972 Comments

On it. When Robert Reich wakes me up with an assignment, I listen.

Expand full comment

Why not give Elon Musk an earful? You can respond to his email!

Musk demanded that every federal employee Write an email saying what they've done in the last week. You can tell him what you have done in the last week— let's jam Elon's inbox with 5 million emails!

Email Elon Musk here: hr4@opm.gov

For more info, see: https://kathleenweber.substack.com/p/muskrat-droppings-2

Expand full comment

Besides, I'd guess Musk needs a little cheering up right now...

"Elon Musk’s Bid to Propel Germany’s Far-Right Party to Victory Has Failed

The AfD party scored historic numbers, but won’t be a part of government."

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/elon-musk-germany-afd-election-results/

Expand full comment

Thanks for the update. Germans should no better than to go Nazi again. It didn't work for them the first time. I still know some folks who came to the US from Germany after living there through WWII

Expand full comment
Comment removed
7dEdited
Comment removed
Expand full comment

You again, being bad. Here's a gift for you -- a wake-up: What Can I Do? https://lorian.org/community/2025/2/14/what-can-i-do

Expand full comment

Oh my gosh, Kathleen! That is an excellent, stellar idea! Flood the Capitol with calls and jam up the musk-rat's inbox with every single one of us listing what we have done this past week!! I LOVE IT!!

Expand full comment

Maybe we could ask why playing a months worth of golf would cost $10.7M. How efficient is that?

Expand full comment

Exactly, Gordon! All of this is total bullshit on the orange man and musk-rat! They never intended to help the American people. They are grifters and right now are bringing in their biggest haul in their lifetime!

Expand full comment

All talking points should be centered on the (f)Elon. See:

https://organizingmythoughts.org/must-reads-and-the-rise-of-the-ai-industrial-complex/?ref=

Expand full comment

And now celebrating sexual predators?! I suppose anything a sane, or

or normal, or reasonable person would have strong concern about,

their approach is to go against...

Expand full comment

He spent 10 weekdays playing golf the past month instead of "working". Trump charges the government very high rates to keep the Secret Service at his Palm Beach "resort." Just as he did the first go-around.

I don't get why we're paying anything extra for security for him compared to other Presidents, except he thinks he now requires extra security after the "scare" of the crazy guy in the bushes at his golf club to where they had to extend the protection parameter.

Why not just have him pay for a high fence around his golf site, then after he's impeached we won't have to see him at all.

Expand full comment

I tired to call but it is saying it has been disconnected. Maybe they got so many calls that they got rid of the phone number.

Expand full comment

Or fired the answering service people.

Expand full comment

One wag suggested that every billionaire have to write an essay on what he's done to benefit the country in the last week.

Expand full comment

He's not going to actually READ any of them.

Expand full comment

That's actually a very salient point, if I may say so. Who exactly would be reading and assessing those hundreds of thousands of responses generated on what appears to be a whim of Elon Musk ostensibly in response to a rhetorical exhortation by Trump to speed up the 'reform' process. Musk and his minions clearly have no idea what any federal worker actually does so they would presumably have had to enjoin other federal workers to do it for them. What could possibly go wrong?

Expand full comment

"DOGE Email Throws Federal Agencies Into Chaos and Confusion"

https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-federal-workers-chaos-confusion/

Also known as "PERFECT" SUCCESS...for Putin.

Expand full comment

There's a certain magnificence about the sheer chaotic stupidity of this new Trump administration.

Expand full comment

INDEED, Russell!

I feel fairly certain that we will SOON see some new words (many likely to be portmanteaus) added to common usage, and perhaps even the OED.

How else to effectively communicate something so carefully thought out and planned for > 65 years, yet still appearing so totally accidental and chaotic?

Expand full comment

Russell,

And based on this EXCELLENT article, PUTIN could scarcely be happier.

Every dream PUTIN has even dared to dream over the past decades is becoming reality! (You may wish to ignore the weak headline, but the article seems perhaps critically important to understanding Putin's plans for Ukraine):

"Putin plays the long game. He has punished Ukraine – and he won’t stop there"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/24/putin-ukraine-russia-war

Thank you.

Expand full comment

Malfeasance is a better description, along with cruelty and harm to those serving US.

Expand full comment

Great summation Russell. Scholars and libraries better be prepared for all of the books that will be written about this Kindergarten administration, whether it lasts 6 months or 4 years.

Expand full comment

A perfect sentence

Expand full comment
Comment removed
Feb 24Edited
Comment removed
Expand full comment

No one will read the emails, but he will have AI sniff the emails for keywords., and that takes microseconds. We who use google search should know that.

Expand full comment

The SUCCESS is in the questions, paranoia and doubts created.

And getting some directors to say no to the email request is just more of the same well-thought-out process..

William, respectfully, they DON'T CARE about keywords, or what anyone typed, or even if any of it is even true or not (though I CAN imagine the responses being saving for some unknown eventuality.)

It's JUST confusion that's the goal. No one at any level ever expected anyone do do more than waste type worrying.

Expand full comment

Perhaps if MUSK had to pick up a letter carrier's bag and deliver mail ( oh, and have to WALK the route, not drive it - like they did for 100+ years prior to getting "mail trucks" ) - he might get a CLUE.. then again, probably not...

Expand full comment

He's now claiming that the intention of the email was only to establish whether federal employees were capable of responding to an email - disingenous, supercilious and downright irresponsible.

Expand full comment

He's a little busy right now, using his new position for what may just be its MOST VALUABLE PURPOSE, lying about unbelievable ridiculous things he claims to "find" in the government computer system.

And he's sure to soon ask "to be able to dig just a LITTLE BIT DEEPER..."

Expand full comment

Yes, Eileen, Muskrat will not get a clue, since he is too drunk with illicit power like his co-chairman drumpf. Our national redemption will be to dump them and their entire cadre of clowns. Robert's reference to "Chainsaw Al Dunlap" says it all. The 'skump' regime will lead us not to Mars but to a Moscow satellite.

Expand full comment

Musk and Trump are just jerking people around. No one is going to read all those responses.

Expand full comment

what they might do is pull a couple of responses and use them for propaganda purposes. But mostly it's to screw with the Fed workforce.

Expand full comment

It appears that you're right. Six departments and agencies have instructed staff not to respond and Musk himself appears to be backing down claiming disingenuously that the email was only intended to establish whether federal employees were capable of responding to an email.

Expand full comment

SERIOUSLY, Russell.!?!? But why should I be surprised.

With MAGAs running everything even the most basic tasks will be "just a BIT too difficult for the "under-educated" ".

But I'm sure PUTIN will come to terms with the resulting CHAOS very quickly...

Expand full comment

He will have a program sniff the emails for key words, kind of like google search

Expand full comment

Musk and his minions have no idea what any federal worker actually does... maybe that's the main reason for his email. Muskrat and mango mussolini don't know what these people are doing. Instead of looking stupid by asking (not that they need to ask something to accomplish that) they try to find out this way 🤣

Expand full comment

no he is not intersted in what they are doing. This is not about any normal rational reasons.

Expand full comment

He just wants to get them on their back foot momentarily, and afraid they may lose their jobs. Their superiors are telling them not to respond. Much of what they do is classified, and none of it is his business at all.

Expand full comment

They found out pretty quickly what the federal workers responsible for the nuclear arsenal and for monitoring the bird flu were supposed to be doing - that's why they're scrambling to rehire them! The hubris and incompetence of the whole culling exercise has been nothing short of astounding.

Expand full comment

Yeah, that was one of my first thoughts.

But that implies that ANYONE: Trump, MAMA ot Putin, actually WANTS things to work smoothly.

HARHARHARHAR...

Expand full comment

Not important he reads them. Important he knows we don’t like him.

Expand full comment

I am not sure whether Musk cares about what people think of him since he's so rich and has now been thoroughly MAGA-fied (this was in some doubt following his spat with Steve Bannon who still thinks of himself as the keeper of the flame). However, popularity is vital to Trump's fragile sense of self-esteem. If HIS approval ratings tank then a number of people will potentially be in his line of fire (no pun intended).

Expand full comment

Realizing that I am going to offend some. I have to state that Musk is autistic, and autistic people are generally inured as to the feelings and opinions of others. In other words they don't care what they do to others. I don't know if Trump is on the spectrum, but he is a sociopath, a narcissitic sociopath, and like Ayn Rand's role model, William Edward Hickman, he enjoys inflecting pain.

I don't think that Musk enjoys inflecting pain, he just doesn't care, he is oblivious.

They are a perfect pair

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BjrRePprg/

Expand full comment

unless trump investigates his status himself he will only know what his minions care to tell him - hence he appears to not yet know that his populaiity is in fact tanking as we speak !

Expand full comment

He will have someone else do the " firing". As usual.

Expand full comment

Apparently there were 2.3 million emails sent. I assume that he will be using his AI to assess them. What could possibly go wrong?

Expand full comment

He seems to be backtracking now in the light of several departments telling their staff not to respond. He now claims that the email was only intended to establish whether federal workers were capable of responding to an email. This is a degree of hubris ill-suited to such a jackass.

Expand full comment

Just like google search, an algorithm can search hundreds of thousands for keywords in a nano second.

Expand full comment

IN theory, the workers are supposed to copy them to their supervisors, who I doubt want to read them either.

Expand full comment

And who do the supervisors copy theirs to? In any event, one would hope the supervisors will already be abreast of what their teams are doing.

Expand full comment

This seems like a good way to generate an enormous amount of WASTE time, effort, and emails--maybe so he can find some.

Expand full comment

A logical or realistic response was NEVER the point.

Only chaos.

And that is at just about 100% right now.

Expand full comment

It will make any emails that he receives from federal employees much less usable.

Expand full comment

Absolutely!

Expand full comment

Not really, his algorithm and AI will be searching for keywords, not content.

Expand full comment

This is precisely what Russell Vought is dung at the OMAB.

Expand full comment

That's true.

Expand full comment

But we can clog up his email box

Expand full comment

True, Maureen, but the sheer volume of these e-mails would keep him from viewing those he probably should see! Anyway, he has staff that will wade through them anyway, but we will be getting our message across!

Expand full comment

No but if the box is bombed with millions of comments like "This week I took a crap," it could drive them crazy. Crazier.

Expand full comment

It will still be effective. Chaos back in his face. Send it repeating spam style with lots of words asking him why he wants to hurt and destroy the lives of so many innocent Americans. cc all congress and senators ,demanding an answers with a deadline attached.

Expand full comment

UPDATE: The Trump administration has told federal agency leaders that they can ignore the public decree from Elon Musk to effectively fire employees who do not send in bullet-point summaries of their work last week, according to three people familiar with the matter, a break with the billionaire who has exerted significant power to slash the 2.3-million-person federal workforce.

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/nx-s1-5305269/tesla-state-department-elon-musk-trump?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Gee, I wonder why that happened.

Expand full comment

@Kathleen. I wrote to that email address as you suggested, as follows:

Re: Musk. I am likely to personally sue you for disrupting my Social Security benefits and administration. Also, I am a veteran and I am looking into what standing I have to oppose your actions.

Musk is not elected.

Musk has not been affirmed by Congress.

DOGE is not a department of the government, and has no authority.

Government employees must not respond in any way to illegal and in-secure messages from external servers.

Expand full comment

Good!

Expand full comment

I just sent my list--I had several bowel movements; did not smear them on the walls; did not take Ketamine; did not shoot any dogs; and remained sober.

I hope that address is FLOODED with this kind of thing.

Expand full comment

Others have had the same idea. I may or may not have sent the following:

1. Protested the banning of books

2. Advocated for health care at my state capitol

3. Protested the firing of public employees to line the pockets of billionaires

4. Read British news media and various substack newsletters to get the truth - not the nonsense that comes out of the White House

5. Wrote a letter to the AP thanking them for their stance on the illegal renaming of an international body of water

Did I mention that I'm retired, and never worked for the federal government? Have a nice day!

Expand full comment

That's a good one! I was just saying to my husband that the whole idea is ridiculous. How many federal employees are there? Who's going to read those emails, if they were sent, and who's going to verify them? No one of course, but they would claim that it exposed just how much nothing was getting done. Idiotes!!

Expand full comment

The email probably originated with the 19-year-old muskateer.

Expand full comment

Words of caution responding from your email to this account. Data Collection. I am not techy, so this is always on my mind. Maybe not a problem?

Expand full comment

Done. As I’m retired, it was a challenging assignment

Expand full comment

Many are doing just that. Though I wonder how he expects to read millions of them.

Expand full comment

A little bird told me that the Reply to: email is hr4@opm.gov

Expand full comment

Great idea. In fact, let's every American start flooding the email with what they did last week! Heck, online e-greeting card companies should offer a "what did I do last week" option that will CC this email address!

Expand full comment

Good Idea

Expand full comment

Done and copied to social media.

Expand full comment

Love this idea. On it, Kathleen!

Expand full comment

... and aren't required to submit a summary with bullet points (which makes all the difference). +1!

= )

Expand full comment

Amazing that we live in a time where Right Is Wrong ; Wrong is Right; up is Down, Down is up; Truths are Lies , And Lies are Truth.

“1984” the book 📖 has become our new Reality.

George Orwell George Orwell , George Orwell,

What do we do now?

Expand full comment

“Trump will not be defeated by politicians inside the D.C. Beltway,” Sanders said. “It will only be defeated by millions of Americans…in every state in this country, who come together in a strong grassroots movement and say no to oligarchy, no to authoritarianism, no to kleptocracy.”

Expand full comment

I hope your Right divine intervention is an alternative prayers are some time answered but I’m counting on the boozes to overreach and cause the R to collapse on the whole group. Politicians have an inherent self interest in preserving their own butts.

Trumpets 🎺 not a team player you can only threaten people for so long before they rebel .

I’m thinking the massive big bill that covers everything being stalled in committee in Congress ..,

Expand full comment

You’re being gaslit, America…

Expand full comment

Fer shur, Rishi!

Good morning, Rishi.

Expand full comment

Musk has created a house of cards miraculous savings pretty to behold but unable to withstand actually of functioning in the real world .

Trumpet 🎺 will blame musks (created) lies for all error and trumpet 🎺 will be long gone building the first presidential Hotel ( Library) on a site like Rikers Island having made tones of money on merch . And Successfully stolen from the workers ( poor) and giving to the Rich …

We have been trumped by another Ponzi scheme…

Expand full comment

Exactly!

Expand full comment

Hey there, Peggy!

Good morning!

Expand full comment

Good morning, foofaraw & Chiquita! Are you ready to jam up the switchboard at the Capitol today? I love getting assignments! I am also going to email the musk-rat with a list of everything I did this past week! I was talking to my sister this morning and we believe we have a solution to eliminating departments in the government. We need to eliminate those departments that actually do absolutely nothing! For example, did you know there was a Department whose sole purpose is to measure the methane expelled in a cow's fart? I'm not making that up! There are a lot of unnecessary and trivial departments that can be eliminated so there is absolutely no need whatsoever to go after our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and those programs that actually help and support the American citizen! Honestly, is Congress so brain-dead they didn't figure this out?

Expand full comment

Actually, measuring methane "emissions" is pretty important right now, methane being a critical greenhouse gas. (And, both Dems and the GOP had to have supported it to at least some degree, or it would not exist. Sorry, Peggy, I haven't done appropriate research on this yet, so I may not be 100% correct.)

And, of course, MUMP (Musk/Trump) has no genuine concern about DEFICITS (except that it can be a measure of how much money is available to GIVE to "Trump's billionaires".)

The point is simply CHAOS, and in that context, THE BIGGER (and noisier) THE BETTER! All this confusion about agency heads telling employees to ignore the emails from Musk? Quite possibly, all part of the CHAOS PLAN. If people actually refuse to respond, that gives MUMP another path by which to wreck their lives later. And for today...CHAOS!

And as long as PUTIN continues to use his "pat Trump on the head" button on his email generator, Trump has EVERYTHING he has ever dreamed of or wanted...the love of a father figure even more evil and cruel than himself.

Expand full comment

The Worst part is the clowns 🤡 show won’t bat an eye lash if we end up eating out of trash cans …

It’s king trumpet and his band of Large Scale Crooks Versus the Working Poor and the soon to be Working Poorer…

We Need a Creditable Robin Hood , Mark Cuban comes to mind but he is unwilling to climb into the sewers to fight it out…

Expand full comment

CJ,

They may not bat an eye, but they just might get some of those specialized wrinkles caused by smiling too much.

Expand full comment

Well said, foofaraw & Chiquita! Alright, how about this. Instead of one whole department designed to measure methane in a cow's fart, couldn't that be incorporated into another department? That would slim things down without going after essential programs. I would like a list of all departments in our government. Viewing the list could help us consolidate some departments into others thereby streamlining the government! Yes, the orange man's and the musk-rat's mission is to cause as much chaos as possible while following the orders of pootie in the background. If federal employees ignore the musk-rat's email and then they wreck their lives for it, when a sane administration takes over, they will rescind any wreckage the orange man and musk-rat incurred!

Expand full comment

Like with the Department of Homeland Security😵‍💫

Expand full comment

There will never be any money, no matter how many agencies are shut down and employees fired, since "making Billionaires happy" is the third most important aspect of the "feature" of chaos.

Of course, PUTIN won't need American money to be happy ("Putin happy" very likely being goal #2)., but I doubt he'd refuse any of it.

Expand full comment

Sure.

At the very least, that might force MUMP to come up with another reason for creating CHAOS. Might slow them down for most of a day, or possibly more.

But the chaos isn't a bug, it's THE feature.

Expand full comment

What do you think DOGE is doing? Man, you have bought the propaganda hook line and sinker.

Expand full comment

DOGE is NOT a legal Department! The musk-rat is NOT doing all of this in order to "trim back the government", he is doing this to create chaos and destruction. I do agree the government is in need of trimming back excessive spending but NOT at the expense of American civilians! If the orange man and musk-rat were honestly trying to do that, they can start by examining those departments that work on small items for one or two states like PFOA in the water, cows belching methane and the waste in the federal prison system to name a few. Why not work on consolidated some of these agencies under one umbrella department? Please do not tell me that the musk-rat is doing that because he is not. He has targeted those programs and departments that actually do help the American people and has claimed they are unnecessary and leaving the departments that are wasteful, potentially vulnerable to fraud and corruption and mismanagement alone to continue to muck up the works. Also, if they want to help the American people "as they claim" by implementing a 2% tax on wealthy billionaires that would be $250 billion that could go to help the homeless, reduce hunger for children and keep programs going that are beneficial to working middle class and lower class citizens. That is NOT propaganda, that is fact. Do the research. There are so very many different options this administration could pursue without making everything so very difficult for average American citizens. Also rather than using all that money on this mass deportation scam which is completely and totally inhumane, why not find alternatives that don't separate families and incarcerate innocent immigrants?

Expand full comment

True. And this is why at this point in time, all talking points should be centered on (f)Elon. See:

https://organizingmythoughts.org/must-reads-and-the-rise-of-the-ai-industrial-complex/?ref=

Expand full comment

It is a legal department. Obama set it up as the USDS (US dept of digital services). Trump just renamed it. See, propaganda. Reich lies and you believe him.

Expand full comment

What propaganda are you speaking of?

Expand full comment

You mean which Lie ???

Expand full comment

I do too! I called.

Expand full comment

👍. “ He should be fired. ” by whom? By the military?! Sarcasm …

Expand full comment

He should be renditioned to Gitmo.

Expand full comment

Steve, that is what I was thinking when I woke up this morning, but more for the recently freed insurrectionists and the one who freed them. Give them all a nice long vacation in the Caribbean. Then Trump can get a real tan!

Expand full comment

He should be hung for treason. No question.

Expand full comment

= O

That would be... "extraordinary"...

Expand full comment

Unfortunately, that would still be "incredible".

in=not

credible=believable

But perhaps not forever!

Expand full comment

SELLING deportees (or any prisoners) is a huge financial greed temptation. Your referenced article, not surprisingly, shows living human beings packed in like dead sardines in a can. Must be getting paid by the head count.

Kudos to CBS, for exposing this.

Expand full comment

It's a little surprising since building prisons is a multi-billion dollar enterprise in the States. It's sometimes referred to as the Prison Industrial Complex. I doubt Trump will want to interfere with these wealthy corporations. However, he is committed to his deportation policy. It was a chilling report by CBS.

Expand full comment

"Karma is a b..."

No, actually karma is simply...karma.

And sending MUMP to El Salvador might help MANY American expand their knowledge of the English language.

Expand full comment

Maybe they could each be sold. Referring to the story, here:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inside-el-salvador-notorious-cecot-mega-prison/

And this is among the many reasons why at this point in time, all talking points should center around (f)Elon Muskrat. See:

https://organizingmythoughts.org/must-reads-and-the-rise-of-the-ai-industrial-complex/?ref=

Expand full comment

They'd have to first get him tattooed from head-to-toe just for his own safety.

Expand full comment

I'm guessing a HUGE glass of Diet Coke for his chest...

Expand full comment

Remember February 28 is don’t spend any of your money day. Don’t buy anything. And call your representatives in Congress and the Senate and bitch like hell about musk and his dumb ass. Crazy shit. I am sick of this clown!!!

Expand full comment

I call people in Congress EVERY SINGLE DAY, asking them what the hell they are doing about Drumpet and Musk. Today I already called a senator and told him that if THEY don't get their shit together, someone out here in America WILL STEP UP TO BECOME THE ANTIDOTE TO TRUMP!!! Citizens are marching, protesting, making phone calls galore, AND BUYING UP GUNS!!!

Expand full comment

Thank-you Klaire. I agree with all you are doing... except for the guns.

Expand full comment

No guns. No talk of guns. The levers of command and control may be wobbly. Unrelenting, peaceful, lawful calling it what it is. And yeah he lives in FL, so why does he have to use face paint for a tan?

Expand full comment

There has been much speculation about this. His appearance during the garbage truck photo op looks like a bronze version of Al Jolson - https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/donald-trump-fake-tan-stress-bronzer-instagram-b2641517.html

Expand full comment

Most people stick with their expertise. Expecting insurance claims to rise as unemployment rises and homes and businesses become targets of speculators. I definitely notice the repeat corona virus effects on people’s stamina and subsequent secondary illness rates. Anti-masking is even prevalent at health care facilities. Not a single cancer patient or staff masked at my facility. I may need to change facilities. The high ranked teaching hospital still masks in wards with vulnerable patients. Maternity, pediatrics, dialysis, and cancer. Who wants to get an elective surgery and come home with RSV or Covid or another hospital acquired infection? The regulations for reporting were reduced. Why?

Expand full comment

I’m thinking pain and cruelty for humans that aren’t billionaires IS the point of this admin. After all, we’re just disposable, they’ll get more…

Expand full comment

And that is among the many reasons why (f)Elon should be centered in all talking points, at this point in time. See:

https://organizingmythoughts.org/must-reads-and-the-rise-of-the-ai-industrial-complex/?ref=

Expand full comment

Exactly.

No one can hold more than 2.

Expand full comment

The guns are for use on Trump!

Expand full comment

I can respect that, Klare.

Except for two things...

1) I'd rather not be visited by ANY Secret Service...especially not THIS ONE!

2) I want to watch Trump when he has no spray tan, no "hair fixer", no "Diet Coke button". I want him to s-l-o-w-l-y die a broken man, with ALL OF THE WORLD WATCHING!

We've earned it.

Expand full comment

The slower & more painful the better. If there was a way to inject him with fibromyalgia, I’d totally support that!! It won’t kill you, but some days you wish it would. (And make sure the DEA regulates all of his meds: antidepressants and meds for seizures ONLY.)

Sadly-it affects mostly females, so our medical system has zero idea of the true cause. Lots of theories, but zero facts.

Expand full comment

Thank you for all your hard work!! Can I ask if you’re in a “red state”? I’m not, it feels like calling/writing/emailing my reps is just a mindless exercise that goes nowhere. They send back lovely responses each time, but my mailbox is already too full of Substack brilliance that I don’t have time to read…

Thankfully there is a phone town hall on Wednesday where I can clarify if I call every day- or they’ve firmly got my message & can add my name to every single idea this Nazi regime puts out there.

I’ve already planned my Friday 2/28: I’m catching up on Substack & will try to read a novel I’ve downloaded to kobo-after cancelling my Amazon kindle… maybe clean my car…

Expand full comment

I live in a Red state with reps and senators that are fully MAGA. They have been almost completely MIA. People are starting to protest outside their offices, and local news stations across the state are starting to report on their inaccessibility.

Expand full comment

Wonder where their equivalent of the golf club is? We need surveillance.

Expand full comment

They are the enablers.

Expand full comment

I am in a red state and call nearly daily and hae never received a response. Keep calling anywa. We are not aline! There is power in numbers

Expand full comment

Yes, there is power in numbers, and even more power when the numbers are organized.

Expand full comment

Well do try to get the word out like on the league of women voters page about the voter registration law that would affect any married woman or divorced woman whose birth certificate name does not match their Federal or state ID. If you are wealthy and have a passport? No problem. It’s millions of lower income married women who will not be able to vote. If you kept your name? No problem.

Expand full comment

Good point!

Expand full comment

I'm calling daily as well in regards to Musk, federal department cuts, & tax bill

Expand full comment

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽All of us are!!! FIRE the muskrat!!!! Keep your money in your pockets on the 28th 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Expand full comment

And make sure you can vote. A voter registration law crafted by republicans would make many married or divorced women unable to vote. On the surface it just sounds like “migrant and immigration enforcement” but it would affect millions of seniors with old birth certificates and women with name changes.

Expand full comment

This is the scariest , it cannot pass

Expand full comment

If they have “fixed” the immigration/migrant problem as they brag they have done, why do they need to enact new laws regarding voting?

Expand full comment

I did not know of this.

Expand full comment

https://theonecalledjai.com/

thepeoplesunionusa.com

Learn more about the 24 hour blackout.

Expand full comment

I think the Buy Nothing Day is a great action symbolically - I will do it - but if everyone spends twice as much the next day it isn't effective as a threat to cut off economic support for corporations.

A week would be better, but we both know most Americans won't do that.

Expand full comment

It’s more than symbolic. If boycotting grows, we could one day halt the business of this country. Game over once we find our muscle. No need for guns!

Expand full comment

Consumers consume and it’s the outside the SS wall monies invested in government contract winners (like space x and Starlink) that is the kind of influence that brought down Musk’s beloved apartheid in South Africa. Investors are just watching this coup and letting their financial planners and robo money think for them. Congress is old or filling their pockets. We have no leader stepping up to fight for the constitution. Systematic obedience to the power of money. Would you expect your 3 bath 4 bed nice 401k pediatrician to pick up arms or defend a broken government? They are not rocking their own boat no matter what opinion they might have on public health care or lack thereof.

Expand full comment

It’s all about making a start and growing the group!

Expand full comment

Just do it!

Expand full comment

We don’t know that.

I thought it was a one week challenge! And i prepared.

I think we should go for it, challenge ourselves and one another. Why write people off before giving them the opportunity? You don’t know how far people will rise to combat an evil—until you place the opportunity before them.

Expand full comment

Feb. 28 is one day but then March 7-14 is one week to boycott Amazon. About whether one day is only symbolic I believe it can show them what it is possible for we the people to do, which does matter, and as you say it is only the beginning--it can grow and grow.

Expand full comment

Now you do!

It's pretty recent.

Expand full comment

Chip Roy of Texas and the Save act. There was a Newsweek article. It’s a disturbing piece of legislation. I did not realize my own certificate had to be reissued at vital records to properly indicate where my father worked. 75.00 but passport fees for many people are not in the budget. It specifically will not allow a marriage license or the name change documents as proof the way an employment office does. That is what is so wrong.

Expand full comment

The power of the purse trumps consumers in aggregate because most Americans are apathetic and just want their mucky Ds

Expand full comment

"Perhaps a helpful “get out the vote” strategy for future Dems might be, “When life on Earth no longer exists, neither will the KARDASHIANS. VOTE as if their show depends on it!”

"Tragically, We Now Know Exactly What “American Exceptionalism” Means to the Monsters of the Far-Right, Including White Evangelicals"

https://medium.com/@foofaraw/tragically-we-now-know-exactly-what-american-excellence-means-to-the-monsters-of-the-far-right-e06dd8b1b3df

As long as SOME Americans feel deserving of MORE FREEDOMs than someone else, we will still be dealing with what might be considered the WORST of "welfare cheats", thinking themselves more deserving than others (one presumes based on skin color and gender.)

Expand full comment

Like driving their ATV down the walking trails? Apparently it’s ok if you wear a MAGA hat and a pistol.

Expand full comment

Yeah, I've seen some of that sort of thing...

"...(T-cultists) went all-out celebrating on the day after the Kyle Rittenhouse “verdict” was delivered in November 2021. To the far-right, Rittenhouse’s self-defense acquittal (while being too young to legally own the assault rifle he used to murder two unarmed, peaceful, legal protesters, and maim a third) was a loud shout to each Trump worshipper that killing Americans they disagree with politically would forevermore be deemed “justified”, and they seemed dedicated to giving Trump all the credit. To honor what they saw as their new “Kill at Will” freedom, several dozen armed white men alternately spent the entire day (until several hours into night) shooting their many guns in the closest possible field to the “local liberal”, while staying just within the law. (I’ll let you guess who that particular liberal is…)"

https://medium.com/@foofaraw/many-more-people-will-die-because-of-trump-i-hope-i-wont-be-one-of-them-41b2f1493036

I do hate to be quite so cliche, but it's really NOT like pie. EVERYONE can have a slice, and there's still PLENTY left over!

Expand full comment

Maybe not. We have lost faith in one another. Just what the dictator wants and needs. Deny him.

Expand full comment

Great idea!

Expand full comment

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHAAAAAA!

Calling is a great idea, "don't spend your money" is laughable.

Expand full comment

Only a clown if you're thinking of the movie "Killer clowns from outer space"

Expand full comment

And cancel subscriptions day… or at least pause them on dominant shipping and sales platforms.

Expand full comment

DELUSION. Every single penny withheld is a penny that will shortly be spent anyway.

Expand full comment

Richard,

That's hardly the point.

The point is that EVERYONE committed to getting rid of MUMP (collectively) will be counted on 2/28.

And, if nothing else, it will BUG THE SHIT out of Trump to have yet another "poll" strongly AGAINST him/them, and everything he/they stand for.

(Obviously, MUMP is Musk-Trump. I'd prefer it reversed, but...whatcha gonna dew?)

Expand full comment

Nobody will be counted because there is no way to do it, and nobody has any interest in the first place.

Expand full comment

Innocent child.

Expand full comment

except that any great change of resistance was meant with cries of "delusion".

True, many have failed, like the Warsaw uprising in 1944.

Expand full comment

Not if you cancel subscriptions.

Expand full comment

To simply "fire" Musk is not sufficient. Musk has three citizenships--US, Canadian--and South African. There is reason to believe that Musk acquired US citizenship through fraud, by lying on his application. There is an application circulating on Facebook to have the Canadian Government revoke his Canadian citizenship because his activities so seriously injure Canada. If we can revoke both his US and Canadian citizenship, that leaves him with only South African citizenship. If you are a Canadian citizen, I urge you to sign the application for Canadian revocation. If you are a US lawyer, I urge you to explore how to get Musk's US citizenship revoked. After Musk's comments about Africa and Blacks, I would love to see Musk deported to South Africa. What about you?

Expand full comment

I'd like to see him dropped by parachute into Soweto wearing a "Mandela Was a Fraud" t-shirt super glued to his skin.

Expand full comment

Cruel but hilarious.

Expand full comment

Really, just vicious humor. Which he richly deserves. If you read the heartbreaking stories in the Fed reddit posts (sorry I forget the specific subreddit but it's probably easy to find on google), my mean humor is no match for Elon's cruel behavior.

Expand full comment

"More than 150,000 Canadians sign petition to revoke Musk’s citizenship

Parliamentary petition launched due to billionaire’s link to Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to conquer Canada"

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/24/canada-elon-musk-citizenship-parliamentary-petition

Expand full comment

Maybe he can get canned from every country. Deport him to Mars, which seems to be where he wants to go, anyway.

Expand full comment

Love this Legal channel to strip Musk of 2 illegal citizenships. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad - but 1 is and if South Africa revokes him as well he can only bore a deep hole

Expand full comment

Maybe he can get canned from every country. Deport him to Mars, which seems to be where he wants to go, anyway.

Expand full comment

"Boring" shouldn't be difficult for Leon(sic), regardless of the choice of definition...

https://www.boringcompany.com/

Expand full comment

You are one step ahead of my logic - but don’t fall in! It goes to Hell in a Tesla Truck

Expand full comment

Dave,

Thank you for pointing this out. I did not know about the petition before your post and I have just signed it. Here is a direct link to the petition: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Sign/e-5353

Expand full comment

I will post the link to the Canadian petition in Notes.

Expand full comment

Please reach out to a legal entity such as Democracy Forward, or an investigative media organization such as ProPublica with a request to investigate this idea. I believe you can also start a petition on MoveOn.org

Expand full comment

Absolutely!!! 👍🏽 ✅💯

Expand full comment

Professor Reich: musk is not only a greedy psychopath, but he's a drug addict and he's insane. but i'm confused as to how he actually reached this position in our government since he was never appointed & hired, nor vetted by congress nor voted into any office. (i know, i know: i watched this happen with my own eyes, but i STILL have no idea how he got where he is.)

Expand full comment

Because he bought the presidency, essentially. And who knows what else…

Expand full comment

I don't understand why Congress has not taken action. This cannot be legal. A private citizen can ransack our government without any oversight—and so much for his benefit!

Expand full comment

Have you seen Republicans stand up to Trump on anything? Insurrection? Siding with Putin? Insane cabinet picks? They have either sold their souls and are corrupt or are afraid of being “mean tweeted” and/or faced with a primary challenger heavily financed by Musk. The thing is - if they got him out of there and charged him with the crimes he is guilty of they would be free of him.

There is a Canadian petition to ask the government to revoke Musk’s Canadian citizenship as well as a large group of people asking our elections officials to investigate him for election interference.

Keep calling your reps every day!

Expand full comment

If it were legal then Congress could pass a law against it tomorrow.

Expand full comment

In fact, buying the prez, was the reason he bought Twitter, and kept it, when it plummeted from $44K down to $20K in a year. He was buying influence. With influence, he can force you and me to subsidize his lucrative gov contracts and grants, for his entire X family of companies. Since your taxes go thru the gov, you don't even have to buy any of his companies' products: He still robbed you to pay himself.

Expand full comment

He and the Rapist President are verrrrrrry good buddies???????

Expand full comment

Or, at the very least...

Members of the world's smallest MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) agreement.

Expand full comment

Trumpets 🎺 Report To Musk On What I Did Last Week as a Federal Employee .

1. Lied To The American People

2. Betrayed My Country (USA) for

personal Gain .

3. Betrayed All of NATO for personal

Gain.

4. Betrayed The Ukrainian Freedom

Fighters for personal Gain

5. Betrayed All of The Principles that

US Populace fought for and some died

for Since the Civil War up Now 2025

EXTRA CREDIT

6. Licked Putin’s Ass

7. Licked Putin’s Ass Again

8. Violated My Oath of Office.

Expand full comment

"Personality goes a long way."

Expand full comment

HAR!

Perfect! (As someone dealing with minor levels of autism myself, I have NO sympathy for Musk. He can afford all the HELP he needs.)

Expand full comment

hell, as far as I'm concerned they're all insane to support Trump's madness. It's no doubt part of a genetic predisposition + cultural influences to rally around a leader perceived as being strong, as providing security. There is no safety in supporting Trump anymore than there was in supporting Hitler.

Expand full comment

I hope every programmer and systems analyst at SSA responds to that mail. In COBOL.

Expand full comment

Then have them send another one in FORTRAN. Have each email contain a DO-LOOP sending the emails in both languages over and over again ad infinitum.

Expand full comment

BRILLIANT!

Expand full comment

Some people are just impervious to any consequence other than physical pain; look how much paperwork & legal billing those is being generated by The Second Coming (who would want to be thought of that way?)...

Expand full comment

Musk is not ordinary or extraordinary- he could be an alien or mutant

Expand full comment

We know Musk is an alien, if only because he can impregnate SO MANY women, and from such distances!

Originally, an "illegal" alien as well...

Expand full comment

Well - it is certainly 1984, just 40 years late; when the VP & JD of a Law Skool says “illegal alien” can apply to a US Citizen. In the Musk case - Vance is actually correct !

Expand full comment

Richard,

As we say in the south (and my post is not intended to make use of negative stereotypes of either the BLIND, or of PIGS)...

"Even a blind pig finds an acorn every now and then."

Expand full comment

This is who is actually responding to Musk...

"Neo-Nazi group plots rebuild as Trump’s FBI chief takes helm, audio reveals

Exclusive: Terrorist group the Base appears defiant as new administration aims to deprioritize threat from far right"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/24/neo-nazi-trump-fbi-chief

I defy anyone to act surprised...

Expand full comment

Trumpet 🎺 will blame musks (created) lies for all error and trumpet 🎺 will be long gone building the first presidential Hotel ( Library) on a site like Rikers Island having made tones of money on merch . And Successfully stolen from the workers ( poor) and giving to the Rich …

We have been trumped by another Ponzi scheme…

Expand full comment

Yep.

And none of it should come as a surprise to anyone (except the ENTIRE GOP, of course.)

Expand full comment

Musk may be a genius but he sure is stupid! That AI would work wonders if every federal worker took that survey - but then nobody did and he has mania 1 plus other mental disorders

Expand full comment

I suspect he may not so much be a genius, as his autism has found a very specific outlet.

How many simple human actions is Musk seemingly incapable of to any notable degree?

Expand full comment

Precisely ! He sees the books for disenfranchised men at Barnes & Noble that cheer him on a a great man and it puffs him into a dough boy man child. Joe Rogan idolizes Musk and smoked weed with him on podcast tvs - not a great look for foreign governments regimes or Tesla shareholders. He is about to get a class action jump suit

Expand full comment

Yes and no, Richard.

At this point in time, I'm not sure I could fully trust anyone who has NEVER smoked weed.

Expand full comment

Musk is drunk with ketamine, aka Special-K, a 🐴 tranquilizer that killed Matthew Perry.

Expand full comment

"Musk is drunk on power." Actually, he's high on ketamine. Who is his psychiatrist?

Expand full comment

Some guy being paid very very well to give Musk whatever he asks for.

Expand full comment

He has several - but they are all in his own mind!

Expand full comment

Michael Jackson also had a "caring" doctor.

Expand full comment

An overdose of KETAMINE 500mg was forcefully administered by EMTs to a gentle, neurodivergent soul named ELIJAH MCCLAIN, who was just walking home from the store minding his own business when he was stopped by cops, during the first Trump administration. Later, when a PEACEFUL gathering was being held for him in a park, complete with violin music, it was broken up by goons with teargas canisters and billy clubs... no doubt directed by the biggest DEI hires of all, Donald Trump.

THAT'S who I think of when KETAMINE is mentioned.

In Trumps case, DEI means DIABOLICAL EGOTISTICAL INCOMPETENT!

Expand full comment

Terri,,

I still have the shirt that Elijah's mother approved to raise money for legal costs. It's one of my very favorites (out of well over 100), and I wear it proudly, and in honor of a great human being.

I never knew him, but I miss him...

Thank you for mentioning him, Terri.

Expand full comment

He has a prescription, whopee (better that he be in treatment than doing whatever else, apparently)...

Expand full comment

How many celebrities have prescription drugs killed? Carrie Fisher said key to legal drugs was taking them in very illegal manner.

Expand full comment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Fisher#Bipolar_disorder_and_drug_use

She took them both - and had risk factors that would have suggested caution, to say the least. Ditto Musk, if legend holds true.

PS: The 'King of Rock' & 'The King of Pop' both - and "The 27 Club" all died young too; less a "celebrity" issue than knowing that The Muse (per the nature of passion) is dangerous.

Expand full comment

Musk is not even on anything but his own bizarrely. His buddy Donnald don’t even smoke weed !

Expand full comment

Uh, *alpha*-misinformation; everyone - uh - nose that.

PS: They are doing the things they are doing, publicly, because they aren't only *not* different but because they honestly believe they can convince others of being square (they never were - and wouldn't do what they are doing if, deep down, they didn't have a pang of shame & self-loathing, i.e. a tiny little beast inside to keep feeding that crap). Basically, that's what makes all of this so difficult - who could possibly feel sorry for them now?

Expand full comment

How many poor Americans were killed by the combination of the FDA, and the Sackler Family? (ALso known as oxycontin.)

Had it been POOR people victimizing the RICH for great profit, it would NOT have taken 20 YEARS to do something...

More like 20 MINUTES!

Expand full comment

That’s a good one. He probably would be making more mini me’ s or worse

Expand full comment

These past 5 weeks feel like a nightmare unravelling in slow motion, and we are powerless to wake up and end it. Thank you Robert Reich, Mary Trump, and so many others who are helping coalesce a national response, and also sounding the 5-alarm fire call to the world about the inner workings of how a democracy is systematically dismantled, and these early stages when so many seem frozen in time with indecision and fear.

Expand full comment

Fear is the Foundation of Trump’s rise and why The People are so slow to respond. It is not precisely Apathy or Fear when we talk about 300+ Million individual Citizens - but once the Herd Mentality does channel down such a narrow gauntlet the Power of The People will be beautiful to behold.

Expand full comment

I don't know why so many didn't vote.

(But then I don't know why more people didn't hand write and address well over 1,000 postcards to swing state voters either, so I really don't know much.)

Expand full comment

Finally Resistance is beginning to coalesce. “We the People” are beginning to speak out. Unfortunately the Dems as a Party are still trying to figure out their next move. It’s time for them to “Shit or get off the pot.” Apparently as a united front they are unable to do either.

Expand full comment

I used to have just a little faith in how our government of supposed checks and balances was limping along. However now it is being proven to us that it is not only possible to remove the “guardrails” around capitalist democracy but to put them into the shredder and send the scrap steel to Moscow. The old guardrails are gone so again it is up to us. Congress has defaulted on its duty to us the citizens, so now it is up to us to coalesce the resistance. RESIST!

Expand full comment

Marc, it is puzzling why the Democrats do not organise resistance. They have not functioned like a political party should, I think. (organising raalies and donations and funds is only half of what is necessary)

Or is it fear for a civil war in which the Democrats ar seen as one side? Or is it something else? Anyway, they are too late now to do something.

Expand full comment

I agree Tom, they have abrogated their responsibility. Personally at this point I am no longer a supporter of the Democratic Party. Where is Biden? Where is Kamala? Where is Clinton? Why are they all so silent? Bernie, Elizabeth and a few brave governors are speaking up but they are not speaking for the party; they are lone voices bravely speaking up and risking King Trump’s wrath.

Expand full comment

Perhaps they are afraid of retribution?

Expand full comment

Rachel, part of it is fear of retribution, but the worst reason the Dems are not speaking out is that they are simply afraid of losing their jobs and the perks that come with them.

Expand full comment

Yes, that is true of members of Congress or state Governors, etc. But what about Biden, Obama and Hilary Clinton? Bill Clinton was in the hospital a few days ago and I don't expect him to risk his health. But the others just don't care enough. Bernie is even traveling to red states and speaking truth to power, laying it fully on the line about the coup of musk/trump. The others are doing what they want for themselves; Bernie sacrifices for the people. Kamala has hired a big PR firm or Career enhancement firm to help her plot her next career moves. She takes care of herself while fascism may take over.

Expand full comment

See my post, further down...

Expand full comment

This was my post.

Of course: fire him ans prosecute him.

But why is he there in the first place? Why is he doing what he does? I try to find out and to explain. Milosz wrote "the Captive Mind" in which people identify with history and enthousiastically align themselves with a system that denies them freedom of expression.

Who has seen and talked to a "marxist", the feared enemy of the USA? Where is the freedom of mind, in the land of the free? Good to remind us: the captive mind was produced in the communist regimes, that the Trump cabal is afraid off.

Expand full comment

I wonder why Dems would be afraid right now?

"Trump names conservative podcaster Dan Bongino as FBI deputy director

Selection of former Secret Service agent and author means two staunch Trump allies lead the principal federal law enforcement agency"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/24/dan-bongino-trump-new-fbi-deputy-director-podcast-host

Oh...yeah.

Expand full comment

the madness continues. I just love those hard rock chords that tell me it's the........ Dan Bonginooooo show.

Dems could learn from that.

Expand full comment

Yes Marc, it shows us the power of the "droit divin". King George found out it did not protect him. But that is the only hope I have. Thinking about it: the Russians freed themselves as well. But drunkard Yeltsin arranged a transition to a gangster regime and locked the civilised Russians again in their own captive minds.

Expand full comment

And Bernie and Elisabeth are treasures to guard and protect...

Expand full comment

Tom, the Russian people may have freed themselves but no one had been giving thought to how to create a better form of government and economy after the fall of Soviet Communism. There was a huge vacuum and the gangsters who were already operating the black market stepped right in. We cannot be caught off-guard like the Russians were. WE NEED A PLAN. Some of us have to look ahead to a better future with an economy and governance that works for the people. That has been my own personal focus. Out of crisis comes opportunity. Let’s not this opportunity slip past us.

Expand full comment

Marc, we agree on that. My message was: never underestimate the thinking of a gangster...

Expand full comment

Getting rid of Elon is not so difficult, but a regime is not one man, or a bunch of idiots. You are right:

- how should the USA be governed?

- who should get what protection?

- what is a just income distribution?

And the PLAN, how can we work on these questions, with the smithereens we already have? Like I wrote: we need an emergency exit

Expand full comment

Marc, you are surrendering the Constitution all too soon.

Expand full comment

Not true--- there were people who gave a thought to that, but got it wrong IMO. But you are right a better vision of the economy and governance are crucial.

Expand full comment

My belief is that American Capitalism can be that form - if we simply Transform Government into a machine that manages Greed.

Expand full comment

George III even then was subject to reign with Parliament’s advice and consent, and much of the intolerable behavior was due to the Tories and Parliament’s failure to care for the Americans and their interests.

Expand full comment

Britain never got it right - because they turned a blind eye to Greed and Savagery to expand the Crown Jewels

Expand full comment

It is the progressive democrats who are the most visible and who are speaking out forcefully. It's their time - progressives are poised to win over an increasingly deflated population that has "had it" with tax cuts for billionaires. As a Canadian, I hope they dominate the next election and look forward to the time when Americans finally get to enjoy universal health care, affordable education, gun control, and all the other benefits that progressives stand to deliver. Once you attain it, you will never give it up.

Expand full comment

Both of Connecticut senators, with Chris Murphy being in the forefront, as has representative Jim Hines have been speaking out. Remember though, the Democrats have no power because the Republicans are in charge of all branches of government. So my question is, why are they not speaking out? Because they are afraid of losing their job by Musk’s threat to primary them? Or are they literally afraid of being attacked by the MAGA crowd?

Expand full comment

Carol, the reason “the Democrats have no power” is because they do not utilize the power they have. When the Republicans were soundly defeated by Obama they jumped into action immediately. They called themselves “the party of NO!” they also vowed to make Obama a one term president. They failed at that short term goal, but now they have worked long and hard to create Project 2025 and unfortunately for us, it worked.

Expand full comment

Nice, I did not hear that: but "the party of no" is exactly right. You'll wonder how you get a political vision with only "NO" but that is why we are in this mess.

Yesterday I looked TV about the German elections: a rightwinger said, answering about the why of his vote: "they should listen to us".

But what do you wish? Strangers out.

Not a social society? No...

Expand full comment

Chris Murphy has entered the chat.

Expand full comment

He is doing something, but the silence from the current leaders is deafening. DLC old line leaders don’t realize we aren’t in the Clinton and GW Bush years. The younger members like AOC, Jasmine Crockett and David Hogg (now elected to a DLC position) know the party must change to real opposition and listen to bread and butter issues. They also know they can’t rely on the MSM.

Expand full comment

https://jesspiper.substack.com/p/the-tiktok-farmer

on Jess Piper conversations with Ken Martin new DNC chair.

Rural is not equal to farmers y'all.

Topic: Respect Voters Coalition Toni Easter w/Jess Piper

Time: Feb 26, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84062011823?pwd=V9pjtTuQXd0FdsleROUao8GEprxtbb.1

Meeting ID: 840 6201 1823

Passcode: 037890

Expand full comment

Both of Connecticut senators, with Chris Murphy being in the forefront, as has my representative Jim Hines have been speaking out. Remember though, the Democrats have no power because the Republicans are in charge of all branches of government. So my question is, why are they not speaking out? Because they are afraid of losing their job by Musk’s threat to primary them? Or are they literally afraid of being attacked by the MAGA crowd?

Expand full comment

The Dems are not a thing to coalesce after a decade of Trump lumping us together as one group. Now Americans can stand up to this Wannabee Jackass Emporer King or whatever he thinks of himself. The American People do not much care for either party or trust them - We want positive change

Expand full comment

Both of Connecticut senators, with Chris Murphy being in the forefront, as has representative Jim Hines have been speaking out. Remember though, the Democrats have no power because the Republicans are in charge of all branches of government. So my question is, why are the Republicans not speaking out? Because they are afraid of losing their job by Musk’s threat to primary them? Or are they literally afraid of being attacked by the MAGA crowd? Or are they just cowards?

Expand full comment

cowards and hypocrites.

Expand full comment

I am finally finding Hope in how rapidly this Trump II is derailing itself with self inflicted over reach; Patience is paying off and it only took a month for the wheels to come off! Now these jokers have exposed how important Government actually is and how Drain the Swamp is now Them. Now I can relax and enjoy the show and help guide the phoenix that emerges from this ass

Expand full comment

I think the market will speak.

Expand full comment

Trump is sucking up to Putin, Musk is sucking up to Trump and the Congress so far is afraid to act on its constituents behalf because they are afraid of losing their own jobs. Oh yes, and Musk is showing his admiration of the Nazis. Just who is in charge of this circus? Some are giving much credit to Putin. Finland is telling its citizens to be prepared for a possible war with Russia after Trump hands over the Ukraine on a silver platter to Moscow. Taiwan is shaking in its shoes for without American support its future is bleak.

Expand full comment

Personally, I do not think Congress is powerless, I think most of them are GUTLESS!

Expand full comment

Deb, you are correct. What ever they are, they are demonstrating just how our government can be taken over by a few madmen who are at the beck and call of the Billionaires. While we are distraught at the whole mess, we must also look ahead as to how we want to rebuild after this tsunami has turned Washington into rubble. Out of the ashes a Phoenix can fly. I’n giving thought to what would be a better form of governance and economy after the current one crashes (and I am confident it will.) So far Economic Democracy looks the most promising. Does anyone else have thoughts about how to shape a brighter future after this economy crashes?

Expand full comment

There is a term for this - Social Capitalism. The problem is that the Media has demonized both of those words but maybe it can now become a double negative ! Capitalism is not inherently bad nor is Socialism - we simply need effective Government

Expand full comment

Richard, actually Economic Democracy has a place for capitalism particularly for entrepreneurs who are starting and maintaining small businesses. But primarily it relies on employee owned cooperatives. Research shows that cooperatives outperform non cooperatives in their success rate.

Expand full comment

They still have power. At least for now.

Expand full comment

Isn't it just SO CUTE how HuffPo seems to think Trump's 40-year BROMANCE with PUTIN indicates a "policy shift"?!

"Republicans Just Can't Seem To Condemn Trump's Policy Shift Toward Putin"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republicans-condemn-trump-policy-putin-ukraine_n_67bba650e4b0249e5d5afa6b

Might they have forgotten the time Trump invited RUSSIANS ONLY into the Offal(sic) Office, gave them CLASSIFIED info about Israel (at the very least), and we only learned of this "meeting" because there WAS a photographer there, but like everyone there except for Trump, the photog was RUSSIAN, and Putin authorized the release of the photos to embarrass America.

"Reports: Trump Gave Classified Info To Russians During White House Visit"

https://www.npr.org/2017/05/15/528511980/report-trump-gave-classified-information-to-russians-during-white-house-visit

WAKE THE FORG UP, HUFFPO!

Expand full comment

But IS Trump still sucking up to Putin?

Or is Trump perhaps thinking, "With this UNLIMITED power, perhaps I won't need to rule the world side-by-side with Putin OR Xi..."

"I can dominate them AND THE WORLD!"

I suspect Trump can't think in any other patterns.

Expand full comment

When Trump made his outrageous statement that Ukraine should not have started the war with Russia, he followed up by saying: "He [Zelensky] coud have made a deal". Well, the Ukraine HAD a deal when they surrender the nuclear arsenal to Russia in return for the Crimea peninsula. This deal was guaranteed by the USA.

Likewise, Canada and Mexico had a deal, still have actually: The USMCA, negotiated during Trump's first presidency, at the time praised by Trump himself as the best deal ever negotiated.

Well, what did it get those countries? If deals can be so easily ignored by the President of the United States, what is the point of having them? One thing that has been established now is that the USA, through Trump, can no longer be trusted. That sentiment will long outlast the Trump presidency.

Expand full comment

Yes to all except "circus" misleads as to the seriousness of this deadly situation we are all in. It's time to drop that term when talking about this gangster take over. I know, who am I to tell people how to talk? Just my view.

Expand full comment

This is why Intel is being carved in 2 - so Taiwan Semiconductor can keep investing in US capacity and Taiwanese people can move here

Expand full comment

It’s been building for ages, the news is finally reporting on it.

Expand full comment

careful, news is fickle and has been bought

Expand full comment

And in fact, proven their profit motive is basically their ONLY motive.

Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, and John Chancellor are spinning in their graves.

Expand full comment

Relax. Let the Dems coalesce around the actual will of the People.

Expand full comment

The only thing the Dems are coalescing around is a united front of inaction!

Expand full comment

Here’s a way to phrase our current state of affairs:

“With all the firings at the top and bottom of just about all agencies, #MuskROT is eating away at all the underpinnings of a fairly benevolent government, honed over the decades to find as many ways as possible to help people.“

Expand full comment

This is one reason I think our current system of capitalist dominated democracy will fall. It will occur very fast so we should be prepared.

Expand full comment

I can't believe this is happening, and Musk hasn't been arrested for impersonating a federal employee and causing mayhem. Trump sic'd him on the federal government, as sure as he set his election denying vigilantes on Congress on January 6. He doesn't want guardrails and Musk doesn't want guardrails and they want billions. So they drive democracy into the ground. The number of Americans who remain loyal to the deceivers is shocking. I overestimated people's intelligence and ethical formation for all these years. It's all so pathological! And hateful!

Expand full comment

Perhaps he’s trying to do to the U.S. what the Gupta brothers did in South Africa and walk off with the national wealth?

Expand full comment

The application of the law is broken, ineffective or can be easily sidestepped with an infusion of payola, bribery, intimidation and "delay". By the time the courts get around to addressing all the illegalities, much damage will be done.

"Justice delayed is justice denied" is a legal maxim. It means that if legal redress or equitable relief to an injured party is available, but is not forthcoming in a timely fashion, it is effectively the same as having no remedy at all.

Expand full comment

Who benefits most in the end? Putin, with no more America The Great to compete against.

Expand full comment

I have to share my sadness that Joy Reid is apparently off the lineup at MSNBC. Maybe some "surrendering in advance." Trump recently posted nasty about MSNBC. New top manager. I mean, really, the star - black - female.

Expand full comment

Meidas has offered her a VERY public invitation.

(And that may offer her an even BIGGER audience!)

GOOD MORNING, Mmerose!

Expand full comment

I am very upset about Joy Reid not being in the line up on MSNBC. I just love her, and her point of view.

Expand full comment

My mom texted me about Joy, because she knows I am a huge fan. She read about it in the NY Times. 😟

Expand full comment

What???? Where did you see this??

Expand full comment

I am disappointed in the MSNBC cancellation her program.

Expand full comment

Congress is spineless

Expand full comment

Republicans in Congress are spineless.

Expand full comment

Excellent and precise description of the horror show. Thank you, Robert. Call early and often!

Expand full comment

Trumpets 🎺 Report To Musk On What I Did Last Week as a Federal Employee .

1. Lied To The American People

2. Betrayed My Country (USA) for

personal Gain .

3. Betrayed All of NATO for personal

Gain.

4. Betrayed The Ukrainian Freedom

Fighters for personal Gain

5. Betrayed All of The Principles that

US Populace fought for and some died

for Since the Civil War up Now 2025

EXTRA CREDIT

6. Licked Putin’s Ass

7. Licked Putin’s Ass Again

8. Violated My Oath of Office.

Expand full comment

Boy you must look at my posts and cringe for professional reasons.

I’m dyslexic, but it’s nothing to hide behind and I can’t spell some things and others I can only through years and years of repetition.

Thank You. “J”

Expand full comment

Oh it’s 4 am and I’m not really awake!!!

Expand full comment

Fire him and ARREST HIM!

Expand full comment

Then secure the treasury from the rest of Orange Julius and the criminals

Expand full comment

Keep calling keep the heat on and prepare for their responses. Stand together.

Expand full comment

Focus our remaining true patriots leaders energy on getting back the Military, FBI and treasure. If we don’t have those. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

Expand full comment

Fire Musk? Not good enough. Deport this disgusting, self-serving a-hole. After all, he once was working here illegally on a student visa, but he never attended a single class.

Expand full comment

Unfortunately the gov't and the Pentagon seem to feel they really need his SpaceX and Starlink services. SpaceX may be used to transport military weapons since it is capable of moving much faster than present modes of delivery. Our country may be afraid he could end up selling his services to Russia or China.

Expand full comment

In Illinois Governor Pritzker’s State of the State address he said , “ “It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic. All I’m saying is when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control.” https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/full-text-illinois-gov-jb-pritzkers-state-of-the-state-address/3678119/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

I am e-mailing this post to my representatives.

Expand full comment