I doubt that this is news to any of your readers. We are all well aware of what he's trying to do and most of us--at least I did--expected him to move like lightning. A blitzkrieg works because the speed of the attack is so shocking people give up.
So now that you've listed all the ways this will result in Fascist America, how about some …
I doubt that this is news to any of your readers. We are all well aware of what he's trying to do and most of us--at least I did--expected him to move like lightning. A blitzkrieg works because the speed of the attack is so shocking people give up.
So now that you've listed all the ways this will result in Fascist America, how about some solid, actions we can take to stop this. I think we will end up in the streets (again) and at age 79 that doesn't sound like much fun, but I've marched before. You're very good as asking "What do you think?" while presenting few solutions or options.
One thing I'd like to see you work on is bringing all the voices (you, HCR, Joyce Vance) together to speak with one voice to drown out Fox News, and the rest. We need to cut through the noise. I have no doubt that when things get really awful, and people are dying without medical care, or are contracting listeria and E. Coli because food is no longer inspected, or the next pandemic hits, Trump voters (at least some of them) will join us to make society work. But do we really have to wait until millions are dead?
we need a media source where the facts on a whole host of issues get published. Many of the post in this blog have excellent information the rest of the country should know. We indeed need an alternative to fox news and X
If Fox is put up for sale, what are the odds that Elon Musk would buy it? In any case I don’t think it would happen as long as Trump is in office. He’s a cash cow they feast on.
Yes! We need an effective speaker to lead the charge and a vehicle to disseminate the incontrovertible truths. Perhaps The Onion’s purchase of Info Wars would be a starting point?
People are already dying without medical care because they lack insurance or the ability to maneuver through the complicated insurance they are paying for. People are already dying of listeria and e. coli although I know a hardworking, dedicated person who was fired for trying to get the food company she worked for to follow the testing regulations.
I voted for Harris, but I understand why frustrated people gave up on the Democrats.
I guess I don't understand why people gave up on Democrats unless they simply didn't understand what each party stood for...... Totalitarian v. Democracy. Dictator v. Constitution.
The Democratic Party became a party of the rich or the panderers of the rich. Biden did do some good things, but mostly to please the progressives. He still is giving anything Netanyahu wants although he is a murdering thug!
Many people have UV protection from polarized lenses that show different values: family-values means Christianizing sharia-like measures against women. It means keeping "the government" out of your business but not out of your body. In the absence of a single documented case of somebody "standing their ground" with an AR-15 against illegal alien home invaders, 2nd Amendment rights outweigh voting rights in their minds.
This will take a generation to fix. I think we're lookin' at 40 years in the desert. I hope not.
In speaking with some of my younger friends who are raising families and working 2-3 jobs despite having masters degrees…it came down to the price of milk and eggs. In the ‘90s, James Carville came up with a simple slogan: “it’s the economy, stupid.” That won the WH for Bill Clinton.
Many voters dismissed Trump as not being serious, as being funny, as just being…Trump. “Nothing will happen,” was the common mantra. There was no convincing otherwise. We’ve been effectively dumbed down and beaten down from years of right wing propaganda, an increasingly ineffective Fourth Estate, and price gouging.
It looks like most people finally did understand what each party stands for. Democrats stand for Totalitarianism and Dictatorship, and Republicans stand for representative government (a republic - not a democracy) and adhering to the Constitution. It was Democrats who ordered the FBI to pressure social media companies to limit free speech on their web sites. It was Democrats who tried to censor and ban "misinformation" instead of just presenting credible arguments in the marketplace of ideas. It was Democrats who weaponized the Federal government against political opponents. That's just scratching the surface. Leftists lack self-awareness, knowledge of the truth, and basic reasoning skills. Leftists need to look at reality instead of their (false) talking points.
Well, more people are going to be dying from these problems and more under Trump. Yes, let's keep dumping on the Democratic Party and ignore the fact that many Americans are ignorant and bigoted, and voted accordingly.
The progressive fantasy of a virtuous populace that will vote rationally never ceases to amaze.
No, the few extra votes Trump got this time came from those who did not trust the Democrats to improve their economic situation. He already had the racist and misogynist vote in his pocket. People ignored the evil for the false idea that their pocket book would fatten.
Not exactly. My childhood friends are in their 70’s. Their own kids are in their 40’s. Sadly, they all sacrificed our democracy for some income tax savings and gleefully support the MAGA rhetoric. These folks used to be normies & have lost their way.
Do you know what caused them to lose their way? I’m interested to know.. is it because they got brainwashed by right wing media? And if so, how does one go from being a normie to gleefully supporting MAGA rhetoric? I just don’t get it. I guess this is how cults are formed but I’d really like to understand the actual mechanisms.
I heard AOC on The Reid Out last night, and one thing she said really struck me. She said those who are working 3 jobs to make ends meet, or 3 shifts, aren’t sitting around in the morning drinking coffee and reading the news. Their days are all about work and taking care of kids, etc. I truly believe that many of the ones who voted for him had no clue what they were unleashing on this country.
From conversations I’ve had with people I know who voted for Trump, it was a one issue decision for them, either Israel, or the economy, neither of which should supersede the importance of maintaining a strong democracy on our own soil. Israel is certainly a vital ally, but as long as it’s government remains corrupted by right wing fanatics, its power as an ally is tragically hobbled. I am no economist, but I know enough to understand that our economy is always unbalanced by the uneven distribution of wealth among us. The people that voted for him truly do not understand that not only does he not care about Israel except as a future lucrative location for yet another Trump resort or golf club, but he will continue to do his best to damage our country and maintain the welfare queens that comprise the wealthy classes.
In a word, yes. By the thousands. The guy at the orange-man rally who said his candidate could murder someone on the White House steps and still get his vote, wasn't alone.
This right here👆🏻 Karla, you are 100% correct in your assessment. What a waste of precious energy to play “the world will end” card over and over again. I mean, just look at the alarming image Robert including in the OP. Stand up and do something. Join Indivisible, volunteer for the ACLU, do something instead of adding to an already volatile environment.
@OM, Thank you for writing. I was about to post a similar comment, but chose first to read the ones already posted. I simply would add that SwingLeft, on November 19th 8:00pm ET, will hold a 2025-2026 strategy Zoom, replete with an analysis of how we got here and a plan for how we proceed. swingleft.org
Please detail what specific actions to take. I’m all for doing something but until I have an idea of what to do, that will move the needle in a significant way, I am not convinced. I just poured my energy and dollars into Kamala’s campaign and we lost. . I’m sure lots of people feel exhausted and dispirited, and rightfully so. If you have specific suggestions that you know will counter what is coming, please lay it out in detail
Meidas Plus is planning on doing just that, as is Mary Trump. Independent non profit media has been doing it but need more support to get the word out.
My Gen Zs don't get the reference: "Always look on the bright side of life," and "Bring out your dead...I'm not dead yet." From the same movie. We need a new way of talking to them. They don't remember Life Before Trump (no G no Q no T.) They do not remember our history or how we knew who to trust.
White anxiety is what fuels Republicans. Trump's presidency may calm them down. Trump's failures will woke some of them. It is a good thing that Reps now have a trifecta, for they will not be able to blame Dems for their blunders.
Hi Karla - I'll bring you a big fluffly coat and a hot chocolate for the march. There is much we can do and will do. A media channel to gather all of the amazing LEAD THE FUTURE people would be great and give hope to millions of us. We need a counter point to Fox etc and MSNBC can only do so much. I go every day from reading Professor Reich's to reading HCR to Timothy Synder to Lucid with Ruth Ben-Giat and Joyce Vance. We are powerful and a force that millions here and around the world are counting on. Together we can protect each other and gain strength and support to keep going. These people are dangerous - but the lack of knowledge running these big organizations will be of consequence. Incompetence was part of Don's failure before - and now he has more help... but he's still picking wildly outrageous people ill suited to really do the job. Let us pray that this all contributes again to his not being able to do so much. He is taking action towards the outlines of 2025 but he's choosing people who lack the implementation backgound to do so. That's my silly hope so far.
We need to talk about the police state, because in a very real sense we already live in one. The internet is "policing" us 24/7. The fascists will have all that information in hand if they manage to gut our laws and institutions. Corporations will gladly sell them that information.
I would never go or a march and put myself in harm's way. My town's having a big anti-abortion march tomorrow. I have no interest in freak shows and will not attend the counter-demo.
I'm seeing protests sprout up all over. Guess they'll do it while they still can without being rounded up or shot at. Wish they had done it (for more than just Israel-Gaza) on the leadup to this election.
I think that's fine. We can only do what we feel we can do without endangering our lives. And no blame to anyone for NOT sticking their neck out. Will he shoot protestors? I don't know but I'm guessing not. He has no mandate despite claiming one, and shooting down protestors isn't going to work the way he thinks it will. It may stop people from getting into the streets, but my guess is that efforts will just go underground. I honestly have no idea what's going to happen, and the uncertainty is perhaps the most crippling thing of all.
I doubt that this is news to any of your readers. We are all well aware of what he's trying to do and most of us--at least I did--expected him to move like lightning. A blitzkrieg works because the speed of the attack is so shocking people give up.
So now that you've listed all the ways this will result in Fascist America, how about some solid, actions we can take to stop this. I think we will end up in the streets (again) and at age 79 that doesn't sound like much fun, but I've marched before. You're very good as asking "What do you think?" while presenting few solutions or options.
One thing I'd like to see you work on is bringing all the voices (you, HCR, Joyce Vance) together to speak with one voice to drown out Fox News, and the rest. We need to cut through the noise. I have no doubt that when things get really awful, and people are dying without medical care, or are contracting listeria and E. Coli because food is no longer inspected, or the next pandemic hits, Trump voters (at least some of them) will join us to make society work. But do we really have to wait until millions are dead?
we need a media source where the facts on a whole host of issues get published. Many of the post in this blog have excellent information the rest of the country should know. We indeed need an alternative to fox news and X
Mark Cuban has said he would love to buy Fox. Why don't some of the billionaires get together with him and make it happen?
Fox News will die the day it stops being anti-woke.
But if the price were right, would the Murdochs sell it?
If Fox is put up for sale, what are the odds that Elon Musk would buy it? In any case I don’t think it would happen as long as Trump is in office. He’s a cash cow they feast on.
Yes! We need an effective speaker to lead the charge and a vehicle to disseminate the incontrovertible truths. Perhaps The Onion’s purchase of Info Wars would be a starting point?
good idea Debi!
I thought so..but just read that the purchase is being held up in court..already.
My thought exactly, Debi. Also, people like Thom Hartmann do regular broadcasts.
Scott Dworkin and team are working to get accurate reporting and to hold media accountable. 👍👍
https://substack.com/@scottdworkin
People are already dying without medical care because they lack insurance or the ability to maneuver through the complicated insurance they are paying for. People are already dying of listeria and e. coli although I know a hardworking, dedicated person who was fired for trying to get the food company she worked for to follow the testing regulations.
I voted for Harris, but I understand why frustrated people gave up on the Democrats.
I guess I don't understand why people gave up on Democrats unless they simply didn't understand what each party stood for...... Totalitarian v. Democracy. Dictator v. Constitution.
The Democratic Party became a party of the rich or the panderers of the rich. Biden did do some good things, but mostly to please the progressives. He still is giving anything Netanyahu wants although he is a murdering thug!
Netty is an albatross around America’s neck.
Many people have UV protection from polarized lenses that show different values: family-values means Christianizing sharia-like measures against women. It means keeping "the government" out of your business but not out of your body. In the absence of a single documented case of somebody "standing their ground" with an AR-15 against illegal alien home invaders, 2nd Amendment rights outweigh voting rights in their minds.
This will take a generation to fix. I think we're lookin' at 40 years in the desert. I hope not.
Dedicated fascists vs. corporate collaborators, incompetent drones, and AIPAC whores.
In speaking with some of my younger friends who are raising families and working 2-3 jobs despite having masters degrees…it came down to the price of milk and eggs. In the ‘90s, James Carville came up with a simple slogan: “it’s the economy, stupid.” That won the WH for Bill Clinton.
Many voters dismissed Trump as not being serious, as being funny, as just being…Trump. “Nothing will happen,” was the common mantra. There was no convincing otherwise. We’ve been effectively dumbed down and beaten down from years of right wing propaganda, an increasingly ineffective Fourth Estate, and price gouging.
Since there was no inflation and Trump blocked the bipartisan border bill that leaves the third one for whoever believes that’s true.
It looks like most people finally did understand what each party stands for. Democrats stand for Totalitarianism and Dictatorship, and Republicans stand for representative government (a republic - not a democracy) and adhering to the Constitution. It was Democrats who ordered the FBI to pressure social media companies to limit free speech on their web sites. It was Democrats who tried to censor and ban "misinformation" instead of just presenting credible arguments in the marketplace of ideas. It was Democrats who weaponized the Federal government against political opponents. That's just scratching the surface. Leftists lack self-awareness, knowledge of the truth, and basic reasoning skills. Leftists need to look at reality instead of their (false) talking points.
Fascists accuse other of doing what they are doing to legitimize their rejection of morality. No, Howard?
This is sarcasm, right?
Well said Troll.. all backwards.
They didn't understand. Because Democrats cannot create a scandal out of many real scandals...and Republicans create scandals out of nothing.
The reason is the border, inflation, and ignorance.
Well, more people are going to be dying from these problems and more under Trump. Yes, let's keep dumping on the Democratic Party and ignore the fact that many Americans are ignorant and bigoted, and voted accordingly.
The progressive fantasy of a virtuous populace that will vote rationally never ceases to amaze.
Do you think folks voted for Trump even though they knew how evil and destructive he was? This sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
No, the few extra votes Trump got this time came from those who did not trust the Democrats to improve their economic situation. He already had the racist and misogynist vote in his pocket. People ignored the evil for the false idea that their pocket book would fatten.
Not exactly. My childhood friends are in their 70’s. Their own kids are in their 40’s. Sadly, they all sacrificed our democracy for some income tax savings and gleefully support the MAGA rhetoric. These folks used to be normies & have lost their way.
Do you know what caused them to lose their way? I’m interested to know.. is it because they got brainwashed by right wing media? And if so, how does one go from being a normie to gleefully supporting MAGA rhetoric? I just don’t get it. I guess this is how cults are formed but I’d really like to understand the actual mechanisms.
Harris lost primarily because of Dems’ failure to turn out people who voted for them last time. But why?
I’m looking at you, Jaime Harrison.
I heard AOC on The Reid Out last night, and one thing she said really struck me. She said those who are working 3 jobs to make ends meet, or 3 shifts, aren’t sitting around in the morning drinking coffee and reading the news. Their days are all about work and taking care of kids, etc. I truly believe that many of the ones who voted for him had no clue what they were unleashing on this country.
I agree, Kristin
They knew. They didn’t care. They wanted cheaper eggs, bread and gas. Democracy what’s that??
From conversations I’ve had with people I know who voted for Trump, it was a one issue decision for them, either Israel, or the economy, neither of which should supersede the importance of maintaining a strong democracy on our own soil. Israel is certainly a vital ally, but as long as it’s government remains corrupted by right wing fanatics, its power as an ally is tragically hobbled. I am no economist, but I know enough to understand that our economy is always unbalanced by the uneven distribution of wealth among us. The people that voted for him truly do not understand that not only does he not care about Israel except as a future lucrative location for yet another Trump resort or golf club, but he will continue to do his best to damage our country and maintain the welfare queens that comprise the wealthy classes.
They voted for him because he is evil and entertains them.
In a word, yes. By the thousands. The guy at the orange-man rally who said his candidate could murder someone on the White House steps and still get his vote, wasn't alone.
Mark Cuban needs to follow the DJT model. It was a creative back door method. Now Trump is really a billionaire and on his way to become a King.
Dying in horrific unimaginable agony trapped in an Elon Musk TESLA CAR FIRE, not that many burned into ashes so "nothing to see here, move along"
This right here👆🏻 Karla, you are 100% correct in your assessment. What a waste of precious energy to play “the world will end” card over and over again. I mean, just look at the alarming image Robert including in the OP. Stand up and do something. Join Indivisible, volunteer for the ACLU, do something instead of adding to an already volatile environment.
@OM, Thank you for writing. I was about to post a similar comment, but chose first to read the ones already posted. I simply would add that SwingLeft, on November 19th 8:00pm ET, will hold a 2025-2026 strategy Zoom, replete with an analysis of how we got here and a plan for how we proceed. swingleft.org
Thank you! I’m signing up now.
Where's the link!
Miriam, As noted in my comment, google swingleft.org
Please detail what specific actions to take. I’m all for doing something but until I have an idea of what to do, that will move the needle in a significant way, I am not convinced. I just poured my energy and dollars into Kamala’s campaign and we lost. . I’m sure lots of people feel exhausted and dispirited, and rightfully so. If you have specific suggestions that you know will counter what is coming, please lay it out in detail
nope, rump supporters won’t switch sides no matter how grim things get, they have sidled up to the buffet of bs and will gorge on it till they die
Meidas Plus is planning on doing just that, as is Mary Trump. Independent non profit media has been doing it but need more support to get the word out.
Thom Hartmann, Qasim Rashid, Wajahat Ali, Jay Kuo, & Mary Trump are some of my favorites.
My Gen Zs don't get the reference: "Always look on the bright side of life," and "Bring out your dead...I'm not dead yet." From the same movie. We need a new way of talking to them. They don't remember Life Before Trump (no G no Q no T.) They do not remember our history or how we knew who to trust.
White anxiety is what fuels Republicans. Trump's presidency may calm them down. Trump's failures will woke some of them. It is a good thing that Reps now have a trifecta, for they will not be able to blame Dems for their blunders.
We need an equivalent presence to Fox. A unified front
Hi Karla - I'll bring you a big fluffly coat and a hot chocolate for the march. There is much we can do and will do. A media channel to gather all of the amazing LEAD THE FUTURE people would be great and give hope to millions of us. We need a counter point to Fox etc and MSNBC can only do so much. I go every day from reading Professor Reich's to reading HCR to Timothy Synder to Lucid with Ruth Ben-Giat and Joyce Vance. We are powerful and a force that millions here and around the world are counting on. Together we can protect each other and gain strength and support to keep going. These people are dangerous - but the lack of knowledge running these big organizations will be of consequence. Incompetence was part of Don's failure before - and now he has more help... but he's still picking wildly outrageous people ill suited to really do the job. Let us pray that this all contributes again to his not being able to do so much. He is taking action towards the outlines of 2025 but he's choosing people who lack the implementation backgound to do so. That's my silly hope so far.
Millions of people don't know the mechanisms and control points for turning the country into a police state.
It's likely most Americans can't even imagine what 'police state' might mean.
We need to talk about the police state, because in a very real sense we already live in one. The internet is "policing" us 24/7. The fascists will have all that information in hand if they manage to gut our laws and institutions. Corporations will gladly sell them that information.
Your comment is fear mongering. We all survived Trumps first administration and we will survive his second.
I would never go or a march and put myself in harm's way. My town's having a big anti-abortion march tomorrow. I have no interest in freak shows and will not attend the counter-demo.
I'm seeing protests sprout up all over. Guess they'll do it while they still can without being rounded up or shot at. Wish they had done it (for more than just Israel-Gaza) on the leadup to this election.
Trump has already told us what he will do with such protests.
If 5,000 people march, is he really going to have them shot down? I think that would be a disastrous mistake on his part.
I think that's fine. We can only do what we feel we can do without endangering our lives. And no blame to anyone for NOT sticking their neck out. Will he shoot protestors? I don't know but I'm guessing not. He has no mandate despite claiming one, and shooting down protestors isn't going to work the way he thinks it will. It may stop people from getting into the streets, but my guess is that efforts will just go underground. I honestly have no idea what's going to happen, and the uncertainty is perhaps the most crippling thing of all.