Such a betrayal of our country. Instead of working together to get to a bipartisan bill, Trump orders his lackeys to kill it. Why? Because he wants to use it as a campaign issue. It’s all about Trump, not the country. Vote in November!!!
I have seen it pointed out that while rejecting any deal on immigration serves Trump's selfish purposes by keeping immigration as a campaign issue for Trump, his primary motivation in nixing this deal is to prevent money from reaching Ukraine, thereby helping his puppetmaster Putin.
We need to keep hammering at the seditious/traitorous/treasonous actions of Benedict Donald & his many connections with Russia, Saudi Arabia & China. The Siberian Candidate acts as a Russian agent, & virtually everything he does prioritizes Russian interests over our own. If anyone needs examples, I'll be happy to provide some, but the list goes on & on.
I think this issue should be more potent & devastating to Traitor Trump & the whole Republican Party than any other, & should actually destroy the GOP. I can't imagine that most Americans could support a party that is full of so many traitors & a candidate that is in the pockets of dictators. But it has to be clearly & repeatedly pointed out with plenty of evidence, even if that evidence is mostly circumstantial (but the accumulation of circumstantial evidence can build up to an incontrovertible case), & logical arguments to connect all those pieces of evidence. We should also impugn the patriotism of anyone who supports these traitors.
Jaime, thanks for the reminder. I know people had this information about potential collusion with Russia and other dictators tucked away, but bringing it out again is helpful. I am still beyond upset that Trump and his conspirators, insurrectionists are still permitted on any ballot when our Constitution clearly states that this should not happen. It is clear Republicans and those they have put on the courts are pickers and choosers among the items in our Constitution. They love the 2nd amendment and have warped it far out of shape, love the presidential pardon and permitted Trump to pardon folks who helped him commit crimes. They love the 5th amendment when it is they who refuse to answer, but not when someone with a different point of view does. So, they are trying hard to warp the 14th amendment section 3 out of shape so they can claim Trump is not included because it does not specifically say "president" in the section. It does say officer but he is now claiming he as president was not an officer of this nation. Then, there are the members of Congress who participated in the insurrection yet are still sitting there, even having been re-elected. Are they not officers too? It is difficult to sort this all out, but we need to do it quickly. We have fewer than 280 days.
Well said! I highly agree! Spoken like an attorney. Feel free to remind us of examples as you mentioned.
I try to “educate” people about Trump whenever there is an appropriate opportunity. Today in my walking group I was shocked to learn a woman didn’t know about Project 2025, that Trump exposed Hitler phrases and that he announced he would be a dictator on day one.
I encouraged her to subscribe to the Substack newsletters of Robert Reich, Heather Cox Richardson, Thom Hartmann & Joyce Vance.
Marlo - you should also let her know that in most of the states that have restricted abortion there are 65,000 (my number might be off a bit and likely undercounted) women who got pregnant because of rape. The limited research also said that a majority of the women had no option to get an abortion if they said that they decided not to keep the pregnancy. People should have a choice to either keep a pregnancy if they want to or not but they never had a choice about being raped.
Jaime Ramirez - whatever happened to mueller and his report? i wonder if the current AG has read it? for that matter, has Smith read it? also, when are we going to put eileen cannon in jail for obstruction of justice? did she get some of Jared's $2billion? must have been some good stuff that drumpf sold his master.
Paul, the Mueller report was a snow job, Mueller' task was to find something, but not worthy of trial or impeachment.
Liberals were breathless about Muellers investigation until it came out and was a nothing burger. I knew it all along, because it was Trump and Barr's DOJ that was doing the investiation.
Now they are breathless over Jack Smith's work, and ignoring the fact that Smith works for Garlland, and Garland is the 5th columnist in Biden's administration, a radical right winger, a Federalist society employee.
Garland couldn't wait to appoint Weiss as Special Counsel to investigate and proscute Hunter, but nary a word about the Congrressional J6 seditionists, Ivanka and Don Jr, whos corruption and crimes are linked to Daddy, nor has he prosecuted Matt Gaetz
Then there is the Documents case. Garland moved it to Flordia, instead of holding it where the crime ACTUALLY occurred in DC, and appointed a Trump Twit, Aileeen Cannon, as the judge over the case.
But wait, was Barr in charge when Mueller started? also, yeah, I guess I forgot that Garland was federalist society. i thought that loose cannon was given the case as a result of random selection (per the msn) but i never believed that, especially after she'd been overturned once on the damn case. i don't believe in most coincidences. I've been asking for at at least a year why Gaetz is free. is no one going to investigate the $2billion that jared got? did obama get any good lawyers in the justice dept? or were they all leftovers from bush? too many questions.
Sessions then Barr. Barr then did his own deflection and dancing. If you read the Mueller report there was plenty to investigate... but Barr held it .... held it some more and then manipulated the narrative. Garland did not appoint Cannon - it was an "unlucky" draw to get her of all people. First- Who benefits from XY or Z actions or inaction? Who benefits from the delays? Second - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE $ --Someone Please follow the money - Jared's haul, Mark Meadows nice nonprofit gig.
AND Dems have to reclaim the narrative - walk through the outline for the 2025 project plans for the Crazy Cult. Half the time the dems bring their pencil to the gun fight... and end up deny what the lies that have been flung there way. Denying the lies - repeats the lie that you haven't done. lately, I've started saying "you know., I AM mad about MY stolen election - that real steal done by the Supreme's back in 2000, and how we had to clean up after the WMD Lie, two war lies, and oh yeah that silly pesky financial crisis.
Take a tip from the The UAW Pres - who just slayed Don - It was short, direct and snarky enough and dead serious.
I am completely convinced of that, as well, Jaime. He loves his dictators, his role models. I have no idea whether Putin has kompromat on Trump, or Trump just idolizes Putin’s power, but Benedict Donald {yes!} wants those Russian bots working for him all over the Internet again … of that I am most certain. Harming Ukraine achieves that for the vicious oozing boil on the glutes of America.
Jaime Ramirez : also, push to remove those who are disabled by the 14th amendment. Section 3 : disqualification clause. They broke their oaths of office, by participating in insurrection by refusing to certify Joe Biden's win: on Jan 6th, no less. They are disqualified for office! They should be gone! Yet they still hold power and wield it for the criminal in chief; who works for Putin! And other dictators.
Here's the new amicus brief done by the historians for the coming Supreme's review of Colorado's trumph 14th amendment removal Https://legalhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/another-historians-brief-in-trump-v.html. Filed by historians Blight, Faust, Lepore, and Witt. Let the Supreme's have a hissy fit - determining if it applies to A President or what it meant to aid and abet? Don did more than violate his oath- he called them to come to DC, lit the match to Go to the Capital, and then JUST abandoned his post & and watched Pence and the rest flee - with Glee.. but with the shameless house and senate R's as the enablers- they let it all metastasize.
Brilliantly presented. Please repeat this until it’s all people are talking about. Simplify the presentation, maybe bullet points so that it’s easily understood.
Jaime Ramirez : I wonder if our Senate ( we have a majority?) Could look into whether tfg is actually in violation of not being registered as a foreign agent. Everything he is doing supports Putin. He is aiding and abetting our present enemy,, and most likely Iran. He raises money to return to power,, even though he is disqualified to hold office. His enablers in Congress : the ones who betrayed their oaths of office by voting against certification of a president are doing his bidding. They help Putin destroy a Democracy that our President vowed to help. He and his thugs are traitors! They should not be in power! none of them!
I know. I gave Trump his own unique designation to show his close association with Russia & subservience to his puppetmaster Putin, while at the same time tying him to the Manchurian Candidate we know in film. Frankly he acts no different from the character in the film (other than being far more repulsive), as if he's manipulated in the same way.
He was married to two (2) immigrants. They brought their relatives, some who had been communists. Trump and Ivana, a Czech, were married in Canada. His father in law reported to the Czech KGB.
"Ivana’s father, Miloš Zelníček, gave regular information to the local StB [KGB] office about his daughter’s visits from the US and on his celebrity son-in-law’s career in New York. Zelníček was classified as a “conspiratorial” informer. His relationship with the StB lasted until the end of the communist regime." https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/29/trump-czechoslovakia-communism-spying
What’s even more disgusting, is, that she got an Einstein Visa. From what I understand, such visas are supposed to be issued only for immigrants who have some sort of academic talent on record. The question I’d ask is, how does modeling even fit into this picture and second, did Donald or a surrogate falsely submit documentation for said visa?
People paying attention remember that — let’s get people who weren’t paying attention to realize it. If we can get them to believe anything any more. They’ve been seriously vaccinated against the truth. The only vaccination the Right will use. Protection against the truth.
That’s why Trump prefers uneducated people so he can lie and they will believe his lies; like the election was rigged and he really won.
There are people who think he built the wall and probably don’t realize: it wasn’t completed; it was shabbily built (already falling down); and that WE paid for it - NOT Mexico.
Yes, the wall started to tip over from erosion before he was even out of office, if memory serves …
People who see things on their screens or in “writing” are somehow programmed to just believe … it confuses me … But it’s tough to get them to change their minds, once they have expressed solidarity with some idea or person.
That’s just human nature, and we need to be aware that the followers are harder to convince than the non-followers. We do need to get the attention of the non-followers…
There needs to be in intervention. Trump believes he won the last election, which is clearly not true. Just read Liz Cheney's book "Oath and Honor", which spells out the truth unquestionably. The next step is to have Trump brought in for evaluation, and most likely medication, and counseling - until he can get his feet back on the ground. His followers will likely need counseling as well - it's too dangerous for our country to not do that. Is there a process for that? If they are as quick as our legal system however, I guess we should just forget it. We get what we get.
Would that it were possible to get his family to realize it about him. A little scary, though, as dumping unwanted people into asylums used to be “a thing.”
Oy, vey. Can’t we just put him in jail where he belongs? [Even that can be misused, I KNOW, but this would not be a misuse.]
And because he's so influential, he need to just shut up. Mary Trump says she's going to try and do whatever she can to keep Donald out of the White House. I hope she is effective.
Both Mary Trump and Liz Cheney should receive medals of honor for their courage in speaking truth to power. Their books should be required reading in schools and universities everywhere.
In 90% of my cases the statutes had fee shifting provisions, so that if the defendant lost they were responsible to pay complainant's fees.
I practiced law in Florida, heard many of those cases in Florida. Miami and Houston are the centers of the universe for some areas of law -- some Florida lawyers appeared in my cases in DC, NY, many other locations. I reviewed fee agreements when I awarded fees. Complainants virtually never had to pay more than costs "up front."
Think what TFG offers such disgusting sycophants? The only thing TFG cares about is himself/money. For a wacko who is the real loser as he likes to label others the only thing he offers is FEAR/HATE. Supporting TFG requires serious rationalizing, which means accepting a lot of lies.
“Trump says he welcomes criticism from GOP senators. “Please, blame it on me. Please, because they were getting ready to pass a very bad bill.”
Excellent lesson professor. That said, it’s almost as though Trump and Netanyahu have the same campaign teams. During the JCPOA negotiations, Netanyahu would tell everyone, that “any deal” is a “bad” deal. Never specifying why.
I happened to hear it directly from Netanyahu when I visited the Knesset in Israel as part of UJA. You can’t break through to these people. They have a narrative, and the entire team parrots their fearless leader, Netanyahu or Trump; regardless how ridiculous their position is.
And what would Trump know of a “good” deal vs a “bad”deal? He’s the worst deal maker around.
He tried to repeal the ACA, which he promised to do again, even though more American’s have enrolled than ever before (over 25 million) and love it; replacing it with “what”? Exactly!
He betrayed the Kurds after an hour conversation with Erdoğan. He pulled out of the Paris Accords for climate change; apparently because windmills cause cancer. He couldn’t decide whether COVID was real or a democratic hoax, yet, took credit for the vaccines. And when he finally built his 50 miles of new wall along a 2,300 mile border, Mexico didn’t pay for it.
I mention all of these shenanigans because it shows that Trump has no plan. He had the house and senate for his first two years in office, yet couldn’t produce an immigration bill, because immigrants he was told (Stephen Miller), were responsible for all the drugs and crime. Wrong!
He had an infrastructure month every year, yet couldn’t produce an infrastructure bill, or even brought one up for a vote. Yet, watch Trump try to claim credit for every project the bill financed in red states. He wouldn’t be alone. Have you listened to all the republican lawmakers claiming credit and handing out the checks from the infrastructure Bill and the CHIPs and Science Act? They all are going home and bragging about all the pork they brought to their respective districts and states, yet, none of them voted for these bills.
So what did Trump accomplish during his first term? Three things: a perpetual state of chaos. Three fascist SC picks and......wait for it......wait for it ......TAX CUTS for the rich.
So tell me America, what exactly did most of you get from Trump, except a daily migraine, a recession, and an extra $20 to $40 bucks a month in their paychecks?
Now ask yourself was it worth it? Exactly, and the reason we should never choose Trump again! It’s a clown car run by narcissistic sociopath, and a bunch of spineless politicians, who are so obtuse and weak, that collectively, they all couldn’t find the ocean, if they were standing on the beach!
Mr. Jaffee, you have been paying attention and keeping notes!
I will be gifting subscriptions to my two children to Reich's substack because of the information he offers, but also as much for the insightful, intelligent and well worded comments posted on this site such as yours and many others.
Robert - Yes! You said exactly what was on my mind and a Whole lot better than I did! Your brain is working a lot better than mine this morning so thank you for writing so pointedly and eloquently.
It’s the republican mantra. More tax cuts for the rich and corporations but crumbs for the rest of us. And we wonder why we have a deficit that’s so large? It started with Reagan, ramped up big time by Bush, who then got us into Iraq ($$$) and then a Great Recession, where there was poor regulation and still is due to republicans eliminating the law that held back another housing crisis under Trump. Then Trump with his failed handling of Covid. Clinton, Obama and now Biden have had to pick up the pieces.
Agreed! Every time republicans come to town, bad things happen. They call themselves fiscal hawks, but all evidence points to the contrary. Reagan tripled the national debt from $900 billion to $2.7 trillion. Only Clinton balanced the budget and left us with a $300 billion surplus.
Obama may have spent as much as Bush, but we had a surplus under Clinton. When Bush left office the debt went from $5.5 trillion to $11.9 trillion, and the deficit grew from a surplus of $300 billion, to $1.8 trillion. Not to mention, leaving us in the worst economic condition since the Great Depression.
At least when Obama left office he reduced the deficit from $1.88 trillion to $536 billion, even though the economy was in the gutter, and we were losing a million jobs a month when Obama took office.
And don’t get me started with Trump. He spent more in four years than any other president in US history: $8.8 trillion, and increasing the deficit to almost $2 trillion a year.
Yet more than half the people in this country believe that republicans are better for the economy and National Security. I guess it’s true if you consider military spending. As for keeping us safe? Two numbers: 9/11..:)
Fair enough, and points will taken. Although, this time around, his loyalists are far more dangerous than he is; and for more cerebral and nefarious than he ever was.
Bunker Boy is out for himself; his advisors and financial backers want to reshape the government and replace it with a Christian version of Sharia Law...:)
That's it too. There are millions of Trump losers - how will they ever feel whole again - they'll sit around all bitter, plotting the next malfeasance.
If the democrats had plans to make a move the video I've seen of the situation at Eagle Pass is a sure reminder that this border controversy is just a means to extend our conflict between the parties.
Eagle Pass, Texas is an example..... One highly protected gate with armed military and vehicles, razor wire etc. Yet stay on the road and observe all the gates that are swung wide open. Had a friend make that trip and in 4 miles there was 17 gates wide open and not a person in sight. 300 yards past the gate and you're into neighborhoods ... nice neighborhoods.
What's that tell you?
It tells me that that the best share of this border problem is just a 'put on' by the news media.
Strong movements from the Dark Side are playing 4 D Chess.... they are excellent in confusing the nation.
Abbott is a weak man. Weak men always try their best to appear strong. In my mind, he has no soul. Razor wire? Allowing people to drown? I would hope that Texas would come to its senses and vote him out!!
Biden may have 'caved in' simply as a tactic, to enable him to cite it whenever necessary, so that it is a side issue. Perhaps the main election material for Democrats should concentrate on these points (refutations of lies).
He's got plenty of ammo for his talks.How would anyone like a convicted rapist w/ a huge judgment in our Oval Office?Stay tuned ,we have Judge Engoron's calculation and 4 criminal trials coming up.I'm waiting for a judge to say'bailiff,remove him from the courtroom!'
Politics is about perception, a Poly Sci Professor once said. The images of thousands at the border are sad. Stats about backlogged cases in courts are bad. The repeated images in the media have caused many people to think immigration is a major issue this election. I think other issues are far more important for USA's long-term security.
Biden did the right thing because funding foreign policy is necessary. We have a two party system, for better or worse. Playing politics makes it for worse. Biden played the grown up at the table, and voters know it.
Biden should keep a comprehensive plan on the table and keep asking for cooperation. Come Election Day, I hope people care more about issues that help Americans, rather than precieved threats of immigrants trying to hurt American's way of life. An "open border" is hogwash. Climate disruption and a sustainable energy policy are the real issues that threaten USA's future and security.
Why shouldn't America expand its visa programs - or consider a one-time amnesty (which was successfully undertaken in the 1980's)? From an economic standpoint the country stands much to gain at little - if any - expense...
That's a good question. You have a possible good solution. However, this is about perception, not policy. At the moment, they're just playing politics to sell crisis for the election.
They're doing everything possible to keep flooding TV with images of crisis on the border. This is why they haven't funded Biden's actions to address the problem. Biden's comprehensive plan on the table is being ignored in order to continue the disturbing images of a crisis at the border. Do you really think your logical solution would be treated any different than the Administration's comprehensive plan?
I think the first rule of negotiating a solution is that both sides must want to solve the problem. Clearly, they don't want to solve the problem with solutions like yours. They want crisis. Their "brand is crisis," except the climate crisis. Sandra Bullock nailed it in 2015.
Ah; note that the first step in solving a problem (not necessarily negotiating a problem) is admitting that one has a problem: perhaps acknowledgement of the border problem is the issue which causes the pivot to perceptions? (Voters would surely feel fatigue from hearing about the same old problem again & again - but "know your audience" means knowing which border most concerns voters, e.g. the one between poverty & penury.)
Rishi: Good point about the border "between poverty". Maybe we are all so confused, we have forgotten that poverty borders have shifted to include more of us as poverty with no way out. Poverty, the one issue, most of us want totally disappeared from our world, to be something that history preserves, but neither exists again in reality.
Rishi, our border situation is just something the republicans can scream about thinking that will get them votes. The thing is, they haven't come up with a sensible solution because they don't want to. They want to try and scare Americans into voting for them because they will take care of the situation. They won't say how but I suspect it would involve razor wire, walls, and guns. That is not a solution. Your idea is a good solution and I know there are many of us that have great ideas to work on this problem. The difference is, our ideas are humane and compassionate. We want to help these people that are trying to escape countries that trump would want to turn us into. I think President Biden is going along with this bill in order to take away trump's screaming point. You should contact someone in Congress and tell them your idea. They might listen!
Sounding tough on illegal or indeed legal migration has become the staple debate in developed democracies with major parties vying to introduce more severe controls.Falling birthrates however are also common in the G7 economies so migration controlled or otherwise will continue to trend as war zones proliferate across the globe.The willingness of electorates to share their space and public infrastructure is being tested to the extent that newly emerging neo fascists parties are gaining votes across Europe and elsewhere.Only a courageous open dialogue led by moderate politicians which explains why migration and compassionate asylum policies are necessary in this interconnected world can avoid a return to the 1930's and Putin is evidence of the dangers of ultra nationalism and aggression.
I have lived the better part of my 76 years in Texas. Hispanics have been an integral part of my life. They work hard and they work smart. Family is very important to them. They bring value to our culture.
Robert, the only thing missing from your synopsis of the southern border crisis is the fact that the current GQP of the House of Representatives and Senate are screaming for a “secure border funding” bill to stop the influx of immigrants from our southern countries.
If we recall, some time back the GQP withdrew funding from the southern border. They cut funding to the Border Patrol and other agencies who were working the border to process, place, and yes, even return those who were illegally crossing the border. So, I’m looking at what they want now, Exactly? One thing. Election leverage.
The southern border is the ONLY THING the GQP can take to their constituents and argue, campaign on, and preach to their constituents that President Biden has done nothing about.
Fact of the matter is, the GQP has created something, lost control of it, and now are scrambling to make an election issue out of it with their favorite tool. “The blame game”! They have created this issue at the southern border. Now the blame President Biden for it, and blame him further not fixing it, which is something that he’s been trying to get done for over two years!
What needs to be done is simple, and it’s up to US, the PEOPLE, to get it done. We need to VOTE BLUE 💙💙💙💙 in every election between right now and at least 2030. We must flush this entire GQP out of our political landscape. If we don’t, we won’t need to worry about the southern border, other than us crossing it getting the hell out of this dictatorship we will be living under!!!
Yes. And this one is blowing up in their faces, too. Biden already told them to send the bill to him. He’ll sign it and immediately close the border totally.
He has called their bluff, exposing them for exactly what they are trying to do. Use the border as a campaign issue for the GQP. It won’t work. Now, people see them for exactly what they are, and what they are trying to do.
Again, this House of Representatives has not accomplished one damn thing since January last year. Nothing will be accomplished either. A total waste. If we don’t vote every damned Republican out of office, we are missing the boat!
VOTE BLUE 💙💙💙💙 between now and at least 2030. Every special election and general elections. We MUST replace these Republicans GQPers! They have to go!!!
If the news med out a is telling them, they wouldn’t believe it anyway, unless it comes right out of Frumpy’s mouth, those fools won’t believe a word they hear.
To be a bit more precise: they created this (hyper-partisan polarization of border funding) issue - as they got greedy!
Note that doing a 180 in immigration policy (i.e. abandoning Regan's amnesty, appeals to authority of naturalization pathways, & even the "strong dollar" policies which went hand-in-hand with their fiscal lunacy) may have continued to go unnoticed... but not after presenting an... apoplectic (sclerotic?)... face to the public (as voters who appreciated "fiscal conservatism" in the 80's & "compassionate conservatism" in the 00's have probably noticed that appeals to nativism & isolationism put the party at odds with the most successful iterations of its past self!).
Daniel, any sane person would see it exactly as you describe it!! But then, trump followers are not sane! They want to be whipped up and ready to use their weapons of mass destruction! The border might be the catalysts that starts these crazies shooting up the place!!
I fully agree, Peggy. And, the only ones they are hurting is themselves.
Listening to some of them being interviewed on MSNBC yesterday I had to laugh. Some of them when faced with choosing between Trump, as a dictator, or Biden, as the president who’s improved the economy, workforce, infrastructure, and other things, they choose Trump and dictatorship!
Do these people realize what the hell they are saying? What the hell they’re asking for?
I don’t think the first one has a clue what a dictatorship actually is, stands for, means. Nothing.
It's like that saying "Be careful what you wish for". These birdbrains honestly think their lives would be better under a dictatorship? Just go to a country where citizens are living under a dictatorship and ask them if they like it. They would be surprised at the answers. Those same citizens would gladly trade where they are for a chance at true freedom here in America!! Honestly, I wish these gullible rubes would wise up!
I imagine all they need to do is ask any one of the thousands that are crossing our southern border daily. The biggest majority of those folks are from South America countries.
They won't ask because in reality they don't care about those folks, those human beings trying to escape the harshness! They just want something, anything for trump to use in his screaming tantrums. Human lives mean nothing to these people unless it is their own.
We absolutely DO need to build a tall, thick wall, but not for the purpose of keeping out immigrants. We need to put a wall around Republicans. Preferably that wall should be on Mars, with an accompanying dome, of course. We’ll give them everything they need for self sufficiency, plus their religions and all the guns. Then we’ll let them be. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to have no one but themselves to live with, to blame, and to victimize.
Lisa Winfeld: No, not on Mars. I do not want Republicanism spreading into the Universe. I don't know how to end trump supporters/followers; I just want them ended.
I absolutely believe that Donald Trump is an existential threat to our democracy. But he is not the only threat. At this point, I would not vote for a republican dog-catcher. I feel like not enough attention is being paid to down-ballot races. We need to get rid of republicans in the house and senate. We need to get rid of the republican strangle-holds on state governments. My own state of NC is being destroyed by super-majorities in our legislature even though we have a democratic governor. I would love to get your thoughts on all the other races in 2024.
“We also need to deal with immigration in a humane way by offering a broad and reasonable path to citizenship, but Democrats seem to have forgotten this basic goal.”
Today’s Substack plays like a broken record. Like too much of America today, it seems to be focused on punch and counter punch. Many are adamant that we need immigration and just as many feel we do not. Many of us have met, worked with, or gotten to know an immigrant or a family that immigrated. I’ve not met an immigrant yet that I could honestly say I wish they’d not been allowed in. Immigrants provide a lot of good to the country and why we find ourselves as a country unable to come up with a policy is baffling. Many of us are tired of the senseless banter and the real inability of us as a country to figure out what to do. Many of us don’t think we’ll find a way forward (as a country) regarding immigration ever.
Here is where we need to have a federal initiative process for citizens. (We have a citizen’s initiative process in my state which the GOP hate because it allows the citizens to get issues on the ballot. We wouldn’t need it if our representatives truly represented the people). If we could get unbiased citizens to examine the situation and make recommendations …
Well, that won’t happen. Immigration has been USED by politicians for a very long time. We can’t expect politicians to solve it, that would be against their interests.
Immigration is one of a dozen critical issues that America needs to face. But short-term thinking and special interests, along with a breakdown of trust and consensus on basics in Congress, means that we continue to drift with little long term vision, planning, or investments.
If Dems don't get control of Congress then collapse may be the only way out of this Chinese finger trap.We can drift probably for a number of years yet, but climate will end that.
Henry, you are so right! I lived with a family and went to school in Mexico. Everyone was so kind, helpful and hard working.
When I worked and lived in Southern California, I had a roommate and co-worker who was an undocumented immigrant from an impoverished Guatemalan family. Her aunt had paid for her flight to the US and provided housing in exchange for Magda to take care of her daughter and do the housework. Magda’s cousin was in school for the majority of the day, so Magda, who had graduated from high school already, but really wanted to learn English, enrolled herself at the local high school, and worked and studied her way through. When her aunt found out, she was enraged and determined to send Magda back to Guatemala. Magda took a spare set of clothes and left. Within two weeks, she had a new job at the multinational corporation where I worked as an auditor. She needed housing, and I had more room than I knew what to do with. Within two years, she had been promoted to a supervisory track from a clerical level, and was dating a young man who was appalled that no one had taken her case to the immigration court. He hired an immigration attorney for her and all her co-workers and friends testified on her behalf. At the end of her court appearance, the judge welcomed her to the US and stated that we needed more people like her.
But Keith, when the only thing you are obsessed with is winning at any cost, you have lost the plot! These republicans including trump do not understand the majority of the American people. When they vote, they will vote for the person who has actually run on a platform that lays out exactly what they will work to do if elected. We're not going to vote for someone that can't remember their own voting record or someone that wants to 'divorce' the United States. They will not vote for chaos or authoritarianism. The republicans don't get that which is why they lose a lot of times. The more they scream and gnash their teeth, the less likely they will get a vote from the sane majority!
Barbara, I can safely say that there are soooo many more sane Americans in our country!! The little orange man is bleeding voters when he kicks them out of his MAGA camp because they dare to vote for an opponent. Every time he bashes voters (RINOS, turncoats, traitors, as he calls them) he loses another faction. It isn't daydreaming or wishful thinking to know that we, as Americans, are simply tired of his chaos and vitriol and actually want someone sane to govern our country. Please remember, vote! vote! vote!
If you're looking at the same things I am, Biden is losing more and more support every day from key constituencies -- the young, Hispanics, Arab-Americans, etc -- who are certainly sane, and who he needed to win against Trump the last time.
For some encouragement watch Rachel Maddow’s Monday Night show. She had E. Jean Carroll and her team on and you will love what they are saying about Trump.
Here in the UK we have a Conservative party trotting out almost the same set of lies. No surprise to find that they have close links to Trump's Republicans. The good news is that they will almost certainly be thrown out this year.
Such a betrayal of our country. Instead of working together to get to a bipartisan bill, Trump orders his lackeys to kill it. Why? Because he wants to use it as a campaign issue. It’s all about Trump, not the country. Vote in November!!!
And pass Robert Reich’s article onto the media, the news stations and the editors.
CALL Speaker Mike Johnson 202-225-4000 and tell him to show his INTEGRITY by passing the immigration bipartisan bill that has taken months to achieve.
Tell him he took an Oath to our country and our constitution, NOT to Trump.
The irony (and the joke) is that Trump was the poster boy for employer sanctions for hiring illegals on his job sites and paid DOL a $MM fine. https://time.com/5039109/donald-trump-undocumented-polish-trump-tower-bonwit-teller/
He also uses temporary visa workers to displace Americans on his properties. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/trump-organization-undocumented-workers
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/09/us/mar-a-lago-undocumented-workers.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/us/trump-undocumented-workers-winery.html
I have seen it pointed out that while rejecting any deal on immigration serves Trump's selfish purposes by keeping immigration as a campaign issue for Trump, his primary motivation in nixing this deal is to prevent money from reaching Ukraine, thereby helping his puppetmaster Putin.
We need to keep hammering at the seditious/traitorous/treasonous actions of Benedict Donald & his many connections with Russia, Saudi Arabia & China. The Siberian Candidate acts as a Russian agent, & virtually everything he does prioritizes Russian interests over our own. If anyone needs examples, I'll be happy to provide some, but the list goes on & on.
I think this issue should be more potent & devastating to Traitor Trump & the whole Republican Party than any other, & should actually destroy the GOP. I can't imagine that most Americans could support a party that is full of so many traitors & a candidate that is in the pockets of dictators. But it has to be clearly & repeatedly pointed out with plenty of evidence, even if that evidence is mostly circumstantial (but the accumulation of circumstantial evidence can build up to an incontrovertible case), & logical arguments to connect all those pieces of evidence. We should also impugn the patriotism of anyone who supports these traitors.
Jaime, thanks for the reminder. I know people had this information about potential collusion with Russia and other dictators tucked away, but bringing it out again is helpful. I am still beyond upset that Trump and his conspirators, insurrectionists are still permitted on any ballot when our Constitution clearly states that this should not happen. It is clear Republicans and those they have put on the courts are pickers and choosers among the items in our Constitution. They love the 2nd amendment and have warped it far out of shape, love the presidential pardon and permitted Trump to pardon folks who helped him commit crimes. They love the 5th amendment when it is they who refuse to answer, but not when someone with a different point of view does. So, they are trying hard to warp the 14th amendment section 3 out of shape so they can claim Trump is not included because it does not specifically say "president" in the section. It does say officer but he is now claiming he as president was not an officer of this nation. Then, there are the members of Congress who participated in the insurrection yet are still sitting there, even having been re-elected. Are they not officers too? It is difficult to sort this all out, but we need to do it quickly. We have fewer than 280 days.
Well said! I highly agree! Spoken like an attorney. Feel free to remind us of examples as you mentioned.
I try to “educate” people about Trump whenever there is an appropriate opportunity. Today in my walking group I was shocked to learn a woman didn’t know about Project 2025, that Trump exposed Hitler phrases and that he announced he would be a dictator on day one.
I encouraged her to subscribe to the Substack newsletters of Robert Reich, Heather Cox Richardson, Thom Hartmann & Joyce Vance.
(You can actually listen to them)
Marlo - you should also let her know that in most of the states that have restricted abortion there are 65,000 (my number might be off a bit and likely undercounted) women who got pregnant because of rape. The limited research also said that a majority of the women had no option to get an abortion if they said that they decided not to keep the pregnancy. People should have a choice to either keep a pregnancy if they want to or not but they never had a choice about being raped.
Especially those who are considered minor children by the laws.
Jaime Ramirez - whatever happened to mueller and his report? i wonder if the current AG has read it? for that matter, has Smith read it? also, when are we going to put eileen cannon in jail for obstruction of justice? did she get some of Jared's $2billion? must have been some good stuff that drumpf sold his master.
Paul, the Mueller report was a snow job, Mueller' task was to find something, but not worthy of trial or impeachment.
Liberals were breathless about Muellers investigation until it came out and was a nothing burger. I knew it all along, because it was Trump and Barr's DOJ that was doing the investiation.
Now they are breathless over Jack Smith's work, and ignoring the fact that Smith works for Garlland, and Garland is the 5th columnist in Biden's administration, a radical right winger, a Federalist society employee.
Garland couldn't wait to appoint Weiss as Special Counsel to investigate and proscute Hunter, but nary a word about the Congrressional J6 seditionists, Ivanka and Don Jr, whos corruption and crimes are linked to Daddy, nor has he prosecuted Matt Gaetz
Then there is the Documents case. Garland moved it to Flordia, instead of holding it where the crime ACTUALLY occurred in DC, and appointed a Trump Twit, Aileeen Cannon, as the judge over the case.
But wait, was Barr in charge when Mueller started? also, yeah, I guess I forgot that Garland was federalist society. i thought that loose cannon was given the case as a result of random selection (per the msn) but i never believed that, especially after she'd been overturned once on the damn case. i don't believe in most coincidences. I've been asking for at at least a year why Gaetz is free. is no one going to investigate the $2billion that jared got? did obama get any good lawyers in the justice dept? or were they all leftovers from bush? too many questions.
Sessions was AG when Mueller was appointed SC.
Sessions then Barr. Barr then did his own deflection and dancing. If you read the Mueller report there was plenty to investigate... but Barr held it .... held it some more and then manipulated the narrative. Garland did not appoint Cannon - it was an "unlucky" draw to get her of all people. First- Who benefits from XY or Z actions or inaction? Who benefits from the delays? Second - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE $ --Someone Please follow the money - Jared's haul, Mark Meadows nice nonprofit gig.
AND Dems have to reclaim the narrative - walk through the outline for the 2025 project plans for the Crazy Cult. Half the time the dems bring their pencil to the gun fight... and end up deny what the lies that have been flung there way. Denying the lies - repeats the lie that you haven't done. lately, I've started saying "you know., I AM mad about MY stolen election - that real steal done by the Supreme's back in 2000, and how we had to clean up after the WMD Lie, two war lies, and oh yeah that silly pesky financial crisis.
Take a tip from the The UAW Pres - who just slayed Don - It was short, direct and snarky enough and dead serious.
I am completely convinced of that, as well, Jaime. He loves his dictators, his role models. I have no idea whether Putin has kompromat on Trump, or Trump just idolizes Putin’s power, but Benedict Donald {yes!} wants those Russian bots working for him all over the Internet again … of that I am most certain. Harming Ukraine achieves that for the vicious oozing boil on the glutes of America.
Jaime Ramirez : also, push to remove those who are disabled by the 14th amendment. Section 3 : disqualification clause. They broke their oaths of office, by participating in insurrection by refusing to certify Joe Biden's win: on Jan 6th, no less. They are disqualified for office! They should be gone! Yet they still hold power and wield it for the criminal in chief; who works for Putin! And other dictators.
Here's the new amicus brief done by the historians for the coming Supreme's review of Colorado's trumph 14th amendment removal Https://legalhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/another-historians-brief-in-trump-v.html. Filed by historians Blight, Faust, Lepore, and Witt. Let the Supreme's have a hissy fit - determining if it applies to A President or what it meant to aid and abet? Don did more than violate his oath- he called them to come to DC, lit the match to Go to the Capital, and then JUST abandoned his post & and watched Pence and the rest flee - with Glee.. but with the shameless house and senate R's as the enablers- they let it all metastasize.
Magicgirl ; Thank you for this! They do chump's bidding now, in the Congress ; illegitimately. He is a chump for Putin!
Brilliantly presented. Please repeat this until it’s all people are talking about. Simplify the presentation, maybe bullet points so that it’s easily understood.
All his enablers are as guilty as he is for being traitors. Not supporting our allies siding with dictators - wow. Sounds like treason to me.
Jaime Ramirez : I wonder if our Senate ( we have a majority?) Could look into whether tfg is actually in violation of not being registered as a foreign agent. Everything he is doing supports Putin. He is aiding and abetting our present enemy,, and most likely Iran. He raises money to return to power,, even though he is disqualified to hold office. His enablers in Congress : the ones who betrayed their oaths of office by voting against certification of a president are doing his bidding. They help Putin destroy a Democracy that our President vowed to help. He and his thugs are traitors! They should not be in power! none of them!
We are in complete agreement.
UH OH! The Houthi done pissed off the Indians: https://youtu.be/Mnq0LVohiig?si=0EJTR7iq1mFAPu4D
(Thought you might be interested.)
Also, from our earlier discussion of language:
Polish: https://youtu.be/eDW2zPf-OYs?si=jHvpFfG2TldSeTTB
--------Of particular interest: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOFViHvDHMbE6qH6E_v_nGakPBJ079c4Z&si=UPQEBH1cORc5LaEZ
Croatian: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC53653A691B89FCB&si=qqrMFloSpgyBEFZR
Ukrainian: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5CcGrfayYyzXhiH7o-W8800jwlM6tN9g&si=ZFFU0OL--_2bPUiI
Thank-you so much! They should be very useful!
see the SS noahopinion interview with Sarah C. Paine today.
It is Manchurian candidate Jaime, not Siberian, but I can understand the confusion, they are both relatively co located.
I know. I gave Trump his own unique designation to show his close association with Russia & subservience to his puppetmaster Putin, while at the same time tying him to the Manchurian Candidate we know in film. Frankly he acts no different from the character in the film (other than being far more repulsive), as if he's manipulated in the same way.
He also MARRIED an illegal immigrant!
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/melania-trump-immigration-donald-226648
Luckily for "The Third Lady," she now has an "anchor baby."
He was married to two (2) immigrants. They brought their relatives, some who had been communists. Trump and Ivana, a Czech, were married in Canada. His father in law reported to the Czech KGB.
"Ivana’s father, Miloš Zelníček, gave regular information to the local StB [KGB] office about his daughter’s visits from the US and on his celebrity son-in-law’s career in New York. Zelníček was classified as a “conspiratorial” informer. His relationship with the StB lasted until the end of the communist regime." https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/29/trump-czechoslovakia-communism-spying
What’s even more disgusting, is, that she got an Einstein Visa. From what I understand, such visas are supposed to be issued only for immigrants who have some sort of academic talent on record. The question I’d ask is, how does modeling even fit into this picture and second, did Donald or a surrogate falsely submit documentation for said visa?
People paying attention remember that — let’s get people who weren’t paying attention to realize it. If we can get them to believe anything any more. They’ve been seriously vaccinated against the truth. The only vaccination the Right will use. Protection against the truth.
That’s why Trump prefers uneducated people so he can lie and they will believe his lies; like the election was rigged and he really won.
There are people who think he built the wall and probably don’t realize: it wasn’t completed; it was shabbily built (already falling down); and that WE paid for it - NOT Mexico.
In the late ‘90’s Trump said if he ever ran for office he’d run as a Repub because they’re stupider (& thus more easily duped).
[He probably said “easily led,” but he meant duped 🙂]
Yes, the wall started to tip over from erosion before he was even out of office, if memory serves …
People who see things on their screens or in “writing” are somehow programmed to just believe … it confuses me … But it’s tough to get them to change their minds, once they have expressed solidarity with some idea or person.
That’s just human nature, and we need to be aware that the followers are harder to convince than the non-followers. We do need to get the attention of the non-followers…
There needs to be in intervention. Trump believes he won the last election, which is clearly not true. Just read Liz Cheney's book "Oath and Honor", which spells out the truth unquestionably. The next step is to have Trump brought in for evaluation, and most likely medication, and counseling - until he can get his feet back on the ground. His followers will likely need counseling as well - it's too dangerous for our country to not do that. Is there a process for that? If they are as quick as our legal system however, I guess we should just forget it. We get what we get.
Would that it were possible to get his family to realize it about him. A little scary, though, as dumping unwanted people into asylums used to be “a thing.”
Oy, vey. Can’t we just put him in jail where he belongs? [Even that can be misused, I KNOW, but this would not be a misuse.]
And because he's so influential, he need to just shut up. Mary Trump says she's going to try and do whatever she can to keep Donald out of the White House. I hope she is effective.
Both Mary Trump and Liz Cheney should receive medals of honor for their courage in speaking truth to power. Their books should be required reading in schools and universities everywhere.
DEposit him in a dungeon.I like a strait jacket and a muzzle,that might do the trick!
Yeah, I can’r really say I WANT that, but it’s a cool little day dream.
I do really, really WANT him answering in court, though. And not this abysmal slow-walking legal kabuki we see these days …
Daniel, hypocrisy is strong with this one!
“The pot calling the kettle black!”
Thank you Daniel for reminding us of yet another of his “double speak” and continued attempts at fleecing America for his personal gain.
ALL these "social truths" about $45 need to be WIDELY disseminated!
If that's the case, you might have made a lot of money...maybe even punitive damages.
If Republicans really wanted to stop illegal immigration, "employer sanctions" and potential liability suits could have mitigated it long ago.
Employer sanctions provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) prohibit employers from hiring, recruiting, or referring for a fee aliens known to be unauthorized to work in the United States. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/legal-requirements-and-enforcement/penalties
Contingent fee. No recovery no fee.
I heard, among others H1B cases. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-cautions-employers-seeking-h-1b-visas-not-discriminate-against-us-workers
In 90% of my cases the statutes had fee shifting provisions, so that if the defendant lost they were responsible to pay complainant's fees.
I practiced law in Florida, heard many of those cases in Florida. Miami and Houston are the centers of the universe for some areas of law -- some Florida lawyers appeared in my cases in DC, NY, many other locations. I reviewed fee agreements when I awarded fees. Complainants virtually never had to pay more than costs "up front."
Absolutely!!!
Think what TFG offers such disgusting sycophants? The only thing TFG cares about is himself/money. For a wacko who is the real loser as he likes to label others the only thing he offers is FEAR/HATE. Supporting TFG requires serious rationalizing, which means accepting a lot of lies.
Trumpers never learned to share.
“Trump says he welcomes criticism from GOP senators. “Please, blame it on me. Please, because they were getting ready to pass a very bad bill.”
Excellent lesson professor. That said, it’s almost as though Trump and Netanyahu have the same campaign teams. During the JCPOA negotiations, Netanyahu would tell everyone, that “any deal” is a “bad” deal. Never specifying why.
I happened to hear it directly from Netanyahu when I visited the Knesset in Israel as part of UJA. You can’t break through to these people. They have a narrative, and the entire team parrots their fearless leader, Netanyahu or Trump; regardless how ridiculous their position is.
And what would Trump know of a “good” deal vs a “bad”deal? He’s the worst deal maker around.
He tried to repeal the ACA, which he promised to do again, even though more American’s have enrolled than ever before (over 25 million) and love it; replacing it with “what”? Exactly!
He betrayed the Kurds after an hour conversation with Erdoğan. He pulled out of the Paris Accords for climate change; apparently because windmills cause cancer. He couldn’t decide whether COVID was real or a democratic hoax, yet, took credit for the vaccines. And when he finally built his 50 miles of new wall along a 2,300 mile border, Mexico didn’t pay for it.
I mention all of these shenanigans because it shows that Trump has no plan. He had the house and senate for his first two years in office, yet couldn’t produce an immigration bill, because immigrants he was told (Stephen Miller), were responsible for all the drugs and crime. Wrong!
He had an infrastructure month every year, yet couldn’t produce an infrastructure bill, or even brought one up for a vote. Yet, watch Trump try to claim credit for every project the bill financed in red states. He wouldn’t be alone. Have you listened to all the republican lawmakers claiming credit and handing out the checks from the infrastructure Bill and the CHIPs and Science Act? They all are going home and bragging about all the pork they brought to their respective districts and states, yet, none of them voted for these bills.
So what did Trump accomplish during his first term? Three things: a perpetual state of chaos. Three fascist SC picks and......wait for it......wait for it ......TAX CUTS for the rich.
So tell me America, what exactly did most of you get from Trump, except a daily migraine, a recession, and an extra $20 to $40 bucks a month in their paychecks?
Now ask yourself was it worth it? Exactly, and the reason we should never choose Trump again! It’s a clown car run by narcissistic sociopath, and a bunch of spineless politicians, who are so obtuse and weak, that collectively, they all couldn’t find the ocean, if they were standing on the beach!
Mr. Jaffee, you have been paying attention and keeping notes!
I will be gifting subscriptions to my two children to Reich's substack because of the information he offers, but also as much for the insightful, intelligent and well worded comments posted on this site such as yours and many others.
Thank you so much...:)
Robert - Yes! You said exactly what was on my mind and a Whole lot better than I did! Your brain is working a lot better than mine this morning so thank you for writing so pointedly and eloquently.
Thank you...:)
Hear! Hear! Well said, Robert!!
It’s the republican mantra. More tax cuts for the rich and corporations but crumbs for the rest of us. And we wonder why we have a deficit that’s so large? It started with Reagan, ramped up big time by Bush, who then got us into Iraq ($$$) and then a Great Recession, where there was poor regulation and still is due to republicans eliminating the law that held back another housing crisis under Trump. Then Trump with his failed handling of Covid. Clinton, Obama and now Biden have had to pick up the pieces.
Agreed! Every time republicans come to town, bad things happen. They call themselves fiscal hawks, but all evidence points to the contrary. Reagan tripled the national debt from $900 billion to $2.7 trillion. Only Clinton balanced the budget and left us with a $300 billion surplus.
Obama may have spent as much as Bush, but we had a surplus under Clinton. When Bush left office the debt went from $5.5 trillion to $11.9 trillion, and the deficit grew from a surplus of $300 billion, to $1.8 trillion. Not to mention, leaving us in the worst economic condition since the Great Depression.
At least when Obama left office he reduced the deficit from $1.88 trillion to $536 billion, even though the economy was in the gutter, and we were losing a million jobs a month when Obama took office.
And don’t get me started with Trump. He spent more in four years than any other president in US history: $8.8 trillion, and increasing the deficit to almost $2 trillion a year.
Yet more than half the people in this country believe that republicans are better for the economy and National Security. I guess it’s true if you consider military spending. As for keeping us safe? Two numbers: 9/11..:)
Ever notice that when Trump got Covid that he didn’t insist on having Hydroxychloroquine administered?
You give Bunkerboy far too little credit, Mr. Jaffee!!!" He ALSO illegalized animal abuse AND murdered one of America's two major political parties.
I, and many other progressive media pundits I watch, honestly cannot see the Gop coming out of this AT ALL.
Fair enough, and points will taken. Although, this time around, his loyalists are far more dangerous than he is; and for more cerebral and nefarious than he ever was.
Bunker Boy is out for himself; his advisors and financial backers want to reshape the government and replace it with a Christian version of Sharia Law...:)
Couldn’t have said it better!
Yes.
When you give all your power away to a lunatic, who has hijacked the electors, you create a party of frightened losers and wimps ...
That's it too. There are millions of Trump losers - how will they ever feel whole again - they'll sit around all bitter, plotting the next malfeasance.
Trump had to return some of the contributions. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/07/us/politics/trump-recurring-donations.html
I can envision PI attorneys seeking MAGATs who were screwed due to fraud. https://www.npr.org/2022/06/16/1105279623/jan-6-committee-trump-campaign-legal-defense-fund
"Ring Trump's cash register -- money back plus damages." No recovery, no fee.
The house and senate republicans and Michael Johnson is particular are acting as Donald Trump’s “fluffers.”
Ewwwwwwwww!!! I'M EATING HERE!!!
Robert......
If the democrats had plans to make a move the video I've seen of the situation at Eagle Pass is a sure reminder that this border controversy is just a means to extend our conflict between the parties.
Eagle Pass, Texas is an example..... One highly protected gate with armed military and vehicles, razor wire etc. Yet stay on the road and observe all the gates that are swung wide open. Had a friend make that trip and in 4 miles there was 17 gates wide open and not a person in sight. 300 yards past the gate and you're into neighborhoods ... nice neighborhoods.
What's that tell you?
It tells me that that the best share of this border problem is just a 'put on' by the news media.
Strong movements from the Dark Side are playing 4 D Chess.... they are excellent in confusing the nation.
Abbott is a weak man. Weak men always try their best to appear strong. In my mind, he has no soul. Razor wire? Allowing people to drown? I would hope that Texas would come to its senses and vote him out!!
Texas is gerrymandered. Best we can do is donate. https://www.texasdemocrats.org/
Governor is a statewide. The issue is also voter suppression.
Thanks, Frankom, I will!
Biden may have 'caved in' simply as a tactic, to enable him to cite it whenever necessary, so that it is a side issue. Perhaps the main election material for Democrats should concentrate on these points (refutations of lies).
Joe will use this to an advantage.
He's got plenty of ammo for his talks.How would anyone like a convicted rapist w/ a huge judgment in our Oval Office?Stay tuned ,we have Judge Engoron's calculation and 4 criminal trials coming up.I'm waiting for a judge to say'bailiff,remove him from the courtroom!'
@RedElisa Mendoza
Read- STRONGMEN:Mussolini to the Present
by Ruth Ben Ghiat
Me too! Can't wait😁
Politics is about perception, a Poly Sci Professor once said. The images of thousands at the border are sad. Stats about backlogged cases in courts are bad. The repeated images in the media have caused many people to think immigration is a major issue this election. I think other issues are far more important for USA's long-term security.
Biden did the right thing because funding foreign policy is necessary. We have a two party system, for better or worse. Playing politics makes it for worse. Biden played the grown up at the table, and voters know it.
Biden should keep a comprehensive plan on the table and keep asking for cooperation. Come Election Day, I hope people care more about issues that help Americans, rather than precieved threats of immigrants trying to hurt American's way of life. An "open border" is hogwash. Climate disruption and a sustainable energy policy are the real issues that threaten USA's future and security.
Why shouldn't America expand its visa programs - or consider a one-time amnesty (which was successfully undertaken in the 1980's)? From an economic standpoint the country stands much to gain at little - if any - expense...
That's a good question. You have a possible good solution. However, this is about perception, not policy. At the moment, they're just playing politics to sell crisis for the election.
They're doing everything possible to keep flooding TV with images of crisis on the border. This is why they haven't funded Biden's actions to address the problem. Biden's comprehensive plan on the table is being ignored in order to continue the disturbing images of a crisis at the border. Do you really think your logical solution would be treated any different than the Administration's comprehensive plan?
I think the first rule of negotiating a solution is that both sides must want to solve the problem. Clearly, they don't want to solve the problem with solutions like yours. They want crisis. Their "brand is crisis," except the climate crisis. Sandra Bullock nailed it in 2015.
Ah; note that the first step in solving a problem (not necessarily negotiating a problem) is admitting that one has a problem: perhaps acknowledgement of the border problem is the issue which causes the pivot to perceptions? (Voters would surely feel fatigue from hearing about the same old problem again & again - but "know your audience" means knowing which border most concerns voters, e.g. the one between poverty & penury.)
> = )
Joe Biden: "For too long, we all know the border’s been broken.
It’s long past time to fix it."
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/26/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-bipartisan-senate-border-security-negotiations/
Rishi: Good point about the border "between poverty". Maybe we are all so confused, we have forgotten that poverty borders have shifted to include more of us as poverty with no way out. Poverty, the one issue, most of us want totally disappeared from our world, to be something that history preserves, but neither exists again in reality.
Rishi, our border situation is just something the republicans can scream about thinking that will get them votes. The thing is, they haven't come up with a sensible solution because they don't want to. They want to try and scare Americans into voting for them because they will take care of the situation. They won't say how but I suspect it would involve razor wire, walls, and guns. That is not a solution. Your idea is a good solution and I know there are many of us that have great ideas to work on this problem. The difference is, our ideas are humane and compassionate. We want to help these people that are trying to escape countries that trump would want to turn us into. I think President Biden is going along with this bill in order to take away trump's screaming point. You should contact someone in Congress and tell them your idea. They might listen!
Forgive the metaphor - but the country will warm up to it... (U.C. Berkeley - despite its efforts to support "DREAMers" & protect DACA recipients from deportation - is still only working towards being designated an 'Hispanic Serving Institution': https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/task-forces/hispanic-serving-institution-task-force)
Thanks Danny. I support what Biden is doing here. The immigration issue threatens to return a crazy man to the WhiteHouse. And a Putin win in Ukraine.
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Sounding tough on illegal or indeed legal migration has become the staple debate in developed democracies with major parties vying to introduce more severe controls.Falling birthrates however are also common in the G7 economies so migration controlled or otherwise will continue to trend as war zones proliferate across the globe.The willingness of electorates to share their space and public infrastructure is being tested to the extent that newly emerging neo fascists parties are gaining votes across Europe and elsewhere.Only a courageous open dialogue led by moderate politicians which explains why migration and compassionate asylum policies are necessary in this interconnected world can avoid a return to the 1930's and Putin is evidence of the dangers of ultra nationalism and aggression.
I have lived the better part of my 76 years in Texas. Hispanics have been an integral part of my life. They work hard and they work smart. Family is very important to them. They bring value to our culture.
Robert, the only thing missing from your synopsis of the southern border crisis is the fact that the current GQP of the House of Representatives and Senate are screaming for a “secure border funding” bill to stop the influx of immigrants from our southern countries.
If we recall, some time back the GQP withdrew funding from the southern border. They cut funding to the Border Patrol and other agencies who were working the border to process, place, and yes, even return those who were illegally crossing the border. So, I’m looking at what they want now, Exactly? One thing. Election leverage.
The southern border is the ONLY THING the GQP can take to their constituents and argue, campaign on, and preach to their constituents that President Biden has done nothing about.
Fact of the matter is, the GQP has created something, lost control of it, and now are scrambling to make an election issue out of it with their favorite tool. “The blame game”! They have created this issue at the southern border. Now the blame President Biden for it, and blame him further not fixing it, which is something that he’s been trying to get done for over two years!
What needs to be done is simple, and it’s up to US, the PEOPLE, to get it done. We need to VOTE BLUE 💙💙💙💙 in every election between right now and at least 2030. We must flush this entire GQP out of our political landscape. If we don’t, we won’t need to worry about the southern border, other than us crossing it getting the hell out of this dictatorship we will be living under!!!
Daniel, the GOP abortion stance is blowing up in their faces so now they need another issue.
Yes. And this one is blowing up in their faces, too. Biden already told them to send the bill to him. He’ll sign it and immediately close the border totally.
He has called their bluff, exposing them for exactly what they are trying to do. Use the border as a campaign issue for the GQP. It won’t work. Now, people see them for exactly what they are, and what they are trying to do.
Again, this House of Representatives has not accomplished one damn thing since January last year. Nothing will be accomplished either. A total waste. If we don’t vote every damned Republican out of office, we are missing the boat!
VOTE BLUE 💙💙💙💙 between now and at least 2030. Every special election and general elections. We MUST replace these Republicans GQPers! They have to go!!!
I wonder if the right wing news is even telling the MAGAs that Biden said that.
You’re right. The GOP is about theatrics and not governance.
If the news med out a is telling them, they wouldn’t believe it anyway, unless it comes right out of Frumpy’s mouth, those fools won’t believe a word they hear.
So true!!
To be a bit more precise: they created this (hyper-partisan polarization of border funding) issue - as they got greedy!
Note that doing a 180 in immigration policy (i.e. abandoning Regan's amnesty, appeals to authority of naturalization pathways, & even the "strong dollar" policies which went hand-in-hand with their fiscal lunacy) may have continued to go unnoticed... but not after presenting an... apoplectic (sclerotic?)... face to the public (as voters who appreciated "fiscal conservatism" in the 80's & "compassionate conservatism" in the 00's have probably noticed that appeals to nativism & isolationism put the party at odds with the most successful iterations of its past self!).
Daniel, any sane person would see it exactly as you describe it!! But then, trump followers are not sane! They want to be whipped up and ready to use their weapons of mass destruction! The border might be the catalysts that starts these crazies shooting up the place!!
I fully agree, Peggy. And, the only ones they are hurting is themselves.
Listening to some of them being interviewed on MSNBC yesterday I had to laugh. Some of them when faced with choosing between Trump, as a dictator, or Biden, as the president who’s improved the economy, workforce, infrastructure, and other things, they choose Trump and dictatorship!
Do these people realize what the hell they are saying? What the hell they’re asking for?
I don’t think the first one has a clue what a dictatorship actually is, stands for, means. Nothing.
It's like that saying "Be careful what you wish for". These birdbrains honestly think their lives would be better under a dictatorship? Just go to a country where citizens are living under a dictatorship and ask them if they like it. They would be surprised at the answers. Those same citizens would gladly trade where they are for a chance at true freedom here in America!! Honestly, I wish these gullible rubes would wise up!
I imagine all they need to do is ask any one of the thousands that are crossing our southern border daily. The biggest majority of those folks are from South America countries.
They won't ask because in reality they don't care about those folks, those human beings trying to escape the harshness! They just want something, anything for trump to use in his screaming tantrums. Human lives mean nothing to these people unless it is their own.
Peggy, I’m not so sure they give a damn about their life. Let’s face it. Every one of them is committing political suicide!!!
We absolutely DO need to build a tall, thick wall, but not for the purpose of keeping out immigrants. We need to put a wall around Republicans. Preferably that wall should be on Mars, with an accompanying dome, of course. We’ll give them everything they need for self sufficiency, plus their religions and all the guns. Then we’ll let them be. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to have no one but themselves to live with, to blame, and to victimize.
Aren't we calling that 'Texas'...?
Rishi - Bingo!
Lisa Winfeld: No, not on Mars. I do not want Republicanism spreading into the Universe. I don't know how to end trump supporters/followers; I just want them ended.
Now that made me laugh this morning! Thanks, Lisa! You made a great start to my day!!
☺️☺️☺️☺️
Keep pounding the drum!! Rational thinking people must get the messsge!! Wake up America!!!
I absolutely believe that Donald Trump is an existential threat to our democracy. But he is not the only threat. At this point, I would not vote for a republican dog-catcher. I feel like not enough attention is being paid to down-ballot races. We need to get rid of republicans in the house and senate. We need to get rid of the republican strangle-holds on state governments. My own state of NC is being destroyed by super-majorities in our legislature even though we have a democratic governor. I would love to get your thoughts on all the other races in 2024.
“We also need to deal with immigration in a humane way by offering a broad and reasonable path to citizenship, but Democrats seem to have forgotten this basic goal.”
Today’s Substack plays like a broken record. Like too much of America today, it seems to be focused on punch and counter punch. Many are adamant that we need immigration and just as many feel we do not. Many of us have met, worked with, or gotten to know an immigrant or a family that immigrated. I’ve not met an immigrant yet that I could honestly say I wish they’d not been allowed in. Immigrants provide a lot of good to the country and why we find ourselves as a country unable to come up with a policy is baffling. Many of us are tired of the senseless banter and the real inability of us as a country to figure out what to do. Many of us don’t think we’ll find a way forward (as a country) regarding immigration ever.
Here is where we need to have a federal initiative process for citizens. (We have a citizen’s initiative process in my state which the GOP hate because it allows the citizens to get issues on the ballot. We wouldn’t need it if our representatives truly represented the people). If we could get unbiased citizens to examine the situation and make recommendations …
Well, that won’t happen. Immigration has been USED by politicians for a very long time. We can’t expect politicians to solve it, that would be against their interests.
... then how did the 1980's amnesty come to pass? (That was many years after the march from Delano, etc....)
I think it happened during Reagan's time as President. Maybe https://www.congress.gov/bill/100th-congress/senate-bill/1611?s=1&r=57#:~:text=Introduced%20in%20Senate%20(08%2F06,reunification%20immigrants%20and%20independent%20immigrants (Senator Edward Kennedy)
Immigration is one of a dozen critical issues that America needs to face. But short-term thinking and special interests, along with a breakdown of trust and consensus on basics in Congress, means that we continue to drift with little long term vision, planning, or investments.
If Dems don't get control of Congress then collapse may be the only way out of this Chinese finger trap.We can drift probably for a number of years yet, but climate will end that.
Henry, you are so right! I lived with a family and went to school in Mexico. Everyone was so kind, helpful and hard working.
When I worked and lived in Southern California, I had a roommate and co-worker who was an undocumented immigrant from an impoverished Guatemalan family. Her aunt had paid for her flight to the US and provided housing in exchange for Magda to take care of her daughter and do the housework. Magda’s cousin was in school for the majority of the day, so Magda, who had graduated from high school already, but really wanted to learn English, enrolled herself at the local high school, and worked and studied her way through. When her aunt found out, she was enraged and determined to send Magda back to Guatemala. Magda took a spare set of clothes and left. Within two weeks, she had a new job at the multinational corporation where I worked as an auditor. She needed housing, and I had more room than I knew what to do with. Within two years, she had been promoted to a supervisory track from a clerical level, and was dating a young man who was appalled that no one had taken her case to the immigration court. He hired an immigration attorney for her and all her co-workers and friends testified on her behalf. At the end of her court appearance, the judge welcomed her to the US and stated that we needed more people like her.
Henry, I agree.
Trump’s mind meld has the Republicans under the bus! They will do whatever it takes to defeat President Biden and the Democrats!
But Keith, when the only thing you are obsessed with is winning at any cost, you have lost the plot! These republicans including trump do not understand the majority of the American people. When they vote, they will vote for the person who has actually run on a platform that lays out exactly what they will work to do if elected. We're not going to vote for someone that can't remember their own voting record or someone that wants to 'divorce' the United States. They will not vote for chaos or authoritarianism. The republicans don't get that which is why they lose a lot of times. The more they scream and gnash their teeth, the less likely they will get a vote from the sane majority!
Peggy Freeman: I pray you are correct and that your words are not daydreaming or wishful thinking.
Barbara, I can safely say that there are soooo many more sane Americans in our country!! The little orange man is bleeding voters when he kicks them out of his MAGA camp because they dare to vote for an opponent. Every time he bashes voters (RINOS, turncoats, traitors, as he calls them) he loses another faction. It isn't daydreaming or wishful thinking to know that we, as Americans, are simply tired of his chaos and vitriol and actually want someone sane to govern our country. Please remember, vote! vote! vote!
If you're looking at the same things I am, Biden is losing more and more support every day from key constituencies -- the young, Hispanics, Arab-Americans, etc -- who are certainly sane, and who he needed to win against Trump the last time.
Trump just got hit with a haymaker from E. Jean Carroll and her attorney!
That jury sent him a message that hits Trump like a ton of bricks.
For some encouragement watch Rachel Maddow’s Monday Night show. She had E. Jean Carroll and her team on and you will love what they are saying about Trump.
Here in the UK we have a Conservative party trotting out almost the same set of lies. No surprise to find that they have close links to Trump's Republicans. The good news is that they will almost certainly be thrown out this year.