In response to attending No Kings Day, I deal with extreme anxiety issues. I hate the idea of having to go. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it right now. Also sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I hate leaving my house even to get groceries. Some days I make it to the store and end up having to leave. However, I am determined to make it to our local No Kings Day in Charlottesville. I missed June 14th. My sister planned our annual camping trip for this weekend but I told her I couldn't go which adds incentive for me to go so she won't be mad at me. LOL! My other sister promised to go with me but I suspect she wanted an excuse to skip camping! Anyhow, supporting no kings day is more important than my anxiety attacks. I'm taking my meds and a gummy and I'm going come what may!
Home-grown captive nation. That is choice. Besides the 1963 March on Washington, my main direct experience with mass protests was with those supporting Russian & East European dissidents and fighting Soviet totalitarianism. Now it's come full circle. I'll be there -- again.
Bill Kristol - Thank you so much for your comments on the No Kings gatherings. I, like you, very much eschew “mass” gatherings or protests. In fact, I have attended any protest march or gathering. However, I will be attending this Saturday’s No Kings event near my home. I will be there with several of my friends from church and neighborhood. I am very impressed it’s the organizers and the effort they have put into ensuring, as best they can, a nonviolent, positive, gathering. I am sure that, after the event, my friends and I will likely go somewhere for libations to celebrate our first protest!
For Trump, the deal in Gaza was never about peace or long-term solutions to the questions of Israeli and Palestinian statehood. This was a real estate deal, pure and simple. Too bad the Nobel Committee doesn't award a Sleaziest International Real Estate Deal Prize. Trump would be a shoe-in.
Regarding Andrew's essay, I don't disagree at all that President Trump's mental capacity can process only two things, for him (those are good) and against him (those are bad). My worry is that he's actually the puppet, and the puppet masters are Stephen Miller and Russ Vought, and they are showing the President the bright and shiny things he likes so much. Neither Miller nor Vought have the charisma, or probably the stamina, to win elected office, but they are intelligent, powerful, and (at best) amoral enough that they don't need to. I believe they are maneuvering Trump and the regrettably large part of America that enjoys the brand of authoritarianism that inflates its own sense of superiority.
Others have noted that Trump is incapable of even counting the squares on the board, let alone play chess in any dimension, but Miller, Vought, and to a lesser extent JD Vance, are quite capable of long-game strategy. I'm not sure if those three could hold the levers of power in other circumstances or with any other president—and I hope that their time in or close to power permanently ends when Trump eventually leaves office—but they are more than capable of hoodwinking the President and his base into thinking he's in charge. Trump's base isn't likely to notice these backroom dealers because they don't deal in nuances any better than the President and think that governance is encompassed by a Red Queen yelling, "Off with their heads!"
I think that's the real reason removing competent people from cabinet and agency positions, people who were capable of seeing behind the smoke and mirrors to the covert aims, and who have the integrity to stop or at least defend against them. The frankly sinister triumvirate of Miller, Vought, and Vance has told the current incumbents that they don't actually need to do anything but bobblehead their sycophancy which they are pleased to do—they seem to be equally distracted by bright and shiny things like costumes, titles, and big cars—and the President is pleased to accept. It's a deplorable and dangerous win-win-win for them all, and one that will take democracy and the rule of law a generation at least to recover from, assuming that it does.
Andrew, I disagree that Diaper Don is calling the shots. Stephen Miller is clearly the one in charge. He whispers orders into Trump's ear that miraculously shows no sign of damage from a .223 round, and Donnie stumbles out in front of a camera and repeats it or he posts it on trooth soshull in all caps for the cult members and useless corporate media to slobber over.
I'm 73 years old and on the autism spectrum. The prospect of heavy traffic to get to the nearest No Kings location, the parking problems, the large number of people (we had 2,000 at the last No Kings event), the loud noises of so many people talking, blowing whistles, cow bells and honking horns are all things that I normally strongly dislike and avoid. However, I'll be attending, with some noise cancelling ear plugs and my sign. Democracy is more important than my personal comfort. I do realize that I'm lucky that I can attend even with this amount of stimuli, as I realize that other people on the autism spectrum may not be able to attend.
I'm not on the spectrum but am very much an HSP. I've been to both of the big protests this year. The first time it took me three days to recover. The second time I took Xanax and wore earplugs - and did just fine. Another thing I didn't do the second time is turn around and look when the MAGAts were driving by in their obnoxious pickups, revving their engines, roaring their non-mufflers, and blowing their horns.
Thank you for posting and reminding all of us how very diverse our coalition is. My niece is on the spectrum. Partly, I protest for her, esp since that RFK/TRump spectacle a month or so ago.
Lying AND crazy seems about right...
In response to attending No Kings Day, I deal with extreme anxiety issues. I hate the idea of having to go. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it right now. Also sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I hate leaving my house even to get groceries. Some days I make it to the store and end up having to leave. However, I am determined to make it to our local No Kings Day in Charlottesville. I missed June 14th. My sister planned our annual camping trip for this weekend but I told her I couldn't go which adds incentive for me to go so she won't be mad at me. LOL! My other sister promised to go with me but I suspect she wanted an excuse to skip camping! Anyhow, supporting no kings day is more important than my anxiety attacks. I'm taking my meds and a gummy and I'm going come what may!
You can do it, Jacqueline! And then celebrate with some Fabio's pizza or Stella's! Rooting for you.
Wow! Living in crazy town is wearing me down.
Maggie Haberman was posed this question last year. Her response was essentially that’s it’s the wrong question.
Trump’s meter is whether or not it helps him. The very construct of truth is not an arena he lives in.
Neither. The scientific term for all this is "bullshit".
Is Trump calling the shots, or is it Stephen Miller and Russell Vought with an assist from JD Vance?
This is much more likely
Home-grown captive nation. That is choice. Besides the 1963 March on Washington, my main direct experience with mass protests was with those supporting Russian & East European dissidents and fighting Soviet totalitarianism. Now it's come full circle. I'll be there -- again.
Bill Kristol - Thank you so much for your comments on the No Kings gatherings. I, like you, very much eschew “mass” gatherings or protests. In fact, I have attended any protest march or gathering. However, I will be attending this Saturday’s No Kings event near my home. I will be there with several of my friends from church and neighborhood. I am very impressed it’s the organizers and the effort they have put into ensuring, as best they can, a nonviolent, positive, gathering. I am sure that, after the event, my friends and I will likely go somewhere for libations to celebrate our first protest!
For Trump, the deal in Gaza was never about peace or long-term solutions to the questions of Israeli and Palestinian statehood. This was a real estate deal, pure and simple. Too bad the Nobel Committee doesn't award a Sleaziest International Real Estate Deal Prize. Trump would be a shoe-in.
The "deal" is already defunct. Great deal, Donnie. How do you do a deal when neither one of the disputants SIGNED the damn thing?
"[Y]ou can’t tell whether you should attribute a specific Trump claim to his melting brain or his melted soul." Egger was on one today!
He’s making a personal business deal for the spoils of war with the war criminal Bibi
"you can’t tell whether you should attribute a specific Trump claim to his melting brain or his melted soul"
I've seen Trump summed up in many ways but none so exquisitely as this.
He’s both.
Regarding Andrew's essay, I don't disagree at all that President Trump's mental capacity can process only two things, for him (those are good) and against him (those are bad). My worry is that he's actually the puppet, and the puppet masters are Stephen Miller and Russ Vought, and they are showing the President the bright and shiny things he likes so much. Neither Miller nor Vought have the charisma, or probably the stamina, to win elected office, but they are intelligent, powerful, and (at best) amoral enough that they don't need to. I believe they are maneuvering Trump and the regrettably large part of America that enjoys the brand of authoritarianism that inflates its own sense of superiority.
Others have noted that Trump is incapable of even counting the squares on the board, let alone play chess in any dimension, but Miller, Vought, and to a lesser extent JD Vance, are quite capable of long-game strategy. I'm not sure if those three could hold the levers of power in other circumstances or with any other president—and I hope that their time in or close to power permanently ends when Trump eventually leaves office—but they are more than capable of hoodwinking the President and his base into thinking he's in charge. Trump's base isn't likely to notice these backroom dealers because they don't deal in nuances any better than the President and think that governance is encompassed by a Red Queen yelling, "Off with their heads!"
I think that's the real reason removing competent people from cabinet and agency positions, people who were capable of seeing behind the smoke and mirrors to the covert aims, and who have the integrity to stop or at least defend against them. The frankly sinister triumvirate of Miller, Vought, and Vance has told the current incumbents that they don't actually need to do anything but bobblehead their sycophancy which they are pleased to do—they seem to be equally distracted by bright and shiny things like costumes, titles, and big cars—and the President is pleased to accept. It's a deplorable and dangerous win-win-win for them all, and one that will take democracy and the rule of law a generation at least to recover from, assuming that it does.
Andrew, I disagree that Diaper Don is calling the shots. Stephen Miller is clearly the one in charge. He whispers orders into Trump's ear that miraculously shows no sign of damage from a .223 round, and Donnie stumbles out in front of a camera and repeats it or he posts it on trooth soshull in all caps for the cult members and useless corporate media to slobber over.
You posted this while I was writing my response and I agree with you 100%, but I add Vought and Vance into this insidious and pernicious mix.
You're correct. I forgot to add them in.
I'm 73 years old and on the autism spectrum. The prospect of heavy traffic to get to the nearest No Kings location, the parking problems, the large number of people (we had 2,000 at the last No Kings event), the loud noises of so many people talking, blowing whistles, cow bells and honking horns are all things that I normally strongly dislike and avoid. However, I'll be attending, with some noise cancelling ear plugs and my sign. Democracy is more important than my personal comfort. I do realize that I'm lucky that I can attend even with this amount of stimuli, as I realize that other people on the autism spectrum may not be able to attend.
I'm not on the spectrum but am very much an HSP. I've been to both of the big protests this year. The first time it took me three days to recover. The second time I took Xanax and wore earplugs - and did just fine. Another thing I didn't do the second time is turn around and look when the MAGAts were driving by in their obnoxious pickups, revving their engines, roaring their non-mufflers, and blowing their horns.
Thank you for posting and reminding all of us how very diverse our coalition is. My niece is on the spectrum. Partly, I protest for her, esp since that RFK/TRump spectacle a month or so ago.
And thank you for showing up!