Insomnia has finally kept me awake long enough for me to be one of the first to read and respond to this Substack, my favorite. Thinking about the year we just survived and the one beginning today - and on top of that, I just turned 72 on New Year's Eve - my mind is reeling. It has been quite a year, I am confident I will never forget it. My 99 year old mom died on December 3rd, and I feel like the last nerve in my body has shut down from overload. Anything I say now is unlikely to make sense, but here goes:
I credit this Substack for keeping me sane and 'nauseously optimistic' during this unending train wreck of tRumPutin 2.0. I have even stronger optimism for this year. The tide is turning so dramatically that a tsunami is inevitable. Let the healing begin!
The list of 10 ways to help is excellent, and exactly the kind of direction I always find here.
I felt close to drowning and despair many times, but Robert Reich and this community have given me a life jacket, and today - a surfboard with a paddle!
Amen! As usual, I echo your sentiments! If we can add to the list, I think we each need to find our personal “lonely road of defiance,” as Chris Hedges so eloquently put it in his substack on the price that Francesca Albanese continues to pay for crusading against genocide. I’m a retired, disabled social worker who believes that there is a social ill that each one of us is uniquely equipped to address. I was able bodied until 2016 when a catastrophic injury during a routine medical procedure changed my life forever. I’m now a shut in who had to stop working, driving, traveling, and reading for pleasure. But I can still think, talk, and type, and I spend my productive hours engaged in disability access microadvoacy. It’s just one thing but it’s still one thing. Like the volcano in The Little Prince. At least that’s how I see it. https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/francesca-albanese-and-the-lonely.
I salute you! My health problems include mental health issues, and I have few days when I'm not so depressed I can't get anything done. I used to volunteer at a food pantry, it was only one day a week, but even that was overwhelming. A simple doctor's appointment throws me into a panic for the days and nights leading up to it! The logistics involved. The Uber arrangement: Will my walker fit? Or do I have to manage with only a cane? Will a wheelchair be available at the hospital entrance? Will I be able to bathe and wash my hair in the morning? What should I wear? What do I need to bring with me? Have I made a list of things I need to discuss? What if I wake up in too much pain? I only have a home aid for one morning a week. Some days I never get dressed or make a meal, just snack instead. WAH WAH WAH! Poor, pitiful me! (But only when I have to leave the house and travel - most days are wonderfully lazy. I'm pretty lucky to be able to lie in bed all day, reading and snuggling my cat.)
I agree with you about Chris Hedges. I'm infuriated today about Israel's new restrictions on humanitarian aid. I don't understand cruelty. I really don't.
Paula - As someone who can barely leave the house I totally understand you. My spouse has become my caretaker earlier than we thought would happen and my pride usually gets in the way. Doctor’s appointments are my nemesis. I have missed a lot of family functions because the places that they are held at are not friendly to the disabled. There are also times that I just can’t do it. When times really suck I either come to this (and some other) sites just to feel “normal” (whatever the hell normal is now a days) and when I am too tired I snuggle with my cat too (as long as she is willing - because you know - she’s a cat). Do what you can on the days that you are able to and don’t sweat the other days because we will stand in your space until you are ready to come back and be present. At least that’s what my family/friends tell me and they seem to be correct.
Anon, great advice! Sometimes the simple tips like keep on keeping on, that some might think are trivial, can be critical motivators for us when we are stressed, struggling, scared, and more. The work is always out here waiting for us to do what we can when we can.
Oh, Boy! At age 88 I could just about sign my name to your post - except tor the 'cat' part. Without my wonderful wife, I'd be writing this from 6 feet under.
Robert - I would have loved to have had a dog as well as our cat but I am enough of a handful to deal with. ;)
I read some of the posts from others who are like us (we all have our own personal issues/disabilities) and count my lucky stars every day because I still have my spouse and don’t have to do this on my own like some others have to. Early on in my disability (I couldn’t adjust to my situation well in the beginning) I told my spouse to go enjoy life with someone else who could give them what they needed/deserved. Luckily they blew me off, dealt with my pity party and stuck it out. Every day I tell them thank you for being here. They finally did go find some hobbies and will take a much needed vacation but they still come back home. I’m glad that you are not 6 feet under and found something relatable in what I wrote.
B., me too. As a blind woman, the things I like to do require assistance and participation from my sisters. I so often think I am depending on them too much. If I offer to help pay for gas, food, etc., they seem offended, though usually do accept. It is hard, but I have decided I'm going to do what I can and hope they are on board too. I supply preach and they sing with me at the churches where I preach, which they enjoy. They like the congregations too. I think a lot of it is my own misperceptions, but I am never sure. Happy New Year! Here's to a positively extraordinary year!
Ruth, ever since I encountered your comments on Robert Reich's substack I've thought you were an amazing person, A critical thinker in your own right ! Keep on keeping on ! ! !
Dale, thanks so much. I find that my best comments often come in response to the interesting, thought-provoking comments by the people on this thread. It helps to keep me sharp and on task, trying to help make things better for all of us, and I am grateful.
Dale - I second that! Your comments are also caring and vital. I appreciate all of the people here who don’t mind having a conversation with me/each other and I get to learn from them. You said it best to Ruth - and I probably sound like Charlie Brown’s mother right now - but it’s my awkward way of saying that so many people here are amazing.
Paula, I totally get what you are going through. I, too, have difficulty doing a lot of 'normal' daily stuff kuz of a cascade of mini strokes post knee surgery 5 years ago (of which I've mentioned here before). I, along with many others on this substack appreciate you, your comments along with every one else's - dealing with our 'dotage' - hehheh ~ Today, since it's New Years Day, I'm being 'elitist' by cooking up my weekly 'avocado toast' with various cheeses, fresh spinach, topped by a pair of fried eggs, cilantro and smoked paprika ! Love this ! Even in my own disabilities, I'm doing "as best os" I can and then some and then some more = Keeping my sense of humor alive throughout, especially when volunteering at my local Food Bank (my weekly dose of quiet chaos!) and enjoying it there even IF ? I pay for he exertion the whole next day ~ At least I know I'm (still) 'ALIVE' & Fighting the 'horrors' of this dRumpff regime !
Dale, sounds delicious! I'm having leftover spaghetti that I made on Tuesday. It has everything I could find in it and I love leftovers, so it should be great! Yep, doing what we can when we can!
I subscribed to Factor meals. They are excellent! But very expensive. I get 4 meals a week, and the rest of the week I have Amy's frozen entrées or something similar. I do miss cooking!
Paula, I am so glad I love leftovers because I can cook a whole pot of chili or spaghetti or baked beans and macaroni and cheese, make a large meatloaf or several other things I like and eat them for the week, even freezing some. Occasionally, I will make frozen taquitos or Jamaica patties because they're quick and I really like them, but usually, it is the week's pot that I love. One hour or so and I am good for the week+. On rare ocasions, I will pick up some General Tso's chicken and eat on that a few days. I like nearly everything, so I am one of the lucky ones. OK, skip the crab, Brussels sprouts, Atlantic cod, some goat cheese, and coffee and I am good.
Keep going, Dale, but be careful with cheese--it's loaded with salt and animal fat--guaranteed to raise blood pressure and promote atherosclerosis. So says a cheese lover.
Thanks Viktor for this ‘‘cheesy advice’ lol ~ I know I know, but I loves cheese kuz I’M SUCH A CHEESY GUY myself.. I also like mushrooms kuz I’m a ‘fun gi’ ~ and I ‘live’ by the “mind over matter” approach to life = once my mind goes, none of this will matter ~ heh heh
I am so sorry for your plight, Paula and wish the best for you. I,too, suffer somewhat with depression and take Remeron for it ,as it helps me sleep better at night because of insomnia.
I gained so much weight on remeron! I'm already overweight, so I had to stop taking it. It's a shame, because it helped the insomnia. Now I take trazodone at bedtime and Cymbalta during the day.
I'm glad that you have found what works for you. I have learned that a balanced thyroid helps me maintain my weight through the use of levothyroxine in the right dosage and strength.
I've been taking trazodone for some time now. Not specifically for depression. Prescribed originally because I was having trouble falling and staying asleep. I also take topamax for migraine prophy, which is also a mild anti-depressant.
suggestion to all of you who take the drugs: you could also try taking a walk (even around the house/ apartment if it's too hard/cold/wet to get out) and just LOOKING at things, observing, noting their shapes, colors, etc - it's the best way I know to get ones attention out of the inner confusions and upsets in our minds and just OUT to the world of matter energy and space - and then you can see a bit of beauty in whatever you're looking at, a surprising angle, a tiny glint of light on something - discover. Really brings your attention into present time and space. I hope that helps you as it does me.
I had been a supporter of Israel until Gaza. But “¡no más!, ¡nunca más!” [no more!, never again!]
Israel tends to think that all it has to do is play the Victim card and then it can do whatever it wants, whenever it want, to whomever it wants, and claim a Get-Out-of-Jail Free card.
In doing this, it ignores the Golden Rule (Leviticus 19:18).
paula, your cat is wonderful. Pets accept us and love us for who we are. I will say to you that YOU are special, because you are YOU. Please remind yourself of that, regularly. Each of us is a special being.
and a fun thought - do you have any cute hair ornaments? or even just a bobby pin with a bit of ribbon. you could put it in to dress up and enjoy (+:
IMHO cruel outside forces keep encouraging far right Israelis and Palestinians to hate each other and want to onbe the dominant ideology in Israel. Ain't ever gonna happen. BUT if (1) Egypt made a New Palestine state in the n.e. area of the now dry Sinai desert; if Israel built new desalination plants along the. Mediterranean sea; and the UN help Palestinians move there and begin successful farming there, the Palestinians emigrated to New Palestine would be independent of Israel!
* Those still living in Israel would still own their property there, but also get permanent visas to remain living and working there, no charge. Unless they got convicted of 1+ serious crimes and ordered to leave Israel. Otherwise they would pay taxes, the proceeds to pay for schooling for their children and themselves, the grown ups, in Israel.
* But they could not vote unless it be in referenda to keep or improve their property rights and rights to schooling and affordable -- or free -- health care... which Palestinians may or may not win!
* That seems to me to be much more civilized and a "one state solution" more easily prone to lasting peace and prosperity for all nationalities living in-country. Discussions?
We all have something to contribute for a better world for everyone in our Democracy and it all adds up in the end to be one big avalanche of protest with great resolve to affect a more positive change for the good in our great country.
ISOequanimity, I am a retired disabled nurse after missed diagnosis and botched surgery also. I was still working in 2022. I am so sorry to hear your story and empathize with the many losses, andI salute your courage and strength. I too love “The Little Prince”. I was heartened by so many others sharing their stories of loss and disability, yet such strength and love for others, It fills my heart. It is what gives meaning to life. The main theme of The Little Prince is that "what is essential is invisible to the eye," emphasizing that true understanding and value come from the heart, love, and relationships, contrasting this with the superficial, materialistic world of adults (narcissistic trump and his CEO billionaires and christian nationalists) who've lost their childhood wonder and imagination. Key themes include the importance of love and responsibility (especially toward those you "tame"), the critique of adult narrow-mindedness, and the beauty found in simplicity and connection over numbers and possessions. That feels like what is happening in our world and in this community..
ISOequanimity - I am sorry that a medical procedure derailed you and put a curve in your road of life but I am glad that you took the opportunity left to you and did something with it. You are inspiring to me! Since 2008 I have also been a shut in and so miss being able to drive. I am a control freak and really don’t like having to be the passenger in the car. I have a little trouble seeing and my brain tends to play tricks on me when I hear things (it gets all cross wired) and I no longer talk normally nor can I walk with both legs. But, thankfully, my brain tends to work when I read things and I think it mostly cooperates with me when I type out what I want to say. I write postcards and emails to my representatives but your micro advocacy is inspiring. You do you because you are helping to make a difference in the world. :)
Paula--This thought is circulation on our local news channels. "People can eat for under $1 a day.---This claim from some dweeb is bull! Our prison system puts garbage unfit for human consumption on the plates of inmates that would make a goat puck. In 2026, most U.S. states continue to spend an average of less than $3.00 per person per day on prison food services. While specific rates vary by facility and state, many systems operate on a budget of roughly $1.00 to $1.50 per meal. Whoever said they could feed people for under $1 a day doesn't shop very often, and they were most likely a Republican.
I remember years ago reading about a member of Congress eating only what those needing food assistance could afford. That day it was a peanut butter sandwich with celery for fiber. I believe he did it before the Farm Bill renewal vote. The current Farm Bill extension expires September 2026.
What if we created a challenge like the ice bucket challenge? We and legislators would have to eat only what those on a minimum wage budget can afford. It would generate understanding, empathy and the difference between the challenge food budget and our normal budget could be donated to food banks.
As a low income senior, I buy a membership at Costco each year. With that membership, I have been able to buy my food and clothes for such reasonable prices, that instead of being a recipient at my local food pantry, but instead be a small donor. Not only does Costco treat it's employees the best in retail, but also accepts EBT Cards while providing high quality foods with regular donations to food banks in their communities they are located in. No food goes to waste. My happy place to shop instead of Amazon and the grocery stores that Professor Reich warned us about!
Louise, I really like Costco too and have been a member since 2004. The food is good and I can buy in bulk which is convenient since I can't get to the store often. I notice that grocery stores are now moving to selling some things in bulk too, but usually not as good as Costco.
Jonni, if I remember correctly, that member of congress didn't make it more than a couple of days. It would be interesting to make the challenge say, 3 days, only on newly-acquired foods from a local store, the price determined by 10% of what a poverty-level budget would permit for a month. It would be interesting to see who would try it and what, if anything they learned from the experience. Maybe use SNAP as the guidance $182 a month, meaning $18.20 for the family for 3 days. I am sure it can be done, but it would be hard and the quality of the food the family could afford would not be what congressional families or most Americans are used to.
Ruth - We used to grumble as kids when our mother made certain depression era recipes that she learned from her mother. Little did we understand that it was all we could afford while they were working and trying to raise a family. In turn I also reverted back to those recipes when it was my turn to work and raise a family. Now those recipes have become my comfort food at times. Even though our minimum wage has not caught up to the cost of today’s standard of living it would be interesting to see if the current members would be able to make it through even a couple of days. Especially if they had to do it according to the beliefs of maga/maha.
Anon, I didn't realize they were depression dishes until I was in high school. My family struggled too. I really liked those foods. My whole family still eats baked beans and macaroni & cheese, with maybe some hamburger cooked into the beans, but not required. I love it mixed together. I also like stewed tomatoes on fried egg noodles that had a couple of eggs fried into the noodles after they were cooked. We had the best chocolate cake too with no eggs. I loved Dillon Hollis's book "Baking Yester Year" because it had several of the recipes my mother made .
My mother made 'hamburger pie' that was to die for! Similar to Shepherd's Pie, but with cut green beans and tomato soup mixed into the burger meat - topped with mashed potatoes, of course! Every few years I make it just for myself. It seems like all her best casseroles had Campbell's soup in them, something I would never buy for myself - except for nostalgia foods!
Ruth - Boxed Mac and cheese and a can of soup both cost under a dollar back then and it was always a treat when things went on sale so we could have homemade mac and cheese. I can’t do meatloaf though because those memories are not good. Mom made a ground beef version of beef stroganoff (of course with a can of cream of mushroom mixed in) that I still remember fondly. I believe that we used to eat the same kind of eggless chocolate cake that you mentioned - it was so good! Can’t do grits but I do like collard greens if done right. Oh, and biscuits and rolls made from scratch! I think I just made myself hungry ;)
macaroni: glucose & calories, cheese: fat & Salt. Do eat beans and cabbage-they are nutritious and low calorie, and they taste good with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Donald, yes, and they are probably rich and have someone else shopping for them and think as little as possible what the food they eat costs, usually using credit cards or other pay methods which can be paid by them in lump sums rather than in specific amounts for the food purchased. It is disgraceful because there is little evidence that any of those Republicans in office care about this issue, believing everyone in prison deserves whatever slop they are given, forgetting many in prison are innocent or can't afford bail, another issue they don't even think about. White collar criminals or ones with influence and money don't get treated to the $1.50 or less per meal. Their food is catered as Ghilaine Maxwell's is in her country club prison, after her proven actions of recruiting young women and girls for the pedophiles she worked for and with. Having privately-run prisons is a huge mistake and needs to be ended. If a state or the federal government assign a convicted person to prison or are holding them for trial, it is their responsibility to run and maintain that prison, not some for-profit corporation, making money off the suffering of others.
What you say is so important! For profit prisons? Does anyone oversee these for profit prisons to be sure they are humane? Some group that actually cares about treating people humanely???
Gail, from the reports I have heard from within those prisons, conditions are horrific and certainly not places any human being, even a criminal should live. I hear it is even worse for the immigrants who are being held, they are concentration camps where the guards and other officials can do whatever they want to those incarcerated there, and most of them are not even criminals, even some US citizens. They are treated so badly to soothe the hateful spirit of guys like Steve Miller whose hatred coats everything related to this administration and everyone in it. The fact that Republicans in Congress are OK with this is criminal!
Ruth - What a Congress person gets to credit for a meal is more a day than a SNAP user gets. Let them eat Spam instead of lobster. This administration has had more in custody deaths than most administrations. Everything you wrote is true but your last two sentences are so very true.
Yep, nor do they cook for - the masses. At the Food Bank I wash dishes/scrub kettles at, they cook up to 1200 meals a week. There are 'costs' in providing these meals, besides the actual food costs (way much of which is donated by my community), = the large # of man hours by the staff, wether paid or volunteering (like me) to "put this much food on the table. Evidently, those who talk about meals for $2.00 or less a day, isn't a 'deep thinker' that takes into account ALL factors involved ~ (?)
Dale - Depending on where you live I am curious if your food bank is on the police/sheriff department list for being a recipient of deer killed by automobiles? When I worked in law enforcement we used to have a list of people and organizations who were willing to come out and claim a recently deceased deer so it would not go to waste and we didn’t have to call the road crew to remove it. Sometimes the food banks would have a deal with the processor to get it at a discount and some other people (with the skills) would get it from the processor and either cook it and/or turn it into smoked meat or jerky. One deer can feed quite a lot of people and it was a treat for others who could no longer hunt (I don’t eat deer, nor do I hunt, so I am basing this on what I know from other people about enjoying deer). During really lean times getting a deer helped out our food banks so it’s just a thought.
Anon, my Ballard Food Bank is in one of the neighborhoods of Seattle WA. What foods they bring in are either donated from grocery stores/chains or private individuals or purchased in bulk & they have a small farm where produce for the FB is grown and provided to their grocery store. I doubt that ‘wild game kills’ would be offered to them or accepted by them = local ‘rules of health’, which is why I only do ‘dishwashing’ there. To chop vegg for example I’d have to get a ‘food handlers permit’. But thanks for the idea.
Dale - No problem. It was just a curiosity of mine so I thought I would ask. I love that they do a garden though. We also had a community garden where people who didn’t have the ability to grow at home would tend to the garden and what they didn’t keep went straight to the food bank.
Bo, me too, another 72er. Hey other 72ers, we are at a special age, our age is a square times a cube. That rarely happens. It must mean something good! Let's make it be something amazing for this nation! (9X8)
Paula, it would have been more fun had you had teachers who could show you the way into that numbers world. Something fun, if a number is divisible by 9, like 7+2 in 72, it is also divisible by 3. If a number is divisible by 3 and is an even number, it is also divisible by 6. If we presented all kinds of interesting facts like that to kids and asked them to figure out some of them on their own, more kids would probably like math and wouldn't be so afraid of it. I like tutoring students in math because I show them how to solve problems in several different ways, then help them figure out which way works best with their brain.
Ruth you are so kind, and prolific too! So many kind comments to RR's sophisticated commenters, You are a real gem! And thank you for the heads up on the 72 derivatives! I too am fascinated by numbers. Now if I could just go back to 4, 5, or 6 squared, I promise not to make so many mistakes! <<Big Virtual Hug>>
Bo, thanks so much. When I was a kid, I thought I hated math because I didn't realize all the cool things you could do with it. I was playing number games in my head all the time and didn't know that was math. I used to figure out the day of the week friends were born if I knew their birth date. I can still do it, but not as fast as I used to. That was math??
Professor Reich, your work has meant a great deal to me. As an octogenarian and a retired teacher helping kids who learn differently, I’ve been developing an idea to help many more people, especially low information voters and non-voters share your compelling video content — and other trustworthy sources — at a time when clear information is so crucial. If you’re ever interested, I’d be thrilled to tell you more about it.
Jeffery. I too am an octogenarian and also a Mensan; I'm 81. I'm very interested in your approaches. Please send me a summary list of your approaches to help get me "in sync" with you. I'll send you the link to my website when I've cleaned it up and upgraded the CMS code that makes it work. Happy New Year!
Well said, Paula and I especially love your name as my deceased wife of 50+years also carried that name . I'm 82 and thinking about the 10 ways to help and have already signed up with Indivisible. I ,also ,will be writing a letter to the editor of our local newspaper to celebrate the 250 anniversary of our great country and will urge my fellow Americans and Christians of the gravity of the times and the need for wise decision making in voting for a much better future for our country than what is being exhibited in DC now.
I share your feelings. I feel that reading Professor Reich's column is a vitamin for my spirit & every bit as important as exercise and a healthy diet. His insight and advice helps me stay focused and grounded.
SoCal? I spent the 60's living in Manhattan Beach. It was wonderful being a teenager during the 60's and living in THE party-hearty Beach towns of the South Bay! Oh, the memories….which are a bit spotty, I admit. They say that if you remember the 60's, you weren't there….
Paula, I don't think that is true for most of us, but the '60s were somewhat painful. They taught a lot of us how to stand up for what is right and to care what happens to others, even those we don't know, like the people of Vietnam and of the South, and more. I left the Catholic Church due to its patriarchal stances even though I didn't know about feminism yet. I learned the value of diversity through the people in my own high school. I also learned the ways people target others they don't understand, so they can feel superior when they know they are not. I never tried recreational drugs because I had no interest in not being in control of myself. I appreciate that my friends who did chose not to insult me for that decision. I learned to debate effectively and to listen to others' point of view. I have honed those skills over time, but I learned first in the '60s. It was so amazing watching young people all over standing up for their/our rights. I didn't get to participate then, but in 1972 I took my first steps in active protest by protesting curfews for women in my college dorm and at the White House for unions (my parents were involved with me in the second one). Maybe we can help make 2026 be the crucible for our young people to learn and to act, as the '60s were for me and so many others.
Wha ? I remember the 50's and Kindergarten on up (I'm 74) and teachers names (mostly) and classmates & in technicolor ! And this is post strokes leaving me with a 'Swiss Cheese' memory where the curds and whey refill the holes and THEN the memories come back ! + I have all my personal memorabilia (mom saved it for me then passed it along before she passed away) to 'prove' my memories ! LOL
Oh, Paula! Lucky you! 🏄🏽♀️ What fabulous memories of special times. I live in the high desert mountains, two hours northeast of LA. Would give my eyeteeth to be on the coast. I grew up in Houston and hung out on Gulf Coast beaches all through high school in the early 70s, but it’s not the same. We dreamed of California, the gold standard! Best wishes for 2026, sister Goat! ♑️
the grass on the other side of the fence is greener, hence we need to to visit it time and time again. The coast is congested and expensive, and the traffic is a nightmare. I love the Eastern Sierra.
We're actually goat/fish! Talk about schizoid! Maybe we belong on coastal cliffs? Or on a mountain lake? I've lived in the Rockies and loved it, but the coast in the west - especially north of San Francisco - is my idea of heaven. Canon Beach in Portland, Oregon is my favorite, but also Point Reyes in Northern California. Sunsets there are a religious experience!
Oh boy….my brain is definitely in LaLa Land! Time to call it a day. Nice chatting with you! 💜❤️💜🥳
Yes! Goat/fish with a mermaid tail! Love Northern Cali and the Oregon coastline, including Cannon Beach. The whole state of Oregon is wonderful. Was last there 30 years ago. Hugs to you, Paula!
Punkette, I have had the true pleasure of visiting Oregon several times since I have a sister living there. I loved it and the redwoods of Northern CA too. I tried to get a job there on one of my visits, but alas, it didn't happen, but I will never forget just how beautiful and friendly it is there!
Paula - First, I am so very sorry to hear about your mother passing away. Secondly, saying “happy” seems wrong in light of your grief and trouble sleeping but I hope that you find time to celebrate your birthday. Every day is a gift despite what certain people are doing to our country which is affecting other countries. We will prevail against this corrupt administration. We are stronger than we think and together we are better people. I am terrible with expressing the right words but I am glad that you are here with us and this community has your back.
That said, and while understanding your shutdown, you are making sense. Thank you.
I am not certain that a tsunami is inevitable, or if that is the right metaphor, but I am definitely catching your drift. And you didn't drown! Happy New Year, Paula!
Happy birthday and New Year and so sorry to hear about your mom. Hold on to the surfboard and paddle and the nauseous optimism this marathon continues …
My first dream of 2026 -- almost a nightmare, but not really:
I am in my house and go down to the basement, where I hang wet laundry to dry by the furnace. My favorite dish towel is on the dirt floor. At first I think it just slipped off the hanger. Then I realize that it's been knocked down and stepped on and I'm not alone in the basement. There is a man cowering in the far corner. It's one of the non-English speaking helpers that my local handy man brought in three years ago to climb up on the roof and replace a wooden rain gutter -- a feat so dangerous that I could hardly bear to watch it, although it got done effectively with no injuries.
The man is obviously hiding from ICE. I ask how he got into the basement. He says he was hiding outside and slipped in while I was removing trash yesterday. Then I wake up trying to figure out what I can do to move him to a safer place, without getting thrown into prison along with him.
Paula! We are born in the same year only I, 7 months earlier to the day. My friends born the same year say it is the best! Anyway, this is my favorite Substack of the 4 I subscribe to with the others coming in a close second because of the way they keep us informed and have ideas for how to see things and how we can act! Happy New Year! Let's all make this year, in a positive way, extraordinary. We are designing our own history now because Trump and Kump have distorted what has gone before. They have taught us that hate, fear, resentment, and anger are powerful tools to use against people. That does not mean we should succumb to them, but find ways to use them to inspire people against whom these 4 are being used as weapons. We can do this together if there is a will to do it, and I think there is!
I'm so glad you're here Paula today on that surfboard with a paddle! I too have been saved from drowning at times by Robert Reich's words of wisdom and caring heart and by so many of the people in this community. I want to tell you Happy Birthday and also express my condolences about losing your Mom. I'm so sorry. I know how difficult this month of December must be for you as there really is no other loss as our mothers that can compare--especially if you had a close bond. I understand your being on overload. Please do whatever calls to you that feels nurturing and brings moments of quiet peace, joy and hopefully feelings of love. I want to support you staying on that surfboard and not losing that paddle. We have lots to do this year in 2026 so please stay on this substack as many of us want to support you staying strong and hearing your voice here which has meant a lot to me and many others in this community. Thank you.
"Kawabunga!" made me laugh out loud! Howdy Doody and Clarabell! Blessings and condolences on the passing of your Mom at 99! I agree that the tide is turning, in part, for those of us who remember and keep the faith of our forefathers and mothers, and all who sacrificed so much!
Great comment, Paula! I'm sorry you lost your mom, I lost mine not long ago also. Your message is a healing message, too, and I greatly appreciated it! Best wishes, Rita Casey.
I'm down with all this. Excellent ethics, excellent tactics, excellent next-few-years strategy.
But oh, how I wish people could encompass investing in longer-term strategy by focusing on policy, the effects of policy in the longer run, and oh how much I wish learning enough Keynesian and New Classical macroeconomics to arrive at well-considered opinions about economic strategies and claims. (Thanks for doing more than your part, so weak, on that wish, Mr. Reich.)
I'm doing all of this already, and I have been doing it since I was 15 years old and was a Teen for Kennedy. And I have incredibly dedicated friends who also work as a group to write postcards to voters, work the polls, write to legislators, join the protests and the boycotts, and do whatever else we can do to protect our nation. The only exception is that we have not yet done Item 3 -- But we will be adding that to our list of activities.
Thanks, Robert, for this list. All of us can do something. Even if it's one item. Even if we have to work alone. But it's easy to form a group to work together. If you want to know how to organize your own group, read my substack post from last April. Our group has grown since then, and our postcards now total 60,000... all at our own expense. Go here to learn how you can do it, too... Start small and it will grow. https://donnamaurillo.substack.com/p/create-a-postcard-group-like-ours
More ideas... Activate America also does postcard writing campaigns targeting key states to help increase voter turnout. Mikie Sherrill's campaign was one that was targeted. They also coordinate with local, statewide, and national organizations to do postcarding, phone banking, texting and canvassing programs...
Also the Card Campaign (https://www.cc4democracy.com) disseminates cards on various topics... You can put them anywhere to get out the specific information. Their latest card is Card#28 - "Fascism and Freedom" On one side is America's shift towards fascism (dictatorship) and on the reverse side is "Defending our Freedoms." You can print the cards out yourself or go to a library that can print them or they have a company listed that will print them for you... They also have envelopes in case you want to mail some... Just a couple of easy ways to make a difference.
Thanks. We already work with Activate America for their postcard campaigns, and I mentioned them in my substack. Also with Postcards to Voters and a few others. But I've not heard of Card Campaign. I'll look them up.
Trust me. Our meetings each week help to keep us sane. We started out as all female. But then a couple of guys started joining us. It’s good to see the men get involved in volunteer work too.
I love this sentiment. And every little snowflake, when it organizes, becomes an avalanche. I always told my kids to be like a river. When the river encounters a rock, it doesn't give up. Nor does it try to push it out of the way. Instead, it moves around the rock and keeps going forward to the sea. But eventually, all that moving water will wear down the rock into sand. Persistence is the important part.
Happy New Year everyone. Professor Reich has given us the most important ways to fend off the worst people in our country. Let us all take his knowledge and experience to turn this big cruise ship called America into a country where all of our future generations can be proud of what we did to save our democracy.
Since a 3.5% turnout in a protest would make piggie consider his position, aim for a 10 million No Kings in the spring.
If it it's even more so ,much the better. Banners should say Trump out, no to Vance. Keep the pressure up going into the mid terms. Then perhaps you will have a Democratic congress that can get rid of them both. From all right thinking people in the UK, have a happy and Democratic 2026.
I like that Trump out/no Vance. It’s a simple way to illustrate the entire regime needs to go. Vance is already positioning himself as heir to the throne.
How about "No Maga". This includes Vance, the Congressional & Senate leadership, the WH advisors and the Cabinet. I want them all gone. Actually, I want a Nuremberg-like set of trials at the end of all this - and a clawback of all ill-begotten gains. I want our country back.
All these points are good and have implications beyond the US to all of the Western world and beyond. In watching the BBC documentary on the rise and fall of civilisations that had lasted centuries (Rome, Egypt etc.), the causes of demise included:
* Concentration of wealth amongst an elite so not available to the State to address widespread problems like poverty
* Infighting amongst the rulers and rejecting norms of behaviour and succession
* Outside threats, like climate change, floods, storms, food shortages
* Closing off society from the outside world and so the vibrancy of immigration and the energy, technology and intellectual ideas they bring.
All this shows that you need to adapt to change but with the stability that a stable and widely accepted, and tested, system of government brings. There are lessons here for Democrats too if they eventually gain power
Thomas Malthus made perfect sense to me when I was first introduced to his theories and writings decades ago. Betting nobody in the Trump regime ever read any of it, or they would know that creating a Master Race through explosive breeding is precisely what the planet does not need. Any research biologist or paleontologist can explain and show example after example of exactly what caused aberrant behavior in a species, along with massive die-offs: overpopulation is a leading factor. The "Zero Population Growth" idea was given serious consideration for a while back in the 1960s. Like most good ideas that don't make money for anyone but do make total sense, this one was abandoned. There is an optimum number of individuals in every species that ensures that species' well-being and ultimate survival. Too many creates food shortage, hoarding, aggression and bizarre behavior; too few, and there is no longer an adequate number for a healthy breeding population.
How? It didn't work well in China. Population management comes from education opportunities for women who then make individual choices which come onto line with Earth's limited resources. Do it too quick, like China, and you bring major problems - too many young men with misdirected energy/aggression, too many old people requiring care, too few productive young people etc. Population growth isn't the issue, it's resource over usage by the population.
True, but in many countries children are the parents' future security so contraception has only limited effect. Research shows that it is female education which increases their earning power so limits the number of children they want to produce.
You are right, Martin, economics and politics play a crucial role in every situation. Ending the vicious cycle of violence and poverty is a basic prerequisite for the success of any policy.
Yes, Linda, but what is it that you are proposing? One way of dealing with overpopulation is denying food and medication to people, which is what Trump is doing. Note also that climate change is driven by our way of life, not overpopulation per se.
Zero population growth is a good beginning. Each couple replaces itself by having a maximum of 2 children. Not draconian, just sensible. "Live simply, that others may simply live" is another good way to go. Also: Trump and company are denying food and medicine to those they feel are unworthy of continuing to live for whatever reason. Managed procreation is not death camps and choosing one group over another. It applies to everyone.
In addition to the excellent list provided, prioritize resistance to White Christian Nationalism, which is the scourge that is driving the largest portion of the votes that keep MAGA in power. If you are a person of the Christian faith, join Christians Against Christian Nationalism (see its website). There are active local affiliates in many parts of the country. If need be, help start your own. The pushback from fellow believers can generate some doubts and cracks within the rank-and-file followers of White Christian Nationalist churches. Bit by bit, their inner confidence in their correctness can be weakened and the foundation for the WCN movement will begin to wobble and crumble.
Regardless of your faith tradition (or no faith), join and support Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (see its website). AU is also doing great work at all levels of government to blunt the tide of pro-theocratic interests that drive a lot of the MAGA movement.
Speak up, share your truth, maintain lines of communication with those whose minds can be opened.
I am so pissed that this organization has usurped the reputation of Christians in this country! I never used to wear a cross around my neck. But once these fake Christians started taking over the symbol of our faith, I started wearing mine again. I refuse to let them steal it, just like they have tried to do with our American flag.
I agree with you. When people think that religion belongs in government, I ask them how they would feel if we had a Muslim or a Jewish president declaring that we can no longer eat pork or that we have to adhere to the rules of their particular faith. Once you open that door, it lets in a whole lot of other issues. MAGA used to complain about a future under Sharia law. But then they turned around and tried to institute their own brand of religious law.
But they don't have to win. Don't forget that the Continental Army (including George Washington) lost many battles before they won the war. Giving up is not an option...not if we have children and grandchildren.
I'm so glad that Pope Leo is pushing even harder against this administration. Although this Trump team claims to be adhering to the words of Jesus, they really are not. Otherwise the Works of Mercy, as set out in Matthew 25, would be a significant guiding principle. And it is not.
Trump also violates Moses's commands, but he gets away with it, as no doubt Miller does, by claiming that the immigrants are "enemies." Most of the individuals being deported are low pay laborers who, until now, made an important contribution to our economy. It is imperative to tell voters the truth., especially since the lie transcends economics. If Trump is the one who decides who is or is not an enemy, no one is safe.
To each his own. I have many agnostic attitudes even though I practice a Christian faith. I've always asked questions. Is there a Heaven or Hell? Is God a real being? What happens after we die? Why does God allow evil in the world? I have no answers. All I can do... all each of us can do... is adhere to the words of whatever philosophy helps us get along in life. If anyone chooses not to believe in a god or gods or even in reality, then I can't criticize. Just be good to each other and to the Earth. Beyond that, live what makes sense to you.
I cannot judge what's in the hearts of other people. But from his outward actions, he is not remotely a Christian. If he were, his judgments would be much more humane and charitable.
they turned the cross into a tribal amulet, and like all tribalists they do it out of fear--fear of evil spirits, fear of marginalization. They are easy prey for savvy predators like JD Vance and Peter Thiel.
I’m a former believer but I see that the “Christian right “ has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus. Nothing. The fake republican agenda has nothing to do with fostering community or helping those in need. It gives me cognitive dissonance to hear people connect anything they do with Christianity. Of course most who justify their actions with anything to do with goodness are liars and using the very people they purport to defend.
Mother Jones has an excellent article by an Evangelical Minister Schenck who had an awakening while researching German evangelical support for Hitler for a late-in-life dissertation.
Unfortunately cults are much practiced in cognitive dissonance.
ORGANIZE OVER THE COMMON GOOD DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. JUST READ THE PLATFORM BULLET POINTS. ORGANIZE!!!!
ALLEGIANCE TO OUR PLATFORM AND THE CANDIDATE THAT PROMOTES OUR PLATFORM!
GOOGLE YOUR STATES DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM TO READ IT!
MAKE AMERICA GRATEFUL AGAIN!
The Democratic Platform IS the Preamble to Our Constitution
The Preamble
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Democratic Party should be the party of Interdependent voters..
Keep It Simple Stupid is demeaning so any variation works for me. Just read Our Common Good Platform to find out what Democrats are in writing.. Thanks, Tom Kurhajetz
The way I see it is "There are no questionable questions just questionable answers" Tom Kurhajetz trump is like the Jim Jones of Guiana he wants everyone to drink his Koolaid even if it is fatal.
Your words are like beacons in the dark, lighting a way forward. These are solid actions we can take, and I believe even small actions lead to change too: calling the Kennedy Center by its name; reminding everyone that this administration honors neither American principles nor basic human decency; showing kindness in one’s daily life even when it’s not the easy response. Lead on, Robert; let’s bring America back to America.
All well said. One more thing ... It is often stated that Trump won by a very slim margin, but we should all remember that there was the usual cheating by the GOP, purging thousands of names from the voter registration rolls that "sounded" minority and other dirty tricks, much of it reported in the press with no effort to hide it. There is statistical proof that there was vote manipulation. We must make a concerted effort to stop GOP voter suppression and fraud in the future.
My thought this morning is that We the Democrats should just start picking the Repugs off. My (NOT!!!) Repug senator is introducing Charlie Kirk's Turning Point B.S. into the schools in our town! How I hate that bitch! Taking a million $$ from Perdu Pharma, helping them spread Oxycontin by millions of pills, causing overdoses and suicides everywhere!! AND taking tons of money from the NRA! She has an A+ rating with them!! She does not deserve to live! But in a state with one of the lowest voting records, it is really difficult to get the backwoods, rednecks that populate it to care!
Thank you, Professor Reich, for the detailed "Call to Battle," as it were! You give reasoned hope, so it's not just fervent hoping but rather, specific steps to take, steps that make sense and seem doable.. And most of all how to keep up one's spirit which is where the will to fight begins.
The warped Master Mind of Plan 2025, Russell Vought knows this. As he urged, workers have to be so demoralized they are unable to report to work. What kind of person thinks and plans like this? He and Stephen Smith are Trump's drivers. Half the time (or more) Trump is sinking into the fog of dementia while Vought and Miller wind him up, and he goes through the steps. spouting verbal salad.
Hand on heart, Prof. Reich, thank you for the pep talk. My God, I needed to read this tonight, today, on the start of a New Year 2026.
I do beg your pardon here, but, did you mean to say: " He and Stephen Miller are Trump's drivers." in your second paragraph there? If so, you can edit by clicking on the three dots.
As long as I live, I will never forgive those Democratic Senators who continued to vote in favor of Trump nominations, of people whose malignancy to democracy was confirmed by their very nomination. Why? Why this continued adherence to norms, i.e. letting a president have his chosen staff, when this is a president who attempted to subvert the Constitution by inciting a rebellion? Why are these Democrats playing nice, when their counterparts voted as a bloc to wreck Obama's and Biden's presidencies, when the other side unconstitutionally refused to advise and consent on a SCOTUS nomination? When the House Majority Leader abuses his office to prevent an elected member from being sworn in? Donald Trump is conducting nuclear warfare against a hundred years of American governmental tradition, and the Senate Democrats are responding with bows and arrows. Enough. Vote No. Vote No on everyone and everything. It may not be enough, but at least it's a message.
Victor, I would much rather read Kerry's truthful comments than hear from a curmudgeonly old man like you who obviously has nothing new to contribute!!! YOU are the one who is out of ideas!!!
Why not call and write those Senators asking about specific confirmation votes. Hopefully they have learned their lesson from seeing what those Cabinet members have done.
My friends and I have written postcards to many judges, thanking them for their dedication to democracy and defending the Constitution. We hope that they get some encouragement to continue.
"To be neutral between right and wrong is to serve wrong.” — Theodore Roosevelt. Take a position, people. In other words, "moderate" is a chickenshit adjective used by fence-straddlers who don't want to end up on anyone's shit list when things get real.
Insomnia has finally kept me awake long enough for me to be one of the first to read and respond to this Substack, my favorite. Thinking about the year we just survived and the one beginning today - and on top of that, I just turned 72 on New Year's Eve - my mind is reeling. It has been quite a year, I am confident I will never forget it. My 99 year old mom died on December 3rd, and I feel like the last nerve in my body has shut down from overload. Anything I say now is unlikely to make sense, but here goes:
I credit this Substack for keeping me sane and 'nauseously optimistic' during this unending train wreck of tRumPutin 2.0. I have even stronger optimism for this year. The tide is turning so dramatically that a tsunami is inevitable. Let the healing begin!
The list of 10 ways to help is excellent, and exactly the kind of direction I always find here.
I felt close to drowning and despair many times, but Robert Reich and this community have given me a life jacket, and today - a surfboard with a paddle!
KAWABUNGA!
Amen! As usual, I echo your sentiments! If we can add to the list, I think we each need to find our personal “lonely road of defiance,” as Chris Hedges so eloquently put it in his substack on the price that Francesca Albanese continues to pay for crusading against genocide. I’m a retired, disabled social worker who believes that there is a social ill that each one of us is uniquely equipped to address. I was able bodied until 2016 when a catastrophic injury during a routine medical procedure changed my life forever. I’m now a shut in who had to stop working, driving, traveling, and reading for pleasure. But I can still think, talk, and type, and I spend my productive hours engaged in disability access microadvoacy. It’s just one thing but it’s still one thing. Like the volcano in The Little Prince. At least that’s how I see it. https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/francesca-albanese-and-the-lonely.
I salute you! My health problems include mental health issues, and I have few days when I'm not so depressed I can't get anything done. I used to volunteer at a food pantry, it was only one day a week, but even that was overwhelming. A simple doctor's appointment throws me into a panic for the days and nights leading up to it! The logistics involved. The Uber arrangement: Will my walker fit? Or do I have to manage with only a cane? Will a wheelchair be available at the hospital entrance? Will I be able to bathe and wash my hair in the morning? What should I wear? What do I need to bring with me? Have I made a list of things I need to discuss? What if I wake up in too much pain? I only have a home aid for one morning a week. Some days I never get dressed or make a meal, just snack instead. WAH WAH WAH! Poor, pitiful me! (But only when I have to leave the house and travel - most days are wonderfully lazy. I'm pretty lucky to be able to lie in bed all day, reading and snuggling my cat.)
I agree with you about Chris Hedges. I'm infuriated today about Israel's new restrictions on humanitarian aid. I don't understand cruelty. I really don't.
Paula, I also grieve lost abilities but please know that your contributions on substack always elevate these conversations. You are sowing good seeds!
I agree.
Wow. What a kind thing to say! You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you. 😊
It's very true.
Paula - As someone who can barely leave the house I totally understand you. My spouse has become my caretaker earlier than we thought would happen and my pride usually gets in the way. Doctor’s appointments are my nemesis. I have missed a lot of family functions because the places that they are held at are not friendly to the disabled. There are also times that I just can’t do it. When times really suck I either come to this (and some other) sites just to feel “normal” (whatever the hell normal is now a days) and when I am too tired I snuggle with my cat too (as long as she is willing - because you know - she’s a cat). Do what you can on the days that you are able to and don’t sweat the other days because we will stand in your space until you are ready to come back and be present. At least that’s what my family/friends tell me and they seem to be correct.
Anon, great advice! Sometimes the simple tips like keep on keeping on, that some might think are trivial, can be critical motivators for us when we are stressed, struggling, scared, and more. The work is always out here waiting for us to do what we can when we can.
Yes, stay focused, take one step at a time, persevere. Great rivers are born from rain drops.
So well said... that's very true
Ruth - Thanks and Absolutely! :)
Oh, Boy! At age 88 I could just about sign my name to your post - except tor the 'cat' part. Without my wonderful wife, I'd be writing this from 6 feet under.
Robert - I would have loved to have had a dog as well as our cat but I am enough of a handful to deal with. ;)
I read some of the posts from others who are like us (we all have our own personal issues/disabilities) and count my lucky stars every day because I still have my spouse and don’t have to do this on my own like some others have to. Early on in my disability (I couldn’t adjust to my situation well in the beginning) I told my spouse to go enjoy life with someone else who could give them what they needed/deserved. Luckily they blew me off, dealt with my pity party and stuck it out. Every day I tell them thank you for being here. They finally did go find some hobbies and will take a much needed vacation but they still come back home. I’m glad that you are not 6 feet under and found something relatable in what I wrote.
I double that solute! I can relate to your list of questions. Travel that I used to take for granted, now involves asking for help.
B., me too. As a blind woman, the things I like to do require assistance and participation from my sisters. I so often think I am depending on them too much. If I offer to help pay for gas, food, etc., they seem offended, though usually do accept. It is hard, but I have decided I'm going to do what I can and hope they are on board too. I supply preach and they sing with me at the churches where I preach, which they enjoy. They like the congregations too. I think a lot of it is my own misperceptions, but I am never sure. Happy New Year! Here's to a positively extraordinary year!
Ruth, ever since I encountered your comments on Robert Reich's substack I've thought you were an amazing person, A critical thinker in your own right ! Keep on keeping on ! ! !
Dale, thanks so much. I find that my best comments often come in response to the interesting, thought-provoking comments by the people on this thread. It helps to keep me sharp and on task, trying to help make things better for all of us, and I am grateful.
Dale - I second that! Your comments are also caring and vital. I appreciate all of the people here who don’t mind having a conversation with me/each other and I get to learn from them. You said it best to Ruth - and I probably sound like Charlie Brown’s mother right now - but it’s my awkward way of saying that so many people here are amazing.
Best wishes to you!
Paula, I totally get what you are going through. I, too, have difficulty doing a lot of 'normal' daily stuff kuz of a cascade of mini strokes post knee surgery 5 years ago (of which I've mentioned here before). I, along with many others on this substack appreciate you, your comments along with every one else's - dealing with our 'dotage' - hehheh ~ Today, since it's New Years Day, I'm being 'elitist' by cooking up my weekly 'avocado toast' with various cheeses, fresh spinach, topped by a pair of fried eggs, cilantro and smoked paprika ! Love this ! Even in my own disabilities, I'm doing "as best os" I can and then some and then some more = Keeping my sense of humor alive throughout, especially when volunteering at my local Food Bank (my weekly dose of quiet chaos!) and enjoying it there even IF ? I pay for he exertion the whole next day ~ At least I know I'm (still) 'ALIVE' & Fighting the 'horrors' of this dRumpff regime !
Dale, sounds delicious! I'm having leftover spaghetti that I made on Tuesday. It has everything I could find in it and I love leftovers, so it should be great! Yep, doing what we can when we can!
I subscribed to Factor meals. They are excellent! But very expensive. I get 4 meals a week, and the rest of the week I have Amy's frozen entrées or something similar. I do miss cooking!
Paula, I am so glad I love leftovers because I can cook a whole pot of chili or spaghetti or baked beans and macaroni and cheese, make a large meatloaf or several other things I like and eat them for the week, even freezing some. Occasionally, I will make frozen taquitos or Jamaica patties because they're quick and I really like them, but usually, it is the week's pot that I love. One hour or so and I am good for the week+. On rare ocasions, I will pick up some General Tso's chicken and eat on that a few days. I like nearly everything, so I am one of the lucky ones. OK, skip the crab, Brussels sprouts, Atlantic cod, some goat cheese, and coffee and I am good.
amy's does make great stuff! thank god (or whoever) that there are industrious cooks who can create such things for us non-chefs.
Keep going, Dale, but be careful with cheese--it's loaded with salt and animal fat--guaranteed to raise blood pressure and promote atherosclerosis. So says a cheese lover.
Thanks Viktor for this ‘‘cheesy advice’ lol ~ I know I know, but I loves cheese kuz I’M SUCH A CHEESY GUY myself.. I also like mushrooms kuz I’m a ‘fun gi’ ~ and I ‘live’ by the “mind over matter” approach to life = once my mind goes, none of this will matter ~ heh heh
wishing you a happy, healthy new year.
I am so sorry for your plight, Paula and wish the best for you. I,too, suffer somewhat with depression and take Remeron for it ,as it helps me sleep better at night because of insomnia.
I gained so much weight on remeron! I'm already overweight, so I had to stop taking it. It's a shame, because it helped the insomnia. Now I take trazodone at bedtime and Cymbalta during the day.
I'm glad that you have found what works for you. I have learned that a balanced thyroid helps me maintain my weight through the use of levothyroxine in the right dosage and strength.
I've been taking trazodone for some time now. Not specifically for depression. Prescribed originally because I was having trouble falling and staying asleep. I also take topamax for migraine prophy, which is also a mild anti-depressant.
Good luck to you on your journey.
suggestion to all of you who take the drugs: you could also try taking a walk (even around the house/ apartment if it's too hard/cold/wet to get out) and just LOOKING at things, observing, noting their shapes, colors, etc - it's the best way I know to get ones attention out of the inner confusions and upsets in our minds and just OUT to the world of matter energy and space - and then you can see a bit of beauty in whatever you're looking at, a surprising angle, a tiny glint of light on something - discover. Really brings your attention into present time and space. I hope that helps you as it does me.
I had been a supporter of Israel until Gaza. But “¡no más!, ¡nunca más!” [no more!, never again!]
Israel tends to think that all it has to do is play the Victim card and then it can do whatever it wants, whenever it want, to whomever it wants, and claim a Get-Out-of-Jail Free card.
In doing this, it ignores the Golden Rule (Leviticus 19:18).
paula, your cat is wonderful. Pets accept us and love us for who we are. I will say to you that YOU are special, because you are YOU. Please remind yourself of that, regularly. Each of us is a special being.
and a fun thought - do you have any cute hair ornaments? or even just a bobby pin with a bit of ribbon. you could put it in to dress up and enjoy (+:
IMHO cruel outside forces keep encouraging far right Israelis and Palestinians to hate each other and want to onbe the dominant ideology in Israel. Ain't ever gonna happen. BUT if (1) Egypt made a New Palestine state in the n.e. area of the now dry Sinai desert; if Israel built new desalination plants along the. Mediterranean sea; and the UN help Palestinians move there and begin successful farming there, the Palestinians emigrated to New Palestine would be independent of Israel!
* Those still living in Israel would still own their property there, but also get permanent visas to remain living and working there, no charge. Unless they got convicted of 1+ serious crimes and ordered to leave Israel. Otherwise they would pay taxes, the proceeds to pay for schooling for their children and themselves, the grown ups, in Israel.
* But they could not vote unless it be in referenda to keep or improve their property rights and rights to schooling and affordable -- or free -- health care... which Palestinians may or may not win!
* That seems to me to be much more civilized and a "one state solution" more easily prone to lasting peace and prosperity for all nationalities living in-country. Discussions?
Interesting idea.
Nicely said ISO.
We all have something to contribute for a better world for everyone in our Democracy and it all adds up in the end to be one big avalanche of protest with great resolve to affect a more positive change for the good in our great country.
Thank you for your kind words. The ocean of social change is made up of many individual drops!
Yes! The Butterfly Effect!
I am going to ponder the social ill that I am uniquely equipped to address. That should be enough for today, eh?
I am very sorry about your life-changing injury, but I am amazed at your spiritual strength. Bravo!
Thank you for your kind words. I was lucky enough to experience post-traumatic growth. Not everyone does.
ISOequanimity, I am a retired disabled nurse after missed diagnosis and botched surgery also. I was still working in 2022. I am so sorry to hear your story and empathize with the many losses, andI salute your courage and strength. I too love “The Little Prince”. I was heartened by so many others sharing their stories of loss and disability, yet such strength and love for others, It fills my heart. It is what gives meaning to life. The main theme of The Little Prince is that "what is essential is invisible to the eye," emphasizing that true understanding and value come from the heart, love, and relationships, contrasting this with the superficial, materialistic world of adults (narcissistic trump and his CEO billionaires and christian nationalists) who've lost their childhood wonder and imagination. Key themes include the importance of love and responsibility (especially toward those you "tame"), the critique of adult narrow-mindedness, and the beauty found in simplicity and connection over numbers and possessions. That feels like what is happening in our world and in this community..
Linda - Wow! What a beautiful message and touching post!
Anon. thank you. Have you read The Little Prince”?
Linda - No I haven’t but it’s now on my list thanks to you. :)
I agree completely!
ISOequanimity - I am sorry that a medical procedure derailed you and put a curve in your road of life but I am glad that you took the opportunity left to you and did something with it. You are inspiring to me! Since 2008 I have also been a shut in and so miss being able to drive. I am a control freak and really don’t like having to be the passenger in the car. I have a little trouble seeing and my brain tends to play tricks on me when I hear things (it gets all cross wired) and I no longer talk normally nor can I walk with both legs. But, thankfully, my brain tends to work when I read things and I think it mostly cooperates with me when I type out what I want to say. I write postcards and emails to my representatives but your micro advocacy is inspiring. You do you because you are helping to make a difference in the world. :)
As are you, fellow postcarder! The pen is mightier than the sword!
Paula--This thought is circulation on our local news channels. "People can eat for under $1 a day.---This claim from some dweeb is bull! Our prison system puts garbage unfit for human consumption on the plates of inmates that would make a goat puck. In 2026, most U.S. states continue to spend an average of less than $3.00 per person per day on prison food services. While specific rates vary by facility and state, many systems operate on a budget of roughly $1.00 to $1.50 per meal. Whoever said they could feed people for under $1 a day doesn't shop very often, and they were most likely a Republican.
I remember years ago reading about a member of Congress eating only what those needing food assistance could afford. That day it was a peanut butter sandwich with celery for fiber. I believe he did it before the Farm Bill renewal vote. The current Farm Bill extension expires September 2026.
What if we created a challenge like the ice bucket challenge? We and legislators would have to eat only what those on a minimum wage budget can afford. It would generate understanding, empathy and the difference between the challenge food budget and our normal budget could be donated to food banks.
As a low income senior, I buy a membership at Costco each year. With that membership, I have been able to buy my food and clothes for such reasonable prices, that instead of being a recipient at my local food pantry, but instead be a small donor. Not only does Costco treat it's employees the best in retail, but also accepts EBT Cards while providing high quality foods with regular donations to food banks in their communities they are located in. No food goes to waste. My happy place to shop instead of Amazon and the grocery stores that Professor Reich warned us about!
That's wonderful information. Thank you for letting people know...
Louise, I really like Costco too and have been a member since 2004. The food is good and I can buy in bulk which is convenient since I can't get to the store often. I notice that grocery stores are now moving to selling some things in bulk too, but usually not as good as Costco.
Good thinking, and thank you for donating.
Jonni, if I remember correctly, that member of congress didn't make it more than a couple of days. It would be interesting to make the challenge say, 3 days, only on newly-acquired foods from a local store, the price determined by 10% of what a poverty-level budget would permit for a month. It would be interesting to see who would try it and what, if anything they learned from the experience. Maybe use SNAP as the guidance $182 a month, meaning $18.20 for the family for 3 days. I am sure it can be done, but it would be hard and the quality of the food the family could afford would not be what congressional families or most Americans are used to.
Ruth - We used to grumble as kids when our mother made certain depression era recipes that she learned from her mother. Little did we understand that it was all we could afford while they were working and trying to raise a family. In turn I also reverted back to those recipes when it was my turn to work and raise a family. Now those recipes have become my comfort food at times. Even though our minimum wage has not caught up to the cost of today’s standard of living it would be interesting to see if the current members would be able to make it through even a couple of days. Especially if they had to do it according to the beliefs of maga/maha.
Anon, I didn't realize they were depression dishes until I was in high school. My family struggled too. I really liked those foods. My whole family still eats baked beans and macaroni & cheese, with maybe some hamburger cooked into the beans, but not required. I love it mixed together. I also like stewed tomatoes on fried egg noodles that had a couple of eggs fried into the noodles after they were cooked. We had the best chocolate cake too with no eggs. I loved Dillon Hollis's book "Baking Yester Year" because it had several of the recipes my mother made .
My mother made 'hamburger pie' that was to die for! Similar to Shepherd's Pie, but with cut green beans and tomato soup mixed into the burger meat - topped with mashed potatoes, of course! Every few years I make it just for myself. It seems like all her best casseroles had Campbell's soup in them, something I would never buy for myself - except for nostalgia foods!
Ruth - Boxed Mac and cheese and a can of soup both cost under a dollar back then and it was always a treat when things went on sale so we could have homemade mac and cheese. I can’t do meatloaf though because those memories are not good. Mom made a ground beef version of beef stroganoff (of course with a can of cream of mushroom mixed in) that I still remember fondly. I believe that we used to eat the same kind of eggless chocolate cake that you mentioned - it was so good! Can’t do grits but I do like collard greens if done right. Oh, and biscuits and rolls made from scratch! I think I just made myself hungry ;)
I love Jane Brody’s curried lentils on rice- comforting and inexpensive.
macaroni: glucose & calories, cheese: fat & Salt. Do eat beans and cabbage-they are nutritious and low calorie, and they taste good with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
What a wonderful suggestion. Let’s do it. It will raise awareness.
Paula--Happy Birthday as well.
Thank you, Donald ❤️
Donald, yes, and they are probably rich and have someone else shopping for them and think as little as possible what the food they eat costs, usually using credit cards or other pay methods which can be paid by them in lump sums rather than in specific amounts for the food purchased. It is disgraceful because there is little evidence that any of those Republicans in office care about this issue, believing everyone in prison deserves whatever slop they are given, forgetting many in prison are innocent or can't afford bail, another issue they don't even think about. White collar criminals or ones with influence and money don't get treated to the $1.50 or less per meal. Their food is catered as Ghilaine Maxwell's is in her country club prison, after her proven actions of recruiting young women and girls for the pedophiles she worked for and with. Having privately-run prisons is a huge mistake and needs to be ended. If a state or the federal government assign a convicted person to prison or are holding them for trial, it is their responsibility to run and maintain that prison, not some for-profit corporation, making money off the suffering of others.
What you say is so important! For profit prisons? Does anyone oversee these for profit prisons to be sure they are humane? Some group that actually cares about treating people humanely???
Gail, from the reports I have heard from within those prisons, conditions are horrific and certainly not places any human being, even a criminal should live. I hear it is even worse for the immigrants who are being held, they are concentration camps where the guards and other officials can do whatever they want to those incarcerated there, and most of them are not even criminals, even some US citizens. They are treated so badly to soothe the hateful spirit of guys like Steve Miller whose hatred coats everything related to this administration and everyone in it. The fact that Republicans in Congress are OK with this is criminal!
profit at the expense of taxpayers. Who says that crime doesn't pay?
Ruth - What a Congress person gets to credit for a meal is more a day than a SNAP user gets. Let them eat Spam instead of lobster. This administration has had more in custody deaths than most administrations. Everything you wrote is true but your last two sentences are so very true.
Yep, nor do they cook for - the masses. At the Food Bank I wash dishes/scrub kettles at, they cook up to 1200 meals a week. There are 'costs' in providing these meals, besides the actual food costs (way much of which is donated by my community), = the large # of man hours by the staff, wether paid or volunteering (like me) to "put this much food on the table. Evidently, those who talk about meals for $2.00 or less a day, isn't a 'deep thinker' that takes into account ALL factors involved ~ (?)
Dale - Depending on where you live I am curious if your food bank is on the police/sheriff department list for being a recipient of deer killed by automobiles? When I worked in law enforcement we used to have a list of people and organizations who were willing to come out and claim a recently deceased deer so it would not go to waste and we didn’t have to call the road crew to remove it. Sometimes the food banks would have a deal with the processor to get it at a discount and some other people (with the skills) would get it from the processor and either cook it and/or turn it into smoked meat or jerky. One deer can feed quite a lot of people and it was a treat for others who could no longer hunt (I don’t eat deer, nor do I hunt, so I am basing this on what I know from other people about enjoying deer). During really lean times getting a deer helped out our food banks so it’s just a thought.
Anon, my Ballard Food Bank is in one of the neighborhoods of Seattle WA. What foods they bring in are either donated from grocery stores/chains or private individuals or purchased in bulk & they have a small farm where produce for the FB is grown and provided to their grocery store. I doubt that ‘wild game kills’ would be offered to them or accepted by them = local ‘rules of health’, which is why I only do ‘dishwashing’ there. To chop vegg for example I’d have to get a ‘food handlers permit’. But thanks for the idea.
Dale - No problem. It was just a curiosity of mine so I thought I would ask. I love that they do a garden though. We also had a community garden where people who didn’t have the ability to grow at home would tend to the garden and what they didn’t keep went straight to the food bank.
Horrible. Inhuman. Cruel.
Trump cakes?
Fellow 72er wishing you (and us!) all the best in this new year. <<Big virtual hug>>
Bo, me too, another 72er. Hey other 72ers, we are at a special age, our age is a square times a cube. That rarely happens. It must mean something good! Let's make it be something amazing for this nation! (9X8)
I love how multiples of 9 - like 72 - always add up to 9(7+2=9). I wish I was better at math! It seems like a magical language to me.
Paula, it would have been more fun had you had teachers who could show you the way into that numbers world. Something fun, if a number is divisible by 9, like 7+2 in 72, it is also divisible by 3. If a number is divisible by 3 and is an even number, it is also divisible by 6. If we presented all kinds of interesting facts like that to kids and asked them to figure out some of them on their own, more kids would probably like math and wouldn't be so afraid of it. I like tutoring students in math because I show them how to solve problems in several different ways, then help them figure out which way works best with their brain.
Ruth you are so kind, and prolific too! So many kind comments to RR's sophisticated commenters, You are a real gem! And thank you for the heads up on the 72 derivatives! I too am fascinated by numbers. Now if I could just go back to 4, 5, or 6 squared, I promise not to make so many mistakes! <<Big Virtual Hug>>
Bo, thanks so much. When I was a kid, I thought I hated math because I didn't realize all the cool things you could do with it. I was playing number games in my head all the time and didn't know that was math. I used to figure out the day of the week friends were born if I knew their birth date. I can still do it, but not as fast as I used to. That was math??
Sure it was! ;-)
💜❤️💜
Professor Reich, your work has meant a great deal to me. As an octogenarian and a retired teacher helping kids who learn differently, I’ve been developing an idea to help many more people, especially low information voters and non-voters share your compelling video content — and other trustworthy sources — at a time when clear information is so crucial. If you’re ever interested, I’d be thrilled to tell you more about it.
Can you share a bit more here?
Jeffery. I too am an octogenarian and also a Mensan; I'm 81. I'm very interested in your approaches. Please send me a summary list of your approaches to help get me "in sync" with you. I'll send you the link to my website when I've cleaned it up and upgraded the CMS code that makes it work. Happy New Year!
Well said, Paula and I especially love your name as my deceased wife of 50+years also carried that name . I'm 82 and thinking about the 10 ways to help and have already signed up with Indivisible. I ,also ,will be writing a letter to the editor of our local newspaper to celebrate the 250 anniversary of our great country and will urge my fellow Americans and Christians of the gravity of the times and the need for wise decision making in voting for a much better future for our country than what is being exhibited in DC now.
I share your feelings. I feel that reading Professor Reich's column is a vitamin for my spirit & every bit as important as exercise and a healthy diet. His insight and advice helps me stay focused and grounded.
Thank you, Paula. Happy Birthday, fellow Cappie! 🎉 Condolences on the loss of your mum. Sending you a big hug from soggy SoCal.
SoCal? I spent the 60's living in Manhattan Beach. It was wonderful being a teenager during the 60's and living in THE party-hearty Beach towns of the South Bay! Oh, the memories….which are a bit spotty, I admit. They say that if you remember the 60's, you weren't there….
Paula, I don't think that is true for most of us, but the '60s were somewhat painful. They taught a lot of us how to stand up for what is right and to care what happens to others, even those we don't know, like the people of Vietnam and of the South, and more. I left the Catholic Church due to its patriarchal stances even though I didn't know about feminism yet. I learned the value of diversity through the people in my own high school. I also learned the ways people target others they don't understand, so they can feel superior when they know they are not. I never tried recreational drugs because I had no interest in not being in control of myself. I appreciate that my friends who did chose not to insult me for that decision. I learned to debate effectively and to listen to others' point of view. I have honed those skills over time, but I learned first in the '60s. It was so amazing watching young people all over standing up for their/our rights. I didn't get to participate then, but in 1972 I took my first steps in active protest by protesting curfews for women in my college dorm and at the White House for unions (my parents were involved with me in the second one). Maybe we can help make 2026 be the crucible for our young people to learn and to act, as the '60s were for me and so many others.
Wha ? I remember the 50's and Kindergarten on up (I'm 74) and teachers names (mostly) and classmates & in technicolor ! And this is post strokes leaving me with a 'Swiss Cheese' memory where the curds and whey refill the holes and THEN the memories come back ! + I have all my personal memorabilia (mom saved it for me then passed it along before she passed away) to 'prove' my memories ! LOL
Oh, Paula! Lucky you! 🏄🏽♀️ What fabulous memories of special times. I live in the high desert mountains, two hours northeast of LA. Would give my eyeteeth to be on the coast. I grew up in Houston and hung out on Gulf Coast beaches all through high school in the early 70s, but it’s not the same. We dreamed of California, the gold standard! Best wishes for 2026, sister Goat! ♑️
the grass on the other side of the fence is greener, hence we need to to visit it time and time again. The coast is congested and expensive, and the traffic is a nightmare. I love the Eastern Sierra.
We're actually goat/fish! Talk about schizoid! Maybe we belong on coastal cliffs? Or on a mountain lake? I've lived in the Rockies and loved it, but the coast in the west - especially north of San Francisco - is my idea of heaven. Canon Beach in Portland, Oregon is my favorite, but also Point Reyes in Northern California. Sunsets there are a religious experience!
Oh boy….my brain is definitely in LaLa Land! Time to call it a day. Nice chatting with you! 💜❤️💜🥳
Yes! Goat/fish with a mermaid tail! Love Northern Cali and the Oregon coastline, including Cannon Beach. The whole state of Oregon is wonderful. Was last there 30 years ago. Hugs to you, Paula!
Punkette, I have had the true pleasure of visiting Oregon several times since I have a sister living there. I loved it and the redwoods of Northern CA too. I tried to get a job there on one of my visits, but alas, it didn't happen, but I will never forget just how beautiful and friendly it is there!
Paula - First, I am so very sorry to hear about your mother passing away. Secondly, saying “happy” seems wrong in light of your grief and trouble sleeping but I hope that you find time to celebrate your birthday. Every day is a gift despite what certain people are doing to our country which is affecting other countries. We will prevail against this corrupt administration. We are stronger than we think and together we are better people. I am terrible with expressing the right words but I am glad that you are here with us and this community has your back.
Sorry for the loss of your mom.
That said, and while understanding your shutdown, you are making sense. Thank you.
I am not certain that a tsunami is inevitable, or if that is the right metaphor, but I am definitely catching your drift. And you didn't drown! Happy New Year, Paula!
Happy birthday and New Year and so sorry to hear about your mom. Hold on to the surfboard and paddle and the nauseous optimism this marathon continues …
Happy Birthday, Paula! Kudos to you for retaining your optimism. You’re an inspiration!
Speaking of insomnia:
Judith Wynn
Cyrano’s Substack
18m
My first dream of 2026 -- almost a nightmare, but not really:
I am in my house and go down to the basement, where I hang wet laundry to dry by the furnace. My favorite dish towel is on the dirt floor. At first I think it just slipped off the hanger. Then I realize that it's been knocked down and stepped on and I'm not alone in the basement. There is a man cowering in the far corner. It's one of the non-English speaking helpers that my local handy man brought in three years ago to climb up on the roof and replace a wooden rain gutter -- a feat so dangerous that I could hardly bear to watch it, although it got done effectively with no injuries.
The man is obviously hiding from ICE. I ask how he got into the basement. He says he was hiding outside and slipped in while I was removing trash yesterday. Then I wake up trying to figure out what I can do to move him to a safer place, without getting thrown into prison along with him.
Paula! We are born in the same year only I, 7 months earlier to the day. My friends born the same year say it is the best! Anyway, this is my favorite Substack of the 4 I subscribe to with the others coming in a close second because of the way they keep us informed and have ideas for how to see things and how we can act! Happy New Year! Let's all make this year, in a positive way, extraordinary. We are designing our own history now because Trump and Kump have distorted what has gone before. They have taught us that hate, fear, resentment, and anger are powerful tools to use against people. That does not mean we should succumb to them, but find ways to use them to inspire people against whom these 4 are being used as weapons. We can do this together if there is a will to do it, and I think there is!
I'm so glad you're here Paula today on that surfboard with a paddle! I too have been saved from drowning at times by Robert Reich's words of wisdom and caring heart and by so many of the people in this community. I want to tell you Happy Birthday and also express my condolences about losing your Mom. I'm so sorry. I know how difficult this month of December must be for you as there really is no other loss as our mothers that can compare--especially if you had a close bond. I understand your being on overload. Please do whatever calls to you that feels nurturing and brings moments of quiet peace, joy and hopefully feelings of love. I want to support you staying on that surfboard and not losing that paddle. We have lots to do this year in 2026 so please stay on this substack as many of us want to support you staying strong and hearing your voice here which has meant a lot to me and many others in this community. Thank you.
"Kawabunga!" made me laugh out loud! Howdy Doody and Clarabell! Blessings and condolences on the passing of your Mom at 99! I agree that the tide is turning, in part, for those of us who remember and keep the faith of our forefathers and mothers, and all who sacrificed so much!
Great comment, Paula! I'm sorry you lost your mom, I lost mine not long ago also. Your message is a healing message, too, and I greatly appreciated it! Best wishes, Rita Casey.
Doomscrolling at 4 am, thanks for the strategy to regain our battered and bruised democracy, Happy New Year.
I doomscroll too. Getting rid of Trump would enable me to get some much needed sleep. Good luck in 2026 and have some restful nights.
I hard quit at 8:00pm and read fiction/nonfiction that has no connection to politics.
I'm down with all this. Excellent ethics, excellent tactics, excellent next-few-years strategy.
But oh, how I wish people could encompass investing in longer-term strategy by focusing on policy, the effects of policy in the longer run, and oh how much I wish learning enough Keynesian and New Classical macroeconomics to arrive at well-considered opinions about economic strategies and claims. (Thanks for doing more than your part, so weak, on that wish, Mr. Reich.)
I'm doing all of this already, and I have been doing it since I was 15 years old and was a Teen for Kennedy. And I have incredibly dedicated friends who also work as a group to write postcards to voters, work the polls, write to legislators, join the protests and the boycotts, and do whatever else we can do to protect our nation. The only exception is that we have not yet done Item 3 -- But we will be adding that to our list of activities.
Thanks, Robert, for this list. All of us can do something. Even if it's one item. Even if we have to work alone. But it's easy to form a group to work together. If you want to know how to organize your own group, read my substack post from last April. Our group has grown since then, and our postcards now total 60,000... all at our own expense. Go here to learn how you can do it, too... Start small and it will grow. https://donnamaurillo.substack.com/p/create-a-postcard-group-like-ours
More ideas... Activate America also does postcard writing campaigns targeting key states to help increase voter turnout. Mikie Sherrill's campaign was one that was targeted. They also coordinate with local, statewide, and national organizations to do postcarding, phone banking, texting and canvassing programs...
Also the Card Campaign (https://www.cc4democracy.com) disseminates cards on various topics... You can put them anywhere to get out the specific information. Their latest card is Card#28 - "Fascism and Freedom" On one side is America's shift towards fascism (dictatorship) and on the reverse side is "Defending our Freedoms." You can print the cards out yourself or go to a library that can print them or they have a company listed that will print them for you... They also have envelopes in case you want to mail some... Just a couple of easy ways to make a difference.
Thanks. We already work with Activate America for their postcard campaigns, and I mentioned them in my substack. Also with Postcards to Voters and a few others. But I've not heard of Card Campaign. I'll look them up.
Thank you for the link to Card Campaign - I had not heard of it. We are looking into it.
Great idea, Michele.
I like how you are also building community.
Great idea, Donna. Thanks for your effort.
Trust me. Our meetings each week help to keep us sane. We started out as all female. But then a couple of guys started joining us. It’s good to see the men get involved in volunteer work too.
the great Yosemite Valley was carved by tiny snowflakes. Don't underestimate persistence. Good work, Donna!
I love this sentiment. And every little snowflake, when it organizes, becomes an avalanche. I always told my kids to be like a river. When the river encounters a rock, it doesn't give up. Nor does it try to push it out of the way. Instead, it moves around the rock and keeps going forward to the sea. But eventually, all that moving water will wear down the rock into sand. Persistence is the important part.
Happy New Year everyone. Professor Reich has given us the most important ways to fend off the worst people in our country. Let us all take his knowledge and experience to turn this big cruise ship called America into a country where all of our future generations can be proud of what we did to save our democracy.
Sounds good to me.
Yes, Keith,and we must tell Trump supporters that being afraid (yes, they are afraid) is nothing to be proud of.
Since a 3.5% turnout in a protest would make piggie consider his position, aim for a 10 million No Kings in the spring.
If it it's even more so ,much the better. Banners should say Trump out, no to Vance. Keep the pressure up going into the mid terms. Then perhaps you will have a Democratic congress that can get rid of them both. From all right thinking people in the UK, have a happy and Democratic 2026.
It's wonderful to be joined by good people in the UK! Thank you and welcome aboard! We're all in this together.
Yes we are, Carol.
I like that Trump out/no Vance. It’s a simple way to illustrate the entire regime needs to go. Vance is already positioning himself as heir to the throne.
He's part of the problem ,also.
How about "No Maga". This includes Vance, the Congressional & Senate leadership, the WH advisors and the Cabinet. I want them all gone. Actually, I want a Nuremberg-like set of trials at the end of all this - and a clawback of all ill-begotten gains. I want our country back.
Very, very excellent point!!!
But if it is not Vance it is Speaker Johnson. Perhaps wait until after midterms for that sign. Hopefully we will have a new Speaker.
We need to remove anyone who is a part of this government.
Sounds good to me.
All these points are good and have implications beyond the US to all of the Western world and beyond. In watching the BBC documentary on the rise and fall of civilisations that had lasted centuries (Rome, Egypt etc.), the causes of demise included:
* Concentration of wealth amongst an elite so not available to the State to address widespread problems like poverty
* Infighting amongst the rulers and rejecting norms of behaviour and succession
* Outside threats, like climate change, floods, storms, food shortages
* Closing off society from the outside world and so the vibrancy of immigration and the energy, technology and intellectual ideas they bring.
All this shows that you need to adapt to change but with the stability that a stable and widely accepted, and tested, system of government brings. There are lessons here for Democrats too if they eventually gain power
Thomas Malthus made perfect sense to me when I was first introduced to his theories and writings decades ago. Betting nobody in the Trump regime ever read any of it, or they would know that creating a Master Race through explosive breeding is precisely what the planet does not need. Any research biologist or paleontologist can explain and show example after example of exactly what caused aberrant behavior in a species, along with massive die-offs: overpopulation is a leading factor. The "Zero Population Growth" idea was given serious consideration for a while back in the 1960s. Like most good ideas that don't make money for anyone but do make total sense, this one was abandoned. There is an optimum number of individuals in every species that ensures that species' well-being and ultimate survival. Too many creates food shortage, hoarding, aggression and bizarre behavior; too few, and there is no longer an adequate number for a healthy breeding population.
I'd definitely be for responsible population management.
How? It didn't work well in China. Population management comes from education opportunities for women who then make individual choices which come onto line with Earth's limited resources. Do it too quick, like China, and you bring major problems - too many young men with misdirected energy/aggression, too many old people requiring care, too few productive young people etc. Population growth isn't the issue, it's resource over usage by the population.
a key underused resource is contraception.
True, but in many countries children are the parents' future security so contraception has only limited effect. Research shows that it is female education which increases their earning power so limits the number of children they want to produce.
You are right, Martin, economics and politics play a crucial role in every situation. Ending the vicious cycle of violence and poverty is a basic prerequisite for the success of any policy.
it's both.
Yes, Linda, but what is it that you are proposing? One way of dealing with overpopulation is denying food and medication to people, which is what Trump is doing. Note also that climate change is driven by our way of life, not overpopulation per se.
Zero population growth is a good beginning. Each couple replaces itself by having a maximum of 2 children. Not draconian, just sensible. "Live simply, that others may simply live" is another good way to go. Also: Trump and company are denying food and medicine to those they feel are unworthy of continuing to live for whatever reason. Managed procreation is not death camps and choosing one group over another. It applies to everyone.
All good points .
Well said.
Furthermore:
In addition to the excellent list provided, prioritize resistance to White Christian Nationalism, which is the scourge that is driving the largest portion of the votes that keep MAGA in power. If you are a person of the Christian faith, join Christians Against Christian Nationalism (see its website). There are active local affiliates in many parts of the country. If need be, help start your own. The pushback from fellow believers can generate some doubts and cracks within the rank-and-file followers of White Christian Nationalist churches. Bit by bit, their inner confidence in their correctness can be weakened and the foundation for the WCN movement will begin to wobble and crumble.
Regardless of your faith tradition (or no faith), join and support Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (see its website). AU is also doing great work at all levels of government to blunt the tide of pro-theocratic interests that drive a lot of the MAGA movement.
Speak up, share your truth, maintain lines of communication with those whose minds can be opened.
I am so pissed that this organization has usurped the reputation of Christians in this country! I never used to wear a cross around my neck. But once these fake Christians started taking over the symbol of our faith, I started wearing mine again. I refuse to let them steal it, just like they have tried to do with our American flag.
With respect, I still believe that religion has no say in government and never should have. It is a separate thing entirely.
I agree with you. When people think that religion belongs in government, I ask them how they would feel if we had a Muslim or a Jewish president declaring that we can no longer eat pork or that we have to adhere to the rules of their particular faith. Once you open that door, it lets in a whole lot of other issues. MAGA used to complain about a future under Sharia law. But then they turned around and tried to institute their own brand of religious law.
They've already succeeded in many many ways.
But they don't have to win. Don't forget that the Continental Army (including George Washington) lost many battles before they won the war. Giving up is not an option...not if we have children and grandchildren.
"Law?"
I agree, Linda . but "good" religion can help affect a more positive change for everyone.
Support Rev William Barber.....Repairers of the Breach.
I loved seeing faith leaders stand up to ICE in Chicago.
Yes, Joseph, like Pope Francis tried to do. JD Vance and other Trumpists brazenly repudiated him.
I'm so glad that Pope Leo is pushing even harder against this administration. Although this Trump team claims to be adhering to the words of Jesus, they really are not. Otherwise the Works of Mercy, as set out in Matthew 25, would be a significant guiding principle. And it is not.
Trump also violates Moses's commands, but he gets away with it, as no doubt Miller does, by claiming that the immigrants are "enemies." Most of the individuals being deported are low pay laborers who, until now, made an important contribution to our economy. It is imperative to tell voters the truth., especially since the lie transcends economics. If Trump is the one who decides who is or is not an enemy, no one is safe.
Well, they all seem to be beholden to be A-holes, all the time, i.e. they are meanspirited and proud of it. Really hateful people.
Slippery slope....I am content to be good without a god.
To each his own. I have many agnostic attitudes even though I practice a Christian faith. I've always asked questions. Is there a Heaven or Hell? Is God a real being? What happens after we die? Why does God allow evil in the world? I have no answers. All I can do... all each of us can do... is adhere to the words of whatever philosophy helps us get along in life. If anyone chooses not to believe in a god or gods or even in reality, then I can't criticize. Just be good to each other and to the Earth. Beyond that, live what makes sense to you.
I am much the same in my own beliefs. I describe myself as either a skeptical Christian or a Christian skeptic.
I'm ok with that, Linda. Many humanists are basically good people who are Atheistic.
tell that to Justice Alito.
I cannot judge what's in the hearts of other people. But from his outward actions, he is not remotely a Christian. If he were, his judgments would be much more humane and charitable.
I, personally loved the Social Gospel of old and would like to see it emphasized more in the future.
they turned the cross into a tribal amulet, and like all tribalists they do it out of fear--fear of evil spirits, fear of marginalization. They are easy prey for savvy predators like JD Vance and Peter Thiel.
I’m a former believer but I see that the “Christian right “ has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus. Nothing. The fake republican agenda has nothing to do with fostering community or helping those in need. It gives me cognitive dissonance to hear people connect anything they do with Christianity. Of course most who justify their actions with anything to do with goodness are liars and using the very people they purport to defend.
Mother Jones has an excellent article by an Evangelical Minister Schenck who had an awakening while researching German evangelical support for Hitler for a late-in-life dissertation.
Unfortunately cults are much practiced in cognitive dissonance.
a tribe is a herd in peace, a horde in war--it's up to the leader to decide which time it is.
Their view of Christianity is abhorrent.
Sacrificing personal morality and handing it over to a “church” is abhorrent.
That ,too, Linda.
They use it simply as a way to guilt people into following them.
Just leave it out of the discussion completely. Religion of any flavor does not belong in government.
and ask Erika Kirk how can she support JD Vance, an obvious fake Christian.
So is she. Birds of a feather.
All good points, James.
All good points.
Project 2026 If Brazil can do it, so can we!
Win the Senate and House, Impeach and Prosecute.
ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE!!!!!
ORGANIZE OVER THE COMMON GOOD DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. JUST READ THE PLATFORM BULLET POINTS. ORGANIZE!!!!
ALLEGIANCE TO OUR PLATFORM AND THE CANDIDATE THAT PROMOTES OUR PLATFORM!
GOOGLE YOUR STATES DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM TO READ IT!
MAKE AMERICA GRATEFUL AGAIN!
The Democratic Platform IS the Preamble to Our Constitution
The Preamble
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Democratic Party should be the party of Interdependent voters..
Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (Official Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY
Ah! Tom, always good to hear from you.
Keep It Short and Simple KISS. Repeat
Also, known as Keep It Simple, Silly.
Keep It Simple Stupid is demeaning so any variation works for me. Just read Our Common Good Platform to find out what Democrats are in writing.. Thanks, Tom Kurhajetz
You are welcome. We have our work cut out for us in 2026. It's time to blow these guys away ,metaphorically speaking ,of course.
trump is the anti-Christ!
The way I see it is "There are no questionable questions just questionable answers" Tom Kurhajetz trump is like the Jim Jones of Guiana he wants everyone to drink his Koolaid even if it is fatal.
Your words are like beacons in the dark, lighting a way forward. These are solid actions we can take, and I believe even small actions lead to change too: calling the Kennedy Center by its name; reminding everyone that this administration honors neither American principles nor basic human decency; showing kindness in one’s daily life even when it’s not the easy response. Lead on, Robert; let’s bring America back to America.
I love that phrase I have never heard, "bring America back to America."
Add Southern Poverty Law Center to #9.
FFRF-Freedom From Religion Foundation. They resist attempts to force religion into the government.
Yes, they have fought the good fight for years.
Amen to that, Amy.
All well said. One more thing ... It is often stated that Trump won by a very slim margin, but we should all remember that there was the usual cheating by the GOP, purging thousands of names from the voter registration rolls that "sounded" minority and other dirty tricks, much of it reported in the press with no effort to hide it. There is statistical proof that there was vote manipulation. We must make a concerted effort to stop GOP voter suppression and fraud in the future.
Mrs. Cooper
My thought this morning is that We the Democrats should just start picking the Repugs off. My (NOT!!!) Repug senator is introducing Charlie Kirk's Turning Point B.S. into the schools in our town! How I hate that bitch! Taking a million $$ from Perdu Pharma, helping them spread Oxycontin by millions of pills, causing overdoses and suicides everywhere!! AND taking tons of money from the NRA! She has an A+ rating with them!! She does not deserve to live! But in a state with one of the lowest voting records, it is really difficult to get the backwoods, rednecks that populate it to care!
Definitely need to stop voter suppression.
Thank you, Professor Reich, for the detailed "Call to Battle," as it were! You give reasoned hope, so it's not just fervent hoping but rather, specific steps to take, steps that make sense and seem doable.. And most of all how to keep up one's spirit which is where the will to fight begins.
The warped Master Mind of Plan 2025, Russell Vought knows this. As he urged, workers have to be so demoralized they are unable to report to work. What kind of person thinks and plans like this? He and Stephen Smith are Trump's drivers. Half the time (or more) Trump is sinking into the fog of dementia while Vought and Miller wind him up, and he goes through the steps. spouting verbal salad.
Hand on heart, Prof. Reich, thank you for the pep talk. My God, I needed to read this tonight, today, on the start of a New Year 2026.
I do beg your pardon here, but, did you mean to say: " He and Stephen Miller are Trump's drivers." in your second paragraph there? If so, you can edit by clicking on the three dots.
Nicely said.
As long as I live, I will never forgive those Democratic Senators who continued to vote in favor of Trump nominations, of people whose malignancy to democracy was confirmed by their very nomination. Why? Why this continued adherence to norms, i.e. letting a president have his chosen staff, when this is a president who attempted to subvert the Constitution by inciting a rebellion? Why are these Democrats playing nice, when their counterparts voted as a bloc to wreck Obama's and Biden's presidencies, when the other side unconstitutionally refused to advise and consent on a SCOTUS nomination? When the House Majority Leader abuses his office to prevent an elected member from being sworn in? Donald Trump is conducting nuclear warfare against a hundred years of American governmental tradition, and the Senate Democrats are responding with bows and arrows. Enough. Vote No. Vote No on everyone and everything. It may not be enough, but at least it's a message.
Kerry. Like. Like. Like, like, like!!!
like what? Temper tantrums?
Victor, I would much rather read Kerry's truthful comments than hear from a curmudgeonly old man like you who obviously has nothing new to contribute!!! YOU are the one who is out of ideas!!!
Kerry, your nihilism will deliver exactly nothing. Are you out of ideas?
Why not call and write those Senators asking about specific confirmation votes. Hopefully they have learned their lesson from seeing what those Cabinet members have done.
At least we are more prepared for 2026. I will be reading this list often. I just wonder if we might need to also protect judges somehow.
My friends and I have written postcards to many judges, thanking them for their dedication to democracy and defending the Constitution. We hope that they get some encouragement to continue.
Nice approach.
How?
We will prevail because there is no other choice.
"To be neutral between right and wrong is to serve wrong.” — Theodore Roosevelt. Take a position, people. In other words, "moderate" is a chickenshit adjective used by fence-straddlers who don't want to end up on anyone's shit list when things get real.
You should add "Americans United for the Separation of Church and State" as a group to fund.