You've hit the nail on the head. Every level of the government has been infected by these Nazis.
Trump, Musk, Vance (and others)are guilty of treason.:
"Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned"
They've certainly been adhering and giving aid to the enemies of the US.
However, so what. There's is nothing left of the government to hold them to account. Even by some chance they did impeach Trump and Vance (and lock up Elon), assuming you could get them out of the Oval office some other Nazi would take over: DeSantis, MTG, Ramaswammy, take your pick there is an inexhaustible pool of Nazi horror just waiting to bubble over.
Thanks Mark. Republican presidents, politicians and businessmen have been selling us out to Russia and China since Nixon/Kissinger went to China in July 1972. There may not be enough oak trees in the entire country to hang all of those traitors. Keep up the fight for freedom everywhere... GH
This is a clear, direct statement: You are not a dictator. You are not a king. You are not above the law. No matter how loudly you bluster, no matter how many lies you repeat, no matter how many sycophants you surround yourself with, the United States of America is a constitutional republic governed by laws, not the whims of a man who imagines himself beyond them.
You were elected—twice now—to serve as President under the Constitution of the United States, not to rule by decree. The Constitution requires that you follow the law, obey judicial rulings, and enforce the will of Congress, not tear down institutions for your personal power grabs. You swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. This is not optional. This is not negotiable.
You are issuing executive orders that are blatantly illegal. You have no right to deport individuals arbitrarily, no matter what propaganda you peddle. Immigration policy is governed by laws passed by Congress, subject to review by the courts, and your duty is to enforce those laws within the limits established by both legislative authority and judicial oversight. You do not have the power to override the courts or Congress because you find it inconvenient.
Defiance of the judiciary is defiance of the Constitution. No President has ever been permitted to ignore the courts without consequence. You are not an exception. If you continue to violate judicial orders and the rule of law, there will be impeachment proceedings. Removal from office, if not eventual criminal prosecution, is inevitable for any leader who treats the Constitution as an obstacle to personal power. History will not be kind to those who trample the law.
Further, Elon Musk has no place anywhere near the machinery of American government. He is not an elected official. He is not a policy expert. He is a businessman with a checkered record who poses a growing threat to democracy. His involvement in government is reckless, dangerous, and wholly unacceptable. We do not want his influence anywhere near decisions that affect the rights, freedoms, and livelihoods of Americans. His agenda is not aligned with democratic values or the principles of a free republic. Keep him out.
You must respect the rule of law. You must adhere to judicial decisions. You must uphold the constitutional separation of powers. The legislative branch makes the laws. The judiciary interprets them. You are part of the executive branch, which enforces them—nothing more, nothing less. You have no unilateral power to decide what laws exist, nor do you have the authority to punish or deport anyone outside the bounds of legal process.
No amount of demagoguery will change this. No amount of propaganda from Fox News, OAN, Breitbart, or your cronies will obscure the truth. You are accountable. You are constrained by law. If you refuse to respect this reality, you will face consequences far beyond the court of public opinion.
We do not live in an autocracy. You are not Vladimir Putin. You are not Xi Jinping. You are bound by the Constitution, and if you choose to ignore it, the people of this country, working through their elected representatives and the courts, will stop you. We have done it before. We will do it again.
This is your warning: Follow the law. Respect the courts. Enforce the will of Congress. You are not above any of it.
I appreciate your statement. However the Trumpian transgressions are nonstop. There has been insufficient political will to STOP the coup. We are currently a failed state. It remains to be seen who will now die for our democratic republic. All the sacrifices and civil services of the past 80 years are dishonored. Americans with our allies have imagined and created the foundation for worldwide peace and prosperity. These institutions are now being trashed. The good will of “soft power” and the nourishing of the less fortunate is being demolished before our eyes. The richest country in the world is now being set on a course of exploitation of public resources. Havoc, destruction, desecration, and cruelty are the disorder of the day. Hate, fear, suffering, and dehumanization are our daily fare. Power, greed, and retribution define us. Truth is cut off. Intimidation abounds.
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing out of a deep sense of frustration and concern regarding the current state of Democratic leadership—or more precisely, the absence of it—at a time when the country desperately needs vocal, principled defenders of democracy and truth.
As someone who served in a Democratic administration and maintains an insider’s perspective, I ask you candidly: Where are our leaders? Where is President Obama? Where are Secretary Clinton, President Clinton, Vice President Harris, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the other prominent voices who once galvanized millions?
At this critical juncture—when Fox News functions as a relentless propaganda machine masquerading as journalism, when Trump and his acolytes peddle corrosive lies about the "most corrupt administration in history," and when democracy itself stands on a knife's edge—why are these powerful voices silent? The vacuum they leave behind is filled daily with disinformation, cynicism, and dangerous populist rhetoric. Their silence is both deafening and damning.
I watch President Biden—a man whose legislative achievements have been substantial, particularly in undoing the catastrophic wreckage left by the Trump administration—face a relentless smear campaign with little to no effective counterbalance from his party’s most recognizable figures. Biden’s communication strategy has failed to publicize his administration's accomplishments in a way that breaks through the noise. Consequently, the American public remains vulnerable to disinformation and manipulation.
The Clintons and the Obamas are still regarded by many as formidable leaders and skilled communicators. Barack Obama remains one of the finest orators of our time. Bill Clinton, for all his moral failings, remains a consummate political strategist. Pete Buttigieg is articulate, informed, and a rising star in Democratic politics. Yet, they remain inexplicably quiet. We are not hearing them lead the charge against the tidal wave of misinformation and authoritarian creep.
It is utterly incomprehensible that, faced with a growing fascist threat, these figures are not mounting a robust and unified defense of democratic values in every forum possible—on television, in town halls, in op-eds, and at mass rallies. Where is the moral urgency? Where is the strategic coordination? Why do we, the people who care deeply about this nation’s future, feel so abandoned by those who once inspired us?
This is not a time for cautious diplomacy or political calculation. This is a time to sound the alarm and fight with clarity and courage. And yet, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, who continues to speak truth to power (although some perceive him as too far to the left), there is an eerie and infuriating silence from the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders.
Dr. Reich, you are a principled voice and have consistently articulated the stakes we face. But why is there not a unified and forceful counteroffensive from those who once carried the banner of the Democratic Party? We are left to wonder if our leadership has either lost its nerve or is trapped in a misguided hope that civility and reason alone will save us from the abyss.
I ask you plainly: What on earth is happening? Why has this fight been abandoned to a few lone voices while the machinery of authoritarianism marches on, largely uncontested by those with the stature to command the nation’s attention?
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing out of a deep sense of frustration and concern regarding the current state of Democratic leadership—or more precisely, the absence of it—at a time when the country desperately needs vocal, principled defenders of democracy and truth.
As someone who served in a Democratic administration and maintains an insider’s perspective, I ask you candidly: Where are our leaders? Where is President Obama? Where are Secretary Clinton, President Clinton, Vice President Harris, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the other prominent voices who once galvanized millions?
At this critical juncture—when Fox News functions as a relentless propaganda machine masquerading as journalism, when Trump and his acolytes peddle corrosive lies about the "most corrupt administration in history," and when democracy itself stands on a knife's edge—why are these powerful voices silent? The vacuum they leave behind is filled daily with disinformation, cynicism, and dangerous populist rhetoric. Their silence is both deafening and damning.
I watch President Biden—a man whose legislative achievements have been substantial, particularly in undoing the catastrophic wreckage left by the Trump administration—face a relentless smear campaign with little to no effective counterbalance from his party’s most recognizable figures. Biden’s communication strategy has failed to publicize his administration's accomplishments in a way that breaks through the noise. Consequently, the American public remains vulnerable to disinformation and manipulation.
The Clintons and the Obamas are still regarded by many as formidable leaders and skilled communicators. Barack Obama remains one of the finest orators of our time. Bill Clinton, for all his moral failings, remains a consummate political strategist. Pete Buttigieg is articulate, informed, and a rising star in Democratic politics. Yet, they remain inexplicably quiet. We are not hearing them lead the charge against the tidal wave of misinformation and authoritarian creep.
It is utterly incomprehensible that, faced with a growing fascist threat, these figures are not mounting a robust and unified defense of democratic values in every forum possible—on television, in town halls, in op-eds, and at mass rallies. Where is the moral urgency? Where is the strategic coordination? Why do we, the people who care deeply about this nation’s future, feel so abandoned by those who once inspired us?
This is not a time for cautious diplomacy or political calculation. This is a time to sound the alarm and fight with clarity and courage. And yet, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, who continues to speak truth to power (although some perceive him as too far to the left), there is an eerie and infuriating silence from the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders.
Dr. Reich, you are a principled voice and have consistently articulated the stakes we face. But why is there not a unified and forceful counteroffensive from those who once carried the banner of the Democratic Party? We are left to wonder if our leadership has either lost its nerve or is trapped in a misguided hope that civility and reason alone will save us from the abyss.
I ask you plainly: What on earth is happening? Why has this fight been abandoned to a few lone voices while the machinery of authoritarianism marches on, largely uncontested by those with the stature to command the nation’s attention?
I understand and appreciate his contributions, but the reality is that he was part of a Democratic administration and maintains high-level contacts within the Democratic establishment. If someone with his stature and influence can’t help motivate meaningful action, then it’s hard to see how we avoid catastrophe. Academia, particularly the Ivy League institutions, seems to be crumbling under the weight of its own contradictions. How can we continue to place our faith in academic institutions when they repeatedly fail us in moments of crisis?
History offers chilling examples: several of the leaders of the Einsatzgruppen held PhDs, and Joseph Goebbels himself earned a doctorate in philology. The medical community in Germany, supposedly dedicated to preserving life, was among the first professional groups to align itself with the Nazi regime. When things fall apart, these intellectual and professional elites are often the first to disappear or capitulate.
Meanwhile, I’m on Truth Social every night, often having my accounts banned, yet I keep returning, speaking out, and challenging the lies. I have a small following—perhaps 15 people—but I’m there, actively confronting the disinformation. And yet, I don’t see our so-called leaders engaging on that front. Where are they? Why am I, an ordinary citizen, seemingly the only one standing in the breach?
Yes, individual efforts are valuable, and I appreciate them. But collectively, this group—the academics, the politicians, the intellectuals—should have done far more. Their inaction, complacency, and cowardice have brought us to this precipice. Columbia University has already folded under pressure, as have numerous law groups. It seems as if many of these leaders are content as long as they can keep their multiple homes and luxury cars. They no longer care what happens to anyone else.
It’s disheartening to see so much education, so many resources, and so much influence squandered because basic moral courage is lacking. Without a foundation of fundamental morality, all the degrees and accolades in the world are meaningless.
And this lesson isn’t new. Philosophers and leaders have warned about this for centuries: education without ethical grounding is dangerous. Yet here we are, watching history repeat itself.
Yes, I might sound unhinged — but how else should a sane person respond to this madness?
Those of us who believed in building a just country, those who fought and sacrificed and struggled for progress — we’re watching it all be burned down in real time. The dream we invested in is slipping into the hands of a cult, not a government. This has nothing to do with governance, law, or leadership. It's about blind devotion, manipulation, and rage.
The wealth of this country was built on slavery and centuries of institutionalized misery. We endured a Civil War. We suffered through the Great Depression, Vietnam, assassinations, injustice upon injustice. And through all that, we believed — however naively — that maybe, just maybe, we were getting somewhere. That we were evolving as a species. That truth, equality, reason, and democracy might finally triumph.
Instead, what did we do?
We handed the megaphone to the lowest, loudest voices. We coddled ignorance and called it "freedom." We allowed propaganda to parade as journalism. We surrendered facts to feelings. And now, here we are, teetering on the edge of fascism again — despite knowing where that road leads.
And yes, I have written volumes. I have essays, articles, and warnings ready to go — but what’s the point? Everything that needs to be said has been said. The people we most desperately need to reach won’t listen. Not because they disagree, but because they can’t. They’re in a cult. They’ve given up their critical thinking in exchange for identity, grievance, and a false sense of belonging.
Donald Trump couldn't run a public toilet without fouling it up. And yet he’s propped up by a cabal of criminals, grifters, and sociopaths who know exactly what they’re doing. These are not patriots. These are not Christians. These are not leaders. These are parasites who feed on chaos, fear, and ignorance.
And we let it happen.
Why?
Because we failed to protect the First Amendment from abuse. Because Obama — as brilliant and articulate as he was — lacked the political courage to confront the rising tide of disinformation. Because Democrats believed the system would hold. It didn’t.
We allowed lies to become law. We allowed Rupert Murdoch to poison the minds of millions. We allowed Facebook, YouTube, and Fox News to turn ignorance into a product and fear into a lifestyle.
And now, here we are — shouting into the abyss, knowing that truth doesn’t matter anymore to the ones who most need it.
So yes, I’m angry. Yes, I sound unhinged. But if you’re not angry right now, then you’re not paying attention.
Yes, I might sound unhinged — but how else should a sane person respond to this madness?
Those of us who believed in building a just country, those who fought and sacrificed and struggled for progress — we’re watching it all be burned down in real time. The dream we invested in is slipping into the hands of a cult, not a government. This has nothing to do with governance, law, or leadership. It's about blind devotion, manipulation, and rage.
The wealth of this country was built on slavery and centuries of institutionalized misery. We endured a Civil War. We suffered through the Great Depression, Vietnam, assassinations, injustice upon injustice. And through all that, we believed — however naively — that maybe, just maybe, we were getting somewhere. That we were evolving as a species. That truth, equality, reason, and democracy might finally triumph.
Instead, what did we do?
We handed the megaphone to the lowest, loudest voices. We coddled ignorance and called it "freedom." We allowed propaganda to parade as journalism. We surrendered facts to feelings. And now, here we are, teetering on the edge of fascism again — despite knowing where that road leads.
And yes, I have written volumes. I have essays, articles, and warnings ready to go — but what’s the point? Everything that needs to be said has been said. The people we most desperately need to reach won’t listen. Not because they disagree, but because they can’t. They’re in a cult. They’ve given up their critical thinking in exchange for identity, grievance, and a false sense of belonging.
Donald Trump couldn't run a public toilet without fouling it up. And yet he’s propped up by a cabal of criminals, grifters, and sociopaths who know exactly what they’re doing. These are not patriots. These are not Christians. These are not leaders. These are parasites who feed on chaos, fear, and ignorance.
And we let it happen.
Why?
Because we failed to protect the First Amendment from abuse. Because Obama — as brilliant and articulate as he was — lacked the political courage to confront the rising tide of disinformation. Because Democrats believed the system would hold. It didn’t.
We allowed lies to become law. We allowed Rupert Murdoch to poison the minds of millions. We allowed Facebook, YouTube, and Fox News to turn ignorance into a product and fear into a lifestyle.
And now, here we are — shouting into the abyss, knowing that truth doesn’t matter anymore to the ones who most need it.
So yes, I’m angry. Yes, I sound unhinged. But if you’re not angry right now, then you’re not paying attention.
Yes! Corporate media continue to cover for them, and apparently, not out of fear. They've bought their way into favor with DT, so why antagonize him? Better, why not be loyal citizens instead?
Blame Chief Justice John Marshall. He’s responsible for setting the evidential bar so high to obtaining a verdict of treason that it’s well nigh impossible to bring the charge to begin with. A People’s Court, however, would convict Trump of treason and deal a quick death to his shabby political career.
Victor, I do not see Musk as globalist; he is selfist. He will do whatever is necessary for himself to gain anything and everything he can get his corrupt hands on. He has no moral compass, only a drug that supposedly keeps him going, a huge pool of hatreds, racism, misogyny, and more. He clamped onto Trump because Trump is so pathetically manipulatable. Musk would do away with Trump in a minute if it would serve his personal aims. The thing is, Trump would do the same to Musk if he knew or understood what Musk and his paw patrol were up to.
What happens when these three "colossal selfish ego's collide?
Who's got the leverage over whom?
Putin has something on Don - So Putin owns Dono.
Mob boss Dono owes Musk for getting him elected.
Musk's money means he also owns Dono.
Musk had seemed to be acting as Dono's new "Roy Cohn"... his fixer. He can buy anything - use his money to threaten anyone in politics and perhaps use his money to bring armed guards to harm anyone who gets in his way.
It's convenient that Musk is what you call an"off the books official or as unofficial-he can be at arm's length with Dono. Don can blame this or that on Elon. The appalling Musk swaggering with his cool big balls bro's as he sets to work carving up government programs, and oh well - mistakes can happen in cutting off Ebola treatments.
So who has power over Musk?
Putin has always had Dono under his thumb and it's hard to imagine anything changing that. But what was Musk talking with Putin about this past year... He has global ambitions, and both of Don and Elon admire and seek to learn from him.
The thing is Putin is molded by different means. The forces that shaped his upbringing made him a ruthless and cunning mercenary. He could squash them like bugs...hunt down and poison their loved ones, he's deadly serious and he would take his time.
Now Elon seems to be both the hit man - and wanting his conflicts solved. He's working on the inside to get all the cases against his company or his conflicts of interest and his legal matters erased. He taking the screws to every part of the government and holding court in the oval, and joking around as a featured guest at cabinet meetings. Elon and Don are going to fly too close to the sun...Putin will use them to achieve his own ends to get what he wants -He's giddy that these jokers are dismantling the global world order to tilt in his favor.
Both Elon and Putin have global ambitions for power, and Elon and Dono are both ego manics living for attention.
Despite Donald Trump’s carefully cultivated persona as a master negotiator and political disruptor, it’s evident that his understanding of geopolitics is superficial at best. His grasp of global affairs seems limited to crude transactionalism—alliances measured by personal flattery, perceived strength, and opportunities for enrichment. There is little evidence that Trump comprehends the intricate consequences of foreign policy decisions or the long-term strategic calculations they entail.
At his core, Trump is a classic example of a malignant narcissist and a deviant sociopath. He is driven not by ideological conviction or informed statecraft but by an insatiable need for adulation and power. His fixation on authoritarian figures like Vladimir Putin stems from a deep-seated admiration for unchecked authority and the veneration of strongman rule. Putin, a shrewd and calculating strategist, recognizes these vulnerabilities and has exploited them masterfully.
The relationship is asymmetrical. While Trump appears to genuinely believe he is engaging as an equal with a geopolitical peer, he is, in reality, an unwitting pawn. Putin flatters Trump’s ego, reinforcing his delusions of grandeur while advancing Russia’s strategic objectives. This manipulation has yielded tangible results: destabilization of NATO alliances, division within the European Union, and a fracturing of the United States’ internal cohesion. Each of these outcomes benefits Russia while eroding American global leadership.
The true motive behind Trump’s alignment with Putin is not the product of intellectual understanding or geopolitical foresight. Rather, it is rooted in Trump’s pursuit of personal validation, revenge against perceived enemies (the so-called "deep state" and Democrats), and potential financial entanglements with Russian oligarchs and entities. Eric Trump once boasted that Russian money was "pouring in" to the Trump Organization—an assertion that, while not fully substantiated, hints at deeper financial dependency and leverage.
Moreover, Trump's repeated efforts to use Russia as a political cudgel against his domestic opponents—such as his solicitation of Russian assistance in discrediting the Bidens—highlight his transactional approach to foreign policy. He sees foreign powers not as adversaries or allies within a complex system but as tools to secure his own power and status.
What is most alarming is that Trump’s lack of comprehension does not mitigate the danger he poses. On the contrary, his ignorance magnifies the risks. He blunders forward, indifferent to or incapable of understanding the catastrophic repercussions of his actions, making him all the more dangerous in the hands of a skilled manipulator like Putin.
In essence, Trump does not engage with Putin as a statesman but as a vainglorious figure desperate for approval. He is the useful idiot of Russian statecraft—a figurehead whose ego can be stroked into sacrificing American interests under the delusion of personal greatness.
Agree the Donald/Elon dynamic is muddled. Could it also reflect a decline in Trump's cognitive function. His baseline behavior is so pathological we would need serial brain MRI's to know- could he even have a brain tumor???
it appears he's owned by China,dependent as he is on that market-tho,if he builds- a mega-factory in India,that may change-he's also into robots,maybe a.i.,who knows what else
He's a fascist and needs to go back to South Africa and ruin his own birth country. He doesn't comprehend our Constitution because of where he was brought up, as part of the ghastly white minority elite. He learned no moral or ethical values from his parents - and received funding from his father to start him on the track of becoming the richest man of earth. Talk about entitled? Who is he to destroy our institutions? Who voted for him? It's up to disaffected MAGAs and the Supreme Court to stop this destruction. Or what???? I'm very angry. Can't you tell?
The founders included Article II, Section 4 (the Impeachment clause) in the Constitution, specifically because they feared that one day a thoroughly corrupt and lawless person might be elected to the Presidency. That day is here, and it's time for the Legislative Branch to exercise its designated authority.
This is where our participation as active citizens can play a role, both by increasing pressure on traditional moderate Republicans (whose cooperation is essential) and by providing reassurance to them that there is broad public support for doing the right thing. We need to lead our "leaders", and work to bring about the impeachment of the President and Vice President, as well as the removal and replacement of Speaker Mike Johnson.
To learn more about the rationale and mechanics of Impeachment, and what we can do to help bring it about, please see these posts from FeathersOfHope.net :
"It is now clearer than ever that Merrick Garland was a highly questionable choice to serve as attorney general from the start. From the outset of the Biden presidency, it was readily apparent that Merrick Garland had little desire to investigate and potentially prosecute Trump." --- Politico magazine
Thanks Joseph. I don't even have one hour of law school but it seems to me that the stealing of the secret documents by DT should have been tried in Washington, DC where the crime actually occurred. Not in FL, a Republican state and with a DT appointed Federal Judge! Go figure... GH
All true, but the 11th commandment of the Republican Party pre-Trump was “thou shalt not criticize a fellow Republican.” Now that the Republican Party has gone all in on Trump, the 11th commandment now reads, ”thou shalt not criticize a fellow Trumper.”
Yeah, Mike, but it's not like Trump will ever be impeached for it, and anyway, Musk is not officially a part of government, which puts him beyond the reach of impeachment. But in the past people have been executed for treason. Too bad it would be hard to prove, especially as our investigative agencies and now headed by Trump stooges.
Who is committing "high treason", Musk or the Republican President? If the president had any common sense, he would recognize that a unvetted man without a valid *need to know* is being given access to some of the highest secrets of the United States. Trump has supposedly backed away from that authorization. I fully expect the president will soon back away from that spasm of resolve.
Of course Musk is working for China AND Putin. As a citizen he has met with these foreign dignitaries. But no one stopped him! Much of the damage getting done is due to a lack of appropriate punishments for all the other broken laws, violations of the Constitution, etc.
Yes, Seeking Reason, tRump should have gone straight to jail , if not on JAn 6th, certainly after taking and refusing to give up the classified National Security documents.there was a lot of evidence that suggested that he was not working in the United States ' interests. Remember his statements to Putin in Helsinki. Dissing our intelligence people by saying he trusted Putin, on the National stage. Traitor!
His pet judge in FL shut down the document case. Everyone knows he is a crook who used to rely on shyster lawyers to delay and disrupt but now he has the ability to -- in essence -- write the laws to suit his purposes.
The big money opened the door for him. Musk is the biggest money guy. He works for Them.and Putin and his oligarchs. The billionaires. He should not have anything to do with our National Defense. He should not get subsidies, or anything else from US. His competitors should get the contracts that he does not deserve.
IDK why cannon never seemed to be challenged by appropriate court officials.... she made SOOOOO many "questionable" (being generous there..) decisions.
It seemed to me that he gave her that position in exchange for her doing his bidding when it became necessary.... OR.... he/someone else were paying her off. Maybe other justices were also being paid to look the other way. IDK how anyone could figure out the "pay-off" part easily. (Now, if you're talking about "justice" thomas.. that's another story because his pay-offs came in such obvious forms...)
L duffy ; the DOJ was headed up by a Republican sycophant. Complicity and incompetency of Democrats had nothing to do with it. Merrick Garland was as "conservative" as it gets, in a corrupt way. He may have been incompetent or complicit. He certainly was useless.
Thanks Laurie. DT should have been arrested as soon as he stepped on American soil after his treasonous conduct with Putin in Helsinki. Just what does Putin have on him? Curious and patriotic minds want to know!
I agree; our present distress didn’t develop in a vacuum. I blame the GOP, going back to Newt Gingrich when he was in Congress. Also look at the candidates for president on the GOP side, we went from George W., to Sarah Palin, to Donald Trump. John McCain was the last credible candidate for president for the GOP. McCain was a man of principle and was solidly rejected by his own party.
He was supporting the extreme right wing faction in Germany recently. They did not win the election, but he was supporting them, just like he is threatening anyone who challenges tRUMP. he threatens to use his money to help tRUMP'S Opponents, to 'primary' them. I say he supports dictators of the world.he wants that kind of power for himself, ultimately.
he's been doing the same thing in 7-8 other countries as well..... guy w/ waaaay too much $$$$$$ and an ego the same size... hooking up with similar personalities: what could go wrong?
MM Harris ; Damn straight! More money than brains. It made me feel ill to hear a "journalist" on MSNBC say that he is a brilliant tech guy. His Kid used as a prop on his shoulders, fake chainsaws, and bouncing around like a toddler and all. Also makes me feel sick when they repeat the lie that tRUMP "won' the 2024 election. It needed investigating. Only the clown show gets to do that, when they lose. The 2024 election was a fraud.
Cathy - I think putin and xi are too smart for that. more probable, to my way of thinking, is that he's just another useful idiot for them, although considerably smarter than dumpster.
Doubt that trump cares if the money was acquired legally. Trump only cares about money (no matter how acquired) and power. He is a “man” of limited knowledge, poor judgment and minimal intelligence. He is basically a street thug with a taste for flash and gilt.
Musk can influence but not control power Houses like Xi Jinping or Putin. But I would say Putin is more susceptible to being taken down by his people! He knows to stay away from hotel windows!
SeekingReason - you must be confusing musk (and really, all billionaires) with a lower caste person like you or me, for whom the laws are made. musk don't need no stinking laws.
Musk's has ties to China (self interest) , but his working for them is less clear. Trump, however, is a Russian asset - working in coordination with and to the benefit of Putin. He's tossed USA's global position onto the trash heap, with residual harm to alliances. Next up, Musk/Turmp rendering the USA's economy weak and vulnerable to financial exploitation by themselves, oligarchs, including Putin, and corporations. Trump has been Russified for decades, he believes in the Putin worldview, He may think he's Putin's pal but he's putin's stooge.
Also, Trump is purported to have a "recurring role" in the Epstein tapes. John Mark Dougan, a Florida Deputy Sheriff, with access to the tapes during his investigation of Epstein claims to have backup copies of the trove of evidence related to Epstein which were seized in an FBI raid. Dougan has since defected to Russia and now works to spread disinformation to the US. He states: “My copies of the files will never be released unless something untoward happens to me, because they are my guarantee of safety for me and my family in the US,” Dougan said.
So, does Putin have the tapes? If so, that's a whole lot of kompromat on a whole lot scared men in high places.
Of course Musk is indebted and managed by China. The Musk, China, War planning story that broke in the NYTimes last night may be the biggest scandal yet for Trump 2.0. Depending on your perspective, it might have been leaked by President Eisenhower's ghost as a renewed warning about the dangers of the "military-industrial" complex or it might be a current version of the Pentagon Papers.
For Elon Musk, to get deeper and deeper into Pentagon war planning, for what ever reasons, is a terrifying prospect.
He's already a large military contractor with competitors, so his conflict of interests alone should prohibit his involvement.
Add to this, the hack job he made of DOGE, we should all worry what controls Musk is seeking over our national defense and what lies he will tell, and his co-president Trump will tell to cover his tracks.
It's especially ironic that he will be briefed in war scenarios with China. I spent 20 years consulting to many large US companies on China business strategies. We should assume Musk is beholden to China's central committee and the CCPs senior leadership because of China's large support for Tesla.
Maybe Musk and Trump are splitting global spheres of power. Trump is answering to Putin and Musk will be answering to Xi.
Stay tuned..this story will last more than one cycle
It would seem that an elected executive person who shares the country’s secrets is not acting in psychologically stable ways, which is addressed by a specific amendment. It also should be recognized that any action or behavior which is unconstitutional is not an official act of the office or while in office. Therefore, it would not be protected as an official act. It could not be protected by immunity, could it?
Thanks to mcconnel 's right wing supremes, maybe dumpty can escape penalty eventually, but his henchman should not be able to......recall neremburg..."following orders" is no defense for committing illegal acts. And treason should sink both ASAP!
as long as the GOPs in Congress are willing to take such risks on Musk, which is crazy of course, then there isn't much we can do about it except inform the public. They were willing to confirm Headspace. Maybe they figured Headspace would have enough grownups around to constrain him. Not much the GOP makes sense to me in terms of even their own longer term security. They seem purely reactive in the moment. Like there is no such thing as history. 100% short-term focused political animals.
The footage of some gop town hall meetings suggest that the spineless wonders are simply not too smart, period..... many look like they couldn't control a small group of kindergarteners, are in way over their heads, and have no clue about the actual BIG PICTURE.... here in the US alone, much less the even bigger picture re musk (& trump) re possible shady involvements with xi and putin.
Imagine in 2028 a Democrat is elected President. What would stop Musk (China) from taking over our Space X satellite defense systems and otherwise wreaking havoc on our safety and security?
All I can add to this, is that it is just too FUCKING obvious what is happening. I keep hearing if, and when in regard to 2026 elections, but democracy will be dead and buried under rusty Teslas and golden sneakers, long before then.
As a retired career Air Force Intelligence officer, there's little doubt in my mind about the apparent espionage, past and present, in the White House, (or technically in Mar a Lago?) Intelligence documents belong in a SCIF!
Thank you Supreme Court Justices who decided that limits on campaign contributions and spending were unnecessary and by so doing awarded our government to the highest bidder(s).
I was not even following politics that closely OR the scotus during the campaign contribution issue discussions, but when the decision was made public, I immediately thought, "What the HELL were they thinking??"
His immature, erratic, and highly unprofessional behavior alone should have given anyone with minimal intelligence pause.... but I guess if you're a professional manipulator you figure his $$$$$$$ alone is worth the possible negative ramifications??
WE may not know if there are active, concrete relations between Trump or Musk and China and Russia - but we can be fairly certain that SOMEONE in either country's Intelligence Services does know...including in the U.S.
Robert, I wish you wouldn't use photos or even cartoon portraits of Trusk. I immediately scroll up to hide them when I read your newsletter. How about Putin and Xi Jinping instead? Or how about a Space-X and Starlink cartoons. I just can't stand to see their ugly faces. I listen to the news now rather than watch it so I don't have to see them. I even prefer commentators that read DTs words rather than playing a recording of him speaking. While I know it is a hard choice, I do wish the media would not focus so much on DTs crap giving him inordinate air time! I'm much happier when commentators like Rachel Maddow spend time on all the protests and empty seat town halls which encourages the rest of the us to act as well. Thank you.
I am still totally confused. How is he not being sued vigorously? He is not a formal government employee. He probably does not have full security clearance. Everything they are doing is illegal and the courts are still splitting hairs and giving too much leeway.
There IS a pending lawsuit asking all these questions SPECIFICALLY... that's why the administration keeps dancing around WHO is actually (and officially) in charge of doge..
How much security clearance does he have to have in order to have his hands and 20-something minions' hands in the agencies and inner workings of the federal government??? ANY??? In the U.S. Treasury, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, all the federal student loans, etc., etc., etc., you name it??? What about Trump?
Robert, you have hit it with your closing line "Manchurian heads of the U.S???" What, Taiwan to China like Hawaii to the U.S.? The absurdity tells it all. Clearly this 'alien' is too deep in the pants of the US military already and would love to control it all and make the world his little toy.
Nationalize his holdings with the US military on the grounds of subversive foreign activity.
If you Google the 2024 National Platform or the Party Platform of the state you live in you can read the platforms. MN has 16 Bullet Points that state Our Platform then they explain what we mean. Does that help?
When Democrats have something in writing that defines who we are we should defer to it instead of letting others define us like when they say we want to defund the police.
How do we know whether the "candidate" that promotes our platform is not bought? "Allegiance" is a scary word in these times. The truth is what we need.no matter what.
You never know for sure but it helps if when you ask them a question they answer "Let's see what Our Platform says". Allegiance.....loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.
Tom Kurhajetz, what are you referring to? Could you please be more specific and offer more information??? I have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Thank you!!!
I think, and must hope, that there are much smarter people in our government that will not allow this to continue. Experts in law, the Constitution, Intelligence. I am hopefull a plan, or plans are being formulated. To stop individuals who are not working for the people of this country and our allies. I know there are. I believe in this country, with all its historical faults. We are much better than this. Smarter than this. I must believe.
This is all high treasonous behavior.
Yet nobody is calling them on it! It is like maga has completely taken over our country and are loving watching it burn!
You've hit the nail on the head. Every level of the government has been infected by these Nazis.
Trump, Musk, Vance (and others)are guilty of treason.:
"Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned"
They've certainly been adhering and giving aid to the enemies of the US.
However, so what. There's is nothing left of the government to hold them to account. Even by some chance they did impeach Trump and Vance (and lock up Elon), assuming you could get them out of the Oval office some other Nazi would take over: DeSantis, MTG, Ramaswammy, take your pick there is an inexhaustible pool of Nazi horror just waiting to bubble over.
Let's not project the unknown but deal with the now. Step-by-step we pull ourselves out of this mess.
Thanks Mark. Republican presidents, politicians and businessmen have been selling us out to Russia and China since Nixon/Kissinger went to China in July 1972. There may not be enough oak trees in the entire country to hang all of those traitors. Keep up the fight for freedom everywhere... GH
Donald Trump,
This is a clear, direct statement: You are not a dictator. You are not a king. You are not above the law. No matter how loudly you bluster, no matter how many lies you repeat, no matter how many sycophants you surround yourself with, the United States of America is a constitutional republic governed by laws, not the whims of a man who imagines himself beyond them.
You were elected—twice now—to serve as President under the Constitution of the United States, not to rule by decree. The Constitution requires that you follow the law, obey judicial rulings, and enforce the will of Congress, not tear down institutions for your personal power grabs. You swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. This is not optional. This is not negotiable.
You are issuing executive orders that are blatantly illegal. You have no right to deport individuals arbitrarily, no matter what propaganda you peddle. Immigration policy is governed by laws passed by Congress, subject to review by the courts, and your duty is to enforce those laws within the limits established by both legislative authority and judicial oversight. You do not have the power to override the courts or Congress because you find it inconvenient.
Defiance of the judiciary is defiance of the Constitution. No President has ever been permitted to ignore the courts without consequence. You are not an exception. If you continue to violate judicial orders and the rule of law, there will be impeachment proceedings. Removal from office, if not eventual criminal prosecution, is inevitable for any leader who treats the Constitution as an obstacle to personal power. History will not be kind to those who trample the law.
Further, Elon Musk has no place anywhere near the machinery of American government. He is not an elected official. He is not a policy expert. He is a businessman with a checkered record who poses a growing threat to democracy. His involvement in government is reckless, dangerous, and wholly unacceptable. We do not want his influence anywhere near decisions that affect the rights, freedoms, and livelihoods of Americans. His agenda is not aligned with democratic values or the principles of a free republic. Keep him out.
You must respect the rule of law. You must adhere to judicial decisions. You must uphold the constitutional separation of powers. The legislative branch makes the laws. The judiciary interprets them. You are part of the executive branch, which enforces them—nothing more, nothing less. You have no unilateral power to decide what laws exist, nor do you have the authority to punish or deport anyone outside the bounds of legal process.
No amount of demagoguery will change this. No amount of propaganda from Fox News, OAN, Breitbart, or your cronies will obscure the truth. You are accountable. You are constrained by law. If you refuse to respect this reality, you will face consequences far beyond the court of public opinion.
We do not live in an autocracy. You are not Vladimir Putin. You are not Xi Jinping. You are bound by the Constitution, and if you choose to ignore it, the people of this country, working through their elected representatives and the courts, will stop you. We have done it before. We will do it again.
This is your warning: Follow the law. Respect the courts. Enforce the will of Congress. You are not above any of it.
I appreciate your statement. However the Trumpian transgressions are nonstop. There has been insufficient political will to STOP the coup. We are currently a failed state. It remains to be seen who will now die for our democratic republic. All the sacrifices and civil services of the past 80 years are dishonored. Americans with our allies have imagined and created the foundation for worldwide peace and prosperity. These institutions are now being trashed. The good will of “soft power” and the nourishing of the less fortunate is being demolished before our eyes. The richest country in the world is now being set on a course of exploitation of public resources. Havoc, destruction, desecration, and cruelty are the disorder of the day. Hate, fear, suffering, and dehumanization are our daily fare. Power, greed, and retribution define us. Truth is cut off. Intimidation abounds.
BUT WATCH OUT.
KINDNESS WILL PREVAIL.
Dear Dr. Reich,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing out of a deep sense of frustration and concern regarding the current state of Democratic leadership—or more precisely, the absence of it—at a time when the country desperately needs vocal, principled defenders of democracy and truth.
As someone who served in a Democratic administration and maintains an insider’s perspective, I ask you candidly: Where are our leaders? Where is President Obama? Where are Secretary Clinton, President Clinton, Vice President Harris, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the other prominent voices who once galvanized millions?
At this critical juncture—when Fox News functions as a relentless propaganda machine masquerading as journalism, when Trump and his acolytes peddle corrosive lies about the "most corrupt administration in history," and when democracy itself stands on a knife's edge—why are these powerful voices silent? The vacuum they leave behind is filled daily with disinformation, cynicism, and dangerous populist rhetoric. Their silence is both deafening and damning.
I watch President Biden—a man whose legislative achievements have been substantial, particularly in undoing the catastrophic wreckage left by the Trump administration—face a relentless smear campaign with little to no effective counterbalance from his party’s most recognizable figures. Biden’s communication strategy has failed to publicize his administration's accomplishments in a way that breaks through the noise. Consequently, the American public remains vulnerable to disinformation and manipulation.
The Clintons and the Obamas are still regarded by many as formidable leaders and skilled communicators. Barack Obama remains one of the finest orators of our time. Bill Clinton, for all his moral failings, remains a consummate political strategist. Pete Buttigieg is articulate, informed, and a rising star in Democratic politics. Yet, they remain inexplicably quiet. We are not hearing them lead the charge against the tidal wave of misinformation and authoritarian creep.
It is utterly incomprehensible that, faced with a growing fascist threat, these figures are not mounting a robust and unified defense of democratic values in every forum possible—on television, in town halls, in op-eds, and at mass rallies. Where is the moral urgency? Where is the strategic coordination? Why do we, the people who care deeply about this nation’s future, feel so abandoned by those who once inspired us?
This is not a time for cautious diplomacy or political calculation. This is a time to sound the alarm and fight with clarity and courage. And yet, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, who continues to speak truth to power (although some perceive him as too far to the left), there is an eerie and infuriating silence from the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders.
Dr. Reich, you are a principled voice and have consistently articulated the stakes we face. But why is there not a unified and forceful counteroffensive from those who once carried the banner of the Democratic Party? We are left to wonder if our leadership has either lost its nerve or is trapped in a misguided hope that civility and reason alone will save us from the abyss.
I ask you plainly: What on earth is happening? Why has this fight been abandoned to a few lone voices while the machinery of authoritarianism marches on, largely uncontested by those with the stature to command the nation’s attention?
With urgency and respect,
Thanks Michael.
You have summed up the exact feeling of tens-of-millions of the Real Patriotic Americans.
Keep up the good work... GH
Dear Dr. Reich,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing out of a deep sense of frustration and concern regarding the current state of Democratic leadership—or more precisely, the absence of it—at a time when the country desperately needs vocal, principled defenders of democracy and truth.
As someone who served in a Democratic administration and maintains an insider’s perspective, I ask you candidly: Where are our leaders? Where is President Obama? Where are Secretary Clinton, President Clinton, Vice President Harris, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the other prominent voices who once galvanized millions?
At this critical juncture—when Fox News functions as a relentless propaganda machine masquerading as journalism, when Trump and his acolytes peddle corrosive lies about the "most corrupt administration in history," and when democracy itself stands on a knife's edge—why are these powerful voices silent? The vacuum they leave behind is filled daily with disinformation, cynicism, and dangerous populist rhetoric. Their silence is both deafening and damning.
I watch President Biden—a man whose legislative achievements have been substantial, particularly in undoing the catastrophic wreckage left by the Trump administration—face a relentless smear campaign with little to no effective counterbalance from his party’s most recognizable figures. Biden’s communication strategy has failed to publicize his administration's accomplishments in a way that breaks through the noise. Consequently, the American public remains vulnerable to disinformation and manipulation.
The Clintons and the Obamas are still regarded by many as formidable leaders and skilled communicators. Barack Obama remains one of the finest orators of our time. Bill Clinton, for all his moral failings, remains a consummate political strategist. Pete Buttigieg is articulate, informed, and a rising star in Democratic politics. Yet, they remain inexplicably quiet. We are not hearing them lead the charge against the tidal wave of misinformation and authoritarian creep.
It is utterly incomprehensible that, faced with a growing fascist threat, these figures are not mounting a robust and unified defense of democratic values in every forum possible—on television, in town halls, in op-eds, and at mass rallies. Where is the moral urgency? Where is the strategic coordination? Why do we, the people who care deeply about this nation’s future, feel so abandoned by those who once inspired us?
This is not a time for cautious diplomacy or political calculation. This is a time to sound the alarm and fight with clarity and courage. And yet, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, who continues to speak truth to power (although some perceive him as too far to the left), there is an eerie and infuriating silence from the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders.
Dr. Reich, you are a principled voice and have consistently articulated the stakes we face. But why is there not a unified and forceful counteroffensive from those who once carried the banner of the Democratic Party? We are left to wonder if our leadership has either lost its nerve or is trapped in a misguided hope that civility and reason alone will save us from the abyss.
I ask you plainly: What on earth is happening? Why has this fight been abandoned to a few lone voices while the machinery of authoritarianism marches on, largely uncontested by those with the stature to command the nation’s attention?
With urgency and respect,
I understand and appreciate his contributions, but the reality is that he was part of a Democratic administration and maintains high-level contacts within the Democratic establishment. If someone with his stature and influence can’t help motivate meaningful action, then it’s hard to see how we avoid catastrophe. Academia, particularly the Ivy League institutions, seems to be crumbling under the weight of its own contradictions. How can we continue to place our faith in academic institutions when they repeatedly fail us in moments of crisis?
History offers chilling examples: several of the leaders of the Einsatzgruppen held PhDs, and Joseph Goebbels himself earned a doctorate in philology. The medical community in Germany, supposedly dedicated to preserving life, was among the first professional groups to align itself with the Nazi regime. When things fall apart, these intellectual and professional elites are often the first to disappear or capitulate.
Meanwhile, I’m on Truth Social every night, often having my accounts banned, yet I keep returning, speaking out, and challenging the lies. I have a small following—perhaps 15 people—but I’m there, actively confronting the disinformation. And yet, I don’t see our so-called leaders engaging on that front. Where are they? Why am I, an ordinary citizen, seemingly the only one standing in the breach?
Yes, individual efforts are valuable, and I appreciate them. But collectively, this group—the academics, the politicians, the intellectuals—should have done far more. Their inaction, complacency, and cowardice have brought us to this precipice. Columbia University has already folded under pressure, as have numerous law groups. It seems as if many of these leaders are content as long as they can keep their multiple homes and luxury cars. They no longer care what happens to anyone else.
It’s disheartening to see so much education, so many resources, and so much influence squandered because basic moral courage is lacking. Without a foundation of fundamental morality, all the degrees and accolades in the world are meaningless.
And this lesson isn’t new. Philosophers and leaders have warned about this for centuries: education without ethical grounding is dangerous. Yet here we are, watching history repeat itself.
Yes, I might sound unhinged — but how else should a sane person respond to this madness?
Those of us who believed in building a just country, those who fought and sacrificed and struggled for progress — we’re watching it all be burned down in real time. The dream we invested in is slipping into the hands of a cult, not a government. This has nothing to do with governance, law, or leadership. It's about blind devotion, manipulation, and rage.
The wealth of this country was built on slavery and centuries of institutionalized misery. We endured a Civil War. We suffered through the Great Depression, Vietnam, assassinations, injustice upon injustice. And through all that, we believed — however naively — that maybe, just maybe, we were getting somewhere. That we were evolving as a species. That truth, equality, reason, and democracy might finally triumph.
Instead, what did we do?
We handed the megaphone to the lowest, loudest voices. We coddled ignorance and called it "freedom." We allowed propaganda to parade as journalism. We surrendered facts to feelings. And now, here we are, teetering on the edge of fascism again — despite knowing where that road leads.
And yes, I have written volumes. I have essays, articles, and warnings ready to go — but what’s the point? Everything that needs to be said has been said. The people we most desperately need to reach won’t listen. Not because they disagree, but because they can’t. They’re in a cult. They’ve given up their critical thinking in exchange for identity, grievance, and a false sense of belonging.
Donald Trump couldn't run a public toilet without fouling it up. And yet he’s propped up by a cabal of criminals, grifters, and sociopaths who know exactly what they’re doing. These are not patriots. These are not Christians. These are not leaders. These are parasites who feed on chaos, fear, and ignorance.
And we let it happen.
Why?
Because we failed to protect the First Amendment from abuse. Because Obama — as brilliant and articulate as he was — lacked the political courage to confront the rising tide of disinformation. Because Democrats believed the system would hold. It didn’t.
We allowed lies to become law. We allowed Rupert Murdoch to poison the minds of millions. We allowed Facebook, YouTube, and Fox News to turn ignorance into a product and fear into a lifestyle.
And now, here we are — shouting into the abyss, knowing that truth doesn’t matter anymore to the ones who most need it.
So yes, I’m angry. Yes, I sound unhinged. But if you’re not angry right now, then you’re not paying attention.
Yes, I might sound unhinged — but how else should a sane person respond to this madness?
Those of us who believed in building a just country, those who fought and sacrificed and struggled for progress — we’re watching it all be burned down in real time. The dream we invested in is slipping into the hands of a cult, not a government. This has nothing to do with governance, law, or leadership. It's about blind devotion, manipulation, and rage.
The wealth of this country was built on slavery and centuries of institutionalized misery. We endured a Civil War. We suffered through the Great Depression, Vietnam, assassinations, injustice upon injustice. And through all that, we believed — however naively — that maybe, just maybe, we were getting somewhere. That we were evolving as a species. That truth, equality, reason, and democracy might finally triumph.
Instead, what did we do?
We handed the megaphone to the lowest, loudest voices. We coddled ignorance and called it "freedom." We allowed propaganda to parade as journalism. We surrendered facts to feelings. And now, here we are, teetering on the edge of fascism again — despite knowing where that road leads.
And yes, I have written volumes. I have essays, articles, and warnings ready to go — but what’s the point? Everything that needs to be said has been said. The people we most desperately need to reach won’t listen. Not because they disagree, but because they can’t. They’re in a cult. They’ve given up their critical thinking in exchange for identity, grievance, and a false sense of belonging.
Donald Trump couldn't run a public toilet without fouling it up. And yet he’s propped up by a cabal of criminals, grifters, and sociopaths who know exactly what they’re doing. These are not patriots. These are not Christians. These are not leaders. These are parasites who feed on chaos, fear, and ignorance.
And we let it happen.
Why?
Because we failed to protect the First Amendment from abuse. Because Obama — as brilliant and articulate as he was — lacked the political courage to confront the rising tide of disinformation. Because Democrats believed the system would hold. It didn’t.
We allowed lies to become law. We allowed Rupert Murdoch to poison the minds of millions. We allowed Facebook, YouTube, and Fox News to turn ignorance into a product and fear into a lifestyle.
And now, here we are — shouting into the abyss, knowing that truth doesn’t matter anymore to the ones who most need it.
So yes, I’m angry. Yes, I sound unhinged. But if you’re not angry right now, then you’re not paying attention.
Yes! Corporate media continue to cover for them, and apparently, not out of fear. They've bought their way into favor with DT, so why antagonize him? Better, why not be loyal citizens instead?
Huh?
I am with you, Joan . . . Huh??
Blame Chief Justice John Marshall. He’s responsible for setting the evidential bar so high to obtaining a verdict of treason that it’s well nigh impossible to bring the charge to begin with. A People’s Court, however, would convict Trump of treason and deal a quick death to his shabby political career.
Musk is not MAGA. He is as globalist as globalist can be.
Victor, I do not see Musk as globalist; he is selfist. He will do whatever is necessary for himself to gain anything and everything he can get his corrupt hands on. He has no moral compass, only a drug that supposedly keeps him going, a huge pool of hatreds, racism, misogyny, and more. He clamped onto Trump because Trump is so pathetically manipulatable. Musk would do away with Trump in a minute if it would serve his personal aims. The thing is, Trump would do the same to Musk if he knew or understood what Musk and his paw patrol were up to.
So who is top dog here?
What happens when these three "colossal selfish ego's collide?
Who's got the leverage over whom?
Putin has something on Don - So Putin owns Dono.
Mob boss Dono owes Musk for getting him elected.
Musk's money means he also owns Dono.
Musk had seemed to be acting as Dono's new "Roy Cohn"... his fixer. He can buy anything - use his money to threaten anyone in politics and perhaps use his money to bring armed guards to harm anyone who gets in his way.
It's convenient that Musk is what you call an"off the books official or as unofficial-he can be at arm's length with Dono. Don can blame this or that on Elon. The appalling Musk swaggering with his cool big balls bro's as he sets to work carving up government programs, and oh well - mistakes can happen in cutting off Ebola treatments.
So who has power over Musk?
Putin has always had Dono under his thumb and it's hard to imagine anything changing that. But what was Musk talking with Putin about this past year... He has global ambitions, and both of Don and Elon admire and seek to learn from him.
The thing is Putin is molded by different means. The forces that shaped his upbringing made him a ruthless and cunning mercenary. He could squash them like bugs...hunt down and poison their loved ones, he's deadly serious and he would take his time.
Now Elon seems to be both the hit man - and wanting his conflicts solved. He's working on the inside to get all the cases against his company or his conflicts of interest and his legal matters erased. He taking the screws to every part of the government and holding court in the oval, and joking around as a featured guest at cabinet meetings. Elon and Don are going to fly too close to the sun...Putin will use them to achieve his own ends to get what he wants -He's giddy that these jokers are dismantling the global world order to tilt in his favor.
Both Elon and Putin have global ambitions for power, and Elon and Dono are both ego manics living for attention.
Despite Donald Trump’s carefully cultivated persona as a master negotiator and political disruptor, it’s evident that his understanding of geopolitics is superficial at best. His grasp of global affairs seems limited to crude transactionalism—alliances measured by personal flattery, perceived strength, and opportunities for enrichment. There is little evidence that Trump comprehends the intricate consequences of foreign policy decisions or the long-term strategic calculations they entail.
At his core, Trump is a classic example of a malignant narcissist and a deviant sociopath. He is driven not by ideological conviction or informed statecraft but by an insatiable need for adulation and power. His fixation on authoritarian figures like Vladimir Putin stems from a deep-seated admiration for unchecked authority and the veneration of strongman rule. Putin, a shrewd and calculating strategist, recognizes these vulnerabilities and has exploited them masterfully.
The relationship is asymmetrical. While Trump appears to genuinely believe he is engaging as an equal with a geopolitical peer, he is, in reality, an unwitting pawn. Putin flatters Trump’s ego, reinforcing his delusions of grandeur while advancing Russia’s strategic objectives. This manipulation has yielded tangible results: destabilization of NATO alliances, division within the European Union, and a fracturing of the United States’ internal cohesion. Each of these outcomes benefits Russia while eroding American global leadership.
The true motive behind Trump’s alignment with Putin is not the product of intellectual understanding or geopolitical foresight. Rather, it is rooted in Trump’s pursuit of personal validation, revenge against perceived enemies (the so-called "deep state" and Democrats), and potential financial entanglements with Russian oligarchs and entities. Eric Trump once boasted that Russian money was "pouring in" to the Trump Organization—an assertion that, while not fully substantiated, hints at deeper financial dependency and leverage.
Moreover, Trump's repeated efforts to use Russia as a political cudgel against his domestic opponents—such as his solicitation of Russian assistance in discrediting the Bidens—highlight his transactional approach to foreign policy. He sees foreign powers not as adversaries or allies within a complex system but as tools to secure his own power and status.
What is most alarming is that Trump’s lack of comprehension does not mitigate the danger he poses. On the contrary, his ignorance magnifies the risks. He blunders forward, indifferent to or incapable of understanding the catastrophic repercussions of his actions, making him all the more dangerous in the hands of a skilled manipulator like Putin.
In essence, Trump does not engage with Putin as a statesman but as a vainglorious figure desperate for approval. He is the useful idiot of Russian statecraft—a figurehead whose ego can be stroked into sacrificing American interests under the delusion of personal greatness.
Agree the Donald/Elon dynamic is muddled. Could it also reflect a decline in Trump's cognitive function. His baseline behavior is so pathological we would need serial brain MRI's to know- could he even have a brain tumor???
it appears he's owned by China,dependent as he is on that market-tho,if he builds- a mega-factory in India,that may change-he's also into robots,maybe a.i.,who knows what else
Yup.
He's a fascist and needs to go back to South Africa and ruin his own birth country. He doesn't comprehend our Constitution because of where he was brought up, as part of the ghastly white minority elite. He learned no moral or ethical values from his parents - and received funding from his father to start him on the track of becoming the richest man of earth. Talk about entitled? Who is he to destroy our institutions? Who voted for him? It's up to disaffected MAGAs and the Supreme Court to stop this destruction. Or what???? I'm very angry. Can't you tell?
Robin, I and many here share your anger. It's okay.
Apologies, Victor. I use maga for all of them! If the musk-rat plans to implement his stupid ideas on the entire world, maybe he is just delusional!
He's delusional but not stupid. A sociopath maybe. Why do you suppose he created StarLink? He owns us all from above.
He does have a medical disorder.
Sorry he's not a globalist (too flattering) but a pathetic shyster animal--bad breeding.
Peggy, it seems they have infiltrated the people's brains! Bizarre we are experiencing this odd behavior.
Yes, the founders would hang him and tRUMP, and maybe some of the cabal that supports them. They certainly would not end sanctions.
Absolutely right, Blair.
The founders included Article II, Section 4 (the Impeachment clause) in the Constitution, specifically because they feared that one day a thoroughly corrupt and lawless person might be elected to the Presidency. That day is here, and it's time for the Legislative Branch to exercise its designated authority.
This is where our participation as active citizens can play a role, both by increasing pressure on traditional moderate Republicans (whose cooperation is essential) and by providing reassurance to them that there is broad public support for doing the right thing. We need to lead our "leaders", and work to bring about the impeachment of the President and Vice President, as well as the removal and replacement of Speaker Mike Johnson.
To learn more about the rationale and mechanics of Impeachment, and what we can do to help bring it about, please see these posts from FeathersOfHope.net :
Feb. 5, https://jerryweiss.substack.com/p/resistance-is-not-enough
Feb 12, https://jerryweiss.substack.com/p/to-stop-the-coup-impeach-the-traitor
Feb. 18, https://jerryweiss.substack.com/p/impeachment-is-imperative
Feb. 25, https://jerryweiss,substack.com/p/remove-impeach-impeach
.
"It is now clearer than ever that Merrick Garland was a highly questionable choice to serve as attorney general from the start. From the outset of the Biden presidency, it was readily apparent that Merrick Garland had little desire to investigate and potentially prosecute Trump." --- Politico magazine
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/07/trump-legal-failures-blame-column-00187945
Been saying this dince Jan 21, 2021. He would have made an excellent Supreme Court justice but did not have the temperament for AG.
He is bad news. You were right. Congratulations.
Thanks Joseph. I don't even have one hour of law school but it seems to me that the stealing of the secret documents by DT should have been tried in Washington, DC where the crime actually occurred. Not in FL, a Republican state and with a DT appointed Federal Judge! Go figure... GH
He lacked the fight we needed--sadly.
All true, but the 11th commandment of the Republican Party pre-Trump was “thou shalt not criticize a fellow Republican.” Now that the Republican Party has gone all in on Trump, the 11th commandment now reads, ”thou shalt not criticize a fellow Trumper.”
From my talks with Trumpsters today, their slowly waking up to the truth of our present mess!
Slowly, like molasses. After Trump throws a few MAGAS to the lions, they may pick up their pace.
Among other things, we should continue to press our legislators for impeachment of Trump.
The idea might grow on the GOP if circumstances change against them.
Yeah, Mike, but it's not like Trump will ever be impeached for it, and anyway, Musk is not officially a part of government, which puts him beyond the reach of impeachment. But in the past people have been executed for treason. Too bad it would be hard to prove, especially as our investigative agencies and now headed by Trump stooges.
Who is committing "high treason", Musk or the Republican President? If the president had any common sense, he would recognize that a unvetted man without a valid *need to know* is being given access to some of the highest secrets of the United States. Trump has supposedly backed away from that authorization. I fully expect the president will soon back away from that spasm of resolve.
The president approves what musk is doing, but loves seeing the blame going to musk and not to himself.
Both Trump and Musk are treasonous. Trump going back to his first term.
He knows exactly what he is doing. He has authorized Musk. He is responsible. He is very skilled, like a good sociopath, to lie deftly.
Thanks Charles. Both are guilty of High Treason. DT put Musk in place to tear apart our country so DT is responsible for all he does.
Hang them both, soon... GH
Of course Musk is working for China AND Putin. As a citizen he has met with these foreign dignitaries. But no one stopped him! Much of the damage getting done is due to a lack of appropriate punishments for all the other broken laws, violations of the Constitution, etc.
Yes, Seeking Reason, tRump should have gone straight to jail , if not on JAn 6th, certainly after taking and refusing to give up the classified National Security documents.there was a lot of evidence that suggested that he was not working in the United States ' interests. Remember his statements to Putin in Helsinki. Dissing our intelligence people by saying he trusted Putin, on the National stage. Traitor!
His pet judge in FL shut down the document case. Everyone knows he is a crook who used to rely on shyster lawyers to delay and disrupt but now he has the ability to -- in essence -- write the laws to suit his purposes.
The big money opened the door for him. Musk is the biggest money guy. He works for Them.and Putin and his oligarchs. The billionaires. He should not have anything to do with our National Defense. He should not get subsidies, or anything else from US. His competitors should get the contracts that he does not deserve.
It is twisted and unlawful that he can do that. The separation of powers, or the balance of powers is nonexistent.
Yes, that is Sickening. I can't believe that things had been so corrupted. The Supreme Court gave him broad immunity! Nuts!
SCOTUS needs to change that just as they overturned Roe v. Wade!
Yes! and why NOT?????? not even in effect for the 50 yrs Roe was!!
That might redeem them.l
IDK why cannon never seemed to be challenged by appropriate court officials.... she made SOOOOO many "questionable" (being generous there..) decisions.
follow the money. it's that simple.
It seemed to me that he gave her that position in exchange for her doing his bidding when it became necessary.... OR.... he/someone else were paying her off. Maybe other justices were also being paid to look the other way. IDK how anyone could figure out the "pay-off" part easily. (Now, if you're talking about "justice" thomas.. that's another story because his pay-offs came in such obvious forms...)
Paul, Cesmat : Sure looks that way
MM Harris, yes, he was given way too much latitude. Were they All bribed, threatened? Complicit?
The dems had 4 YEARS to put that man in prison. What was that? Were they Complicit or Incompetent?
You got it! BOTH.
Our Supreme Court has helped Trump out the entire time! Ditto! Will continue.
And the right wing owned media has been the MOST complicit of all! Extremely damaging!
Garland! Arrrghh...
L duffy ; the DOJ was headed up by a Republican sycophant. Complicity and incompetency of Democrats had nothing to do with it. Merrick Garland was as "conservative" as it gets, in a corrupt way. He may have been incompetent or complicit. He certainly was useless.
incompetent
he's had those same documents RETURNED TO MAR A LAGO!!
May be new boxes for MAL Trump to sell again?
Trump has no ethics or morals! It is anywhere he can make money and get more power! Ruthless crook!
Disgusting and terrifying.
I guess that now he is the king and can do whatever he wants as long as it's his official act?
Thanks Laurie. DT should have been arrested as soon as he stepped on American soil after his treasonous conduct with Putin in Helsinki. Just what does Putin have on him? Curious and patriotic minds want to know!
He can't be gone soon enough...GH
Spot on Gary!
Thanks, Gary Harmon!
I agree; our present distress didn’t develop in a vacuum. I blame the GOP, going back to Newt Gingrich when he was in Congress. Also look at the candidates for president on the GOP side, we went from George W., to Sarah Palin, to Donald Trump. John McCain was the last credible candidate for president for the GOP. McCain was a man of principle and was solidly rejected by his own party.
McCain was politically destroyed by the oil barons. Bush knew better than to challenge them. So does Trump.
The Bush family are oil barons.
And Preston, the grandfather, sold weapons to the Nazis....
Actually, Musk is working for himself and using Xi Jinping and Putin for his own gain.
He was supporting the extreme right wing faction in Germany recently. They did not win the election, but he was supporting them, just like he is threatening anyone who challenges tRUMP. he threatens to use his money to help tRUMP'S Opponents, to 'primary' them. I say he supports dictators of the world.he wants that kind of power for himself, ultimately.
he's been doing the same thing in 7-8 other countries as well..... guy w/ waaaay too much $$$$$$ and an ego the same size... hooking up with similar personalities: what could go wrong?
MM Harris ; Damn straight! More money than brains. It made me feel ill to hear a "journalist" on MSNBC say that he is a brilliant tech guy. His Kid used as a prop on his shoulders, fake chainsaws, and bouncing around like a toddler and all. Also makes me feel sick when they repeat the lie that tRUMP "won' the 2024 election. It needed investigating. Only the clown show gets to do that, when they lose. The 2024 election was a fraud.
Cathy - I think putin and xi are too smart for that. more probable, to my way of thinking, is that he's just another useful idiot for them, although considerably smarter than dumpster.
As I like to say "Everyone is ignorant; just on different subjects!" Elon seems amazed and shocked that so many people are angry at him!
And has found a way to make Trump believe that all the money was acquired legally because Musk is so smart.
Devious not smart. But enough intelligence to be dangerous.
Doubt that trump cares if the money was acquired legally. Trump only cares about money (no matter how acquired) and power. He is a “man” of limited knowledge, poor judgment and minimal intelligence. He is basically a street thug with a taste for flash and gilt.
Almost certainly true.
And vice versa, no doubt.
Musk can influence but not control power Houses like Xi Jinping or Putin. But I would say Putin is more susceptible to being taken down by his people! He knows to stay away from hotel windows!
SeekingReason - you must be confusing musk (and really, all billionaires) with a lower caste person like you or me, for whom the laws are made. musk don't need no stinking laws.
Musk's has ties to China (self interest) , but his working for them is less clear. Trump, however, is a Russian asset - working in coordination with and to the benefit of Putin. He's tossed USA's global position onto the trash heap, with residual harm to alliances. Next up, Musk/Turmp rendering the USA's economy weak and vulnerable to financial exploitation by themselves, oligarchs, including Putin, and corporations. Trump has been Russified for decades, he believes in the Putin worldview, He may think he's Putin's pal but he's putin's stooge.
Also, Trump is purported to have a "recurring role" in the Epstein tapes. John Mark Dougan, a Florida Deputy Sheriff, with access to the tapes during his investigation of Epstein claims to have backup copies of the trove of evidence related to Epstein which were seized in an FBI raid. Dougan has since defected to Russia and now works to spread disinformation to the US. He states: “My copies of the files will never be released unless something untoward happens to me, because they are my guarantee of safety for me and my family in the US,” Dougan said.
So, does Putin have the tapes? If so, that's a whole lot of kompromat on a whole lot scared men in high places.
Of course Musk is indebted and managed by China. The Musk, China, War planning story that broke in the NYTimes last night may be the biggest scandal yet for Trump 2.0. Depending on your perspective, it might have been leaked by President Eisenhower's ghost as a renewed warning about the dangers of the "military-industrial" complex or it might be a current version of the Pentagon Papers.
For Elon Musk, to get deeper and deeper into Pentagon war planning, for what ever reasons, is a terrifying prospect.
He's already a large military contractor with competitors, so his conflict of interests alone should prohibit his involvement.
Add to this, the hack job he made of DOGE, we should all worry what controls Musk is seeking over our national defense and what lies he will tell, and his co-president Trump will tell to cover his tracks.
It's especially ironic that he will be briefed in war scenarios with China. I spent 20 years consulting to many large US companies on China business strategies. We should assume Musk is beholden to China's central committee and the CCPs senior leadership because of China's large support for Tesla.
Maybe Musk and Trump are splitting global spheres of power. Trump is answering to Putin and Musk will be answering to Xi.
Stay tuned..this story will last more than one cycle
It would seem that an elected executive person who shares the country’s secrets is not acting in psychologically stable ways, which is addressed by a specific amendment. It also should be recognized that any action or behavior which is unconstitutional is not an official act of the office or while in office. Therefore, it would not be protected as an official act. It could not be protected by immunity, could it?
Thanks to mcconnel 's right wing supremes, maybe dumpty can escape penalty eventually, but his henchman should not be able to......recall neremburg..."following orders" is no defense for committing illegal acts. And treason should sink both ASAP!
I am sure you are right….and now we need a national regurgitation on these traitors by the general public
as long as the GOPs in Congress are willing to take such risks on Musk, which is crazy of course, then there isn't much we can do about it except inform the public. They were willing to confirm Headspace. Maybe they figured Headspace would have enough grownups around to constrain him. Not much the GOP makes sense to me in terms of even their own longer term security. They seem purely reactive in the moment. Like there is no such thing as history. 100% short-term focused political animals.
The footage of some gop town hall meetings suggest that the spineless wonders are simply not too smart, period..... many look like they couldn't control a small group of kindergarteners, are in way over their heads, and have no clue about the actual BIG PICTURE.... here in the US alone, much less the even bigger picture re musk (& trump) re possible shady involvements with xi and putin.
And here with are, with Marco Rubio, senior statesman. If only more of the general public had a clue how bad things are.
Imagine in 2028 a Democrat is elected President. What would stop Musk (China) from taking over our Space X satellite defense systems and otherwise wreaking havoc on our safety and security?
Is a difference that makes no difference actually a difference? They are betrayers.
All I can add to this, is that it is just too FUCKING obvious what is happening. I keep hearing if, and when in regard to 2026 elections, but democracy will be dead and buried under rusty Teslas and golden sneakers, long before then.
As a retired career Air Force Intelligence officer, there's little doubt in my mind about the apparent espionage, past and present, in the White House, (or technically in Mar a Lago?) Intelligence documents belong in a SCIF!
Thank you Supreme Court Justices who decided that limits on campaign contributions and spending were unnecessary and by so doing awarded our government to the highest bidder(s).
I was not even following politics that closely OR the scotus during the campaign contribution issue discussions, but when the decision was made public, I immediately thought, "What the HELL were they thinking??"
Ha!! Good point!
Deport Musk and impeach Trump and Vance for treason.
Good luck!
Yeah, really. But it has to be said.
This had not even crossed my mind until now! It's definitely time to pay closer attention to Musk's business dealings in China.
One thing's for certain though: Musk cannot be— and never could be—trusted.
His immature, erratic, and highly unprofessional behavior alone should have given anyone with minimal intelligence pause.... but I guess if you're a professional manipulator you figure his $$$$$$$ alone is worth the possible negative ramifications??
He's always given me pause, I just didn't figure the China piece of the puzzle.
I don't understand your 'professional manipulator'reference?
puppeteer/s
WE may not know if there are active, concrete relations between Trump or Musk and China and Russia - but we can be fairly certain that SOMEONE in either country's Intelligence Services does know...including in the U.S.
tRump's first DNI - Dan Coats - a former congressman and expert on intelligence said out loud that he thought tRump was being blackmailed by Putin.
I know I never hired him to do anything for me or this country. He is a traitor!
Robert, I wish you wouldn't use photos or even cartoon portraits of Trusk. I immediately scroll up to hide them when I read your newsletter. How about Putin and Xi Jinping instead? Or how about a Space-X and Starlink cartoons. I just can't stand to see their ugly faces. I listen to the news now rather than watch it so I don't have to see them. I even prefer commentators that read DTs words rather than playing a recording of him speaking. While I know it is a hard choice, I do wish the media would not focus so much on DTs crap giving him inordinate air time! I'm much happier when commentators like Rachel Maddow spend time on all the protests and empty seat town halls which encourages the rest of the us to act as well. Thank you.
Thanks for the ref to Rachel's playing a clip from the no show Thom Tillis town hall in Greensboro NC. I was there with over 1100 others!
I am still totally confused. How is he not being sued vigorously? He is not a formal government employee. He probably does not have full security clearance. Everything they are doing is illegal and the courts are still splitting hairs and giving too much leeway.
Everyone bows down to him because of his perceived power. It's insane we haven't booted him yet.
There IS a pending lawsuit asking all these questions SPECIFICALLY... that's why the administration keeps dancing around WHO is actually (and officially) in charge of doge..
How much security clearance does he have to have in order to have his hands and 20-something minions' hands in the agencies and inner workings of the federal government??? ANY??? In the U.S. Treasury, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, all the federal student loans, etc., etc., etc., you name it??? What about Trump?
Robert, you have hit it with your closing line "Manchurian heads of the U.S???" What, Taiwan to China like Hawaii to the U.S.? The absurdity tells it all. Clearly this 'alien' is too deep in the pants of the US military already and would love to control it all and make the world his little toy.
Nationalize his holdings with the US military on the grounds of subversive foreign activity.
Your last sentence suggests a brilliant move…of course all of the people who would need to execute that are toadies to the traitor in the White House
ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE!!!!!
ORGANIZE OVER THE COMMON GOOD DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. JUST READ THE PLATFORM BULLET POINTS. ORGANIZE!!!!
ALLEGIANCE TO OUR PLATFORM AND THE CANDIDATE THAT PROMOTES OUR PLATFORM!
Indivisible is holding a national day of action on April 5th. To sign up, go to: https://handsoff2025.com/ .
Tom, can you post a link?
If you Google the 2024 National Platform or the Party Platform of the state you live in you can read the platforms. MN has 16 Bullet Points that state Our Platform then they explain what we mean. Does that help?
When Democrats have something in writing that defines who we are we should defer to it instead of letting others define us like when they say we want to defund the police.
How do we know whether the "candidate" that promotes our platform is not bought? "Allegiance" is a scary word in these times. The truth is what we need.no matter what.
You never know for sure but it helps if when you ask them a question they answer "Let's see what Our Platform says". Allegiance.....loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.
How do we know you aren't the same guy who posts ALL CAPS elsewhere?
I might have a different message...correct?
Tom Kurhajetz, what are you referring to? Could you please be more specific and offer more information??? I have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Thank you!!!
I know! Let's deport Muskrat! And impeach FOTUS!
I have an active imagination.
I like your active imagination. It is a great beginning…..next?
Ellen, excellent ideas !
I think, and must hope, that there are much smarter people in our government that will not allow this to continue. Experts in law, the Constitution, Intelligence. I am hopefull a plan, or plans are being formulated. To stop individuals who are not working for the people of this country and our allies. I know there are. I believe in this country, with all its historical faults. We are much better than this. Smarter than this. I must believe.
Maybe he can be the first person on Mars!