I am union. The Trans Alaska Pipeline was a federal government project that opened the door for minorities to work for a living wage. I was told by my business agent, Bert, out of International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302, that the job I was doing out of the Fairbanks Hall was the only work that I would ever have out of the union. I had paid an initiation fee so he was gaslighting me...thinking that I was just a dumb woman. That taught me to 'look it up'! I stuck with it and I'll come up on 50 years as a member next year. It has taken a long time to move women into a place where their actions can be seen and their voices can be heard.. Now we have an old man coming into office who gaslights, not just women, but everyone. He wants to be seen as a viral, wrestling-loving, strong man. I've worked with men like that before and what I know is to not stand down to them. I will die fighting for the right to work for a living wage and talk about that right. I will die fighting for the right of women to make their own choices about everything. You will not stop unions...you or your monied friends! Because we have proven that united we can override and stop you. We're just getting fired up here. Old man, you are pissing off women and union members and that will not serve you or your minions!! You want a fight old man?! Well, you've now GOT ONE!
It wll take a General Strike Colin, and then it will take the right condition to convince everyone to join in.
When Hitler came to power, he immediately outlawed all independent trade unions in Germany, dissolving them and replacing them with a Nazi-controlled organization called the "German Labour Front" (DAF), effectively eliminating workers' rights to collective bargaining and striking, while imprisoning and brutally suppressing union leaders; essentially taking complete control over the workforce by force
And not just ONE day of General Strike. Big Biz can shrug off one day's worth of Revenue and production without breaking a sweat. To get the point across would require at least a month of General Strike. (The longer, the better, actually.) We can look back and see just how (not) effective Occupy Wall Street was: SEVERAL MONTHS of _millions_ of protestors on the front lines -- and what lasting effects did it achieve? It disbanded when Wall Street gave some assurances which it never fulfilled or rescinded not long after all the protestors went home.
As you said, "No pain, no gain." The problem is that the VAST majority of Americans have no stomach for taking on **additional** pain.
No stomach for pain at all. We are a fat, lazy, entitled peoples.. really.
Compare our poor to say even the lower class of other countries.
American poor have cell phones, ISP's, computers even auto's.
Americans believe they had a revolution. A revolution it was not. Who signed the treaty of Paris in 1783, none other than King George. There was a revolution in England, and in that one the King lost his head.
The English Civil War was a series of conflicts between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians in England from 1642 to 1651.
Only it wasn't a civil war, it was a revolution. The Brits and the PTB don't want to admit that England had a revolution, only the hated French could do such a thing.
The American "Revolution" and the "American civil war" were both wars of secession., neither had as a motive the idea of overturning and replacing the government, both had the intent of seceding, separating from the government.
There was pain involved in the 1775 affair and the vast majority of the population had to be drug, kicking, screaming and then propagandized into supporting it.
Same thing happened with the 1861 war of secession. Conscription and propaganda (from pulpit and press), induced barefoot plow boys and pig farmers to give up their lives to preserve and protect the upper class.
In all cases it was a top down, not a bottom up effort, a bottom up effort results in real pain and violence France 1789, Russia 1917, China 1940's
Prepare. Backup generator when the IBEW power goes out. Back up water supply when the pumps all shut down. Back up food when the stores all close from no food on the shelves.
Having only several thousand or even tens of thousands of Preppers prepared for the worst does NOTHING to promote The People to rise up to overthrow the Powers That Be that have been holding We The People down for decades. Because those that are NOT Preppers are not at all willing to put themselves through the discomfort of a revolution. And if those that ARE prepared -- Preppers and Survivalists contemplated revolting, they would very quickly realize that collectively they are an insufficient force to succeed.
Those of us aged in our 70s enjoyed the best economy in the history of the world while not necessarily being fat & lazy. As a teenager in the 1960s, I thought it “natural” that we should have good food, clothing, housing, and education. However,my generation is waking up to the fact that our good luck was the product of struggle and sacrifice of the working class in the 1930s and a progressive Democratic Party. Nothing’s for free; everything’s earned (even if not by us).
I'm wondering if Trump's moronic economic ideas will create horrific supply chain breakages and consumer shortages worse than Covid's. If they do, and your stomachless Americans are inconvenienced, they may become willing to protest, since they will have less "to lose."
Protesting is one thing. (An accomplish next-to-nothing thing.) Committing to and carrying out actions that DO do something is what is required. Occupy Wall Street was a HUMONGOUS protest, involving millions of American protestors over several months -- which accomplished pretty much NOTHING. Everyone went home when Wall Street issued assurances that it would offer some remedies -- which Wall Street welshed on almost immediately or within a few months. And there was never an Occupy Wall Street Round 2.
That's the point of being a dictator isn't it? Christiana.
Besides now that the courts are ruled by Tump humper, laws are only there to keep us chained. The North Carolina supreme court is throwing out ballots because they elected a democrat, With the exception of the recent ruling, which is essentially of no effect, federal courts are MAGAt.
Unfortunately for my family, BOTH my parents provide necessary functions: my dad is a high-mid-level boss at Upstate Farms and my mom works doing clerical-type work at a nursing home! If my dad strikes . . . NO CHEESE OR MILK! 😱
There's actually a movement to have a general strike. It's just getting going but it seems to be gaining speed with about half a million people already signed up. The more people that sign up and share the movement the more likely it will happen.
Unfortunately there's the fear factor that could affect it. The plutocrats have been working hard to make strikes illegal and/or retaliation against strike talk okie dokie. It's not just the GOP either. 🤬
Dee of the terrace ; tRUMP is KILLING women. Very little being told in the media. The election was most likely hacked, the numbers do not add up. Lots of turnout, skimpy numbers, in relation to exit polls. patterns that don't make sense in votes. Hand counts of at least two precincts in each of the swing states needed! They had endless recounts and challenges in courts after 2020, to no avail. Yet nobody is pushing for a re-count or investigation of 2024 but a few like me. He has already "won" if we don't speak up, and ask for one. After all , if the win was so overwhelming, why should he worry?
I have seen very little about this election being rigged Laurie. I can believe it but have seen no provable stats on it. I believe that rump did the preliminary work of undermining elections after he wouldn't accept his defeat in 2020. He wore the public out talking about it and it became too much to go through again. I do believe that there was some 'funny business' by the Republican Party in this last election.
there is a group of statisticians who claim that the tabulators in swing states show a "Russian Tail" distribution that is not natural. here is the link to their allegations complete with charts comparing data from different elections and showing what the Russian Tail looks like in overseas elections known to have been hacked by the Russians: https://youtu.be/qmzGOQwMG_k?si=OvaQb2GXJszetwM3
it's not too long. somewhere are other videos demonstrating the same effect in other races which could explain why NC elected Democrats down the ballot yet somehow went for Trump...
Further, this past weekend, there was a small but articulate protest in DC, advising us to call our Congressfolk to protest confirming an insurrectionist for President according to section 3, article 14. I participated and learned of it through this substack. Congress did nothing, as so often occurs by our corporation owned reps.
It's so fishy. So fishy. The final number is that 50.2% of voters voted against trump (48.2% for Harris and 2% for other). Yet tiny margins in some states gave Trump JUST the number of electoral votes he needed to get elected.
The answer may be restricting our elections to only paper ballots. Sure, it takes time to count paper ballots, but the time distance between November elections and January certification of voting is enough: we don’t need computerized voting.
Laurie and Dee, and we're all ignoring the role Mr. Putin and his years of social media troll farms played in warping the minds of the third of voting-eligible American voters that lying social media persuaded to vote for the felon.
Challenging the election with a hand recount by IT experts in swing states would be less "to go through" than limply allowing him to finish us off completely. Here Is a regime that will withold vaccines against polio. And other diseases, like measles, mumps, rubella, and now witholds emergency medical care from women who are unfortunate enough to miscarry, a slow and painful hemorrhage until dead. With the family watching. They don,'t give a $#it. The cruelty and power tripping horror is the point. They want to distract from the election. And our rights to challenge his criminality.He is the terrorist. Not those who are brave enough to tell and seek the facts.
Go to Stephen Spooner's Substack. He is a tech /AI election security expert who says this hack has been used before , in 2004 in Ohio to give "W" a win . He posts " nine ways to tell when an election
As Hakeem Jefferies said "there's no election deniers on this side of the aisle" What a crock. Election capitulators. Your points are well taken. And so I post this yet again, in hopes that enough will wake up.
- The techbroligarchs and coup d'etat planners had four years, essentially unlimited money, and inside help from red and swing state elections apparatuses to subvert the election. they did this by stealing the coding for the voting machines in states where they're used and rewriting the code to perform whatever functions (many ways to do it) they wanted it to. they did this by bribing, extorting, and enlisting willing elections workers in red and swing states, they did this by essentially, and incrementally over time, replacing the election infrastructure in the states with their own. this is why dumpster said "you (we) won't need to vote anymore" or in another case, in extremely bored tone, "i don't need your votes". there were other similar statements. Remember how demented and bored and idiotic he was on the campaign trail this past summer? that was all deflection, distracting everyone from the astonishing sleight of hand going on. note his demeanor and presence now. it's completely different, isn't it. Remember also that the states conduct elections, not the federal gov't. this makes every election theoretically subject to systemic manipulation and fraud. Which is why we used to have the voting rights act before the corrupt6 court emasculated it. because, y'know states' rights to conduct fraudulent elections and voter suppression. Finally, any expectation that this can be righted at the next "election" is seriously delusional. the techbroligarchs won. AI will only solidify it all.
You have to get real. No one can “bribe, extort, and enlist willing elections workers in red and swing states” over 4 years without some people leaking about it. Has anyone talked about it? There has to be real evidence, not just a slide into speculation and “what ifs.” A real case has to be built. I’d like to hear Reich’s take on the statistical charts put together on the election results in Clarke County and other states purporting in that video to demonstrate election manipulation. Where are the expert statisticians who can do this? Need to see the complete scientific analysis. Need to deal with this allegation objectively to determine whether a statistical anomaly truly exists; and if it exists, whether it can be explained only as the fingerprint of fraud. You need irrefutable facts in hand to avoid galloping off on the same sort of odd journey the Trumpists like to take. People who like to do investigations on an objective, mathematical/scientific basis should take this on.
Judith - I completely understand your position, and in the 20th century it would have made absolute sense. We live now in a post truth era of not only hyperindividualism and self-destructive, wanton self-indulgence, and worship of the next shiny thing, but an era that has seen the usurpation and failure of the rule of law. So I would strongly encourage you to say to me in 2026 "I told you so" when the dems regain congress. However, I think you'll be owing me an "oh, you were right" when repugnants take even more seats, and progressives losing seats. The mechanism I'm describing is only one of many possible scenarios. I think the one I describe is most likely as it is based on the cultish behavior, the petulant grievance and resentment for imagined slights suffered by the 1/2 our population. Where do you think the $250 million alone from musk went? there are at least a dozen other oligarchs of his ilk with money to "invest" in this fascist enterprise. where would the media coverage have come from if it had been revealed? these people are insular, secretive, (or conversely so loudly braggart) that no one knows or cares about them. dumpster and the oligarchs certainly hold them in contempt. Notice also that this election denial thing has not gone away for 4 years. It has fed upon itself and been nourished and emboldened by oligarchean money and propaganda.
Remember also that the US CIA has been doing exactly this for decades, all around the world. We are experts at destroying democracy, especially if it gets in the way of profit.
The election was definitely stolen in my option! Musk and Putin( who are really our president and Va elect now) did something, plus the bomb threat . And I too do not understand why no one is asking for a recount why Kamala Harris just conceded before They finished counting and kind of just gave in, all very suspicious to me.
I truly believe that the MAGA nuts threaten everyone with professional ruin and blackballing, blackmail, financial ruin, and death. NO ONE is standing up against them. There is not a single voice. Is there? Just substack writers.
The "party" of death threats and hate crimes have operatives who can harm . I would bet that Kamala Harris wants to pick her battles. And this is not one of them.
As much as I admire and supported, Harris, and wish with all my heart that she had won the presidency, like you, Laurie, I suspect that the battle she chooses will be to fight for the safety of her family and friends. What would you do with her position?
Hard to say. Obviously it is a tough position. I would lean towards protecting my family, and hope that things would settle down as time goes by. She most likely knows a few more things than most of us about our intelligence community and security threats. Anyone could stick their neck out and get hurt, with nothing to show in the long run. If she has a security detail that she can trust, she might request some investigation, guided by trustworthy. Non partisan tech security experts. There is a lot at stake, obviously with what has been transpiring at so many levels. Freedom of the press, education, even women's medical care and the ERA. Women are being killed by state sponsored medical terrorism through laws that require withholding care until the woman is "sick enough" . IT's awful close to witch hunts.and the application of iffy "justice" approaches the 'jurisprudence' of the Scope monkey trials. There is also the LA fires and trump's "drill baby drill" insanity. Destructive.
Joseph, No social change could succeed without the complicity of women. Unfortunately there are some women, maybe as much as 50% that have cast their lot with the oppressor because they believe that their bread is buttered by the patriarchy, in the same vein not all slaves wanted freedom either, they just wanted better working and living conditions.
Many if not most of the freed slaves hung around and continued to work for the planters, for the simple reason that we all need to eat.
Because women are the child bearers and child rearers they are biologically evolved to seek out the best male she can to father her children, and support and rear her as the child grows.
It is the unevolved female who is a MAGAt, a defender of the patriarchy, it is the primitive male that is misogynistic and needs to dominate females.
The biggest enemy women have is other women. The Phyliss Schafly's of the world, the Marjorie Taylor Greens, the Virginia Foxx's, the Laren Boebert's
, the Candace Owen's, the Ann Coulter's, the MAGAt bitch who wants Trump to grab her by the pussy,
The anti trans mentality of the Christian Right and MAGAts is misogynisic in origin, it is the belief that women are inferior and need protection from men, but the real threat to women is not from transwomen, but from man the protector.
They are looking out for their own self interests Lights. There are women and men who want to be protected, to absolve themselves of responsibility and care. They look to an all powerful father figure (most people who subscribe to a religion do that and call this father figure. god). Terrestrially they call him Dear Leader, Der Fuhrer, Il Duce, and it seems President, for now, although I am sure an honorific will eventually be bestowed.
Some women think they have it made, they have snagged a protector and provider, thus relieving them of personal responsibility. Yes they will get a job, but that is only to make extra money, they have a fall back position, the "bread winner", the "protector".
How many movies have you watched where a disenhearted male says "I had only one job and that is to protect my family, and I f ailed".
The fall back for the "bread winner" is dear leader and of course the imaginary being he calls god.
God wills it Islamic , inshallah, is the ultimate cop out, absconding of personal responsibility.
Under Pope Francis leadership, the Vatican is waging a campaign against hypocritical Christians such as JD Vance.Catholics who are horrified by Christian Nationalism, the denial of climate change, as well as the denial of social responsibility. These people are our allies, and we desperately need allies.
I learned A LOT by working around mostly men for all these years. You are a 'rare bird' to speak about these things in such an informed way. I have stories that would blow anyones mind. I'm fortunate to have LIVED through it all. It's good to be retired even tho I loved operating BIG equipment. What kept me going was being the only person in the seat. I had men friends in the union who did help me out when they could. There were some 'good guys'.
My Wife Dee, was a certified building official, before that a plans examiner, before that a building inspector, before that she ran her own handyman company, and is a journeyman electrician, plumber, a carpenter per excellence (when we hire carpenters, they get upset and their macho ego's are wounded as she tells them what to do and how to do it), before that she was a contract employee of California FEMA, before that a foreman for parks and recreation, She's driven heavy equipment and wanted to pay a multipurpose tractor with all of the attachments. I talked her down into a Toro Zero turn
Myself although I was born a white male, I do not find my identity in any group, sub group, race, religion, gender. my life's experience has enabled me to look at life as if I was an outsider looking in, a space alien, or someone from another dimension.
I marvel at people whose identity, whose ego, is so fragile and group dependent that they lock themselves inside a bubble.
Depending on the instance and argument I have been called an antisemite and an Islamophobe. I've been called a race traitor and a racist. A male chauvinist and a femiNAZI.
Name calling is social terrorism, it is used because it often works, it doesn't work on me though.
I do step on toes, stick pigs, rattle chains but that is what heretic, an unbeliever, a skeptic, a cynic does.
I'm so impressed with your wife's credentials! It's just over the top that she has done all that. My union is specialized. I always had so many questions for the different trades I worked with. In my next life I would like to be an engineer of some sort. Your wife is a smart, innovative cookie. I bet she has a great sense of humor too. You must have one of those when working around men...and/or being married. You spoke about stepping on toes...I did that lots too. I was a stewardess back in '68' for United. I was told to wear lots of make-up, how to fix my hair, false eyelashes, hairpieces, and so much more. I got fired 2 weeks out from joining the union. I stuck up for myself and was too mouthy for my superintendent. That was the best thing that could have happened. That job was not a good paying job and had health risks galore. The benefits were good but I wasn't with them long enough to enjoy. I was 27 when I got into IUOE and I had worked many jobs before that looking for the right one. If your wife got bored it sounds like she just went and picked up another trade, smart. Thanks for sharing her accomplishments with me. It's good for people to read about how much one woman can do.
American women got the right to vote in 1920, but nothing has changed: the businessmen of the USA continue to dominate the government and direct foreign wars.
William, really, it's not just biological expediency that makes women support their oppressors. It's their lifetimes of being taught and forced to despise themselves, believe they are bad, stupid and inferior, have low self-esteem, and actually hate themselves, that "make" them vote for their bogus betters.
True Christinia. My wife and I have had this discussion many times, she has educated me.
Every child has a father, but not every father has a child, And if you drill misogyny down to it's roots, you find the caveman need to dominate, also the source of conflict, competition,, the need to breed and the need of the female for a protector and provider.
Biology does not have to be destiny, alas the social needs and behavior of humans has not evolved.
If it had there wouldn't be such chaos, mayhem and slaughter in the world.
We are still the same hairless apes that we were a half million years ago, only better able to oppress and kill more to force others into submission and compliance.
There is other phenomenon at work, described in The Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. Always a subgroup fawns over the powerful. Until empowerment becomes universal and respected, we will see this.
@Vicki. I love it when you show off your deep erudition. But there is more that we can do than wait - political activism leading up to the mid-term elections.
@Vicki. I'm sorry if that seemed snarky? I meant that as authentic flattery. Not many folks read in the post-neo-Marxist genre, and fewer still understand what Freire says about oppressors exploiting oppressed people's ignorance of their own oppression. This perspective pre-dates Trump by many decades, but aptly describes what we see in our politics in 2025.
That may be but there is evidence the whole thing was rigged. American elections are not sacrosanct. We have rigged elections in other countries, so why not ours?
Cain did not kill Abel because he lived in a bubble. Envy drove him to commit fratricide. Envy and jealousy always play a significant role in human affairs; it gives rise to resentment and anger, and, when combined with fear, it gives rise to hate.
I'm still actively grieving Jimmy Carter's death, even though he was 100 years old. In the coverage of the several services yesterday, one speaker said that Jimmy Carter had said (and regretfully I have to paraphrase from imperfect memory) that the most abused, oppressed, mistreated (I fear I've started adding adjectives!) people in the world are women and children. I totally agree and have said so to my own family and friends for many years. Jimmy Carter was respectful and honorable to women and children and not in a manipulative, transactional, self-promoting way, but in genuine respect, honor and eqalitarianism!
It is one of the things that is disheartening on top of disheartening to witness: the enthusiastic support from women for thump and MAGA - an entity that hates women and children except as props, objects, "tools" for exploitation - and to see women (and men) take children to thump "rallies" to be inculcated (innoculated, if you will) with hateful, deceptive ideas, including violence and hatred towards women! Women teaching in America's public schools, women delivering the USPS mail, women working in facilities for the elderly and sick, women AS elderly and sick themselves trying to survive on the slimmest of means; women in the military, women working as journalists everywhere, including in the LA fires, in war zones; women enduring pregnancy AND working, women bearing children, raising children, dying in childbirth; women in churches that teach that women are chattel, property, unworthy to speak as leaders and teachers, women who are to serve men, to pick in the fields, to serve as sexual objects, to be endangered and fearful of streets, of dark hallways, of parking garages, of their own housemates; women being treated as breeding vessels, of even less value than a miniscule fertilized egg in the germ/embryo state - and women who go along with that institutionalized hatred and violence against their own LIVES, women not allowed to VOTE into the 20th century; women running for elected offices being subjected to vile, violent, ugly garbage from men -and WOMEN!! (Obviously) I could go on and on..... but in the long history (and understandably so) of attention given to the kinds of horrors visited upon groups of people in this country, too little serious and focused attention AND CHANGE - is given to THE MOST oppressed, mistreated, abused category of humanity, a group that is represented in LARGE numbers within those other oppressed, mistreated groups: WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
To think that we buried a man yesterday who treated all women as equals, and have elevated a "man" who despises and uses women and have enhanced the ability of men (and women) to express the hatred and dangers for women on all of the "social media" available. What more is to be said about America.
@Laurie. Are you alright? As a person I have often agreed with in the past, I worry that something has happened to you? There was no provable voter fraud, no evidence of election interference. You are going off the rails here...
Of course, there was no provable voter fraud. The R monsters have gotten very efficient at hiding it as they continue to play the long game of world domination. They all want to live in their luxury bunkers underground. The only problem is that when they finally emerge, they will be Kings of nothing.
Ilene Winn-Lederer ; See Stephen Spooner's Substack for his take on election hacking. He is an election security IT professional who says the the hacking in 2004 in Ohio bears a similarity to what has been done in the 2024 election. Same tech hack. Don't look for this story in the completely tamed and threatened media. tRUMP owns them, and has them fearful with his threats to jail them and shut them down like Putin does to journalists in Russia. This is real, Please pay attention. At least look at it.
Will do, Laurie. Thanks. BTW, it’s interesting and ironic that the liars club who are about to invade Washington never seem obliged to back up their lies with facts, while we, here in our little bubble, always seem to demand proof to back up our truths.
The liars club do not hold themselves to any standard. They do it to those who oppose them and their criminality. Double standard. Look at face book and their removal of third party fact checking. 'Nuff said.
There's no proof yet that will stand up in court, but do you really think that someone who has been flouting rules and laws since he was in diapers (and who apparently thinks cheating on his taxes makes him smarter than the rest of us) would suddenly play by the rules late in the 8th decade of his life, especially at a time when he could least afford to abandon the old ways that have always worked so well for him? We know for a fact that he stole 2016 and he was caught red-handed trying to steal 2020. Why should 2024 be any different?
@Tracey. I'm not saying Trump played by the rules - I'm saying our election institutions and processes held up fine for the 2024 election. That tangerine twatwaddle bonespur draft dodging pussy grabbing convicted felon would of course cheat if he could get through the system
Benjamin : Read up on it and (possibly) , weep. At Matt's Tin Hat Times, it's for those with tech skills, or who want to have them. Or understand them. At least a little. You are so trusting that a man who has taken over our entire government, threatening the world. And owns most of the Supreme Court would never get his minions to hack an election!? So gullible. Or ni`a.eve. In Britain, a tech expert is called a "tin Hat".( in the 1990's in the U.S. some called tech people geeks or Propeller heads.). They know what they are talking about, more than any "Cyber Ninjas".
Laurie, agree, agree, agree. There are manifest psychological and emotional evidences of lies creating virtual election fraud through foreign election interference. And while no evidence of superficial technical interference has emerged, I think deep interference at a technical level is likely. There is something in the Grassroots Connector requests of the DNC that indicates it. They have a whole plank in their platform of requests that asks the DNC to be please: "Conducting a comprehensive review of the Democratic technology stack, including a report on how core voting platforms came to be owned by an overseas private equity fund." I don't personally have the expertise to know what this means, but I believe it is worth investigating.
The "tin hat" is a name that the British call people who are tech savvy. He is an expert in IT election security. He has documented this type of hacking back in 2004 when Ohio voting was hacked, giving "W" a win that he did not deserve.
Stephen Spooner has a Substack. He is a tech/ IT expert who does election security professionally. He says the hacking of 2004 in Ohio was hacked, using the same method to hack 2024. It is documented. He is the one who caught it. He wrote "nine ways to tell if an election was hacked". Worth reading. Pass it on.
@Laurie. This one dude, searching for his 15 minutes of fame, vs. 50 State election boards and thousands of precincts counting votes...
What you and others don't seem to get is that you are doing Trump's work and you are doing Putin's work by undermining American's trust in their voting systems.
Voter fraud and election interference can occur at other than technical levels, Benjamin. Russian troll farms played on the emotional and psychological vulnerabilities of Americans unable to think for themselves, who ended up voting for Trump on erroneous single-issue hunches. Like, Harris/Biden will cause the housing market to crash. Harris wants to eliminate all Christians from the government. Harris covered up Biden's crime-family crimes. Ad infinitum. Those malicious influences are powerful and not quantifiable.
@Christina. And the more false they are the faster they are picked up by those who want to justify their own vote, those who wanted a convicted felon to mess up the system. I am sorry that they will find that they have been "had" as the old carnies used to say. They have been taken... Trump will do nothing to help those in this country who are struggling because they are struggling against the billionaires and corporations that Trump supports...
See Stephen Spooner's substack. He is an IT election security expert who has said that the 2024 election has been hacked. He posts " nine ways to tell that an election has been hacked." He said that what has been done in the 2024 election is the same thing used to hack the 2004 election in Ohio. Exit polls did not make sense with the vote results. Read it if you are curious .
People absolutely do not wish to hear that democratc pillars such as elections couldbe hacked. I believe it was hacked and NOT a free and fair election. This is NOT business as usual.
Unfortunately, Donald trump has been able to interfere with justice for years and get away with crimes because he stacked the courts on all levels , and has sycophants throughout Congress. For him, cheating is business as usual. It would make America great again if we had some decency in justice and in government, instead of lawlessness.
Haha, he is viral all right. I'm glad you have been successful in work for 50 years. I did it by owning my own small barber business for 50 years. Well. Most of 50 years I worked in shops for some of it. Began with my own shop for 9 years, after apprenticeship. Now, I have had my own shop for 12 years, as I work part time. Love it.
You have control over your income and schedule, that’s the freedom you have created for yourself.
I’m 77 and I live freely with SS and a pension. We’re two women who have done well for ourselves. I actually could go back to work but I’ve given enough of my life to heavy equipment. Time to meditate and be creative. Time to do more community service.
Dee of the Terrace ; That's great! I will spend more time with my grandchildren when I'm done, if things work out that way. with part time, I already can do some of that. I have a two year old granddaughter, and another by another grown child is expected.
It is good to have the freedom of choices. Sometimes I don't really control the income, because there are busy times and slow times. But after almost 50 years, I know what to expect and it has worked well. If it was not rewarding, I would be gone.
Don't forget, when he mimed sucking off a microphone at one of his last campaign stops, he was mimicking a homosexual sex act. I think he's probably deeply gay. There's nothing wrong with that in anyone's mind but a MAGA mind.
Christina Kasica ; if anyone else did that, he would have his minions attack them. But he can do "Whatever the hell he wants", and this is nothing compared to what can happen after he is "sworn in". Distraction is something he uses all the time. Distract, deflect and project, is what he does. Look at His well disciplined media now. He owns them with his threats. Nothing about the obvious election hacking! Kamala Harris, said to be "the only one who can demand a recount" ( is that true?), caved before the ballots were even all counted, (that is, the ones that existed and were not discarded as spoiled, or challenged or 'Just' thrown away). If it's even remotely possible that she could have been threatened, like so many others who oppose him, should she be the only one who can demand a re-count? It should be a hand re-count, at least two precincts in each of the blue wall swing states. this will show the hacking. A machine re-count would be useless.
Well, because the old man lies constantly. The union I'm in is mostly men and they often are macho men. The meetings I go to are large meetings and the union reps stand up and talk about which party supports more union work. The old orange guy has worked hard to appeal to macho men by showcasing wrestlers and large penis golfers so he's picked up voters there, both union and non-union. Sooo, this old guy is a rogue showman and grifter. He's conned many people, union people and others by just saying what they want to hear.
Just shows some men are idiots andcan be bamboozled. I've long considered "macho" men a joke who are compensating for something (straight ladies and gay men know what I'm speaking of). Often "real men" are those you'd never notice.
The dockworkers supported trump, it seems, in a tit for tat, and trump made it worth their while, as the strike has been settled, potentially, in the dockworkers’favor. They will get a 65 % pay raise, and they now make a very good salary, so it was a win for them.
I was talking about the union that I've been a part of for 50 years which is mostly men. So the unions I've worked with are ironworkers, pipe fitters, carpenters, laborers, painters, teamsters and all building and trade unions. I have a hard time seeing any unions support the old orange guy. They will find out what their support does in these next few years. rump wooed them with his macho, chest beating, grifting lies.
A sad observation: the very basis of a labor union is knowledge of the economic game that’s being played. That is, business owners are constantly seeking to minimize the cost of labor so as to maximize profits. It’s just arithmetic. And so when union members react positively to Hulk Hogan and the Drumpf-like Neanderthalers, it’s sort of amazing that they case their vote that way.
UAW…Union of Automotive Workers…right? I’ve never met or worked with that union. I love hearing from a sister union member…strength through union membership! We stand strong together!
This is great- I have deep admiration for you!!! We need to build and support unions wherever we can. Reagan and his chronies worked my entire life to reduce the percentage of union workers in America from around 1/3 to less than TEN. It’s past time we correct this insult to American workers- particularly the hypocrites running around screaming, “AMERICA FIRST!”
Thank you for standing up when others are busy bending the knee. 💕
Ellyn, I remember how destructive Reagan was to unions. I drug up in Seattle and returned to Alaska to work during that time. I had my picture in the paper here in Seattle talking about Reagan. Back in those days women out on a job site were news. When I worked in Denver putting a sewer line around Sloan Lake, a reporter showed up to take my picture and the foreman got pissed off because he didn't get his picture in the paper too. He told me that unless I spent some 'personal time' with him that I would be 'down the road'. He did that in front of the crew. I went to the union hall, Local 9, and made out a formal grievance when he fired me and I took the loader hand with me, who left as well. The hall got me another job and I had to sign a NDA saying I wouldn't go to the press. I was a single parent and needed to work. So many stories as a woman in construction. I think there are many other women out there who have stories to tell. All together we could write a best seller.
This! Start on your own street and work outwards. That's my plan. I can't afford to run away with my kids, we have to hold our ground here. Especially with education.
Yes, books need to be hidden, sent out of country to relatives and friends. With the internet the world is more accessible than it was during the Nazi invasion, of the late 1939 which lasted through 1945. Of course the Trumplicans are trying to control what we are able to see by shutting down TikTok, and through Musk, Mark Z(S)uckerberg, etc. we must find ways to sabatoge & resist that the Trumplicans can’t control.
Buy only hardcopy books. Ebooks are too easily removed. I'm sure that if Trump wants Amazon to delete ebooks, including those in accounts, they will comply. You are only buying a license to read an ebook. You don't "own" it in any sense. Remember, used book stores are your friend.
Switch to Bluesky and VPNs, like Threema to protect your Internet viewing. Use Signal for email that is safer too. That's my plan, along with thousands of other folks.
Absolutely do those things, but the problem isn’t with people such as us who are following the news, but the many more millions that are not. Including children who are instilled to believe what they are taught and what authorities tell them. Just think of how much you had to unlearn. What would have happened if we lived at a time or place when there wasn’t any alternative to the propaganda that was fed to us? What would people in the future think if we did expand to all of North America? Would they celebrate the great expansion as we celebrate the Louisiana Purchase and the purchase of Alaska? I think they would. Very few of us believe Manifest Destiny was a crime and we should not have gone from sea to shining sea. (Actually, those who know it was all unethical are still willing to live happily with the consequences). This isn’t unique to us and here. Look at how many people from former British colonies are happy that they got a good dose of European influence before they got independence. Hong Kong people probably wish they were still British.
Absolutely. Add to these bulwarks, the courts. Many of the local judges are elected, and we have to be vigilant about fighting for anti-fascists for these positions. Also, state and federal court positions can be important bulwarks. Hell, even Amy Conan Barrett and John Roberts couldn’t stomach the idea of whitewashing tRUMP’s sentencing. Even though it’s only symbolic, it’s good that the evil orange one will be recognized as a convicted felon.
Unfortunately, evidence suggests they (and Kavanaugh and Gorsuch) only do it when they can afford to. Roberts is not a good guy. Aliyo & Thomas have never tried to hide what wingnuts they are — which will make it easy to retire them and put more younger partisans on the stupidly-still-small SC.
Best way to do that is run for a school board on a save democracy platform after learning about the corruption in our schools at WhiteChalkCrime.com so you’re able to shift the power that paved the way for autocracy back to democracy. Believe me our schools hollowed out democracy more than any institution! You don’t need a child in school to run. Run if you’re young or old. Boards hold all the power so make it ours either by running or helping recruit others to run.
Mike - Agree. I just read that a man, who was appointed to a university by DeSantis, actually said that women should be at home and not going to school. The republicans, and other questionable people, have been elected to lower offices that were ignored for too long. We need to get them back before more harm is done.
Check this out before you purchase. I think this is a elon musk supplement. There are supplements that you can purchase elsewhere for your brain. Do some research first. He doesn't need more money.
The Pillars of Resistance: Protecting Truth, Freedom, and Democracy
As Trump and his MAGA allies prepare for what could be a second term even more destructive than the first, they are already targeting the four major pillars of resistance: universities, nonprofits, the media, and organized labor. These institutions have stood as bulwarks against authoritarianism, yet they are now under siege. To fortify these pillars and ensure they continue to defend truth and justice, we must act decisively.
1. Universities: Protecting the Cradle of Knowledge
The Threat:
Trump has openly declared his intention to weaponize the college accreditation system. His goal is to replace independent, nonpartisan accreditors with politically controlled state accreditors, jeopardizing academic freedom. This would dismantle the very guardrails that have protected universities from harmful state overreach, such as educational gag orders and bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, Trump has threatened to increase taxes on university endowments, further destabilizing these institutions.
What We Must Do:
Pressure Universities to Speak Out: The silence of academic leadership is unacceptable. We need faculty and administrators to publicly denounce these threats. Write letters, organize petitions, and amplify the voices of those willing to take a stand.
Educate the Public: Host public discussions, webinars, and town halls to explain how Trump’s policies threaten higher education and the broader pursuit of knowledge.
Boycott Complicit Institutions: If any universities capitulate to these authoritarian measures, we must make it clear that there will be consequences, including financial ones.
2. Nonprofits: Safeguarding Activism and Civil Society
The Threat:
Nonprofits fighting for environmental protection, voting rights, and immigrant rights are being targeted. Proposed legislation would empower the Treasury to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems as supporting “terrorism”—a vague term that could be misused to stifle dissent. State-level efforts to shut down charities assisting immigrants foreshadow what a Trump administration could do on a national scale.
What We Must Do:
Mobilize Donors: Encourage donors to support targeted nonprofits, ensuring they have the resources to fight back.
Strengthen Legal Defenses: Work with legal organizations to protect nonprofits from politically motivated investigations and revocations of tax-exempt status.
Create Alliances: Build coalitions of nonprofits to amplify their collective voice and share resources.
3. The Media: Defending Free Speech and Independent Journalism
The Threat:
Trump and his allies have intensified their attacks on the press, filing defamation lawsuits, threatening to revoke broadcast licenses, and cutting funding for public radio and television. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have already caved, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked.
What We Must Do:
Support Independent Media: Subscribe to and donate to reputable news outlets. Encourage others to do the same.
Expose Censorship: Use alternative platforms to call out social media companies for their complicity in amplifying authoritarian lies.
Amplify Truth: Create grassroots media networks, podcasts, and blogs dedicated to countering disinformation.
4. Organized Labor: Reviving a Countervailing Force
The Threat:
Once a formidable political force, labor unions have been diminished to the point where only 6% of private-sector workers are members. Trump has promised to oppose unionization efforts, and even some labor leaders have publicly supported him, weakening organized labor as a source of resistance.
What We Must Do:
Strengthen Union Organizing: Support efforts to unionize workplaces and protect collective bargaining rights.
Educate Union Members: Run campaigns to highlight how Trump’s policies harm workers and undermine labor rights.
Build Solidarity: Foster connections between unions and other pillars of resistance, such as nonprofits and universities, to create a united front.
The Power of Boycotts: Follow the Money
Trump and his allies are driven by money, so we must use their greed against them. Boycotts are a powerful tool for cutting off their financial lifelines. Here’s how we can act:
Boycott Trump Businesses: Avoid Trump-branded properties, including hotels, golf courses, and real estate developments.
Target Complicit Corporations: Boycott companies that enable or support Trump’s agenda, such as Tesla (under Elon Musk’s leadership) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
Raise Awareness: Use social media and grassroots campaigns to spread the message and encourage widespread participation.
Empowering Democrats: Reorganize and Fight Back
Democrats must take responsibility for their failures to effectively counter Trump. The time for passive responses is over. Here’s what they need to do:
Create Media Platforms: Develop their own TV networks, radio shows, and podcasts to rival conservative outlets like Fox News.
Be Bold: Speak truth to power and call out authoritarianism without fear of alienating centrists. Truth is not partisan.
Rebuild Grassroots Movements: Engage with local communities to foster a stronger connection to voters and their concerns.
The Role of Psychiatrists and Experts
Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a moral duty to speak out. Placing a criminal sociopath in power is not normal behavior, and silence enables harm. We need more books, articles, and discussions that analyze and expose the psychological dangers of authoritarian leadership. This is a public health issue as much as a political one.
Unite and Fight
The four pillars of resistance—universities, nonprofits, the media, and labor—must be fortified and supported. At the same time, we must wield economic pressure through targeted boycotts and demand accountability from political leaders and institutions. The stakes are too high to remain passive. Together, we can protect democracy and resist the forces of tyranny.
Remember: Knowledge is power. Truth is power. And when we fight together, we are unstoppable.
It was a barrage of false claims from Fox News and Murdoch media. That's all half or more of the population heard. When you're in that bubble, that's what you believe. My street was loaded with Trump/Vance signs. I was the only house with a Harris/Walz sign, which by the way, I had to put in my window. My yard sign was stolen.
When those voters eventually feel the personal impact of what they voted for, they may wake up and realize how they’ve been misled. At the heart of it, all humans share the same basic needs. Only when we acknowledge that we’re all in this together, can we replace hate with love. The key lies in understanding and embracing those who are different from us.
The need for Dems to both create their own media platforms and better use existing platforms- yes yes yes. 5 rightwing radio stations in St Louis metro and zero leftwing.
Radio has some advantages that silo outlets such as substack lack.
Any boycott to be effective must be targeted. But who will lead the targeting?
Good points Steve... It is also time, past time, for the unions to sponsor more ads, commercials and documentary films about their history and why they are good for workers and the country.
I always wonder why the strongest support for the GOP anti-worker and anti-union policies are the workers in the RED states. Those folks bark the loudest about how they are being "left behind" but keep voting in the the politicians who keep their states "Right to Work".
I too, live in the St. Louis area, Metro East in Illinois. Years ago I quit listening to KMOX radio as soon as they gave Rush Limbaugh 2-3 hours a day of their prime time slots. Look up the history of the "clear channel" radio stations. The St. Louis based KMOX AM station is one of them.
For centuries religious organizations have acted as checks on the power of the state. Trump and Project 2025 pretend to empower religious organizations, and curtail the power of the state, the one they call "the Deep State." In fact, what they aim to accomplish is to nullify the 14th Amendment, which explicitly gives the federal government authority to protect civil liberties, environmental safeguards, and the separation of church and state. Trump has used Christian nationalism and state-rights racism to promote his agenda, and he has been very successful. Religious organization s that do not subscribe to this agenda have the duty to become another pillar of human rights--and the US Constitution.
I fully endorse everything. Robert Reich has written in this posting. The lead picture in this piece where the protesters are holding the sign “RESIST“ is one of the most important concepts. One of the effective tools of authoritarians. and fascists is to discourage and dishearten those that disagree with them. We must find the unity among ourselves, support each other and never give up resisting.
I hate to go down the conspiracy rabbit-hole, but I can't help but wonder if some of these "terror" incidents weren't staged as an eventual pretext for a more militarized police state?
We will never know for sure. If they had hired a hit man Trump wouldn't be around anymore. It's a bit like who ordered the assassination of JFK. No one really knows for sure. It is suspicious, other people have been arrested at Trump rallies with guns. It could be that they are all setups, not actual attempts
I tend to believe it was a setup. Trump said nothing about the firefighter that died likely because he was 'collateral damage'. The shooter, I believe, was convinced to shoot AT the candidate to improve his election chances; Harris was actually in the lead at the time.
Unfortunately for JFK and our country Oswald was an ex-marine and a crack shot. My Mom cried for a week. I remember standing in the hallway at high school that afternoon, all of us in shock of course, and a girl walked up to our group and said she was glad he was dead because no Catholic should ever be President.
That really shocked us! Then we realized her family attended a local extremely conservative Baptist church. I'm sure, hopefully, that not all Baptists thought that way.
The inter-religious hate for our fellow citizens goes back the the founding of the country. Some folks just can't mind their own business (religion wise) and let others be. Just saying... GH
That would be in the tactics they use. I keep getting everyone to read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
Incidentally, am I the only one that noticed that in Trump's public appearances shortly after the incident there was no sign at all of an ear injury? 🤔
Check out James Earl Files, a prisoner who is now deceased. He claimed to be the grassy knoll shooter. His story is convincing.He did an interview before he died in prison.
I can't, it seems withdraw this comment. When Hitler was Chancellor of Germany there were many attempt on his life. In 1939 a carpenter put a bomb in a pillar at one of his meetings. If it had gone off and killed him, WW2 might not have happened. If Trump invades Greenland it could be Europe, Russia and China v USA. Who do you think would win that one after a few nuclear exchanges? Do you really think that saving one deranged individual is worth this sort of carnage?>
RDW, Dems are still trying to play by the rules, when the rule book went out the window years ago. We need better tactics and strategy - my guess is that those will come from the people, not the politicians.
Shades of 2004's John Kerry. According to Stephen Spooner, election security expert, the 2004 election was hacked for "W" using the same tech used in 2024. They swiftboated Kerry, a veteran who served honorably, and he must have thought that challenging would not be worth it. Maybe he had threats that he could not report. The 'R's have been bullies for a long time.
DT's comments about Greenland just continues to show how totally stupid he and his minions are. The USA has had a base in northwest Greenland since 1951. It is at Pituffik, formerly called Thule. It is part of the North American air defense system. We don't need to own Greenland! They are glad to have us there helping to protect them, Europe, Canada and our country from any Russian BS.
Cheers to all and thanks to our military folks in Greenland helping to keep the peace... GH
Derek, as the former slave explained about US white power, "power gives up nothing..it has to be taken." We have had our country violently and vilely, sneaky, monied, cruel, corrupt actions, by our own Representatives taken from us. Richy Rich and the Corporations bought them , deconstructed mechanisms where college graduates wrote our laws for consideration, NOT lobbyists. Effecting change now, so far down the road to karistocracy, will include violence, not because we want it, because it will be necessary. Unless you want to be Putin's subject.
For me, I have always chosen nonviolence. If I want a decent world for my daughter, I will have to come to this gun fight with more than a knife. You be happy to die on a moral high ground. I will do what needs doing for the next generation who can take your current and my previous position.
2025 contract does not depend on tRump. He will kick the bucket before his term is up and nothing will change. When the MAGAts wake up to how they have been duped into supporting and helping billionaires get wealthier. Imagine some poor hard-working Joe thinking that tRump has any interest in helping him with anything other that enriching himself and his benefactors.
If they complain about the price of eggs now, Wait til they see the price of a dozen eggs soon-Yikes..
Lately I’ve seen posts sent from people who voted for that “life form” who are now worried that they’ll lose their Social Security-the money they put in their whole working lifes-, lose Medicare, have “ Fake Christianity “ shoved down their children’s throats, Dept of Education dismantled, and way too many other freedoms they took for granted.
“ Buyer’s Remorse”??
Well, they not only screwed up their lives, they’ve screwed up the rest of us , our lives, those of us who knew better.
The 2025 Manifesto is
“ Happy Screw Year”, but for all of us ethical, and intelligent ones too.
You’re clearly in the wrong forum; not because you’re against what the OP said, but because of your childish and rude name calling. You obviously aren’t here reading Robert’s post because you agree with him, you’re here because you’re simply a sad troll.
You are being reported and blocked. You have nothing of any value to bring to the conversation. YOU are the fucktard, not us. Voted for a insane, rapist, draft dadging fucktard.
The way to deal with trolls on this Substack is not to engage with them in any way. Simply click on the three dots to the right of his post and report him for obscenity and trolling. Eventually, one of the staff will delete all his posts.
Why aren't you on your way to Mar-A-Lago with Iowa's Governor? She's going to "bend her knee" to regain Trump's favor after supporting Ron DeSantis. Rumor has it she's bringing a new set of knee pads in honor of the trip.
I didn’t call you that…the author of this article did. Along with calling for totalitarian control of all public life. Please, tell me how that squares with being the party of “freedom”.
You don’t know any other way to communicate without verbal abuse bashing, name calling, threats, violent outbursts.
Nothing of facts, that prove you actually had an intelligent thought of your own.
BTW, if you decide to reply to my comment, know that any nasty, verbally abusive comments mean absolutely nothing to me, not a blip on my radar, and I will just consider the source.
Our Congress is at fault for failing to, at the very least, object to the certification of the electoral college, have a public debate in the Joint Session, and cast votes. This would have gained the attention of the public and abide with our Constitution: now damaged maybe forever.
Ahhhh...You left off one key pillar. Instead of "universities," should be titled "education." The GOP anti-public schools propaganda machine started over 40 years ago, attaching it to "Why Johnny Still Can't Read." They infiltrated evangelical churches for this, too.
In Missouri, the GOP also went through a “defund the libraries” phase during Covid when many people were using audiobooks/books from the libraries. I wrote the governor and I think many did because he stopped that nonsense.
Hi MO, I'm from MO too. If you say so tho I don't specifically remember. However local library boards and school libraries have been pressured into banning books. The movie Fahrenheit 451? I was required to read 1984 in 1964 now it is banned. It is absolutely terrifying that I daily interact with adults who do not know or believe in anything that did not personally happen to them. So their dissatisfaction with public services has no reference. They don't like the schools so they blame the teachers. They don't like paying taxes so they "get it" that billionaires don't want to either. Kiddie soccer is about winning, forget about team building and fair play...that's for losers. It's not nice.
People don't seem to read anymore. They get their info from social media and YouTube videos. It amazes me that so many don't seem to understand that just about every issue is much more complicated than they think. And so many don't have a clue about history. Fact checking and critical thinking? Forget about it.
You get information faster by reading than by listening to a blogger or by watching TV news. Maybe this is why some localities want to close libraries.
when it comes to facilitating distribution of false information Youtube/Goggle is among the worse. Not enough attention paid to youtube IMO. FOX and X get all the hate.
Trump should have been a chef; every course he offers is stuffed with lies, sautéed with misinformation and served with a flambéed that will not warm you to your toes. The problem he has overlooked is God made shit stink so stupid people wouldn't eat it, no matter how Trump prepares it.
Trump will soon again be the “Divider and Thief”. His abhorrent behavior will only get worse because the oligarchs are feeding the beast! How can anyone support this evil! He is throwing insults at the Governor of California and his administration regarding the devastating effects of the climate change fires instead of giving him support! I want a president who will be a leader for all Americans.
A leader for all Americans is precisely what Trump is not, and this is precisely why millions of Americans have voted for him. They see you as an enemy.
Right on Keith! DT is to stupid to remember that a huge number of the people who have lost everything and maybe some who have died are Republicans!! DUH!!!
Please tell me why no one will use the 14th Amendment on this deplorable traitor who is openly threatening to use military force on Nato countries because his dear leader, Putin , wants Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal for whatever reason ! He continues to collude with judges ( Cannon and Alito ) to get his own way ! Makes disgusting remarks of democratic governors while said governor is dealing with another climate crisis ! No sympathy for the people affected , no words of comfort to those that are suffering so much loss , no nothing , just him bitching that he is the victim and never treated so poorly by everyone because the flags will be half-mast and those evils judges won't let me have my own way....blah , blah , blah!😡😡😡
INDEED 👉Makes disgusting remarks of democratic governors while said governor is dealing with another climate crisis ! No sympathy for the people affected , no words of comfort to those that are suffering so much loss , no nothing , just him bitching that he is the victim and never treated so poorly by everyone because the flags will be half-mast and those evils judges won't let me have my own way
Trump, he is a certified sociopath, so naturally, he has zero empathy, so the only thing he truly cares about is-himself!
The points mentioned are correct and illuminating, but how will the struggle find its form?
When you know what to expect, you have an advantage.
And is there a common trait in the strategy?
I would say: try to turn your back to the system, be friendly and don't get caught, create a counter culture, leave the mockery to the valiant warriors that are safe for retribution, but support them as much as possible.
So, don't stop fighting, go underground. And Bob, are you safe?
The Pillars of Resistance: Protecting Truth, Freedom, and Democracy
As Trump and his MAGA allies prepare for what could be a second term even more destructive than the first, they are already targeting the four major pillars of resistance: universities, nonprofits, the media, and organized labor. These institutions have stood as bulwarks against authoritarianism, yet they are now under siege. To fortify these pillars and ensure they continue to defend truth and justice, we must act decisively.
1. Universities: Protecting the Cradle of Knowledge
The Threat:
Trump has openly declared his intention to weaponize the college accreditation system. His goal is to replace independent, nonpartisan accreditors with politically controlled state accreditors, jeopardizing academic freedom. This would dismantle the very guardrails that have protected universities from harmful state overreach, such as educational gag orders and bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, Trump has threatened to increase taxes on university endowments, further destabilizing these institutions.
What We Must Do:
Pressure Universities to Speak Out: The silence of academic leadership is unacceptable. We need faculty and administrators to publicly denounce these threats. Write letters, organize petitions, and amplify the voices of those willing to take a stand.
Educate the Public: Host public discussions, webinars, and town halls to explain how Trump’s policies threaten higher education and the broader pursuit of knowledge.
Boycott Complicit Institutions: If any universities capitulate to these authoritarian measures, we must make it clear that there will be consequences, including financial ones.
2. Nonprofits: Safeguarding Activism and Civil Society
The Threat:
Nonprofits fighting for environmental protection, voting rights, and immigrant rights are being targeted. Proposed legislation would empower the Treasury to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems as supporting “terrorism”—a vague term that could be misused to stifle dissent. State-level efforts to shut down charities assisting immigrants foreshadow what a Trump administration could do on a national scale.
What We Must Do:
Mobilize Donors: Encourage donors to support targeted nonprofits, ensuring they have the resources to fight back.
Strengthen Legal Defenses: Work with legal organizations to protect nonprofits from politically motivated investigations and revocations of tax-exempt status.
Create Alliances: Build coalitions of nonprofits to amplify their collective voice and share resources.
3. The Media: Defending Free Speech and Independent Journalism
The Threat:
Trump and his allies have intensified their attacks on the press, filing defamation lawsuits, threatening to revoke broadcast licenses, and cutting funding for public radio and television. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have already caved, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked.
What We Must Do:
Support Independent Media: Subscribe to and donate to reputable news outlets. Encourage others to do the same.
Expose Censorship: Use alternative platforms to call out social media companies for their complicity in amplifying authoritarian lies.
Amplify Truth: Create grassroots media networks, podcasts, and blogs dedicated to countering disinformation.
4. Organized Labor: Reviving a Countervailing Force
The Threat:
Once a formidable political force, labor unions have been diminished to the point where only 6% of private-sector workers are members. Trump has promised to oppose unionization efforts, and even some labor leaders have publicly supported him, weakening organized labor as a source of resistance.
What We Must Do:
Strengthen Union Organizing: Support efforts to unionize workplaces and protect collective bargaining rights.
Educate Union Members: Run campaigns to highlight how Trump’s policies harm workers and undermine labor rights.
Build Solidarity: Foster connections between unions and other pillars of resistance, such as nonprofits and universities, to create a united front.
The Power of Boycotts: Follow the Money
Trump and his allies are driven by money, so we must use their greed against them. Boycotts are a powerful tool for cutting off their financial lifelines. Here’s how we can act:
Boycott Trump Businesses: Avoid Trump-branded properties, including hotels, golf courses, and real estate developments.
Target Complicit Corporations: Boycott companies that enable or support Trump’s agenda, such as Tesla (under Elon Musk’s leadership) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
Raise Awareness: Use social media and grassroots campaigns to spread the message and encourage widespread participation.
Empowering Democrats: Reorganize and Fight Back
Democrats must take responsibility for their failures to effectively counter Trump. The time for passive responses is over. Here’s what they need to do:
Create Media Platforms: Develop their own TV networks, radio shows, and podcasts to rival conservative outlets like Fox News.
Be Bold: Speak truth to power and call out authoritarianism without fear of alienating centrists. Truth is not partisan.
Rebuild Grassroots Movements: Engage with local communities to foster a stronger connection to voters and their concerns.
The Role of Psychiatrists and Experts
Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a moral duty to speak out. Placing a criminal sociopath in power is not normal behavior, and silence enables harm. We need more books, articles, and discussions that analyze and expose the psychological dangers of authoritarian leadership. This is a public health issue as much as a political one.
Unite and Fight
The four pillars of resistance—universities, nonprofits, the media, and labor—must be fortified and supported. At the same time, we must wield economic pressure through targeted boycotts and demand accountability from political leaders and institutions. The stakes are too high to remain passive. Together, we can protect democracy and resist the forces of tyranny.
Remember: Knowledge is power. Truth is power. And when we fight together, we are unstoppable.
Michael, we don't disagree. You give a nice checklist, answering my worries about form ans resistance movement. That makes me happy.
But I tried to say something different. Trump's ear was hit by a bullet and he cried "fight, fight, fight". It is not a democratic reflex in my view.
Bob and you use the word as well.
But democracy implies not fight, but the virtues of Jimmy Carter. So I'm lookimg for an organisation of smart resistance, without loosing sight of a new majority.
I can only think of a renewed democratic party, based in local communities, talking and acting on a small scale, realising the things you are calling for.
I noticed. Trying to crush progressives, mouthing platitudes about "the peaceful transfer of power, and Joe saying he'll show up at the farce that will be passed off as an inauguration. Obeying in advance is all it is.
I will NEVER stop fighting for what is right, decent and fair in this country! The orange man will definitely try to do his worst, but I will continue to resist! I will sign petitions, write letters, and sing out the truth every single time!! He may think he can dominate and control; however, he can't stop free thinkers or those speaking the truth. He can't stop those of us who are determined to seek the freedoms and liberties we are entitled to. He can't stop progress. Sure, Democracy has taken a hit and will continue to take hit after hit while he is in power, but his kind of power gets old quick. Even his faithful MAGA are beginning to realize he lied to them, too! This will not last forever, and when it all comes crashing down around him, we can start to rebuild stronger and better than before.
I agree we must resist, protest, and protect. Particularly 1, 2, and 4. On 3. the media, I'm not so sure. We've already lost our clout. Since the billionaires have bought the major newspapers and TV networks our only outlet to truthful news is on the internet. I have seen this coming since 2013, when Fox paid the major hotel chains to show only Fox news channels in there open to public areas, lobbies, restaurants, bars, even private breakfast rooms, the only place you could be free of the fox "version" of the 'news' was in your own room.
I don't know why this practice wasn't questioned.
But instead of fighting back, the other major networks, ABC, CBS, NBS and their cable only channels joined Fox in misrepresenting the real news. I became so angered that I had my cable disconnected in May 2023 and gave my unused TV top my granddaughter this past year. As far as I'm concerned if they can't be bothered to report the real truth (as opposed to the 'alternative truth' why bother watching anything. I've never been addicted to the sitcoms or most series, and those I do enjoy I can get on my computer.
Well, I have to admit, I'm much older than you Robert (nearly 92) and I quit traveling for business in 2019 when I left IBM. My next year and a month, I spent working locally. I've neither seen nor heard of XiNN.
I always knew that for a long time now the major media news sources were own by a few corporations but it’s still awe-inspiring to see how quickly they rolled over.
Trump's slogan is: We want the truth, the whole truth, and everything but the truth. Rights must be won with bribes. The media's job is to be a propaganda channel for the federal government. The abolition of slavery was a historic mistake.
This is in a nutshell what we can expect the coming four years.
Trump, the ultimate con man but TIME magazine, made him their cover guy with Man Year, ugh, make me vomit. 🤮
Indeed, with Trump. lies, lies and more lies, every time he opens his mouth, it's either some other insane rant of a lie or the tyrant is out busy attacking someone or something with vitriol, how low can we go? as a nation, 👉that some chose to vote for this evil man. MAGA voters, most I am sure, are still delighted with their pick for President and there will be no buyer's remorse.
The orange menace from hell, out to do damage, to hurt or destroy, so congratulations MAGA, but I will make a slight prediction, there will still be some? , MAGA voters, they may not say it aloud, 👉too ashamed? but they will be sorry they voted for Trump, they will come to realize, that they did not vote for what they will be actually getting, but that all being said, the COLOR of one's skin, had still, a lot to do with it and the misogyny of Harris being a woman, when in other democratic countries in Europe, they have had or have women leaders. but some or many still, don't want to allow that here to happen, it would offend their sensibilities
Cancel subscription or at the least, some could choose a more symbolic gesture, to wipe their derrieres with TIME, though I would not recommend it, ouch!
I hate to say it, but they deserve everything they get!! They allowed this man to run and be elected. Colorado had it right!!!! No one stood up to him. No one followed through with disqualifying him. So many of us wanted this. It didn’t matter what we wanted. It didn’t matter that I called my leaders begging for an investigation into the election. We all warned and pleaded to stop Trump. No one listened. I will not support my leaders anymore. They don’t deserve my faith or my money.
I can't claim to know this, but given the disruption and deaths in Russia caused by Putin's nifty little military exercise I would think there are many among the public who are really unhappy with Putin and the war. Yes, the control of the media can accomplish a great deal but realities of everyday life are hard to conceal. A hollowness of belief grows and change can come overnight.
I am union. The Trans Alaska Pipeline was a federal government project that opened the door for minorities to work for a living wage. I was told by my business agent, Bert, out of International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302, that the job I was doing out of the Fairbanks Hall was the only work that I would ever have out of the union. I had paid an initiation fee so he was gaslighting me...thinking that I was just a dumb woman. That taught me to 'look it up'! I stuck with it and I'll come up on 50 years as a member next year. It has taken a long time to move women into a place where their actions can be seen and their voices can be heard.. Now we have an old man coming into office who gaslights, not just women, but everyone. He wants to be seen as a viral, wrestling-loving, strong man. I've worked with men like that before and what I know is to not stand down to them. I will die fighting for the right to work for a living wage and talk about that right. I will die fighting for the right of women to make their own choices about everything. You will not stop unions...you or your monied friends! Because we have proven that united we can override and stop you. We're just getting fired up here. Old man, you are pissing off women and union members and that will not serve you or your minions!! You want a fight old man?! Well, you've now GOT ONE!
WooHoo, Dee! I'm with you! He simply won't be able to stop us! C'mon, America! Unite and make your voice heard!
Are you being paid by this website? You mention it everywhere--even when it doesn't fit the dialogue going on.
Wow, now we are getting informercials? Stop. Your link doesn’t even have the references as titled.
You DO suffer from brain fog. I can tell. Brain fog is contagious; anyone who opens this site will catch it or already has it.
This is not something one should click on. who knows what it could do to your computer.or phone.
A magic cure is always a magic bot.
Strikes are good weapon again swine like Trump.
It wll take a General Strike Colin, and then it will take the right condition to convince everyone to join in.
When Hitler came to power, he immediately outlawed all independent trade unions in Germany, dissolving them and replacing them with a Nazi-controlled organization called the "German Labour Front" (DAF), effectively eliminating workers' rights to collective bargaining and striking, while imprisoning and brutally suppressing union leaders; essentially taking complete control over the workforce by force
And not just ONE day of General Strike. Big Biz can shrug off one day's worth of Revenue and production without breaking a sweat. To get the point across would require at least a month of General Strike. (The longer, the better, actually.) We can look back and see just how (not) effective Occupy Wall Street was: SEVERAL MONTHS of _millions_ of protestors on the front lines -- and what lasting effects did it achieve? It disbanded when Wall Street gave some assurances which it never fulfilled or rescinded not long after all the protestors went home.
As you said, "No pain, no gain." The problem is that the VAST majority of Americans have no stomach for taking on **additional** pain.
No stomach for pain at all. We are a fat, lazy, entitled peoples.. really.
Compare our poor to say even the lower class of other countries.
American poor have cell phones, ISP's, computers even auto's.
Americans believe they had a revolution. A revolution it was not. Who signed the treaty of Paris in 1783, none other than King George. There was a revolution in England, and in that one the King lost his head.
The English Civil War was a series of conflicts between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians in England from 1642 to 1651.
Only it wasn't a civil war, it was a revolution. The Brits and the PTB don't want to admit that England had a revolution, only the hated French could do such a thing.
The American "Revolution" and the "American civil war" were both wars of secession., neither had as a motive the idea of overturning and replacing the government, both had the intent of seceding, separating from the government.
There was pain involved in the 1775 affair and the vast majority of the population had to be drug, kicking, screaming and then propagandized into supporting it.
Same thing happened with the 1861 war of secession. Conscription and propaganda (from pulpit and press), induced barefoot plow boys and pig farmers to give up their lives to preserve and protect the upper class.
In all cases it was a top down, not a bottom up effort, a bottom up effort results in real pain and violence France 1789, Russia 1917, China 1940's
Prepare. Backup generator when the IBEW power goes out. Back up water supply when the pumps all shut down. Back up food when the stores all close from no food on the shelves.
I have a propane fueled back up generator, 240 gallon propane tanks
and enough food to live a month.,and I am not a prepper I just live rural.
Having only several thousand or even tens of thousands of Preppers prepared for the worst does NOTHING to promote The People to rise up to overthrow the Powers That Be that have been holding We The People down for decades. Because those that are NOT Preppers are not at all willing to put themselves through the discomfort of a revolution. And if those that ARE prepared -- Preppers and Survivalists contemplated revolting, they would very quickly realize that collectively they are an insufficient force to succeed.
"We are a fat, lazy, entitled peoples.. really." Starting to sound too much like Muskaswamy here. This is going to matter as things unfold.
Those of us aged in our 70s enjoyed the best economy in the history of the world while not necessarily being fat & lazy. As a teenager in the 1960s, I thought it “natural” that we should have good food, clothing, housing, and education. However,my generation is waking up to the fact that our good luck was the product of struggle and sacrifice of the working class in the 1930s and a progressive Democratic Party. Nothing’s for free; everything’s earned (even if not by us).
I'm wondering if Trump's moronic economic ideas will create horrific supply chain breakages and consumer shortages worse than Covid's. If they do, and your stomachless Americans are inconvenienced, they may become willing to protest, since they will have less "to lose."
Protesting is one thing. (An accomplish next-to-nothing thing.) Committing to and carrying out actions that DO do something is what is required. Occupy Wall Street was a HUMONGOUS protest, involving millions of American protestors over several months -- which accomplished pretty much NOTHING. Everyone went home when Wall Street issued assurances that it would offer some remedies -- which Wall Street welshed on almost immediately or within a few months. And there was never an Occupy Wall Street Round 2.
^THAT is what protesting alone gets Us.
William, if Trump, like his idol Hitler, outlaws unions, we will have to become outlaws. What use are laws if a Hitler writes them?
That's the point of being a dictator isn't it? Christiana.
Besides now that the courts are ruled by Tump humper, laws are only there to keep us chained. The North Carolina supreme court is throwing out ballots because they elected a democrat, With the exception of the recent ruling, which is essentially of no effect, federal courts are MAGAt.
Unfortunately for my family, BOTH my parents provide necessary functions: my dad is a high-mid-level boss at Upstate Farms and my mom works doing clerical-type work at a nursing home! If my dad strikes . . . NO CHEESE OR MILK! 😱
But that is what it is going to take. No pain, no gain
There's actually a movement to have a general strike. It's just getting going but it seems to be gaining speed with about half a million people already signed up. The more people that sign up and share the movement the more likely it will happen.
Unfortunately there's the fear factor that could affect it. The plutocrats have been working hard to make strikes illegal and/or retaliation against strike talk okie dokie. It's not just the GOP either. 🤬
General strikes are even better.
Dee of the terrace ; tRUMP is KILLING women. Very little being told in the media. The election was most likely hacked, the numbers do not add up. Lots of turnout, skimpy numbers, in relation to exit polls. patterns that don't make sense in votes. Hand counts of at least two precincts in each of the swing states needed! They had endless recounts and challenges in courts after 2020, to no avail. Yet nobody is pushing for a re-count or investigation of 2024 but a few like me. He has already "won" if we don't speak up, and ask for one. After all , if the win was so overwhelming, why should he worry?
I have seen very little about this election being rigged Laurie. I can believe it but have seen no provable stats on it. I believe that rump did the preliminary work of undermining elections after he wouldn't accept his defeat in 2020. He wore the public out talking about it and it became too much to go through again. I do believe that there was some 'funny business' by the Republican Party in this last election.
there is a group of statisticians who claim that the tabulators in swing states show a "Russian Tail" distribution that is not natural. here is the link to their allegations complete with charts comparing data from different elections and showing what the Russian Tail looks like in overseas elections known to have been hacked by the Russians: https://youtu.be/qmzGOQwMG_k?si=OvaQb2GXJszetwM3
Thanks, I'll check this out!
it's not too long. somewhere are other videos demonstrating the same effect in other races which could explain why NC elected Democrats down the ballot yet somehow went for Trump...
Further, this past weekend, there was a small but articulate protest in DC, advising us to call our Congressfolk to protest confirming an insurrectionist for President according to section 3, article 14. I participated and learned of it through this substack. Congress did nothing, as so often occurs by our corporation owned reps.
It's so fishy. So fishy. The final number is that 50.2% of voters voted against trump (48.2% for Harris and 2% for other). Yet tiny margins in some states gave Trump JUST the number of electoral votes he needed to get elected.
The answer may be restricting our elections to only paper ballots. Sure, it takes time to count paper ballots, but the time distance between November elections and January certification of voting is enough: we don’t need computerized voting.
Amen Stan!
We have the man and woman power plus the moral integrity to do the job. We can do it!
Laurie and Dee, and we're all ignoring the role Mr. Putin and his years of social media troll farms played in warping the minds of the third of voting-eligible American voters that lying social media persuaded to vote for the felon.
Challenging the election with a hand recount by IT experts in swing states would be less "to go through" than limply allowing him to finish us off completely. Here Is a regime that will withold vaccines against polio. And other diseases, like measles, mumps, rubella, and now witholds emergency medical care from women who are unfortunate enough to miscarry, a slow and painful hemorrhage until dead. With the family watching. They don,'t give a $#it. The cruelty and power tripping horror is the point. They want to distract from the election. And our rights to challenge his criminality.He is the terrorist. Not those who are brave enough to tell and seek the facts.
Go to Stephen Spooner's Substack. He is a tech /AI election security expert who says this hack has been used before , in 2004 in Ohio to give "W" a win . He posts " nine ways to tell when an election
has been hacked ".
Your conclusion is hard to oppose: anyone who accepts the lies of Drumpf is either stupid or corrupt.
As Hakeem Jefferies said "there's no election deniers on this side of the aisle" What a crock. Election capitulators. Your points are well taken. And so I post this yet again, in hopes that enough will wake up.
- The techbroligarchs and coup d'etat planners had four years, essentially unlimited money, and inside help from red and swing state elections apparatuses to subvert the election. they did this by stealing the coding for the voting machines in states where they're used and rewriting the code to perform whatever functions (many ways to do it) they wanted it to. they did this by bribing, extorting, and enlisting willing elections workers in red and swing states, they did this by essentially, and incrementally over time, replacing the election infrastructure in the states with their own. this is why dumpster said "you (we) won't need to vote anymore" or in another case, in extremely bored tone, "i don't need your votes". there were other similar statements. Remember how demented and bored and idiotic he was on the campaign trail this past summer? that was all deflection, distracting everyone from the astonishing sleight of hand going on. note his demeanor and presence now. it's completely different, isn't it. Remember also that the states conduct elections, not the federal gov't. this makes every election theoretically subject to systemic manipulation and fraud. Which is why we used to have the voting rights act before the corrupt6 court emasculated it. because, y'know states' rights to conduct fraudulent elections and voter suppression. Finally, any expectation that this can be righted at the next "election" is seriously delusional. the techbroligarchs won. AI will only solidify it all.
You have to get real. No one can “bribe, extort, and enlist willing elections workers in red and swing states” over 4 years without some people leaking about it. Has anyone talked about it? There has to be real evidence, not just a slide into speculation and “what ifs.” A real case has to be built. I’d like to hear Reich’s take on the statistical charts put together on the election results in Clarke County and other states purporting in that video to demonstrate election manipulation. Where are the expert statisticians who can do this? Need to see the complete scientific analysis. Need to deal with this allegation objectively to determine whether a statistical anomaly truly exists; and if it exists, whether it can be explained only as the fingerprint of fraud. You need irrefutable facts in hand to avoid galloping off on the same sort of odd journey the Trumpists like to take. People who like to do investigations on an objective, mathematical/scientific basis should take this on.
Judith - I completely understand your position, and in the 20th century it would have made absolute sense. We live now in a post truth era of not only hyperindividualism and self-destructive, wanton self-indulgence, and worship of the next shiny thing, but an era that has seen the usurpation and failure of the rule of law. So I would strongly encourage you to say to me in 2026 "I told you so" when the dems regain congress. However, I think you'll be owing me an "oh, you were right" when repugnants take even more seats, and progressives losing seats. The mechanism I'm describing is only one of many possible scenarios. I think the one I describe is most likely as it is based on the cultish behavior, the petulant grievance and resentment for imagined slights suffered by the 1/2 our population. Where do you think the $250 million alone from musk went? there are at least a dozen other oligarchs of his ilk with money to "invest" in this fascist enterprise. where would the media coverage have come from if it had been revealed? these people are insular, secretive, (or conversely so loudly braggart) that no one knows or cares about them. dumpster and the oligarchs certainly hold them in contempt. Notice also that this election denial thing has not gone away for 4 years. It has fed upon itself and been nourished and emboldened by oligarchean money and propaganda.
Remember also that the US CIA has been doing exactly this for decades, all around the world. We are experts at destroying democracy, especially if it gets in the way of profit.
The election was definitely stolen in my option! Musk and Putin( who are really our president and Va elect now) did something, plus the bomb threat . And I too do not understand why no one is asking for a recount why Kamala Harris just conceded before They finished counting and kind of just gave in, all very suspicious to me.
I truly believe that the MAGA nuts threaten everyone with professional ruin and blackballing, blackmail, financial ruin, and death. NO ONE is standing up against them. There is not a single voice. Is there? Just substack writers.
The "party" of death threats and hate crimes have operatives who can harm . I would bet that Kamala Harris wants to pick her battles. And this is not one of them.
As much as I admire and supported, Harris, and wish with all my heart that she had won the presidency, like you, Laurie, I suspect that the battle she chooses will be to fight for the safety of her family and friends. What would you do with her position?
Hard to say. Obviously it is a tough position. I would lean towards protecting my family, and hope that things would settle down as time goes by. She most likely knows a few more things than most of us about our intelligence community and security threats. Anyone could stick their neck out and get hurt, with nothing to show in the long run. If she has a security detail that she can trust, she might request some investigation, guided by trustworthy. Non partisan tech security experts. There is a lot at stake, obviously with what has been transpiring at so many levels. Freedom of the press, education, even women's medical care and the ERA. Women are being killed by state sponsored medical terrorism through laws that require withholding care until the woman is "sick enough" . IT's awful close to witch hunts.and the application of iffy "justice" approaches the 'jurisprudence' of the Scope monkey trials. There is also the LA fires and trump's "drill baby drill" insanity. Destructive.
If they threatened to kidnap, rape, and maybe kill your kids, what would YOU do?
Good question that would never have been asked in the post-WW2 decade that many of us grew up in.
A lot of women voted for Trump. They're in the Fox News, Murdoch media bubble. And when you're in that bubble, that's what you believe.
Joseph, No social change could succeed without the complicity of women. Unfortunately there are some women, maybe as much as 50% that have cast their lot with the oppressor because they believe that their bread is buttered by the patriarchy, in the same vein not all slaves wanted freedom either, they just wanted better working and living conditions.
Many if not most of the freed slaves hung around and continued to work for the planters, for the simple reason that we all need to eat.
Because women are the child bearers and child rearers they are biologically evolved to seek out the best male she can to father her children, and support and rear her as the child grows.
It is the unevolved female who is a MAGAt, a defender of the patriarchy, it is the primitive male that is misogynistic and needs to dominate females.
The biggest enemy women have is other women. The Phyliss Schafly's of the world, the Marjorie Taylor Greens, the Virginia Foxx's, the Laren Boebert's
, the Candace Owen's, the Ann Coulter's, the MAGAt bitch who wants Trump to grab her by the pussy,
The anti trans mentality of the Christian Right and MAGAts is misogynisic in origin, it is the belief that women are inferior and need protection from men, but the real threat to women is not from transwomen, but from man the protector.
Protection comes at a cost.
I agree with you. It is sad how women will backstab other women (all for man, the protector) and vote against their own interests..
They are looking out for their own self interests Lights. There are women and men who want to be protected, to absolve themselves of responsibility and care. They look to an all powerful father figure (most people who subscribe to a religion do that and call this father figure. god). Terrestrially they call him Dear Leader, Der Fuhrer, Il Duce, and it seems President, for now, although I am sure an honorific will eventually be bestowed.
Some women think they have it made, they have snagged a protector and provider, thus relieving them of personal responsibility. Yes they will get a job, but that is only to make extra money, they have a fall back position, the "bread winner", the "protector".
How many movies have you watched where a disenhearted male says "I had only one job and that is to protect my family, and I f ailed".
The fall back for the "bread winner" is dear leader and of course the imaginary being he calls god.
God wills it Islamic , inshallah, is the ultimate cop out, absconding of personal responsibility.
God willed it,Islamic mashallah, not my fault.
Under Pope Francis leadership, the Vatican is waging a campaign against hypocritical Christians such as JD Vance.Catholics who are horrified by Christian Nationalism, the denial of climate change, as well as the denial of social responsibility. These people are our allies, and we desperately need allies.
I learned A LOT by working around mostly men for all these years. You are a 'rare bird' to speak about these things in such an informed way. I have stories that would blow anyones mind. I'm fortunate to have LIVED through it all. It's good to be retired even tho I loved operating BIG equipment. What kept me going was being the only person in the seat. I had men friends in the union who did help me out when they could. There were some 'good guys'.
My Wife Dee, was a certified building official, before that a plans examiner, before that a building inspector, before that she ran her own handyman company, and is a journeyman electrician, plumber, a carpenter per excellence (when we hire carpenters, they get upset and their macho ego's are wounded as she tells them what to do and how to do it), before that she was a contract employee of California FEMA, before that a foreman for parks and recreation, She's driven heavy equipment and wanted to pay a multipurpose tractor with all of the attachments. I talked her down into a Toro Zero turn
Myself although I was born a white male, I do not find my identity in any group, sub group, race, religion, gender. my life's experience has enabled me to look at life as if I was an outsider looking in, a space alien, or someone from another dimension.
I marvel at people whose identity, whose ego, is so fragile and group dependent that they lock themselves inside a bubble.
Depending on the instance and argument I have been called an antisemite and an Islamophobe. I've been called a race traitor and a racist. A male chauvinist and a femiNAZI.
Name calling is social terrorism, it is used because it often works, it doesn't work on me though.
I do step on toes, stick pigs, rattle chains but that is what heretic, an unbeliever, a skeptic, a cynic does.
I'm so impressed with your wife's credentials! It's just over the top that she has done all that. My union is specialized. I always had so many questions for the different trades I worked with. In my next life I would like to be an engineer of some sort. Your wife is a smart, innovative cookie. I bet she has a great sense of humor too. You must have one of those when working around men...and/or being married. You spoke about stepping on toes...I did that lots too. I was a stewardess back in '68' for United. I was told to wear lots of make-up, how to fix my hair, false eyelashes, hairpieces, and so much more. I got fired 2 weeks out from joining the union. I stuck up for myself and was too mouthy for my superintendent. That was the best thing that could have happened. That job was not a good paying job and had health risks galore. The benefits were good but I wasn't with them long enough to enjoy. I was 27 when I got into IUOE and I had worked many jobs before that looking for the right one. If your wife got bored it sounds like she just went and picked up another trade, smart. Thanks for sharing her accomplishments with me. It's good for people to read about how much one woman can do.
American women got the right to vote in 1920, but nothing has changed: the businessmen of the USA continue to dominate the government and direct foreign wars.
William, really, it's not just biological expediency that makes women support their oppressors. It's their lifetimes of being taught and forced to despise themselves, believe they are bad, stupid and inferior, have low self-esteem, and actually hate themselves, that "make" them vote for their bogus betters.
True Christinia. My wife and I have had this discussion many times, she has educated me.
Every child has a father, but not every father has a child, And if you drill misogyny down to it's roots, you find the caveman need to dominate, also the source of conflict, competition,, the need to breed and the need of the female for a protector and provider.
Biology does not have to be destiny, alas the social needs and behavior of humans has not evolved.
If it had there wouldn't be such chaos, mayhem and slaughter in the world.
We are still the same hairless apes that we were a half million years ago, only better able to oppress and kill more to force others into submission and compliance.
That’s not true of Everyman, Bill. Proof is the many male Homo sapiens engaging in this forum.
William, you have a truly wonderful wife. You're both fortunate to have such supportive partners.
There is other phenomenon at work, described in The Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. Always a subgroup fawns over the powerful. Until empowerment becomes universal and respected, we will see this.
@Vicki. I love it when you show off your deep erudition. But there is more that we can do than wait - political activism leading up to the mid-term elections.
Do you prefer deep stupidity?
@Vicki. I'm sorry if that seemed snarky? I meant that as authentic flattery. Not many folks read in the post-neo-Marxist genre, and fewer still understand what Freire says about oppressors exploiting oppressed people's ignorance of their own oppression. This perspective pre-dates Trump by many decades, but aptly describes what we see in our politics in 2025.
Ha ha, that's what I say when people accuse me of "overthinking." I ask, "Do you advise me to underthink?"
That may be but there is evidence the whole thing was rigged. American elections are not sacrosanct. We have rigged elections in other countries, so why not ours?
I wouldn't be surprised. Musk has the expertise to do it.
He certainly does. And he's evil enough to do it.
And his butt buddy Putin has the best computer hackers on the planet.
There are also those who voted for Trump because of fear of abusive husbands/boyfriends.
Correct. He's got to be a macho man.
Cain did not kill Abel because he lived in a bubble. Envy drove him to commit fratricide. Envy and jealousy always play a significant role in human affairs; it gives rise to resentment and anger, and, when combined with fear, it gives rise to hate.
Yes good point . It is crazy
I'm still actively grieving Jimmy Carter's death, even though he was 100 years old. In the coverage of the several services yesterday, one speaker said that Jimmy Carter had said (and regretfully I have to paraphrase from imperfect memory) that the most abused, oppressed, mistreated (I fear I've started adding adjectives!) people in the world are women and children. I totally agree and have said so to my own family and friends for many years. Jimmy Carter was respectful and honorable to women and children and not in a manipulative, transactional, self-promoting way, but in genuine respect, honor and eqalitarianism!
It is one of the things that is disheartening on top of disheartening to witness: the enthusiastic support from women for thump and MAGA - an entity that hates women and children except as props, objects, "tools" for exploitation - and to see women (and men) take children to thump "rallies" to be inculcated (innoculated, if you will) with hateful, deceptive ideas, including violence and hatred towards women! Women teaching in America's public schools, women delivering the USPS mail, women working in facilities for the elderly and sick, women AS elderly and sick themselves trying to survive on the slimmest of means; women in the military, women working as journalists everywhere, including in the LA fires, in war zones; women enduring pregnancy AND working, women bearing children, raising children, dying in childbirth; women in churches that teach that women are chattel, property, unworthy to speak as leaders and teachers, women who are to serve men, to pick in the fields, to serve as sexual objects, to be endangered and fearful of streets, of dark hallways, of parking garages, of their own housemates; women being treated as breeding vessels, of even less value than a miniscule fertilized egg in the germ/embryo state - and women who go along with that institutionalized hatred and violence against their own LIVES, women not allowed to VOTE into the 20th century; women running for elected offices being subjected to vile, violent, ugly garbage from men -and WOMEN!! (Obviously) I could go on and on..... but in the long history (and understandably so) of attention given to the kinds of horrors visited upon groups of people in this country, too little serious and focused attention AND CHANGE - is given to THE MOST oppressed, mistreated, abused category of humanity, a group that is represented in LARGE numbers within those other oppressed, mistreated groups: WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
To think that we buried a man yesterday who treated all women as equals, and have elevated a "man" who despises and uses women and have enhanced the ability of men (and women) to express the hatred and dangers for women on all of the "social media" available. What more is to be said about America.
@Laurie. Are you alright? As a person I have often agreed with in the past, I worry that something has happened to you? There was no provable voter fraud, no evidence of election interference. You are going off the rails here...
Of course, there was no provable voter fraud. The R monsters have gotten very efficient at hiding it as they continue to play the long game of world domination. They all want to live in their luxury bunkers underground. The only problem is that when they finally emerge, they will be Kings of nothing.
Ilene Winn-Lederer ; See Stephen Spooner's Substack for his take on election hacking. He is an election security IT professional who says the the hacking in 2004 in Ohio bears a similarity to what has been done in the 2024 election. Same tech hack. Don't look for this story in the completely tamed and threatened media. tRUMP owns them, and has them fearful with his threats to jail them and shut them down like Putin does to journalists in Russia. This is real, Please pay attention. At least look at it.
Will do, Laurie. Thanks. BTW, it’s interesting and ironic that the liars club who are about to invade Washington never seem obliged to back up their lies with facts, while we, here in our little bubble, always seem to demand proof to back up our truths.
The liars club do not hold themselves to any standard. They do it to those who oppose them and their criminality. Double standard. Look at face book and their removal of third party fact checking. 'Nuff said.
P. S. And then they will have no recourse, but to start eating each other.
The Morlocks and the Eloi....
Yes, but the roles are reversed; we are the Eloi.
There's no proof yet that will stand up in court, but do you really think that someone who has been flouting rules and laws since he was in diapers (and who apparently thinks cheating on his taxes makes him smarter than the rest of us) would suddenly play by the rules late in the 8th decade of his life, especially at a time when he could least afford to abandon the old ways that have always worked so well for him? We know for a fact that he stole 2016 and he was caught red-handed trying to steal 2020. Why should 2024 be any different?
@Tracey. I'm not saying Trump played by the rules - I'm saying our election institutions and processes held up fine for the 2024 election. That tangerine twatwaddle bonespur draft dodging pussy grabbing convicted felon would of course cheat if he could get through the system
Benjamin : Read up on it and (possibly) , weep. At Matt's Tin Hat Times, it's for those with tech skills, or who want to have them. Or understand them. At least a little. You are so trusting that a man who has taken over our entire government, threatening the world. And owns most of the Supreme Court would never get his minions to hack an election!? So gullible. Or ni`a.eve. In Britain, a tech expert is called a "tin Hat".( in the 1990's in the U.S. some called tech people geeks or Propeller heads.). They know what they are talking about, more than any "Cyber Ninjas".
Laurie, agree, agree, agree. There are manifest psychological and emotional evidences of lies creating virtual election fraud through foreign election interference. And while no evidence of superficial technical interference has emerged, I think deep interference at a technical level is likely. There is something in the Grassroots Connector requests of the DNC that indicates it. They have a whole plank in their platform of requests that asks the DNC to be please: "Conducting a comprehensive review of the Democratic technology stack, including a report on how core voting platforms came to be owned by an overseas private equity fund." I don't personally have the expertise to know what this means, but I believe it is worth investigating.
https://grassrootsconnector.substack.com/p/to-the-next-chair-of-the-dnc?r=9976n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack
The "tin hat" is a name that the British call people who are tech savvy. He is an expert in IT election security. He has documented this type of hacking back in 2004 when Ohio voting was hacked, giving "W" a win that he did not deserve.
How do you know that those processes worked "just fine"?
Stephen Spooner has a Substack. He is a tech/ IT expert who does election security professionally. He says the hacking of 2004 in Ohio was hacked, using the same method to hack 2024. It is documented. He is the one who caught it. He wrote "nine ways to tell if an election was hacked". Worth reading. Pass it on.
@Laurie. This one dude, searching for his 15 minutes of fame, vs. 50 State election boards and thousands of precincts counting votes...
What you and others don't seem to get is that you are doing Trump's work and you are doing Putin's work by undermining American's trust in their voting systems.
That is very descriptive and fits perfectly!
Why should he change when it has worked for him? I might like to call him an "idiot", but he's the billionaire president, not me.
Voter fraud and election interference can occur at other than technical levels, Benjamin. Russian troll farms played on the emotional and psychological vulnerabilities of Americans unable to think for themselves, who ended up voting for Trump on erroneous single-issue hunches. Like, Harris/Biden will cause the housing market to crash. Harris wants to eliminate all Christians from the government. Harris covered up Biden's crime-family crimes. Ad infinitum. Those malicious influences are powerful and not quantifiable.
@Christina. And the more false they are the faster they are picked up by those who want to justify their own vote, those who wanted a convicted felon to mess up the system. I am sorry that they will find that they have been "had" as the old carnies used to say. They have been taken... Trump will do nothing to help those in this country who are struggling because they are struggling against the billionaires and corporations that Trump supports...
Benjamin. What makes you so sure that anything I post that disagrees with your view means that I'm not all right?
See Stephen Spooner's substack. He is an IT election security expert who has said that the 2024 election has been hacked. He posts " nine ways to tell that an election has been hacked." He said that what has been done in the 2024 election is the same thing used to hack the 2004 election in Ohio. Exit polls did not make sense with the vote results. Read it if you are curious .
People absolutely do not wish to hear that democratc pillars such as elections couldbe hacked. I believe it was hacked and NOT a free and fair election. This is NOT business as usual.
Unfortunately, Donald trump has been able to interfere with justice for years and get away with crimes because he stacked the courts on all levels , and has sycophants throughout Congress. For him, cheating is business as usual. It would make America great again if we had some decency in justice and in government, instead of lawlessness.
Amen to that!
Thank you thank you. Old Man is great moniker for Trump, he will hate it and when he’s mad he makes more mistakes. Everyone call Trump Old Man.
@Martha. Old man Trump, the convicted felon.
Perfect!
Man, people should do that bit from Hilter Rants Paroidies on YouTube where the drunken troops in the bunker sing what sounds like "Poor Old Man"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o8uyIZ7X10
Haha, he is viral all right. I'm glad you have been successful in work for 50 years. I did it by owning my own small barber business for 50 years. Well. Most of 50 years I worked in shops for some of it. Began with my own shop for 9 years, after apprenticeship. Now, I have had my own shop for 12 years, as I work part time. Love it.
I'm impressed Laurie. You had your own business. No one telling you what to do.
Making your own mistakes and enjoying your own successes. That's the dream of many.
It has been good. I am still working as I approach my mid 70's. It helps that I can control my schedule, and hours. I have a good clientele as well.
You have control over your income and schedule, that’s the freedom you have created for yourself.
I’m 77 and I live freely with SS and a pension. We’re two women who have done well for ourselves. I actually could go back to work but I’ve given enough of my life to heavy equipment. Time to meditate and be creative. Time to do more community service.
Dee of the Terrace ; That's great! I will spend more time with my grandchildren when I'm done, if things work out that way. with part time, I already can do some of that. I have a two year old granddaughter, and another by another grown child is expected.
It is good to have the freedom of choices. Sometimes I don't really control the income, because there are busy times and slow times. But after almost 50 years, I know what to expect and it has worked well. If it was not rewarding, I would be gone.
He is not very virile. If he has to assault a woman.
Good point!
Don't forget, when he mimed sucking off a microphone at one of his last campaign stops, he was mimicking a homosexual sex act. I think he's probably deeply gay. There's nothing wrong with that in anyone's mind but a MAGA mind.
Too bad he did not get a good shock from the metal microphone.
Christina Kasica ; if anyone else did that, he would have his minions attack them. But he can do "Whatever the hell he wants", and this is nothing compared to what can happen after he is "sworn in". Distraction is something he uses all the time. Distract, deflect and project, is what he does. Look at His well disciplined media now. He owns them with his threats. Nothing about the obvious election hacking! Kamala Harris, said to be "the only one who can demand a recount" ( is that true?), caved before the ballots were even all counted, (that is, the ones that existed and were not discarded as spoiled, or challenged or 'Just' thrown away). If it's even remotely possible that she could have been threatened, like so many others who oppose him, should she be the only one who can demand a re-count? It should be a hand re-count, at least two precincts in each of the blue wall swing states. this will show the hacking. A machine re-count would be useless.
You go girl. Mother Jones lives.
I agree, but why then do union members vote for trump?
Well, because the old man lies constantly. The union I'm in is mostly men and they often are macho men. The meetings I go to are large meetings and the union reps stand up and talk about which party supports more union work. The old orange guy has worked hard to appeal to macho men by showcasing wrestlers and large penis golfers so he's picked up voters there, both union and non-union. Sooo, this old guy is a rogue showman and grifter. He's conned many people, union people and others by just saying what they want to hear.
Just shows some men are idiots andcan be bamboozled. I've long considered "macho" men a joke who are compensating for something (straight ladies and gay men know what I'm speaking of). Often "real men" are those you'd never notice.
What union members? What are you talking about?
I think, the Teamsters.
Because they're undereducated in critical thinking, and very gullible?
The dockworkers supported trump, it seems, in a tit for tat, and trump made it worth their while, as the strike has been settled, potentially, in the dockworkers’favor. They will get a 65 % pay raise, and they now make a very good salary, so it was a win for them.
What union members? What are you talking about?
I was talking about the union that I've been a part of for 50 years which is mostly men. So the unions I've worked with are ironworkers, pipe fitters, carpenters, laborers, painters, teamsters and all building and trade unions. I have a hard time seeing any unions support the old orange guy. They will find out what their support does in these next few years. rump wooed them with his macho, chest beating, grifting lies.
A sad observation: the very basis of a labor union is knowledge of the economic game that’s being played. That is, business owners are constantly seeking to minimize the cost of labor so as to maximize profits. It’s just arithmetic. And so when union members react positively to Hulk Hogan and the Drumpf-like Neanderthalers, it’s sort of amazing that they case their vote that way.
Let’s not insult the Neanderthals.
IBEW too.
Good question 🤔
Unions today, unions tomorrow, unions forever.
That's the only way forward in this corporate economy.
Basically each worker will be a contract worker.
Enough of the Bullshit employment at will.
Let's not forget about their back door, temporary work visas like H-1B. These are nothing more then legalized indentured slave practices.
You want to bring I'm the best and the brightest? Bring them in as green card holders who are free to work for you or any other.
But first prove you can't find Americans who are ready to work at top salary for that job.
Oh, yes! We need labor to rise up again. Taylor Swift is OK I guess, but we really need a Pete Seeger and a Woody Guthrie.
And a Phil Ochs!
💯
UAW Local 292 female member here! I am standing right there with you!
UAW…Union of Automotive Workers…right? I’ve never met or worked with that union. I love hearing from a sister union member…strength through union membership! We stand strong together!
This is great- I have deep admiration for you!!! We need to build and support unions wherever we can. Reagan and his chronies worked my entire life to reduce the percentage of union workers in America from around 1/3 to less than TEN. It’s past time we correct this insult to American workers- particularly the hypocrites running around screaming, “AMERICA FIRST!”
Thank you for standing up when others are busy bending the knee. 💕
Ellyn, I remember how destructive Reagan was to unions. I drug up in Seattle and returned to Alaska to work during that time. I had my picture in the paper here in Seattle talking about Reagan. Back in those days women out on a job site were news. When I worked in Denver putting a sewer line around Sloan Lake, a reporter showed up to take my picture and the foreman got pissed off because he didn't get his picture in the paper too. He told me that unless I spent some 'personal time' with him that I would be 'down the road'. He did that in front of the crew. I went to the union hall, Local 9, and made out a formal grievance when he fired me and I took the loader hand with me, who left as well. The hall got me another job and I had to sign a NDA saying I wouldn't go to the press. I was a single parent and needed to work. So many stories as a woman in construction. I think there are many other women out there who have stories to tell. All together we could write a best seller.
Dee, your passion, conviction, and sheer will inspires me! Keep going, keep fighting, and keep winning.
Will do!
The IBEW is right there along with the CWA, UAW and others to "Hit the Bricks" and "strike" if need be.
Very well said Dee. I'm right there with you AND a union member!
Must also protect K-12 schools, teachers, and libraries against fascism. They will ban and burn books.
School board elections matter. All local elections matter most.
This! Start on your own street and work outwards. That's my plan. I can't afford to run away with my kids, we have to hold our ground here. Especially with education.
Yes, books need to be hidden, sent out of country to relatives and friends. With the internet the world is more accessible than it was during the Nazi invasion, of the late 1939 which lasted through 1945. Of course the Trumplicans are trying to control what we are able to see by shutting down TikTok, and through Musk, Mark Z(S)uckerberg, etc. we must find ways to sabatoge & resist that the Trumplicans can’t control.
Buy only hardcopy books. Ebooks are too easily removed. I'm sure that if Trump wants Amazon to delete ebooks, including those in accounts, they will comply. You are only buying a license to read an ebook. You don't "own" it in any sense. Remember, used book stores are your friend.
Great reminder!! Used book stores, I’m going to look for one in my area now!
Excellent advice!
Switch to Bluesky and VPNs, like Threema to protect your Internet viewing. Use Signal for email that is safer too. That's my plan, along with thousands of other folks.
Absolutely do those things, but the problem isn’t with people such as us who are following the news, but the many more millions that are not. Including children who are instilled to believe what they are taught and what authorities tell them. Just think of how much you had to unlearn. What would have happened if we lived at a time or place when there wasn’t any alternative to the propaganda that was fed to us? What would people in the future think if we did expand to all of North America? Would they celebrate the great expansion as we celebrate the Louisiana Purchase and the purchase of Alaska? I think they would. Very few of us believe Manifest Destiny was a crime and we should not have gone from sea to shining sea. (Actually, those who know it was all unethical are still willing to live happily with the consequences). This isn’t unique to us and here. Look at how many people from former British colonies are happy that they got a good dose of European influence before they got independence. Hong Kong people probably wish they were still British.
https://threema.ch/en
Is this in lieu of a VPN or do you use both?
Thank you for the suggestion! ❣️Already making those changes!!
Absolutely. Add to these bulwarks, the courts. Many of the local judges are elected, and we have to be vigilant about fighting for anti-fascists for these positions. Also, state and federal court positions can be important bulwarks. Hell, even Amy Conan Barrett and John Roberts couldn’t stomach the idea of whitewashing tRUMP’s sentencing. Even though it’s only symbolic, it’s good that the evil orange one will be recognized as a convicted felon.
Yes, we need to recognize John Roberts and Amy C. Barrett for doing the right thing.
Unfortunately, evidence suggests they (and Kavanaugh and Gorsuch) only do it when they can afford to. Roberts is not a good guy. Aliyo & Thomas have never tried to hide what wingnuts they are — which will make it easy to retire them and put more younger partisans on the stupidly-still-small SC.
Science fiction writers are often accurate prophets. Time to re-read Ray Bradbury’s ‘Fahrenheit 451.
Mike Hammer: Look at the "Taylor" site. It repeats the same COMMERCIAL advertisement about 38 times.
Sad.
Best way to do that is run for a school board on a save democracy platform after learning about the corruption in our schools at WhiteChalkCrime.com so you’re able to shift the power that paved the way for autocracy back to democracy. Believe me our schools hollowed out democracy more than any institution! You don’t need a child in school to run. Run if you’re young or old. Boards hold all the power so make it ours either by running or helping recruit others to run.
Mike - Agree. I just read that a man, who was appointed to a university by DeSantis, actually said that women should be at home and not going to school. The republicans, and other questionable people, have been elected to lower offices that were ignored for too long. We need to get them back before more harm is done.
Our town library has an annual "Banned Book Day" event! And not for banning the books, to promote them. Cheers to that... GH
Check this out before you purchase. I think this is a elon musk supplement. There are supplements that you can purchase elsewhere for your brain. Do some research first. He doesn't need more money.
The Dictator returns and he told his followers they wouldn’t have to vote ever again.
The Pillars of Resistance: Protecting Truth, Freedom, and Democracy
As Trump and his MAGA allies prepare for what could be a second term even more destructive than the first, they are already targeting the four major pillars of resistance: universities, nonprofits, the media, and organized labor. These institutions have stood as bulwarks against authoritarianism, yet they are now under siege. To fortify these pillars and ensure they continue to defend truth and justice, we must act decisively.
1. Universities: Protecting the Cradle of Knowledge
The Threat:
Trump has openly declared his intention to weaponize the college accreditation system. His goal is to replace independent, nonpartisan accreditors with politically controlled state accreditors, jeopardizing academic freedom. This would dismantle the very guardrails that have protected universities from harmful state overreach, such as educational gag orders and bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, Trump has threatened to increase taxes on university endowments, further destabilizing these institutions.
What We Must Do:
Pressure Universities to Speak Out: The silence of academic leadership is unacceptable. We need faculty and administrators to publicly denounce these threats. Write letters, organize petitions, and amplify the voices of those willing to take a stand.
Educate the Public: Host public discussions, webinars, and town halls to explain how Trump’s policies threaten higher education and the broader pursuit of knowledge.
Boycott Complicit Institutions: If any universities capitulate to these authoritarian measures, we must make it clear that there will be consequences, including financial ones.
2. Nonprofits: Safeguarding Activism and Civil Society
The Threat:
Nonprofits fighting for environmental protection, voting rights, and immigrant rights are being targeted. Proposed legislation would empower the Treasury to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems as supporting “terrorism”—a vague term that could be misused to stifle dissent. State-level efforts to shut down charities assisting immigrants foreshadow what a Trump administration could do on a national scale.
What We Must Do:
Mobilize Donors: Encourage donors to support targeted nonprofits, ensuring they have the resources to fight back.
Strengthen Legal Defenses: Work with legal organizations to protect nonprofits from politically motivated investigations and revocations of tax-exempt status.
Create Alliances: Build coalitions of nonprofits to amplify their collective voice and share resources.
3. The Media: Defending Free Speech and Independent Journalism
The Threat:
Trump and his allies have intensified their attacks on the press, filing defamation lawsuits, threatening to revoke broadcast licenses, and cutting funding for public radio and television. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have already caved, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked.
What We Must Do:
Support Independent Media: Subscribe to and donate to reputable news outlets. Encourage others to do the same.
Expose Censorship: Use alternative platforms to call out social media companies for their complicity in amplifying authoritarian lies.
Amplify Truth: Create grassroots media networks, podcasts, and blogs dedicated to countering disinformation.
4. Organized Labor: Reviving a Countervailing Force
The Threat:
Once a formidable political force, labor unions have been diminished to the point where only 6% of private-sector workers are members. Trump has promised to oppose unionization efforts, and even some labor leaders have publicly supported him, weakening organized labor as a source of resistance.
What We Must Do:
Strengthen Union Organizing: Support efforts to unionize workplaces and protect collective bargaining rights.
Educate Union Members: Run campaigns to highlight how Trump’s policies harm workers and undermine labor rights.
Build Solidarity: Foster connections between unions and other pillars of resistance, such as nonprofits and universities, to create a united front.
The Power of Boycotts: Follow the Money
Trump and his allies are driven by money, so we must use their greed against them. Boycotts are a powerful tool for cutting off their financial lifelines. Here’s how we can act:
Boycott Trump Businesses: Avoid Trump-branded properties, including hotels, golf courses, and real estate developments.
Target Complicit Corporations: Boycott companies that enable or support Trump’s agenda, such as Tesla (under Elon Musk’s leadership) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
Raise Awareness: Use social media and grassroots campaigns to spread the message and encourage widespread participation.
Empowering Democrats: Reorganize and Fight Back
Democrats must take responsibility for their failures to effectively counter Trump. The time for passive responses is over. Here’s what they need to do:
Create Media Platforms: Develop their own TV networks, radio shows, and podcasts to rival conservative outlets like Fox News.
Be Bold: Speak truth to power and call out authoritarianism without fear of alienating centrists. Truth is not partisan.
Rebuild Grassroots Movements: Engage with local communities to foster a stronger connection to voters and their concerns.
The Role of Psychiatrists and Experts
Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a moral duty to speak out. Placing a criminal sociopath in power is not normal behavior, and silence enables harm. We need more books, articles, and discussions that analyze and expose the psychological dangers of authoritarian leadership. This is a public health issue as much as a political one.
Unite and Fight
The four pillars of resistance—universities, nonprofits, the media, and labor—must be fortified and supported. At the same time, we must wield economic pressure through targeted boycotts and demand accountability from political leaders and institutions. The stakes are too high to remain passive. Together, we can protect democracy and resist the forces of tyranny.
Remember: Knowledge is power. Truth is power. And when we fight together, we are unstoppable.
It seems like it's impossible to educated 48% of the public that voted for trump.
It was a barrage of false claims from Fox News and Murdoch media. That's all half or more of the population heard. When you're in that bubble, that's what you believe. My street was loaded with Trump/Vance signs. I was the only house with a Harris/Walz sign, which by the way, I had to put in my window. My yard sign was stolen.
Your yard sign was stolen by someone who is afraid of freedom.
Thankfully that is not necessary for the changes we want. You only have to educate some small percentage of those on the sidelines., perhaps.
Jim... It seems when racism, misogyny, hate, false religion and self pity is their guiding light it's hard to get through to them.
All the best to everyone in 2025... GH
When those voters eventually feel the personal impact of what they voted for, they may wake up and realize how they’ve been misled. At the heart of it, all humans share the same basic needs. Only when we acknowledge that we’re all in this together, can we replace hate with love. The key lies in understanding and embracing those who are different from us.
The threats on accreditation seem real, if you look at the process of accreditation and how people get on various boards. e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Advisory_Committee_on_Institutional_Quality_and_Integrity
Universities should organize to have a collective response. Will the AAU respond?
https://www.aau.edu/newsroom/press-releases/aau-president-barbara-snyders-statement-election-donald-j-trump
The need for Dems to both create their own media platforms and better use existing platforms- yes yes yes. 5 rightwing radio stations in St Louis metro and zero leftwing.
Radio has some advantages that silo outlets such as substack lack.
Any boycott to be effective must be targeted. But who will lead the targeting?
https://www.newsweek.com/list-companies-resumed-donations-gop-election-objectors-1610414?form=MG0AV3
We collectively are going to have to do more to financially support media. There is much "legacy" media I will support. Like NPR and PBS.
https://theweek.com/cartoons/todays-political-cartoons-january-7-2025
Good points Steve... It is also time, past time, for the unions to sponsor more ads, commercials and documentary films about their history and why they are good for workers and the country.
I always wonder why the strongest support for the GOP anti-worker and anti-union policies are the workers in the RED states. Those folks bark the loudest about how they are being "left behind" but keep voting in the the politicians who keep their states "Right to Work".
I too, live in the St. Louis area, Metro East in Illinois. Years ago I quit listening to KMOX radio as soon as they gave Rush Limbaugh 2-3 hours a day of their prime time slots. Look up the history of the "clear channel" radio stations. The St. Louis based KMOX AM station is one of them.
All the best in 2025... GH
Great comment!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E4W-yH5RHk&t=16s
For centuries religious organizations have acted as checks on the power of the state. Trump and Project 2025 pretend to empower religious organizations, and curtail the power of the state, the one they call "the Deep State." In fact, what they aim to accomplish is to nullify the 14th Amendment, which explicitly gives the federal government authority to protect civil liberties, environmental safeguards, and the separation of church and state. Trump has used Christian nationalism and state-rights racism to promote his agenda, and he has been very successful. Religious organization s that do not subscribe to this agenda have the duty to become another pillar of human rights--and the US Constitution.
Thank you for putting out ideas for what we can do about these things! I'll be subscribing to your substack now, just on the basis of this.
I fully endorse everything. Robert Reich has written in this posting. The lead picture in this piece where the protesters are holding the sign “RESIST“ is one of the most important concepts. One of the effective tools of authoritarians. and fascists is to discourage and dishearten those that disagree with them. We must find the unity among ourselves, support each other and never give up resisting.
There are many ways you can resist, without doing anything overt. Don't go the extra mile, wait for written instructions etc.
Yup just like in the old USSR and "Red" China....and lot of guys sitting around or leaning on their shovels.
Pity the shooter missed.
I hate to go down the conspiracy rabbit-hole, but I can't help but wonder if some of these "terror" incidents weren't staged as an eventual pretext for a more militarized police state?
We will never know for sure. If they had hired a hit man Trump wouldn't be around anymore. It's a bit like who ordered the assassination of JFK. No one really knows for sure. It is suspicious, other people have been arrested at Trump rallies with guns. It could be that they are all setups, not actual attempts
I tend to believe it was a setup. Trump said nothing about the firefighter that died likely because he was 'collateral damage'. The shooter, I believe, was convinced to shoot AT the candidate to improve his election chances; Harris was actually in the lead at the time.
Unfortunately for JFK and our country Oswald was an ex-marine and a crack shot. My Mom cried for a week. I remember standing in the hallway at high school that afternoon, all of us in shock of course, and a girl walked up to our group and said she was glad he was dead because no Catholic should ever be President.
That really shocked us! Then we realized her family attended a local extremely conservative Baptist church. I'm sure, hopefully, that not all Baptists thought that way.
The inter-religious hate for our fellow citizens goes back the the founding of the country. Some folks just can't mind their own business (religion wise) and let others be. Just saying... GH
That would be in the tactics they use. I keep getting everyone to read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
Incidentally, am I the only one that noticed that in Trump's public appearances shortly after the incident there was no sign at all of an ear injury? 🤔
Check out James Earl Files, a prisoner who is now deceased. He claimed to be the grassy knoll shooter. His story is convincing.He did an interview before he died in prison.
Stochastic terrorism. Or in the old parlance: stumbling blocks before the blind. Tempting fate. Predictive programming. Some of these. All of these.
When it comes to Trump & crew, there is likely some method to the madness.
That thought occurred to me also
Violence is never the answer. You should consider withdrawing this comment as it is unacceptable in this forum. Reported.
I can't, it seems withdraw this comment. When Hitler was Chancellor of Germany there were many attempt on his life. In 1939 a carpenter put a bomb in a pillar at one of his meetings. If it had gone off and killed him, WW2 might not have happened. If Trump invades Greenland it could be Europe, Russia and China v USA. Who do you think would win that one after a few nuclear exchanges? Do you really think that saving one deranged individual is worth this sort of carnage?>
Hand recounts in swing states, IT experts in election security say the 2024 election was hacked.
Yeah. Shades of Bush v Gore. Why do the Dems roll over so easily??
RDW, Dems are still trying to play by the rules, when the rule book went out the window years ago. We need better tactics and strategy - my guess is that those will come from the people, not the politicians.
Shades of 2004's John Kerry. According to Stephen Spooner, election security expert, the 2004 election was hacked for "W" using the same tech used in 2024. They swiftboated Kerry, a veteran who served honorably, and he must have thought that challenging would not be worth it. Maybe he had threats that he could not report. The 'R's have been bullies for a long time.
RDW : fewer wealthy donors , maybe. The R's also seem to own the media. They also have Putin helping with his troll farms.
DT's comments about Greenland just continues to show how totally stupid he and his minions are. The USA has had a base in northwest Greenland since 1951. It is at Pituffik, formerly called Thule. It is part of the North American air defense system. We don't need to own Greenland! They are glad to have us there helping to protect them, Europe, Canada and our country from any Russian BS.
Cheers to all and thanks to our military folks in Greenland helping to keep the peace... GH
Colin, you seem to ignore the fact that we still have a constitutional government; don't preach demolishing it.
You should be able to edit it. Or you mean you don’t want to??
Not all of us like the idea of the fashies walking all over us.
Violence is often the answer; look around the rest of the world.
Violence begets violence; look around the world.
Derek, as the former slave explained about US white power, "power gives up nothing..it has to be taken." We have had our country violently and vilely, sneaky, monied, cruel, corrupt actions, by our own Representatives taken from us. Richy Rich and the Corporations bought them , deconstructed mechanisms where college graduates wrote our laws for consideration, NOT lobbyists. Effecting change now, so far down the road to karistocracy, will include violence, not because we want it, because it will be necessary. Unless you want to be Putin's subject.
For me, I have always chosen nonviolence. If I want a decent world for my daughter, I will have to come to this gun fight with more than a knife. You be happy to die on a moral high ground. I will do what needs doing for the next generation who can take your current and my previous position.
OK nazi
LOL ❄️
Yea.
I feel the same way.
Well, maybe some true patriot will get it right soon.
We can dream, can’t we?👊
2025 contract does not depend on tRump. He will kick the bucket before his term is up and nothing will change. When the MAGAts wake up to how they have been duped into supporting and helping billionaires get wealthier. Imagine some poor hard-working Joe thinking that tRump has any interest in helping him with anything other that enriching himself and his benefactors.
Hear, Hear!
Well said!!!
If they complain about the price of eggs now, Wait til they see the price of a dozen eggs soon-Yikes..
Lately I’ve seen posts sent from people who voted for that “life form” who are now worried that they’ll lose their Social Security-the money they put in their whole working lifes-, lose Medicare, have “ Fake Christianity “ shoved down their children’s throats, Dept of Education dismantled, and way too many other freedoms they took for granted.
“ Buyer’s Remorse”??
Well, they not only screwed up their lives, they’ve screwed up the rest of us , our lives, those of us who knew better.
The 2025 Manifesto is
“ Happy Screw Year”, but for all of us ethical, and intelligent ones too.
😡😠
I tend to pity the shooter, because he was delusional.
You’re clearly in the wrong forum; not because you’re against what the OP said, but because of your childish and rude name calling. You obviously aren’t here reading Robert’s post because you agree with him, you’re here because you’re simply a sad troll.
You are being reported and blocked. You have nothing of any value to bring to the conversation. YOU are the fucktard, not us. Voted for a insane, rapist, draft dadging fucktard.
Reported and blocked again.
TROLL ALERT
The way to deal with trolls on this Substack is not to engage with them in any way. Simply click on the three dots to the right of his post and report him for obscenity and trolling. Eventually, one of the staff will delete all his posts.
Thanks.
Will do.
I Never get into a debate with an unarmed person.
👍
Wrong platform, Mr. Man…..when will the price of eggs go down? Are they there yet?
Reported. Differences of opinion are welcome, but foul mouth personal attacks are not.
Why aren't you on your way to Mar-A-Lago with Iowa's Governor? She's going to "bend her knee" to regain Trump's favor after supporting Ron DeSantis. Rumor has it she's bringing a new set of knee pads in honor of the trip.
@Charlie SF etc. Go back under the rock little worm, since you don't have anything constructive to say...
Like the author of this bit?
https://thefederalist.com/2022/10/20/we-need-to-stop-calling-ourselves-conservatives/
I didn’t call you that…the author of this article did. Along with calling for totalitarian control of all public life. Please, tell me how that squares with being the party of “freedom”.
Hahaha!
So typical..
You don’t know any other way to communicate without verbal abuse bashing, name calling, threats, violent outbursts.
Nothing of facts, that prove you actually had an intelligent thought of your own.
BTW, if you decide to reply to my comment, know that any nasty, verbally abusive comments mean absolutely nothing to me, not a blip on my radar, and I will just consider the source.
🙄
Have a wonderful day
LOL
Yes, he did say that, and we cannot allow it to happen!
Next????!!!!😠👊😡
Trump is a liar and a felon. And he’s going to be a horrible president. The stupid electoral college put him in office. Damn.
So make it a majority vote so there are no swing states.
Our Congress is at fault for failing to, at the very least, object to the certification of the electoral college, have a public debate in the Joint Session, and cast votes. This would have gained the attention of the public and abide with our Constitution: now damaged maybe forever.
He won the popular vote. The Electoral College was responsible for 2016.
Ahhhh...You left off one key pillar. Instead of "universities," should be titled "education." The GOP anti-public schools propaganda machine started over 40 years ago, attaching it to "Why Johnny Still Can't Read." They infiltrated evangelical churches for this, too.
In Missouri, the GOP also went through a “defund the libraries” phase during Covid when many people were using audiobooks/books from the libraries. I wrote the governor and I think many did because he stopped that nonsense.
Hi MO, I'm from MO too. If you say so tho I don't specifically remember. However local library boards and school libraries have been pressured into banning books. The movie Fahrenheit 451? I was required to read 1984 in 1964 now it is banned. It is absolutely terrifying that I daily interact with adults who do not know or believe in anything that did not personally happen to them. So their dissatisfaction with public services has no reference. They don't like the schools so they blame the teachers. They don't like paying taxes so they "get it" that billionaires don't want to either. Kiddie soccer is about winning, forget about team building and fair play...that's for losers. It's not nice.
People don't seem to read anymore. They get their info from social media and YouTube videos. It amazes me that so many don't seem to understand that just about every issue is much more complicated than they think. And so many don't have a clue about history. Fact checking and critical thinking? Forget about it.
You get information faster by reading than by listening to a blogger or by watching TV news. Maybe this is why some localities want to close libraries.
So maybe marijuana was a Soviet plot …. Just like J Edgar said
when it comes to facilitating distribution of false information Youtube/Goggle is among the worse. Not enough attention paid to youtube IMO. FOX and X get all the hate.
Back in the Middle Ages, before the scientific method was invented, everybody was happy, right?
Trump should have been a chef; every course he offers is stuffed with lies, sautéed with misinformation and served with a flambéed that will not warm you to your toes. The problem he has overlooked is God made shit stink so stupid people wouldn't eat it, no matter how Trump prepares it.
Anything Trump cooks up is unpalatable.
Perhaps people have nose dysfunction 🤔.
Your comment made my day Donald!
It would be interesting to see the menu at Mara-La-Go.
A gagger for sure... GH
Robert Reich has written a powerful - and frightening - summary of what those opposed to Trump are facing.
We just will resist.
Trump will soon again be the “Divider and Thief”. His abhorrent behavior will only get worse because the oligarchs are feeding the beast! How can anyone support this evil! He is throwing insults at the Governor of California and his administration regarding the devastating effects of the climate change fires instead of giving him support! I want a president who will be a leader for all Americans.
Excellent! "A leader for all Americans."
A leader for all Americans is precisely what Trump is not, and this is precisely why millions of Americans have voted for him. They see you as an enemy.
Right on Keith! DT is to stupid to remember that a huge number of the people who have lost everything and maybe some who have died are Republicans!! DUH!!!
Can't fix stupid... GH
Please tell me why no one will use the 14th Amendment on this deplorable traitor who is openly threatening to use military force on Nato countries because his dear leader, Putin , wants Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal for whatever reason ! He continues to collude with judges ( Cannon and Alito ) to get his own way ! Makes disgusting remarks of democratic governors while said governor is dealing with another climate crisis ! No sympathy for the people affected , no words of comfort to those that are suffering so much loss , no nothing , just him bitching that he is the victim and never treated so poorly by everyone because the flags will be half-mast and those evils judges won't let me have my own way....blah , blah , blah!😡😡😡
INDEED 👉Makes disgusting remarks of democratic governors while said governor is dealing with another climate crisis ! No sympathy for the people affected , no words of comfort to those that are suffering so much loss , no nothing , just him bitching that he is the victim and never treated so poorly by everyone because the flags will be half-mast and those evils judges won't let me have my own way
Trump, he is a certified sociopath, so naturally, he has zero empathy, so the only thing he truly cares about is-himself!
And you left out his Christmas rant.
Oh, yes, THAT rant. What a reeking disgrace.
The points mentioned are correct and illuminating, but how will the struggle find its form?
When you know what to expect, you have an advantage.
And is there a common trait in the strategy?
I would say: try to turn your back to the system, be friendly and don't get caught, create a counter culture, leave the mockery to the valiant warriors that are safe for retribution, but support them as much as possible.
So, don't stop fighting, go underground. And Bob, are you safe?
The Pillars of Resistance: Protecting Truth, Freedom, and Democracy
As Trump and his MAGA allies prepare for what could be a second term even more destructive than the first, they are already targeting the four major pillars of resistance: universities, nonprofits, the media, and organized labor. These institutions have stood as bulwarks against authoritarianism, yet they are now under siege. To fortify these pillars and ensure they continue to defend truth and justice, we must act decisively.
1. Universities: Protecting the Cradle of Knowledge
The Threat:
Trump has openly declared his intention to weaponize the college accreditation system. His goal is to replace independent, nonpartisan accreditors with politically controlled state accreditors, jeopardizing academic freedom. This would dismantle the very guardrails that have protected universities from harmful state overreach, such as educational gag orders and bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, Trump has threatened to increase taxes on university endowments, further destabilizing these institutions.
What We Must Do:
Pressure Universities to Speak Out: The silence of academic leadership is unacceptable. We need faculty and administrators to publicly denounce these threats. Write letters, organize petitions, and amplify the voices of those willing to take a stand.
Educate the Public: Host public discussions, webinars, and town halls to explain how Trump’s policies threaten higher education and the broader pursuit of knowledge.
Boycott Complicit Institutions: If any universities capitulate to these authoritarian measures, we must make it clear that there will be consequences, including financial ones.
2. Nonprofits: Safeguarding Activism and Civil Society
The Threat:
Nonprofits fighting for environmental protection, voting rights, and immigrant rights are being targeted. Proposed legislation would empower the Treasury to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems as supporting “terrorism”—a vague term that could be misused to stifle dissent. State-level efforts to shut down charities assisting immigrants foreshadow what a Trump administration could do on a national scale.
What We Must Do:
Mobilize Donors: Encourage donors to support targeted nonprofits, ensuring they have the resources to fight back.
Strengthen Legal Defenses: Work with legal organizations to protect nonprofits from politically motivated investigations and revocations of tax-exempt status.
Create Alliances: Build coalitions of nonprofits to amplify their collective voice and share resources.
3. The Media: Defending Free Speech and Independent Journalism
The Threat:
Trump and his allies have intensified their attacks on the press, filing defamation lawsuits, threatening to revoke broadcast licenses, and cutting funding for public radio and television. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have already caved, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked.
What We Must Do:
Support Independent Media: Subscribe to and donate to reputable news outlets. Encourage others to do the same.
Expose Censorship: Use alternative platforms to call out social media companies for their complicity in amplifying authoritarian lies.
Amplify Truth: Create grassroots media networks, podcasts, and blogs dedicated to countering disinformation.
4. Organized Labor: Reviving a Countervailing Force
The Threat:
Once a formidable political force, labor unions have been diminished to the point where only 6% of private-sector workers are members. Trump has promised to oppose unionization efforts, and even some labor leaders have publicly supported him, weakening organized labor as a source of resistance.
What We Must Do:
Strengthen Union Organizing: Support efforts to unionize workplaces and protect collective bargaining rights.
Educate Union Members: Run campaigns to highlight how Trump’s policies harm workers and undermine labor rights.
Build Solidarity: Foster connections between unions and other pillars of resistance, such as nonprofits and universities, to create a united front.
The Power of Boycotts: Follow the Money
Trump and his allies are driven by money, so we must use their greed against them. Boycotts are a powerful tool for cutting off their financial lifelines. Here’s how we can act:
Boycott Trump Businesses: Avoid Trump-branded properties, including hotels, golf courses, and real estate developments.
Target Complicit Corporations: Boycott companies that enable or support Trump’s agenda, such as Tesla (under Elon Musk’s leadership) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
Raise Awareness: Use social media and grassroots campaigns to spread the message and encourage widespread participation.
Empowering Democrats: Reorganize and Fight Back
Democrats must take responsibility for their failures to effectively counter Trump. The time for passive responses is over. Here’s what they need to do:
Create Media Platforms: Develop their own TV networks, radio shows, and podcasts to rival conservative outlets like Fox News.
Be Bold: Speak truth to power and call out authoritarianism without fear of alienating centrists. Truth is not partisan.
Rebuild Grassroots Movements: Engage with local communities to foster a stronger connection to voters and their concerns.
The Role of Psychiatrists and Experts
Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a moral duty to speak out. Placing a criminal sociopath in power is not normal behavior, and silence enables harm. We need more books, articles, and discussions that analyze and expose the psychological dangers of authoritarian leadership. This is a public health issue as much as a political one.
Unite and Fight
The four pillars of resistance—universities, nonprofits, the media, and labor—must be fortified and supported. At the same time, we must wield economic pressure through targeted boycotts and demand accountability from political leaders and institutions. The stakes are too high to remain passive. Together, we can protect democracy and resist the forces of tyranny.
Remember: Knowledge is power. Truth is power. And when we fight together, we are unstoppable.
Michael, we don't disagree. You give a nice checklist, answering my worries about form ans resistance movement. That makes me happy.
But I tried to say something different. Trump's ear was hit by a bullet and he cried "fight, fight, fight". It is not a democratic reflex in my view.
Bob and you use the word as well.
But democracy implies not fight, but the virtues of Jimmy Carter. So I'm lookimg for an organisation of smart resistance, without loosing sight of a new majority.
I can only think of a renewed democratic party, based in local communities, talking and acting on a small scale, realising the things you are calling for.
The Trumpian reflex is something else.
Join a local chapter of Indivisible: their forming, like wildfire, around our country. Google and connect.
Just downloaded their downloadable stuff, and am looking into the Montgomery County Group.
Yes it Bob safe? Other writers too. Musk goes on about free speech but it's a lie.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the new regime decided to scrub liberal voices from this platform, or perhaps disable it and other platforms, entirely.
Trump and his administration still work for us. We have to resist and continue to make our voices heard. What is happening with Democratic leadership?
It appears Democratic leadership remains more interested in crushing progressives than in fighting MAGA.
I noticed. Trying to crush progressives, mouthing platitudes about "the peaceful transfer of power, and Joe saying he'll show up at the farce that will be passed off as an inauguration. Obeying in advance is all it is.
What Democratic leadership is this?
LOL RUMPCARE ABOUT NO ONE
I will NEVER stop fighting for what is right, decent and fair in this country! The orange man will definitely try to do his worst, but I will continue to resist! I will sign petitions, write letters, and sing out the truth every single time!! He may think he can dominate and control; however, he can't stop free thinkers or those speaking the truth. He can't stop those of us who are determined to seek the freedoms and liberties we are entitled to. He can't stop progress. Sure, Democracy has taken a hit and will continue to take hit after hit while he is in power, but his kind of power gets old quick. Even his faithful MAGA are beginning to realize he lied to them, too! This will not last forever, and when it all comes crashing down around him, we can start to rebuild stronger and better than before.
I'm with you Peggy, in the spirit of never giving up! A tenacious ongoing, never say die, attitude is contagious.
If that is so, Dee, I hope millions and millions of people catch it!
Tough to accomplish without an inspiring leader. Look at Russia without Navolney…
I will continue to resist! I will sign petitions, write letters, and sing out the truth every single time!
You Go👍
I agree we must resist, protest, and protect. Particularly 1, 2, and 4. On 3. the media, I'm not so sure. We've already lost our clout. Since the billionaires have bought the major newspapers and TV networks our only outlet to truthful news is on the internet. I have seen this coming since 2013, when Fox paid the major hotel chains to show only Fox news channels in there open to public areas, lobbies, restaurants, bars, even private breakfast rooms, the only place you could be free of the fox "version" of the 'news' was in your own room.
I don't know why this practice wasn't questioned.
But instead of fighting back, the other major networks, ABC, CBS, NBS and their cable only channels joined Fox in misrepresenting the real news. I became so angered that I had my cable disconnected in May 2023 and gave my unused TV top my granddaughter this past year. As far as I'm concerned if they can't be bothered to report the real truth (as opposed to the 'alternative truth' why bother watching anything. I've never been addicted to the sitcoms or most series, and those I do enjoy I can get on my computer.
if we don't win the media war we're done.
Well, I have to admit, I'm much older than you Robert (nearly 92) and I quit traveling for business in 2019 when I left IBM. My next year and a month, I spent working locally. I've neither seen nor heard of XiNN.
Thanks. I'm still confused but that really doesn't matter, since it isn't a subject I care about
If you're referring to Xi Xinpiang yes.
I always knew that for a long time now the major media news sources were own by a few corporations but it’s still awe-inspiring to see how quickly they rolled over.
Yes pathetic aren't they?
Well they were already by and large sucking up to him and sanewashing him and his BS.
Trump's slogan is: We want the truth, the whole truth, and everything but the truth. Rights must be won with bribes. The media's job is to be a propaganda channel for the federal government. The abolition of slavery was a historic mistake.
This is in a nutshell what we can expect the coming four years.
Trump, the ultimate con man but TIME magazine, made him their cover guy with Man Year, ugh, make me vomit. 🤮
Indeed, with Trump. lies, lies and more lies, every time he opens his mouth, it's either some other insane rant of a lie or the tyrant is out busy attacking someone or something with vitriol, how low can we go? as a nation, 👉that some chose to vote for this evil man. MAGA voters, most I am sure, are still delighted with their pick for President and there will be no buyer's remorse.
The orange menace from hell, out to do damage, to hurt or destroy, so congratulations MAGA, but I will make a slight prediction, there will still be some? , MAGA voters, they may not say it aloud, 👉too ashamed? but they will be sorry they voted for Trump, they will come to realize, that they did not vote for what they will be actually getting, but that all being said, the COLOR of one's skin, had still, a lot to do with it and the misogyny of Harris being a woman, when in other democratic countries in Europe, they have had or have women leaders. but some or many still, don't want to allow that here to happen, it would offend their sensibilities
More promotion of a mad man.
Yes to support our local post office, we should each send Time some vomit, or something.
Cancel subscription or at the least, some could choose a more symbolic gesture, to wipe their derrieres with TIME, though I would not recommend it, ouch!
I hate to say it, but they deserve everything they get!! They allowed this man to run and be elected. Colorado had it right!!!! No one stood up to him. No one followed through with disqualifying him. So many of us wanted this. It didn’t matter what we wanted. It didn’t matter that I called my leaders begging for an investigation into the election. We all warned and pleaded to stop Trump. No one listened. I will not support my leaders anymore. They don’t deserve my faith or my money.
Trying again: tough to do without an inspiring leader. Look at Russia and what happened to Navolney. It killed the resistance.
I can't claim to know this, but given the disruption and deaths in Russia caused by Putin's nifty little military exercise I would think there are many among the public who are really unhappy with Putin and the war. Yes, the control of the media can accomplish a great deal but realities of everyday life are hard to conceal. A hollowness of belief grows and change can come overnight.
Did it kill it? Or did it just go underground?