Some good news: Mike Zimmer, a Democrat, school board president, teacher, and coach won a special election for Iowa State Senate District 35, a district Trump won by 21 points in November. That’s right! He flipped a T+21 district from red to blue. Markers For Democracy wrote postcards for this race. https://www.kcrg.com/2025/01/29/democratic-candidate-wins-special-election-iowa-senate-seat/
Yes! I've been posting yesterday on Vought's candidacy -- how on earth can this lunatic architect possibly get confirmed by vote after this attempted fiscal / constitutional coup?
And the new press sec botching the procedural -- because she is functionally illiterate -- gave us a small opening: who can just "call Russ Vought," let alone call somebody who isn't even confirmed as Director yet? Any time the new regime's incompetence gives us an edge, it must be taken.
He is NOT a lunatic. People, we've GOT to get that through our heads! He is a POWERFUL man with enormous backing, including by at least two members of the Supreme Court. Laugh at him, at our own expense.
I sent this to Senator Graham and to my two MAGA Senators from Missouri. It's small hope, but there is always the chance that they might recover some of their courage and remember that there are more votes at home than there are in either the White House or Merde-a-Lardo.
Good morning Senator. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, you have the primary responsibility to ensure that the Senate provides the "advise and consent" required by the Constitution on the nomination of Russell Vought to the Office of Management and Budget. That consent cannot reasonably be given until and unless Mr. Vought answers all of the questions put to him by members of both parties on your Committee. Setting aside the contradiction between the President's campaign disavowal of Project 2025 and his nomination of the lead writer of that document to this position, it is a slap in the face to the entire Senate to ask that its members simply do as their told by the President. I'm old enough to remember when Senators had the courage and stature to stand up to even Presidents of their own party and tell them when they were wrong, even to the extent of tellling Mr. Nixon that his illegal and unconstitutional conduct necessitated his resignation in the best interests of the country and the Republican party. It's time you and your colleagues did the same.
God be with you in your deliberations and in the further questioning of Mr. Vought before his nomination comes to a vote.
Could be, but where is the greater Dem leadership? Silent… it seems, utterly silent.
Where is the Dem strategy? Where is the messaging? Where is the action? Robert… perhaps focus less on Trump and more on strategy and what’s being done. See Adam Kinzinger’s emergency video from yesterday? Where are the Dems? We need much less continual reaction about Trump as he thrives on the attention and much more coordinated strategy.
I'd suggest you check out the "Meidas Touch Network" (MTN) on Substack and
YouTube. 4 million subscribers, pro-Democracy/anti-Trump, telling the facts everyday without any corporate sponsorship. It's beating the ratings of all legacy media and has repeatedly beaten Fox in ratings on YouTube. It's where the news you can trust is and "The Contrarian" on Substack is also a good read for legal info and how to work against this regime. (Not administration- regime!)
That doesn’t answer the question of “where is the Dem leadership”? Adam Kinsinger is spot on. I wish we had him. They must be loud and forceful and I’m not hearing or seeing it. Note what Robert quoted from Indivisible today.
I liked Heather Cox Richardson's comment in her talk yesterday. " Go yell at Republicans. They are the ones doing this!" (Ok, it's a paraphrase). Take the fight to the instigators.
It's not a "knee jerk" reaction when there has been no public commentary from any elected national Democrats on much of anything that Felon47 has tried to inflict on the country. A press conference with all the members of both caucuses gathered behind the Minority Leaders of both Houses declaring their unity in opposition to the illegal and unconstitutional actions taken thus far and a strong suggestion to their Republican colleagues that they remember their constituency in their respective states outnumbers their fuhrer in Merde-a-Lardo would get the sort of attention needed.
There absolutely has been social and public commentary. You just aren't seeing it on your algorithm feed. If you follow AOC, Jeffries, Schumer or Wes Moore they are making daily statements about this constantly. Just because you didn't see it doesn't mean its not happening.. Unfortunately Trump is so in the news and flooding the zone, we just dont see it in our faces as much.
Pamsy, I share your frustration with the apparent ineffectiveness of the Democratic response. I believe there is plenty of outrage, pushback and condemnation being expressed by our Democratic electeds and Party spokespeople. It is just not being reported by the Media we have the most easy access to. Most of the fault lies with the Media, not with the Democrats. We need to do something about that, by doing something that the Media can't ignore. I haven't hit upon what that something might be. Perhaps readers have suggestions?
I think two things can be true. We need to focus our "Strategic Outrage" on trump, but get some effective Democratic leadership pronto! Whoever steps into that void, though, will face the full force of trump and his "echo"lytes. We need to be behind them 1000%!
It’s easy to toss spitballs from the peanut gallery. As it happens, Chuck Schumer spoke out very forcefully yesterday. I suggest you look it up. (I’m on my iPad and links are beyond me.).
Adam Kinzinger has some good ideas. They have needed to be doing this, as a force, since day one, because they all of this was coming. They have needed to be loud and forceful and reach all kinds of media and not make just one photo op appearance. There are strategic tactics that they could adopt from the other side who has known how to do this, for a long time. We tend to like to be cautious and “proper” and follow “Robert’s rules of order.” Those days are gone.
Agreed. Plus, Trump takes up all the air. It's hard to compete. Is there something Dems can do to grab back some of that air? What would that look like?
Flood the zone, act as a loud united force and repeat the same loud message every single day. Do what the other side has been doing for years. Get onto as many platforms as possible. Adam Kinzinger is tearing his hair out about our inability to do this and he’s right.
I wrote to Kinzinger last night after he complained about the Dems. I asked him to consider being the leader, the Pied Piper, of the party, so to speak.
Keep speaking out. Write or call to your congressman and senators, even if they are Republicans; they do listen to what is bothering their constituents. Post on Facebook or Twixter, if you are still on those. Write letters to the editors of local papers, if you still have any. We may not silence the Mango Mussolini, but he is one of his own worst enemies. ("Not while I'm alive," as Groucho Marx apparently didn't say.)
I'm not sure how to take your comment, Jon. Chuck did speak forcefully, but it's still not enough. He's a good man and represents us well, but he's not the kind of charismatic, firebrandishing leader we need in this moment.
You gotta dance with who brung ya. It would be nice if we could bring in Abraham Lincoln or FDR off the bench, but we can't. Schumer isn't perfect, but he's a lot better than anyone on the other team.
I agree, there is a yawning information gap that that should have been filled the day after we lost the election. Why on earth did the DNC delay electing new leadership until February when a dictator was about to take the reins as our president? Is this customary or idiotic? Last night Tim Walz was on Rachel. Yes, Tim Walz. And he was great! But where has he been? Where have any of them been? We need our Navalny! Will the real leader of the opposition party please stand up? https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/exclusive-rachel-maddow-interviews-mn-governor-tim-walz-as-trump-plots-end-of-u-s-government-230527045710
Well, Britta, he is the governor of his state so he’s busy but I agree, he kinda disappeared and honestly, I think it was by design by the feckless DNC. He is charismatic, smart, not afraid to curse, and stands by everything he believes in which is the American people. I want a major shakeup with new leadership at the DNC and I hope it’s Ben Wikler and David Hogg, as his assistant.
Charles- This week is a truly stressful disaster, but I would like to hear what you are doing to step up and be part of the solution. I’d like to recommend that we stop targeting our own side and use that energy to blast our opponents. My veteran dad used to say, “friendly fire leaves you just as dead as enemy fire.” Frankly, we can’t afford the casualties.
I’ve been an executive in healthcare for approximately 30 years. Self reflection and self correction is not the same as friendly fire. The Democrats have passed meaningful legislation over the years, but they have utterly failed at managing the public conversation and public sentiment. You may call that friendly fire, but it’s just honesty. I would provide abundant examples, but this is not the place for it.
I am working with others to design national strategies that will engage people and their neighbors and friends and families and others in conversations about democracy and democratic values as a way to try to more strongly knit our social fabric against the authoritarian assaults that are underway. The apathy and disengagement across society is profound amongst those who should know better and care. Trying to find ways to address that apathy is key. The Democratic Party can be trusted in no way to lead us out of this mess that they helped us get into. How did they help? By not opposing the obvious malignancy that was growing in the Republican Party for 5+ decades. So now it’s up to citizens to act given the absence of an appropriately oriented Democratic Party.
This news gives me hope for a strategy I suggested yesterday in these comments. If we can use the recall process to remove a few of the more egregious MAGA reps and Senators in swing districts, we can possibly flip the House or Senate, or both, well before the midterms, and give the opposition to MAGA some actual power. If it can be done in a T+21 district, it should be possible in many places that lean further toward the center.
Not too many seats have to flip, first because margins are already so thin, but also because representatives who are currently siding with MAGA through expediency may shift if they see the winds start to blow in a different direction.
The oligarchs who can spend money to influence national elections may find that their money doesn't speak as loudly in district or even state races - it may even be counterproductive to be seen as trying to meddle in the affairs of individual races.
The time to demand recalls is now, before Trump and his very smart strategists have a chance to dial back their extreme tactics to make them more "reasonable".
To oppose a president who feels his election empowers him to do "anything he wants", we need a Congress that actually represents the people, and we need it as soon as possible to minimize the damage. The recall power is the fastest route to expressing the actual will of the people.
Trump is obsessed with winning. I was dismayed when it looked like he had bullied President Petro into a complete surrender. The U.S. returning citizens of Colombia by plane is nothing new. Trump's deportations included shackles, military planes with no air-conditioning causing some people to faint, no water, and no bathrooms. Pres. Petro wanted returning Colombians to be treated humanly, like they had previously. I've read it was agreed those changes would be made, solving the problem. Trump was able declare himself the winner, and Petro the loser.
Did you notice how Gov. Gavin Newsom punked Trump? After publicly shaming Trump to visit the fire area, Trump had no intention of meeting with Newsom, but the governor showed up on the tarmac, and there's a great photo of the governor pointing his finger at the president. Trump hates Newsom so much. In order to "win" this one, Trump declared that on his order, the military came in and turned on the spigot sending water from the Pacific Northwest to LA to put out the fires. All of us living in the Pacific Northwest know that did not happen. Yet, Trump's Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced that humongous lie at her first press briefing so that Trump can think of himself as the savior, instead of Mother Nature who brought the rain.
I'm not sure how Trump is going to spin the freezing of funds debacle into a win, but I know that he'll do anything to not be seen as a loser.
Yes. There's actually video of Newsom on the tarmac with T and Melania, who actually kisses Newsom after she gave the cold fish to T at the inauguration. Newsom owned it. I think a lip reader interpreted the scene.
Yes, Trump is obsessed with winning, but it's not a tennis match, it's always a fight or war--personal, and with anger, hatred, retribution for his feeling victimized--which makes losing so awful. But his psychological issues mean that he never loses, he reframes, to put it nicely, the truth into more self-victimizing and blame and absolves himself.
I don‘t think Trump „bullied [Colombia’s] President Petro into a complete surrender“. Rather, Petro insisted that the US/Trump repatriate migrants humanely. Trump moved the migrants from a military aircraft (his first attempt) to a commercial aircraft. Petro made his point and prevailed.
Yes, that is the truth, but that is not the way it was presented by the Trump administration. Instead of a very legitimate compromise they wanted to make it look like big man Trump beat little Colombia.
Each House of Congress requires a majority for a quorum. Given the Republicans' thin majority in each, and the propensity of so many elected reps to not show up to work on so many days, how likely is it that either could muster a quorum for more than a day or 2 if the Democrats stayed away? Why not try it and see?
Perhaps because the spending freeze is so nuts or because it is getting so much attention, I find myself focusing on the alleged offer to buyout federal employees' employment with a severance package. I've seen 7, 8 and 9 months' pay mentioned but I'll take Robert's number of 9 as correct. Say WHAT? Paying federal workers not to work? Where does the President get the authority to do that? Say WHAT? How much money does that involve? It must be billions (obviously dependent on the number of people who accept the "offer"). Say WHAT? Where is that money supposed to come from?
Never mind the Constitutional "nicety" that no money has been appropriated for that purpose, just straight out, where's the cash coming from? Seems to me that like all federal funds, even borrowed funds, the money comes largely from taxes. Is there a person in American who wants their tax money to be used to pay federal workers not to work until November? How does that square w/ the MAGA view of the federal government and its employees? Yep, your taxes going to pay for some lawyer's or scientist's or college graduate's or MBA's 9 month vacation while you continue to punch the clock literally or figuratively or worse, you're laid off because the economy is crashing? I don't think so.
This seems like an issue the Dems can run with on many grounds and appeal to many constituencies.
My guess, Jeff, is that the money has already been allocated for those federal workers for 2025. Many federal agencies have a fiscal year that ends in Sept., which is when Trump's buyout offer ends. If so, extra funding from Congress isn't needed. Any criticism of Trump for wasting money could be easily deflected by them saying "See how much money we won't spend next year."
To me, the stronger argument is this is OUR government serving America's hundreds of needs. It is outrageous for MAGA to say they'll just bribe a bunch of workers to quit, and ignore what that will do to the effectiveness and morale of the scores of agencies where they work. "Oh 10% of DEA workers quit but 30% of FAA workers quit. No big deal. We'll rearrange people over the next year." This isn't a company that MAGA owns and gets to force into a tailspin. Any cuts in agencies should be done sensibly and thoughtfully. To flex his muscles and break the gov't quickly, Trump chose the terribly wrong way to "trim the fat".
I am reading Jonathan V. Last's column in the Bulwark in real time. I got this far and had to stop to post this quote here:
"The compensation in the offer is not legal, either. The OPM email offers eight months of pay; the law allows only up to $25,000 for voluntary separation agreements.
There is no funding for this buyout regime. Just do some rough math with me: The government has offered 2 million workers eight months of pay. The average federal employee makes roughly $100k. If everyone took the offer that’s a $132 billion.¹ Where has that money been appropriated from? Show me the line-item in the budget which made this funding law and show me which members of Congress voted for it."
Interesting argument, Tyler, mostly because it's not incorrect. I'm trying to figure out how best to explain why I still think it's wrong.
I suppose that authorizing money to pay people not to work is arguably the same as authorizing money to pay people to work, but I don't agree with that. I do agree that lawyers can argue about it for years, which may be a problem but multi year litigation working its' way through the courts is just not what we need right now. Also, the point about Sept 30 is only true if the correct number of months of severance being offered is 8 which I'm still not clear about.
But that's just talk. The big problem for me is that you are exactly correct that the government should not be cut randomly. That it should be done carefully and presumably after study and thought. But just because it's true doesn't make it the right argument. Trump is going w/ "the government sucks and it really doesn't matter." The answer to that in the court of public opinion, which right now is the only one that matters, can't be, go slow and make careful cuts. This has been the problem with the way anti-Trumpists deal with Trump from the beginning. It seems clear to me that we can't challenge emotional arguments with logic and facts.
It just doesn't work. It *may* be possible to zero in on specific government functions that affect people directly and will be hit hard by the randomness, which is largely the approach that has been taken on the spending freeze, but what is needed is something that captures hearts and minds and excites people's emotions. I think I've suggested a way to do that. Maybe they're good suggestions, maybe they're not. But I'm very much looking for ways to reach people, not to be right.
Jeff (and others), don‘t try to reason about the unreasonable. Trump is trying to attack our government with a (figurative) meat cleaver. His aim is destruction.
Don‘t pretend that Trump might be trying to improve things.
Rachel Maddow was on fire tonight (1/28/25) that with all the push back, we are not getting over our "dictator phobia," as prescribed by VP JD Vance's guru Curtis Yarvin to "Retire All Government Employees (RAGE)." She actually sounded the alarm last year:
Deportations and waste of tax dollars: On 1/27/25, Rachel Maddow alerted us to the fact that previous administrations spent about $103,000 per 12-hour flight on a charter plane, but Trump is spending $252,000 to $852,000 per 12-hour flight on heavy duty military aircraft, meaning he is wasting up to $750,000 per flight, with plans to continue deportation flights every day going forward, so do the math from there:
Crazy Cabinet nominees: Here is a great resource identifying which Senators to target with calls. RFK for HHS (which controls NIH and much more). Next up are Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard.
DNC Chair and leadership positions are being voted this Saturday, Feb. 1. There are 448 voting members of the DNC, but a list of their names is not made public. Best bet is to search one of the candidates, then find who from your state is endorsing him, for example Ben Wikler:
On 1/27/25, DemCast hosted wonderfully dynamic, knowledgeable, and dynamic candidates for the 3 Vice Chair positions: Malcolm Kenyatta, Reyna Walters-Morgan, Shasti Conrad; and for Secretary, Marilyn Davis.
With Jim Acosta's heroic exit from CNN, he has started his own Substack for his independent reporting:
Not to mention they are using unsustainable human resources in their raids--900 officers in NY in a raid where they arrested 20 immigrants, only 8 of whom had violent records. The other 12, of course, will be swept up for lesser non-violent violations or only the violation of being in the US without documentation. 900 officers for a raid where they only after 8 men. How sustainable is that? What if something significant happens in the places they came from and oops, there is no police presence?
Thank you. Rachel Maddow is one of Democracy's ( and Journalism’s) finest assets. We are so fortunate to have her razor-sharp mind and brave voice. Could we convince her to stay on at least 3 days a week?
Thank you, Robert, for an excellent column today. You speak of not attacking Democrats, which I’ve been saying for days. It’s OK to want more out of Democratic leadership, but we have to keep our ire focused on the real enemies: Trump and MAGA. One thing I saw repeatedly yesterday was questioning what people weren't prepared for the Administration’s actions. Do they think multiple lawsuits filed yesterday came out of thin air? People have been working on fighting back, but that work rarely grabs headlines. There is always more to do, both on our leader's part and our own, but our fights with each other are secondary to our fight with this lawless administration. Keep calling your elected representatives with your calls to action and personal stories. Keeping up that pressure is essential, but it needs to be constructive. This is going to be a long fight.
This horse lover finds solace in that image. I will renew my energy tonight and hopefully direct my rage tomorrow...wishing everyone a restful night so we have energy for the fight!
Ruth Ben-Ghiat has taught (in Strongmen) that autocrats are rotten at actual governing since all they care about is power and money. We’re watching her observation play out.
Thank you, Robert. We all need to tell everyone we know—especially senators and congressmen—that Trump is attempting to complete the coup that was thwarted on January 6th. Speak loudly. Don’t hold back. This is the time for outrage.
I am more than a little surprised that Americans are only now waking up to the fact that our democracy is being eroded. Trump made no secret of the fact that he would be a ‘dictator’ as of Day One! And the weak, spineless Republicans in Congress allow this!! They would rather plunge the Country into chaos than be voted out of Congress!
2026 is right around the corner. Change the House, Change the Country.
24 months from now, a new Congress will have been sworn in. I'm sure we can all name at least 10 members of the GOP who do our country no favors. Change the House, Change the Country.
Grassley and Blackburn unfortunately will not be up for re-election in 2026. But 20 MAGA Senators are. Hard to say who would be my favorite to go, but McConnell, Graham, Tuberville and Ernst certainly rank high on my list.
The outrage is palpable. Here in the Philippines, people who only four months ago were urging me to move here are now hinting, very strongly, that I remain in the U.S. and be in the "good fight".
Wannabe King Donald Trump and his traitorous enablers from the 2025 Project be warned. America is recording your every move. You will be Impeached and driven out of power.
It took American colonists 167 years, from 1607 to 1776 to revolt against then King George. It will take just weeks to launch the 2nd American Revolution. Read these words and be very afraid:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."
Some good news: Mike Zimmer, a Democrat, school board president, teacher, and coach won a special election for Iowa State Senate District 35, a district Trump won by 21 points in November. That’s right! He flipped a T+21 district from red to blue. Markers For Democracy wrote postcards for this race. https://www.kcrg.com/2025/01/29/democratic-candidate-wins-special-election-iowa-senate-seat/
More good news. Senate Committee Democrats have told Chair Lindsey Graham to pause the vote on Russel Vought until he answers their questions.
Flood Graham's offices - all of them - to pause the vote.
.https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact.
My apologies.
I listed the wrong Committee. It's the Budget Committee.
.https://www.budget.senate.gov/about/committee-members.
Chair Lindsey Graham
.https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/.
Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-5972
His DC phone mail box may be full, call other offices
Ranking Member Jeff Merkley
.https://www.merkley.senate.gov/connect/office-locations/.
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Yes! I've been posting yesterday on Vought's candidacy -- how on earth can this lunatic architect possibly get confirmed by vote after this attempted fiscal / constitutional coup?
And the new press sec botching the procedural -- because she is functionally illiterate -- gave us a small opening: who can just "call Russ Vought," let alone call somebody who isn't even confirmed as Director yet? Any time the new regime's incompetence gives us an edge, it must be taken.
Leavitt is another in the long chain of GOP/MAGA Stepford women.
He is NOT a lunatic. People, we've GOT to get that through our heads! He is a POWERFUL man with enormous backing, including by at least two members of the Supreme Court. Laugh at him, at our own expense.
I sent this to Senator Graham and to my two MAGA Senators from Missouri. It's small hope, but there is always the chance that they might recover some of their courage and remember that there are more votes at home than there are in either the White House or Merde-a-Lardo.
Good morning Senator. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, you have the primary responsibility to ensure that the Senate provides the "advise and consent" required by the Constitution on the nomination of Russell Vought to the Office of Management and Budget. That consent cannot reasonably be given until and unless Mr. Vought answers all of the questions put to him by members of both parties on your Committee. Setting aside the contradiction between the President's campaign disavowal of Project 2025 and his nomination of the lead writer of that document to this position, it is a slap in the face to the entire Senate to ask that its members simply do as their told by the President. I'm old enough to remember when Senators had the courage and stature to stand up to even Presidents of their own party and tell them when they were wrong, even to the extent of tellling Mr. Nixon that his illegal and unconstitutional conduct necessitated his resignation in the best interests of the country and the Republican party. It's time you and your colleagues did the same.
God be with you in your deliberations and in the further questioning of Mr. Vought before his nomination comes to a vote.
Dave Conant
St. Louis, MO.
"advice and consent." Advise is a verb.
This is an easy one from Scott Dworkin - click, submit, and share
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-senators-oppose-project-2025-architect-russell-vought-for-director-of-the-office-of-management-and-budget/?source=watchdog
Could be, but where is the greater Dem leadership? Silent… it seems, utterly silent.
Where is the Dem strategy? Where is the messaging? Where is the action? Robert… perhaps focus less on Trump and more on strategy and what’s being done. See Adam Kinzinger’s emergency video from yesterday? Where are the Dems? We need much less continual reaction about Trump as he thrives on the attention and much more coordinated strategy.
I'd suggest you check out the "Meidas Touch Network" (MTN) on Substack and
YouTube. 4 million subscribers, pro-Democracy/anti-Trump, telling the facts everyday without any corporate sponsorship. It's beating the ratings of all legacy media and has repeatedly beaten Fox in ratings on YouTube. It's where the news you can trust is and "The Contrarian" on Substack is also a good read for legal info and how to work against this regime. (Not administration- regime!)
That doesn’t answer the question of “where is the Dem leadership”? Adam Kinsinger is spot on. I wish we had him. They must be loud and forceful and I’m not hearing or seeing it. Note what Robert quoted from Indivisible today.
I liked Heather Cox Richardson's comment in her talk yesterday. " Go yell at Republicans. They are the ones doing this!" (Ok, it's a paraphrase). Take the fight to the instigators.
The leadership is being interviewed by MTN Network. Here's the latest. https://www.meidasplus.com/p/sen-schatz-tears-trump-to-shreds
Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and Democratic leadership are demanding to pause the vote on Vought.
I get so weary of folks knee jerk default of blaming Democrats.
It's not a "knee jerk" reaction when there has been no public commentary from any elected national Democrats on much of anything that Felon47 has tried to inflict on the country. A press conference with all the members of both caucuses gathered behind the Minority Leaders of both Houses declaring their unity in opposition to the illegal and unconstitutional actions taken thus far and a strong suggestion to their Republican colleagues that they remember their constituency in their respective states outnumbers their fuhrer in Merde-a-Lardo would get the sort of attention needed.
There absolutely has been social and public commentary. You just aren't seeing it on your algorithm feed. If you follow AOC, Jeffries, Schumer or Wes Moore they are making daily statements about this constantly. Just because you didn't see it doesn't mean its not happening.. Unfortunately Trump is so in the news and flooding the zone, we just dont see it in our faces as much.
They have NOT been strong or loud, and every outlet I listen to or read has stated this so I don’t think it’s “knee jerk” at all.
Pamsy, I share your frustration with the apparent ineffectiveness of the Democratic response. I believe there is plenty of outrage, pushback and condemnation being expressed by our Democratic electeds and Party spokespeople. It is just not being reported by the Media we have the most easy access to. Most of the fault lies with the Media, not with the Democrats. We need to do something about that, by doing something that the Media can't ignore. I haven't hit upon what that something might be. Perhaps readers have suggestions?
Thanks Dan! Louder for the people in the back!
I think two things can be true. We need to focus our "Strategic Outrage" on trump, but get some effective Democratic leadership pronto! Whoever steps into that void, though, will face the full force of trump and his "echo"lytes. We need to be behind them 1000%!
p.s. Here's my take on "Strategic Outrage" - https://open.substack.com/pub/bobmorgan/p/strategic-outrage
It’s easy to toss spitballs from the peanut gallery. As it happens, Chuck Schumer spoke out very forcefully yesterday. I suggest you look it up. (I’m on my iPad and links are beyond me.).
Adam Kinzinger has some good ideas. They have needed to be doing this, as a force, since day one, because they all of this was coming. They have needed to be loud and forceful and reach all kinds of media and not make just one photo op appearance. There are strategic tactics that they could adopt from the other side who has known how to do this, for a long time. We tend to like to be cautious and “proper” and follow “Robert’s rules of order.” Those days are gone.
I wholeheartedly agree.
Agreed. Plus, Trump takes up all the air. It's hard to compete. Is there something Dems can do to grab back some of that air? What would that look like?
Flood the zone, act as a loud united force and repeat the same loud message every single day. Do what the other side has been doing for years. Get onto as many platforms as possible. Adam Kinzinger is tearing his hair out about our inability to do this and he’s right.
I wrote to Kinzinger last night after he complained about the Dems. I asked him to consider being the leader, the Pied Piper, of the party, so to speak.
Since Kinzinger is not truly a Democrat, he cannot speak for the Democratic Party.
Democrats need to find a leader who has talent for responding forcefully *and* cleverly. I sorely miss Al Franken !
Keep speaking out. Write or call to your congressman and senators, even if they are Republicans; they do listen to what is bothering their constituents. Post on Facebook or Twixter, if you are still on those. Write letters to the editors of local papers, if you still have any. We may not silence the Mango Mussolini, but he is one of his own worst enemies. ("Not while I'm alive," as Groucho Marx apparently didn't say.)
I'm not sure how to take your comment, Jon. Chuck did speak forcefully, but it's still not enough. He's a good man and represents us well, but he's not the kind of charismatic, firebrandishing leader we need in this moment.
You gotta dance with who brung ya. It would be nice if we could bring in Abraham Lincoln or FDR off the bench, but we can't. Schumer isn't perfect, but he's a lot better than anyone on the other team.
I agree, there is a yawning information gap that that should have been filled the day after we lost the election. Why on earth did the DNC delay electing new leadership until February when a dictator was about to take the reins as our president? Is this customary or idiotic? Last night Tim Walz was on Rachel. Yes, Tim Walz. And he was great! But where has he been? Where have any of them been? We need our Navalny! Will the real leader of the opposition party please stand up? https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/exclusive-rachel-maddow-interviews-mn-governor-tim-walz-as-trump-plots-end-of-u-s-government-230527045710
Well, Britta, he is the governor of his state so he’s busy but I agree, he kinda disappeared and honestly, I think it was by design by the feckless DNC. He is charismatic, smart, not afraid to curse, and stands by everything he believes in which is the American people. I want a major shakeup with new leadership at the DNC and I hope it’s Ben Wikler and David Hogg, as his assistant.
Charles- This week is a truly stressful disaster, but I would like to hear what you are doing to step up and be part of the solution. I’d like to recommend that we stop targeting our own side and use that energy to blast our opponents. My veteran dad used to say, “friendly fire leaves you just as dead as enemy fire.” Frankly, we can’t afford the casualties.
I’ve been an executive in healthcare for approximately 30 years. Self reflection and self correction is not the same as friendly fire. The Democrats have passed meaningful legislation over the years, but they have utterly failed at managing the public conversation and public sentiment. You may call that friendly fire, but it’s just honesty. I would provide abundant examples, but this is not the place for it.
I am working with others to design national strategies that will engage people and their neighbors and friends and families and others in conversations about democracy and democratic values as a way to try to more strongly knit our social fabric against the authoritarian assaults that are underway. The apathy and disengagement across society is profound amongst those who should know better and care. Trying to find ways to address that apathy is key. The Democratic Party can be trusted in no way to lead us out of this mess that they helped us get into. How did they help? By not opposing the obvious malignancy that was growing in the Republican Party for 5+ decades. So now it’s up to citizens to act given the absence of an appropriately oriented Democratic Party.
Another campaign writing postcards for the Wisconsin Supreme Court will start Friday the 31st. Here’s the info.ComstockROV@gmail.com
Center for Common Ground, Reclaim Our Vote
Help Desk for Sincereapp.com
This news gives me hope for a strategy I suggested yesterday in these comments. If we can use the recall process to remove a few of the more egregious MAGA reps and Senators in swing districts, we can possibly flip the House or Senate, or both, well before the midterms, and give the opposition to MAGA some actual power. If it can be done in a T+21 district, it should be possible in many places that lean further toward the center.
Not too many seats have to flip, first because margins are already so thin, but also because representatives who are currently siding with MAGA through expediency may shift if they see the winds start to blow in a different direction.
The oligarchs who can spend money to influence national elections may find that their money doesn't speak as loudly in district or even state races - it may even be counterproductive to be seen as trying to meddle in the affairs of individual races.
The time to demand recalls is now, before Trump and his very smart strategists have a chance to dial back their extreme tactics to make them more "reasonable".
To oppose a president who feels his election empowers him to do "anything he wants", we need a Congress that actually represents the people, and we need it as soon as possible to minimize the damage. The recall power is the fastest route to expressing the actual will of the people.
Trump is obsessed with winning. I was dismayed when it looked like he had bullied President Petro into a complete surrender. The U.S. returning citizens of Colombia by plane is nothing new. Trump's deportations included shackles, military planes with no air-conditioning causing some people to faint, no water, and no bathrooms. Pres. Petro wanted returning Colombians to be treated humanly, like they had previously. I've read it was agreed those changes would be made, solving the problem. Trump was able declare himself the winner, and Petro the loser.
Did you notice how Gov. Gavin Newsom punked Trump? After publicly shaming Trump to visit the fire area, Trump had no intention of meeting with Newsom, but the governor showed up on the tarmac, and there's a great photo of the governor pointing his finger at the president. Trump hates Newsom so much. In order to "win" this one, Trump declared that on his order, the military came in and turned on the spigot sending water from the Pacific Northwest to LA to put out the fires. All of us living in the Pacific Northwest know that did not happen. Yet, Trump's Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced that humongous lie at her first press briefing so that Trump can think of himself as the savior, instead of Mother Nature who brought the rain.
I'm not sure how Trump is going to spin the freezing of funds debacle into a win, but I know that he'll do anything to not be seen as a loser.
Yes. There's actually video of Newsom on the tarmac with T and Melania, who actually kisses Newsom after she gave the cold fish to T at the inauguration. Newsom owned it. I think a lip reader interpreted the scene.
I do love the p***ing contests between Alpha males! This one, in particular.
I would love to know what he said to him.
Yes, Trump is obsessed with winning, but it's not a tennis match, it's always a fight or war--personal, and with anger, hatred, retribution for his feeling victimized--which makes losing so awful. But his psychological issues mean that he never loses, he reframes, to put it nicely, the truth into more self-victimizing and blame and absolves himself.
Which is why people need to keep telling the the truth. Maybe someday, it will get through.
Kate,
I don‘t think Trump „bullied [Colombia’s] President Petro into a complete surrender“. Rather, Petro insisted that the US/Trump repatriate migrants humanely. Trump moved the migrants from a military aircraft (his first attempt) to a commercial aircraft. Petro made his point and prevailed.
Yes, that is the truth, but that is not the way it was presented by the Trump administration. Instead of a very legitimate compromise they wanted to make it look like big man Trump beat little Colombia.
Each House of Congress requires a majority for a quorum. Given the Republicans' thin majority in each, and the propensity of so many elected reps to not show up to work on so many days, how likely is it that either could muster a quorum for more than a day or 2 if the Democrats stayed away? Why not try it and see?
Perhaps because the spending freeze is so nuts or because it is getting so much attention, I find myself focusing on the alleged offer to buyout federal employees' employment with a severance package. I've seen 7, 8 and 9 months' pay mentioned but I'll take Robert's number of 9 as correct. Say WHAT? Paying federal workers not to work? Where does the President get the authority to do that? Say WHAT? How much money does that involve? It must be billions (obviously dependent on the number of people who accept the "offer"). Say WHAT? Where is that money supposed to come from?
Never mind the Constitutional "nicety" that no money has been appropriated for that purpose, just straight out, where's the cash coming from? Seems to me that like all federal funds, even borrowed funds, the money comes largely from taxes. Is there a person in American who wants their tax money to be used to pay federal workers not to work until November? How does that square w/ the MAGA view of the federal government and its employees? Yep, your taxes going to pay for some lawyer's or scientist's or college graduate's or MBA's 9 month vacation while you continue to punch the clock literally or figuratively or worse, you're laid off because the economy is crashing? I don't think so.
This seems like an issue the Dems can run with on many grounds and appeal to many constituencies.
I was also thinking quorom is a way to stall out confirmations, and this extreme freeze overreach provides some impetus for Democrats to refuse votes.
Excellent points!
My guess, Jeff, is that the money has already been allocated for those federal workers for 2025. Many federal agencies have a fiscal year that ends in Sept., which is when Trump's buyout offer ends. If so, extra funding from Congress isn't needed. Any criticism of Trump for wasting money could be easily deflected by them saying "See how much money we won't spend next year."
To me, the stronger argument is this is OUR government serving America's hundreds of needs. It is outrageous for MAGA to say they'll just bribe a bunch of workers to quit, and ignore what that will do to the effectiveness and morale of the scores of agencies where they work. "Oh 10% of DEA workers quit but 30% of FAA workers quit. No big deal. We'll rearrange people over the next year." This isn't a company that MAGA owns and gets to force into a tailspin. Any cuts in agencies should be done sensibly and thoughtfully. To flex his muscles and break the gov't quickly, Trump chose the terribly wrong way to "trim the fat".
I am reading Jonathan V. Last's column in the Bulwark in real time. I got this far and had to stop to post this quote here:
"The compensation in the offer is not legal, either. The OPM email offers eight months of pay; the law allows only up to $25,000 for voluntary separation agreements.
There is no funding for this buyout regime. Just do some rough math with me: The government has offered 2 million workers eight months of pay. The average federal employee makes roughly $100k. If everyone took the offer that’s a $132 billion.¹ Where has that money been appropriated from? Show me the line-item in the budget which made this funding law and show me which members of Congress voted for it."
I‘m frustrated by such reasoned responses to Trump‘s unreasonable outrages. Don‘t reason about such things: condemn them.
Tyler Taylor got it right: the government isn't a company that MAGA/Trump owns – it‘s the people‘s government, *our* government
Interesting argument, Tyler, mostly because it's not incorrect. I'm trying to figure out how best to explain why I still think it's wrong.
I suppose that authorizing money to pay people not to work is arguably the same as authorizing money to pay people to work, but I don't agree with that. I do agree that lawyers can argue about it for years, which may be a problem but multi year litigation working its' way through the courts is just not what we need right now. Also, the point about Sept 30 is only true if the correct number of months of severance being offered is 8 which I'm still not clear about.
But that's just talk. The big problem for me is that you are exactly correct that the government should not be cut randomly. That it should be done carefully and presumably after study and thought. But just because it's true doesn't make it the right argument. Trump is going w/ "the government sucks and it really doesn't matter." The answer to that in the court of public opinion, which right now is the only one that matters, can't be, go slow and make careful cuts. This has been the problem with the way anti-Trumpists deal with Trump from the beginning. It seems clear to me that we can't challenge emotional arguments with logic and facts.
It just doesn't work. It *may* be possible to zero in on specific government functions that affect people directly and will be hit hard by the randomness, which is largely the approach that has been taken on the spending freeze, but what is needed is something that captures hearts and minds and excites people's emotions. I think I've suggested a way to do that. Maybe they're good suggestions, maybe they're not. But I'm very much looking for ways to reach people, not to be right.
Jeff (and others), don‘t try to reason about the unreasonable. Trump is trying to attack our government with a (figurative) meat cleaver. His aim is destruction.
Don‘t pretend that Trump might be trying to improve things.
That is the last thing I am trying to say. Or pretend. There is a disconnect somewhere but I'm not sure what it is.
Rachel Maddow was on fire tonight (1/28/25) that with all the push back, we are not getting over our "dictator phobia," as prescribed by VP JD Vance's guru Curtis Yarvin to "Retire All Government Employees (RAGE)." She actually sounded the alarm last year:
https://www.salon.com/2024/10/01/rachel-maddow-sounds-alarm-on-jd-vances-pro-dictatorship-influences/
Deportations and waste of tax dollars: On 1/27/25, Rachel Maddow alerted us to the fact that previous administrations spent about $103,000 per 12-hour flight on a charter plane, but Trump is spending $252,000 to $852,000 per 12-hour flight on heavy duty military aircraft, meaning he is wasting up to $750,000 per flight, with plans to continue deportation flights every day going forward, so do the math from there:
https://bsky.app/profile/elliekona.bsky.social/post/3lgruaitexc25
Crazy Cabinet nominees: Here is a great resource identifying which Senators to target with calls. RFK for HHS (which controls NIH and much more). Next up are Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard.
https://bsky.app/profile/ellroche.bsky.social/post/3lgqfvqbgrs2f
DNC Chair and leadership positions are being voted this Saturday, Feb. 1. There are 448 voting members of the DNC, but a list of their names is not made public. Best bet is to search one of the candidates, then find who from your state is endorsing him, for example Ben Wikler:
https://bsky.app/profile/benwikler.bsky.social
On 1/27/25, DemCast hosted wonderfully dynamic, knowledgeable, and dynamic candidates for the 3 Vice Chair positions: Malcolm Kenyatta, Reyna Walters-Morgan, Shasti Conrad; and for Secretary, Marilyn Davis.
With Jim Acosta's heroic exit from CNN, he has started his own Substack for his independent reporting:
https://jimacosta.substack.com/p/hold-on-to-the-truth
Not to mention they are using unsustainable human resources in their raids--900 officers in NY in a raid where they arrested 20 immigrants, only 8 of whom had violent records. The other 12, of course, will be swept up for lesser non-violent violations or only the violation of being in the US without documentation. 900 officers for a raid where they only after 8 men. How sustainable is that? What if something significant happens in the places they came from and oops, there is no police presence?
Thank you. Rachel Maddow is one of Democracy's ( and Journalism’s) finest assets. We are so fortunate to have her razor-sharp mind and brave voice. Could we convince her to stay on at least 3 days a week?
Thank you. I just subscribed to Jim’s Substack.
Go Jim Acosta! His page today already has over 8000 “likes.”
Thank you, Robert, for an excellent column today. You speak of not attacking Democrats, which I’ve been saying for days. It’s OK to want more out of Democratic leadership, but we have to keep our ire focused on the real enemies: Trump and MAGA. One thing I saw repeatedly yesterday was questioning what people weren't prepared for the Administration’s actions. Do they think multiple lawsuits filed yesterday came out of thin air? People have been working on fighting back, but that work rarely grabs headlines. There is always more to do, both on our leader's part and our own, but our fights with each other are secondary to our fight with this lawless administration. Keep calling your elected representatives with your calls to action and personal stories. Keeping up that pressure is essential, but it needs to be constructive. This is going to be a long fight.
Has Trump 'jumped the shark' ? Yes.
Will his ratings tank? Yes
Will Mike & The MAGA House pull the plug? As if.
Start phoning Senators.
Excellent, as usual. Tao much for us all to process. The perspective really helps.
“The clear skies in Los Angeles on Monday night allowed me to capture the clearest image of the Horse Head Nebula I have ever captured.
The nebula is 1,350 light-years from Earth and has a radius of 3.5 light-years.”
This horse lover finds solace in that image. I will renew my energy tonight and hopefully direct my rage tomorrow...wishing everyone a restful night so we have energy for the fight!
I also am a horse lover, so this was a visual treat. The nebulas always pick me up.
Really spectacular shot Robert!
Something to be excited about: Pete Buttigieg is considering a run for Senate in Michigan. Whitmer has already declined the opportunity.
Haiku anyone?
We just need to wait
Til all these engorged egos
Turn on each other.
I love haikus!
Ruth Ben-Ghiat has taught (in Strongmen) that autocrats are rotten at actual governing since all they care about is power and money. We’re watching her observation play out.
I’m fighting it.
Also, this particular autocrat is an idiot.
One of Robert’s best ever. Share widely. I strongly suspect this is the beginning of Civil War 2.0. The proverbial Fire Bell in the Night…
Thank you, Robert. We all need to tell everyone we know—especially senators and congressmen—that Trump is attempting to complete the coup that was thwarted on January 6th. Speak loudly. Don’t hold back. This is the time for outrage.
I am more than a little surprised that Americans are only now waking up to the fact that our democracy is being eroded. Trump made no secret of the fact that he would be a ‘dictator’ as of Day One! And the weak, spineless Republicans in Congress allow this!! They would rather plunge the Country into chaos than be voted out of Congress!
Thank you Bill for these Daily Letters!
On "Decoding FOX NEWS" substack, the report is that FOX viewers are not hearing about many of the executive orders eroding democracy.
2026 is right around the corner. Change the House, Change the Country.
24 months from now, a new Congress will have been sworn in. I'm sure we can all name at least 10 members of the GOP who do our country no favors. Change the House, Change the Country.
And while you are at it, change the Senate as well.
Absolutely. Starting with McConnell and Grassley. Moving on swiftly to Blackburn and Collins and Graham.
Grassley and Blackburn unfortunately will not be up for re-election in 2026. But 20 MAGA Senators are. Hard to say who would be my favorite to go, but McConnell, Graham, Tuberville and Ernst certainly rank high on my list.
Defeat Tillis! Snake.
Agreed. Rick Scott makes my short list too --- 2031, I believe.
The outrage is palpable. Here in the Philippines, people who only four months ago were urging me to move here are now hinting, very strongly, that I remain in the U.S. and be in the "good fight".
Wannabe King Donald Trump and his traitorous enablers from the 2025 Project be warned. America is recording your every move. You will be Impeached and driven out of power.
It took American colonists 167 years, from 1607 to 1776 to revolt against then King George. It will take just weeks to launch the 2nd American Revolution. Read these words and be very afraid:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."