Don’t know where you get your news/social media but I see plenty of postings by Democratic leaders, including Buttigieg, Pritzker, Jeffries and America’s favorite governor Gavin C. Newsom. The future isn’t Obama and doubtful it’s Harris.
I read Hopium, Robert Hubbell, the Status Kuo, Heather Cox Richardson, and others. I follow all these leaders on BlueSky, Facebook, and Substack. I'm just scared.
It also doesn't help that I'm one of the people hit by the economic downturn - I was let go at the end of May and I've gone through plan A, B, C, D, and am fearful that professional, career level positions won't be available. My wife and I are expecting our second child and the thought of being unemployed, or working a job that barely covers the cost of daycare, means few things that capture my attention these days provide reassurance.
Derek, I missed your original post. I'd urge you to look at some of the local nonprofit childcare centers and childcares offered through park districts. Some have great quality. Others are really sketchy and aren't safe. They do exist. That level of affordability DOES exist. It's just not given the attention it should be. And your post addresses something I hope Simon asks the Senator..what the Senator is doing about making childcare affordable on a larger scale. Because the Senator came across as tonedeaf when he said he can go to get pancakes 1x a week when something like going for fast food 1x a month is something families struggle with financially and in terms of basic safety because the color of their skin.
Derek I am asking you to take this post down and come at this in a more constructive manner. Very little of this is true, and it also appears that you do not read the material here very closely. Thank you.
We have to come to grips with reality. At its heart MAGA is red on blue state warfare facilitated by the tech bros, Koch and a handful of other billionaires. I don’t know how or if America ever comes back from this. The White House is filled with child sex predators, thieves and liars—and red states are all for it. The Trump administration is historically gross.
I don't disagree with your points, but I don't think anyone here is denying reality. The question is what we're doing about it. Starting by contacting your Senators and Congress person, as Simon suggests, is a good start. And please report back!
I don’t think it’s going to be enough. I hope I’m wrong. The depravity we are witnessing demands more I believe. I have been contacting my red state Senators who are enabling our child sex predator President and I send money to those fighting the good fight. So far, Trumpstein and his filthy enablers still have an iron grip on America.
Fender, I understand the feeling of hopelessness. It is getting very tough right now. Because we have many Corp's, judges, lawyers & media complicit in Trumpism it often feels like they have control. MAGA/they want you to feel this way. Find where you can be uplifted, whatever, wherever that may be. Monitor how much news & info you take in. I've had to step back some. However, I am on the street protesting Tucson's MAGA complicit congressman. I write postcards. It is empowering. As KBH says below - It is up to US. Let us know how you are doing in the coming days. Do what you can. Sometimes the actual action of doing something helps.
I think it is anyone vs. anyone. It might be more urban vs. rural than anything else. Anything to keep us divided while they pick our pockets.
We "come back" from it by fighting every day. I think Trump is destined to fail and then we have to hope for a leader who can bring us together. I won't say "back together", but together or less apart than we are now.
Simon, thanks for the great interviews with Senators Ossoff and Gallego. Speaking of Hispanic voters, do you know if any further progress has been made getting Spanish language services to the Texas Dems?
Last night, Virginia elected a Democrat to replace Gerry Connolly in Congress. He said in his acceptance speech that he planned to be in Congress at 9:00 this morning to be sworn in. He's promised to sign the bill to release the Epstein files. While this was an expected blue win, the margins were pretty amazing.
Last night, Trump tried to go to a DC restaurant and got soundly booed on the street and in the restaurant. This follows him getting booed this weekend at the tennis match after the WH ordered networks not to show him getting booed. If he can't go anywhere w/o getting booed, that's another sign of his weakness.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about RFK taking away the COVID vaccine. I also contacted Gov. Moore about this subject. I'm writing postcards to Virginia voters today.
I saw with most of the votes counted it was 75-25. Connolly won it with something like 67%. So it is heavily blue, but still about a +8 over performance. That's impressive. Not a lot of elasticity when it is 2-1 blue, so to over perform by that much is a great sign.
I like the idea that Democrats could somehow coordinate to inform the public more about the current crises with international affairs and national security. They’re doing very well with this affordability theme and democracy.
Great job! Want to know under what circumstances Trump can call off elections. If someone gets
shot in Chicago, can he send in more troops (Yes) and declare emergency which can call off elections? I would say that polls on his "invasion" of blue cities is favored by only red state people who live where that will not happen. So polls should be city by city.
There is no legal way for Trump to call off the elections and I for one find the talk about this stuff to be corrosive, unhelpful and at this moment a waste of valuable time.
I agree. I think it's important to separate what Trump says and what he does. Look at how many times he's threatened Hamas or Russia with line in the sand ultimatums. Or said he'd end wars on day one, or reopening Alcatraz as a prison. The list is endless. He bloviates and says whatever comes to mind. If we freak out about anything he says we'll exhaust ourselves. I think we need to keep a hawk eyed view on what his administration is actually doing. That list is very long but we just need to put the blather to the side.
I think he has so many stupid, impractical, and ridiculous ideas, that most of what he says can't or won't happen. But it's all useful for him to say because it is signaling his beliefs. So opening Alcatraz is a terrible idea that I can't see happening, but it signals he's "tough on crime".
In his first term, Miles Taylor said he wanted an actual 2000 mile long moat dug and filled with alligators and snakes. He made his advisors generate a budget estimate. So he was serious. It didn't happen, but it signals he's tough and cruel, which some supporters like. It's like painting the border wall black. It doesn't do anything and paint just peels off of metal. But it demonstrates cruelty.
So yeah just focus on the BS he actually does. Even better, focus on what actions we can take.
I wonder how his more reasonable staff reacts when he says ridiculous things. Do they think, "Oh God! Heres another bullshit idea we need to work on." Or maybe they just pay lip service and hope he forgets what he says and it goes away. I think we really need to focus on Stephen Miller. He seems to be running the show and would demand action on anything he says. Trump is easily manipulated and if Miller is in his ear we need to focus on what he says. Lets see what happens with our reaction to Nato shooting down Russian drones. Trump posted, "What's with Russia violating Poland's airspace with drones? Here we go!" What the hell does that mean?
That's his reaction to Putin seriously escalating hostilities in Europe?
We've got to watch what they do and not focus on Trump's inaneness.
I’ve read that he seems to think talking tough without action actually helps him, because “nobody knows what I’m going to do!” He’s not very self-aware…
Great statewide Moms call last night w Mikie - she is kicking a$$! I feel so good about where NJ is vis a vis the November elections. Love hearing from Sen. Gallego, thank you!
I agree re the council idea, I think the messaging is critical ! Made my calls to Kim & Booker yesterday, will do so again today, and Chris Smith (Traitor-NJ04) will get his weekly email.
i hope you are right, lisa. more than you know. i can't get a vibe on things here. the mayor of garfield switching is somehow a national story on newsweek, which has become a right wing rag now. perhaps i am just shell shocked from last year.
I've got 150 postcards to mail tomorrow. These are to VA, NJ, and AK. I might try to find something else to do before I get carpal tunnel. I keep asking David Jolly's group about voter registration. In my opinion they need to do this now and they seem slow. Maybe someone else is doing voter registration in Florida. I'll look around.
That meeting between Putin, Xi, Modi, and Kim, it was alarming to hear them talking about living nearly forever. They were caught on a microphone saying maybe they'd live to be 150. They won't. But I worry about what these people might get up to, like Trump, if they think they will live that long. Some of the tech billionaires I think believe they might live forever. Just them, of course.
I did see Trump talking about maybe putting sanctions on Russia. I won't hold my breath about it. But we need to get tough with them.
Patrick, For the last Presidential election, I wrote 800+ postcards....and the messages were not short. Hand addressed each one, as I'm sure you do. Spread them out as much as you can. 10 here, 10 there, etc. Also get one of those squeezy balls and use it whenever you can. Stretch your hands a lot! Thanks for what you're doing for VA, my home state! :)
Be inspired by the Ukrainians' steadfast courage, and even by the mettle and toughness of our great candidates such as Mikie Sherril: "run towards the fight." We cannot give ground mentally. I know many Democrats are fearful and worn down. I understand. So far sent 150 or so postcards. Another 300 plus to go
Herbert, thank you for "Be inspired by the Ukrainians' steadfast courage, and even by the mettle and toughness of our great candidates such as Mikie Sherril: "run towards the fight."
I have 300 postcards written that are supposed to be mailed in Oct. I'm doing very small batches for CA Prop 50 as I wait for Activate America's Mikie Sherrill postcard campaign to open.
Don’t know where you get your news/social media but I see plenty of postings by Democratic leaders, including Buttigieg, Pritzker, Jeffries and America’s favorite governor Gavin C. Newsom. The future isn’t Obama and doubtful it’s Harris.
I read Hopium, Robert Hubbell, the Status Kuo, Heather Cox Richardson, and others. I follow all these leaders on BlueSky, Facebook, and Substack. I'm just scared.
It also doesn't help that I'm one of the people hit by the economic downturn - I was let go at the end of May and I've gone through plan A, B, C, D, and am fearful that professional, career level positions won't be available. My wife and I are expecting our second child and the thought of being unemployed, or working a job that barely covers the cost of daycare, means few things that capture my attention these days provide reassurance.
Derek, I missed your original post. I'd urge you to look at some of the local nonprofit childcare centers and childcares offered through park districts. Some have great quality. Others are really sketchy and aren't safe. They do exist. That level of affordability DOES exist. It's just not given the attention it should be. And your post addresses something I hope Simon asks the Senator..what the Senator is doing about making childcare affordable on a larger scale. Because the Senator came across as tonedeaf when he said he can go to get pancakes 1x a week when something like going for fast food 1x a month is something families struggle with financially and in terms of basic safety because the color of their skin.
Derek I am asking you to take this post down and come at this in a more constructive manner. Very little of this is true, and it also appears that you do not read the material here very closely. Thank you.
My apologies for letting my fears into the comments section. I will delete my original post
I'm so sorry that things are so hard right now.
I didn't see your original post, Derek, but I agree with Anne Bear that I'm sorry that things are hard right now, as it is for so many.
We have to come to grips with reality. At its heart MAGA is red on blue state warfare facilitated by the tech bros, Koch and a handful of other billionaires. I don’t know how or if America ever comes back from this. The White House is filled with child sex predators, thieves and liars—and red states are all for it. The Trump administration is historically gross.
I don't disagree with your points, but I don't think anyone here is denying reality. The question is what we're doing about it. Starting by contacting your Senators and Congress person, as Simon suggests, is a good start. And please report back!
I don’t think it’s going to be enough. I hope I’m wrong. The depravity we are witnessing demands more I believe. I have been contacting my red state Senators who are enabling our child sex predator President and I send money to those fighting the good fight. So far, Trumpstein and his filthy enablers still have an iron grip on America.
Fender please explain to us how this sentiment is helpful. It seems self-indulgent.
Let me be very clear - this kind of it's over and we are fucked sentiment is unwelcome here. It's not clear eyed. Its doomerism.
Only WE can break that iron grip. Giving up is not an option.
Fender, I understand the feeling of hopelessness. It is getting very tough right now. Because we have many Corp's, judges, lawyers & media complicit in Trumpism it often feels like they have control. MAGA/they want you to feel this way. Find where you can be uplifted, whatever, wherever that may be. Monitor how much news & info you take in. I've had to step back some. However, I am on the street protesting Tucson's MAGA complicit congressman. I write postcards. It is empowering. As KBH says below - It is up to US. Let us know how you are doing in the coming days. Do what you can. Sometimes the actual action of doing something helps.
I think it is anyone vs. anyone. It might be more urban vs. rural than anything else. Anything to keep us divided while they pick our pockets.
We "come back" from it by fighting every day. I think Trump is destined to fail and then we have to hope for a leader who can bring us together. I won't say "back together", but together or less apart than we are now.
We can do this and fatalism isn't going to help.
Its very simple
If you give in, they win
If you go all out, the outcome is in doubt
There is 250 years of tailwinds on our side. Nobody ever won anything by giving up.
And yes, some days are very difficult and it looks grim. So, its back to the top line.
Thanks for giving money to the fighters, Fender. I hope you are calling your electeds often, as well.
To the little birdie who tweeted into Chuck Schumer's ear:
Thank you.
Can someone fill me in? Is this about his comment on tariffs. Is there more Schumer news I'm missing.
To my mind, "ncessary but not sufficient"
I was referring to this:
https://www.axios.com/2025/09/10/schumer-senate-vote-epstein-files
I'd like to get that birdie's number.
I believe Donald J. Trump is on the Epstein list, and that’s why the Republicans are scrambling to cover it up.
Simon, thanks for the great interviews with Senators Ossoff and Gallego. Speaking of Hispanic voters, do you know if any further progress has been made getting Spanish language services to the Texas Dems?
Last night, Virginia elected a Democrat to replace Gerry Connolly in Congress. He said in his acceptance speech that he planned to be in Congress at 9:00 this morning to be sworn in. He's promised to sign the bill to release the Epstein files. While this was an expected blue win, the margins were pretty amazing.
Last night, Trump tried to go to a DC restaurant and got soundly booed on the street and in the restaurant. This follows him getting booed this weekend at the tennis match after the WH ordered networks not to show him getting booed. If he can't go anywhere w/o getting booed, that's another sign of his weakness.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about RFK taking away the COVID vaccine. I also contacted Gov. Moore about this subject. I'm writing postcards to Virginia voters today.
I saw with most of the votes counted it was 75-25. Connolly won it with something like 67%. So it is heavily blue, but still about a +8 over performance. That's impressive. Not a lot of elasticity when it is 2-1 blue, so to over perform by that much is a great sign.
This is fantastic!! Thanks for the news.
Congrats to new Congressman Walkinshaw!
I like the idea that Democrats could somehow coordinate to inform the public more about the current crises with international affairs and national security. They’re doing very well with this affordability theme and democracy.
Great job! Want to know under what circumstances Trump can call off elections. If someone gets
shot in Chicago, can he send in more troops (Yes) and declare emergency which can call off elections? I would say that polls on his "invasion" of blue cities is favored by only red state people who live where that will not happen. So polls should be city by city.
There is no legal way for Trump to call off the elections and I for one find the talk about this stuff to be corrosive, unhelpful and at this moment a waste of valuable time.
I agree. I think it's important to separate what Trump says and what he does. Look at how many times he's threatened Hamas or Russia with line in the sand ultimatums. Or said he'd end wars on day one, or reopening Alcatraz as a prison. The list is endless. He bloviates and says whatever comes to mind. If we freak out about anything he says we'll exhaust ourselves. I think we need to keep a hawk eyed view on what his administration is actually doing. That list is very long but we just need to put the blather to the side.
That is all correct, good points.
I think he has so many stupid, impractical, and ridiculous ideas, that most of what he says can't or won't happen. But it's all useful for him to say because it is signaling his beliefs. So opening Alcatraz is a terrible idea that I can't see happening, but it signals he's "tough on crime".
In his first term, Miles Taylor said he wanted an actual 2000 mile long moat dug and filled with alligators and snakes. He made his advisors generate a budget estimate. So he was serious. It didn't happen, but it signals he's tough and cruel, which some supporters like. It's like painting the border wall black. It doesn't do anything and paint just peels off of metal. But it demonstrates cruelty.
So yeah just focus on the BS he actually does. Even better, focus on what actions we can take.
I wonder how his more reasonable staff reacts when he says ridiculous things. Do they think, "Oh God! Heres another bullshit idea we need to work on." Or maybe they just pay lip service and hope he forgets what he says and it goes away. I think we really need to focus on Stephen Miller. He seems to be running the show and would demand action on anything he says. Trump is easily manipulated and if Miller is in his ear we need to focus on what he says. Lets see what happens with our reaction to Nato shooting down Russian drones. Trump posted, "What's with Russia violating Poland's airspace with drones? Here we go!" What the hell does that mean?
That's his reaction to Putin seriously escalating hostilities in Europe?
We've got to watch what they do and not focus on Trump's inaneness.
I’ve read that he seems to think talking tough without action actually helps him, because “nobody knows what I’m going to do!” He’s not very self-aware…
He can't call off elections. Elections are local.
No, he can't call off elections. He can, however, disrupt elections by sending National Guard and even ICE to polling places in cities.
The way we combat this is by exercising our power in all the ways we're seeking to do right now. We the People must show our power.
Love the shadow national security council idea, as I love the entire Shadow Cabinet idea!
The French Revolution had its Reign of Terror. We have a Rain of Tantrums at home and a Drain of Power abroad. (Tantrumps?)
Help me find ways to illustrate on social media the Stable Genius's impact.
Excellent to hear from Gallego.
Great statewide Moms call last night w Mikie - she is kicking a$$! I feel so good about where NJ is vis a vis the November elections. Love hearing from Sen. Gallego, thank you!
I agree re the council idea, I think the messaging is critical ! Made my calls to Kim & Booker yesterday, will do so again today, and Chris Smith (Traitor-NJ04) will get his weekly email.
Keep going!
Thanks for the NJ update. Great to hear it.
i hope you are right, lisa. more than you know. i can't get a vibe on things here. the mayor of garfield switching is somehow a national story on newsweek, which has become a right wing rag now. perhaps i am just shell shocked from last year.
The energy costs are also going up due to AI servers.., need to look into this.
Thanks to everyone for their work.
I've got 150 postcards to mail tomorrow. These are to VA, NJ, and AK. I might try to find something else to do before I get carpal tunnel. I keep asking David Jolly's group about voter registration. In my opinion they need to do this now and they seem slow. Maybe someone else is doing voter registration in Florida. I'll look around.
That meeting between Putin, Xi, Modi, and Kim, it was alarming to hear them talking about living nearly forever. They were caught on a microphone saying maybe they'd live to be 150. They won't. But I worry about what these people might get up to, like Trump, if they think they will live that long. Some of the tech billionaires I think believe they might live forever. Just them, of course.
I did see Trump talking about maybe putting sanctions on Russia. I won't hold my breath about it. But we need to get tough with them.
Patrick, For the last Presidential election, I wrote 800+ postcards....and the messages were not short. Hand addressed each one, as I'm sure you do. Spread them out as much as you can. 10 here, 10 there, etc. Also get one of those squeezy balls and use it whenever you can. Stretch your hands a lot! Thanks for what you're doing for VA, my home state! :)
Just donated to Jon Ossoff and we are going to send money to his campaign every month now. He's terrific. Calling today about firing Kennedy's a__!
Washington Monthly
Posted in Law and Justice
A Blinkered Supreme Court Blocks Relief from Racial Profiling
Opposed to the use of race in higher education, the conservative supermajority upholds it when it comes to deportation.
by Peter M. Shane
September 10, 2025
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/10/supreme-court-blocks-relief-from-racial-profiling/
Be inspired by the Ukrainians' steadfast courage, and even by the mettle and toughness of our great candidates such as Mikie Sherril: "run towards the fight." We cannot give ground mentally. I know many Democrats are fearful and worn down. I understand. So far sent 150 or so postcards. Another 300 plus to go
Herbert, thank you for "Be inspired by the Ukrainians' steadfast courage, and even by the mettle and toughness of our great candidates such as Mikie Sherril: "run towards the fight."
I have 300 postcards written that are supposed to be mailed in Oct. I'm doing very small batches for CA Prop 50 as I wait for Activate America's Mikie Sherrill postcard campaign to open.