I don’t think it’s going to come tumbling down. It may take 100 years and bloody conflict before our country becomes something we can be proud of and the world can look up to without reservations. The damage they’ve inflicted isn’t just at the surface. If we fired everyone hired by the federal government in this Trump term, reversed every executive order, tore down every stupid Trump building and monument and restored every bit of the reality they’ve scrubbed from museums and public records the damage would persist almost unabated. He, they, have destroyed the norms and torn down the legal boundaries that once kept us safe. The US is no longer trusted by our own citizens, let alone our friends and allies. A thousand “We’re sorries” won’t come close to fixing that. It will take a long time to build new norms and laws. It will require new constitutional amendments written by honest and intelligent patriots to establish boundaries to replace those we always trusted but that failed us in the end. None of this can be accomplished as long as the worldview of half the country is based on aggrieved fantasy. Somehow we’ve got to undo MAGA and they won’t go easy. And the rational half of the country can’t play by rules that the other side bends to breaking. We’re in a tough spot.
I have seen 3 experts speak about what you have stated and all 3 said the least amount of time to correct some of it is 2 generations, but most likely 3 or more. So, you are not far off from what they were saying.
There are always 'experts' who will tell you something can not be solved, or a given solution will not work. I have found those perspectives to be not only wrong, but useless. I am retired now, but for decades I architected and designed complex innovative systems, and always I had those 'experts' and too often managers who had no clue how to manage. I became a manager, and I am telling you there is a process to solving problems, to designing complex systems, to see the problem as more than just a narrow technical problem defined by people with low comprehension and no imagination. Problems always include people, organizations, resources, existing structures and you have to factor those in. People to persuade, people to help, people to leverage...
So sure, listen to the experts who tell you it can not be done. They always sound smart, and if they can persuade you to not even try, they look like the hero who saved you from frustration and failure, except what they are selling IS failure, and that is not the answer I am looking for.
Yes, it takes real effort, real work, imagination, boldness to fix large problems, but if you do not see the advantages we will have come 2029, then at least stop trying to sell failure.
These experts were not saying that problems cannot be solved, on the contrary, they were saying that they can be solved but that a quick fix is not going to be the answer.
And what exactly prevents a fix on a faster timeline? Not saying it will be easy, but part of the problem definition IS the timeline. Saying it will take generations means massive suffering for far too many until then. That long a timeline opens up far greater opportunities for other con men and fascists to wreack even more damage upon us. The damage to the world gets multiplied, which in turn affects us. Global warming is not going away just because wee have more immediate concerns.
Effectively they are declaring they do not see a clear path to solving our problems, so they just give a vague gesture to later generations solving it. Instead of creating a plan, they plan to hunker down 'for the duration'.
Sorry, not impressed by 'experts' who don't at least TRY to find an answer.
Here is a clue: Our problems are for more complex for any one thing to fix it all. Our system has been too systematically sabotaged for generations for it to be easy.
I do not come from the world of politics, or sales... I come from a career of architecting and designing COMPLEX 'bleeding edge' SYSTEMS.
You start by understanding the problem, the whole problem with all it's warts. if you can describe it on one page, you aren't even trying. You need to see all your assets and challenges every aspect of the situation.
THEN you can begin to develop your design of what you want, taking reality into account so that the design is doable. But NEVER with defeatism allowed into the process. NEVER by giving up on any aspect until you can PROVE with absolute certainty something just flat can not be made to exist.
THEN you develop a PLAN with a SCHEDULE and a BUDGET to make it real. Because until you do they are just pretty words. Then you follow the plan.
It is as simple, and as hard as that. Never said it was easy, just necessary.
Germany recovered faster, and they went even worse.
IN fact I would say, your prediction is reasonable IF we do what Democrats normally do.
So, DON'T do what we know won't work. Sounds kind of obvious, right? Understand the problem then DESIGN a solution.
We keep talking about how the system is broken, and it is, but the SYSTEM is just a complex structure with lots of moving parts, just like countless other systems we design, change and make work. We have lots of very smart people, so START designing NOW. Make a plan, with a schedule and give it a budget and the design work can be done before 2029, so we can hit the ground running.
Just as with Turkey, once Trump and his Republicans are not in power, the world will readapt. Especially if we are taking actions to prevent that type of governance again.
Read the polls, Trump is NOT a reflection of the American people, they just bought a fancy set of LIES and now they have buyers remorse.
Yes, we will need at least one amendment to fix our problems, so that is what we do. It will get easier after we fix our democracy which NEEDS to be done quickly. Our Constitution is overdue for a couple amendments, about time we took care of that.
I will not detail the whole plan now (takes too long for this medium), but it is ALL doable, as long as we don't give up before we start. As long as we see problems as solvable, then take action to solve them. Read up on FDR. He had a major challenge, required major changes to government and our economy. Did not take him 'generations'. We can do better, if we make the effort.
Germany recovered fast because they were occupied by soldiers. Many of their leaders had fled or were executed. They received massive amounts of funding and assistance. I also designed systems to solve difficult problems. I’d love for this to be that easy. We will have active resistance from half the population, we’ll have lawsuits tried by cherry-picked regime-appointed judges. We’ll have occasional violence. We’ll have incompetent and corrupt workers in positions of power. We’ll have traitors assisting Russia at America’s expense. We’ll have schools and universities teaching from modified content favoring ideology over truth. All of this will happen against a backdrop of AI reducing the human workforce in ways we can hardly imagine. Social upheaval and political instability make for a very difficult change environment.
Yes, all that you say is true, but you only counted the difficulties without presenting a plan to address them. I never said it would be easy.
For instance, yes many courts are corrupted, so we need to FIX our courts.
Did you ever read the impeachment clause at the end of Article 2 of the constitution, THEN read the very next paragraph? Search the phrase "good behaviour". Then do a thorough search on the word "officer". Note the use of the word Judicial officer in the very same document, written at the same time.
Consider the use of the standards and process used in the Impeachment clause and consider how that could possibly be effective to remove judges / justices who fall below the standard of being "above even the appearance of impropriety", an age old standard for judges.
Note, overt BIAS is NOT "good behaviour".
That is just step one in removing politics from our courts so they can be trusted again.
Breaking up the media conglomerates, and huge companies owning large number of local radio and TV stations. Removing wealthy people from ownership of media companies. Regulating the 'algorithms' so they serve the people, not the wealthy.
Removing money from politics based on the simple declaration that for democracy to survive, the dollars of the wealthy can not be allowed to drown out the voice of the poor.
Outlaw gerrymandering. If done right, will even affect the state level elections. Establishing that ALL US citizens deserve full and proper representation in our government (with two new states).
This is not even remotely a 'complete list', but it gives a taste of what can be done if Democrats set aside their historic goals of being 'moderate' and 'bipartisan' or 'Institutionalists' and set aside the filibuster and other delaying tactics so they can get things done. Republicans have not been 'dealing in good faith' for decades now, so stop trying to make deals with them. Examine every idea they propose for negative consequences. Not saying they will always be bad, just that like our current DoJ, the assumption that they are telling the truth or following the law is no longer valid.
I get all of that and I don't agree to some of it. Feeling and getting bummed is part of not feeling able to change the situation and that comes soon with a vote. Unless folks are willing to shed blood, I reckon we all have to put up with the evil that these people carry in their hearts.
I do agree in your statement that it will take a lot of time and for me, LOVE WINS!
"What about" are two of Trump's Republicans' favorite words. And they use "Whataboutism" as an excuse. I was a registered Republican for 40 years. That was when the party had some degree of honor. That is long gone.
I'm still a registered Republican, but a common sense, Never-Trump, variety. Some of us have to hang around to give cover for the few remaining Republicans, like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), who still have value. Same for Senator Murkowski (R-AK). Trump learned the hard way during his first term not to F with her.
Distraction, deflection, confusion, accusations, fear, hate, fill the air with powerful negative emotions so no one can think, because their entire set of policies will fall apart and lose power if the workers realize their Republican policies are intended to keep them down while enriching the rich.
They will tell pretty lies (Trump just sold even BIGGER lies), and spread fear of what the scary DEMOCRATS will do or have done...
Yeah, Democrats are not perfect, but they are rarely worse. I have hope that Democrats realize the way the wind is blowing and recognizing they are the only ones with any credibility to solve the problems. They will have to do real work to build that credibility, but I listen and hear the whispers of the party moving that way. Time will tell, I just hope they realize they don't have as much time as they think they do.
Mike, thank you for your post last evening showing what we had from a man of honor, who, though he had faults, cared about this nation and all of its people...Barak Obama. I really appreciated that post in light of what OUR WH and OUR front lawn had become.
Which adults, Mike? Schumer? Jeffries? Fetterman? Any of the Democrats voting for any of Trumps "nominations"? I don't wanna break anyone's bubble but this shituation needs real people to even start "fixing" the Ununited State of our country.
November? I would not count on our ability to provide input!
I am still aghast daily about the things the Dem party lets happen without even saying,"bop".
Schumer, Jeffries need to go. They do not have a pulse on the population and fetterman is just plain whatever, he will be voted out soon. We need democrats who are progressive and not in thrall to their big money backers.
The country needs common sense pragmatism. Don't need to replace MAGA with progressives; a classic "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" as outlined in the great song from years ago by The Who.
Oh, no, Steve. There is value in that except, I like picking my battles when they are not already lost. We keep blowing our chances over and over again! Does Merrick Garland sound familiar? A total dud. Wrong guy at the right time. TIMING is crucial! That is the Rs big advantage- they are ruthless when it comes to punch down on people when they're already down. The Dem party- no match whatsoever! Always late to the game and without a game plan!
All of this has truth and must be defeated at the ballot box. With the known election vulnerabilities, we have challenges to say the least, and an avid researcher has compiled a series of posts on those threats and their remedies if we start focusing on them NOW. They can be found at:
@Lalisastands on Substack
The Structural Threats Within The ODNI and DOJ: “The Plan To Break The Midterms”
Securing Against The Structural Threats Within The ODNI and DOJ: “Stop It Before It Starts”
The Existing Technological Vulnerabilities and The Immediate Imperatives To Protect Against Them
Part 1 of 5: “They Can Reach Inside The Machine”
Part 2 of 5: “They Bought The Influence”
Part 3 of 5: “They Signed The Orders”
Part 4 of 5: “They Own The Machines”
Part 5 of 5: “The Legal Battlefield”
General Vulnerabilities with Proposed Remedies: “A Doable Plan To Practically Protect The Midterms”
Good post - as usual, your posts are cathartic and I appreciate them. Would be interested in hearing you talk more about your statement that Musk would never have been able to become a trillionaire without taxpayers footing the bill.
The ballot box is not nearly enough. Their businesses must be boycotted and their families and associates must shun them until they pay restitution for their betrayal. Many of them may be so morally bankrupt they prefer going to their grave than stop harming others. Our job is to cut off all their economic, political and emotional resources.
Beautiful essay! Every word is true and heartfelt. Every word is a call to action for all of us. I like that you said winning in November is the beginning, because you’re right; it’s going to take a lot of effort and work to repair the damage these people are doing. I am so glad you see them for what they are: soulless ghouls. Thank you very much for this terrific essay.
This needs to be said on repeat. "The modern Republican Party is fueled entirely by grievance. They do not care about anyone other than themselves. They have no ideas, no solutions, no ability to improve your life. They don’t care about you. I’d go further: I think they hate you and I know they hate this country."
Mike, you are not wrong, but I think the MAGA GOP so-called republicans love America because they see it as a land of opportunity for grift, promoting their message of hate, injustice, and corruption. Where else in the world are millionaires, billionaires, and now trillionaires being created and corruption being rewarded? Where the courts allow the rich to rule with immunity. Where criminals are celebrated and elected to the highest office in the land.
IMPEACH and REMOVE TRUMP and his cast of CRIMINALS, CLOWNS, ANTI-VAXERS, WHITE NATIONAL RACISTS, and THUGS!
THE WORST and MOST CORRUPT US PRESIDENT IN US HISTORY!
VOTE BLUE ... UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT ... LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL ... EVERY ELECTION
"impeach and remove Trump......" Been there, done that, didn't work. Where will the 2/3 vote in the Senate to convict come from?
If the Ds take the House, then a targeted number of investigations will be in order. Targeted because MAGA congressionals have a history of ignoring subpoenas.
Trump and the republicans remember the last two impeachments and they were righteous efforts. The fact that the GOP so-called republicans failed to act in the best interests of the country should not deter or make Democrats and Independents afraid to hold Trump ACCOUNTABLE>
How is that different from what we have done before? The only difference I see is that they have torn down and corrupted those institutions that might have been used against them. Rationally debating policies and holding public meetings has failed. Repeatedly. I wish they worked and I wish protest marches influenced policy decisions, but they don’t. Not anymore. What has worked for MAGA is boldly pulling the fangs out of legislation that might be perceived as a threat to the magical, hateful world they’ve implanted in their followers’ minds. What’s also worked is having the Justice Dept refuse to prosecute friends and loudly prosecute enemies for crimes real and imagined. Turning federal agencies into weapons of mass destruction has been wildly successful. Selectively imposing taxes and providing disaster relief has worked really well. Using legislative tricks to pass evil laws through reconciliation has been neat. Candidates lying under oath when interviewed by Congress has been a joy. In fact, sitting department heads lying to Congress has almost become a sport. I remember singing about peace and passing the world ball in the 70’s. It failed then for many of the same reasons it will fail now. At least it let us feel like we were bringing about change. It’s going to take an awful lot of good will and luck to turn this ship around.
I love my country and its people. I definitely don’t want to see political violence. I’m holding my breath waiting for brilliant, charismatic leaders who can inspire unity and great change. I just haven’t found those leaders yet and I’m wondering if they still exist. Militias are forming around me vowing to fight the libs. Where does that leave us?
67 senators are required to convict a president for impeachment. If by some miracle the democrats had that majority and convicted Trump he would walk free, immune from any legal action, and Vance would become president. This slight improvement over our current state would require the obliteration of MAGA in the coming federal election. That is not going to happen. We’re trapped in this crumbling parody of what used to be the land of the free and home of the brave. I keep hoping that some part of our military remembers their oath. Any other solution right now seems impossible.
You cut down one tree at a time. ... and no, military intervention is not in the cards. The law and the Constitution need to work along with the Courts. There is a lot of work to do to clean house in all three branches of government. Easy ... no, but you cannot back off. You have to keep trying.
There’s no getting back to the way we were and we’re cutting trees with a spoon while MAGA uses a chainsaw. The constitution is no longer a backstop, the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to follow the law let alone uniformly enforce it, and by overturning precedents and established law the courts have shown that they themselves can no longer be trusted. People no longer trust the FBI, FAA, FTC, FDA, DHS, NOAH, CDC and others. Even if their leaders are changed they’ve become a swamp of unqualified and incompetent workers who few will trust to work in the nation’s best interest. Many polls show MAGA will back violence to defend what they’ve created. I pray for a peaceful solution, but to me that seems unlikely.
You totally nailed it on the head Mike so people in the US and around the world be very careful who you vote for in elections, in Canada we dodged a bullet by voting for our PM Carney or we could be going through the same crap if Trump wannabe Poilievre had been elected. In the mid-terms vote Blue and make it too big to rig by voting overwhelmingly. Don't sit at home like too damn many did in the last election as that's how you got Trump.
All part of the "Mar-a-Lago Mafia" led by 80 year old Mafia Don and his government OF Billionaires, BY Billionaires, FOR Billionaires and SCREW everyone else in America. But, spread the BS that he cares about the people who support him, when he really is laughing his ass off as how easy it is to SCREW them to. And take them to the cleaners as he and his Billionaire buddies stuff themselves with the LOOT of America......... If things do not change we are headed for a French Revolution with the masses rising up to EAT THE RICH!!!
As more and more people see how they are being screwed by Trump, his family, his regime, the Republican and Roberts 6 enablers, and the Billionaires it is only going to get worse.
It's was like a parody of corruption. They don't even try to hide it anymore
I can’t wait for the day when it all comes tumbling down…
I don’t think it’s going to come tumbling down. It may take 100 years and bloody conflict before our country becomes something we can be proud of and the world can look up to without reservations. The damage they’ve inflicted isn’t just at the surface. If we fired everyone hired by the federal government in this Trump term, reversed every executive order, tore down every stupid Trump building and monument and restored every bit of the reality they’ve scrubbed from museums and public records the damage would persist almost unabated. He, they, have destroyed the norms and torn down the legal boundaries that once kept us safe. The US is no longer trusted by our own citizens, let alone our friends and allies. A thousand “We’re sorries” won’t come close to fixing that. It will take a long time to build new norms and laws. It will require new constitutional amendments written by honest and intelligent patriots to establish boundaries to replace those we always trusted but that failed us in the end. None of this can be accomplished as long as the worldview of half the country is based on aggrieved fantasy. Somehow we’ve got to undo MAGA and they won’t go easy. And the rational half of the country can’t play by rules that the other side bends to breaking. We’re in a tough spot.
I have seen 3 experts speak about what you have stated and all 3 said the least amount of time to correct some of it is 2 generations, but most likely 3 or more. So, you are not far off from what they were saying.
There are always 'experts' who will tell you something can not be solved, or a given solution will not work. I have found those perspectives to be not only wrong, but useless. I am retired now, but for decades I architected and designed complex innovative systems, and always I had those 'experts' and too often managers who had no clue how to manage. I became a manager, and I am telling you there is a process to solving problems, to designing complex systems, to see the problem as more than just a narrow technical problem defined by people with low comprehension and no imagination. Problems always include people, organizations, resources, existing structures and you have to factor those in. People to persuade, people to help, people to leverage...
So sure, listen to the experts who tell you it can not be done. They always sound smart, and if they can persuade you to not even try, they look like the hero who saved you from frustration and failure, except what they are selling IS failure, and that is not the answer I am looking for.
Yes, it takes real effort, real work, imagination, boldness to fix large problems, but if you do not see the advantages we will have come 2029, then at least stop trying to sell failure.
These experts were not saying that problems cannot be solved, on the contrary, they were saying that they can be solved but that a quick fix is not going to be the answer.
And what exactly prevents a fix on a faster timeline? Not saying it will be easy, but part of the problem definition IS the timeline. Saying it will take generations means massive suffering for far too many until then. That long a timeline opens up far greater opportunities for other con men and fascists to wreack even more damage upon us. The damage to the world gets multiplied, which in turn affects us. Global warming is not going away just because wee have more immediate concerns.
Effectively they are declaring they do not see a clear path to solving our problems, so they just give a vague gesture to later generations solving it. Instead of creating a plan, they plan to hunker down 'for the duration'.
Sorry, not impressed by 'experts' who don't at least TRY to find an answer.
Here is a clue: Our problems are for more complex for any one thing to fix it all. Our system has been too systematically sabotaged for generations for it to be easy.
I do not come from the world of politics, or sales... I come from a career of architecting and designing COMPLEX 'bleeding edge' SYSTEMS.
You start by understanding the problem, the whole problem with all it's warts. if you can describe it on one page, you aren't even trying. You need to see all your assets and challenges every aspect of the situation.
THEN you can begin to develop your design of what you want, taking reality into account so that the design is doable. But NEVER with defeatism allowed into the process. NEVER by giving up on any aspect until you can PROVE with absolute certainty something just flat can not be made to exist.
THEN you develop a PLAN with a SCHEDULE and a BUDGET to make it real. Because until you do they are just pretty words. Then you follow the plan.
It is as simple, and as hard as that. Never said it was easy, just necessary.
Douglas, exactly! Thank you! 💯💯💯💯💯
Germany recovered faster, and they went even worse.
IN fact I would say, your prediction is reasonable IF we do what Democrats normally do.
So, DON'T do what we know won't work. Sounds kind of obvious, right? Understand the problem then DESIGN a solution.
We keep talking about how the system is broken, and it is, but the SYSTEM is just a complex structure with lots of moving parts, just like countless other systems we design, change and make work. We have lots of very smart people, so START designing NOW. Make a plan, with a schedule and give it a budget and the design work can be done before 2029, so we can hit the ground running.
Just as with Turkey, once Trump and his Republicans are not in power, the world will readapt. Especially if we are taking actions to prevent that type of governance again.
Read the polls, Trump is NOT a reflection of the American people, they just bought a fancy set of LIES and now they have buyers remorse.
Yes, we will need at least one amendment to fix our problems, so that is what we do. It will get easier after we fix our democracy which NEEDS to be done quickly. Our Constitution is overdue for a couple amendments, about time we took care of that.
I will not detail the whole plan now (takes too long for this medium), but it is ALL doable, as long as we don't give up before we start. As long as we see problems as solvable, then take action to solve them. Read up on FDR. He had a major challenge, required major changes to government and our economy. Did not take him 'generations'. We can do better, if we make the effort.
Germany recovered fast because they were occupied by soldiers. Many of their leaders had fled or were executed. They received massive amounts of funding and assistance. I also designed systems to solve difficult problems. I’d love for this to be that easy. We will have active resistance from half the population, we’ll have lawsuits tried by cherry-picked regime-appointed judges. We’ll have occasional violence. We’ll have incompetent and corrupt workers in positions of power. We’ll have traitors assisting Russia at America’s expense. We’ll have schools and universities teaching from modified content favoring ideology over truth. All of this will happen against a backdrop of AI reducing the human workforce in ways we can hardly imagine. Social upheaval and political instability make for a very difficult change environment.
Yes, all that you say is true, but you only counted the difficulties without presenting a plan to address them. I never said it would be easy.
For instance, yes many courts are corrupted, so we need to FIX our courts.
Did you ever read the impeachment clause at the end of Article 2 of the constitution, THEN read the very next paragraph? Search the phrase "good behaviour". Then do a thorough search on the word "officer". Note the use of the word Judicial officer in the very same document, written at the same time.
Consider the use of the standards and process used in the Impeachment clause and consider how that could possibly be effective to remove judges / justices who fall below the standard of being "above even the appearance of impropriety", an age old standard for judges.
Note, overt BIAS is NOT "good behaviour".
That is just step one in removing politics from our courts so they can be trusted again.
Breaking up the media conglomerates, and huge companies owning large number of local radio and TV stations. Removing wealthy people from ownership of media companies. Regulating the 'algorithms' so they serve the people, not the wealthy.
Removing money from politics based on the simple declaration that for democracy to survive, the dollars of the wealthy can not be allowed to drown out the voice of the poor.
Outlaw gerrymandering. If done right, will even affect the state level elections. Establishing that ALL US citizens deserve full and proper representation in our government (with two new states).
This is not even remotely a 'complete list', but it gives a taste of what can be done if Democrats set aside their historic goals of being 'moderate' and 'bipartisan' or 'Institutionalists' and set aside the filibuster and other delaying tactics so they can get things done. Republicans have not been 'dealing in good faith' for decades now, so stop trying to make deals with them. Examine every idea they propose for negative consequences. Not saying they will always be bad, just that like our current DoJ, the assumption that they are telling the truth or following the law is no longer valid.
^^^ THIS x 💯💯💯! ^^^
Hmmmm Steven,
I get all of that and I don't agree to some of it. Feeling and getting bummed is part of not feeling able to change the situation and that comes soon with a vote. Unless folks are willing to shed blood, I reckon we all have to put up with the evil that these people carry in their hearts.
I do agree in your statement that it will take a lot of time and for me, LOVE WINS!
Love always wins!
Sadly, I think you are correct.
"What about" are two of Trump's Republicans' favorite words. And they use "Whataboutism" as an excuse. I was a registered Republican for 40 years. That was when the party had some degree of honor. That is long gone.
I'm still a registered Republican, but a common sense, Never-Trump, variety. Some of us have to hang around to give cover for the few remaining Republicans, like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), who still have value. Same for Senator Murkowski (R-AK). Trump learned the hard way during his first term not to F with her.
Distraction, deflection, confusion, accusations, fear, hate, fill the air with powerful negative emotions so no one can think, because their entire set of policies will fall apart and lose power if the workers realize their Republican policies are intended to keep them down while enriching the rich.
They will tell pretty lies (Trump just sold even BIGGER lies), and spread fear of what the scary DEMOCRATS will do or have done...
Yeah, Democrats are not perfect, but they are rarely worse. I have hope that Democrats realize the way the wind is blowing and recognizing they are the only ones with any credibility to solve the problems. They will have to do real work to build that credibility, but I listen and hear the whispers of the party moving that way. Time will tell, I just hope they realize they don't have as much time as they think they do.
It is good that you chose to write this. It is more important now than ever to stay informed, even if things seem hopeless.
Mike, thank you for your post last evening showing what we had from a man of honor, who, though he had faults, cared about this nation and all of its people...Barak Obama. I really appreciated that post in light of what OUR WH and OUR front lawn had become.
First name is spelled Barack.
Sorry, I admit I am the worst typist.
Which adults, Mike? Schumer? Jeffries? Fetterman? Any of the Democrats voting for any of Trumps "nominations"? I don't wanna break anyone's bubble but this shituation needs real people to even start "fixing" the Ununited State of our country.
November? I would not count on our ability to provide input!
I am still aghast daily about the things the Dem party lets happen without even saying,"bop".
Schumer, Jeffries need to go. They do not have a pulse on the population and fetterman is just plain whatever, he will be voted out soon. We need democrats who are progressive and not in thrall to their big money backers.
The country needs common sense pragmatism. Don't need to replace MAGA with progressives; a classic "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" as outlined in the great song from years ago by The Who.
Oh, no, Steve. There is value in that except, I like picking my battles when they are not already lost. We keep blowing our chances over and over again! Does Merrick Garland sound familiar? A total dud. Wrong guy at the right time. TIMING is crucial! That is the Rs big advantage- they are ruthless when it comes to punch down on people when they're already down. The Dem party- no match whatsoever! Always late to the game and without a game plan!
@Thomas. So you don't think there is any value at all in picking and choosing one's battles?
All of this has truth and must be defeated at the ballot box. With the known election vulnerabilities, we have challenges to say the least, and an avid researcher has compiled a series of posts on those threats and their remedies if we start focusing on them NOW. They can be found at:
@Lalisastands on Substack
The Structural Threats Within The ODNI and DOJ: “The Plan To Break The Midterms”
Securing Against The Structural Threats Within The ODNI and DOJ: “Stop It Before It Starts”
The Existing Technological Vulnerabilities and The Immediate Imperatives To Protect Against Them
Part 1 of 5: “They Can Reach Inside The Machine”
Part 2 of 5: “They Bought The Influence”
Part 3 of 5: “They Signed The Orders”
Part 4 of 5: “They Own The Machines”
Part 5 of 5: “The Legal Battlefield”
General Vulnerabilities with Proposed Remedies: “A Doable Plan To Practically Protect The Midterms”
Good post - as usual, your posts are cathartic and I appreciate them. Would be interested in hearing you talk more about your statement that Musk would never have been able to become a trillionaire without taxpayers footing the bill.
The ballot box is not nearly enough. Their businesses must be boycotted and their families and associates must shun them until they pay restitution for their betrayal. Many of them may be so morally bankrupt they prefer going to their grave than stop harming others. Our job is to cut off all their economic, political and emotional resources.
Beautiful essay! Every word is true and heartfelt. Every word is a call to action for all of us. I like that you said winning in November is the beginning, because you’re right; it’s going to take a lot of effort and work to repair the damage these people are doing. I am so glad you see them for what they are: soulless ghouls. Thank you very much for this terrific essay.
This needs to be said on repeat. "The modern Republican Party is fueled entirely by grievance. They do not care about anyone other than themselves. They have no ideas, no solutions, no ability to improve your life. They don’t care about you. I’d go further: I think they hate you and I know they hate this country."
Mike, you are not wrong, but I think the MAGA GOP so-called republicans love America because they see it as a land of opportunity for grift, promoting their message of hate, injustice, and corruption. Where else in the world are millionaires, billionaires, and now trillionaires being created and corruption being rewarded? Where the courts allow the rich to rule with immunity. Where criminals are celebrated and elected to the highest office in the land.
IMPEACH and REMOVE TRUMP and his cast of CRIMINALS, CLOWNS, ANTI-VAXERS, WHITE NATIONAL RACISTS, and THUGS!
THE WORST and MOST CORRUPT US PRESIDENT IN US HISTORY!
VOTE BLUE ... UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT ... LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL ... EVERY ELECTION
REGISTER AND VOTE BLUE ... NOV 3, 2026
"impeach and remove Trump......" Been there, done that, didn't work. Where will the 2/3 vote in the Senate to convict come from?
If the Ds take the House, then a targeted number of investigations will be in order. Targeted because MAGA congressionals have a history of ignoring subpoenas.
Trump and the republicans remember the last two impeachments and they were righteous efforts. The fact that the GOP so-called republicans failed to act in the best interests of the country should not deter or make Democrats and Independents afraid to hold Trump ACCOUNTABLE>
How is that different from what we have done before? The only difference I see is that they have torn down and corrupted those institutions that might have been used against them. Rationally debating policies and holding public meetings has failed. Repeatedly. I wish they worked and I wish protest marches influenced policy decisions, but they don’t. Not anymore. What has worked for MAGA is boldly pulling the fangs out of legislation that might be perceived as a threat to the magical, hateful world they’ve implanted in their followers’ minds. What’s also worked is having the Justice Dept refuse to prosecute friends and loudly prosecute enemies for crimes real and imagined. Turning federal agencies into weapons of mass destruction has been wildly successful. Selectively imposing taxes and providing disaster relief has worked really well. Using legislative tricks to pass evil laws through reconciliation has been neat. Candidates lying under oath when interviewed by Congress has been a joy. In fact, sitting department heads lying to Congress has almost become a sport. I remember singing about peace and passing the world ball in the 70’s. It failed then for many of the same reasons it will fail now. At least it let us feel like we were bringing about change. It’s going to take an awful lot of good will and luck to turn this ship around.
I love my country and its people. I definitely don’t want to see political violence. I’m holding my breath waiting for brilliant, charismatic leaders who can inspire unity and great change. I just haven’t found those leaders yet and I’m wondering if they still exist. Militias are forming around me vowing to fight the libs. Where does that leave us?
67 senators are required to convict a president for impeachment. If by some miracle the democrats had that majority and convicted Trump he would walk free, immune from any legal action, and Vance would become president. This slight improvement over our current state would require the obliteration of MAGA in the coming federal election. That is not going to happen. We’re trapped in this crumbling parody of what used to be the land of the free and home of the brave. I keep hoping that some part of our military remembers their oath. Any other solution right now seems impossible.
You cut down one tree at a time. ... and no, military intervention is not in the cards. The law and the Constitution need to work along with the Courts. There is a lot of work to do to clean house in all three branches of government. Easy ... no, but you cannot back off. You have to keep trying.
There’s no getting back to the way we were and we’re cutting trees with a spoon while MAGA uses a chainsaw. The constitution is no longer a backstop, the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to follow the law let alone uniformly enforce it, and by overturning precedents and established law the courts have shown that they themselves can no longer be trusted. People no longer trust the FBI, FAA, FTC, FDA, DHS, NOAH, CDC and others. Even if their leaders are changed they’ve become a swamp of unqualified and incompetent workers who few will trust to work in the nation’s best interest. Many polls show MAGA will back violence to defend what they’ve created. I pray for a peaceful solution, but to me that seems unlikely.
Well said. Thank you for sifting the truth out of the noise.
You totally nailed it on the head Mike so people in the US and around the world be very careful who you vote for in elections, in Canada we dodged a bullet by voting for our PM Carney or we could be going through the same crap if Trump wannabe Poilievre had been elected. In the mid-terms vote Blue and make it too big to rig by voting overwhelmingly. Don't sit at home like too damn many did in the last election as that's how you got Trump.
November will be too late bro
All part of the "Mar-a-Lago Mafia" led by 80 year old Mafia Don and his government OF Billionaires, BY Billionaires, FOR Billionaires and SCREW everyone else in America. But, spread the BS that he cares about the people who support him, when he really is laughing his ass off as how easy it is to SCREW them to. And take them to the cleaners as he and his Billionaire buddies stuff themselves with the LOOT of America......... If things do not change we are headed for a French Revolution with the masses rising up to EAT THE RICH!!!
And we’re getting hungry.
As more and more people see how they are being screwed by Trump, his family, his regime, the Republican and Roberts 6 enablers, and the Billionaires it is only going to get worse.