Do you know why it is, our Mr. Trump finds so much pleasure in lying? It's because he fears the truth. The truth to Trump is akin to the bucket of water that splashed on a certain wicked witch in the movie OZ. If we all knew who and what Donald Trump really was --even his shadow would leave him. He's like a blimp, remove the hot air and all that's left is a shriveled shell. Every accomplishment Donnie has accredited himself with doing, came about through the use of his endless and unfounded pool of lies. He is little more than a street thug in an expensive suit. How this country became so entangled in Trump's insanity is a subject that will occupy historians long after we and he have passed. I would love to live long enough to read exactly what they print in reference to who Trump was and the destruction he brought upon this country. In my meager existence, I've never come across a more worthless slice of humanity than Donald J. Trump.
I hope you can "hear" the applause I'm sending for your comment because it is so well said and so true. Your words about the utterly mind-baffling questions as to why this has happened and what he has wrought are at the heart of the matter. On some of tonight's (Monday 7/27) MSNow programs, he was shown giving a "speech" in Michigan and it was, no surprise, lies and delusions and insults and just ugly brain-sputum that he produces. But what was a surprise, what is always a surprise, are the crowds - that people attend, take their children (!), cheer, laugh, applaud, raise their hands as if in one of those "hands up" church events. He stands in front of a crowd apparently made up of Michigan auto industry people, tells them lies about their own lives and their own experiences, tells them he has done more for them than their parents (!), makes his usual bizarre and repugnant sounds.....and it is just all beyond belief and beyond understanding. For all of the years that he has been forced on us, my family and I watch and listen and invariably ask WHY? HOW did this happen? Why are those people laughing, cheering, applauding? WHO would take their CHILDREN to hear that garbage?! He is an abomination and an affront to all that is normal, decent, sane, honorable.
Kathleen, yes, Trump did have to hire folks when he did his descending escalator crap 11+ years ago. He has more money now and can spread around just enough from the bribes he has received. It is truly sad how easily some people can be conned and that they seem to want that honor.
They find the most enthusiastic people at his rallies to put behind him on stage so they appear on camera when he talks. During the 2024 campaign, they found the few African-Americans who came to his rallies and put them all together behind him on stage to "demonstrate" that he had tremendous support among the African-American community.
Interesting! And it is interesting how ordinary folks and the not so smart folks will prostitute themselves for a few bucks. And so it goes with the mentality of many in America.
Diet Pepsi: I did not see that speech in Michigan last night although you are not all that far off . . .Could be the crowd was somehow superimposed or an AI deal?
Sure, that's possible. Donald Trump is a 2-bit con artist, a carnival barker. Nothing more, nothing less. That fact that he is our president truly is a disgrace to our nation.
Annie, it need not be a surprise that so many people cheer trump's mindless drivel. He is a professional liar who has taken lessons from the masters of the craft like Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn, his lawyer from the 1970's. He has subverted the brains of these people in his 'audiences' so that to them, he can do no wrong. His cultists, they are unable to be educated until deprogrammed from the effects of his lying filth - he has them hypnotized. Those of us in our right minds need to move past him and them and sway the public who can still be educated - The People - and spread the Truth contrariwise to his lies and depose him from power. The elections are coming and he will surely try to destroy us by subverting them. We must get out in front of him.
Every lie is the exact opposite of the truth. So when Trump lies, he obviously knows the truth—he couldn't invert it otherwise. This is where Roy Cohn comes in. Trump's mentor taught him a crucial lesson: "You don't have to believe what you say." That's not a casual observation. That's permission to weaponize language. Truth and falsehood become irrelevant. What matters is what sticks. What mobilizes. What wins. Trump internalized that lesson perfectly.
Trump did not trouble himself to master academic courses. He realized that for his purposes - to rob the citizenship blind - Cohn's lesson was enough. One might say that to the mind of the dupe, fallacy replaces truth seamlessly.
Cohn's core principle was that when presented with an incontrovertible fact,
deny it bitterly and relentlessly. As Goebbels observed, "if you repeat the lie often enough (with conviction), people will come to believe it". As Hannah Arendt related, after the lie has been pounded into the susceptible mind enough times, one becomes numb to it and accepts it.
It wasn't a conscious decision to"not trouble himself" to learn anything. The man is not intelligent enough. He got through life because his stupidity was never confronted. Family money bought him" legitimacy" and removed any obstacle from his path.
Thanks Dennis. Goebbels is a great reference. I know folks, who after watching DT declare bankruptcy 6 times, be convicted on 34 felony business related tax scams, and been sued by countless vendors for non-payment... still think he is a great businessman! Can't fix stupid. All we can do is get out the vote and start to unwind this mess.
"As Goebbels observed, if you repeat the lie often enough (with conviction), people will come to believe it" - Read "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by prominent foreign correspondent, reporting from Europe during the rise of the Nazi regime, by William L. Shirer.
Joseph Goebbels actual said this about the English specifically Churchill:The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.
Of course he himself used the big lie, which he accused Churchill of.
Don't give Trump too much credit. Yes, he is a good front man, but his strings are pulled by Project 2025, America First Policy Institute, and the Heritage Foundation among other right-wing groups who want a strong leader who ends democracy. They all get their philosophy from Nazi and Fascist teachings. They write what Trump says.
Agreed, Alan. Dumpster, trained in the art of subversion, is the best snake oil salesman that the fascist marionettists can muster. For that he'll be hard to replace. The more dangerous fascists of the cadre are mainly horrid salesmen.
Annie--Thanks--He said our country was the only one that allowes Mail-in ballots--Bull-Apart from the United States, 33 other countries and territories permit in-country mail-in (postal) voting.
Not only a non sequitur, but don't you see it serves as a poor doubling down without answering the question begging for answer in the face of your #1 standing comment and what you stated without a doubt yesterday?
99% of those you see laughing, cheering, and applauding have white faces Annie. The same ones that laughed, cheered, and applauded at lynchings. Our Capitalist overlords recognize racism as a valued ally against the 99% who they exploit.
Yes indeed, and Trumpism encourages all he can that continues to divide the people. Not us! I know I'm preaching to the choir here and I'm getting burned-out a bit right now.
Annie, I hear the "crowds" cheering, waving, and the rest and wonder what is going on with those folks. then I remember that when Trump came down his stupid escalator, he had to hire folks to be there to hear his ridiculous ignorant speech. Now, the "crowds" (usually not much of a crowd) don't have to be paid, but their religious institutions tell them that Trump is god's messenger and other BS, and their lives are so pathetic they are desperate to believe it and cheer on the fool because, well, he really could be sent from god, their preacher told them so, right? They never stop to think what such an appalling messenger would be able to tell them. That's because they no longer actually listen to the speeches, just take in the "air of excitement" they are supposed to be feeling and have create it for themselves. I have heard members of the audience asked about what they found most interesting or important about the speech and they can't name one thing. They glow inthe light of the presence of their "messenger from god." That is truly sad and is a strong indicator that MAGA is a pathetic cult that is being created and supported by users who prey on their willingness to believe anything if it lets them have a few moments of relief from what that fool who's speaking and his toddler buddies have done to them.
Exactly Annie. I understand his wealthy and powerful friends backing him no matter what, because they are the greediest people ever born and trumps benefits them. (And that includes the republican congress). But, I will never understand those throngs of people behind him. I can only find two explanations…racism and ignorance.
My profound question, “WHO are these people”? These people are my greatest fear, not DJT. Most of my family and my neighbors are riddled with “these people”. And I recognized them long, long before DJT and his infamous quote, “You’re Fired “. He would not exist without these people. He did not create them. He just speaks their language. Their self imposed ignorance is staggering beyond belief.
Joan Diehl - You have my frequent thought exactly: Who are these people?! How is this possible? Did we all come of age in the same country??
As I posted to another person above, I will repeat this:
If you want to see/hear your explanation (of ignorance) in real life, this YouTube video of some of the people attending Thump's Monday rally in Michigan provides some proof. Warning: it's pretty disheartening, but then so is current reality about Thump & mob generally:
Annie, you ask how and why did the Donald ever get elected. First he has a mental psychosis, sociaopathy. Very convincing liars living in thire own world. Second, low voter turnaout and third poor judges of character. I hope it's a lesson to Americans.
He has displayed a deeply disturbed personality for years with symptoms that are clearly worsening. He is a sadistic, amoral, cruel, narcissistic psychopath with delusions of grandeur and unwavering assumption of droit de roi/divine right of kings. He is a con-artist who got himself elected into the most fantastic con-game he could have ever imagined and he has managed to conduct "government" as a criminal organization, an urelenting heist of every aspect of our national treasure - money, economy, defense, institutions, laws, courts, values.... and on and on.
I will repeat this post for a demonstration of the ignorance, the shocking and dangerous ignorance, of the "church of thump":
If you want to see/hear your explanation (of the ignorance) in real life, this YouTube video of some of the people attending Thump's Monday rally in Michigan provides some proof. Warning: it's pretty disheartening, but then so is current reality about Thump & mob generally:
Like so many others, I have spent years trying to figure out why MAGA followers stick with Trump. Watching Jordan Klepper interview them just leaves me completely confused. It seems to make absolutely no sense—until you look at it through a deep political and psychological lens.
The Root of the Rage: Ever since FDR and his Congress put limits on the original Robber Barons, elites in the thrall of the Dark Tetrad—driven by narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—have been busy tearing away those very protections.
Their single goal is extractive wealth hoarding.
Two massive structural shifts broke our democracy:
- The 1995 GINGRICH REVOLUTION: Newt Gingrich fired all the independent Congressional experts, gutting Congress's ability to think for itself.
- The 2010 CITIZENS UNITED Decision: The Supreme Court opened the floodgates for dark corporate money to buy elections.
As a result, we have a Congress that works exclusively for Big Business instead of representing the people. Most Americans are furious, and they have every right to feel betrayed.
The Psychology of the Con:
While many see through the con, MAGA supporters are trapped by their own psychological biases. Do you remember the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog?
Trump is definitively the scorpion, but why does the frog stay?
Normal politicians require voters to practice restraint, but a Dark Tetrad leader hooks followers by offering the ultimate psychological drug: absolute permission to unleash their anger and malice without an ounce of guilt. Because Trump possesses no internal shame, he acts as a laundering machine for his supporters' grievances, transforming raw tribal resentment into a noble, patriotic virtue. Healthy leaders offer boring, rule-bound governance, but a master manipulator offers the intoxicating thrill of breaking institutional taboos and punishing shared enemies. The frog stays with the scorpion because no normal politician would ever agree to strike this dark bargain, leaving voters trapped in a toxic co-dependency where their hidden rage is validated and legitimized by his shamelessness.
I can only laugh at him now as he is off the deep end! I'm optimistically cautious about the midterms and I just hope he doesn't declare a national emergency and cancel the elections! His approval rating is only 34% now and keeps going down! It's almost at the freezing point! 🥶
Yes Donald, but the problem is not the despicable and miserable human being Trump, but the lousy quality of the Republicans and the political positions they represented for years. The speaker, mr. Johnson, is a lapdog that I would not trust the administration of the public space in my village.
This regime was elected and constructed: all the fruitcakes and incompetent candidates passed confirmation hearings.
And still, you have your eyes open... Will this regime last two more years? I fear it will. Where and when is the "have you no decency, sir?" moment?
I pray with you, on my bare knees; but the system brought us here, so not divine intervention is needed, but spine and competence in the political system.
All grasp on reality is lost, the world is laughing.
If there were such a thing as "divine intervention" we would have seen the con-artists thrown out of "the temple", we would have seen lightening strike that UFC filth, we would have seen the wrath of god in hurricane force blow him off the stage long ago. And consider all of those Uriah Heep freaks around him, all of those "Christians" all of them wearing their crucifix necklaces around their necks or him selling his gold "Bibles" at con-artist profiteering prices..... and on and on and on.....
It's a quote from a rather degenerate French poet Charles Baudelaire, but we'll take suitable quotes when they are perfect and this describes the Commander-in-Cheat who has his very willing subjects subjugated and bent to his evil will:
"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
Nearly every Republican in Congress has forfeited their integrity to protect Trump. They should all wear the scarlet T for the rest of their lives—a permanent reminder of their complicity.
Yes, Herr dumb old Don is a MOLESTER, SEX ABUSER, CANNOT EVEN VISIT A SCHOOL LEGALLY, BUT SO MANY REPUBLICONS ADORE HIM, NEVERTHELESS and he lives FREE IN OUR WHITE HOUSE still, we pay for his medical care, many sets of teeth, infusions and injections of who knows how many legal or illegal drugs!! He thinks signing his name is a big deal! This lying stooge can’t pass a 3rd grade test, truly needs a wire coat hanger inserted in one ear and out the other!!
They are.republi"clans"... because that's what they are, a clan following a flawed leader. If he told them all to drink the poisoned kool-aid, I think they'd blindly do it!
It should have been at the WH Correspondence Dinner. The crowd should have booed his first bad joke or lie, and walked out on the second lie or bad joke.
My guess is that they stayed to watch the magician!
I remember attending a graduation speech that suddenly devolved into a racist and sexist rant. Many of us in the audience stood up, turned our chairs around, and sat with our backs to the speaker for the remainder of the speech. I wish the journalists could've or would've done the same.
It's a tough call. In order to do their jobs they have to witness. If they simply stop showing up, then only his story - lies and personal mythology - will be told. If they give him the excuse, he will shut them out entirely. As much as I wish they would fight back with tooth and claw, I can also understand why they don't. Even if they don't spell out their honest reactions, they show us what happens and let us define what we see.
Like many of our elected officails (both R & D), many "Journalists" also enjoy a sense of power. And Lord Acton in 1887 wrote, , "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Unfortunately, too many people in positions with power in this country will do anything to keep that power (this includes leaders of industry).
I think it will take much more than waiting to be rid of this administration. Something actionable has to take place, because these cult followers will go over a cliff for him.
Trump has to be removed from office.
Mainly because these Republicans and their oligarchs benefactors have no decency.
I don’t believe that this regime is a product of the system. This regime was developed and implemented by people who do not believe in a Democracy- where the will of the people is the power.
Trump and his cronies of Project 2025 want to destroy our government and structure. They want to shred the laws of the Constitution and centralize the power . That’s not my system! No other president has done this. Not experiencing this before requires that we address with more severe measures.
I don’t know if all Republicans have decency, but the current ones in power do not .
I don’t think we need to get rid of the system. What we do need to do is to make some changes to the system that these people took advantage of. I still believe in three divisions of the government. It’s because the Republicans decided to circumvent them and break the laws that has caused this.
There are lot of changes that need to be addressed, but the basic system functioned before Trump.
Do you think it’s because the Republicans have nothing to run on that they follow and promote Trumps outrageous lies? Or are the rich Trump oligarchs funding money and gifts towards their campaigns to keep them in office to vote for Trump absurd ideas?
It is difficult to tell. The Republicans could do a lot. I called it the "McCain type" of democratic fervour.
Do Trump or the writers of Project 2025 have absurd ideas? Ideas no, visions about how to govern, no.
They worsened the system badly, giving space to big money. And they accept sheer criminality. This mobster style of administration will ruin the standards and reputation of the US.
At his age and condition, he is vastly less than immortal, and luckily for us he is whirling near the drain from self inflicted natural causes. We get to write his obituary, epitaph, and putrefy his immortality .
"We the people" have to express our outrage and get out and vote in November. Its our bucket of water.
I am 77, and dealing with multiple chronic medical conditions that don’t wreck my life, but make it more difficult. None of them compare to what Trump is doing to our country. Even though friends and family urge me not to read the news (I have been reading the newspaper since I was 12 - not gonna stop now, although I do read the news electronically; ie The NYT, The Atlantic, and various Substacks. I live in the DC area and used to read the Post, but cancelled my subscription when Bezos took over the editorial and op-ed page. Luckily for us, a lot of Post refugees have columns on Substack and are correspondents for MS NOW. This whole message is meant to say that I just want to outlive the asshole in the WH, so I keep going to my doctors, taking my meds, etc, but I would really rather just throw a bucket of water on Trump and watch him disappear.
Thank you for expressing my thoughts and feelings. At age 92 all I can do is vote and encourage every decent citizen to vote. (I also read the news even though most of it makes me sick)
Stolen from Merriam-Webster: The meaning of HUMANITY is compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition : the quality or state of being humane. Basically, what sets us aside from animals. However, that said, you are not wrong.
The endless and futile efforts of generations of teachers, preachers, moralists, idealists, and every brand of Social Justice Advocates to CHANGE THE DELUSIONAL THINKING of a deeply deranged human being should be a lesson to all of us: Caging the Tiger is a necessity, if you expect to limit the harm he/she can do! There is no evidence of rational receptivity within the Cult, so we need to invest our energy on resistance and the creation of positive alternatives... LEAD ON, PROFESSOR!
Donald, your assessment of Trump matches mine exactly. He is a shriveled husk of a man with absolutely no redeeming features. He truly is a disgusting wortless slice of humanity.
Elva---On average, a custom-made suit worn by Donald Trump costs between $6,000 and $14,000.The vast majority of his iconic, dark-colored wardrobe is crafted by Brioni, an ultra-luxury Italian fashion house. He has also frequently worn bespoke pieces from Brooklyn-based clothier Martin Greenfield. Hense the trem "Expensive."
What a perfect description of the pile of rancid manure that is Felon47. However, I still feel conflicted about referring to that creature as a worthless slice of humanity, because there is NOTHING remotely human about him beyond his physical appearance. There is no human quality real human beings find admirable or worthy contained in that bloated bag of excrement.
Debi--You aren't the first to point out that idea. I apologize-I have a degree in medical science and like it or not, Trump does qualify as being mostly human.
I know that technically he may be considered a mostly human, but damn - it is very difficult to think of that blob as human in comparison to multiple other REAL completely human persons I've known over 75 years. The most self-involved, nasty, creepy, unethical, miserable, evil people I ever met or knew of don't even come close to the putrid essence of Felon47.
It doesn't take a psychology degree to recognize that Trump has delusions of grandeur.
His exposure to Norman Vincent Peale's "Power of Positive Thinking" perspective may have something to do with it. There is some truth to it. If we think we will fail, there is more chance of failing and if we think we will succeed there is more chance of succeeding. This dynamic is popularly called a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
However, most people realize there are some things that mere "positive thinking" alone cannot change. Suppose Trump takes Peale's perspective as the literal truth. That would tend to produce a "delusion of grandeur." My question is: "If one sincerely believes a delusion, then are his/her grandiose statements actually lies in the usual sense of the word?" Not that delusional people should be excused from taking responsibility for the harm they do; but it might make us less angry and more able to respond reasonably rather than over-react if we consider the potential pathological source of the lack of truth-telling.
Unfortunately, "Trumpism" is still going to be a problem long after Trump, the individual, is gone. I think we need to focus more on that and less on Trump, which is only feeding his voracious ego more.
Distraction for the sake of being distracted is unhealthy when it's not futile.
Traction is excellent-- doing real things. Whether they're resistance or building anew.
What I find sovereign, when I have the soil for it, is a tending-the-soil cooperating-with-plants-and-creatures sort of gardening. The soil doesn't require you to qualify before it works with you. The soil is a living reminder that things change, that death and decay properly treated nourish fresh life. The soil is real, and doesn't just disappear on you, as electronic credits so perilously can. The soil is for adults and for children and above all for life.
My nurturing thought is how swiftly Maine got over its mistaken selection of Graham Platner for US Senate and replaced him with Maine state senator Troy Jackson, who has stood in the trenches fighting Trump since 2016. Jackson is firmly union-backed and proposes: Dismantle and abolish ICE, end the genocide in Gaza, pass a federal right to abortion, pass comprehensive civil rights legislation protecting the LGBTQ and community from discrimination.
This--soil and seed and gardening--is the metaphor Rebecca Solnit begins her latest, very encouraging book with, "The Beginning Comes after the End: Notes on a World of Change" (Granta, 2026). It's encouraging because she takes the long view of the changes in our society and in the world at large, and from that perspective it's clear who's winning, who has the future in their hands. It's a persuasive, enlightening, heartening (and short) read and I recommend it to everyone--including you, Prof. Reich, for your "moments of sorrow and fear"!
Oh, and for something consistently good to hear, I recommend Margaret Killjoy's podcast Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff. Maybe especially today-- she posted one about Charlotta Bass yesterday.
I've always been a gardener, as was my mother. After a recent devastating personal loss, it is my only solace. The house is silent and empty; the natural world offers endless life.
Thank you, Mary Ann. I stumbled onto a flock of Cardinal Lobelia growing enthusiastically in the deep woods, a vivid reminder of what will thrive no matter how distracted humanity may be.
Beautifully put, Mary Ann. Important distinction between head-in-the sand distraction and traction. I, too, am a “cooperating with plants and creatures” gardener. I tend my soil, and usually don’t mind when the creatures take part of my tomato crop and 99% of my blueberries.
I’m very proud of Maine, they showed it can be done. The rest of us need to find candidates with positive resumes, and evidence that they can follow thru with what they say. I’m glad Oregon has 2 Senators that do the right things—Wyden and Merkley— the latter making a 22hr plus speech on the Senate floor reinforcing his feelings about what he and the rest of us need to do.
The sequence is the whole answer, and most people run it backwards. They wait to feel hopeful and then act. You’ve got it in the right order: you act, and the hope is what the action pays back.
Sanity isn’t a mood you cultivate in advance, it’s a byproduct of carrying something load-bearing.
Which is also why the cynicism you name is a trap and not a diagnosis. “We’re all f*” feels like clear sight, but it’s just surrender in the costume of realism. It costs the billionaires nothing and costs you everything…the cheapest possible win for them, and people hand it over for free.
And gratitude is the part everyone skips, though it’s the one that actually holds, not because things are fine, but because attention spent on what’s still worth defending is attention not spent rehearsing despair.
You keep your head by keeping your hands on something real.
I totally agree. We all have been through difficult times in our lives. But those of us who survived them in good shape are the ones who take the bull by the horns and go into the fight. I have always said that I would never give up until the last shot was fired. That’s how I faced all of my challenges in life and that’s what I tell my children to do.
If you give up, that is one more person who is out of the fight. If you think nothing can be done, then you are one more person standing in the way of progress. If you criticize your friends for being in the fight, you are just standing in their way.
In one of my earliest jobs, one of our vice presidents had a sign on his wall. It said., “Lead, follow, or get the Hell out of the way.”
Naysayers leave me more than irritated. Go carry your depression and your helplessness somewhere else. Go sell your pity party on some other street corner. The rest of us are trying to get something done, and we are damn determined to do it… with or without you.
Mark Twain quote that Rick Steves always signs off his travel shows with: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
These are the 10 states with the highest percentage of people who own a passport: NJ, NY, MA, CA, CT, HI, MD, AK, CO, NH.
According to State Dept data, the following 10 states have the fewest percentage of people who have a passport: WV, MS, AL, AR, KY, LA, OK, TN, IN, OH.
Also interesting (to me) that I’ve visited all the passport-heavy states for living purposes or fun but only two of the non-traveler states—and then only to read papers at conventions.
all my non passport states were "visited" only when driving through to other states, largely passport states. I renewed my passport recently, and made sure I did it before having a risk of getting a surprise ChumpPort.
OH continues to puzzle me. Once it was a reliable blue state most of the time. I've been to all passport states except AK. As for the lower ones, only OK, OH, WV, IN, and KY, only passing through en route to other places.
There’s no doubt that we’re living through the greatest numbers of existential crises (existentialitis) the world has ever experienced. Trump alone is a walking, talking existential threat while climate change with ecological degradation has caused parts of the earth to be on fire, choking us with smoke. We have WWIII looming over our heads as a much wider war in the Middle East seems likely and Trump toys with the idea of using nuclear weapons in his war of choice. The violence being perpetrated by ICE is a threat to us all. The likelihood of a depression or major recession with inflation is another. Then there’s the AI bubble and engineered pandemics. Of course RFK Jr. has blessed us with his anti-vax stances while measles is spreading and over 3,500 cases. That’s only the surface of our problems and everything has been made much worse by Trump’s reckless and irresponsible policies. Yeah, we’re in a mess.
Practice self care and don’t let the bastards get you down. It must be noted that as humans, we have always stepped back from the brink .
Mike, "Existentialitis" should be an entry in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Millions are suffering from it. I don't figure that the current regime or the secretary of health and human services will be addressing the problem. They're living in a whole other psychiatric dimension.
In my case, I've been diagnosed with GAD, General Anxiety Disorder. This is what I call it: free floating anxiety. It hovers over me, always there, but mostly in the background - unlike my specific phobias like agoraphobia and social anxiety.
A couple more things are worth mentioning. This year, Hegseth made it official policy to have vaccinations in the military become optional. In May, a very serious outbreak of flu hit the main Air Force recruit base in Texas -- dozens were hospitalized and one 25 year old airman died.
100% preventable. The military has quietly gone back to its former policy.
The other thing is back in 2015, when candidate Trump called on President Obama to resign from office for allowing two people with cases of Ebola into the United States for isolation and treatment. Lady Karma would later visit Mr. Bleach in a very big way.
Starting with Trump's racist "birther conspiracy." He had "investigators" in Hawaii who would soon provide incontrovertible evidence that Barack was not born in Hawaii. One of many Big Lies.
I hope you are able to identify the racist neo-Nazi who comes to this forum to speak of things like love and truth.
I believe in these troubled times it is important for each person to hone their ability to detect these people. It becomes pretty obvious after awhile. Just be aware that they pay regular visits --- as today.
The world.is in a mess thanks to Trump not only are the people in your country suffering but millions around the world are also suffering because of his actions. I do admit he seems to be determent together with Miller and RFK jr. to decrease your population.through cruel messures. But you have to try to stay positive untill you can get rid of this d
This is what I'm battling all the time: "A third thing that doesn’t work is pretending there’s nothing that can be done about it — that there’s no point in even trying because we’re all f*cked. That kind of cynicism is exactly what Trump’s billionaire backers and odious oligarchs want — so we give up and let them take it all."
Trump and the Oligarchs never give up. They're relentless. I think about my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and I keep following the news and resisting any way I can.
I'm grateful to Robert Reich for hanging in there and fighting the good fight every day.
You bring the greatest hope to all of us and I thank you every day for what you have done in the past,what you’re doing now and for what’s coming next. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🩷
In the short to middle term, the only thing that "works" is voter turnout. Specifically, it's critical to get registered voters to turn up at the midterms and vote straight "blue". The "independents" are the critical factor here. It's not clear how to reach them, but pointing out how badly they've been screwed by the Trump admin, IE, by the tariffs, increasing deficits, and fuel costs due to the war, might help.
Don't bother blathering about "threats to democracy", the voters have proven that they don't care if Trump's spends every day drowning puppies in a bathtub, if it doesn't affect the cost of gas.
Registering new voters may help also.
In the longer run, it's going to take a prolonged national strike and purchasing boycott to get the attention of the oligarchs. Right now, they don't care.
They're all brain dead zombies. The only difference between the rest of the GOP congressmen and Senators, and Mitch McConnell, is that they can still stand up, and make noises in front of TV cameras.
Everyday I go out and meet people who are not anything like Trump. They are helpfull and supportive of one anouther. They are what America is about. We shall overcome.
The other thing that helps is the knowledge that the historical perspective that Trump and his Project 2025 ideological ghouls operate from is deeply flawed.
Sure, they can try to intimidate and slander the Smithsonian.
But history will not be kind to them. Even as we speak, Europe is burning, and a similar fate awaits huge areas in the US.
But Trump and his fossil fuel funders are still in denial - as if the laws of basic physics must bend to their contempt for science.
It's beyond irony that the chief beneficiaries of the Maga madness are the people running the Chinese Communist party.
Next time someone shouts 'commie' at you, remind them of that.
Having a monster in the White House is one thing. Letting it live in your own head is another. Both you can fight.
I fear for the children who absorb all the fear and hate and despair. Though they didn't contribute to it, children feel guilty in such a situation. Tell them the truth and explain what happened. That will help them and also you.
The outrages have become a daily occurrence. But every single one of them reinforces my determination to do my utmost to bring this foul administration to an end. I'm 79 and hope that I shall live to see our citizens, our communities, and our beloved country once again aspire and move toward the true greatness that is our legacy. May it be soon.
Actually Lonnie I think most people have it, when I think about all the people I know or regularly come in contact with. It's people in privilege and power for too long who seem to lose it. And not all of them either--consider Tom Steyer, J. B. Pritzker, Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren, Jimmy Carter....
To which little list of people not destroyed by long power and privilege I should add some Republicans--Rep. Thomas Massie, Judge Michael Luttig, Rep. Liz Cheney.
Trump's aversion to the truth--
Do you know why it is, our Mr. Trump finds so much pleasure in lying? It's because he fears the truth. The truth to Trump is akin to the bucket of water that splashed on a certain wicked witch in the movie OZ. If we all knew who and what Donald Trump really was --even his shadow would leave him. He's like a blimp, remove the hot air and all that's left is a shriveled shell. Every accomplishment Donnie has accredited himself with doing, came about through the use of his endless and unfounded pool of lies. He is little more than a street thug in an expensive suit. How this country became so entangled in Trump's insanity is a subject that will occupy historians long after we and he have passed. I would love to live long enough to read exactly what they print in reference to who Trump was and the destruction he brought upon this country. In my meager existence, I've never come across a more worthless slice of humanity than Donald J. Trump.
I hope you can "hear" the applause I'm sending for your comment because it is so well said and so true. Your words about the utterly mind-baffling questions as to why this has happened and what he has wrought are at the heart of the matter. On some of tonight's (Monday 7/27) MSNow programs, he was shown giving a "speech" in Michigan and it was, no surprise, lies and delusions and insults and just ugly brain-sputum that he produces. But what was a surprise, what is always a surprise, are the crowds - that people attend, take their children (!), cheer, laugh, applaud, raise their hands as if in one of those "hands up" church events. He stands in front of a crowd apparently made up of Michigan auto industry people, tells them lies about their own lives and their own experiences, tells them he has done more for them than their parents (!), makes his usual bizarre and repugnant sounds.....and it is just all beyond belief and beyond understanding. For all of the years that he has been forced on us, my family and I watch and listen and invariably ask WHY? HOW did this happen? Why are those people laughing, cheering, applauding? WHO would take their CHILDREN to hear that garbage?! He is an abomination and an affront to all that is normal, decent, sane, honorable.
Don't write off the possibility that at least some of his "fans" are paid to be there and to laugh, cheer and applaud.
And probably have to sign an NDS to get the money
Kathleen, yes, Trump did have to hire folks when he did his descending escalator crap 11+ years ago. He has more money now and can spread around just enough from the bribes he has received. It is truly sad how easily some people can be conned and that they seem to want that honor.
They find the most enthusiastic people at his rallies to put behind him on stage so they appear on camera when he talks. During the 2024 campaign, they found the few African-Americans who came to his rallies and put them all together behind him on stage to "demonstrate" that he had tremendous support among the African-American community.
And then he fired the few Black Military top Brass after he got elected.
remember his first rally in 2015?$50/day I think
Interesting! And it is interesting how ordinary folks and the not so smart folks will prostitute themselves for a few bucks. And so it goes with the mentality of many in America.
Take it easy, Dean. Lots of people really don't have too many choices. They do what they have to do to make a buck.
Yes indeed Diet Pepsi. And thank you for your insight.
They are all paid, one way or the other.
Diet Pepsi: I did not see that speech in Michigan last night although you are not all that far off . . .Could be the crowd was somehow superimposed or an AI deal?
Sure, that's possible. Donald Trump is a 2-bit con artist, a carnival barker. Nothing more, nothing less. That fact that he is our president truly is a disgrace to our nation.
Annie, it need not be a surprise that so many people cheer trump's mindless drivel. He is a professional liar who has taken lessons from the masters of the craft like Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn, his lawyer from the 1970's. He has subverted the brains of these people in his 'audiences' so that to them, he can do no wrong. His cultists, they are unable to be educated until deprogrammed from the effects of his lying filth - he has them hypnotized. Those of us in our right minds need to move past him and them and sway the public who can still be educated - The People - and spread the Truth contrariwise to his lies and depose him from power. The elections are coming and he will surely try to destroy us by subverting them. We must get out in front of him.
Every lie is the exact opposite of the truth. So when Trump lies, he obviously knows the truth—he couldn't invert it otherwise. This is where Roy Cohn comes in. Trump's mentor taught him a crucial lesson: "You don't have to believe what you say." That's not a casual observation. That's permission to weaponize language. Truth and falsehood become irrelevant. What matters is what sticks. What mobilizes. What wins. Trump internalized that lesson perfectly.
Trump did not trouble himself to master academic courses. He realized that for his purposes - to rob the citizenship blind - Cohn's lesson was enough. One might say that to the mind of the dupe, fallacy replaces truth seamlessly.
Cohn's core principle was that when presented with an incontrovertible fact,
deny it bitterly and relentlessly. As Goebbels observed, "if you repeat the lie often enough (with conviction), people will come to believe it". As Hannah Arendt related, after the lie has been pounded into the susceptible mind enough times, one becomes numb to it and accepts it.
It wasn't a conscious decision to"not trouble himself" to learn anything. The man is not intelligent enough. He got through life because his stupidity was never confronted. Family money bought him" legitimacy" and removed any obstacle from his path.
Point taken, Gary. Not intelligent, but nefarious to embrace Cohn's lesson.
Thanks Dennis. Goebbels is a great reference. I know folks, who after watching DT declare bankruptcy 6 times, be convicted on 34 felony business related tax scams, and been sued by countless vendors for non-payment... still think he is a great businessman! Can't fix stupid. All we can do is get out the vote and start to unwind this mess.
Vote Blue... GH
Anyone running against Trump must be aware that he is first of all an actor, a TV personality, who knows the importance of image-making.
Right, Gary. People still believe what he says, that he's really smart not to pay taxes. The plutocrat class believe that, too.
He deserves Goebbel’s ending, now! We keep waiting, those rotting swollen eyes are waiting for a prick!!
"As Goebbels observed, if you repeat the lie often enough (with conviction), people will come to believe it" - Read "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by prominent foreign correspondent, reporting from Europe during the rise of the Nazi regime, by William L. Shirer.
Joseph Goebbels actual said this about the English specifically Churchill:The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.
Of course he himself used the big lie, which he accused Churchill of.
Instead of only the click-bait referral why not share a few words as to what you actually saw/noticed that is relevant to the tone of this discussion"
To study Roy Cohn is to understand Donald Trump. The most corrupt con artist ever to be disbarred. BFF!
Don't give Trump too much credit. Yes, he is a good front man, but his strings are pulled by Project 2025, America First Policy Institute, and the Heritage Foundation among other right-wing groups who want a strong leader who ends democracy. They all get their philosophy from Nazi and Fascist teachings. They write what Trump says.
Heritage Foundation made up of 1/4 inch mommy sleepers…..losers personally, whiners.
Agreed, Alan. Dumpster, trained in the art of subversion, is the best snake oil salesman that the fascist marionettists can muster. For that he'll be hard to replace. The more dangerous fascists of the cadre are mainly horrid salesmen.
Absolutely Dennis: And let's continue to encourage everyone we know to VOTE at the upcoming Midterms.
Annie--Thanks--He said our country was the only one that allowes Mail-in ballots--Bull-Apart from the United States, 33 other countries and territories permit in-country mail-in (postal) voting.
We can safely assume that every word out of trump’s mouth is a lie. Same can be said of his incompetent cabinet.
For someone who does not read thanks to your dyslexia, does not your walk on the forum not paint a different picture?
Await your prompt reply with whetted interest!
Edward--Just because I don't read doesn't mean I don't learn.
Not only a non sequitur, but don't you see it serves as a poor doubling down without answering the question begging for answer in the face of your #1 standing comment and what you stated without a doubt yesterday?
Eduard, I think you’re display of intellect would be more appreciated on another forum.
Eduard--Not when I can't draw a thread in the direction of what you are referring to.
99% of those you see laughing, cheering, and applauding have white faces Annie. The same ones that laughed, cheered, and applauded at lynchings. Our Capitalist overlords recognize racism as a valued ally against the 99% who they exploit.
Yes indeed, and Trumpism encourages all he can that continues to divide the people. Not us! I know I'm preaching to the choir here and I'm getting burned-out a bit right now.
Hang in there Dean. We will get the last laugh and cheer when they finally put Trump away!
Thanks Carlprn! And if it all turns out I’m going to cry my tears of joy and vow for my remaining years “Never Again.”
Thanks Carlprn. I’m still here and back on fire!
Why Trump? Because hating minorities matters more than protecting minorities' rights
I am afraid you have a big point, Huaevry
Harvey
Annie, I hear the "crowds" cheering, waving, and the rest and wonder what is going on with those folks. then I remember that when Trump came down his stupid escalator, he had to hire folks to be there to hear his ridiculous ignorant speech. Now, the "crowds" (usually not much of a crowd) don't have to be paid, but their religious institutions tell them that Trump is god's messenger and other BS, and their lives are so pathetic they are desperate to believe it and cheer on the fool because, well, he really could be sent from god, their preacher told them so, right? They never stop to think what such an appalling messenger would be able to tell them. That's because they no longer actually listen to the speeches, just take in the "air of excitement" they are supposed to be feeling and have create it for themselves. I have heard members of the audience asked about what they found most interesting or important about the speech and they can't name one thing. They glow inthe light of the presence of their "messenger from god." That is truly sad and is a strong indicator that MAGA is a pathetic cult that is being created and supported by users who prey on their willingness to believe anything if it lets them have a few moments of relief from what that fool who's speaking and his toddler buddies have done to them.
Exactly Annie. I understand his wealthy and powerful friends backing him no matter what, because they are the greediest people ever born and trumps benefits them. (And that includes the republican congress). But, I will never understand those throngs of people behind him. I can only find two explanations…racism and ignorance.
And not just Southern nursery school graduates!
Doris, do you think they are all southern? Sugar?
Good point, that sugar has spread to every state by now!
Annie,
The adulation and cheers he receives from audiences is truly baffling. His product of B.S. is very powerful.
Herman
They are often paid to perform.
My profound question, “WHO are these people”? These people are my greatest fear, not DJT. Most of my family and my neighbors are riddled with “these people”. And I recognized them long, long before DJT and his infamous quote, “You’re Fired “. He would not exist without these people. He did not create them. He just speaks their language. Their self imposed ignorance is staggering beyond belief.
Joan Diehl - You have my frequent thought exactly: Who are these people?! How is this possible? Did we all come of age in the same country??
As I posted to another person above, I will repeat this:
If you want to see/hear your explanation (of ignorance) in real life, this YouTube video of some of the people attending Thump's Monday rally in Michigan provides some proof. Warning: it's pretty disheartening, but then so is current reality about Thump & mob generally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH42Ud0DGUc
Annie, you ask how and why did the Donald ever get elected. First he has a mental psychosis, sociaopathy. Very convincing liars living in thire own world. Second, low voter turnaout and third poor judges of character. I hope it's a lesson to Americans.
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!
He has displayed a deeply disturbed personality for years with symptoms that are clearly worsening. He is a sadistic, amoral, cruel, narcissistic psychopath with delusions of grandeur and unwavering assumption of droit de roi/divine right of kings. He is a con-artist who got himself elected into the most fantastic con-game he could have ever imagined and he has managed to conduct "government" as a criminal organization, an urelenting heist of every aspect of our national treasure - money, economy, defense, institutions, laws, courts, values.... and on and on.
I will repeat this post for a demonstration of the ignorance, the shocking and dangerous ignorance, of the "church of thump":
If you want to see/hear your explanation (of the ignorance) in real life, this YouTube video of some of the people attending Thump's Monday rally in Michigan provides some proof. Warning: it's pretty disheartening, but then so is current reality about Thump & mob generally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH42Ud0DGUc
Annie,
Like so many others, I have spent years trying to figure out why MAGA followers stick with Trump. Watching Jordan Klepper interview them just leaves me completely confused. It seems to make absolutely no sense—until you look at it through a deep political and psychological lens.
The Root of the Rage: Ever since FDR and his Congress put limits on the original Robber Barons, elites in the thrall of the Dark Tetrad—driven by narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—have been busy tearing away those very protections.
Their single goal is extractive wealth hoarding.
Two massive structural shifts broke our democracy:
- The 1995 GINGRICH REVOLUTION: Newt Gingrich fired all the independent Congressional experts, gutting Congress's ability to think for itself.
- The 2010 CITIZENS UNITED Decision: The Supreme Court opened the floodgates for dark corporate money to buy elections.
As a result, we have a Congress that works exclusively for Big Business instead of representing the people. Most Americans are furious, and they have every right to feel betrayed.
The Psychology of the Con:
While many see through the con, MAGA supporters are trapped by their own psychological biases. Do you remember the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog?
Trump is definitively the scorpion, but why does the frog stay?
Normal politicians require voters to practice restraint, but a Dark Tetrad leader hooks followers by offering the ultimate psychological drug: absolute permission to unleash their anger and malice without an ounce of guilt. Because Trump possesses no internal shame, he acts as a laundering machine for his supporters' grievances, transforming raw tribal resentment into a noble, patriotic virtue. Healthy leaders offer boring, rule-bound governance, but a master manipulator offers the intoxicating thrill of breaking institutional taboos and punishing shared enemies. The frog stays with the scorpion because no normal politician would ever agree to strike this dark bargain, leaving voters trapped in a toxic co-dependency where their hidden rage is validated and legitimized by his shamelessness.
I can only laugh at him now as he is off the deep end! I'm optimistically cautious about the midterms and I just hope he doesn't declare a national emergency and cancel the elections! His approval rating is only 34% now and keeps going down! It's almost at the freezing point! 🥶
AMEN!
Yes Donald, but the problem is not the despicable and miserable human being Trump, but the lousy quality of the Republicans and the political positions they represented for years. The speaker, mr. Johnson, is a lapdog that I would not trust the administration of the public space in my village.
This regime was elected and constructed: all the fruitcakes and incompetent candidates passed confirmation hearings.
And still, you have your eyes open... Will this regime last two more years? I fear it will. Where and when is the "have you no decency, sir?" moment?
Hello Tom.... "Will this regime last two more years?"... Pray Divine For Intervention Soon... Very Soon...
I pray with you, on my bare knees; but the system brought us here, so not divine intervention is needed, but spine and competence in the political system.
All grasp on reality is lost, the world is laughing.
And I fear for a liveable world for my grandsons.
Apache, like, like, like, like, like, 👍!
Hello Klare K... Thank-You.... You are so Nice to Me... Stay Well...
If there were such a thing as "divine intervention" we would have seen the con-artists thrown out of "the temple", we would have seen lightening strike that UFC filth, we would have seen the wrath of god in hurricane force blow him off the stage long ago. And consider all of those Uriah Heep freaks around him, all of those "Christians" all of them wearing their crucifix necklaces around their necks or him selling his gold "Bibles" at con-artist profiteering prices..... and on and on and on.....
It's a quote from a rather degenerate French poet Charles Baudelaire, but we'll take suitable quotes when they are perfect and this describes the Commander-in-Cheat who has his very willing subjects subjugated and bent to his evil will:
"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
Hello Annie... Patience... Seen Or Listened To DJT Lately?...
Yes!
Nearly every Republican in Congress has forfeited their integrity to protect Trump. They should all wear the scarlet T for the rest of their lives—a permanent reminder of their complicity.
I would say every one. If you are a Republican, you support the psychopath. Simple fact.
Yes, a tattoo on their forhead...
Yes, Herr dumb old Don is a MOLESTER, SEX ABUSER, CANNOT EVEN VISIT A SCHOOL LEGALLY, BUT SO MANY REPUBLICONS ADORE HIM, NEVERTHELESS and he lives FREE IN OUR WHITE HOUSE still, we pay for his medical care, many sets of teeth, infusions and injections of who knows how many legal or illegal drugs!! He thinks signing his name is a big deal! This lying stooge can’t pass a 3rd grade test, truly needs a wire coat hanger inserted in one ear and out the other!!
They are.republi"clans"... because that's what they are, a clan following a flawed leader. If he told them all to drink the poisoned kool-aid, I think they'd blindly do it!
It should have been at the WH Correspondence Dinner. The crowd should have booed his first bad joke or lie, and walked out on the second lie or bad joke.
My guess is that they stayed to watch the magician!
No, just spineless folks.
I remember attending a graduation speech that suddenly devolved into a racist and sexist rant. Many of us in the audience stood up, turned our chairs around, and sat with our backs to the speaker for the remainder of the speech. I wish the journalists could've or would've done the same.
I was appalled that any legitimate journalists attended.
It's a tough call. In order to do their jobs they have to witness. If they simply stop showing up, then only his story - lies and personal mythology - will be told. If they give him the excuse, he will shut them out entirely. As much as I wish they would fight back with tooth and claw, I can also understand why they don't. Even if they don't spell out their honest reactions, they show us what happens and let us define what we see.
Like many of our elected officails (both R & D), many "Journalists" also enjoy a sense of power. And Lord Acton in 1887 wrote, , "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Unfortunately, too many people in positions with power in this country will do anything to keep that power (this includes leaders of industry).
They are news people after all.
I think it will take much more than waiting to be rid of this administration. Something actionable has to take place, because these cult followers will go over a cliff for him.
Trump has to be removed from office.
Mainly because these Republicans and their oligarchs benefactors have no decency.
Yes Christine, but what?
This regime is a product of your system, so the system must stop it. ASAP...
Are all Republicans without decency?
If you think that acivil war may be close...
I don’t believe that this regime is a product of the system. This regime was developed and implemented by people who do not believe in a Democracy- where the will of the people is the power.
Trump and his cronies of Project 2025 want to destroy our government and structure. They want to shred the laws of the Constitution and centralize the power . That’s not my system! No other president has done this. Not experiencing this before requires that we address with more severe measures.
I don’t know if all Republicans have decency, but the current ones in power do not .
All agreed, but the problem of democracy is that you should live with results you don’t like.
The system brought you this mobster regime, so get rid of it
I don’t think we need to get rid of the system. What we do need to do is to make some changes to the system that these people took advantage of. I still believe in three divisions of the government. It’s because the Republicans decided to circumvent them and break the laws that has caused this.
There are lot of changes that need to be addressed, but the basic system functioned before Trump.
I still believe in representative government.
Do you think it’s because the Republicans have nothing to run on that they follow and promote Trumps outrageous lies? Or are the rich Trump oligarchs funding money and gifts towards their campaigns to keep them in office to vote for Trump absurd ideas?
It is difficult to tell. The Republicans could do a lot. I called it the "McCain type" of democratic fervour.
Do Trump or the writers of Project 2025 have absurd ideas? Ideas no, visions about how to govern, no.
They worsened the system badly, giving space to big money. And they accept sheer criminality. This mobster style of administration will ruin the standards and reputation of the US.
Perfectly stated he is a insecure vile coward.
At his age and condition, he is vastly less than immortal, and luckily for us he is whirling near the drain from self inflicted natural causes. We get to write his obituary, epitaph, and putrefy his immortality .
"We the people" have to express our outrage and get out and vote in November. Its our bucket of water.
Make mine NoTrumpber.....
Love that clever expression “NoTrumpber”, Paul! 🤣
“A short-fingered vulgarian with flaccid dumplings.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-38338231
Thanks so much for sharing this article from 2016. I laughed so hard. Perfect descriptions of the restaurant’s food and of petty Trump.
Same! 😄
I am 77, and dealing with multiple chronic medical conditions that don’t wreck my life, but make it more difficult. None of them compare to what Trump is doing to our country. Even though friends and family urge me not to read the news (I have been reading the newspaper since I was 12 - not gonna stop now, although I do read the news electronically; ie The NYT, The Atlantic, and various Substacks. I live in the DC area and used to read the Post, but cancelled my subscription when Bezos took over the editorial and op-ed page. Luckily for us, a lot of Post refugees have columns on Substack and are correspondents for MS NOW. This whole message is meant to say that I just want to outlive the asshole in the WH, so I keep going to my doctors, taking my meds, etc, but I would really rather just throw a bucket of water on Trump and watch him disappear.
Babydoc--Look in your mirror--what you see is me! I'm 77 and my life is a constant struggle with one condition or another. We will see this through.
Thank you, Donald. When I have a bad day with one organ system or another, I’ll think of your thoughtful reply.
I’m with you both, Babydoc and Donald Hodgins. I’m 81, and together we’ll live to see Adolf Trump sink into the trash can of fascist history.
Dr. --I'm a D R as well--Donald Robert to be exact. I sense a slight tone of bitterness in your thought--you see the light--
Thank you for expressing my thoughts and feelings. At age 92 all I can do is vote and encourage every decent citizen to vote. (I also read the news even though most of it makes me sick)
Humanity and Chump don't belong in the same sentence. He's completely devoid of humanity, at least as I understand the concept.
Rich--Humanity refers to all human beings collectively, the state of being human. What is your understanding of the word.
Stolen from Merriam-Webster: The meaning of HUMANITY is compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition : the quality or state of being humane. Basically, what sets us aside from animals. However, that said, you are not wrong.
Rich--Not stolen --reference material is difficult to argue with, I just wanted to make sure I had it right.
thanks for not equating me with thief. Have a great day, regardless of our collective circumstance.
Rich--Back at ya.
The endless and futile efforts of generations of teachers, preachers, moralists, idealists, and every brand of Social Justice Advocates to CHANGE THE DELUSIONAL THINKING of a deeply deranged human being should be a lesson to all of us: Caging the Tiger is a necessity, if you expect to limit the harm he/she can do! There is no evidence of rational receptivity within the Cult, so we need to invest our energy on resistance and the creation of positive alternatives... LEAD ON, PROFESSOR!
The suits may be expensive but they look like sacks.
Donald, your assessment of Trump matches mine exactly. He is a shriveled husk of a man with absolutely no redeeming features. He truly is a disgusting wortless slice of humanity.
Charles--It's a sad day when this is what we have to agree upon.
Yes to it all with one exception: if Trump’s suits were expensive they’d fit better.
Ray--LOL--Try having your expensive suits tailored to fit over a bullet proof vest and an extra large depends.
Ah. Forgot the Depends.
Well said, Donald. He is worse than a street thug because the damage he is doing is much worse, and will effect life on this planet for generations.
Love the bucket of water analogy!
retired--It fit so nicely. LOL
Yay! Very well stated. You are giving humanity hope. Thank you.
Carole--Thank you--your understand of what I wrote is the true hope this country is so desperately in need of.
"Let this matter occupy historians after we are dead." Stalin.
The only thing I disagree with in your reply is that the suit is expensive. He looks like a pathetic man in a cheap suit.
Elva---On average, a custom-made suit worn by Donald Trump costs between $6,000 and $14,000.The vast majority of his iconic, dark-colored wardrobe is crafted by Brioni, an ultra-luxury Italian fashion house. He has also frequently worn bespoke pieces from Brooklyn-based clothier Martin Greenfield. Hense the trem "Expensive."
What a perfect description of the pile of rancid manure that is Felon47. However, I still feel conflicted about referring to that creature as a worthless slice of humanity, because there is NOTHING remotely human about him beyond his physical appearance. There is no human quality real human beings find admirable or worthy contained in that bloated bag of excrement.
Debi--You aren't the first to point out that idea. I apologize-I have a degree in medical science and like it or not, Trump does qualify as being mostly human.
I know that technically he may be considered a mostly human, but damn - it is very difficult to think of that blob as human in comparison to multiple other REAL completely human persons I've known over 75 years. The most self-involved, nasty, creepy, unethical, miserable, evil people I ever met or knew of don't even come close to the putrid essence of Felon47.
It doesn't take a psychology degree to recognize that Trump has delusions of grandeur.
His exposure to Norman Vincent Peale's "Power of Positive Thinking" perspective may have something to do with it. There is some truth to it. If we think we will fail, there is more chance of failing and if we think we will succeed there is more chance of succeeding. This dynamic is popularly called a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
However, most people realize there are some things that mere "positive thinking" alone cannot change. Suppose Trump takes Peale's perspective as the literal truth. That would tend to produce a "delusion of grandeur." My question is: "If one sincerely believes a delusion, then are his/her grandiose statements actually lies in the usual sense of the word?" Not that delusional people should be excused from taking responsibility for the harm they do; but it might make us less angry and more able to respond reasonably rather than over-react if we consider the potential pathological source of the lack of truth-telling.
Unfortunately, "Trumpism" is still going to be a problem long after Trump, the individual, is gone. I think we need to focus more on that and less on Trump, which is only feeding his voracious ego more.
Carol--Trump isn't our problem--the ignorance of the general population is.
I see it as a sort of both/and problem; but the ignorance of the general American electorate is certainly the more serious of the two.
With you.
Denial is toxic.
Distraction for the sake of being distracted is unhealthy when it's not futile.
Traction is excellent-- doing real things. Whether they're resistance or building anew.
What I find sovereign, when I have the soil for it, is a tending-the-soil cooperating-with-plants-and-creatures sort of gardening. The soil doesn't require you to qualify before it works with you. The soil is a living reminder that things change, that death and decay properly treated nourish fresh life. The soil is real, and doesn't just disappear on you, as electronic credits so perilously can. The soil is for adults and for children and above all for life.
My nurturing thought is how swiftly Maine got over its mistaken selection of Graham Platner for US Senate and replaced him with Maine state senator Troy Jackson, who has stood in the trenches fighting Trump since 2016. Jackson is firmly union-backed and proposes: Dismantle and abolish ICE, end the genocide in Gaza, pass a federal right to abortion, pass comprehensive civil rights legislation protecting the LGBTQ and community from discrimination.
This--soil and seed and gardening--is the metaphor Rebecca Solnit begins her latest, very encouraging book with, "The Beginning Comes after the End: Notes on a World of Change" (Granta, 2026). It's encouraging because she takes the long view of the changes in our society and in the world at large, and from that perspective it's clear who's winning, who has the future in their hands. It's a persuasive, enlightening, heartening (and short) read and I recommend it to everyone--including you, Prof. Reich, for your "moments of sorrow and fear"!
Thanks. I’ll acquire it.
Me, too, Mary Ann. I love my garden, and feeding the wild birds.
Oh, and for something consistently good to hear, I recommend Margaret Killjoy's podcast Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff. Maybe especially today-- she posted one about Charlotta Bass yesterday.
I've always been a gardener, as was my mother. After a recent devastating personal loss, it is my only solace. The house is silent and empty; the natural world offers endless life.
Thank you, Mary Ann. I stumbled onto a flock of Cardinal Lobelia growing enthusiastically in the deep woods, a vivid reminder of what will thrive no matter how distracted humanity may be.
Beautifully put, Mary Ann. Important distinction between head-in-the sand distraction and traction. I, too, am a “cooperating with plants and creatures” gardener. I tend my soil, and usually don’t mind when the creatures take part of my tomato crop and 99% of my blueberries.
I’m very proud of Maine, they showed it can be done. The rest of us need to find candidates with positive resumes, and evidence that they can follow thru with what they say. I’m glad Oregon has 2 Senators that do the right things—Wyden and Merkley— the latter making a 22hr plus speech on the Senate floor reinforcing his feelings about what he and the rest of us need to do.
Just what I learned from reading Willa Cather.
The sequence is the whole answer, and most people run it backwards. They wait to feel hopeful and then act. You’ve got it in the right order: you act, and the hope is what the action pays back.
Sanity isn’t a mood you cultivate in advance, it’s a byproduct of carrying something load-bearing.
Which is also why the cynicism you name is a trap and not a diagnosis. “We’re all f*” feels like clear sight, but it’s just surrender in the costume of realism. It costs the billionaires nothing and costs you everything…the cheapest possible win for them, and people hand it over for free.
And gratitude is the part everyone skips, though it’s the one that actually holds, not because things are fine, but because attention spent on what’s still worth defending is attention not spent rehearsing despair.
You keep your head by keeping your hands on something real.
Johan 🐌
I totally agree. We all have been through difficult times in our lives. But those of us who survived them in good shape are the ones who take the bull by the horns and go into the fight. I have always said that I would never give up until the last shot was fired. That’s how I faced all of my challenges in life and that’s what I tell my children to do.
If you give up, that is one more person who is out of the fight. If you think nothing can be done, then you are one more person standing in the way of progress. If you criticize your friends for being in the fight, you are just standing in their way.
In one of my earliest jobs, one of our vice presidents had a sign on his wall. It said., “Lead, follow, or get the Hell out of the way.”
Naysayers leave me more than irritated. Go carry your depression and your helplessness somewhere else. Go sell your pity party on some other street corner. The rest of us are trying to get something done, and we are damn determined to do it… with or without you.
"If you can keep your head while all around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you..." Rudyard Kipling.
Well said, Johan
Food for thought.
From the Ron Filipkowski Substack:
Mark Twain quote that Rick Steves always signs off his travel shows with: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
These are the 10 states with the highest percentage of people who own a passport: NJ, NY, MA, CA, CT, HI, MD, AK, CO, NH.
According to State Dept data, the following 10 states have the fewest percentage of people who have a passport: WV, MS, AL, AR, KY, LA, OK, TN, IN, OH.
Interesting.
Also interesting (to me) that I’ve visited all the passport-heavy states for living purposes or fun but only two of the non-traveler states—and then only to read papers at conventions.
all my non passport states were "visited" only when driving through to other states, largely passport states. I renewed my passport recently, and made sure I did it before having a risk of getting a surprise ChumpPort.
Interesting data, Thanks Keith
OH continues to puzzle me. Once it was a reliable blue state most of the time. I've been to all passport states except AK. As for the lower ones, only OK, OH, WV, IN, and KY, only passing through en route to other places.
There’s no doubt that we’re living through the greatest numbers of existential crises (existentialitis) the world has ever experienced. Trump alone is a walking, talking existential threat while climate change with ecological degradation has caused parts of the earth to be on fire, choking us with smoke. We have WWIII looming over our heads as a much wider war in the Middle East seems likely and Trump toys with the idea of using nuclear weapons in his war of choice. The violence being perpetrated by ICE is a threat to us all. The likelihood of a depression or major recession with inflation is another. Then there’s the AI bubble and engineered pandemics. Of course RFK Jr. has blessed us with his anti-vax stances while measles is spreading and over 3,500 cases. That’s only the surface of our problems and everything has been made much worse by Trump’s reckless and irresponsible policies. Yeah, we’re in a mess.
Practice self care and don’t let the bastards get you down. It must be noted that as humans, we have always stepped back from the brink .
Mike, "Existentialitis" should be an entry in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Millions are suffering from it. I don't figure that the current regime or the secretary of health and human services will be addressing the problem. They're living in a whole other psychiatric dimension.
I’ll run that by my sister who is a psychiatrist!
In my case, I've been diagnosed with GAD, General Anxiety Disorder. This is what I call it: free floating anxiety. It hovers over me, always there, but mostly in the background - unlike my specific phobias like agoraphobia and social anxiety.
That makes you normal! Perhaps existential dread is more accurate but what the heck, I love to make up words for unusual things, situations.
A couple more things are worth mentioning. This year, Hegseth made it official policy to have vaccinations in the military become optional. In May, a very serious outbreak of flu hit the main Air Force recruit base in Texas -- dozens were hospitalized and one 25 year old airman died.
100% preventable. The military has quietly gone back to its former policy.
The other thing is back in 2015, when candidate Trump called on President Obama to resign from office for allowing two people with cases of Ebola into the United States for isolation and treatment. Lady Karma would later visit Mr. Bleach in a very big way.
President Obama couldn't get through a single day without trump wanting him impeached for any random thing, like wearing a tan suit.
Starting with Trump's racist "birther conspiracy." He had "investigators" in Hawaii who would soon provide incontrovertible evidence that Barack was not born in Hawaii. One of many Big Lies.
I hope you are able to identify the racist neo-Nazi who comes to this forum to speak of things like love and truth.
??? Who is the racist neo Nazi you are referring to?
I believe in these troubled times it is important for each person to hone their ability to detect these people. It becomes pretty obvious after awhile. Just be aware that they pay regular visits --- as today.
The world.is in a mess thanks to Trump not only are the people in your country suffering but millions around the world are also suffering because of his actions. I do admit he seems to be determent together with Miller and RFK jr. to decrease your population.through cruel messures. But you have to try to stay positive untill you can get rid of this d
There is light at the end of this tunnel of stupidity. Hold the line.
This is what I'm battling all the time: "A third thing that doesn’t work is pretending there’s nothing that can be done about it — that there’s no point in even trying because we’re all f*cked. That kind of cynicism is exactly what Trump’s billionaire backers and odious oligarchs want — so we give up and let them take it all."
Trump and the Oligarchs never give up. They're relentless. I think about my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and I keep following the news and resisting any way I can.
I'm grateful to Robert Reich for hanging in there and fighting the good fight every day.
Ditto, Gloria. We can be every bit as relentless, although in my old age I'm losing patience.
You bring the greatest hope to all of us and I thank you every day for what you have done in the past,what you’re doing now and for what’s coming next. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🩷
In the short to middle term, the only thing that "works" is voter turnout. Specifically, it's critical to get registered voters to turn up at the midterms and vote straight "blue". The "independents" are the critical factor here. It's not clear how to reach them, but pointing out how badly they've been screwed by the Trump admin, IE, by the tariffs, increasing deficits, and fuel costs due to the war, might help.
Don't bother blathering about "threats to democracy", the voters have proven that they don't care if Trump's spends every day drowning puppies in a bathtub, if it doesn't affect the cost of gas.
Registering new voters may help also.
In the longer run, it's going to take a prolonged national strike and purchasing boycott to get the attention of the oligarchs. Right now, they don't care.
Registering new voters is essential. We have a very low rate of voting for a democracy. And many of the new voters we can recruit this year (for groups at work on this, see the list at https://www.tools.vote.org/ and for encouragement, https://www.vote.org/press-releases/record-breaking-first-six-months-2026/) are likely fed up past tolerating with the status quo. Or haven't voted lately because voter suppression is alive and well--but can be counteracted, and people are helping there too. Get busy: registering voters is time-sensitive in most states! The League of Women Voters is organizing a Voting Rights Day of Action August 8: https://www.lwv.org/newsroom/press-releases/league-women-voters-mobilizes-nationwide-unite-rise-voting-rights-day
Thank you!
Voting - yes - and getting others to vote and vote Democratic. Essential.
I just can't digest the fact that the Republican Party continues to go along with Trump. They are just as bad as he is, and there are so many of them.
They're all brain dead zombies. The only difference between the rest of the GOP congressmen and Senators, and Mitch McConnell, is that they can still stand up, and make noises in front of TV cameras.
Hah!
Everyday I go out and meet people who are not anything like Trump. They are helpfull and supportive of one anouther. They are what America is about. We shall overcome.
This is my experience too. 😘
❤️❤️❤️🎯
The other thing that helps is the knowledge that the historical perspective that Trump and his Project 2025 ideological ghouls operate from is deeply flawed.
Sure, they can try to intimidate and slander the Smithsonian.
But history will not be kind to them. Even as we speak, Europe is burning, and a similar fate awaits huge areas in the US.
But Trump and his fossil fuel funders are still in denial - as if the laws of basic physics must bend to their contempt for science.
It's beyond irony that the chief beneficiaries of the Maga madness are the people running the Chinese Communist party.
Next time someone shouts 'commie' at you, remind them of that.
Having a monster in the White House is one thing. Letting it live in your own head is another. Both you can fight.
I fear for the children who absorb all the fear and hate and despair. Though they didn't contribute to it, children feel guilty in such a situation. Tell them the truth and explain what happened. That will help them and also you.
.
Thanks for your effort keeping the pressure on the ignorant egotistic destroyers 👍
The outrages have become a daily occurrence. But every single one of them reinforces my determination to do my utmost to bring this foul administration to an end. I'm 79 and hope that I shall live to see our citizens, our communities, and our beloved country once again aspire and move toward the true greatness that is our legacy. May it be soon.
Same!
Thank you for your integrity. So few people have it.
Actually Lonnie I think most people have it, when I think about all the people I know or regularly come in contact with. It's people in privilege and power for too long who seem to lose it. And not all of them either--consider Tom Steyer, J. B. Pritzker, Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren, Jimmy Carter....
To which little list of people not destroyed by long power and privilege I should add some Republicans--Rep. Thomas Massie, Judge Michael Luttig, Rep. Liz Cheney.