Part of the reason Trump appointed each of them is BECAUSE they have no experience, knowledge, or talent. If they knew ANYTHING about the fields they were appointed to, it might accidentally get in the way of their carrying out Trump's agenda.
Stupid is as stupid does and that's how Trump likes them. He finds intelligence something to fear because his lies have no meaning with people who can think independently.
Susan. Thanks. He has been a crook for decades. His first term showed he tried to destroy the country. Hes a horrible person and was always horrible. Hes clearly a horrible president. He is good at bullying and bamboozled and lying.
They're there just to fulfill Trump's every wish. They have fulfilled the Peter Principle on steroids, achieving a level of importance, power and greed they could never have dreamed of prior to the regime. Rotten to the core
Correct, however, the difference is that Nazi Germany was 100 years ago. A different age, different people, different way of thinking in times of colonial rule. Now we are in 21st century, in a land which saved the 'old world', and took the moral authority, for a while. But beginning with the Iraq war, fallout of the blatant lies and misconduct, that moral authority started to evaporate. Now we are in a stage of (I hope) final erosion, and I really hope that from here the Nation will again prove to be resilient and capable of self-correcting. Currently it is for the 'old world" to save the 'new world' from itself.
Actually, that moral authority began evaporating after WWII continuing through the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. America is a country of greedy fucks guided only by money no matter who they have to kill to get it. Moral authority was just placating the intelligent. As can be seen today, the stupid needed no placating. Give them a gas or diesel truck with a TV and towing for the RV and they are happier than pig's in shit. The only difference is that the pig is smarter.
Do you honestly believe that crap? The US closed its doors during the war to millions of refugees fleeing persecution. Any moral authority it may have laid claim to for its late entry into the war dissipated long before then. The disastrous Vietnam war ought to have dispelled such fanciful notions but Americans still cling to them.
Nope. But I suspect that when their house of cards tumbles down (yes, I'm being optimistic!) and they're charged with crimes and misdemeanours (overly optimistic!), they'll be so contrite and sorry, and tell us how misled they were, and can we ever forgive them? and I'll say the same thing... "Nope." Cheers!
Maureen - This includes the guy who was 19 at the time he rioted on J6 disrupting congress. He now has a job at the pentagon. Or maybe the doge “boys”? Some of them have been given jobs inside the government. Interestingly an inspector general has found that the unsecured devices that doge set up between IRS and ICE has affected 47,000+ people’s security and information for a site that gave false, misleading, incomplete or incorrect information. Wonder if those people affected can now file a claim for $10 billion and immunity? There are so many others who can be added to the list of unscrupulous and unqualified hires, of course.
Once again T projected:
During his interview with Welker he said “…a country can never be great with a dishonest press”. He should have finished his sentence because I’m sure he meant “president”. He apparently trailed off as he realized that he was about to say something truthful.
Truthfully its probably why hes doing all these things - ballroom, arch, reflection pool etc because he knows when he's gone he'll get nothing. When he dies, will he lie in state??
I have not watched main-stream news in quite some time because they were trying so hard to "normalize" the corruption being committed by this regime. The lies, misinformation and propaganda were not just coming from Fox, the other news stations were picking it up as well. I don't trust them anymore, and it makes me sad that I totally depended on Walter Cronkite and his news when I was growing up. I say all of this with a growing sense of dread that this totally corrupt regime is bulldozing through and trying their best to implement Project 2025. I have been doing quite a bit of research into Nazi Germany and how Germany accepted Hitler so easily. The conditions were ripe here in America for a con man like the orange poof to take over the GOP and sell his version of America to those who were fed up with the way things were and wanted change. They fell for this idiot hook, line and sinker! The only thing I will say is that we must continue to fight and resist as hard as we can! We cannot let America follow the same path as Nazi Germany! That is just not who we are! Keep fighting, America! Stay strong and stay safe!
I agree Lynn Ann! I am working, working, working to get out the vote! I have sent more postcards this time around than the last! I hope America sends a very clear message that we will not tolerate any more of this corruption!
Anon, when I read how hard everyone is fighting, I feel as if we are uniting for what is good in America! I know how hard you and so many others are fighting and that's what gives me the drive to do my part! We got this, Anon!
No, but I will add it to my list of must reads, Robot! To be honest, I can only work on it for about an hour or so before I have to put it away for a while. It is very hard research! I honestly thought the world had learned their lesson from that war, but I guess some have not.
Lots of analogy. Michael Moore mentioned this also in one of his movies. He said (I paraphrase) that 1930 Germans were educated and well informed people by their media at that time (the movie included a scene from a Tram carrying well dressed people reading newspapers.) And yet someone found a recipe to dismantle the democracy, and now a similar recipe (Project 2025) is at work in the land which 'saved the old world'. Now it is for the 'Old World' to save the 'New World.' Just look at the speech of King Charles in the Congress. Or the desperate effort by Emanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz to get in the 'skull' of our Godfather. To no avail. He runs the country like a Mob Boss.
I’m a big believer in the power of boycotting misbehaving corporations and those who support such corporations with their ad dollars. A running list of companies who advertise with CBS/Paramount would be a good start and to have regular updates on who is sucking up to the Ellisons and, by extension, the Resident of the White House.
I am so sick of Trump that I can't stand even seeing his forehead at the top of a column. Use your artwork instead. Right now he seems to be doubling down on evil and stupid simultaneously. CBS is just one piece, albeit a very public one. What he and the team are doing with the EPA is worse, but doesn't get much attention because they are putting people through hell with ICE deportations and foolishness around sporting events.
I still can't believe this is happening in my country. It's like a bad dream. Where did these evil people come from? Guess they have been here for a long time, operating as the Republican Party. Wow, was I deceived for all those years.
When FDR implemented the New Deal that helped workers in the Great Depression, the corporations had to pay a great deal of taxes to fund it. Probably the very next day the corporate heads started their long, slow move to dismantle any help for the less fortunate and to reverse the tax burden so they don't pay anything. Reagan was one who put much of their goals into place, with the huge tax cuts for the wealthy, and following ther points made in the Powell Memo about which we know only because of the brilliant Robert Reich. I wonder if we can get to a better place -- people will have to be very, very unhappy and, at the same time, see the midterm elections as both important and especially effective.
Then we have Tommy Fugate, a 22 year old former lawn mower with no practical experience at all except cutting grass (not the kind you smoke) and posing for weird pictures with a raised eyebrow. A young, totally inexperienced loser nominated to lead DHS. I remember when I was 22. Although I was brighter than most, I was still somewhat stupid. I can't see this whack job leading himself, much less an important function of government. I've met some 22 year olds that were bright and could do a good job in a government role. It ain't he.
On this date in 1967, the state of Israel viciously attacked the US Navy ship -- USS Liberty -- in international waters in the Mediterranean. Killing 34 and injuring 170 of the crew of 290. Who remembers them?
Israel would have killed them ALL if they could have. If you want insights into the true nature of the Fourth Reich, there is no better place to begin than with this attack.
I remember Thomas. I was stationed at USN airbase Cecil Field, FL at the time.
Our government brushed the whole thing under the rug.
The ship was an old freighter converted to gather intelligence and was doing so during the 6 day war. No doubt some of it would have gone to Israel to help them fight the Arab countries. It was clearly not a combat ship of any kind. The attack happened while it was cruising North of the Sinai Peninsula in international waters more than 50 miles from Israel. Strafed and torpedoed by Israel forces they "thought" it was Egyptian. Later they paid almost 10 million to the families of the crew. The ship was so badly damaged it was scrapped. GH
"The ship was an old freighter... " Why is this in ANY way significant?
The ship started out as a government ship that delivered ammo to the Pacific theater in WW2. When wanting to "make" an intelligence gathering ship, why would it be better to build it brand new -- rather than take a perfectly usable old ship and retrofit it?
Do you understand?
She looked NOTHING like a freighter after the Navy recommissioned it in 1965 as AGTR-5. A technical research ship. The ID (hull number) could EASILY be read right off the ship -- for any plane or boat who wanted to identify it.
The "Meet The Press" interview with Trump shows Trump's psychopathic mentality. It is inexplicable to me, but not a small number of Americans believe we are safer if POTUS has the psychopathic tendencies to kill at will. Trump is proving he does as long as the counties are weak and not really a current threat. His interview sounds like Iran poses an existential threat to the US. Remember how Jimmy Carter, a wonderful human, behaved when Iran had hostage leverage over the US. He was willing to damage his presidential image rather than risk the death of a single American.
In Trump's power fantasies, I guess Venezuela posed an existential threat to the US. Maybe Cuba and Greenland? Funny it's not Russia or China. What's left of Trump's mental capacity is a psychopathic pea brain. If the MAGA GOP won't step up, they are complicit in treason.
No, not China and Russia. He is probably really believing in the "multi-polar division in the spheres of interest. " Asia goes to China, Europe to Russia and the rest to the US. Welcome to the new world map of the psychopath. Never mind that Russia has only 140 millions of people, of which 45 are not Russians, and that they already lost of a million in the war and another million fled the country to not to be involved. And they did not contribute to anything, except to the space race. But this is rather a drain on the society without any gain for the people and their life standard.
This morning I read and then watched the NYTimes Lulu Garcia-Navarro interview with Scott Pelley. I’m thinking that what he describes is also what all the public servants, government employees, faced last year when DOGE was doing its damage. As a journalist he is so eloquent describing both the desire to do really good work, and the emotional stake we all have in our lives and our work. May we all find the strength and courage to do our best in the coming months and years.
Part of the reason Trump appointed each of them is BECAUSE they have no experience, knowledge, or talent. If they knew ANYTHING about the fields they were appointed to, it might accidentally get in the way of their carrying out Trump's agenda.
Maureen--Donald Hodgins
Donald’s Substack
just now
Stupid is as stupid does and that's how Trump likes them. He finds intelligence something to fear because his lies have no meaning with people who can think independently.
Half the country voted for him and are diehard fans. Reich is preaching to the choir.
JBR--Less than half the people voted for Trump, and as for me being in his choir--sorry bud--I don't sing.
JBR, half the country may have voted for him, but now that he has revealed who he really is, most polls show his approval rate at 1/3 of Americans.
Susan. Thanks. He has been a crook for decades. His first term showed he tried to destroy the country. Hes a horrible person and was always horrible. Hes clearly a horrible president. He is good at bullying and bamboozled and lying.
What is 27 + 15?? It isn't 33.
What are you referring to?
I had 27 likes and I got 15 more all in one e-mail. I should have been credited with 42 likes but the system only gave me 33.
And what does that have to do with any of this conversation?
Joseph--Everything...
Hello Maureen... They all share a lack of Integrity, and Loyalty to the Common Good...
They're there just to fulfill Trump's every wish. They have fulfilled the Peter Principle on steroids, achieving a level of importance, power and greed they could never have dreamed of prior to the regime. Rotten to the core
- Karen Cooper
Hello Timothy... Yes Indeed, like Hitler's Minions...
A lot of parallels to Nazi Germany .... not hyperbole, just the truth
- Karen
Correct, however, the difference is that Nazi Germany was 100 years ago. A different age, different people, different way of thinking in times of colonial rule. Now we are in 21st century, in a land which saved the 'old world', and took the moral authority, for a while. But beginning with the Iraq war, fallout of the blatant lies and misconduct, that moral authority started to evaporate. Now we are in a stage of (I hope) final erosion, and I really hope that from here the Nation will again prove to be resilient and capable of self-correcting. Currently it is for the 'old world" to save the 'new world' from itself.
Actually, that moral authority began evaporating after WWII continuing through the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. America is a country of greedy fucks guided only by money no matter who they have to kill to get it. Moral authority was just placating the intelligent. As can be seen today, the stupid needed no placating. Give them a gas or diesel truck with a TV and towing for the RV and they are happier than pig's in shit. The only difference is that the pig is smarter.
Do you honestly believe that crap? The US closed its doors during the war to millions of refugees fleeing persecution. Any moral authority it may have laid claim to for its late entry into the war dissipated long before then. The disastrous Vietnam war ought to have dispelled such fanciful notions but Americans still cling to them.
Don't forget shame, Apache.
Hello Dorothy... Do You think that they feel Shame?....
Nope. But I suspect that when their house of cards tumbles down (yes, I'm being optimistic!) and they're charged with crimes and misdemeanours (overly optimistic!), they'll be so contrite and sorry, and tell us how misled they were, and can we ever forgive them? and I'll say the same thing... "Nope." Cheers!
Hello Dorothy... We can Hope... I tend to believe that they will be allowed to Slither Away to some Right-Wing Foundation...
Nah. I think the whole house of cards will come crashing down on them.
Maureen - This includes the guy who was 19 at the time he rioted on J6 disrupting congress. He now has a job at the pentagon. Or maybe the doge “boys”? Some of them have been given jobs inside the government. Interestingly an inspector general has found that the unsecured devices that doge set up between IRS and ICE has affected 47,000+ people’s security and information for a site that gave false, misleading, incomplete or incorrect information. Wonder if those people affected can now file a claim for $10 billion and immunity? There are so many others who can be added to the list of unscrupulous and unqualified hires, of course.
Once again T projected:
During his interview with Welker he said “…a country can never be great with a dishonest press”. He should have finished his sentence because I’m sure he meant “president”. He apparently trailed off as he realized that he was about to say something truthful.
Every day as the news comes in, one word is always on duty in my brain: Gobsmacking!
Dildo Don surely needs his right fist removed, and shoved into his snout! If only we could use our Kitchen tools!!!
He is not interested in governing. He is only interested in control.
And MONEY Farhad.
We’re not going to live under a dictator and be subjugated by a fascist authoritarian regime. But we have to continue fight hard.
I look forward to the Big Beautiful Obituary.
The tiny little obituary
that already died and fell off
His Gold BALLroom is to memorialize them...
Donald's Obit - He fucked up everything that he touched.
Truthfully its probably why hes doing all these things - ballroom, arch, reflection pool etc because he knows when he's gone he'll get nothing. When he dies, will he lie in state??
He lies in state already, if you know what i mean.
Good one.
My choice would be that we let Donald lie(sic) in state in Louisiana, the most polluted state in the US.
Yep.
You know….he probably only loves McDonald’s because they not only have one but Two arches. He’s definitely the jealous type. ;)
Really hope that once he’s gone they’ll slam the lid shut and nail it down. He definitely doesn’t deserve the honor of laying in state.
Which state?
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/experience-knowledge-and-talent-need/comment/272922456
The answer: NO.
There are a lot of fascists in waiting.
Joan - Big Beautiful Burial? Or
Big Beautiful Burning? If he is cremated
I would dig further than the required six feet because this bastard has managed to crawl his way back once before. ;)
Just have him cremated like his first wive it would take up less space also.
This is a kakistocracy, I.e., government by the worst possible people. We need to use that word repeatedly and universally.
that is a very accurate descriptor of what we currently have.
Along with a Kleptocracy.
Hooray, I learned an interesting new word! And will be propagating its use everywhere I can.
I have not watched main-stream news in quite some time because they were trying so hard to "normalize" the corruption being committed by this regime. The lies, misinformation and propaganda were not just coming from Fox, the other news stations were picking it up as well. I don't trust them anymore, and it makes me sad that I totally depended on Walter Cronkite and his news when I was growing up. I say all of this with a growing sense of dread that this totally corrupt regime is bulldozing through and trying their best to implement Project 2025. I have been doing quite a bit of research into Nazi Germany and how Germany accepted Hitler so easily. The conditions were ripe here in America for a con man like the orange poof to take over the GOP and sell his version of America to those who were fed up with the way things were and wanted change. They fell for this idiot hook, line and sinker! The only thing I will say is that we must continue to fight and resist as hard as we can! We cannot let America follow the same path as Nazi Germany! That is just not who we are! Keep fighting, America! Stay strong and stay safe!
The midterms will tell us a lot about the U.S. of A. Hopefully it will be a huge turn around in congress and local governments.
I agree Lynn Ann! I am working, working, working to get out the vote! I have sent more postcards this time around than the last! I hope America sends a very clear message that we will not tolerate any more of this corruption!
Peggy - You are not alone in your fight. :)
Anon, when I read how hard everyone is fighting, I feel as if we are uniting for what is good in America! I know how hard you and so many others are fighting and that's what gives me the drive to do my part! We got this, Anon!
Speaking of researching the Third Reich, have you read the first 1/3 or so of "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?"
No, but I am now inspired
No, but I will add it to my list of must reads, Robot! To be honest, I can only work on it for about an hour or so before I have to put it away for a while. It is very hard research! I honestly thought the world had learned their lesson from that war, but I guess some have not.
Lots of analogy. Michael Moore mentioned this also in one of his movies. He said (I paraphrase) that 1930 Germans were educated and well informed people by their media at that time (the movie included a scene from a Tram carrying well dressed people reading newspapers.) And yet someone found a recipe to dismantle the democracy, and now a similar recipe (Project 2025) is at work in the land which 'saved the old world'. Now it is for the 'Old World' to save the 'New World.' Just look at the speech of King Charles in the Congress. Or the desperate effort by Emanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz to get in the 'skull' of our Godfather. To no avail. He runs the country like a Mob Boss.
I turned off my television over a year ago. Ignorance and stupidity promulgated by supposedly intelligent people was just too much to take.
Boycott offenders and vote with your dollars, EVERY DAY!
I finally canceled my AMZ acct. that I've had since 2006. Canceled Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and some others a long time ago.
I’m a big believer in the power of boycotting misbehaving corporations and those who support such corporations with their ad dollars. A running list of companies who advertise with CBS/Paramount would be a good start and to have regular updates on who is sucking up to the Ellisons and, by extension, the Resident of the White House.
It is very easy to find online.
Ask not what people can do for you, but what you can do for yourself.
Thanks for the link Betsy!
If you have Paramount+, unsubscribe.
That ship sailed as soon as the ownership flipped. My money doesn’t pay for a fascist playground.
I am so sick of Trump that I can't stand even seeing his forehead at the top of a column. Use your artwork instead. Right now he seems to be doubling down on evil and stupid simultaneously. CBS is just one piece, albeit a very public one. What he and the team are doing with the EPA is worse, but doesn't get much attention because they are putting people through hell with ICE deportations and foolishness around sporting events.
And medical research, of course. The list is close to endless.
If I listed everything people would get sick of me! You are correct.
I still can't believe this is happening in my country. It's like a bad dream. Where did these evil people come from? Guess they have been here for a long time, operating as the Republican Party. Wow, was I deceived for all those years.
I can relate to what you are saying, Richard. It is a nightmare.
When FDR implemented the New Deal that helped workers in the Great Depression, the corporations had to pay a great deal of taxes to fund it. Probably the very next day the corporate heads started their long, slow move to dismantle any help for the less fortunate and to reverse the tax burden so they don't pay anything. Reagan was one who put much of their goals into place, with the huge tax cuts for the wealthy, and following ther points made in the Powell Memo about which we know only because of the brilliant Robert Reich. I wonder if we can get to a better place -- people will have to be very, very unhappy and, at the same time, see the midterm elections as both important and especially effective.
Repewbic Hair RepewbliCONS
Trump has a new DEI initiative: Dumb, Extremely Ignorant, for his hires.
Then we have Tommy Fugate, a 22 year old former lawn mower with no practical experience at all except cutting grass (not the kind you smoke) and posing for weird pictures with a raised eyebrow. A young, totally inexperienced loser nominated to lead DHS. I remember when I was 22. Although I was brighter than most, I was still somewhat stupid. I can't see this whack job leading himself, much less an important function of government. I've met some 22 year olds that were bright and could do a good job in a government role. It ain't he.
You can't make this stuff up.
Rich - Still believe that he was into the kind of grass that you don’t mow as well. He probably inhaled, too. ;)
The focus should be on ending Citizens United. Get big money out of politics.
On June 6, we remembered D-Day.
On this date in 1967, the state of Israel viciously attacked the US Navy ship -- USS Liberty -- in international waters in the Mediterranean. Killing 34 and injuring 170 of the crew of 290. Who remembers them?
Israel would have killed them ALL if they could have. If you want insights into the true nature of the Fourth Reich, there is no better place to begin than with this attack.
I remember Thomas. I was stationed at USN airbase Cecil Field, FL at the time.
Our government brushed the whole thing under the rug.
The ship was an old freighter converted to gather intelligence and was doing so during the 6 day war. No doubt some of it would have gone to Israel to help them fight the Arab countries. It was clearly not a combat ship of any kind. The attack happened while it was cruising North of the Sinai Peninsula in international waters more than 50 miles from Israel. Strafed and torpedoed by Israel forces they "thought" it was Egyptian. Later they paid almost 10 million to the families of the crew. The ship was so badly damaged it was scrapped. GH
"The ship was an old freighter... " Why is this in ANY way significant?
The ship started out as a government ship that delivered ammo to the Pacific theater in WW2. When wanting to "make" an intelligence gathering ship, why would it be better to build it brand new -- rather than take a perfectly usable old ship and retrofit it?
Do you understand?
She looked NOTHING like a freighter after the Navy recommissioned it in 1965 as AGTR-5. A technical research ship. The ID (hull number) could EASILY be read right off the ship -- for any plane or boat who wanted to identify it.
Wow, I did not knew about that, thanks for bringing this to our attention. It is an example how selective the news reporting can be.
Yes, we can boycott stations and companies that bow down to pressure from wannabe king Trump and we should.
The "Meet The Press" interview with Trump shows Trump's psychopathic mentality. It is inexplicable to me, but not a small number of Americans believe we are safer if POTUS has the psychopathic tendencies to kill at will. Trump is proving he does as long as the counties are weak and not really a current threat. His interview sounds like Iran poses an existential threat to the US. Remember how Jimmy Carter, a wonderful human, behaved when Iran had hostage leverage over the US. He was willing to damage his presidential image rather than risk the death of a single American.
In Trump's power fantasies, I guess Venezuela posed an existential threat to the US. Maybe Cuba and Greenland? Funny it's not Russia or China. What's left of Trump's mental capacity is a psychopathic pea brain. If the MAGA GOP won't step up, they are complicit in treason.
I honestly thought he was going to hit her. The look of rage on his face was chilling...
Merrill, amen, amen, amen to that!
No, not China and Russia. He is probably really believing in the "multi-polar division in the spheres of interest. " Asia goes to China, Europe to Russia and the rest to the US. Welcome to the new world map of the psychopath. Never mind that Russia has only 140 millions of people, of which 45 are not Russians, and that they already lost of a million in the war and another million fled the country to not to be involved. And they did not contribute to anything, except to the space race. But this is rather a drain on the society without any gain for the people and their life standard.
This morning I read and then watched the NYTimes Lulu Garcia-Navarro interview with Scott Pelley. I’m thinking that what he describes is also what all the public servants, government employees, faced last year when DOGE was doing its damage. As a journalist he is so eloquent describing both the desire to do really good work, and the emotional stake we all have in our lives and our work. May we all find the strength and courage to do our best in the coming months and years.