182 Comments
User's avatar
Stephen Sepaniak's avatar

One of Simon's vulnerable seventeen, Mike Lawler (NY-17), criticized yesterday's obscene display, saying the only winner was Putin. Let's keep leaning on him, fellow New Yorkers!

Expand full comment
Beth Kephart's avatar

This is what I want to see far more of. Thank you!

Expand full comment
MaryCFM's avatar

Great. Lawler wants to run for NY governor and then President. my CD 1 LaLota is tight w him So I will call on that. Thanks.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

Absolutely stunning that JD Vance believes that "pointing out that Putin broke the ceasefire" is "disrespectful" and tantamount to "coming to the Oval Office ant trying to litigate this in front of the American media".

I wonder whether JD Vance very intentionally sought to provoke Zelenskyy in order to scupper the minerals deal?

Expand full comment
kitkatmia's avatar

no, i think the tech world wants and needs the earth minerals. especially fusk for starlink, tesla, spacex etc etc. think fusk put the idea into FOTUS head in the first place.

Expand full comment
Brad Jolliff's avatar

Rare earth minerals. These mineral deposits are rich in these elements: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, yttrium, and scandium. These are strategic resources with many uses in modern technology. Drumpf called them “raw earth materials” because of course he did. He hasn’t a clue.

Expand full comment
Patrick's avatar

Did he say that? God he is a moron. I read another post saying he got an aluminum deal with Putin. I'm not sure if that is true. I wonder if he thinks aluminum is a rare earth. He'd probably make a deal for a supply of beach sand.

Expand full comment
Brad Jolliff's avatar

Yes. Surely.

Expand full comment
SW's avatar

Seems they planned to bully him. Imo Zelenskyy kept returning to P breaking the ceasefire agreement[s] in order to make the T admin position clear. he was amazing, really provoked T - probably why they had JD there. [watch the entire thing]

Expand full comment
SW's avatar

amusing that toddler T hasn't learned the word rare earth yet. Hah hah!

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

Too busy pulling insults from ... his rear.

Expand full comment
Carol C's avatar

It appears that’s what Ukraine and most of Europe think—that it was an ambush.

Journalist Ilia Ponomorenko: Even if Zelenskyy had sat in silence for 40 minutes, Trump/Vance would have “found a reason to get offended”and started “a brawl anyway”.

Further, he said Zelenskyy was always going to be called a beggar, a war gambler pushing the world toward world war three, someone who doesn’t want peace, isn’t thankful enough.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

Ilia Ponomorenko is a very astute observer. He is one of the writers whose reporting on the Russo-Ukrainian war I followed closely.

Expand full comment
Lyn Gerry's avatar

agree

Expand full comment
Virginia Shultz-Charette's avatar

I do think that this was a deliberate ambush, but they did hope to get the minerals deal anyhow without security agreements. But Zelinskyy is made of sterner stuff. A real hero.

I was upset that the afternoon contingent at that time blamed him rather than Trump. I think they will have had a change of tune since the outrage by a large part of the U.S. public and Europe will have seen him stand his ground.

And Trump's hope to receive the Nobel Peace Prize- dashed!!!

Expand full comment
Larry McGinnity's avatar

No doubt about it. It was a shameful, pre-coordinated setup ambush by two bullies against one courageous man standing tall, while Trump and Vance stain the sacred Oval Office for our all-time history.

Expand full comment
Cathy's avatar

I think Vance was very intentional.

Expand full comment
Cindy H's avatar

I think, once again, Trump and Vance accused someone, in this case Zelensky, what they were, in fact, the ones doing. They insulted Zelensky, were disrespectful of the Oval Office and were trying to litigate their takedown of Ukraine in the front of the media. This was pre planned and as I expected MAGA loved it. Oh and isn’t Marco Rubio just pathetic?

Expand full comment
Virginia Shultz-Charette's avatar

Some of my friends and I were talking about this today. It looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. If I were him, I would publicly resign -then again it would probably put a target on his back.

Expand full comment
Patrick's avatar

I think they want to take Zelensky's poll numbers down. And for Trump's supporters, some of them at least, being in an argument with Trump is enough from them to figure out what is expected of them.

Expand full comment
Patrick's avatar

Rubio is either 1) too dumb to know he'd be humiliated taking this job, or 2) desperate enough to take it to maintain political relevance with the idea of eventually becoming president.

He will never be president. And most likely he fulfills both 1) and 2) : desperate and dumb.

Expand full comment
Cindy H's avatar

Personally, I think it’s a combination of the two. He does not look happy. Yet, he continues to lick Trump’s boots.

Expand full comment
Christine B in NC's avatar

As I mentioned in another comment, it's my hope that the EU buys the minerals from Ukraine and then sells it to the US with a markup so that they can use the money to help fund Ukraine's defense. If Canada and Mexico join in so much the better. This is a perfect example of how Trump is a crappy dealmaker and only a mobster bully who uses intimidation as his only bargaining chip. The EU has to protect Democracy since the US is no longer a trusted ally.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

Oooh, I like your idea!

Expand full comment
Lyn Gerry's avatar

I love that! Hope they're planning that.

Expand full comment
MaryCFM's avatar

Yes. Others have observed this. Was a cabinet meeting before…

Expand full comment
Pam Salem's avatar

Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy by Katherine Stewart

Reviewed by Jessica T. Mathews

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/money-lies-and-god-inside-movement-destroy-american-democracy

March/April 2025 Published on February 25, 2025

A combination of economic pain and cultural grievance over several decades has given rise, in Stewart’s analysis, to a loosely organized, but concerted and generously funded, political movement, albeit one peopled by an uneasy mix of bedfellows, that propelled Donald Trump back to the White House. It “fundamentally does not believe in the American idea,” but believes that the country should be dedicated to “a particular religion and culture” under which “certain kinds of Americans” (white, male, Christian, and conservative) have “a right to rule” and the rest “a duty to obey.” Its social media features “rank misogyny” and its pastoral leaders call for female subordination to male “headship.” The movement continuously provokes and exploits the country’s racial and ethnic divisions. Yet, Stewart writes, its “darkest aspect” is the rejection of the primacy of reason. It does not have a policy program per se (though elements overlap with, for example, the plans detailed in the right-wing Project 2025 initiative). Rather, it is “best understood in terms of what it wishes to destroy.” Stewart explores in depth the movement’s members, funders, and ideologues. Among the dozens of books that have attempted to identify the forces that Trump rode to power, this is one of the most closely reported and cogent.

https://www.amazon.com/Money-Lies-God-Movement-Democracy/dp/163557854X

Expand full comment
Bryn Thenell's avatar

No matter how bad it gets I’m going to keep doing the work. Let them bring it. We are many and we are mighty. Even if we have to endure the whole four years of this we will survive. We might be standing on ruins but sooner or later this will end because we are not going to let anyone wreck our Democracy. There will be midterms and there will be a reckoning. Let’s keep the pressure on.

Expand full comment
Mary Blackburn's avatar

We need to be alert that we have a midterm election. The Muskrat team and the baby PINO will do everything to prevent an election.

Expand full comment
Irene's avatar

Agree!!!!!! Never give up:

“Do Something “ as Michelle O says.

74 million voters voted for Kamala in 2024 and 81 million+ voted for Joe Biden in 2020, I’m with them!!

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Expand full comment
MaryCFM's avatar

Many and mighty! Like that. And we get loud to show that!

Expand full comment
David Salzillo's avatar

Hello everyone,

Check out my brother's latest fantastic post on the need to protect public broadcasting: https://michaelsalzillo17.substack.com/p/making-sense-of-magas-attacks-on. Given the NYT's latest editorial on Trump and free speech, I think we and our elected leaders need to keep an eye on this.

In the name of democracy,

David.

Expand full comment
David Salzillo's avatar

Also, given Trump's attempted shakedown of Zelenskyy, I also wanted to submit these facts and thoughts on Ukraine to a candid world: https://davidsalzillo.substack.com/p/what-if-the-nazis-had-nukes

Expand full comment
Larry Margo's avatar

What about a letter from the people of the United States to the people of Ukraine acknowledging their bravery, right to be free and right to live in peace and let them know that, outside of our present leadership, that the American people are behind them

Expand full comment
Russell Owens's avatar

Hi Larry, A great idea, essentially a letter of solidarity - and hopefully millions of signatories too. If there were an international award for statesmanship and heroism then Zelenskiy would be a terrific candidate. Parallels with Churchill are fair. Unfortunately there is no FDR in the White House now - just an immoral, sociopathic conman, thief, sexual predator, pathological liar and painfully stupid idiot.

Expand full comment
Madam Geoffrin's avatar

Who are you describing? Trump or Vance? Both?

Expand full comment
Deborah Potter's avatar

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Володимир Зеленський, is on social media. We can send messages there too, for those who have accounts. The message that I sent via FB is below.

https://www.facebook.com/zelenskyy.official/

https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1895555315716014324

https://www.instagram.com/zelenskyy_official/?hl=en

Thank you, President Zelenskyy, for your courage fighting against Russia’s illegal and immoral war on the citizens of Ukraine. I, like most Americans, offer apologies for the very bad treatment you received by trump and vance in the Oval Office. We admire your truthful and patriotic response, and your strength in the war against Putin's Russia. Glory to Ukraine! Slava Ukraini !!

Expand full comment
Cat Warren's avatar

One of the straightforward ways to support Ukraine and Zelinskyy is to send a small donation: the government supported website is: https://u24.gov.ua/

Another trusted site is: https://www.razomforukraine.org/

Expand full comment
Leon Rubis's avatar

Thanks. I had no idea these existed.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

With regards to Musk’s modus operandi – “Move fast and break things” – it’s amusing to recall what happened when Musk tried to purchase OpenAI for $97.4 billion a couple of weeks ago. Sam Altman and the Board of OpenAI responded with a counter-offer to purchase Musk’s X based on what they deemed to be his Xitter’s present-day evaluation: roughly $9.7 billion.

Expand full comment
Vicki Shapiro's avatar

Forgive me if this topic has already been discussed in this forum recently. Are we not ready for our own Spring Awakening with marches planned in every corner of the globe? Is Indivisible, Swing Blue, or some other reputable group planning something like this (I'm mindful of Simon's warning to be cognizant of the groups we affiliate with)? I am ready to let my rage be known. I know there are various days of economic protests planned (like yesterday), but nothing speaks louder than thousands of constituents in the streets. Remember the crowds across the globe for the Women's March? It might not feel like it stopped much of Trump 1.0, but at least we showed our lawmakers that we would not stand by silently. And it readied and organized the base to fight in the midterms.

Expand full comment
Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

I posted about the events this week here at 12.11 pm. Hope this helps

Expand full comment
Victor Thuronyi's avatar

How about encouraging as many congressional Democrats as possible to boycott the State of the Union? This would signal that the situation is not normal, that Trump is doing illegal and unconsitutional things. I notice on BlueSky that several Senators and members of Congress have said they are not attending. If Democratic seats are empty, this will be powerful communication. Democrats should hold a press conference outside the Capitol during the address, explaining why they are not attending. There is also a submessage, namely to highlight that Republicans have a majority in both chambers and are in charge. In practice, there is little that Democrats can do. (altho there are some things, like holding back votes for government funding unless Republicans concede some things). If folks agree on this, we have a few days to call Senators and members.

Expand full comment
Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

I think they should all show up, but then walk out in disgust.

Expand full comment
kitkatmia's avatar

what a fantastic idea. with press conf on the steps as fat hitler speaks. the dems should definitely do this. now is the time. great photo opp too. and then they can all text it, FB, X it etc.

Expand full comment
Deborah Potter's avatar

Technically, it will not be a State of the Union address, but just an address to a joint session of Congress describing his (ugly) vision for the maga administration. Freshman Senator Elissa Slotkin (Michigan) will provide the Democratic response. The first official State of the Union address will be in 2026, after one year in office.

Expand full comment
Julie Kaufman's avatar

Perhaps some coaching calls or emails to her might be in order. I have only gotten the following automated responses from her office regarding the various concerns I have contacted her about (Laken-Riley, Opposing Cabinet Noms, DOGE Illegality etc)

"Thank you for reaching out to my office. We have received your message, and will get back to you in a timely manner. It’s my job to serve all of Michigan, and sharing your thoughts makes me a more effective U.S. Senator. Thank you for caring about your community and our country."

Still waiting

Let's help give voice and shape to a fierce Democratic Oppositional response....

Expand full comment
Amiel's avatar

Agree, and if I were an editor at any of the major legacy media outlets, I would follow Jay Rosen's astute advice from Trump 1 about White House press conferences: send the interns. If press conferences are going to be a circus of lies, don't waste seasoned reporters' valuable time there; send them into agencies. Let interns cover the White House.

Expand full comment
Deidra's avatar

How about they all attend and do a little call and response:

Orange Menace: “There’s no inflation!”

Dems: “YOU LIE!”

OM: “Zelenskyy is a dictator!”

Dems: “YOU LIE!”

Repeat…

Expand full comment
TCash's avatar

I haven’t been back to Hopium since the election. I was very frustrated and depressed when Trump won. And I thought “that’s it, I am done, I am exhausted.” But with Doge, and seeing colleagues and friends laid off, I started feeling motivated again. Yesterday though was the tipping point in the ghastly meeting in the Oval Office. So I am now a volunteer with Abigail Spanberger’s campaign. I know there will be dark days ahead but in the words of MLK “Out of mountain of despair, a stone of hope” . . . . though some days I am also partial to a Rage Against the Machine quote “Your anger is a gift!”

Expand full comment
Simon Rosenberg's avatar

Welcome back!

Expand full comment
Kate's avatar

We all need to pace ourselves. This is going to be a long haul, and we have to stick with it. I applaud you for taking the time off that you needed, and now re-engaging!

A quote attributed to Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win the world is that enough good people should do nothing”.

Expand full comment
Freda's avatar

I too took some depressed time off but am now back. Rejoining this community will buoy you as you will us!

Expand full comment
Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

ArcticStones referred us to Dana Milbank's opinion piece in the WaPo on February 28. Dana interviewed Ilya Somin, the B. Kenneth Simon chair in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute and a professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Perhaps it is worth reading what Professor Somin said to Dana and using it in your talking points when you call red state Senators and Reps. "In sum, Trump’s approach is “irreconcilable” with the principles of free markets and personal liberties." There is so much to absorb both from what Simon wrote about today and what we can read in Dana Milbank's column. But we have the weekend to prepare our scripts when we begin our calls and contact form emails again on Monday.

Expand full comment
MaryCFM's avatar

Right. He sees the U.S. as a business and he’s selling things off in exchange for personal favors. We are actually a country, with a constitution, rule of law, elected officials. His view is actually irreconcilable.

Expand full comment
Tim Wegener's avatar

On these days that are hard, and there are going to be hard days, I will repeat this and hope that it gives you power.

The only way through all of this is forward. Get involved, organize your friends, hold elected officials accountable. Don’t tell me all is lost. Only the end of the world is the end of the world. Until then, the future is ours to make what we want. How hard are you willing to work?

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

"What is the point of booting out illegals and criminals while somehow becoming a safe haven for the Tate brothers?"

– Dave Portnoy, Barstool Sports

(Brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate are awaiting trial on human trafficking charges in Romania. The Financial Times has reported that Trump officials pressured Romanian authorities to lift the travel ban.)

Expand full comment
Larry Margo's avatar

Yes, Russell, that's what I had in mind...We could put it on line and have people click on it

Thanks

Expand full comment
Ralene's avatar

I called Boebert and insisted she do her job of protecting us instead of her performance art to get on TV. I called Bennet and Hickenlooper and told them to stage a die-in in front of the Social Security Administration if necessary to protect it from DOGE.

My admiration for Simon and the others who get up every day and do the good fight is immense. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do.

Expand full comment
Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

Apparently our tax dollars payed for these cyber trucks. I've been told they are all over DC and are routinely trashed. Some have been painted with swasitkas. A friend of my son's who still works in the Senate (for a Dem) refers to them as rolling trash bins.

Expand full comment