Yes, SIGH. Add the huge SIGH. And about 20 other posts including Joyce Vance, Robert Reich, Andy Borowitz, The Contrarian, Ann Telnaes, Liza Donnelly, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and, if I'm lucky, Dave Barry. Grateful for them all.
Trump's executing a rolling coup. A rapid deployment Nat'l Guard unit will be used against blue & purple state & cities and during fed elections. We're beyond dangerous times.
I agree that there has to be some pushback from the National Guard leadership. This may come to light when we have a few national disasters and the funding AND the units are depleted enough to impact the response.
Since neither Trump or Noam thought it was a good idea to send the National Guard into Texas when the Guadalupe river rose 30 feet and drowned over a hundred people, I'm not sure what they consider a "national disaster".
Personally, my national disaster is the administration.
I wouldn't bet the house concerning pushback from the Guard leadership. That could bring the wrath of Kahn. I could see mumbling among Guardsmen though after serving their deployments.( standing around doing nothing but perhaps picking up some trash) You know Trumpster: beautify Blue cities while fighting crime!
Public pushback for sure....private pushback in the form of something like..."We're going to get some really bad headlines when we can't do our normal jobs because of all of these special commitments."
This message being communicated (and massaged) up the chain of command shouldn't garner too much angst if it's perceived as trying to help the administration avoid some bad PR.
I suppose it depends upon how much pro-Prez Bonespurs filtering is done to create this rapid response Guard unit. Then, like you say, there's the unfiltered Guard, especially in non-red ststes.
Sadly, I expect there to be a Kent State. In fact, WTMJ was playing the CSN song Ohio as bumper music. With untrained National Guard for this type of long term activation and carrying weapons.
If there are any defectors from Trumpism in the Guard leadership (you know, leaders that respect their oaths and the constitution), then they might as well lay low until next November, lest they be removed and replaced by a trout before the critical juncture.
To be fair, nationalizing a private company to serve the interests of the president is not the same as redistributionist policies intended to uplift the poor.
I begin my day with the day’s Mass Bible reading to fortify myself against the day’s coming indignities. Thus braced, I follow your routine. During the day, I periodically shake my head in disbelief, also. Long live the Bulwark Community!
Unfortunately, the military isn’t immune to stupidity. You would think active and retired military would have a better understanding of our constitution than the average person given their oath to defend. Fortunately, the military also has people like yourself - thank you.
I reread the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire during Trump I. Just to try and understand how people made it through the day was their once proud civilization descended into anarchy and chaos. Now looking for a suitable classic for Trump: The Return of the Stupid.
I'm afraid we all have to do more than that. Even if you only give some money to support organizations such as the ACLU or refugee assistance, DO SOMETHING to combat what we are seeing every day. Even $5 a month in three places matters
If you don't want to just do $$, find candidates who are strongly in opposition to this madness, and who are working in their states or communities. Anne Anderson is running against Lindsey Graham in SC. She is a great candidate. JoAnna Mendoza in AZ-6 os running with other Hellcat Democratic women to help flip the House.
Join Sister District, and help make sure the election THIS November in VA goes Blue!
Right you are: sighs, gasps, Bible reading.... seriously? That's it when you are witnessing your country descending into fascism? Now wonder it was so easy.
I read HCR first as well. HCR is a great summary of the previous day. I was even able to get some of my Trump supporting family to read it daily because she does a pretty good job keeping her "leftist" comments out of it and making it matter of fact - especially with her supporting sources.
This morning I ordered up a deep dive on Lisa Cook from Chat GPT. She is an expert in economics and history: e.g. banking in Russia. Also, among other interesting facts, I found this, as summarized by the program:
"Lisa D. Cook’s scholarship is deeply and specifically connected to the lynching database efforts: She helped critique, refine, and extend data quality in academic discussions on lynching. She applied those refined datasets to quantify the economic impact of racial terror, especially on Black innovation. And she explored the structural relationship between segregation and lynching, enriching how we understand the spatial — and societal — drivers of racial violence."
Her sin might be bringing to light aspects of American history not deemed "bright" by the White House
Thank you for the detailed information, but I think you give "the White House" too much credit for research and connecting dots. She is a woman of color who talks back to and opposes the Felon. What else does he need?
As on "The Apprentice," Trump is not making the decisions. My bet is that there is an anti-woke desk at the Heritage Foundation--Kevin Roberts himself?
I think all he needs to do the deep, evil thinking is Stephen Miller and Russell Vought whispering in his ear. Trump then does the thing he likes the most- hurting people.
Yes I doubt anyone has in the WH has read that much. They just know that she’s black and therefore the one that these schoolyard bullies and mafiosi prefer to make an example of. They are really very base.
Great description. I hate chat gp. It has never worked for me. Occasionally it will get me a person which is not what is trying to be accomplished. The goal frustrate the people so that they just because complacent with everything.
One time, several Chat iterations ago, I asked whatever became of Hannibal's elephants--do we know where their bones are located? Chat told me it was a bit of a silly question. Other than that, it does not have eyes to roll, so... .
These days I start general, then go specific. The point is to not let on a point of view in advance. E.g. 1) Punic Wars; 2) other Rome/Carthage stuff; 3) the elephants,
Your grasp of history is waaay beyond mine! But thanks for the tip. My own queries are mostly along the lines of “Are cougars attracted to fish fertilizer?” after my robust garden fence was brought down after an application of pungent, revolting fish fertilizer. ChatGPT has retained that detail about my life, as revealed in future queries - which has added to my caution in what I ask. It’s mildly worried about my safety, and I don’t find that comforting.
“So the National Guard is being slowly—or not so slowly—turned into the president’s own rapid domestic deployment force, to be used at his unchecked discretion. Its deployment, regardless of the wishes of local authorities or any real showing of emergency, was once presented as exceptional in the cases of Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Now, it is to become the rule.”
Has it dawned on anyone that we are spending a million a day to utilize the National Guard in DC; that’s four times the amount it would cost to house DC’s entire homeless population. Let that sink in!
Additionally, the cost of sending the military and utilizing the National Guard in Los Angeles in June cost over $135 million.
Bottom line: Mr. Law and Order is spending us into oblivion, and accomplishing absolutely nothing in the process, except to invoke fear and normalize a military presence throughout the US when he decides to call a manufactured National Emergency!
And mark my words, by starving FEMA and cutting funds for child after school programs and other beneficial programs to reduce crime, he’s creating problems of his own making, and then will claim he needs to deploy troops to stave off the riots and crime.
It’s a self fulfilling prophecy; igniting the flames for more control over our lives. And sadly, these republicans who always rail about states rights are all on board. It just reminds us how depraved and diabolical these MAGA republicans are; they have no shame or honor; whatsoever! IMHO..:)
I believe it's safe to say that Trump loves the show of force and the anguish and anger it provokes. He could care less about the homeless; that's their problem. I sure am glad we were stupid enough to elect this Republican President for a second time.
Agreed, exactly my point. If he wanted to solve problems he could do it the right way. Instead, he kills programs meant to help reduce crime, and instead dispenses biblical justice just to prove a point; that he can!
Thank you. And you’re right, they probably will not at the federal level, but the governor’s and mayor’s are starting to use statistics well and finding an ability to reach the people that matter: voters!
It used to be a popular saying, even among Republicans, that ‘states are incubators of democracy’. Now the MAGAs view is ‘states are incubators for federal fascism dominance’
I liked this comment, but then I realized Chris Murphy, among others, is out there saying this almost daily. I think a better question is, who is amplifying what Democrats say so people can hear it?
What Trump heard: Sir, you're the greatest POTUS of my lifetime.
What Wes Moore actually said: Sir, you're the greatest POS of my lifetime.
The Abrego Garcia saga is both absurd and outrageously cruel. They will not leave this man alone, all because of an initial fuck up on their part that started this whole thing. People who screw up and are not sociopaths move on; people who are doing what these people are doing are definitely sadistic sociopaths. And people who vote for sadistic sociopaths have issues of their own.
And just out of nowhere, making an issue out of flag burning, something no one has really thought about in 30 years because it was litigated and it's so obviously an exercise of Free Speech. See, the MAGAts have forgotten about Trumpflation already!
Not to mention the Epstein Files. At least that will be a short news flash next week when the House has to take it up because Milquetoast Mike can't send everyone home again.
Yes, unless her family succeeds in delaying it so it can include the domestic abuse she suffered, but hid. Either way, they accomplishing highlighting that situation.
In authoritarian regimes, Dear Leader is never wrong, and neither are his shameless minions.
According to Dear Leader he is the most popular he’s ever been. Inflation is low. Food prices are the lowest in decades. And in just one day, his DC National Guard brought the crime rate in DC to Zero…Zilch….Nada!
Yes, who is his analyst and what has the Felon been taking? Or is this the evidence we have needed for verification of the expected mental decline that follows a diet coke and double cheese-burger regularly with no exercise?
I can't believe you used the description "sadistic sociopath:" I was thinking after reading MS that one word I haven't heard applied to T is "sadistic" but he very much is. The next thought was, "He is a sadistic sociopath" (in additional to megalomaniac, world's most prolific liar, etc.).
MIller will rot in hell , because the flames of hell cant consume his cold heart. I saw Newsom's troll for Millers birthday . Look it up , and it should cheer you a little .
Have MAGA Americans suffered a complete collapse of their BS alarms? How do statements like that, or the hat - “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING” - not cause them mortal cringe?
Republicans scream about Newsome and how can he speak about the President like that in one breath, and demean Biden still to this day, but not one word about the foul mouthed would be king in the WH.
The media, specifically the reporters in the Oval Office, are failing this nation in spectacular ways. They just all stand there with no pushback of any kind while he lies with reckless abandon. Not a single question about his hand bruise after he forgot his spackle yesterday?
They are the worst. They love the attention. Though he's replaced a number of "reputable" outlets with members of the propaganda establishment, there are still enough to push back if they wanted to. The NYT, Wapo—they are Pravda.
Aren't the members of the press corps silenced by the POS not calling/acknowledging them in favor of Fox, Newsmax and so-called news media (that aren't) that are his best buds?
I feel like sure he only calls on the ones who are sycophants, but are they incapable of raising their voices and shouting their questions anyway? I sure remember a lot of shouted questions when Biden was president.
The deep dive press corps have been purged. Is Kaitlin Collin’s still allowed in? My only exposure is the humorist Lisandra who does a cutting satire of Karoline Leavitt. (I’ve noticed some possible clap back at how other “lefty” journalists pronounce her name as “Carolyn”. Is it a response to the relentless “Kamála”?)
The media let Trump destroy truth way back during his first term and especially on and after 01/06/2021. Now Trump dances on truth’s grave, and the media has joined him.
I like it! Dickie. That’s the informal. As to J . . . I think we should look for a medical term that fits, like “Jaundiced”. Maybe there’s worse to be found, something that implies pus. Too bad “suppurating” doesn’t start with J.
I recently noticed that Trump has not been wearing a MAGA hat. Instead he has one that says Trump is (or was) always right about everything. That takes his narcissism to another level and removes the lie that he cares about the country. He only cares about himself, his wealth and his power.
His extreme selfishness was obvious to me from the beginning. It's been baffling to watch so many people - some of them highly educated and not stupid - insist that he is motivated by a deep and pure patriotism and morality, and that he cares more about average Americans than all his critics do.
After the 2016 election (either before or just after he took office) Trump hosted a dinner for members of the press. An article about the dinner included a description of the menu and a comment that indirectly summed up who Trump is. All those in attendance were given ONE scoop of vanilla ice cream. Trump, the host, got TWO scoops! I don't think that there is any culture in the world in which it is considered proper for a host to get more dessert (or anything else) thanks/her guests.
Absolutely chilling. Thank you for continuing to faithfully report on the downfall of our democracy.
I'll say I'm especially concerned that the executive order also "directs Stephen Miller to create an online portal for 'Americans with law enforcement or other relevant backgrounds and experience' to apply to join federal agents in enforcing Mr. Trump’s 'crime emergency' order in the District of Columbia." (Quoted from the New York Times.)
Can we talk about this? Am I reading correctly that anyone with apparently any type (or apparently no type) of law enforcement experience is also being recruited for this effort? Is this what The Proud Boys have been "standing by" for? I'm honestly terrified.
Agreed. I translated that to "Anybody with a grudge come one in! He're your mask and weapon. Have fun!"
It sounds like “Now, if you had one really violent day … one rough hour, and I mean real rough. The word will get out and it will end immediately.” Trump - September 29, 2024
Homeless people in the DC area? Trump’s answer: Lay off more government employees!!! That will fix it. Then we can give even more money to those billionaires living in guarded compounds.
What exactly are they doing with those homeless people? Put in shelters? Given apartments? Put in concentration camps? Or just pushed out of the immediate area so that they can be homeless somewhere else?
They're not "HIS" people. They did not vote for him and he knows that because you can't vote if you don't have an address. The perfect victims.
Martin Niemöller, modified: First they came for the homeless, and I did not say anything because I was not homeless. Then they came for the jobless, and I did not say anything because (at the time) I was not jobless....
Good question. This came up in comments at a WSJ article. The MAGAs were crowing “The left loves crime and homelessness.” I kept asking “What’s he doing with the homeless?” No one answered.
Right now, Donald Trump knows he can do anything and everything he wants. And why wouldn't he? He has a silent Congress that will back everything he wants. He has a backstop guard rail SCOTUS that will find any reason possible to support him. They gave him immunity for everything he did as President. They gutted Amendment 14, Article 3 so he could run again. This isn't going to change. Think it is illegal to fire a Federal Reserve Board member? SCOTUS will get around that. Judge Paula Innes has ruled Garcia absolutely can't be deported to Uganda. SCOTUS will say Trump can do that when it is appealed. Think National Guard in cities is illegal. SCOTUS will say it is legal. As JVL says: "Good luck America".
"A solemn mockery of the US Constitution". Judge Boasberg says it well. As does Governor Pritzker in his delivery yesterday. The DC Dictator plans of subjugation will spread across the nation as he enacts the concerns expressed by George Washington warning about factionalism in his Farewell Address.
“It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”
“However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely . . . to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins of public liberty.”
That is where we are today. George told us. In 1796.
"George Told Us"? I agree. Washington's Farewell Address contains too many words to fit on a hat. But the concept may not travel well unless people know and understand the thrust of Washinton's argument. Out of context it is just another meaningless hat slogan. "Just who is George? Is he an influencer?" The public has neither the patience nor the comprehension to engage in anything beyond TikTok scrolling during which they can't even complete a whole TikTok video before losing interest and scrolling to the next maximally engaging experience. Which lasts 30 seconds. I guess that is where we are today.
Andrew, Bill and Jim, Thanks for the recap on yesterday's declarations from the mount. The Dictatorship began when the last of the axis of evil among Hegseth, Bondi and Patel was confirmed. Now we can't blame Trump because that would be like blaming a child for ravishing a fresh made cookie from the cookie jar. The Senate Republicans were the true architects of this government coup and should be reminded of this fact every day of their lives. While we're at it, we should tell the American people who the real traitors are. I think those Republicans actually know this because you haven't heard a word from them. To them, silence is golden.
I disagree. They are partially responsible, but the main villains are the 5 (oops, make that 6) toadies on SCOTUS. They ignored the 14th amendment; interfered in states' rights on who could and could not be on the ballot, and gave him virtually unfettered powers. They are also rubber stamping his dismantling of the fed govt and abrogation of due process. They give him everything he wants and support every executive order, both through the regular process and the shadow docket, where these days, they rule for him and don't even bother to share their legal reasoning—most likely because there isn't any.
But when Joe Biden tried to cancel student debt, it was overreach.
I hope at least a few GOP toadies are keeping a journal for future publication so we can perform a post-mortem on their souls. I am truly curious. Unfortunately my own mortality is in a race against theirs. I need to follow the Mediterranean diet. Or has that been renamed the “RFKJr Super American Diet”?
Since my brain is somewhat normal, I have a hard time understanding our Republican Senator's thinking. It's like they just gave up their power and are fading into the background. Is there any chance that they see the writing on the wall and are scared shitless to cause problems - basically fearing they may be defenestrated should Trump become the world's new despot?
I’m guessing that’s likely. Other than a few loud mouths, the MAGA/GOP are being fairly quietly supine. You’d expect some crowing from true believers, and it’s only a few doing that, or so it seems to me. I admit that I try to ignore them as a group, so my observations lack scientific rigor!
But it's perfectly fine to sign a flag with a Sharpie, or fashion it into a hat or a coat. With no logic or explanation, just whatever the Dear Leader says. SCOTUS will go along with it, because as Justice Luttig said, we can't count on them to rule for our Democracy.
Oh mannnn, I'm going to go on a rant I've been holding in for years:
Those black and white flags with one blue stripe or one red stripe are an abomination. You want to secede? The Red, White, and Blue isn't good enough for you? Move. To. Russia.
Adam Levitin had a good take on the whole "mortgage fraud" thing - Bill Pulte is clearly abusing his power on behalf of Trump. How convenient that a whole bunch of Donald Trump's enemies are all of a sudden having their loan/mortgage documents examined at the same time! It's likely that Pulte is just looking at anyone who is a Democrat and going through their loan applications, even if they were from years ago and there's no pertinent reason to look at them now aside from digging for potential dirt (article is here: https://www.creditslips.org/creditslips/2025/08/bill-pultes-enemys-list.html)
In Paxton’s divorce which is wending its way through the Texas courts. His soon to be ex wife testified that that was what her husband did a few years ago.
This crew stopped being a legitimate presidential administration sometime in January, soon after inauguration. I will only refer to it as The Regime, which it is. We do not have a legitimate president at this time. I further find it blood-curdling that the Secret Service (SS) is now stopping peaceful protest by way of enforcing local law. The SS stopped Ben Wittes from a chalking a Ukrainian flag on the sidewalk in protest of the Alaska thing in front of the Russian embassy weekend before last.
I can't remember the gentleman's name, but he's the scholar who always wears a bow tie when he's a guest on talk shows. Pretty sure he was a law professor at an ivy league school. Anyway, he did a recent video (while hiking/walking) where he mentioned that Trump has dismantled 250 years of our nation's attempt to build a "more perfect union" in about 6 months.
His words struck me about how frail life is and how quickly things can change despite how many years it took to build them. It also struck me of how many of my acquaintances have no clue of this concept, it's impact nor do they want to learn about it.
That sounds like John Flannery. He has a channel where he does daily "walk and talks" and starts each one with relating Thomas Jefferson's take on the weather. He's a great American. There are some regulars to his chan who sometimes call themselves "The Dirt Road Gang"...kind of like The Greek Chorus. About the substance of your comment; yeah, it's truly surreal.
Morning routine:
1. Coffee.
2. Read Morning Shots.
3. Swear audibly, under breath.
4. Resume trying to live life amidst the fall of the republic.
The perfect comment. Exactly how I start my day, too.
Sigh. Grateful for my Bulwark community.
Yes, SIGH. Add the huge SIGH. And about 20 other posts including Joyce Vance, Robert Reich, Andy Borowitz, The Contrarian, Ann Telnaes, Liza Donnelly, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and, if I'm lucky, Dave Barry. Grateful for them all.
All your collective sighs amount to your country having become fascist. You can sigh about that one too.
Trump's executing a rolling coup. A rapid deployment Nat'l Guard unit will be used against blue & purple state & cities and during fed elections. We're beyond dangerous times.
I think there is a limit to how much of this the Guard will put up with. Not so the newly- minted ICE goons.
I agree that there has to be some pushback from the National Guard leadership. This may come to light when we have a few national disasters and the funding AND the units are depleted enough to impact the response.
Since neither Trump or Noam thought it was a good idea to send the National Guard into Texas when the Guadalupe river rose 30 feet and drowned over a hundred people, I'm not sure what they consider a "national disaster".
Personally, my national disaster is the administration.
Naw. Any obvious fallout will be Obama’s fault.
I wouldn't bet the house concerning pushback from the Guard leadership. That could bring the wrath of Kahn. I could see mumbling among Guardsmen though after serving their deployments.( standing around doing nothing but perhaps picking up some trash) You know Trumpster: beautify Blue cities while fighting crime!
Public pushback for sure....private pushback in the form of something like..."We're going to get some really bad headlines when we can't do our normal jobs because of all of these special commitments."
This message being communicated (and massaged) up the chain of command shouldn't garner too much angst if it's perceived as trying to help the administration avoid some bad PR.
I suppose it depends upon how much pro-Prez Bonespurs filtering is done to create this rapid response Guard unit. Then, like you say, there's the unfiltered Guard, especially in non-red ststes.
But, ICE, like you say, is totally in the bag.
Like DOJ. And FBI is getting there.
a recent anecdotal data-point, National Guard reenlistments have dropped by well below the normal rate for the last few months..
Sadly, I expect there to be a Kent State. In fact, WTMJ was playing the CSN song Ohio as bumper music. With untrained National Guard for this type of long term activation and carrying weapons.
What if one day soon there appeared banners across the gates of every national guard armory in the country? "Remember Your Oath."
If there are any defectors from Trumpism in the Guard leadership (you know, leaders that respect their oaths and the constitution), then they might as well lay low until next November, lest they be removed and replaced by a trout before the critical juncture.
Add: Gasp at most recent move to nationalize a private company to the complete silence of the GOP.
Control of business is at the heart of fascism.
MAGA are plenty vocal about socialism.
Their lord and savior does it?
Wind-rustled leaves are louder...
To be fair, nationalizing a private company to serve the interests of the president is not the same as redistributionist policies intended to uplift the poor.
And the sound of crickets are deafening.
Gasps and sighs... There you have it, Americans prove they have no backbone.
Throw in a dog walk and refilling an embarrassingly high number of bird feeders, and I'm with you.
I usually throw in a little shouting into the abyss.
I begin my day with the day’s Mass Bible reading to fortify myself against the day’s coming indignities. Thus braced, I follow your routine. During the day, I periodically shake my head in disbelief, also. Long live the Bulwark Community!
5. (for me) Lament that so many of my fellow military retirees whom I served with are still cheering Trump and all of this BS on.
Just how stupid are they? Never mind, rhetorical question
"Let me count the ways".
Unfortunately, the military isn’t immune to stupidity. You would think active and retired military would have a better understanding of our constitution than the average person given their oath to defend. Fortunately, the military also has people like yourself - thank you.
I reread the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire during Trump I. Just to try and understand how people made it through the day was their once proud civilization descended into anarchy and chaos. Now looking for a suitable classic for Trump: The Return of the Stupid.
My morning routine differs only slightly.
1) Hearthstone and Diet Coke
2) Read all unread Bulwark posts.
3) Swear loudly. 4) Cry.
5) Wonder why I had to live through the fall of the republic. I don't even know if I'm actively trying to live with it.
I'm afraid we all have to do more than that. Even if you only give some money to support organizations such as the ACLU or refugee assistance, DO SOMETHING to combat what we are seeing every day. Even $5 a month in three places matters
If you don't want to just do $$, find candidates who are strongly in opposition to this madness, and who are working in their states or communities. Anne Anderson is running against Lindsey Graham in SC. She is a great candidate. JoAnna Mendoza in AZ-6 os running with other Hellcat Democratic women to help flip the House.
Join Sister District, and help make sure the election THIS November in VA goes Blue!
Right you are: sighs, gasps, Bible reading.... seriously? That's it when you are witnessing your country descending into fascism? Now wonder it was so easy.
My first act in the morning is involuntary: 1) entire digestive system clenches in distress. Then I follow yours.
I rise earlier than Morning Shots. HCR always 1st! Then Borowitz and finally, at last! MORNING SHOTS! Then onto #4.😡🇺🇸
I read HCR first as well. HCR is a great summary of the previous day. I was even able to get some of my Trump supporting family to read it daily because she does a pretty good job keeping her "leftist" comments out of it and making it matter of fact - especially with her supporting sources.
I like that she brings receipts--links to her sources.
So true! I add step 0.5: Shake off last night's nightmares about the collapse of civilization.
As do I!
yup...hard to crawl out of bed....but sometimes something comes along that just makes my day.
https://youtu.be/GChC0fDW4bs?feature=shared
Troll them mercilessly!!! I'll be using the term "Epsteiner", somewhat "liberally".
Yep, me too.
This morning I ordered up a deep dive on Lisa Cook from Chat GPT. She is an expert in economics and history: e.g. banking in Russia. Also, among other interesting facts, I found this, as summarized by the program:
"Lisa D. Cook’s scholarship is deeply and specifically connected to the lynching database efforts: She helped critique, refine, and extend data quality in academic discussions on lynching. She applied those refined datasets to quantify the economic impact of racial terror, especially on Black innovation. And she explored the structural relationship between segregation and lynching, enriching how we understand the spatial — and societal — drivers of racial violence."
Her sin might be bringing to light aspects of American history not deemed "bright" by the White House
Thank you for the detailed information, but I think you give "the White House" too much credit for research and connecting dots. She is a woman of color who talks back to and opposes the Felon. What else does he need?
As on "The Apprentice," Trump is not making the decisions. My bet is that there is an anti-woke desk at the Heritage Foundation--Kevin Roberts himself?
I think all he needs to do the deep, evil thinking is Stephen Miller and Russell Vought whispering in his ear. Trump then does the thing he likes the most- hurting people.
All you need is to oppose the 🍊clown.
Yes I doubt anyone has in the WH has read that much. They just know that she’s black and therefore the one that these schoolyard bullies and mafiosi prefer to make an example of. They are really very base.
This all CAN'T have anything to do with the fact that she's: Black while being a woman? Can it? I think I'm seeing a pattern.
It's a new offense : being an economist while black . Like driving while black ., but more uppity.
An interesting finding: the incidence of lynching in the South bore an inverse relation to the price of cotton. Who knew?
I recently gave my son a good laugh about how ChatGPT is so personal I seldom use it because I feel like I’m disturbing it with my frivolous queries.
Great description. I hate chat gp. It has never worked for me. Occasionally it will get me a person which is not what is trying to be accomplished. The goal frustrate the people so that they just because complacent with everything.
I don’t use it either.
One time, several Chat iterations ago, I asked whatever became of Hannibal's elephants--do we know where their bones are located? Chat told me it was a bit of a silly question. Other than that, it does not have eyes to roll, so... .
Haha! My son (the data scientist) has a scenario where AI eliminates anyone with imperfectly composed or frivolous queries.
These days I start general, then go specific. The point is to not let on a point of view in advance. E.g. 1) Punic Wars; 2) other Rome/Carthage stuff; 3) the elephants,
Your grasp of history is waaay beyond mine! But thanks for the tip. My own queries are mostly along the lines of “Are cougars attracted to fish fertilizer?” after my robust garden fence was brought down after an application of pungent, revolting fish fertilizer. ChatGPT has retained that detail about my life, as revealed in future queries - which has added to my caution in what I ask. It’s mildly worried about my safety, and I don’t find that comforting.
She sounds extremely bright, but I suspect she has 2 sins: being black and not Trump-obedient.
Brad DeLong makes the case that Cook is the Fed governor MOST inclined to raise interest rates in this environment and threatening her has made them go up. https://open.substack.com/pub/braddelong/p/chaos-moneys-trying-to-fire-fed-governor?r=zh6q&utm_medium=ios
Trump wants the adrenaline injected directly into the heart of a reeling economy in 2009 to be mainlined.
“So the National Guard is being slowly—or not so slowly—turned into the president’s own rapid domestic deployment force, to be used at his unchecked discretion. Its deployment, regardless of the wishes of local authorities or any real showing of emergency, was once presented as exceptional in the cases of Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Now, it is to become the rule.”
Has it dawned on anyone that we are spending a million a day to utilize the National Guard in DC; that’s four times the amount it would cost to house DC’s entire homeless population. Let that sink in!
Additionally, the cost of sending the military and utilizing the National Guard in Los Angeles in June cost over $135 million.
Bottom line: Mr. Law and Order is spending us into oblivion, and accomplishing absolutely nothing in the process, except to invoke fear and normalize a military presence throughout the US when he decides to call a manufactured National Emergency!
And mark my words, by starving FEMA and cutting funds for child after school programs and other beneficial programs to reduce crime, he’s creating problems of his own making, and then will claim he needs to deploy troops to stave off the riots and crime.
It’s a self fulfilling prophecy; igniting the flames for more control over our lives. And sadly, these republicans who always rail about states rights are all on board. It just reminds us how depraved and diabolical these MAGA republicans are; they have no shame or honor; whatsoever! IMHO..:)
I believe it's safe to say that Trump loves the show of force and the anguish and anger it provokes. He could care less about the homeless; that's their problem. I sure am glad we were stupid enough to elect this Republican President for a second time.
That’s Trump’s only job; basically to execute pain and despair. The mechanics behind the process is the job of Project 2025.
Agreed, exactly my point. If he wanted to solve problems he could do it the right way. Instead, he kills programs meant to help reduce crime, and instead dispenses biblical justice just to prove a point; that he can!
Apparently "biblical justice" is the only thing he ever learned from the Bible.
Some good points ... that ought to be made by some Democrat somewhere.
Anyone think any of them will do so? I don't.
Thank you. And you’re right, they probably will not at the federal level, but the governor’s and mayor’s are starting to use statistics well and finding an ability to reach the people that matter: voters!
It used to be a popular saying, even among Republicans, that ‘states are incubators of democracy’. Now the MAGAs view is ‘states are incubators for federal fascism dominance’
I liked this comment, but then I realized Chris Murphy, among others, is out there saying this almost daily. I think a better question is, who is amplifying what Democrats say so people can hear it?
Certainly not the press. MSNBC, NPR and occasionally CNN
The MSM doesn’t give the Dems much time.
What Trump heard: Sir, you're the greatest POTUS of my lifetime.
What Wes Moore actually said: Sir, you're the greatest POS of my lifetime.
The Abrego Garcia saga is both absurd and outrageously cruel. They will not leave this man alone, all because of an initial fuck up on their part that started this whole thing. People who screw up and are not sociopaths move on; people who are doing what these people are doing are definitely sadistic sociopaths. And people who vote for sadistic sociopaths have issues of their own.
And just out of nowhere, making an issue out of flag burning, something no one has really thought about in 30 years because it was litigated and it's so obviously an exercise of Free Speech. See, the MAGAts have forgotten about Trumpflation already!
Not to mention the Epstein Files. At least that will be a short news flash next week when the House has to take it up because Milquetoast Mike can't send everyone home again.
And I think a group of Epstein victims have scheduled a press event early in September.
Virginia Guiffre's memoir comes out in October. This isn't going away.
Yes, unless her family succeeds in delaying it so it can include the domestic abuse she suffered, but hid. Either way, they accomplishing highlighting that situation.
Good to know, thanks. Any more information where or sponsored by whom/what organization?
I just looked it up: September 3, in Capital Hill. I think it’s organized by their lawyers.
THANK YOU. 🥂
In authoritarian regimes, Dear Leader is never wrong, and neither are his shameless minions.
According to Dear Leader he is the most popular he’s ever been. Inflation is low. Food prices are the lowest in decades. And in just one day, his DC National Guard brought the crime rate in DC to Zero…Zilch….Nada!
Any questions? Happy times! 🤪
Yes, who is his analyst and what has the Felon been taking? Or is this the evidence we have needed for verification of the expected mental decline that follows a diet coke and double cheese-burger regularly with no exercise?
Most likely Stephen Miller; with misleading poll numbers from the Gateway Pundit, and economic statistics from Brietbart. A recipe for disaster!…:)
When it comes from Miller, misleading poll numbers is a redundancy, aided and abetted by Gateway Pundit and Breitbart.
No. I want to know what drugs his analyst is taking. And can I get some to get me through the next three years?
The worst sin is to publicly reveal MAGA incompetence.
I can't believe you used the description "sadistic sociopath:" I was thinking after reading MS that one word I haven't heard applied to T is "sadistic" but he very much is. The next thought was, "He is a sadistic sociopath" (in additional to megalomaniac, world's most prolific liar, etc.).
I don't know if it's true that great minds think alike, but let's say it is.
Trump is vying to topple Supreme Sadist Stephen Miller.
MIller will rot in hell , because the flames of hell cant consume his cold heart. I saw Newsom's troll for Millers birthday . Look it up , and it should cheer you a little .
Oh, thanks for that! Miller is almost too close to a cartoon villain to be real. His daily life is like a satire on evil.
You might be interested in Timothy Snyder's analysis of Trump's politics as "sadopopulism":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOjJtEkKMX4
https://snyder.substack.com/p/class-war-or-culture-war
Have MAGA Americans suffered a complete collapse of their BS alarms? How do statements like that, or the hat - “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING” - not cause them mortal cringe?
Flag burning is offensive- disruptive- challenging- which is the purpose.
Imagine, for reciprocity, the inundation of displays of the flag on a pole,
tricolored bunting, lapel pins, cufflinks, football jerseys, -- by those who
brashly display their purported patriotism with the symbol- claimed as
their own, for their purposes- -- and proudly proceed to threaten to
arrest, charge, try- punish- jail- those who reverse the symbology for
effect. Irony, wherefore art thou? The loudest objectors seem to be the
most offensive abusers of the symbol. Bonespurs dodging?
At a conservative convention several years ago they displayed a golden statue of Trump wearing flag boxers. But that’s not offensive to them.
Here it is—unbelievable.
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/amp/ncna1259362
Actually Don, I think Moore meant greatest POTUS ever: Piece of Turd & Urine Squalor!….:)
I use POS all the time for President Orange Snake.
Fair enough, just thought the new Acronym for POTUS was worth a shot…:)
But people will say you are demeaning the office of the presidency, rather than holding up a mirror to what is actually happening.
True; however, I couldn’t possibly demean the office of the presidency anymore than the charlatan pretending to be president; already has!
The world doesn’t respect us anymore, and neither do the majority of Americans, including myself; so there’s that!…:)
Republicans scream about Newsome and how can he speak about the President like that in one breath, and demean Biden still to this day, but not one word about the foul mouthed would be king in the WH.
Well done, Governor Moore!
The media, specifically the reporters in the Oval Office, are failing this nation in spectacular ways. They just all stand there with no pushback of any kind while he lies with reckless abandon. Not a single question about his hand bruise after he forgot his spackle yesterday?
COME ON PRESS CORPS.
They are the worst. They love the attention. Though he's replaced a number of "reputable" outlets with members of the propaganda establishment, there are still enough to push back if they wanted to. The NYT, Wapo—they are Pravda.
Aren't the members of the press corps silenced by the POS not calling/acknowledging them in favor of Fox, Newsmax and so-called news media (that aren't) that are his best buds?
I feel like sure he only calls on the ones who are sycophants, but are they incapable of raising their voices and shouting their questions anyway? I sure remember a lot of shouted questions when Biden was president.
Biden didn’t have contempt for everyone in the room.
And Trump still thinks "the media" are too mean to him - as do his defenders.
The deep dive press corps have been purged. Is Kaitlin Collin’s still allowed in? My only exposure is the humorist Lisandra who does a cutting satire of Karoline Leavitt. (I’ve noticed some possible clap back at how other “lefty” journalists pronounce her name as “Carolyn”. Is it a response to the relentless “Kamála”?)
The media let Trump destroy truth way back during his first term and especially on and after 01/06/2021. Now Trump dances on truth’s grave, and the media has joined him.
Let's just call him Dick Tater. You know, for the laughs?
Who is going to be the first to AI a quick meme of Dick Tater as a real 'tater with a bleached blond comb-over.
I’m visualizing a tater tot.
Come on, you can think bigger. That's just small potatoes.
Or, as Redditors would say, a traitor tot.
Add a diaper plus the comb-over and call it Dick Tater Tot
That sounds funny, but I worry that making such a joke of it could stop people from seeing it as the bad thing and real danger it is.
The way they grovel at the feet of Trump and his new gf Karolyin is shameful and pathetic
Does that mean we are “Dick Tater Haters”?
You gave me my first good laugh of the day, Alondra!
I know we are making fun of the word, but, given the size it is reliably reported to be, shouldn't the name really be "Dickie"?
And I just wish one of us would come up with an appropriate middle name beginning with a "J", so that we could truthfully refer this clown as DJT.
Jerkie?
Not a real name, but it made me think of "Jackie".😏
Too bad Jaundiced is yellow and not orange
Actually, it can also mean bitter and resentful
I like it! Dickie. That’s the informal. As to J . . . I think we should look for a medical term that fits, like “Jaundiced”. Maybe there’s worse to be found, something that implies pus. Too bad “suppurating” doesn’t start with J.
If you don't care for "Jackie", how about "Jack-o"....
Uh oh . . . Nothing that might attract CHILDREN.
I'd love to see him dressed as. PRes. Tater at a press conference . He would never notice it , and Karoline certainly wouldn't get it .
I'm thinking of an infinite regress, like on the Quaker Oats box: A Dick Tater *with^ a dick tater, with a dick tater...and so on... .
I recently noticed that Trump has not been wearing a MAGA hat. Instead he has one that says Trump is (or was) always right about everything. That takes his narcissism to another level and removes the lie that he cares about the country. He only cares about himself, his wealth and his power.
His extreme selfishness was obvious to me from the beginning. It's been baffling to watch so many people - some of them highly educated and not stupid - insist that he is motivated by a deep and pure patriotism and morality, and that he cares more about average Americans than all his critics do.
After the 2016 election (either before or just after he took office) Trump hosted a dinner for members of the press. An article about the dinner included a description of the menu and a comment that indirectly summed up who Trump is. All those in attendance were given ONE scoop of vanilla ice cream. Trump, the host, got TWO scoops! I don't think that there is any culture in the world in which it is considered proper for a host to get more dessert (or anything else) thanks/her guests.
Ive never met a t***p voter , who did not say "its for the tax cuts and nothing else matters " who was educated .
Absolutely chilling. Thank you for continuing to faithfully report on the downfall of our democracy.
I'll say I'm especially concerned that the executive order also "directs Stephen Miller to create an online portal for 'Americans with law enforcement or other relevant backgrounds and experience' to apply to join federal agents in enforcing Mr. Trump’s 'crime emergency' order in the District of Columbia." (Quoted from the New York Times.)
Can we talk about this? Am I reading correctly that anyone with apparently any type (or apparently no type) of law enforcement experience is also being recruited for this effort? Is this what The Proud Boys have been "standing by" for? I'm honestly terrified.
Agreed. I translated that to "Anybody with a grudge come one in! He're your mask and weapon. Have fun!"
It sounds like “Now, if you had one really violent day … one rough hour, and I mean real rough. The word will get out and it will end immediately.” Trump - September 29, 2024
I hope Trump’s words come back to haunt him.
I fear those words will come back to haunt us. That one "really violent day" may be coming, and not just for a day. It has always been what he wanted.
Yes, thank you; we need to discuss this. Along with the new unsurprising report that DOGE bros have compromised all our Social Security data.
How about burning TRUMP flags instead?
That's ten years.
Now that I could get behind.
Homeless people in the DC area? Trump’s answer: Lay off more government employees!!! That will fix it. Then we can give even more money to those billionaires living in guarded compounds.
What exactly are they doing with those homeless people? Put in shelters? Given apartments? Put in concentration camps? Or just pushed out of the immediate area so that they can be homeless somewhere else?
That's what I've been asking. Where are they after being hauled off and their possessions destroyed?
I think they have landed in jail, which is a very expensive form of housing.
Thank you. So sad to destroy our own people.
They're not "HIS" people. They did not vote for him and he knows that because you can't vote if you don't have an address. The perfect victims.
Martin Niemöller, modified: First they came for the homeless, and I did not say anything because I was not homeless. Then they came for the jobless, and I did not say anything because (at the time) I was not jobless....
I believe jail was mentioned.
More expensive than a suite at the Hilton.
So in other words the concentration camp option. Should anyone really be surprised?
That's what we've been doing for the last 40 years. Trump is just doing it faster, and possibly with international flights.
Some of them have crossed the river into Arlington, VA.
An image of George Washington in the prow appeared unbidden in my mind. So similar.
Well I do believe Mount Vernon would have the space for them.
In the olden days, that would be the slave quarters . . .
RFK wants to put them to work on organic farms.
Slave quarters or homeless quarters, I’m sure it’s all the same to Trump and RFK jr.
Good question. This came up in comments at a WSJ article. The MAGAs were crowing “The left loves crime and homelessness.” I kept asking “What’s he doing with the homeless?” No one answered.
Right now, Donald Trump knows he can do anything and everything he wants. And why wouldn't he? He has a silent Congress that will back everything he wants. He has a backstop guard rail SCOTUS that will find any reason possible to support him. They gave him immunity for everything he did as President. They gutted Amendment 14, Article 3 so he could run again. This isn't going to change. Think it is illegal to fire a Federal Reserve Board member? SCOTUS will get around that. Judge Paula Innes has ruled Garcia absolutely can't be deported to Uganda. SCOTUS will say Trump can do that when it is appealed. Think National Guard in cities is illegal. SCOTUS will say it is legal. As JVL says: "Good luck America".
"A solemn mockery of the US Constitution". Judge Boasberg says it well. As does Governor Pritzker in his delivery yesterday. The DC Dictator plans of subjugation will spread across the nation as he enacts the concerns expressed by George Washington warning about factionalism in his Farewell Address.
“It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”
“However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely . . . to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins of public liberty.”
That is where we are today. George told us. In 1796.
Excellent. But too many big words and long thoughts for today’s Americans. Can it fit on a hat?
Maybe “Washington Warned Us” ?
"George Told Us"? I agree. Washington's Farewell Address contains too many words to fit on a hat. But the concept may not travel well unless people know and understand the thrust of Washinton's argument. Out of context it is just another meaningless hat slogan. "Just who is George? Is he an influencer?" The public has neither the patience nor the comprehension to engage in anything beyond TikTok scrolling during which they can't even complete a whole TikTok video before losing interest and scrolling to the next maximally engaging experience. Which lasts 30 seconds. I guess that is where we are today.
Andrew, Bill and Jim, Thanks for the recap on yesterday's declarations from the mount. The Dictatorship began when the last of the axis of evil among Hegseth, Bondi and Patel was confirmed. Now we can't blame Trump because that would be like blaming a child for ravishing a fresh made cookie from the cookie jar. The Senate Republicans were the true architects of this government coup and should be reminded of this fact every day of their lives. While we're at it, we should tell the American people who the real traitors are. I think those Republicans actually know this because you haven't heard a word from them. To them, silence is golden.
I disagree. They are partially responsible, but the main villains are the 5 (oops, make that 6) toadies on SCOTUS. They ignored the 14th amendment; interfered in states' rights on who could and could not be on the ballot, and gave him virtually unfettered powers. They are also rubber stamping his dismantling of the fed govt and abrogation of due process. They give him everything he wants and support every executive order, both through the regular process and the shadow docket, where these days, they rule for him and don't even bother to share their legal reasoning—most likely because there isn't any.
But when Joe Biden tried to cancel student debt, it was overreach.
And now, if you join ICE you get student loan forgiveness. Can’t make this stuff up.
It takes a village to raze a democracy.
But Trump is absolutely to blame as well.
I hope at least a few GOP toadies are keeping a journal for future publication so we can perform a post-mortem on their souls. I am truly curious. Unfortunately my own mortality is in a race against theirs. I need to follow the Mediterranean diet. Or has that been renamed the “RFKJr Super American Diet”?
Since my brain is somewhat normal, I have a hard time understanding our Republican Senator's thinking. It's like they just gave up their power and are fading into the background. Is there any chance that they see the writing on the wall and are scared shitless to cause problems - basically fearing they may be defenestrated should Trump become the world's new despot?
I’m guessing that’s likely. Other than a few loud mouths, the MAGA/GOP are being fairly quietly supine. You’d expect some crowing from true believers, and it’s only a few doing that, or so it seems to me. I admit that I try to ignore them as a group, so my observations lack scientific rigor!
But it's perfectly fine to sign a flag with a Sharpie, or fashion it into a hat or a coat. With no logic or explanation, just whatever the Dear Leader says. SCOTUS will go along with it, because as Justice Luttig said, we can't count on them to rule for our Democracy.
Oh mannnn, I'm going to go on a rant I've been holding in for years:
Those black and white flags with one blue stripe or one red stripe are an abomination. You want to secede? The Red, White, and Blue isn't good enough for you? Move. To. Russia.
Sorry, I've been holding that back for a while.
Or dry hump it...
Those videos need to be part of any campaign . . . Oh wait. Campaigning is so “last year”.
Adam Levitin had a good take on the whole "mortgage fraud" thing - Bill Pulte is clearly abusing his power on behalf of Trump. How convenient that a whole bunch of Donald Trump's enemies are all of a sudden having their loan/mortgage documents examined at the same time! It's likely that Pulte is just looking at anyone who is a Democrat and going through their loan applications, even if they were from years ago and there's no pertinent reason to look at them now aside from digging for potential dirt (article is here: https://www.creditslips.org/creditslips/2025/08/bill-pultes-enemys-list.html)
In Paxton’s divorce which is wending its way through the Texas courts. His soon to be ex wife testified that that was what her husband did a few years ago.
But no one in Texas will prosecute him , even though she apparently has the receipts on rentals he purchased fraudulently in widely separated cities .
Yes Lynn. But it will not play well in the case against Cook. Can’t wait for this to be on SNL.
This crew stopped being a legitimate presidential administration sometime in January, soon after inauguration. I will only refer to it as The Regime, which it is. We do not have a legitimate president at this time. I further find it blood-curdling that the Secret Service (SS) is now stopping peaceful protest by way of enforcing local law. The SS stopped Ben Wittes from a chalking a Ukrainian flag on the sidewalk in protest of the Alaska thing in front of the Russian embassy weekend before last.
I can't remember the gentleman's name, but he's the scholar who always wears a bow tie when he's a guest on talk shows. Pretty sure he was a law professor at an ivy league school. Anyway, he did a recent video (while hiking/walking) where he mentioned that Trump has dismantled 250 years of our nation's attempt to build a "more perfect union" in about 6 months.
His words struck me about how frail life is and how quickly things can change despite how many years it took to build them. It also struck me of how many of my acquaintances have no clue of this concept, it's impact nor do they want to learn about it.
That sounds like John Flannery. He has a channel where he does daily "walk and talks" and starts each one with relating Thomas Jefferson's take on the weather. He's a great American. There are some regulars to his chan who sometimes call themselves "The Dirt Road Gang"...kind of like The Greek Chorus. About the substance of your comment; yeah, it's truly surreal.
Bingo! That's him. Thanks for the tips on how to hear/see him more regularly.