diplomats in Saudi Arabia to leave immediately. Our State Dept has been totally unprepared with no answers to combat the attacks on our embassy, no plans for diplomats evacuations, nothing. How are our diplomats going to get to safety?
Senator, you go directly to the WH today and demand that Trump end this latest Gulf War and his talk of attacks on countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Oil prices have surged to $108/barrel. Put America back on the side of rule of law and democracy, here & globally, & end this illegal, unnecessary war that is now threatening TNs, the US, & global economies.
It is high time for YOU to call for Trump’s, Rubio’s , Gabbard's, Ratcliff's, and Hegseth's resignations, and time for YOU to call for the resignations of Miller, Bondi, Blanche,Kennedy, Vought, & for removal of Noem in any capacity within our government. Do your job!
no plans for any evacuations, tens of thousands stranded
yes :(
Today's message to my 3 MAGA MoC
This war with Iran is a fools' errand run by amateurs, (Senator/Congressman). Have you people learned nothing from Viet Nam? From Iraq and Afghanistan? The president and his 'war secretary' haven't articulated a clear rationale for their operation. They underestimated the adversary. They bombed a girls' school and left thousands of Americans stranded in the region. They didn't plan for what comes next. What hubris!
This isn't a video game, (Senator/Congressman). Stop the immature chest thumping and put a halt to this insane and cruel war, before more American soldiers and innocent civilians are needlessly killed. Digging the hole deeper is not the solution.
In reply to Rep. Smith's video, yes, most of us have learned from history about the tragic dangers of starting a war in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Trump and his dunces are ignorant, so off the go dragging us along. I've been contacting Senators Durbin and Duckworth daily to pressure the regime to end their illegal, immoral, and ill-advised war.
Ohio here.
Because of the war, Sen Jon Husted(R) claimed he couldn't make it back to Ohio to testify in person, in what's known as the First Energy bribery case (HB6) where he is "State Official #2". However, he was seen hustling through airports to make it back to a $1000-a-plate Republican fundraiser that evening.
Social Media continues to bash Husted, but I have not seen any polls lately.
Sherrod Brown's ads state that he is pulling ahead. I hope so.
Good grief.
I just watched Timothy Snyder interviewing David Pepper. It’s very informative and a positive thing to watch regarding all things Ohio. Here’s the link. https://snyder.substack.com/p/thinking-live-with-david-pepper-on?r=7vxhp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
The Talarico poll is the most hopeful thing I’ve seen. All the polling I saw with Beto showed him behind by a couple of points in his Senate run. I’m very interested to see how some of the better polls find the race in the next few weeks. When Cornyn is willing to say it will be a blood bath something is shaking. I’ve wished for a long time for change in Texas. Talarico caught my eye as I was a Middle school teacher for 33 years and he is the best debater I’ve seen in the Texas House. I’m retired now but still involved in politics as the Republicans have continued to chip away at what once was a good public school system. But just look at that polling. Usually James finishes strong which means this might really be possible. When Kamala was in Houston she said it was the same way in California, always Republican, until it wasn’t. That has stayed with me as hope. We have lost lots of rights and children are treated with out the care they deserve. We have great solid candidates, hoping and doing the work. Chairman Schudder has been very energizing!
Love the sentiment: always Republican until it wasn’t.
Trump is the lowest IQ president America has had. He reads nothing, he studies nothing, he learns nothing. He will repeat the errors of history because he not only knows nothing of history but his arrogance and hubris tell him he knows more than everyone else. America will be in this war with Iran until congress or trump’s staff (using the 25th amendment) stops him because neither he nor Kegseth will find an exit ramp and use it.
What you observe here seems to be a classic case of the Dunning-Kruger effect. From the linked article below, this is "a type of cognitive bias in which people believe they are smarter and more capable than they are. Low-ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence. The combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability leads them to overestimate their capabilities."
https://www.verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-the-dunning-kruger-effect-4160740
I appreciate the article link.
My ResistBot letter for Mar 9: Oil prices surging, civilians dead, U.S. troops killed. Congress must step in to prevent another open-ended war in the Middle East. Follow this link to send letters to your members of Congress.
Text SIGN PUGZFD to 50409 or go to: https://resist.bot/petitions/PUGZFD
As depressing as things have been, Saturday (3/7) was a day for Hopium. I attended a small rally downtown where the focus was on the Iraq war. Lots of honks from pickup and semi drivers which was remarkable given the small number of participants (~50). Afterward we had a sign-making event at the public library where we made signs for the community to use during the No-Kings Rally scheduled for 3/28. This was a creative and therapeutic exercise, and given my background I made four illustrated signs focusing on animals: Frogs Fighting Fascism; Dogs Dig Democracy; Owls Oppose Oligarchy; and, Ants Against Authoritarians. Happy Monday, Hopiates!
Public protests give visibility to issues so that marginally-involved voters who drive by have permission to question, and express, their previous support for the GOP. Hopefully, No Kings 3 will be huge on March 28th.
Love your signs! I put penguins on my ICE out signs
Those signs sound great! There’s something powerful about using a sort of humorous defiance against these jerks, e.g. the fabulous frogs.