Good morning, Robert and all. As usual, I got a great deal out of the entire newsletter. But I want to emphasize two things this morning. Thank you so much for the video which is embedded in the article about the now famous neighbor of the Alitos who can present first hand evidence that the justice's patently absurd explanation for an act of treason is not true. Emily Baden is an articulate, intelligent, and very courageous woman and deserves all our gratitude. I'm sure we will see more of her. I also want to thank you for your wonderful concluding remarks. I also sympathize with the reader whocompared our situation to the sinking of the Titanic as well as to the reader who wrote about how discouraged she and many others are at this point. I feel fortunate that, despite bouts of being discouraged, I am able to remain essentially hopeful and able to keep trying to do what I can. There is absolutely no question in my mind that your daily input of realistic hope with all the evidence for it is huge in my being able to do that. And I know for sure I am not alone in feeling that way. Thank you.
Amen. Each of you in your own inimitable way, Robert and Heather, empowered me with wisdom and insights today. Thank you! Heather's comments had me in tears. Robert, your touch points were graphic and stunning. You defined the enormity of our Omaha Beach today. It doesn't take guts, it takes endurance and confidence. Qualities also on display in those fateful days 80 years ago. I gladly accept the challenges we face; we are called to honor. Certainly in a different way than in WWII. But just as critical to democracy.
My dad was in WWII, though not a D-Day participant. Although I miss him terribly since he passed away 11 years ago, I am glad he did not live to see the country he fought to defend as an infantryman descend so LOW as to have a convicted felon as a presumptive nominee for president. Today's R politicians dishonor all those who served and sacrificed and those who sacrificed at home to defend democracy.
JennSH, my dad served in WWII as well. He was a navigator in the Army Air Corps at the time, and was shot down over Belgium by German bombers. Luckily he and 8 other crew members survived, and the wonderful people of the town near where the crash occurred ran to it and helped my dad and others get the care they needed. To this day they celebrate my dad and his fellow crew members on the anniversary of their crash. My daughter and I had already planned a trip to Ireland in August to meet with relatives, and are also spending time in Belgium as well. These remembrances clearly point out the differences between the Felon and those heroes who saved Europe. May God bless their memory, and President Biden for his meaningful words in France!
My wife and I have known Kathleen De Blois for three decades. This is the first time I have heard about her father's service in the Army Air Corps! That is a story that deserves to be told and re-told at every opportunity!
Hello, Jane! Are you feeling very emotional this week with all of the celebration of our dads who took on such dangerous missions and went on to raise families quietly, and in my case, never mentioning once the hero that he was or the danger he went through. I was blessed to have him as my dad!
Yes. Feeling very emotional. He was, like your dad, very quiet about his service. He was a hero, navigating in often extremely difficult circumstances with never a single failed mission. A man of few words, he continued to serve in the reserves abd retired as a lieutenant colonel Also a faithful member if his American Legion chapter. I was and am very proud of my dad, especially when he turned against his beloved GOP to vote for LBJ and at the end of his life Al Gore. It's a mercy that he does not have to see the state of his party and our country today. Much as I miss him.
Yes. Yesterday morning especially was a time for emotional remembrance. My dad was one of the 101st paratroopers dropped into Normandy on D-Day. He was jump master for his platoon on one of three planes that made it through the hail of gunfire and he survived the jump only to be captured by the Germans. It is a miracle that I have even been here on this earth. Dad was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Chevalier French Legion of Honour Medal but he never ever talked about his experiences nor thought of himself as a hero. He came home to serve others as an educator. From start to finish, his life was given to service for our country and our citizens. I am blessed.
☘️ Kathleen, please record your Dad’s story in whatever ways you can. These stories must be preserved and shared and not lost. Thank you for sharing it in this community. And thank you to all of you dear ones who have shared the stories of your families. My mom and Aunt Shirl served in the WAVES and my dad and Uncle Arthur served in the Merchant Marines during WW2.
My dad also served on a ship (The USS Maurice J. Manuel, DE 351) that served on convoy duty in the Atlantic and after VE Day, sailed through the Panama Canal to participate in the Liberation of the Philippines and ended the war sailing into Tokyo Harbor as an escort ship to the USS Missouri. Those sailors saw more than their share of combat protecting this country. He was a hero to me and I am thankful he survived, but glad he doesn't have to see that half the people in this country want or seemingly don't care about having a convicted felon as president. If it were not for our parents landing on the beaches on D-Day, many of them would not exist.
My dad was on an LST in the Pacific. They landed the Marines and tanks on the shores. He saw the bombs go off. He was lost in two typhoons, lashed to the engines below decks to keep them going along with other engineers, so the ship wouldn’t sink. He would have been aghast at having a convicted felon running for president, too.
Shelley, you have captured my own feelings perfectly. Because of this newsletter, the comments from readers like you and the community of friends at Swing Left West Valley, I am also able to stay hopeful and positive, and most importantly, keep working towards our goal, along with the hundreds of thousands of people who are writing, calling and canvassing.
I used to live in Arlington, Mass., on the "Battle Road" that stretched between Paul Revere's church where he hung the lanterns--one if by land, two if by sea--and Concord and Lexington, where definitive battles establishing our democracy took place. Arlington was just a little village along the road. (It's now called Massachusetts Avenue.) But there are a number of small, revolutionary-era houses along it, riddled with bullet holes from musket shot, where Colonials stood, and fought the British, and died, defending their dreams of democracy. Arlington is not famous. But citizens fought there. You think you're tired? discouraged? hopeless? Put yourself in their places: short of food and ammunition, attacked by a massive world power, no help anywhere in sight, fearful for the lives of their children but fighting to pull a better future out of the teeth of the monster. Surely we can fight on. Surely we can hold our own "discouragement" at bay. We can keep calling, keep writing postcards, keep writing to journalists, calling/emailing/writing senators and representatives, talking to neighbors, and donating money. Do something everyday. Grit your teeth and fight harder. Don't be a wuss. Fight more, not less. The Arlingtonians did not give in to despair. In the end, they prevailed. But it wasn't easy, and it took years.
The bombardment of outrageous MAGA claims is undeniably hard to take. But that is their game plan, to wear us down to the point that we tune out, tun off and give up. We can't allow that to happen. Stay strong and remember the fight for democracy is neverending. There will always be those that want to take it away. We must do our part to preserve it.
When it comes to our despair, I am now convinced that our commentators and Dem leaders have failed us. How? By not taking the very big-picture view that everything we're seeing flows from a fiercely conservative movement that was overtaken by a new, 21st century type of revolutionary group. They talk about "defending democracy", "respecting and standing up for the rule of law", and the outrageousness of what happened this week. Those noble notions aren't near enough to stand up to the daily assaults of a group that's been determined, for 8+ years, to flood the zone with shit.
The plans of Bannon, Trump, Flynn, Eastman, Giuliani, Miller, et al have unfolded as they had hoped. They have broken the news media environment, damaged the justice system in a dozen ways, destroyed faith in civil servants, seriously endangered fair elections, made disinformation into a mainstream tactic, lowered our bar of decency, numbed us to lies, etc., etc.
Their plan was to NOT use any traditional means to the overthrowing of "the deep state" to accomplish their Christian nationalist right-wing goals. Instead, they were willing to destroy the faith of all non-MAGA people in any and all institutions norms, and ethics that could stand in their way.
That is about as revolutionary as any movement could possibly be. And because it relies through and through on disinformation and relentless attacks, which we had never seen (or even imagined), our defenses against this have been inadequate to say the least. If the Trumpistas succeed, they/we will be left with a wrecked, paranoid, furious, bitterly divided, conspiracy-believing, gun-toting society.
Why haven't we been told that such a long-planned revolution is OBVIOUSLY what is going on? Having that fully explained to the public regularly would, I believe, have helped tremendously with our disorientation and despair, giving us a clear understanding of what's happening, and how to fight back. Democratic leaders would need to frame just what a counterattack would look like, and how each of us can plug-in. That seems very doable to me.
Sadly, I think feeding the daily outrage machine is so profitable for all of the MSM that they can't stop themselves. But even their best opinion writers don't go to the 30,000 foot perspective that I'm talking about. That's what's most depressing to me.
Just like no nation had ever seen anything like the 1930s Nazi propaganda machine, and its awesome effectiveness, no one has seen the 21st-century version of this till now. How did we get so unable to see the forest for the trees?
I have written an Op-Ed about this, gotten advice, reworked it a dozen times, and submitted it to 4 of the nation's largest outlets. All have rejected it. Is that a stylistic choice? Or do they really just not like being faced with such criticism of their model, versus what America desperately now needs to meaningfully survive?
For those who are comparing our present situation to the Titanic disaster,
here is perspective.
The twice impeached, convicted felon, adjudicated rapist can be compared to Captain Smith - convinced the Titanic is unsinkable, set on making the newspaper headlines, pushing the ship to top speeds while IGNORING ALL REPORTS OF ICE.
It was the lower-class passengers who suffered the most casualties, but even some of the wealthiest people in the world who were on board went down with the ship.
The Biden Administration, on the other hand, can be compared to the RMS Carpathia.
It heard the distress call, rushed to the scene, rescued the survivors, attended to the dead, and COMPLETED THE JOURNEY to New York City.
The American Revolution was fought to reject the rule of a mad king.
"And this is the man to whom many evangelical Christians have tied their fate and that of their nation—not to mention their souls and salvation (within their belief framework)."
Following up on President Biden’s speech that “democracy is worth it,” Hillary Clinton (per Joyce Vance) succinctly summed it up:
“Eighty years ago today, thousands of brave Americans fought to protect democracy on the shores of Normandy. This November, all we have to do is vote.” And Joyce lists lots of good actions for us:
When traveling in Normandy, I was struck by how openly people expressed their deep appreciation to Americans for liberation from Nazi occupation—not just on D-Day. Enjoy today’s bells of Lisieux:
Thank you, Ellie Kona and Robert, for your inspirational words and references to Joe Biden's cut-to-the-chase plain speech, "democracy is worth it," and for Hillary Clinton's, "This November, all we have to do is vote," and the comment on the deep appreciation that the French still feel for the Americans and the Allies. Those men and women from so many nations who died in World War II were probably not thinking every day, "Golly, what an honor to be fighting for democracy!" They were scared and exhausted and cold and on constant edge. But they were not "suckers and losers," as Trump would say.
It is salutary to remember too the high price that French civilians paid for the liberation. In just the first 24-hours of that Longest Day of the invasion, over 3,000 French civilians died from bombardment and airstrikes, that's twice the number of American killed in that time frame. And in the weeks of fighting to come, 300 French civilians of St. Lo were killed in Allied bombing, and 1,150 French civilians died in Caen to mention only two other engagements (Source: Antony Beevor, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy (2009), p. 124 and fl.), And yet the French welcomed and honored the soldiers of all nations because they understood what tyranny was and, unlike Donald Trump and his minions, they understood the sorrow and pity of war and did not manifest the belief that at the heart of every human soul rests only greed, hatred, resentment, arrogance, and unenlightened and venal self-interest.
To reiterate Hillary Clinton's words, "All we have to do it vote," but I would add what this community has taught me in the last months. It's NOT enough to just vote, however, important, but we have to work and donate money, even when we know our gifts can be balanced by Trump in an evening by Trump hobnobbing with despicable billionaires, be strategic about our giving and our work, and push on even when we are discouraged, angry, lonely, and racked with grief over the appalling indifference or outright servitude to Trump that many people we know and care about are showing. Fight on!
Patrick, I love your comments. But why do you believe Trump when he says he raised all that money? The Washington Post says he lied 30, 573 times while he was in office. I don't think he's stopped. It's very easy to say you raised $200 million or whatever in one night. But that doesn't mean it's true.
I completely agree that we can't trust Trump or anyone in his campaign to tell the truth about the money he has raised, unless for formal filings, though even there I would want to check twiice, but we have the independent reporting from CNBC and others that "megadonors" such as venture capitalist David Sacks are "shrugging off" the conviction and saying that it will even help Trump raise money. I do not trust the numbers of these gentlemen either, but I don't think it is unlikely that Trump will find continuing support for his run from some of the wealthiest people in the country because 1) he will lower their taxes, 2) they have a predisposition to authoritarianism in their own business dealings (the oligarch temptation); 3) they have long supported Republicans again Democrats. See https://cnb.cx/4bBIoTV.
But you and I have no disagreement on this. The exact size of his support doesn't matter as long as 1) the Democratic Party big donors continue to support Biden-Harris and 2) the rest of us did deep and support down ballot candidates and we are able to hold the Senate, take the House and reelect Biden and 3), we remember Trump and the Republicans have been burning through contributions to pay his legal fees as allowed by the RNC co-chaired by daugher-in-law Lara Trump (see her assault on Larry Hogan, Republican Senate candidate from Maryland and former Governor who had the temerity to support the rule of law as he waited for the verdict in the 34 Trump indictments.
We are in violent agreement. I suppose my main concern is that when Trump "says" he raised $150 million "in one night," it constitutes a message to the undecided that he has a lot of support. If it's a lie, and the $150 million (or whatever amount) was just sitting in the pipeline from a billionaire to be released when needed, we need to send the message that "Trump is lying--again--he's a compulsive serial liar--and that's a bad thing. He lies about raising so much money in one night. He lies about it coming from millions of small donors. He...just...lies." Establish him in the public's mind as a liar. That has not (yet) occurred, IMHO. (I find it tragically funny that Trump's cultists raged endlessly that Michael Cohen was a liar so no one should believe Cohen when he corroborated Trump's crimes.)
You are right! And the comment about MAGA outrage at the Michael Cohen as a liar is so to the point. We have become desensitized to Trumps lies and he consciously or not uses that to lie all the more. My favorite recently is I never said, 'Lock her up!" Roll the tape of Trump saying that over and over, singinig it, dancing to it, etc. And it makes no difference. So we need to call him on it every chance we get. I fear that in the debate with Joe Biden, Trump will simply spew lies and the heads of the audience will be spinning, the moderators will not be able to check him or the facts, and Joe will look risk looking like the 9th grade debate coach trying to check his unruly lying amateur, and the news will be "Biden put on the defense by Trumps forceful attacks," or something like that. Joe needs to be prepared, of course, and we need to be prepared to state the obvious. In intense agreement.
Joe has got to use some skillful means in the debate, no question. He's actually good ar zingers. He's got to go in there no-holds-barred. I hope they let him off the leash. Democrats are too damn nice!!!
Ellie, see my earlier comment. I am going to Belgium in August to meet the children and grandchildren of the townspeople who rescued my dad and 8 other men whose plane crashed nearby, and who brought them to safety and to the care they needed. This is an emotional time for all of us children of the survivors of WWII!
Trump’s answer to the prayer question is indeed a word salad. But it also belies his belief that others are as ethically puerile as himself. “Heaven” ( as he looks upward in faux piety) is the only rationale for moral behavior
in his words. To him everything is transactional. (“What’s in it for them.”)
A truly moral person does not need a promise of “heaven” or the fear of “hell” in order to live
a meaningful life.
The purveyors of “one true religion” do not have a problem with murdering those who believe otherwise.
Frank, you hit the nail on the head! I had included a paragraph about the philosophical underpinnings of Trump's statement, but it grew too long, so I cut it. But you simplified it: Trump's relationship with God is transactional. "What's in it for me?" Thanks!
"A truly moral person does not need a promise of “heaven” or the fear of “hell” in order to live
a meaningful life."
It astounds me that we even have to affirm that. But thanks for doing so.
Trump's transactional attitude is a display of complete immorality. So transparent. So obvious. And yet millions refuse to see it. Refuse to see that they are being played for suckers.
Wise words. Mr. Scarpa and "ethically puerile" is another fine addition to the litany of definitional rooms that exist in the Trump Tower of Donald's psyche.
Sometimes in an evening, I am aware that you are working on writing this newsletter and I thank you. It's tough work and so very valuable. As I read the comments of postcard writers and others feeling discouraged I flashed on the beginning. That fight was soldiers sleeping on the ground, eating badly , being an ocean away from their loved ones and every day wondering if it would be their last day. This fight we get to sleep in our beds, be with our loved ones, take walks to enjoy nature...
Indeed, alone in the middle of the night in your room is not the time to make strategic decisions on what to do. Fellowship is essential. I feel buoyed by those I can have conversation with and those whose well-considered words are an invaluable inspiration.
Those skittering about to please a master who will squash them on a whim do truly live a pathetic existence!
Robert, you have the patience of Job! As is always the case, and most probably to your delight, I've forgotten most all of what I thought to say by the time I get to the comments section. But, here are two good ones I do want to share:
This 54-second clip of President Zelensky of Ukraine engaging with a veteran of WW II. I heard it went viral worldwide. I felt sorry for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau being brushed aside as soon as the vet saw Zelensky standing there. All that applause you hear comes from their interaction.
Then, this 11-minute interview with Tom Hanks from yesterday where he talks about democracy and how it is as much, if not more so, the every day people (that'd be us!) who make it work in good times and in bad. If you'd rather, just skip to minute 7:34 to hear his response to if there is another Trump presidency.
It's very heartening to see many many people, celebrities and 'regular', speaking out about democracy, being encouraging, serving as role models. Makes such a huge difference to SEE and HEAR people like Robert DeNiro, Zelensky, Hanks, and that young woman (can't remember her name this minute...) who's a neighbor of the Alitos (and my sympathy to her; I don't think I've ever had a neighbor like that, thankfully)...
Your newsletter does keep me mostly off the ledge. Yes, events are upsetting now; for me it's the disappointing judicial delays. We watched the D-Day commemoration of ordinary, real heroes who sacrificed so much to beat back evil, and contrast that with demented CFT (convicted felon trump). Fascism and threats to freedom are real, never really go away. This is our duty now. Latch onto any of the many good organizations fighting back. I so appreciate this newsletter highlighting them.
Robert-I listen to your newsletter every morning while I make coffee …it is literally the first thing I do every day. Your words give me hope to get through the day as I ignore the mainstream media and the feces flinging Monkeys of MAGA. My sanity depends on it.
Thank you for your daily dose of facts and hope. ❤️
The news cycle is indeed rough, but I'm not seeing a lack of commitment from those of us who are determined to do what we can to defend democracy. I have set aside a larger budget for donations of what little I have towards Democratic campaigns for the rest of the election cycle. I am about to have a lot of unproductive time as I recover from hip surgery, and I plan to spend it sitting at a table writing postcards. I know others here have their own plans of attack. I am optimistic in terms of where I see the political winds blowing by reading Simon Rosenberg and others. My concerns don't lie with those of us who support Biden and think the good he does far outweighs any negatives. My concern lies with increasing rhetoric from progressives who are getting increasingly more dissatisfied, initially with the situation in Gaza and now after President Biden’s action at the border. “I stand with the ACLU” became a common post on social media this week, and when confronted with the binary choice of Trump versus Biden, I see calls to “burn it down!” This is irrational behavior, not from MAGA faithful, but from people I usually agree with. To the extent I have anxiety over this election, that's where it lies. I would feel better if all our oars were pulling in the same direction. The only remedy I see for this is to row harder.
Wow, you've put a week's worth of messaging into one day's reflection.
There is NO comparison!
Highlighting John E's words:
"I can only tell you how much prouder I was to be an American, both for what he had to say about our country and how we rose to the challenge Germany presented, than I would have been had there been a Convicted Felon standing there, whom I'm sure would have done all he could to have made himself the center of attention, rather than the brave, elderly survivors, eleven of whom received Legion d'Honneur medals from President Macron and kind words from President Biden, who never once tried to upstand the solemnity of the moment.
The contrast between President Biden standing up for democracy and Trump pandering to Putin is glaring. "Dishonoring D‑Day: MAGA Republicans Choose Putin Over Patriots"
Once again, thank you Robert! At Roland Garros stadium where the French Open is currently underway, there is this quote over the center court: “Victory belongs to those who are the most tenacious”. Robert reminds us time and again of the imperative to be tenacious. Don’t let others drive you to despair; fight on!
Good morning, Robert and all. As usual, I got a great deal out of the entire newsletter. But I want to emphasize two things this morning. Thank you so much for the video which is embedded in the article about the now famous neighbor of the Alitos who can present first hand evidence that the justice's patently absurd explanation for an act of treason is not true. Emily Baden is an articulate, intelligent, and very courageous woman and deserves all our gratitude. I'm sure we will see more of her. I also want to thank you for your wonderful concluding remarks. I also sympathize with the reader whocompared our situation to the sinking of the Titanic as well as to the reader who wrote about how discouraged she and many others are at this point. I feel fortunate that, despite bouts of being discouraged, I am able to remain essentially hopeful and able to keep trying to do what I can. There is absolutely no question in my mind that your daily input of realistic hope with all the evidence for it is huge in my being able to do that. And I know for sure I am not alone in feeling that way. Thank you.
Amen. Each of you in your own inimitable way, Robert and Heather, empowered me with wisdom and insights today. Thank you! Heather's comments had me in tears. Robert, your touch points were graphic and stunning. You defined the enormity of our Omaha Beach today. It doesn't take guts, it takes endurance and confidence. Qualities also on display in those fateful days 80 years ago. I gladly accept the challenges we face; we are called to honor. Certainly in a different way than in WWII. But just as critical to democracy.
My dad was in WWII, though not a D-Day participant. Although I miss him terribly since he passed away 11 years ago, I am glad he did not live to see the country he fought to defend as an infantryman descend so LOW as to have a convicted felon as a presumptive nominee for president. Today's R politicians dishonor all those who served and sacrificed and those who sacrificed at home to defend democracy.
JennSH, my dad served in WWII as well. He was a navigator in the Army Air Corps at the time, and was shot down over Belgium by German bombers. Luckily he and 8 other crew members survived, and the wonderful people of the town near where the crash occurred ran to it and helped my dad and others get the care they needed. To this day they celebrate my dad and his fellow crew members on the anniversary of their crash. My daughter and I had already planned a trip to Ireland in August to meet with relatives, and are also spending time in Belgium as well. These remembrances clearly point out the differences between the Felon and those heroes who saved Europe. May God bless their memory, and President Biden for his meaningful words in France!
My wife and I have known Kathleen De Blois for three decades. This is the first time I have heard about her father's service in the Army Air Corps! That is a story that deserves to be told and re-told at every opportunity!
Oh my goodness! I'll have lots more to say after I meet the wonderful people in Belgium in August!
My dad was a navigator in. the US Army Air Corps as well on a B-29 in the Pacific. Thankfully survived and went on to lead a long life.
Hello, Jane! Are you feeling very emotional this week with all of the celebration of our dads who took on such dangerous missions and went on to raise families quietly, and in my case, never mentioning once the hero that he was or the danger he went through. I was blessed to have him as my dad!
Yes. Feeling very emotional. He was, like your dad, very quiet about his service. He was a hero, navigating in often extremely difficult circumstances with never a single failed mission. A man of few words, he continued to serve in the reserves abd retired as a lieutenant colonel Also a faithful member if his American Legion chapter. I was and am very proud of my dad, especially when he turned against his beloved GOP to vote for LBJ and at the end of his life Al Gore. It's a mercy that he does not have to see the state of his party and our country today. Much as I miss him.
Yes. Yesterday morning especially was a time for emotional remembrance. My dad was one of the 101st paratroopers dropped into Normandy on D-Day. He was jump master for his platoon on one of three planes that made it through the hail of gunfire and he survived the jump only to be captured by the Germans. It is a miracle that I have even been here on this earth. Dad was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Chevalier French Legion of Honour Medal but he never ever talked about his experiences nor thought of himself as a hero. He came home to serve others as an educator. From start to finish, his life was given to service for our country and our citizens. I am blessed.
☘️ Kathleen, please record your Dad’s story in whatever ways you can. These stories must be preserved and shared and not lost. Thank you for sharing it in this community. And thank you to all of you dear ones who have shared the stories of your families. My mom and Aunt Shirl served in the WAVES and my dad and Uncle Arthur served in the Merchant Marines during WW2.
My dad also served on a ship (The USS Maurice J. Manuel, DE 351) that served on convoy duty in the Atlantic and after VE Day, sailed through the Panama Canal to participate in the Liberation of the Philippines and ended the war sailing into Tokyo Harbor as an escort ship to the USS Missouri. Those sailors saw more than their share of combat protecting this country. He was a hero to me and I am thankful he survived, but glad he doesn't have to see that half the people in this country want or seemingly don't care about having a convicted felon as president. If it were not for our parents landing on the beaches on D-Day, many of them would not exist.
My dad was on an LST in the Pacific. They landed the Marines and tanks on the shores. He saw the bombs go off. He was lost in two typhoons, lashed to the engines below decks to keep them going along with other engineers, so the ship wouldn’t sink. He would have been aghast at having a convicted felon running for president, too.
Beautiful words, Ray, and so true!
My uncle was at Normandy. He too would be appalled were he still with us.
JennSH, it's your job to do your bit to make him proud again.
I want to ❤️your commment multiple times in case anyone is counting! (Looking at you RH)
Shelley, your post captures my feelings as well. Thank you!
Another ditto from me, Shelly!
Shelley, you have captured my own feelings perfectly. Because of this newsletter, the comments from readers like you and the community of friends at Swing Left West Valley, I am also able to stay hopeful and positive, and most importantly, keep working towards our goal, along with the hundreds of thousands of people who are writing, calling and canvassing.
You are definitely not alone. Thank YOU!
What Shelly said!
I used to live in Arlington, Mass., on the "Battle Road" that stretched between Paul Revere's church where he hung the lanterns--one if by land, two if by sea--and Concord and Lexington, where definitive battles establishing our democracy took place. Arlington was just a little village along the road. (It's now called Massachusetts Avenue.) But there are a number of small, revolutionary-era houses along it, riddled with bullet holes from musket shot, where Colonials stood, and fought the British, and died, defending their dreams of democracy. Arlington is not famous. But citizens fought there. You think you're tired? discouraged? hopeless? Put yourself in their places: short of food and ammunition, attacked by a massive world power, no help anywhere in sight, fearful for the lives of their children but fighting to pull a better future out of the teeth of the monster. Surely we can fight on. Surely we can hold our own "discouragement" at bay. We can keep calling, keep writing postcards, keep writing to journalists, calling/emailing/writing senators and representatives, talking to neighbors, and donating money. Do something everyday. Grit your teeth and fight harder. Don't be a wuss. Fight more, not less. The Arlingtonians did not give in to despair. In the end, they prevailed. But it wasn't easy, and it took years.
The bombardment of outrageous MAGA claims is undeniably hard to take. But that is their game plan, to wear us down to the point that we tune out, tun off and give up. We can't allow that to happen. Stay strong and remember the fight for democracy is neverending. There will always be those that want to take it away. We must do our part to preserve it.
When it comes to our despair, I am now convinced that our commentators and Dem leaders have failed us. How? By not taking the very big-picture view that everything we're seeing flows from a fiercely conservative movement that was overtaken by a new, 21st century type of revolutionary group. They talk about "defending democracy", "respecting and standing up for the rule of law", and the outrageousness of what happened this week. Those noble notions aren't near enough to stand up to the daily assaults of a group that's been determined, for 8+ years, to flood the zone with shit.
The plans of Bannon, Trump, Flynn, Eastman, Giuliani, Miller, et al have unfolded as they had hoped. They have broken the news media environment, damaged the justice system in a dozen ways, destroyed faith in civil servants, seriously endangered fair elections, made disinformation into a mainstream tactic, lowered our bar of decency, numbed us to lies, etc., etc.
Their plan was to NOT use any traditional means to the overthrowing of "the deep state" to accomplish their Christian nationalist right-wing goals. Instead, they were willing to destroy the faith of all non-MAGA people in any and all institutions norms, and ethics that could stand in their way.
That is about as revolutionary as any movement could possibly be. And because it relies through and through on disinformation and relentless attacks, which we had never seen (or even imagined), our defenses against this have been inadequate to say the least. If the Trumpistas succeed, they/we will be left with a wrecked, paranoid, furious, bitterly divided, conspiracy-believing, gun-toting society.
Why haven't we been told that such a long-planned revolution is OBVIOUSLY what is going on? Having that fully explained to the public regularly would, I believe, have helped tremendously with our disorientation and despair, giving us a clear understanding of what's happening, and how to fight back. Democratic leaders would need to frame just what a counterattack would look like, and how each of us can plug-in. That seems very doable to me.
Sadly, I think feeding the daily outrage machine is so profitable for all of the MSM that they can't stop themselves. But even their best opinion writers don't go to the 30,000 foot perspective that I'm talking about. That's what's most depressing to me.
Just like no nation had ever seen anything like the 1930s Nazi propaganda machine, and its awesome effectiveness, no one has seen the 21st-century version of this till now. How did we get so unable to see the forest for the trees?
I have written an Op-Ed about this, gotten advice, reworked it a dozen times, and submitted it to 4 of the nation's largest outlets. All have rejected it. Is that a stylistic choice? Or do they really just not like being faced with such criticism of their model, versus what America desperately now needs to meaningfully survive?
For those who are comparing our present situation to the Titanic disaster,
here is perspective.
The twice impeached, convicted felon, adjudicated rapist can be compared to Captain Smith - convinced the Titanic is unsinkable, set on making the newspaper headlines, pushing the ship to top speeds while IGNORING ALL REPORTS OF ICE.
It was the lower-class passengers who suffered the most casualties, but even some of the wealthiest people in the world who were on board went down with the ship.
The Biden Administration, on the other hand, can be compared to the RMS Carpathia.
It heard the distress call, rushed to the scene, rescued the survivors, attended to the dead, and COMPLETED THE JOURNEY to New York City.
The American Revolution was fought to reject the rule of a mad king.
VOTE TO SAVE DEMOCRACY.
This would make a great LTE. (Sorry, if I'm overstepping here...) Please send it to the Raleigh News and Observer (https://www.newsobserver.com) or the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (https://www.timesunion.com).
I myself am particularly interested in NYS policy-making, so I focus on the Albany Times Union (https://www.timesunion.com).
When I'm feeling down and out and it seems that I can't make a difference in the world, I Google myself and find my published letters.
What a great comparison; hope you can figure out a way to get this out to 'the media' in some way?
Well said, Beverly!
Succinctly said, Beverly!!
Democrats ought to make an ad containing only the clip of Trump orating on his relationship with God.
Afterwhich a voice-over of Robert Hubbell saying,
"And this is the man to whom many evangelical Christians have tied their fate and that of their nation—not to mention their souls and salvation (within their belief framework)."
Yes, indeed, David!
You mean on Trump's LACK of any relationship with ANY deity--other than his most worshipful self, of course.
Fodder for Lincoln Project ad.
Following up on President Biden’s speech that “democracy is worth it,” Hillary Clinton (per Joyce Vance) succinctly summed it up:
“Eighty years ago today, thousands of brave Americans fought to protect democracy on the shores of Normandy. This November, all we have to do is vote.” And Joyce lists lots of good actions for us:
https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/d-day-and-the-importance-of-voting?r=6pp8t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
When traveling in Normandy, I was struck by how openly people expressed their deep appreciation to Americans for liberation from Nazi occupation—not just on D-Day. Enjoy today’s bells of Lisieux:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02UVwqDkXPNZ47eeWwRPKcgDv1qdi1yS1XSPSNuyqA61AmcnwnYqW2odV4VqEua2w7l&id=100064328636075
Thank you, Ellie Kona and Robert, for your inspirational words and references to Joe Biden's cut-to-the-chase plain speech, "democracy is worth it," and for Hillary Clinton's, "This November, all we have to do is vote," and the comment on the deep appreciation that the French still feel for the Americans and the Allies. Those men and women from so many nations who died in World War II were probably not thinking every day, "Golly, what an honor to be fighting for democracy!" They were scared and exhausted and cold and on constant edge. But they were not "suckers and losers," as Trump would say.
It is salutary to remember too the high price that French civilians paid for the liberation. In just the first 24-hours of that Longest Day of the invasion, over 3,000 French civilians died from bombardment and airstrikes, that's twice the number of American killed in that time frame. And in the weeks of fighting to come, 300 French civilians of St. Lo were killed in Allied bombing, and 1,150 French civilians died in Caen to mention only two other engagements (Source: Antony Beevor, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy (2009), p. 124 and fl.), And yet the French welcomed and honored the soldiers of all nations because they understood what tyranny was and, unlike Donald Trump and his minions, they understood the sorrow and pity of war and did not manifest the belief that at the heart of every human soul rests only greed, hatred, resentment, arrogance, and unenlightened and venal self-interest.
To reiterate Hillary Clinton's words, "All we have to do it vote," but I would add what this community has taught me in the last months. It's NOT enough to just vote, however, important, but we have to work and donate money, even when we know our gifts can be balanced by Trump in an evening by Trump hobnobbing with despicable billionaires, be strategic about our giving and our work, and push on even when we are discouraged, angry, lonely, and racked with grief over the appalling indifference or outright servitude to Trump that many people we know and care about are showing. Fight on!
Patrick, I love your comments. But why do you believe Trump when he says he raised all that money? The Washington Post says he lied 30, 573 times while he was in office. I don't think he's stopped. It's very easy to say you raised $200 million or whatever in one night. But that doesn't mean it's true.
I completely agree that we can't trust Trump or anyone in his campaign to tell the truth about the money he has raised, unless for formal filings, though even there I would want to check twiice, but we have the independent reporting from CNBC and others that "megadonors" such as venture capitalist David Sacks are "shrugging off" the conviction and saying that it will even help Trump raise money. I do not trust the numbers of these gentlemen either, but I don't think it is unlikely that Trump will find continuing support for his run from some of the wealthiest people in the country because 1) he will lower their taxes, 2) they have a predisposition to authoritarianism in their own business dealings (the oligarch temptation); 3) they have long supported Republicans again Democrats. See https://cnb.cx/4bBIoTV.
But you and I have no disagreement on this. The exact size of his support doesn't matter as long as 1) the Democratic Party big donors continue to support Biden-Harris and 2) the rest of us did deep and support down ballot candidates and we are able to hold the Senate, take the House and reelect Biden and 3), we remember Trump and the Republicans have been burning through contributions to pay his legal fees as allowed by the RNC co-chaired by daugher-in-law Lara Trump (see her assault on Larry Hogan, Republican Senate candidate from Maryland and former Governor who had the temerity to support the rule of law as he waited for the verdict in the 34 Trump indictments.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/06/republicans-against-rule-law/678590/?gift=Veg9HNWuV8244RvAmBS-6eBWiHR_8NZQiCV_r4iIZwU&utm_source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social
We are in violent agreement. I suppose my main concern is that when Trump "says" he raised $150 million "in one night," it constitutes a message to the undecided that he has a lot of support. If it's a lie, and the $150 million (or whatever amount) was just sitting in the pipeline from a billionaire to be released when needed, we need to send the message that "Trump is lying--again--he's a compulsive serial liar--and that's a bad thing. He lies about raising so much money in one night. He lies about it coming from millions of small donors. He...just...lies." Establish him in the public's mind as a liar. That has not (yet) occurred, IMHO. (I find it tragically funny that Trump's cultists raged endlessly that Michael Cohen was a liar so no one should believe Cohen when he corroborated Trump's crimes.)
You are right! And the comment about MAGA outrage at the Michael Cohen as a liar is so to the point. We have become desensitized to Trumps lies and he consciously or not uses that to lie all the more. My favorite recently is I never said, 'Lock her up!" Roll the tape of Trump saying that over and over, singinig it, dancing to it, etc. And it makes no difference. So we need to call him on it every chance we get. I fear that in the debate with Joe Biden, Trump will simply spew lies and the heads of the audience will be spinning, the moderators will not be able to check him or the facts, and Joe will look risk looking like the 9th grade debate coach trying to check his unruly lying amateur, and the news will be "Biden put on the defense by Trumps forceful attacks," or something like that. Joe needs to be prepared, of course, and we need to be prepared to state the obvious. In intense agreement.
Joe has got to use some skillful means in the debate, no question. He's actually good ar zingers. He's got to go in there no-holds-barred. I hope they let him off the leash. Democrats are too damn nice!!!
Ellie, see my earlier comment. I am going to Belgium in August to meet the children and grandchildren of the townspeople who rescued my dad and 8 other men whose plane crashed nearby, and who brought them to safety and to the care they needed. This is an emotional time for all of us children of the survivors of WWII!
What a wonderful gathering that will be, and with gratitude that the following generations continue that caring memory.
You help us stay strong which is a gift!
Thanks Robert!
Absolutely!! Christopher
Trump’s answer to the prayer question is indeed a word salad. But it also belies his belief that others are as ethically puerile as himself. “Heaven” ( as he looks upward in faux piety) is the only rationale for moral behavior
in his words. To him everything is transactional. (“What’s in it for them.”)
A truly moral person does not need a promise of “heaven” or the fear of “hell” in order to live
a meaningful life.
The purveyors of “one true religion” do not have a problem with murdering those who believe otherwise.
Frank, you hit the nail on the head! I had included a paragraph about the philosophical underpinnings of Trump's statement, but it grew too long, so I cut it. But you simplified it: Trump's relationship with God is transactional. "What's in it for me?" Thanks!
"A truly moral person does not need a promise of “heaven” or the fear of “hell” in order to live
a meaningful life."
It astounds me that we even have to affirm that. But thanks for doing so.
Trump's transactional attitude is a display of complete immorality. So transparent. So obvious. And yet millions refuse to see it. Refuse to see that they are being played for suckers.
Word salad is too nice and kind an expression. I prefer gibberish.
Wise words. Mr. Scarpa and "ethically puerile" is another fine addition to the litany of definitional rooms that exist in the Trump Tower of Donald's psyche.
Sometimes in an evening, I am aware that you are working on writing this newsletter and I thank you. It's tough work and so very valuable. As I read the comments of postcard writers and others feeling discouraged I flashed on the beginning. That fight was soldiers sleeping on the ground, eating badly , being an ocean away from their loved ones and every day wondering if it would be their last day. This fight we get to sleep in our beds, be with our loved ones, take walks to enjoy nature...
And write our postcards, etc.
Indeed, alone in the middle of the night in your room is not the time to make strategic decisions on what to do. Fellowship is essential. I feel buoyed by those I can have conversation with and those whose well-considered words are an invaluable inspiration.
Those skittering about to please a master who will squash them on a whim do truly live a pathetic existence!
Many thanks for your words, Robert.
Me, too, Bruce!
Robert, you have the patience of Job! As is always the case, and most probably to your delight, I've forgotten most all of what I thought to say by the time I get to the comments section. But, here are two good ones I do want to share:
This 54-second clip of President Zelensky of Ukraine engaging with a veteran of WW II. I heard it went viral worldwide. I felt sorry for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau being brushed aside as soon as the vet saw Zelensky standing there. All that applause you hear comes from their interaction.
https://youtu.be/KBofHkLqXZE?si=okXY8vW7oNtCfl5E
Then, this 11-minute interview with Tom Hanks from yesterday where he talks about democracy and how it is as much, if not more so, the every day people (that'd be us!) who make it work in good times and in bad. If you'd rather, just skip to minute 7:34 to hear his response to if there is another Trump presidency.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrUAHQkLKtY
Thanks for the links!
It's very heartening to see many many people, celebrities and 'regular', speaking out about democracy, being encouraging, serving as role models. Makes such a huge difference to SEE and HEAR people like Robert DeNiro, Zelensky, Hanks, and that young woman (can't remember her name this minute...) who's a neighbor of the Alitos (and my sympathy to her; I don't think I've ever had a neighbor like that, thankfully)...
Thanks for sharing these links. Tom Hanks was, as usual, fantastic.
Your newsletter does keep me mostly off the ledge. Yes, events are upsetting now; for me it's the disappointing judicial delays. We watched the D-Day commemoration of ordinary, real heroes who sacrificed so much to beat back evil, and contrast that with demented CFT (convicted felon trump). Fascism and threats to freedom are real, never really go away. This is our duty now. Latch onto any of the many good organizations fighting back. I so appreciate this newsletter highlighting them.
Robert-I listen to your newsletter every morning while I make coffee …it is literally the first thing I do every day. Your words give me hope to get through the day as I ignore the mainstream media and the feces flinging Monkeys of MAGA. My sanity depends on it.
Thank you for your daily dose of facts and hope. ❤️
The news cycle is indeed rough, but I'm not seeing a lack of commitment from those of us who are determined to do what we can to defend democracy. I have set aside a larger budget for donations of what little I have towards Democratic campaigns for the rest of the election cycle. I am about to have a lot of unproductive time as I recover from hip surgery, and I plan to spend it sitting at a table writing postcards. I know others here have their own plans of attack. I am optimistic in terms of where I see the political winds blowing by reading Simon Rosenberg and others. My concerns don't lie with those of us who support Biden and think the good he does far outweighs any negatives. My concern lies with increasing rhetoric from progressives who are getting increasingly more dissatisfied, initially with the situation in Gaza and now after President Biden’s action at the border. “I stand with the ACLU” became a common post on social media this week, and when confronted with the binary choice of Trump versus Biden, I see calls to “burn it down!” This is irrational behavior, not from MAGA faithful, but from people I usually agree with. To the extent I have anxiety over this election, that's where it lies. I would feel better if all our oars were pulling in the same direction. The only remedy I see for this is to row harder.
I wish you a speedy recovery, Dean. And thanks for your commitment and action!
Sharing!
Wow, you've put a week's worth of messaging into one day's reflection.
There is NO comparison!
Highlighting John E's words:
"I can only tell you how much prouder I was to be an American, both for what he had to say about our country and how we rose to the challenge Germany presented, than I would have been had there been a Convicted Felon standing there, whom I'm sure would have done all he could to have made himself the center of attention, rather than the brave, elderly survivors, eleven of whom received Legion d'Honneur medals from President Macron and kind words from President Biden, who never once tried to upstand the solemnity of the moment.
Register Democrats -- save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
I have a monthly donation set up to fieldteam6.
Do people feel that fieldteam6 is the best mechanism for sending post cards? We are sending, via another org, so I'm just wondering.
Thank you for the link. I just donated.
The contrast between President Biden standing up for democracy and Trump pandering to Putin is glaring. "Dishonoring D‑Day: MAGA Republicans Choose Putin Over Patriots"
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/06/06/dishonoring-d-day-maga-republicans-choose-putin-over-
Once again, thank you Robert! At Roland Garros stadium where the French Open is currently underway, there is this quote over the center court: “Victory belongs to those who are the most tenacious”. Robert reminds us time and again of the imperative to be tenacious. Don’t let others drive you to despair; fight on!