After a man postures, suppresses, dominates, and minimizes a woman, all he has accomplished is 1) achieved obtaining her lasting hatred of him, and 2) admitted in a loud, no-holds-barred way that he is a weaker, meaner, pettier and deeply more insecure being than she will ever be.
Thank you, professor Reich, for calling out what “men” Trump, Vance, Musk, and all the petty little assholes that litter this administration are made of: Cheap dirt. The real men cringe, because we know the dynamic going on in these guy’s little lizard brains: Not much of anything remotely intelligent.
“Musk told China’s state television, ‘I’m very confident that the future of China is going to be great and that China is headed towards being the biggest economy in the world and a lot of prosperity in the future.’” This hardly sounds like “America first” or “Make America great again”.”
Tesla's plant in Shanghai accounts for half its global production of EVs. China also leads the world in battery development. In 2019, Elon Musk was offered permanent residency in the country after visiting and saying, "I love China and want to come here more often." Last December, Steve Bannon sent a text message to Newsweek: "I've always been public about my deep reservations concerning Elon's financial ties to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]—the Tesla joint venture underpins his entire business empire and they control it." Marco Rubio posted this on Twitter/X in January 2022: "Right after President Biden signed Sen. Rubio's Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law, @Tesla opened a store in #Xinjiang. Nationless corporations are helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up genocide and slave labor in the region." In 2020, Trump thought TikTok was a national security threat. Now he's determined not to ban it. When asked why, he said: "Because I got to use it." Subsequently, he added: "I tell you what. Every rich person has called me about TikTok." Or one very rich person?
DOGE is not about government efficiency. Incidentally the duke of Venice was called the Doge.
If you evaluate DOGE on i'ts activities and results., then it is a program to dismantle and destroy whatever economic and military power the USA had, and to use it's existing resources for Musks Occupy Mars project.
He has cut almost every government agency and contract except those that support Starlink and SpaceX, those have been bolstered.
He's certainly well-placed to protect his own interests. His recent cull of federal employees and programs have left 11 investigations into companies being abandoned; and the FAA has recently announced that it is testing Musk's Starlink system to improve IT networks for managing US airspace, effectively replacing the $2bn contract with Verizon. Trump through his tariff policy appears to want to use the US's economic might to bully other states. He's even threatened to imposed higher rates of corporation tax on foreign companies operating in the US. On military power, he's ambivalent. He has talked about recommencing nuclear disarmament talks with Russia and China and tried in his first term to negotiate a de-nuclearised Korean peninsula. However, he's also directed the DoD to produce a plan for an Iron Dome missile defence system (he's recently renamed it the Golden Dome) for the entire country, an initiative that is completely unfeasible and highly provocative (and very similar to Reagan's ill-fated Star Wars program).
good point-but he could've used his chainsaw on all those empty buildings-i understand corruption is rife there,in government and in business-he'd fit right in
Russell, how courageous of those pathetic guys not to stand with the positions they know are true and the concerns they should have been more loudly shouting to the world. Shameful!
Russell, thanks for the laugh! Unfortunately, RFK, Jr. has no clue what anything means these days. He just likes the power he now has when he deserves none of it. Had it not been for his name, he'd probably be houseless somewhere.
And Trump has withdrawn the US from the 2021 global agreement on corporation tax that imposed a minimum 15% tax on multinational corporations designed to curb tax avoidance and level the playing field for global businesses. Even though the minimum level was arguably absurdly low, 140 countries had signed up to the agreement which was step towards globally fairer taxes. Trump hinted at doubling taxes on foreign nationals and companies operating in the United States.
Hmmm...and one with an electoral mandate, political and constitutional power and the backing of powerful vested interests. The only saving grace in this situation is that he's an idiot.
can I sue as a private citizen? Congress has declared tik tok a threat. That would include a threat to me. Does that give me standing, or do I have to be harmed before I can go to court? Answer: Yes others have. Have to show damages.
why is their violation of the law swept under the rug in the media?
Great post Russell! I hope you shared it on Substack and elsewhere. The new censorship on most mainstream media, out of fear of Trump, will not touch this. As for X/Twitter, forget it.
Follow the easiest to make money. In the transactional hierachic world of capital worshipping Alpha males China has become the bigliest to which all other rape culture males will eventually bow in obeisance.
"America is going down’: China can capitalise on damage caused by Trump, former PLA colonel says"
Exclusive: Zhou Bo says harm done to US image may make Taiwanese reconsider their attitude towards Beijing but says he sees Trump as overall being ‘rather friendly’"
Speaking to the Guardian in Beijing, Zhou Bo said that Trump was damaging the US’s reputation “more than all of his predecessors combined”. "
Thanks. I am just waiting for China to become, after silently watching and patiently waiting on the sidelines, by default, the only nation state that can effectively promise a return to global order after this violent political chaos being engendered by Russo-MAGA.
. Something between 100% free speech where media outlets could advocate for the overthrow of the US government (and if you haven't watched OAN and others then you don't know that is what they have done for years) and the other end of the spectrum --the state control of media that exists in China. But we are blinded by enlightenment ideals that have an unrealistic picture of humans and their behavior.Sapolsky in his book Behave gives us a more realistic view--one that should inform every aspect of our society. How long will this take?
Very true Jeffery. I can't wait until, with DT's help, the Russians and Chinese take over and for sure they will take ALL the guns away from the MAGA hordes. The DEM's won't look so bad then... but it will be to late!!! Good luck... GH
I can understand Musk's attraction to China. The 20th Chinese Party Congress and Politburo contain no women. It's a very male-oriented system. The Politburo are Xi’s yes men. According to the LSE, "Spectators of the rituals of China’s Party and National Congresses have long been accustomed to the spectacle of serried ranks of identically besuited men clapping in unison to the speeches of their leader." Is that not the Orange Man's ultimate goal?
I would not be surprised to eventually see Trump attempt a subtle, nuanced pitting of Xi against Putin. (And no doubt, being second in ruling the world under Trump must seem a FINE PRIZE indeed! (At least to Trump.))
Of course, with zero concept of either "nuance" or "subtlety", this appears to be quite the challenge for an out-of-control school-yard bully like Trump.
Naturally, either man would see through this ruse in an instant, but Trump is unlikely to see ANY flaw in any of his "4 dimensional tic-tac-toe" games. Or if he did, it would be his first.
it sounds like 'musk first'-why are we not surprised or amused-now he's trying to sell teslas to modi in india-modi is notoriously anti-religious diversity and probably anti-fe-male-fits the bro profile-when a liberal like me agrees somewhat with cotton,the world is seriously in flux
Perhaps the reason women have been more aggressive in fighting back against the misogyny is because we've had a lot more practice in our day to days lives.
As opposed to engaging in fisticuffs as a form of resistance (we lose) women must fight back on a more assertive and cerebral level, with words, actions, persistence and resistance. We are getting better at honing our skills.
Black women, in particular, have shown incredible strength to stand up against oppression (all forms). They're fighting on larger battlefield, one that reaches back into and behalf of the generations before them who suffered so greatly. Perhaps the sorrow in their bones is inherent and the the fight for justice ever present.
As opposed to engaging in fisticuffs as a form of resistance women lose. That's because men have evolved to be physically larger to compensate for their weaker brains. In the short run more humans are produced. In the long run they cannot produce enough food.
So humans migrate to new lands to produce food. The problem now is we are running out of new lands.
Don't forget: more effemiate! MEN show signs of strength and vitality, while those two big fat babies display signs of surrender and losing and doubling down on half-baked "concepts of plans" that would make Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini blush. (Remember: the later two dictators were intelligent enough to take DECADES to cement their evil coup, whereas Bunkerboy has both tiny feet in the grave so it's freaking out.)
It seems like the barbarians are winning. As a retiree who always thought of myself as a regular man, I never came close to philosophizing about this weirdness called "masculinity." This appears to be a real and dangerous psychological problem among its adherents.
I have been marrieftd to the most wonderful man for 61 years. He has supported my career and supports women period. He believes that we need everyone to make this World a better place. I think Trump, Vance, and Musk want to take away our vote. They are underestimating women.
I have been actively stating the following to trumpers--especially women ones:
Sadly, whether you realize it or face it or not, you are a victim of abuse. You were probably brought up hearing things like, "Well if you don't like (my rules) then you can leave" and that's what you now tell to people who say things that they do not like about the Usa now.
You believe that women should be treated with less equality and you are ok with general abuse as part of life, and you probably lash out in anger at others who challenge you because people who were abused often end up doing it to someone else.
If you get help then this can change and you can get better, but you seem to not want to, and just like an abused spouse who somehow still supports their abuser, you love this. And you love Trump because he is that figure in your life! I cannot help you and so you deserve to suffer. Sorry.
I would add one more thing: he has ALSO become a HOMOSEXUAL! (Despite the fact that Bunkerboy appears to be the SOLE STRAIGHT pedophile on the right. The rest are GAY pedophiles.)
After I saw/heard the tongue lashing that President Zelensky had to enduring by those two @#?#&% , I just wanted to see him cold cock both them on live/streamed TV. They'd still be to scraping Dr. Evil and Mini-Me off the floor...and Zelensky could strut out of the room giving everyone two thumbs up. Fantasy but ahhh it felt good to share that and get it off my chest.
I support RAZOM as well. Thanks for mentioning that Keith. Here is a link https://www.razomforukraine.org/ in case anyone wants more info.
Your listing of all the women who have stood up to him picked up my spirits. All this vitriol that they have unleashed against DEIA has brought self doubts about myself (did they hire me cause they needed to to check the 'woman' box). I'm 72 and retired but that feeling creeps up. Stupid I know but it is insidious.
Thanks Prof. Reich for all you do. I'm always happy to see an email from you in my inbox.
Trump, Republicans, and oligarchs operating the manosphere to destroy democracy and human rights are conducting an insurrection that violates federal law (18 U.S. Code § 2383) which defines a felony crime as “whoever assists or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof”. The insurrection wants to take America back to before 1776 with a KING (Trump as KING) and run the country as the old South and provided all the wealth to rich white men as property holders who exploited inhuman cruel slavery and treated white women as slaves.
All women as slaves. Look at the Tate brothers, who even tattoo women like cattle and deny them the right to leave their compound without being "escorted" by them, most likely to keep them from getting help, or escaping.
Professor Reich: wasn't RFKJr's diary discovered by his wife who then committed suicide? just asking.
i'm still wondering about the SAVE act: i'm worried that married women will no longer be allowed to vote because their names do not match the name on their birth certificate. there are also women (not many, true, but there are some) who legally changed their names for other reasons -- to escape abuse or stalking, for example. i assume they, too, will no longer be allowed to vote?
Research by the Pew Research Center found that approximately 69 million women could not use their birth certificate to prove their identity or citizenship status under the SAVE Act. Additionally, 5 percent of married men have also changed their surname, accounting for approximately 4 million men nationwide who could also not present an acceptable birth certificate under the SAVE Act. Only 1 in 4 Americans have a valid passport. The Brennan Center estimates that around 21m Americans would have difficulty in producing the documentation required by the proposed legislation. You're absolutely right to be concerned about this.
Russell, that "SAVE" act should be unconstitutional and not even able to be proposed, but the scared white guys and their allies care nothing for our Constitution or anything else that might let people rightly vote them out of office. The Republicans will most likely pass it and the SC approve it well, just because power really does corrupt.
Gonna be tough to destroy/weaken America enough to please Putin, while still leaving enough wealth intact so "Daddy-Putin will still WUV his widdle Twumpie!"
Former Russian PM Dmitri Medvedev posted this on Twitter/X : “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII'." On Telegram, he wrote: “The ungrateful swine got a hard slap in the face from the owners of the pigsty. That’s a good thing, but not enough." (nice description, by the way, of Trump and Vance as owners of a pigsty). Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also wrote on Telegram: “How Trump and Vance exercised restraint and didn’t punch this scumbag is a miracle of restraint.” Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of Russia’s senate, chimed in: “Zelenskyy lost this round with a deafening crash. And he will have to crawl on his knees for the next one." So at least, someone was happy with the meeting!
Thanks Russell. And these folks are DT's & Putin's friends! I think they sound just like the traitor Rupert Murdoch's talking heads on Fox Fake Fascist News. Best of luck to all... GH
Your very welcome, Gary. I note that Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov has said: “The new [Trump] administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision.” That more or less confirms what you said. The Republican party today is light years away from the party of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Only Lisa Murkowski has spoken in strong terms about this apostasy by the Trump administration.
Girl Scientist, the crazy rich old white men will grab onto anything they can to keep themselves in power, a bunch of incompetent, uncaring, non-empathetic XYs who were elected by other people's huge donations, or rather payments for their services, services which are supposed to be for the benefit of their constituents and the American people. It really is shameful. I blame this current mess entirely on Mitch McConnell, a scared white guy who got into power with nothing to offer the American people and did his very best to prove it.
Great post Ruth. Ronnie Reagan also fits your last line. The MAGA mob is still drinking the Kool-Aide of his "Love your country, hate your government" idea.
Apparently PUTIN understands something Trump, his cultists (and his silent GOP sycophants) have ZERO concept of:
"Dead supporters (and a nation FLOODED with disease) is not nearly as valuable to Russia as one with all DEMOCRATIC, predominantly BLACK cities burning. While Trump supporters (and Trump) would enjoy nothing more than seeing greater suffering and death among Americans OF COLOR, PUTIN wants immediate occupancy. and millions of dead potential slaves detracts from that effort a smidge."
GrrlScientist, this is the visionary Margaret Atwood's 'A Handmaid's Tale' come to full 'corpse flower' in this fully decadent regime. You are right to be concerned. I don't know what to call this country anymore, being crushed by a nest of reptilians. Not the time for actual humans to lie down.
Lord, Jan, I bet you'll have to get a new remote because the mute and channel changing button are getting a huge workout! You cannot look at TV, work on your computer, listen to the radio or anything without seeing or hearing his ugly mug and whiny voice! He floods everything with his stupid face and having to listen to him speak is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me!
All a good start BUT we need action, folks! Yes, donations, cancelling amazon prime memberships (that one hurts, but I'm doing it) Canceling Facebook accounts, donating to verifiable Ukrainian charities, apologizing in emails and letters to Pres. Zelensky, burning my Republican representative, Andy Harris' phone line down, etc etc have made me feel better. But what other ACTIONs can we take? This is not BUSINESS as USUAL, friends! Set aside the remotes and laptops and let's DO SOMETHING!
I hope we can act with a sense of groundedness and resolve rather than rely on our rage. We must not burn things down but stand for a sense of compassion for all, especially our children both female and male. Robert Reich inspires me because he survived being bullied to become a strong man, husband, father and mentor to hundreds of students. Women's History month is here, and let's hold up those who can inspire us.
Other alternatives to identifying him: “Drumpf,” his ancestral German name that he hates, and the very sterile “47.” Or tangerine tyrant or orange Mussolini. Anything that reflects or implies just how inhuman he is. I am not sure he should even be gendered. How about slime bag, although that and Dreckmeister are an insult to slime and Dreck.
Trump's Republicans are a party of aggrieved men. His policies will hurt many of them, and then they will turn their anger at him and his billionaire accomplices.
I continue to see Trump, MAGA, and the forces that installed him into office as one last big gasp of the dying white patriarchy. White males have been in charge of most of civilization for hundreds and hundreds of years. And quite frankly, they’ve had privileges, advantages, and benefits that others who are not white males did not.
Now that our country is changing and white males are becoming the minority, they are terrified. Terrified that everyone else will be treated equally, given the same level of access to opportunities, and that their privileges will be gone. So, this last gasp of the desire to keep white males in charge of everything is doomed to fail. Demographics will prevail.
America’s biggest strength has always been its diversity and its variety of people because of robust immigration. Scared, fearful white men won’t remain in power long, especially as others remember that the people hold the power - and when the people want MAGA out, they have the power to get them out. Then a new age in which people of color, women, and woke men of all colors will govern this country with logic, order, kindness, and empathy. The hyper macho MAGA nonsense must be eradicated because under MAGA, America has no future.
How extreme in their indoctrination is MAGA? This is how it appears to me...
Has everyone considered just how many individual events ranging from UNLIKELY to ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE would have ALL had to have occurred for Trump’s claim of, “THEY’RE EATING THE CATS! THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!! to have been true?
1. How would a CONCERNED CITIZEN (CC), also likely being a Trump supporter, know a particular individual was Haitian without seeing that person’s official identification? UNLIKELY
2. How would a CC (Concerned Citizen) know that an animal in the possession of one of these “confirmed Haitians” was even a PET (and not feral or simply “unhoused”), unless they were near enough to see a collar with RECENTLY DATED tags? VERY UNLIKELY
3. For a CC to have seen someone they KNEW to be a “confirmed Haitian” grab an animal which the CC KNEW was a PET, then follow them to where the CC saw the “confirmed Haitian” KILL, BUTCHER, COOK and then EAT said pet (all without being chased away, or “escorted” out of a private residence) seems: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
4. For a CC (again, presumably a Trump supporter) to have watched someone they KNEW to be a “confirmed Haitian” grab an animal the CC KNEW to be a PET, then to watch that “confirmed Haitian” transport that PET to a place where it was KILLED, BUTCHERED, COOKED and EATEN…all without the so-called CC (and very likely Trump cultist) taking ANY action to protect the pet, or to stop the so-called “confirmed Haitian” from killing and eating the pet: VERY UNLIKELY (though Trump cultists do tend to be cowards when not part of a MOB.)
5. For a CC to have gone through the entire process detailed in the steps above, yet NOT to have used a PHONE to document evidence of this act: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
6. Supposedly these CCs (and likely Trump supporters) saw ALL this PET KILLING and EATING taking place, yet NO ONE ever contacted law enforcement. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
7. And that’s just for ONE of the two lies to be true. For both dogs AND cats to be included in this lie, steps 2 through 6 would have to be duplicated for the other species of “pet”. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
It seems that for TRUMP’S LIES on this topic to be believed, his supporters would have to ignore AT LEAST THIRTEEN very unlikely events, and ZERO likely events.
Yet these MORONS seem to have no trouble believing THIS LIE, or Trump’s even MORE UNLIKELY lie of STOLLEN(sic) ELECTIONS!
I don't think MAGA worries much about whether their lies are plausible or outrageous as long as they are insulting and demeaning. Hate is Donald Trump's way of improving the world.
Aaron Parks, I very much agree with you. We are stuck and being stymied from framing our lives and societies around patriarchial myths and stories. Women’s stories have been denigrated or left out wholesale from the HIStorical record. Most of the “great books” underpinning western thought are rampantly misogynistic. As we started to bring more retelling of history to include women’s experiences, achievement's, and perspectives, many people could understand the innate balance and richness it provides for human relationships. But Patriarchy can’t stand the competition, thus the global patriarchal temper tantrum with geopolitical repercussions.
I’m read endless analyses of why Trump won, and why 75,000,000 Americans have very much crowned him “the New Messiah”.
As far as I can determine based on what little information is available (since Trump rarely expressed a policy position while campaigning, and if he did, he reversed that position almost immediately) we can only base Trump’s intentions on his words instead of any of his (non)actions. And his only consistent words? Lies…
Clearly, the single thing that Trump supporters most admire about Trump is obviously his ability to lie endlessly and constantly, and even admit to his lies, knowing it’s his actual superpower to NEVER make an honest statement.
MAGA men and women control others through a combination of brutalising violence and gaslighting. Like all rapists. Existential fear can often express as uncritical hero worship.
And of course, Monnina, Trump constantly reinforces EXACTLY the thing these poor fools most wish to hear...
That NOTHING they have ever done that has caused harm to others IS their fault, has EVER been their fault, or ever WILL BE their fault.
Just as no harm to innocent people that they have EVER profited from (thinking slavery now...) has EVER been their fault, or ever will be.
(But just the same, it's best to simply remove ALL that "white inferiority" stuff from easily accessible books, since NOTHING feels more urgent to the GOP than controlling EVERY possible narrative. After all, it's ALWAYS easier to begin a negative narrative from a position of hate and domination than from reality.)
And for the T-cultists fearful that they may not be good parents? Trump tells them that ALL they have to do to be PERFECT PARENTS is simply to prevent their children from EVER opening a BOOK! (Or their minds, apparently...)
I'd guess Trump has freed more white Americans from sin than JESUS!
The true "welfare queens" that Reagan lied about would today be corporations and billionaires paying little or no taxes:
"Tens of thousands of wealthy Americans are not complying with recently revamped Internal Revenue Service efforts to get them to file tax returns, according to data obtained exclusively by CNBC.
"A quirk in federal tax law may be incentivizing wealthy people who want to avoid paying taxes to simply not file their returns. That’s because it’s a felony to file false tax returns but only a misdemeanor not to file a return at all.
"Notices were mailed in February in 125,000 cases targeting wealthy taxpayers who had not filed tax returns since 2017."
One can only presume that these are EXACTLY the voters Trump was appealing to during the campaign when he offered to CLOSE THE IRS. (And of course, ALL rich Americans, filing or not, will receive a very valuable TAX DELAY because of Trump, and I suspect that cost those of us voting for democracy a huge price.)
And of course, America offers "investment income" rates for those earning money by NOT WORKING that are about half of what working Americans pay. America may not be the only country that REWARDS non-working Americans over working ones, and America may not even be the only country where the RICH can BUY TAX LAWS that they find most to their "liking".
But America is the ONLY COUNTRY I'm aware of that is using PURE GREED, combined with a (new) national policy of GUARANTEED NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY (something Trump knows a great deal about), as we speak, to assure that we will ALL be handed over to our worst enemy, Putin, ASAP.
I was growing up (and later baptised, regrettably) in the Southern Baptist church as a small child in South Carolina, just about the time the GOP's Southern Strategy was being used to replace Jesus's words of love with inflamed racial hatred toward Black Americans.
While white evangelicals do (inexplicably) consider themselves to be "Christians", Jesus never preached hate, racism or violence, and I can scarcely believe that even people this "under-educated" can make themselves believe that he did. But they've found a workaround to pretend that, as long as they follow the words of hate spewed by their (white, male) pastors from the church pulpit, they can ignore anything else (such as the Sermon on the Mount, Ten Commandments) that shows Jesus as a source of love, wisdom and compassion. (When is the last time anyone reading this heard a white southerner raving about the "words of love contained within The Golden Rule"?)
Rather, they have chosen to completely ignore everything Jesus ever said about love, compassion or helping others, while believing anything in the Bible that can be twisted into a reason for hate. (The very reason I tend not to refer to them as "Christians", and instead internally use what I feel to be the more accurate term, "Cherrypickers".)
Yes, the entire point behind the Southern Strategy was/is to make these same people believe that they are JUSTIFIED in believing white folks to be superior in every way, and that only happened because of the deliberate, focused actions of the GOP to return hate to the Deep South (where "the (hated) party of Lincoln" (Republican) had not elected a candidate in a federal election in >100 years.)
Of course it began long before, as white southerners were talking about "lazy and worthless" Black slaves, though slaves had substantially built America's wealth all the way back to 1619, and these same "worthless and lazy" people were apparently worth fighting a war over that cost almost 700,000 lives.
Respectfully, I'm not so sure that Bezos or Zuck support Trump because they're necessarily good WHITE SUPREMACISTS, but more likely because of the financial aspect. But I don't for even a moment think that these monsters wouldn't USE Christianity (and the great many ignorant, insecure and thin-skinned racist white southerners) to get what they want as part of their support for Trump (or at least their support for his hate and oppression.)
"In that context, how might people seeing themselves as a “ruling class”, lacking in education and insight, not simply find it easier to hate a race that makes the racial majority of a nation look and feel inferior, repeatedly and historically. Hate is far easier than for southern racists to find it within themselves to grow in humanity and personal responsibility."
The chief evidence for his intentions is what he does foofaraw. Of course, when you are President what you say in itself is an "action", an "event. But he contradicts himself constantly explicitly and implicitly. His non-verbal actions are by far the way to gauge his intent.
I'm not certain how to best define a "non-verbal" action.
But it's likely similar to a "trial balloon", or any of many actions Trump says he'll undertake, but in reality just wishes to judge how his "ratings" will be affected before following through.
It's hard not to be reminded of the 2020 GOP platform, which was almost literally presented as "follow the leader", and while phrased several ways, they all reflect the same "do nothing until we're told to" mentality:
What they like is that he empathizes with them. He claims that he is a victim like them, he rages against government oppression like they do, he insults the people they hate, he promises to set them free to live the American dream. One thing he will do is to dismantle government institutions which will profit him more than his followers. He is a master in doing deals for others which mainly benefit him.
The outrageous display at the soon to be deemed “historic" meeting at the White House not only confirmed the tactics of outright bullying as the new form of governance, but it confirmed that the United States is now the number one ally of Putin. The campaign of denigration of women will end up being the achilles heel of the Trump MAGA administration for as you point out, the women are much more effective opponents of Trump and his MAGATS. than the Democratic Party as a whole.
The whole of the civilized Western World stands in horror at the brazenness of Trump, Musk, Vance and Putin as the new united front of fascism and autocracy on the world stage. The worst of the worst stand brazenly exposed as the would be Emperors without clothes stand naked with their testosterone fueled ambitions on display for all to see. At least we now have undisputed proof of the cabal of emperors supported and cheered on by the billionaire class. No one is hiding anything any more and it is impossible for any one of a moral and ethical base to justify non-action at this point. Democratic Party, where are you??? Thank goodness for the brave women who are leading the way in opposition to such attacks on our human rights.
“Meanwhile Planet Earth dies” while patriarchy stages another temper tantrum. In one sense, though, once we successfully kill off humanity, Planet Earth should rebound as she always does. We are the weak link.
Excellent Robert. You hit a nerve with this newsletter.
I see men who share this philosophy and attitude about others as insecure, self important and damaged people. They have been raised in discriminatory hate filled homes, where men are taught that they are better than everybody else. Their primary role models have failed them. They need others to be subservient so they feel strong and important. They see women as a threat. Women see this everywhere and I have experienced it in my teaching career, volunteer work and in my general daily life. It is not new and will never be acceptable to me. 🇨🇦
Trump and Musk come across as fundamentally insecure and they are both narcissists and sociopaths. That is a toxic combination of personality disorders.
along with his insecurity Trump has impulsiveness and harbors resentments forever that rule his actions. Not exactly the guy we want in charge of 6000? nukes.
Musk, Bezos, Zuck, Altman and a few other billionaires are in a mad race to acquire the ring that rules all the other rings: AI. The outcome could be catastrophic for humankind.
We all know he’s a disgusting pig as well as white trash, along with his cowardly mouse vice president. I just want them out of the Oval Office. Let’s discuss how to make that happen.
The following two ways are consitutional and non-military:
1. Culturally pressure the president and vice-president to step down. (Why not?). Or:
2. Impeach the VP (as in "Get Agnew first") on any grounds whatsoever (there is no judicial comeback), then have president "nominate" a new VP of the kind we would like.
Per Amendment 25, sec 2, that nominee "shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress."
Then impeach the president, whereupon the good VP moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
He’s guilty of treason as well as 34 convictions. He tried to overthrow the government and does anyone remember the phone call he made to Zelenskyy to try to get him to lie about Biden?
Let’s not insult pigs, who are smarter than dogs and definitely smarter and less disgusting than he is. I think the only non-offensive monikers are “Drumpf,” his ancestral German name that he hates, “dreck meister,” as coined by a writer above, tangerine tyrant, orange Mussolini, and possibly 47. I don’t even like gendering him as it implies humanity that is completely undeserved.
There are many ways to characterise that contemptible treastment of President Zelensky in the Oval Office. It struck me as extreme 'Parent - Child'. In this case two presumptuous fathers bullied a man trying to have an adult discussion as if he were an errant child. I suppose this reference to 'oh so yesterday Transactional Analysis' makes me a complete wuss but be prepared for a lot more of this condescending, intimidating and public interaction from the leaders of the free world.
I don’t understand why any woman would vote for a republican at this point but I also don’t understand why any “christian” voted for Trump because his words and actions were anti-christian.
I was at the typewriter again this morning, writing to our “courageous” senior senator in Maine about what was on my mind this morning. Lets see if she acts on my request:
Dear Senator Collins,
You know the old saying, “What would Jesus do?” that we occasionally invoke when there is a serious moral question, and we feel we need to look inward and find the fortitude to make the right decision. Well, in the case of your work with the Senate at the start of Trump 2.0, the saying might be “What would Liz Cheney do?” or even, much closer to home and perhaps a bit more apt, “What would Margaret Chase Smith do?” The former did the right thing after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on 01/06/2021, co-chairing the bipartisan investigation of it, and the latter speaking out forcefully against the behavior of Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Please help sponsor, and bring to a floor vote, a statement of condemnation for Trump, Vance and Rubio regarding their behavior on 02/28/2025 in the Oval Office meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine. Thank you
Thanks Richard. Collins voted with DT 65% of the time in his first term and with the GOP 99% of the time in her 22 years in the Senate. We always hope she sees "the light" but so far, she is "all boat and no lobsters"... to paraphrase the old saying... "all hat and no cattle". When push comes to shove, she almost always does the wrong thing for the American people. Sen. M.C. Smith is rolling over in her grave. All the best... GH
This is the byproduct of centuries of conditioning that teaches boys to seek power over connection, to fear emotional depth, and to measure worth through control rather than character. We need to teach our boys a different way.
Raise boys and girls the same way! Stop with the high heels, equivalent to Chinese foot binding, and that cause nothing but back and foot pain and foot deformities over time! For what, to please men?
"More recently, Putin signed legislation that bans people from officially or medically changing their gender, banning any “medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person,” as well as banning changing a person’s gender in official documents or public records. It also annuls marriages in which one person has “changed gender,” and bars trans people from becoming foster or adoptive parents."
Not every American is Christian, nor is required or expected to be, or even necessarily believes in God. Yet EVERY objection to SAME-SEX marriage that I’ve seen (voiced by haters on the right) involves the same clearly stated religious bigotry: “MARRIAGE is between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN”, though this view exists nowhere in any of America’s founding documents, or in any changes or additions since. (But what America DOES have is a clearly stated separation of church and state, though frequently not applied fairly or appropriately.)
Along with the majority of the world’s nations, marriage in America also exists as something other than “a bond between Christians, chosen specifically or peripherally for the purpose of honoring God”: marriage in America also exists as a contractual, legally binding agreement / obligation.
It seems to be ENTIRELY UNCONTESTED that two men are free to jointly sign a contract to rent an apartment together or even cosign a contract to buy a home to live in together. And I’ve yet to see an objection to two women signing a contract together to buy a car, or to engage in ANY contractual agreement in America…except for the contractual agreement to be married to another woman. (Seemingly, even the American states allowing underage “child brides” (aka "Romeo and Juliet laws") generally only have a problem if the minor child is of the same gender.) Perhaps some of the sadder stories involve the same-sex couples who want only to honor God through their marriage, yet still largely face contention and contempt…from other so-called CHRISTIANS!
The result being that there are rights and privileges assigned to those Americans CONTRACTING to be married (“in the eyes of God” or otherwise) yet denied to those who do not…even when their EVERY DESIRE and INTENTION is to be fully, legally married for life.
Obviously if Dems were in charge, eliminating this unconstitutional discrimination would be quite easy. Simply offer to remove the concerns white evangelical churches surely have about how much they’re “campaigning from the pulpit” for Trump and REMOVE all TAX EXEMPTIONS based on this clear violation of rules about churches expressing political positions. (The stipulations agreed to when taxes were originally waived. Those rules…) Then they will be free to express all the hate that their new Orange Jesus will permit without concerns about violating either the law, the Golden Rule, or the Ten Commandments. So, keeping their “principles” may become a teensy-tiny bit more difficult when the object balancing on the other end of the teeter-totter is their “principals”.
While those easiest to spot will be those here in the Deep South that (LITERALLY) have MAGA on their electronic bulletin boards immediately outside the church, I suspect evidence of almost 100% failure to comply to existing rules will be found in any and every sermon.
So, what’s the problem with two men or two women signing a contract to be married? Even among Christians, I MUST believe marriage means different things to each participant and/or couple. Some Christian couples involve religion deeply in their marriage, and others, even if no less Christian in thought, may have a marriage that involves God to a much lesser degree. Some couples, Christian or otherwise, want to bear children. Others want no such thing, though that choice may have no basis whatsoever in that person’s faith or beliefs. Nothing in Bible or constitution says that marriage under God must be observed in ONLY very specific and controlled ways, or that everyone is required to follow any such set of rules, which would indeed be different for adherents of pretty much any of Earth’s nearly “grains of sand” quantity of belief systems.
Can anyone think of any other legal contract that is, through either law or “unofficial” policy, denied to Americans based on bias or discrimination? Obviously, indigenous Americans are surely on that list if anyone in America is, and likely members of less “popular” religions are very possibly facing such unconstitutional, discriminatory actions. And failing to recognize legally binding contracts is absolute stock-in-trade for “America’s favorite Pres…GRIFTER!”
After a man postures, suppresses, dominates, and minimizes a woman, all he has accomplished is 1) achieved obtaining her lasting hatred of him, and 2) admitted in a loud, no-holds-barred way that he is a weaker, meaner, pettier and deeply more insecure being than she will ever be.
Thank you, professor Reich, for calling out what “men” Trump, Vance, Musk, and all the petty little assholes that litter this administration are made of: Cheap dirt. The real men cringe, because we know the dynamic going on in these guy’s little lizard brains: Not much of anything remotely intelligent.
“Musk told China’s state television, ‘I’m very confident that the future of China is going to be great and that China is headed towards being the biggest economy in the world and a lot of prosperity in the future.’” This hardly sounds like “America first” or “Make America great again”.”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/02/tom-cotton-book-trump-tiktok
OUCH! Very DOGEY of him, isn’t it? But then DOdGEing truth and reality is sort of Musk’s “superpower”…
Tesla's plant in Shanghai accounts for half its global production of EVs. China also leads the world in battery development. In 2019, Elon Musk was offered permanent residency in the country after visiting and saying, "I love China and want to come here more often." Last December, Steve Bannon sent a text message to Newsweek: "I've always been public about my deep reservations concerning Elon's financial ties to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]—the Tesla joint venture underpins his entire business empire and they control it." Marco Rubio posted this on Twitter/X in January 2022: "Right after President Biden signed Sen. Rubio's Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law, @Tesla opened a store in #Xinjiang. Nationless corporations are helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up genocide and slave labor in the region." In 2020, Trump thought TikTok was a national security threat. Now he's determined not to ban it. When asked why, he said: "Because I got to use it." Subsequently, he added: "I tell you what. Every rich person has called me about TikTok." Or one very rich person?
thanks-lots of good info here-don't we wish musk'd taken his chainsaw and moved to China?
Somehow I don't think they would welcome his input on government efficiency.
DOGE is not about government efficiency. Incidentally the duke of Venice was called the Doge.
If you evaluate DOGE on i'ts activities and results., then it is a program to dismantle and destroy whatever economic and military power the USA had, and to use it's existing resources for Musks Occupy Mars project.
He has cut almost every government agency and contract except those that support Starlink and SpaceX, those have been bolstered.
He's certainly well-placed to protect his own interests. His recent cull of federal employees and programs have left 11 investigations into companies being abandoned; and the FAA has recently announced that it is testing Musk's Starlink system to improve IT networks for managing US airspace, effectively replacing the $2bn contract with Verizon. Trump through his tariff policy appears to want to use the US's economic might to bully other states. He's even threatened to imposed higher rates of corporation tax on foreign companies operating in the US. On military power, he's ambivalent. He has talked about recommencing nuclear disarmament talks with Russia and China and tried in his first term to negotiate a de-nuclearised Korean peninsula. However, he's also directed the DoD to produce a plan for an Iron Dome missile defence system (he's recently renamed it the Golden Dome) for the entire country, an initiative that is completely unfeasible and highly provocative (and very similar to Reagan's ill-fated Star Wars program).
Perhaps THIS is something of importance that far too MANY OF US can participate in saving...
"Trump orders swathes of US forests to be cut down for timber
President’s move to expand tree cutting across 280m acres evades rules to protect endangered species"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/trump-national-forest-executive-order
Yes, friends and patriots, that's 280,000,000 ACRES!!!
TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY MILLION ACRES!
America (and Americans) CANNOT ALLOW this to happen.
PLEASE! Let's keep our eyes on this very significant prize, and watch for every new report of EXACTLY where these events are to occur.
good point-but he could've used his chainsaw on all those empty buildings-i understand corruption is rife there,in government and in business-he'd fit right in
He may also be as barren as his dad is. I hope not.
Russell, good examples of -- greed is not good.
Russell, how courageous of those pathetic guys not to stand with the positions they know are true and the concerns they should have been more loudly shouting to the world. Shameful!
It seems to be contagious in the Republican party - perhaps RFK should look into this.
Russell, thanks for the laugh! Unfortunately, RFK, Jr. has no clue what anything means these days. He just likes the power he now has when he deserves none of it. Had it not been for his name, he'd probably be houseless somewhere.
He's a big spender, according to CBS - the Elmer Gantry of the wellness industry - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-financial-disclosures-millions-in-both-debt-and-income-awaits-hhs-confirmation/
many key phrases here,russell,but the most ominous might be 'nationless corporations'-their only allegiance is to the bottom line
And Trump has withdrawn the US from the 2021 global agreement on corporation tax that imposed a minimum 15% tax on multinational corporations designed to curb tax avoidance and level the playing field for global businesses. Even though the minimum level was arguably absurdly low, 140 countries had signed up to the agreement which was step towards globally fairer taxes. Trump hinted at doubling taxes on foreign nationals and companies operating in the United States.
the man is a lunatic
Hmmm...and one with an electoral mandate, political and constitutional power and the backing of powerful vested interests. The only saving grace in this situation is that he's an idiot.
His kid Baron pointed out how useful TikTok was in political campaigning, so I heard/read.
You mean the app the Supreme Court said must be shut down and still operates in defiance of the law? that tik tok.
can I sue as a private citizen? Congress has declared tik tok a threat. That would include a threat to me. Does that give me standing, or do I have to be harmed before I can go to court? Answer: Yes others have. Have to show damages.
why is their violation of the law swept under the rug in the media?
That rumour seems to be being propagated - on TikTok!
Great post Russell! I hope you shared it on Substack and elsewhere. The new censorship on most mainstream media, out of fear of Trump, will not touch this. As for X/Twitter, forget it.
Follow the easiest to make money. In the transactional hierachic world of capital worshipping Alpha males China has become the bigliest to which all other rape culture males will eventually bow in obeisance.
And this...
"America is going down’: China can capitalise on damage caused by Trump, former PLA colonel says"
Exclusive: Zhou Bo says harm done to US image may make Taiwanese reconsider their attitude towards Beijing but says he sees Trump as overall being ‘rather friendly’"
Speaking to the Guardian in Beijing, Zhou Bo said that Trump was damaging the US’s reputation “more than all of his predecessors combined”. "
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/02/america-is-going-down-china-can-capitalise-on-damage-caused-by-trump-former-pla-colonel-says
Monnina,
Rather distressing just how many critically important, "easy to follow" patterns Americans are now NOT seeing.
Even when right(sic) in front of our eyes...
Thank you for making that excellent point, M.
Thanks. I am just waiting for China to become, after silently watching and patiently waiting on the sidelines, by default, the only nation state that can effectively promise a return to global order after this violent political chaos being engendered by Russo-MAGA.
The US needed a middle ground on free expression
. Something between 100% free speech where media outlets could advocate for the overthrow of the US government (and if you haven't watched OAN and others then you don't know that is what they have done for years) and the other end of the spectrum --the state control of media that exists in China. But we are blinded by enlightenment ideals that have an unrealistic picture of humans and their behavior.Sapolsky in his book Behave gives us a more realistic view--one that should inform every aspect of our society. How long will this take?
tell us about the book
The us needs a US to come rescue it from itself. Is time travel possible?
thanks!
If the US doesn't get it right the China model for control may win out. Although that still leaves western Europe.
Alas, China is run by authoritarian male chauvinists.
True. Where on earth isn’t ?
exactly!!!! And trumpers LOVE this system!!
Very true Jeffery. I can't wait until, with DT's help, the Russians and Chinese take over and for sure they will take ALL the guns away from the MAGA hordes. The DEM's won't look so bad then... but it will be to late!!! Good luck... GH
the Chinese boot on the neck will make people and countries long for the good old days of western imperialism
I can understand Musk's attraction to China. The 20th Chinese Party Congress and Politburo contain no women. It's a very male-oriented system. The Politburo are Xi’s yes men. According to the LSE, "Spectators of the rituals of China’s Party and National Congresses have long been accustomed to the spectacle of serried ranks of identically besuited men clapping in unison to the speeches of their leader." Is that not the Orange Man's ultimate goal?
Good point James. And those who don't say yes disappear into a mass grave with a bullet in their brain. GH
James,
Indeed!
I would not be surprised to eventually see Trump attempt a subtle, nuanced pitting of Xi against Putin. (And no doubt, being second in ruling the world under Trump must seem a FINE PRIZE indeed! (At least to Trump.))
Of course, with zero concept of either "nuance" or "subtlety", this appears to be quite the challenge for an out-of-control school-yard bully like Trump.
Naturally, either man would see through this ruse in an instant, but Trump is unlikely to see ANY flaw in any of his "4 dimensional tic-tac-toe" games. Or if he did, it would be his first.
it sounds like 'musk first'-why are we not surprised or amused-now he's trying to sell teslas to modi in india-modi is notoriously anti-religious diversity and probably anti-fe-male-fits the bro profile-when a liberal like me agrees somewhat with cotton,the world is seriously in flux
Let's not forget Musk's factories in China and desire to sell more goods and services there.
Deep inside are scared little boys ... "Sad."
Trump knows this and this is why he is a fear monger. Rupert Murdoch knew this all along, and this is why Fox News catered(s) to them.
It sounds to ME that Bunkerboy, Pootin and JP fucked women who they were "surprised" had dicks. Poor widdle girlies.
Perhaps the reason women have been more aggressive in fighting back against the misogyny is because we've had a lot more practice in our day to days lives.
As opposed to engaging in fisticuffs as a form of resistance (we lose) women must fight back on a more assertive and cerebral level, with words, actions, persistence and resistance. We are getting better at honing our skills.
Black women, in particular, have shown incredible strength to stand up against oppression (all forms). They're fighting on larger battlefield, one that reaches back into and behalf of the generations before them who suffered so greatly. Perhaps the sorrow in their bones is inherent and the the fight for justice ever present.
As opposed to engaging in fisticuffs as a form of resistance women lose. That's because men have evolved to be physically larger to compensate for their weaker brains. In the short run more humans are produced. In the long run they cannot produce enough food.
So humans migrate to new lands to produce food. The problem now is we are running out of new lands.
Don't forget: more effemiate! MEN show signs of strength and vitality, while those two big fat babies display signs of surrender and losing and doubling down on half-baked "concepts of plans" that would make Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini blush. (Remember: the later two dictators were intelligent enough to take DECADES to cement their evil coup, whereas Bunkerboy has both tiny feet in the grave so it's freaking out.)
Well said, Rick!
Hi Peggy,
Even for MAGA, this is extreme (and not even new)...
"Texas Official Warns Against ‘Measles Parties’ Amid Growing Outbreak
At least 146 measles cases have been identified in West Texas so far, including 20 hospitalizations and one death."
https://www.wired.com/story/measles-parties-texas-outbreak/?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIR_Daily_030325&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_content=WIR_Daily_030325&bxid=5d35b0440564ce173254a22c&cndid=57929571&hasha=0a67cd9d0daa19cee9a2ea7acd583f27&hashc=a041c1a10e95a0e2fadab9f8c35cf31141940ab1aad61b109c1855e50662d74e&esrc=growl2-regGate-1120&utm_term=WIR_Daily_Active
What could POSSIBLY be more "MAGA-logical" than getting SICK...
To AVOID getting sick.
It seems like the barbarians are winning. As a retiree who always thought of myself as a regular man, I never came close to philosophizing about this weirdness called "masculinity." This appears to be a real and dangerous psychological problem among its adherents.
Ha ha. Don't insult lizards.
I have been marrieftd to the most wonderful man for 61 years. He has supported my career and supports women period. He believes that we need everyone to make this World a better place. I think Trump, Vance, and Musk want to take away our vote. They are underestimating women.
I have been actively stating the following to trumpers--especially women ones:
Sadly, whether you realize it or face it or not, you are a victim of abuse. You were probably brought up hearing things like, "Well if you don't like (my rules) then you can leave" and that's what you now tell to people who say things that they do not like about the Usa now.
You believe that women should be treated with less equality and you are ok with general abuse as part of life, and you probably lash out in anger at others who challenge you because people who were abused often end up doing it to someone else.
If you get help then this can change and you can get better, but you seem to not want to, and just like an abused spouse who somehow still supports their abuser, you love this. And you love Trump because he is that figure in your life! I cannot help you and so you deserve to suffer. Sorry.
I would add one more thing: he has ALSO become a HOMOSEXUAL! (Despite the fact that Bunkerboy appears to be the SOLE STRAIGHT pedophile on the right. The rest are GAY pedophiles.)
Don't insult lizards.
Thank You again Professor Reich,
My wife and I gave a donation to RAZOM
FOR UKRAINE. To hell with the Republicans who are siding with Russia!
Way to go, Keith! Salva Ukraine!
Hi Peggy, this is the battle cry of the Ukrainian armed forces - 'Slava Ukraini' -Glory to Ukraine!
Oh my gosh! I just realized I switched the letters! My apologies to Ukraine! Thank you, Dennis, for setting me straight! Slava Ukraine!
After I saw/heard the tongue lashing that President Zelensky had to enduring by those two @#?#&% , I just wanted to see him cold cock both them on live/streamed TV. They'd still be to scraping Dr. Evil and Mini-Me off the floor...and Zelensky could strut out of the room giving everyone two thumbs up. Fantasy but ahhh it felt good to share that and get it off my chest.
I support RAZOM as well. Thanks for mentioning that Keith. Here is a link https://www.razomforukraine.org/ in case anyone wants more info.
Your listing of all the women who have stood up to him picked up my spirits. All this vitriol that they have unleashed against DEIA has brought self doubts about myself (did they hire me cause they needed to to check the 'woman' box). I'm 72 and retired but that feeling creeps up. Stupid I know but it is insidious.
Thanks Prof. Reich for all you do. I'm always happy to see an email from you in my inbox.
Maria
Trump, Republicans, and oligarchs operating the manosphere to destroy democracy and human rights are conducting an insurrection that violates federal law (18 U.S. Code § 2383) which defines a felony crime as “whoever assists or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof”. The insurrection wants to take America back to before 1776 with a KING (Trump as KING) and run the country as the old South and provided all the wealth to rich white men as property holders who exploited inhuman cruel slavery and treated white women as slaves.
All women as slaves. Look at the Tate brothers, who even tattoo women like cattle and deny them the right to leave their compound without being "escorted" by them, most likely to keep them from getting help, or escaping.
Professor Reich: wasn't RFKJr's diary discovered by his wife who then committed suicide? just asking.
i'm still wondering about the SAVE act: i'm worried that married women will no longer be allowed to vote because their names do not match the name on their birth certificate. there are also women (not many, true, but there are some) who legally changed their names for other reasons -- to escape abuse or stalking, for example. i assume they, too, will no longer be allowed to vote?
Research by the Pew Research Center found that approximately 69 million women could not use their birth certificate to prove their identity or citizenship status under the SAVE Act. Additionally, 5 percent of married men have also changed their surname, accounting for approximately 4 million men nationwide who could also not present an acceptable birth certificate under the SAVE Act. Only 1 in 4 Americans have a valid passport. The Brennan Center estimates that around 21m Americans would have difficulty in producing the documentation required by the proposed legislation. You're absolutely right to be concerned about this.
Russell, that "SAVE" act should be unconstitutional and not even able to be proposed, but the scared white guys and their allies care nothing for our Constitution or anything else that might let people rightly vote them out of office. The Republicans will most likely pass it and the SC approve it well, just because power really does corrupt.
The save act is glaringly un -fair. Many of the working poor do not have passports. I am one of them.
I understand that 17 Republican-controlled state legislatures have already introduced voter suppression laws, but this is Big Bang stuff.
All matches to a fuse held by PUTIN...
Gonna be tough to destroy/weaken America enough to please Putin, while still leaving enough wealth intact so "Daddy-Putin will still WUV his widdle Twumpie!"
Former Russian PM Dmitri Medvedev posted this on Twitter/X : “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII'." On Telegram, he wrote: “The ungrateful swine got a hard slap in the face from the owners of the pigsty. That’s a good thing, but not enough." (nice description, by the way, of Trump and Vance as owners of a pigsty). Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also wrote on Telegram: “How Trump and Vance exercised restraint and didn’t punch this scumbag is a miracle of restraint.” Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of Russia’s senate, chimed in: “Zelenskyy lost this round with a deafening crash. And he will have to crawl on his knees for the next one." So at least, someone was happy with the meeting!
Thanks Russell. And these folks are DT's & Putin's friends! I think they sound just like the traitor Rupert Murdoch's talking heads on Fox Fake Fascist News. Best of luck to all... GH
Your very welcome, Gary. I note that Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov has said: “The new [Trump] administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision.” That more or less confirms what you said. The Republican party today is light years away from the party of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Only Lisa Murkowski has spoken in strong terms about this apostasy by the Trump administration.
It was RFK Jr.’s second wife who found his diary and then hanged herself. Such a tragedy.
rfk Jr is a monster. He may yet bring down Trump's government.
Girl Scientist, the crazy rich old white men will grab onto anything they can to keep themselves in power, a bunch of incompetent, uncaring, non-empathetic XYs who were elected by other people's huge donations, or rather payments for their services, services which are supposed to be for the benefit of their constituents and the American people. It really is shameful. I blame this current mess entirely on Mitch McConnell, a scared white guy who got into power with nothing to offer the American people and did his very best to prove it.
Great post Ruth. Ronnie Reagan also fits your last line. The MAGA mob is still drinking the Kool-Aide of his "Love your country, hate your government" idea.
All the best to everyone... GH
"RFK Jr. Performs Astonishing 180 On Vaccines, After Years Of Misinformation
Donald Trump's top health official wrote in a Fox News op-ed about risks "to unvaccinated individuals" amid a growing measles outbreak."
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/robert-f-kennedy-jr-op-ed-fox-news-vaccines_n_67c56c21e4b0b499dce3209c
Apparently PUTIN understands something Trump, his cultists (and his silent GOP sycophants) have ZERO concept of:
"Dead supporters (and a nation FLOODED with disease) is not nearly as valuable to Russia as one with all DEMOCRATIC, predominantly BLACK cities burning. While Trump supporters (and Trump) would enjoy nothing more than seeing greater suffering and death among Americans OF COLOR, PUTIN wants immediate occupancy. and millions of dead potential slaves detracts from that effort a smidge."
GrrlScientist, this is the visionary Margaret Atwood's 'A Handmaid's Tale' come to full 'corpse flower' in this fully decadent regime. You are right to be concerned. I don't know what to call this country anymore, being crushed by a nest of reptilians. Not the time for actual humans to lie down.
don't get ahead of yourself. Not crushed yet by any means. Yes the reptiles have seized much power but this is not over.
Excellent questions, GrrlScientist!
I'm a childless cat lady. I voted for Kamala-Walz, and contributed to their campaign. I call 47 Dreckmeister, and refuse to utter his name.
We either hit mute or turn the channel when he pops up on the tv screen.
Lord, Jan, I bet you'll have to get a new remote because the mute and channel changing button are getting a huge workout! You cannot look at TV, work on your computer, listen to the radio or anything without seeing or hearing his ugly mug and whiny voice! He floods everything with his stupid face and having to listen to him speak is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me!
All a good start BUT we need action, folks! Yes, donations, cancelling amazon prime memberships (that one hurts, but I'm doing it) Canceling Facebook accounts, donating to verifiable Ukrainian charities, apologizing in emails and letters to Pres. Zelensky, burning my Republican representative, Andy Harris' phone line down, etc etc have made me feel better. But what other ACTIONs can we take? This is not BUSINESS as USUAL, friends! Set aside the remotes and laptops and let's DO SOMETHING!
I hope we can act with a sense of groundedness and resolve rather than rely on our rage. We must not burn things down but stand for a sense of compassion for all, especially our children both female and male. Robert Reich inspires me because he survived being bullied to become a strong man, husband, father and mentor to hundreds of students. Women's History month is here, and let's hold up those who can inspire us.
My reason for shunning all but binge-fiction.
Other alternatives to identifying him: “Drumpf,” his ancestral German name that he hates, and the very sterile “47.” Or tangerine tyrant or orange Mussolini. Anything that reflects or implies just how inhuman he is. I am not sure he should even be gendered. How about slime bag, although that and Dreckmeister are an insult to slime and Dreck.
The New Agent Orange. GH
Trump's Republicans are a party of aggrieved men. His policies will hurt many of them, and then they will turn their anger at him and his billionaire accomplices.
I am too, and love the name Dreckmeister, that’s what he produces.
I don't use his nqme either. I refer to him as "the Shonda Showman", because he is a Showman and he is shameful.
I continue to see Trump, MAGA, and the forces that installed him into office as one last big gasp of the dying white patriarchy. White males have been in charge of most of civilization for hundreds and hundreds of years. And quite frankly, they’ve had privileges, advantages, and benefits that others who are not white males did not.
Now that our country is changing and white males are becoming the minority, they are terrified. Terrified that everyone else will be treated equally, given the same level of access to opportunities, and that their privileges will be gone. So, this last gasp of the desire to keep white males in charge of everything is doomed to fail. Demographics will prevail.
America’s biggest strength has always been its diversity and its variety of people because of robust immigration. Scared, fearful white men won’t remain in power long, especially as others remember that the people hold the power - and when the people want MAGA out, they have the power to get them out. Then a new age in which people of color, women, and woke men of all colors will govern this country with logic, order, kindness, and empathy. The hyper macho MAGA nonsense must be eradicated because under MAGA, America has no future.
Aaron,
How extreme in their indoctrination is MAGA? This is how it appears to me...
Has everyone considered just how many individual events ranging from UNLIKELY to ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE would have ALL had to have occurred for Trump’s claim of, “THEY’RE EATING THE CATS! THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!! to have been true?
1. How would a CONCERNED CITIZEN (CC), also likely being a Trump supporter, know a particular individual was Haitian without seeing that person’s official identification? UNLIKELY
2. How would a CC (Concerned Citizen) know that an animal in the possession of one of these “confirmed Haitians” was even a PET (and not feral or simply “unhoused”), unless they were near enough to see a collar with RECENTLY DATED tags? VERY UNLIKELY
3. For a CC to have seen someone they KNEW to be a “confirmed Haitian” grab an animal which the CC KNEW was a PET, then follow them to where the CC saw the “confirmed Haitian” KILL, BUTCHER, COOK and then EAT said pet (all without being chased away, or “escorted” out of a private residence) seems: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
4. For a CC (again, presumably a Trump supporter) to have watched someone they KNEW to be a “confirmed Haitian” grab an animal the CC KNEW to be a PET, then to watch that “confirmed Haitian” transport that PET to a place where it was KILLED, BUTCHERED, COOKED and EATEN…all without the so-called CC (and very likely Trump cultist) taking ANY action to protect the pet, or to stop the so-called “confirmed Haitian” from killing and eating the pet: VERY UNLIKELY (though Trump cultists do tend to be cowards when not part of a MOB.)
5. For a CC to have gone through the entire process detailed in the steps above, yet NOT to have used a PHONE to document evidence of this act: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
6. Supposedly these CCs (and likely Trump supporters) saw ALL this PET KILLING and EATING taking place, yet NO ONE ever contacted law enforcement. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
7. And that’s just for ONE of the two lies to be true. For both dogs AND cats to be included in this lie, steps 2 through 6 would have to be duplicated for the other species of “pet”. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
It seems that for TRUMP’S LIES on this topic to be believed, his supporters would have to ignore AT LEAST THIRTEEN very unlikely events, and ZERO likely events.
Yet these MORONS seem to have no trouble believing THIS LIE, or Trump’s even MORE UNLIKELY lie of STOLLEN(sic) ELECTIONS!
I don't think MAGA worries much about whether their lies are plausible or outrageous as long as they are insulting and demeaning. Hate is Donald Trump's way of improving the world.
You are quite right, David. Trump's politics is about the gut, not the brain.
Aaron Parks, I very much agree with you. We are stuck and being stymied from framing our lives and societies around patriarchial myths and stories. Women’s stories have been denigrated or left out wholesale from the HIStorical record. Most of the “great books” underpinning western thought are rampantly misogynistic. As we started to bring more retelling of history to include women’s experiences, achievement's, and perspectives, many people could understand the innate balance and richness it provides for human relationships. But Patriarchy can’t stand the competition, thus the global patriarchal temper tantrum with geopolitical repercussions.
I’m read endless analyses of why Trump won, and why 75,000,000 Americans have very much crowned him “the New Messiah”.
As far as I can determine based on what little information is available (since Trump rarely expressed a policy position while campaigning, and if he did, he reversed that position almost immediately) we can only base Trump’s intentions on his words instead of any of his (non)actions. And his only consistent words? Lies…
Clearly, the single thing that Trump supporters most admire about Trump is obviously his ability to lie endlessly and constantly, and even admit to his lies, knowing it’s his actual superpower to NEVER make an honest statement.
MAGA men and women control others through a combination of brutalising violence and gaslighting. Like all rapists. Existential fear can often express as uncritical hero worship.
And of course, Monnina, Trump constantly reinforces EXACTLY the thing these poor fools most wish to hear...
That NOTHING they have ever done that has caused harm to others IS their fault, has EVER been their fault, or ever WILL BE their fault.
Just as no harm to innocent people that they have EVER profited from (thinking slavery now...) has EVER been their fault, or ever will be.
(But just the same, it's best to simply remove ALL that "white inferiority" stuff from easily accessible books, since NOTHING feels more urgent to the GOP than controlling EVERY possible narrative. After all, it's ALWAYS easier to begin a negative narrative from a position of hate and domination than from reality.)
And for the T-cultists fearful that they may not be good parents? Trump tells them that ALL they have to do to be PERFECT PARENTS is simply to prevent their children from EVER opening a BOOK! (Or their minds, apparently...)
I'd guess Trump has freed more white Americans from sin than JESUS!
The Trumpers I know....hate the non white people they think are lazily living off the government handouts; they are racists; they are anti abortion.
The true "welfare queens" that Reagan lied about would today be corporations and billionaires paying little or no taxes:
"Tens of thousands of wealthy Americans are not complying with recently revamped Internal Revenue Service efforts to get them to file tax returns, according to data obtained exclusively by CNBC.
"A quirk in federal tax law may be incentivizing wealthy people who want to avoid paying taxes to simply not file their returns. That’s because it’s a felony to file false tax returns but only a misdemeanor not to file a return at all.
"Notices were mailed in February in 125,000 cases targeting wealthy taxpayers who had not filed tax returns since 2017."
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/05/irs-crackdown-on-wealthy-americans-faces-roadblocks-.html
One can only presume that these are EXACTLY the voters Trump was appealing to during the campaign when he offered to CLOSE THE IRS. (And of course, ALL rich Americans, filing or not, will receive a very valuable TAX DELAY because of Trump, and I suspect that cost those of us voting for democracy a huge price.)
And of course, America offers "investment income" rates for those earning money by NOT WORKING that are about half of what working Americans pay. America may not be the only country that REWARDS non-working Americans over working ones, and America may not even be the only country where the RICH can BUY TAX LAWS that they find most to their "liking".
But America is the ONLY COUNTRY I'm aware of that is using PURE GREED, combined with a (new) national policy of GUARANTEED NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY (something Trump knows a great deal about), as we speak, to assure that we will ALL be handed over to our worst enemy, Putin, ASAP.
White Christian supremacy is all that matters to Trump's supporters.
I was growing up (and later baptised, regrettably) in the Southern Baptist church as a small child in South Carolina, just about the time the GOP's Southern Strategy was being used to replace Jesus's words of love with inflamed racial hatred toward Black Americans.
While white evangelicals do (inexplicably) consider themselves to be "Christians", Jesus never preached hate, racism or violence, and I can scarcely believe that even people this "under-educated" can make themselves believe that he did. But they've found a workaround to pretend that, as long as they follow the words of hate spewed by their (white, male) pastors from the church pulpit, they can ignore anything else (such as the Sermon on the Mount, Ten Commandments) that shows Jesus as a source of love, wisdom and compassion. (When is the last time anyone reading this heard a white southerner raving about the "words of love contained within The Golden Rule"?)
Rather, they have chosen to completely ignore everything Jesus ever said about love, compassion or helping others, while believing anything in the Bible that can be twisted into a reason for hate. (The very reason I tend not to refer to them as "Christians", and instead internally use what I feel to be the more accurate term, "Cherrypickers".)
Yes, the entire point behind the Southern Strategy was/is to make these same people believe that they are JUSTIFIED in believing white folks to be superior in every way, and that only happened because of the deliberate, focused actions of the GOP to return hate to the Deep South (where "the (hated) party of Lincoln" (Republican) had not elected a candidate in a federal election in >100 years.)
Of course it began long before, as white southerners were talking about "lazy and worthless" Black slaves, though slaves had substantially built America's wealth all the way back to 1619, and these same "worthless and lazy" people were apparently worth fighting a war over that cost almost 700,000 lives.
Respectfully, I'm not so sure that Bezos or Zuck support Trump because they're necessarily good WHITE SUPREMACISTS, but more likely because of the financial aspect. But I don't for even a moment think that these monsters wouldn't USE Christianity (and the great many ignorant, insecure and thin-skinned racist white southerners) to get what they want as part of their support for Trump (or at least their support for his hate and oppression.)
"In that context, how might people seeing themselves as a “ruling class”, lacking in education and insight, not simply find it easier to hate a race that makes the racial majority of a nation look and feel inferior, repeatedly and historically. Hate is far easier than for southern racists to find it within themselves to grow in humanity and personal responsibility."
https://medium.com/@foofaraw/southerners-and-self-loathing-2640c484c12
Thank you, Victor. Ultimately, it really does seem to always return to feeling of insecurity on behalf of armed white racists spewing hate.
The chief evidence for his intentions is what he does foofaraw. Of course, when you are President what you say in itself is an "action", an "event. But he contradicts himself constantly explicitly and implicitly. His non-verbal actions are by far the way to gauge his intent.
Respectfully,
I'm not certain how to best define a "non-verbal" action.
But it's likely similar to a "trial balloon", or any of many actions Trump says he'll undertake, but in reality just wishes to judge how his "ratings" will be affected before following through.
It's hard not to be reminded of the 2020 GOP platform, which was almost literally presented as "follow the leader", and while phrased several ways, they all reflect the same "do nothing until we're told to" mentality:
https://ballotpedia.org/The_Republican_Party_Platform,_2020
What they like is that he empathizes with them. He claims that he is a victim like them, he rages against government oppression like they do, he insults the people they hate, he promises to set them free to live the American dream. One thing he will do is to dismantle government institutions which will profit him more than his followers. He is a master in doing deals for others which mainly benefit him.
The outrageous display at the soon to be deemed “historic" meeting at the White House not only confirmed the tactics of outright bullying as the new form of governance, but it confirmed that the United States is now the number one ally of Putin. The campaign of denigration of women will end up being the achilles heel of the Trump MAGA administration for as you point out, the women are much more effective opponents of Trump and his MAGATS. than the Democratic Party as a whole.
The whole of the civilized Western World stands in horror at the brazenness of Trump, Musk, Vance and Putin as the new united front of fascism and autocracy on the world stage. The worst of the worst stand brazenly exposed as the would be Emperors without clothes stand naked with their testosterone fueled ambitions on display for all to see. At least we now have undisputed proof of the cabal of emperors supported and cheered on by the billionaire class. No one is hiding anything any more and it is impossible for any one of a moral and ethical base to justify non-action at this point. Democratic Party, where are you??? Thank goodness for the brave women who are leading the way in opposition to such attacks on our human rights.
It’s shameful.
Well said 🐈⬛
And meanwhile the Planet Earth dies.
“Meanwhile Planet Earth dies” while patriarchy stages another temper tantrum. In one sense, though, once we successfully kill off humanity, Planet Earth should rebound as she always does. We are the weak link.
I hope you’re right.
Excellent Robert. You hit a nerve with this newsletter.
I see men who share this philosophy and attitude about others as insecure, self important and damaged people. They have been raised in discriminatory hate filled homes, where men are taught that they are better than everybody else. Their primary role models have failed them. They need others to be subservient so they feel strong and important. They see women as a threat. Women see this everywhere and I have experienced it in my teaching career, volunteer work and in my general daily life. It is not new and will never be acceptable to me. 🇨🇦
Trump and Musk come across as fundamentally insecure and they are both narcissists and sociopaths. That is a toxic combination of personality disorders.
along with his insecurity Trump has impulsiveness and harbors resentments forever that rule his actions. Not exactly the guy we want in charge of 6000? nukes.
Yes, Steve, that's what Marco Rubio stated back in 2016. Look at him now!
and rfk Jr may be a psychopath.
Exactly. A perfect storm. 🇨🇦
Trump, Vance in the manosphere? Where is Jeff Bezos, in the Bezosphere?
Trying not to be crude, but Bezos seems to be in the underdog category. Bowwowed down?
And Zuckerberg is in the Zuckerzone.
Musk, Bezos, Zuck, Altman and a few other billionaires are in a mad race to acquire the ring that rules all the other rings: AI. The outcome could be catastrophic for humankind.
I guess you could say we were Zuckerpunched.
We all know he’s a disgusting pig as well as white trash, along with his cowardly mouse vice president. I just want them out of the Oval Office. Let’s discuss how to make that happen.
The following two ways are consitutional and non-military:
1. Culturally pressure the president and vice-president to step down. (Why not?). Or:
2. Impeach the VP (as in "Get Agnew first") on any grounds whatsoever (there is no judicial comeback), then have president "nominate" a new VP of the kind we would like.
Per Amendment 25, sec 2, that nominee "shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress."
Then impeach the president, whereupon the good VP moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
He’s guilty of treason as well as 34 convictions. He tried to overthrow the government and does anyone remember the phone call he made to Zelenskyy to try to get him to lie about Biden?
First, we need to win back the House and Senate. Then, we can dream of impeachment.
Let’s not insult pigs, who are smarter than dogs and definitely smarter and less disgusting than he is. I think the only non-offensive monikers are “Drumpf,” his ancestral German name that he hates, “dreck meister,” as coined by a writer above, tangerine tyrant, orange Mussolini, and possibly 47. I don’t even like gendering him as it implies humanity that is completely undeserved.
How about mother fucker then? Is that better?
Why limit it to "mother" when he fucks us all?
There are many ways to characterise that contemptible treastment of President Zelensky in the Oval Office. It struck me as extreme 'Parent - Child'. In this case two presumptuous fathers bullied a man trying to have an adult discussion as if he were an errant child. I suppose this reference to 'oh so yesterday Transactional Analysis' makes me a complete wuss but be prepared for a lot more of this condescending, intimidating and public interaction from the leaders of the free world.
I thought the same thing!
Thanks Lucy - good to know we're on 'the same page' about this issue.
I find TA useful these days, as far as it goes anyway.
I think Trump has hooked many people's "child".
I don’t understand why any woman would vote for a republican at this point but I also don’t understand why any “christian” voted for Trump because his words and actions were anti-christian.
Anti abortion. They were conned and voted for Trump on one issue.
I was at the typewriter again this morning, writing to our “courageous” senior senator in Maine about what was on my mind this morning. Lets see if she acts on my request:
Dear Senator Collins,
You know the old saying, “What would Jesus do?” that we occasionally invoke when there is a serious moral question, and we feel we need to look inward and find the fortitude to make the right decision. Well, in the case of your work with the Senate at the start of Trump 2.0, the saying might be “What would Liz Cheney do?” or even, much closer to home and perhaps a bit more apt, “What would Margaret Chase Smith do?” The former did the right thing after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on 01/06/2021, co-chairing the bipartisan investigation of it, and the latter speaking out forcefully against the behavior of Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Please help sponsor, and bring to a floor vote, a statement of condemnation for Trump, Vance and Rubio regarding their behavior on 02/28/2025 in the Oval Office meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine. Thank you
tell her less concern and more action on her part.
tell her her actions speak louder than empty words
Thanks Richard. Collins voted with DT 65% of the time in his first term and with the GOP 99% of the time in her 22 years in the Senate. We always hope she sees "the light" but so far, she is "all boat and no lobsters"... to paraphrase the old saying... "all hat and no cattle". When push comes to shove, she almost always does the wrong thing for the American people. Sen. M.C. Smith is rolling over in her grave. All the best... GH
Thanks. We need to write a musical comedy together someday.
This is the byproduct of centuries of conditioning that teaches boys to seek power over connection, to fear emotional depth, and to measure worth through control rather than character. We need to teach our boys a different way.
Raise boys and girls the same way! Stop with the high heels, equivalent to Chinese foot binding, and that cause nothing but back and foot pain and foot deformities over time! For what, to please men?
Like! I posted a long one about how mothers buy into the program, and teach their sons as you say.
"More recently, Putin signed legislation that bans people from officially or medically changing their gender, banning any “medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person,” as well as banning changing a person’s gender in official documents or public records. It also annuls marriages in which one person has “changed gender,” and bars trans people from becoming foster or adoptive parents."
Not every American is Christian, nor is required or expected to be, or even necessarily believes in God. Yet EVERY objection to SAME-SEX marriage that I’ve seen (voiced by haters on the right) involves the same clearly stated religious bigotry: “MARRIAGE is between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN”, though this view exists nowhere in any of America’s founding documents, or in any changes or additions since. (But what America DOES have is a clearly stated separation of church and state, though frequently not applied fairly or appropriately.)
Along with the majority of the world’s nations, marriage in America also exists as something other than “a bond between Christians, chosen specifically or peripherally for the purpose of honoring God”: marriage in America also exists as a contractual, legally binding agreement / obligation.
It seems to be ENTIRELY UNCONTESTED that two men are free to jointly sign a contract to rent an apartment together or even cosign a contract to buy a home to live in together. And I’ve yet to see an objection to two women signing a contract together to buy a car, or to engage in ANY contractual agreement in America…except for the contractual agreement to be married to another woman. (Seemingly, even the American states allowing underage “child brides” (aka "Romeo and Juliet laws") generally only have a problem if the minor child is of the same gender.) Perhaps some of the sadder stories involve the same-sex couples who want only to honor God through their marriage, yet still largely face contention and contempt…from other so-called CHRISTIANS!
The result being that there are rights and privileges assigned to those Americans CONTRACTING to be married (“in the eyes of God” or otherwise) yet denied to those who do not…even when their EVERY DESIRE and INTENTION is to be fully, legally married for life.
Obviously if Dems were in charge, eliminating this unconstitutional discrimination would be quite easy. Simply offer to remove the concerns white evangelical churches surely have about how much they’re “campaigning from the pulpit” for Trump and REMOVE all TAX EXEMPTIONS based on this clear violation of rules about churches expressing political positions. (The stipulations agreed to when taxes were originally waived. Those rules…) Then they will be free to express all the hate that their new Orange Jesus will permit without concerns about violating either the law, the Golden Rule, or the Ten Commandments. So, keeping their “principles” may become a teensy-tiny bit more difficult when the object balancing on the other end of the teeter-totter is their “principals”.
While those easiest to spot will be those here in the Deep South that (LITERALLY) have MAGA on their electronic bulletin boards immediately outside the church, I suspect evidence of almost 100% failure to comply to existing rules will be found in any and every sermon.
So, what’s the problem with two men or two women signing a contract to be married? Even among Christians, I MUST believe marriage means different things to each participant and/or couple. Some Christian couples involve religion deeply in their marriage, and others, even if no less Christian in thought, may have a marriage that involves God to a much lesser degree. Some couples, Christian or otherwise, want to bear children. Others want no such thing, though that choice may have no basis whatsoever in that person’s faith or beliefs. Nothing in Bible or constitution says that marriage under God must be observed in ONLY very specific and controlled ways, or that everyone is required to follow any such set of rules, which would indeed be different for adherents of pretty much any of Earth’s nearly “grains of sand” quantity of belief systems.
Can anyone think of any other legal contract that is, through either law or “unofficial” policy, denied to Americans based on bias or discrimination? Obviously, indigenous Americans are surely on that list if anyone in America is, and likely members of less “popular” religions are very possibly facing such unconstitutional, discriminatory actions. And failing to recognize legally binding contracts is absolute stock-in-trade for “America’s favorite Pres…GRIFTER!”