I am taking this post down for it is a surrender to Trump and insulting to this hard working community. Do better or find another place to hang out. Simon
I think this article from Vox goes with what Simon is saying today. The younger generation of male voters may have been more inclined to see Trump/Musk as wildly successful and a pathway to a better life. But, that is all changing and changing fast. We've seen the polling numbers come down and we know the numbers are down for the younger male demographic. And clearly, as discussed, we need our elected leaders to communicate in a whole new way and we need them to do it fast.
Yes those of us that are Boomer and X saw Trump in the 80s and 90s and knew his ups and downs, his good days of Trump Tower and Ivana and his slide with Atlantic City and disposing of his nice wives Ivana and Marla for younger models, literally. We saw the bankruptcies and downfall, and knew the scam, the Epstein of it all, the drugs and diapers. Also, those of us in Silicon Valley knew Elon was a 'right time/right placer'. No doubt he has some good divergent thinker but he's a funder not a founder. So we knew all this, but yes there's a find out time for all of us. My hope here is that this breaks the Info War grip and gaslight propaganda going on.
100% agree. I'm Gen X and saw what you just described. The men who are younger and only see these guys as "successful" are going to have to take it on the chin (I'm being polite) and as you said, reach their find out time. Our job is to make that happen as soon as posslible.
I listened to a recording of Michael Wolff talking with Jeffrey Epstein, who said that Trump was great at real estate, but at nothing else. He -- one of Trump's best friends -- described Trump as "a horrible person" who liked to gain your trust and then do bad things to you -- that he liked to do bad things to his friends and to his friends' wives. When Jeffrey Epstein, predator of teenage girls, thinks you're a horrible person.... As for Elon, who apparently, like Trump, thinks he's a genius, he's a nepo baby (as Tim Walz points out) and a hostile takeover artist. The sooner young men, and everyone else, sees through both of these psychopathic frauds, the better.
When you write "younger generation" of voters, I think it's important to note that it is younger men who have GREATLY gone over to MAGA -- while younger women have remained steady Democratic supporters.
Yesterday I watched an old documentary showing Trumps involvement with the Russian Mafia. It was in the 1980’s!! He was helping them launder money!! It is an important documentary that all should see!! It even mentions his close ties to Epstein. He has always been a liar, having no morals or integrity!!! This proves his affiliation with the Russians and how he is always looking out for himself!! I will look for the documentary and try to post the link!!
There is a set of videos on YouTube, likely also elsewhere from Four Corners, really well documented. Yes he's been with the Russians and the FBI, likely a bumbling double agent. But we know where he is now and it's bad.
For those seeking an article, the New Republic of July 13, 2017, by Craig Unger:
Trump’s Russian Laundromat: How to use Trump Tower and other luxury high-rises to clean dirty money, run an international crime syndicate, and propel a failed real estate developer into the White House.
Trump also used his properties in Florida -- for money of course -- to host pregnant Russian women so they could give birth here in the USA. Trumpsters, y'all been had.
I urge everyone to watch the German film, Goebbels and the Fuhrer; you will have to read subtitles but I was struck by this dramatization of how propaganda was used, and it rings true because we see the same thing happening right now, right here. If I have mentioned this here, my apologies, because I do get things a little mixed up these days. Long Covid, I'm told.
It would be more helpful to our discussion here, and in line with self-reporting, if you outline the steps involved in impeachment and 'effort' involved at each step that might/ would detract from our current activism. [actually no steps involve us, so this is more about something someone else can do than what we can do]
or perhaps you're just saying express one's support for impeachment in calls to one's representative?
A representative files an article, and the House schedules a vote on it. Deliberation and the vote gets entered into the record. The press and "we the people" can carry it forward as was done during Watergate. Especially as town halls become more of a thing.
"Congressman, it's clear that Trump violated {insert details of article here]. Why did you vote no?'
Above is the documentary. It’s very important!! Remember how Trump constantly said Russia, Russia, Russia. That it was a hoax???? Once again, lying!!! He learned all his lying and behavior from Roy Cohn, also mentioned in this documentary!!!!
All true, Simon. Now do The Democratic Party: 29% approval (CNN) -- lowest ratings dating back to 1992. We need The Democratic Reform Party, but I don't see it.
The neophytes can't recognize that these are the consequences of their actions in November. They were the ones who chose to not give us any consequential power in the federal government, and I truly don't know from where they get the gall to turn around and blame us for it...
Seth this is crossing the line into trolling. I have addressed this. I have laid out a clear plan for how to get us back in game. We don’t dump our shit here. This is dumping.
Simon, tell me what we have to do positively in the next year and a half -- not just that Trump is going to fail miserably -- to get these these voters back. I know we lost a close election. But why are we not seen as the answer?
For my money? Near as I can tell, at least a part of it is that criticizing the Democrats is 'cool,' at least in the eyes of a depressing number of people.
We are not fighting back (as a party) or for something coherently - although people are doing great work (here and starting to at the DNC, etc). And, instead we are just complaining (about the voters, about Trump). It looks pathetic. We need the letter for America desperately. We've ignored the Democratic brand for way too long. Our standard ad candidate playbook is that "I am not a partisan" trying to aim for the median voter. You still see it - we gotta start standing for something other than the other guys are much worse than us...
I don't disagree, but I don't see it as complaining. I see it more as calling some of this criticism out for what it really is; Thinly veiled bad-faith arguments, whose only purpose is to rag on us, and that should be treated as such.
- 1) the idea of bad faith arguments implies that the problem is that people are just not getting us, the truth and that if they would just listen (or read the right thing) it would all be OK. Our problem is deeper than that. They, the voters we need to reach, don't trust us, our brand. And, they are not going to buy our old "I am above politics, I am for you!" argument (which is why Sherrod Brown and Bob Casey lost). Democrats can't hide from being Democrats any more. We gotta embrace it and make a positive (not something to run away from).
2) the lack of standing for something makes us an easy target (for everyone).
3) We can fix this - its' not complicated. We have a lot of "great policies" but a list of policies is not the answer. We need a real - not focus group tested - vision that we fight to protect. To me, its simple - its our country (our economy, our democracy) but we need to translate that vision into a simple program and then back it up. Once we do, we won't be the easy target anymore .
It really offends me that you say "we". I am not included in your comment, nor the self-reporting other commentors I have read here, nor, of course, Simon.
Adding to my comment: are you talking about the dem party? not us, i.e. the Hopium community? in which case, note that a major effort on the part of elected dem.s is on the legal front [hence the vote on the CR]. Your comment seems to apply to 'election mode' not the immediate issues.
All great info/evidence of what we know. He's a loser. I was blown away though by the absolute clarity of Sen. Chris Murphy on Jon Stewart last night. After much constructively critical goading, Stewart got him to admit how the Dems must answer. And that answer was kind of one word: Bernie. The "message" that is missing is a bold counterpoint to the corporatizing of the party, of piecemeal placations to the middle class. Is there any wonder that Bernie is attracting such huge crowds?
But he is no longer the right candidate; but someone carrying a similarly bold message is. If the Rs have double-downed on enriching themselves, then it might be time for the Dems to also put backbone into theirs, to take the New Deal to a more meaningful iteration that would actually improve lives. For example, Medicare for all. The senator admonishes the party for considering Bernie and his message a "threat" in the past. Murphy finally explains the stranglehold that consultants have in terms of producing ads, etc., instead of creating a Fox-like infrastructure built on lasting ideas. I'm becoming more convinced that swing voters (as Murphy said) will swing all the way from the reactionary right over to the "radical" left, which is not radical at all in light of this totalitarian threat. It's all part of the yin and yang of listing the grievances about this Orange Menace, but offering a whole new approach. I highly recommend this interview.
Report: Joined my local Louisa Democrats; working for Spanberger; contemplating a run for office in a 65% Rep district. :)
this is a disaster. See Jon Stewart's piece before the Murphy interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8OFrDQkfjM The optics are so bad. This whole situation (Schumer folding plus his incredible tone deaf interview and the lack of any plan for the Senate to push back despite claiming to fight) is reminiscent of Biden's first debate performance. Thank goodness for Simon and this place but, man, do we have a lot of work to do.
Note - Schumer is an old school Senator who believes in the Senate which is clear from his whole belief that the Senate Republicans will come around and "be themselves" again when Trump's lower approval ratings let them (because of what he heard in the gym from GOP Senators). He came up with people like McCain who also cared about the institution. The Senate used to be different (it was a special place). Schumer still believes in that Senate (so does Durbin) but he, Durbin and others are deluded, that Senate no longer exists (the Senate is becoming increasingly like the house). The GOP is never going to work with the Dems in the Senate unless they have to (because of politics) not because of collegiality among members.
We gotta move on from Schumer and this group as the face of the party. It's killing us.
While I think Sen Schumer did what he thought was best - limit Trump so he doesn't start rounding us all up etc. I agree, that Dems have lost confidence and he needs to step down. I hope Jefferies agrees.
I agree Schumer did what he thought was best, but he didn’t get any concessions in return that I am aware of. He avoided short term pain (and he is right that a government shutdown hurts) but that won’t help us save the country.
If we had shut the government down we would have done Musk’s work for him. They would never have opened the government up in its entirety again. Trump would have had more authority to close agencies and fire staff. Despite his abysmal messaging, Schumer saved us from disaster.
Beyond that, if we had committed to the shutdown, the Rs would have just clubbed Schumer (and by extension, us) like a baby seal with "The Schumer Shutdown" on the opinion shows until the end of time. It's just too easy for the news soundbites.
The CR vote was about the lawsuits, keeping the courts open. You are talking about electoral issues years down the road. Pay attention to the immediate issue - and the success on the legal front thus far. It is an emergency and important to be informed.
Plus: I haven't seen evidence that the senators have lost confidence. Simon does excellent work every day laying out and prioritizing steps for action.
Voters need to be reminded by Democratic leaders and electeds -- daily -- that all these job eliminations that are materially jeopardizing the health and safety of all Americans are being done to facilitate extension of the 2017 tax cut. This tax which, expires at the end of this year, reduced the U.S. corporate tax rate by 40% (to 21% from 35%). The vast majority of Americans have forgotten or never really realized the magnitude of the revenue loss and the Dems have done a terrible job of delivering that message, especially on social media platforms. This gift to corporations and the wealthy has a negative impact on the daily lives of all Americans -- but it must be spelled out in simple terms.
I can’t agree that the problem is Democrats failing to communicate effectively. Republicans are a cult. They tell each other pretty lies while we have only uncomfortable truths. They *will* not hear us. They have set their wills not to.
The Press has chosen money and safety over their responsibility to inform the public. President Biden gave some great speeches about his accomplishments, but the Press either didn’t cover them, or wrote headlines like “Economic Fears Remain” or “Trump Responds to Speech.”
Democrats worked our britches off trying to warn people. Republicans closed their ears to us. That was not because we needed a different platform or message, but because they are a cult.
And a lot of Americans simply weren’t interested in hearing about reality, stability, sustainability, or security. So they get to learn about those things the hard way.
But they are not the only cult in town. When a person feels they are completely in the right -- and have nothing at all wrong on their side -- that's a clear sign of a cult.
When one feels they are totally in the right, they can put all the blame on others.
Eventually, humility and not hubris is going to get us out of this.
The way NOT to turn into "Blue MAGA" is by avoiding groupthink. To become a "learning organization / community" as pioneered by Chris Argyris* -- of blessed memory. I realize now that the Navy ship I served on in the 1970s was a terrific learning community.
*Teaching Smart People How to Learn" -- Harvard Business Review (May/June 1991)
I agree Jenny and we can't forget that many, did not run to Trump in the last election because they were fooled. They rationalized their vote for Trump or their not voting for Kamala for a dozen reasons often not acknowledging that the real reason was they couldn't vote for a woman and a Black woman in particular. Not voting for Harris/Walz cooked our goose as much as voting FOR a Trump who they thought would be better on the economy.
This is SO TRUE. Starting with Reagan and the Tax Reform Act (I think it was 1986) there was a massive transfer of wealth from the working/middle class/even upper middle to the top 1% - massive! (Heather Cox Richardson has written about it.). The Trump tax cuts of 2017 added TRILLIONS to the deficit with NO revenue offset - and these will be way, way worse. It is an obscenity.
The Dems need this single message: "Trump is taking away your health care (etc.) to fund his billionaire cronys getting wilder richer"
Has anyone noticed how the KINGDOM (liberal democracy?) of Saudi Arabia is now the focal point of international diplomacy? If memory serves, didn’t a journalist have difficulty breathing in one of their embassies? Therefore, keep an eye on NEOM and Vision 2030 over the next few months and years.
CARTHAGO DELENDA EST (via nonviolence).
P.S.: Do the following now! FIRST, TEACH CIVICS. Second, register voters. THIRD, TEACH CIVICS. Rinse. Repeat.
P.P.S.: DEMOCRATS (AND PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE) NEED TO HAVE “TOWN HALLS” IN REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS - ASAP. YOUR OPPONENTS HAVE WILLINGLY CONCEDED THE FIELD.
P.P.P.S.: Simon has often mentioned the earnest six-million patriots from the last cycle. This is a large pool of thoughtful energy/talent. SO, DEMOCRATS SHOULD ALLOW VETTED-VOLUNTEERS TO AUGMENT THEIR PAID OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS IN ORDER TO COVER THE INCOMING TSUNAMI OF COMMUNICATIONS (AND OTHER CONCERNS) FROM CITIZENS IN GENERAL AND CONSTITUENTS IN PARTICULAR!!
Democracy Out Loud in NC is having our weekly meeting. Always inspiring.
From Joe Katz of Rogan's List:
Attend rallies on TWO days of action this week: the American Postal Workers Union’s US Mail is Not For Sale on THURSDAY and the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Hell No! Hands Off USPS on SUNDAY
There is another documentary called “Where’s my Roy Cohn”. This documentary will show you how Trump learned how to lie. It will show you how he learned all his bad behavior from this one sleazy lawyer named Roy Cohn.
I am taking this post down for it is a surrender to Trump and insulting to this hard working community. Do better or find another place to hang out. Simon
I think this article from Vox goes with what Simon is saying today. The younger generation of male voters may have been more inclined to see Trump/Musk as wildly successful and a pathway to a better life. But, that is all changing and changing fast. We've seen the polling numbers come down and we know the numbers are down for the younger male demographic. And clearly, as discussed, we need our elected leaders to communicate in a whole new way and we need them to do it fast.
https://www.vox.com/politics/403364/tik-tok-young-voters-2024-election-democrats-david-shor
Yes those of us that are Boomer and X saw Trump in the 80s and 90s and knew his ups and downs, his good days of Trump Tower and Ivana and his slide with Atlantic City and disposing of his nice wives Ivana and Marla for younger models, literally. We saw the bankruptcies and downfall, and knew the scam, the Epstein of it all, the drugs and diapers. Also, those of us in Silicon Valley knew Elon was a 'right time/right placer'. No doubt he has some good divergent thinker but he's a funder not a founder. So we knew all this, but yes there's a find out time for all of us. My hope here is that this breaks the Info War grip and gaslight propaganda going on.
100% agree. I'm Gen X and saw what you just described. The men who are younger and only see these guys as "successful" are going to have to take it on the chin (I'm being polite) and as you said, reach their find out time. Our job is to make that happen as soon as posslible.
I listened to a recording of Michael Wolff talking with Jeffrey Epstein, who said that Trump was great at real estate, but at nothing else. He -- one of Trump's best friends -- described Trump as "a horrible person" who liked to gain your trust and then do bad things to you -- that he liked to do bad things to his friends and to his friends' wives. When Jeffrey Epstein, predator of teenage girls, thinks you're a horrible person.... As for Elon, who apparently, like Trump, thinks he's a genius, he's a nepo baby (as Tim Walz points out) and a hostile takeover artist. The sooner young men, and everyone else, sees through both of these psychopathic frauds, the better.
When you write "younger generation" of voters, I think it's important to note that it is younger men who have GREATLY gone over to MAGA -- while younger women have remained steady Democratic supporters.
That's totally fair. I should have been more specific.
If you wish, you can edit your post and make the change.
Well, that's a good idea!
Yesterday I watched an old documentary showing Trumps involvement with the Russian Mafia. It was in the 1980’s!! He was helping them launder money!! It is an important documentary that all should see!! It even mentions his close ties to Epstein. He has always been a liar, having no morals or integrity!!! This proves his affiliation with the Russians and how he is always looking out for himself!! I will look for the documentary and try to post the link!!
Please do share a link. Was it on HBO or Netflix?
I did put the link on here!!! It’s gone!!!I also made another comment, but don’t see that either. I will put it in this message for you. https://youtu.be/DEseiA72yVM?si=K1tdY_OXPcnJ1fLi
There is a set of videos on YouTube, likely also elsewhere from Four Corners, really well documented. Yes he's been with the Russians and the FBI, likely a bumbling double agent. But we know where he is now and it's bad.
For those seeking an article, the New Republic of July 13, 2017, by Craig Unger:
Trump’s Russian Laundromat: How to use Trump Tower and other luxury high-rises to clean dirty money, run an international crime syndicate, and propel a failed real estate developer into the White House.
https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-tower-luxury-high-rises-dirty-money-international-crime-syndicate
Trump also used his properties in Florida -- for money of course -- to host pregnant Russian women so they could give birth here in the USA. Trumpsters, y'all been had.
I urge everyone to watch the German film, Goebbels and the Fuhrer; you will have to read subtitles but I was struck by this dramatization of how propaganda was used, and it rings true because we see the same thing happening right now, right here. If I have mentioned this here, my apologies, because I do get things a little mixed up these days. Long Covid, I'm told.
Impeach, impeach, impeach, impeach, impeach
It takes 2/3 to convict in the Senate. Not feasible.
https://www.lwv.org/educating-voters/how-does-impeachment-work
so?
Sadly, since we are not in control of the Senate we can't even bring proceedings.
Waste of energy that will drown out other more effective strategies.
How much energy -- pray tell -- do you spend filing an article of impeachment?
How would it "drown out" other strategies?
I am amazed at the attitude that holds our constitution in such low esteem.
It would be more helpful to our discussion here, and in line with self-reporting, if you outline the steps involved in impeachment and 'effort' involved at each step that might/ would detract from our current activism. [actually no steps involve us, so this is more about something someone else can do than what we can do]
or perhaps you're just saying express one's support for impeachment in calls to one's representative?
I'm not the one declaring it a "waste of energy."
A representative files an article, and the House schedules a vote on it. Deliberation and the vote gets entered into the record. The press and "we the people" can carry it forward as was done during Watergate. Especially as town halls become more of a thing.
"Congressman, it's clear that Trump violated {insert details of article here]. Why did you vote no?'
https://youtu.be/DEseiA72yVM?si=z0YitcnbT7sfdcJB
Thanks Sheila. I'll see if I can stomach watching.
I was traveling from Ohio to Arizona on the 15th. So I sent 8 postcards to the White House from both OH and AZ. :-)
I know they won't get read, but I would love to see the bags of mail.
I give small monthly amounts to each of those you have recommended to support. 🩵
Above is the documentary. It’s very important!! Remember how Trump constantly said Russia, Russia, Russia. That it was a hoax???? Once again, lying!!! He learned all his lying and behavior from Roy Cohn, also mentioned in this documentary!!!!
All true, Simon. Now do The Democratic Party: 29% approval (CNN) -- lowest ratings dating back to 1992. We need The Democratic Reform Party, but I don't see it.
The neophytes can't recognize that these are the consequences of their actions in November. They were the ones who chose to not give us any consequential power in the federal government, and I truly don't know from where they get the gall to turn around and blame us for it...
Seth this is crossing the line into trolling. I have addressed this. I have laid out a clear plan for how to get us back in game. We don’t dump our shit here. This is dumping.
Simon, tell me what we have to do positively in the next year and a half -- not just that Trump is going to fail miserably -- to get these these voters back. I know we lost a close election. But why are we not seen as the answer?
>Why are we not seen as the answer?
For my money? Near as I can tell, at least a part of it is that criticizing the Democrats is 'cool,' at least in the eyes of a depressing number of people.
We are not fighting back (as a party) or for something coherently - although people are doing great work (here and starting to at the DNC, etc). And, instead we are just complaining (about the voters, about Trump). It looks pathetic. We need the letter for America desperately. We've ignored the Democratic brand for way too long. Our standard ad candidate playbook is that "I am not a partisan" trying to aim for the median voter. You still see it - we gotta start standing for something other than the other guys are much worse than us...
I don't disagree, but I don't see it as complaining. I see it more as calling some of this criticism out for what it really is; Thinly veiled bad-faith arguments, whose only purpose is to rag on us, and that should be treated as such.
three things
- 1) the idea of bad faith arguments implies that the problem is that people are just not getting us, the truth and that if they would just listen (or read the right thing) it would all be OK. Our problem is deeper than that. They, the voters we need to reach, don't trust us, our brand. And, they are not going to buy our old "I am above politics, I am for you!" argument (which is why Sherrod Brown and Bob Casey lost). Democrats can't hide from being Democrats any more. We gotta embrace it and make a positive (not something to run away from).
2) the lack of standing for something makes us an easy target (for everyone).
3) We can fix this - its' not complicated. We have a lot of "great policies" but a list of policies is not the answer. We need a real - not focus group tested - vision that we fight to protect. To me, its simple - its our country (our economy, our democracy) but we need to translate that vision into a simple program and then back it up. Once we do, we won't be the easy target anymore .
It really offends me that you say "we". I am not included in your comment, nor the self-reporting other commentors I have read here, nor, of course, Simon.
Adding to my comment: are you talking about the dem party? not us, i.e. the Hopium community? in which case, note that a major effort on the part of elected dem.s is on the legal front [hence the vote on the CR]. Your comment seems to apply to 'election mode' not the immediate issues.
All great info/evidence of what we know. He's a loser. I was blown away though by the absolute clarity of Sen. Chris Murphy on Jon Stewart last night. After much constructively critical goading, Stewart got him to admit how the Dems must answer. And that answer was kind of one word: Bernie. The "message" that is missing is a bold counterpoint to the corporatizing of the party, of piecemeal placations to the middle class. Is there any wonder that Bernie is attracting such huge crowds?
But he is no longer the right candidate; but someone carrying a similarly bold message is. If the Rs have double-downed on enriching themselves, then it might be time for the Dems to also put backbone into theirs, to take the New Deal to a more meaningful iteration that would actually improve lives. For example, Medicare for all. The senator admonishes the party for considering Bernie and his message a "threat" in the past. Murphy finally explains the stranglehold that consultants have in terms of producing ads, etc., instead of creating a Fox-like infrastructure built on lasting ideas. I'm becoming more convinced that swing voters (as Murphy said) will swing all the way from the reactionary right over to the "radical" left, which is not radical at all in light of this totalitarian threat. It's all part of the yin and yang of listing the grievances about this Orange Menace, but offering a whole new approach. I highly recommend this interview.
Report: Joined my local Louisa Democrats; working for Spanberger; contemplating a run for office in a 65% Rep district. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqLfXzzPB0g (start at 5:20, 8:50 is really getting into it.)
this is a disaster. See Jon Stewart's piece before the Murphy interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8OFrDQkfjM The optics are so bad. This whole situation (Schumer folding plus his incredible tone deaf interview and the lack of any plan for the Senate to push back despite claiming to fight) is reminiscent of Biden's first debate performance. Thank goodness for Simon and this place but, man, do we have a lot of work to do.
Note - Schumer is an old school Senator who believes in the Senate which is clear from his whole belief that the Senate Republicans will come around and "be themselves" again when Trump's lower approval ratings let them (because of what he heard in the gym from GOP Senators). He came up with people like McCain who also cared about the institution. The Senate used to be different (it was a special place). Schumer still believes in that Senate (so does Durbin) but he, Durbin and others are deluded, that Senate no longer exists (the Senate is becoming increasingly like the house). The GOP is never going to work with the Dems in the Senate unless they have to (because of politics) not because of collegiality among members.
We gotta move on from Schumer and this group as the face of the party. It's killing us.
While I think Sen Schumer did what he thought was best - limit Trump so he doesn't start rounding us all up etc. I agree, that Dems have lost confidence and he needs to step down. I hope Jefferies agrees.
I agree Schumer did what he thought was best, but he didn’t get any concessions in return that I am aware of. He avoided short term pain (and he is right that a government shutdown hurts) but that won’t help us save the country.
If we had shut the government down we would have done Musk’s work for him. They would never have opened the government up in its entirety again. Trump would have had more authority to close agencies and fire staff. Despite his abysmal messaging, Schumer saved us from disaster.
Beyond that, if we had committed to the shutdown, the Rs would have just clubbed Schumer (and by extension, us) like a baby seal with "The Schumer Shutdown" on the opinion shows until the end of time. It's just too easy for the news soundbites.
The CR vote was about the lawsuits, keeping the courts open. You are talking about electoral issues years down the road. Pay attention to the immediate issue - and the success on the legal front thus far. It is an emergency and important to be informed.
Plus: I haven't seen evidence that the senators have lost confidence. Simon does excellent work every day laying out and prioritizing steps for action.
Also see rising Democratic star Andy Beshear gov of Ky on MTN excellent
Completely agree
Voters need to be reminded by Democratic leaders and electeds -- daily -- that all these job eliminations that are materially jeopardizing the health and safety of all Americans are being done to facilitate extension of the 2017 tax cut. This tax which, expires at the end of this year, reduced the U.S. corporate tax rate by 40% (to 21% from 35%). The vast majority of Americans have forgotten or never really realized the magnitude of the revenue loss and the Dems have done a terrible job of delivering that message, especially on social media platforms. This gift to corporations and the wealthy has a negative impact on the daily lives of all Americans -- but it must be spelled out in simple terms.
Is there an article about the magnitude of the loss? Important to circulate.
I can’t agree that the problem is Democrats failing to communicate effectively. Republicans are a cult. They tell each other pretty lies while we have only uncomfortable truths. They *will* not hear us. They have set their wills not to.
The Press has chosen money and safety over their responsibility to inform the public. President Biden gave some great speeches about his accomplishments, but the Press either didn’t cover them, or wrote headlines like “Economic Fears Remain” or “Trump Responds to Speech.”
Democrats worked our britches off trying to warn people. Republicans closed their ears to us. That was not because we needed a different platform or message, but because they are a cult.
And a lot of Americans simply weren’t interested in hearing about reality, stability, sustainability, or security. So they get to learn about those things the hard way.
I fully agree that Trumpers are a cult.
But they are not the only cult in town. When a person feels they are completely in the right -- and have nothing at all wrong on their side -- that's a clear sign of a cult.
When one feels they are totally in the right, they can put all the blame on others.
Eventually, humility and not hubris is going to get us out of this.
Neither will turning into 'Blue MAGA.' That might be the worst-case scenario.
The way NOT to turn into "Blue MAGA" is by avoiding groupthink. To become a "learning organization / community" as pioneered by Chris Argyris* -- of blessed memory. I realize now that the Navy ship I served on in the 1970s was a terrific learning community.
*Teaching Smart People How to Learn" -- Harvard Business Review (May/June 1991)
Interesting. What other cult do you see?
I agree Jenny and we can't forget that many, did not run to Trump in the last election because they were fooled. They rationalized their vote for Trump or their not voting for Kamala for a dozen reasons often not acknowledging that the real reason was they couldn't vote for a woman and a Black woman in particular. Not voting for Harris/Walz cooked our goose as much as voting FOR a Trump who they thought would be better on the economy.
Well said Jenny!!
This is SO TRUE. Starting with Reagan and the Tax Reform Act (I think it was 1986) there was a massive transfer of wealth from the working/middle class/even upper middle to the top 1% - massive! (Heather Cox Richardson has written about it.). The Trump tax cuts of 2017 added TRILLIONS to the deficit with NO revenue offset - and these will be way, way worse. It is an obscenity.
The Dems need this single message: "Trump is taking away your health care (etc.) to fund his billionaire cronys getting wilder richer"
The “NETWORK STATE” - For the best synopsis of the objectives of the “Tech Lords”, please listen IN ITS ENTIRETY to this 45-minute podcast and spread widely (these folks are going to leave a huge blast radius - if we let them): https://www.thenerdreich.com/the-nerd-reich-podcast-episode-1-the-network-state-2/.
Project 2025 Trackers:
https://www.project2025.observer .
https://substack.com/@project2025progress .
https://substack.com/@ahmedbaba/p-158109308 .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPElaGebGPc (timestamps 13:10 and 55:07).
Simon et al.:
The other day, I stated that the planned USA “Sovereign Wealth Fund” (SWF) would be good news for Russia and Saudi Arabia, with a promised explanation about this observation later. It is now “later”. If you do not want to go with Congressional funding, a sovereign wealth fund managed by the executive branch (i.e. the Executive) would be a great tool to reward your friends and associates: https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2025/03/russia-business-economic-hopes?lang=en. It might also explain some of the dialogue about CANADA (timestamps 5:30, 6:07, and 7:53): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhUjwQnwtcU&list=TLPQMTUwMzIwMjWOJQmjokMZVg .
The USA SWF could solve a number of problems for the international friends of Dolos: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2025-02-19/russian-wealth-fund-sees-u-s-companies-returning-in-2025. In Russia, they are now looking at the possible need to sell their Nickel conglomerate to the Chinese, and Rusal (Russian Aluminum) needs markets and capital to expand. If Dolos truly starts a trade war including Canadian aluminum (i.e. approximately 60% of the imported metal), he would find an eager alternative supplier from Rusal and the Tsar. However, we have been here before - recently: https://www.yahoo.com/news/kremlin-linked-firm-invested-millions-221945190.html and https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/kentucky-recoups-15-million-investment-in-failed-braidy-industries-aluminum-mill/article_9a7bf9a6-4029-11ed-853f-4bdd3d23ffd4.html. Yes, the geopolitical consequences have been discussed in the past.
Now, what if you are a real estate developer: https://www.trump-tower-ksa.com, and you are building in a country where the grand projects (i.e. Vision 2030) just don’t pencil (Boyle is a successful trader with a deadpan delivery): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak4on5uTaTg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMIA-EHS7vM&list=TLPQMTYwMzIwMjWWqv8NMkwjBw, what would be your options? Oh wait, you are also the president of a country with a brand-new sovereign wealth fund: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/trump-quietly-plans-to-liquidate-public-lands-to-finance-his-sovereign-wealth-fund/ . Problem solved! As president, you just get the SWF to invest in the country that you favor - as in the national interest (“L’Etat, c’est moi”).
Has anyone noticed how the KINGDOM (liberal democracy?) of Saudi Arabia is now the focal point of international diplomacy? If memory serves, didn’t a journalist have difficulty breathing in one of their embassies? Therefore, keep an eye on NEOM and Vision 2030 over the next few months and years.
CARTHAGO DELENDA EST (via nonviolence).
P.S.: Do the following now! FIRST, TEACH CIVICS. Second, register voters. THIRD, TEACH CIVICS. Rinse. Repeat.
P.P.S.: DEMOCRATS (AND PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE) NEED TO HAVE “TOWN HALLS” IN REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS - ASAP. YOUR OPPONENTS HAVE WILLINGLY CONCEDED THE FIELD.
P.P.P.S.: Simon has often mentioned the earnest six-million patriots from the last cycle. This is a large pool of thoughtful energy/talent. SO, DEMOCRATS SHOULD ALLOW VETTED-VOLUNTEERS TO AUGMENT THEIR PAID OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS IN ORDER TO COVER THE INCOMING TSUNAMI OF COMMUNICATIONS (AND OTHER CONCERNS) FROM CITIZENS IN GENERAL AND CONSTITUENTS IN PARTICULAR!!
Democracy Out Loud in NC is having our weekly meeting. Always inspiring.
From Joe Katz of Rogan's List:
Attend rallies on TWO days of action this week: the American Postal Workers Union’s US Mail is Not For Sale on THURSDAY and the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Hell No! Hands Off USPS on SUNDAY
Call tomorrow to discuss these us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
www.nalc.org/news/fight-l...
apwu.org/day-of-action
There is another documentary called “Where’s my Roy Cohn”. This documentary will show you how Trump learned how to lie. It will show you how he learned all his bad behavior from this one sleazy lawyer named Roy Cohn.
Trump truly is sooo unfit to run our country!!!!!!
Isn't there some covert group that has a plan?!?!?!
It seems no legal action will deter these thugs :{
"Those who speak, don't know; and those who know, don't speak." -Lao Tzu
I guess what I'm trying to say is "Keep the faith."
Like "hope, with a (covert) plan"?