I watch the entire address to Congress. The single loudest sound voiced was the grisly crackling of bone from sinew breaking under relentless pressure. The frightening contrast between one side standing, clapping, cheering, jeering repeatedly, and the other siting in motionless mad silence, small signs in hand like shields against the continual onslaught of lies, could not have been more stark or sickening to witness. It was a surreal tableau. The pretense of movement against the actuality of going nowhere producing a seasickness in the conscious of the listener.
The speaker, once he made it to the podium, grabbed onto it with both hands and leaned, bent at the elbow nearly the entire time as if unable to stand poised and balanced on his own two feet for even a moment. It was the perfect metaphoric image of a man without internal structure or strength. A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props. He himself being a mere prop, a talking figurehead saying nothing. The foul stench of old deep corruption fouled the air and sensibilities of those listening. The event was one long desecration.
The vacuum of leadership, the absence consciousness, the mockery of goodness and decency, the swirling gathering darkness, the blinding white hot flashing lies, the darting dark figures only partially visible in daytime gloom, all winding towards an impending storm.
You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls.
Very well written, Bern, poetic in places, too. Best sentence: “A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props.”
Talking about the cavalry coming to our rescue, Stephen Colbert had Pete Buttigieg on his after the speech show. There are three installments on youTube of their conversation. Please watch
Thanks, Stefan. I'd forgotten how much I like Pete. I hope his plan is to become a burr in trump's overloaded saddle. His intelligence, passion, patriotism, and sense of fairness is amazing.
Thank you so much, Stefan, for including these links! I have loved Pete Buttigieg since the first time I saw him and voted for him in the presidential primary a lifetime ago it seems now. What a smart and kind human being he is and what a fabulous president he will make one day, I sincerely hope!
Thank you for the direct links to each video. I loved seeing how fast the views and likes were going up as I watched: over 150k views for the 1st segment & rapidly climbing, approaching 150k views for the 2nd segment (on flipping allegiances). The 3rd segment on resistance deserves more views still under 100k as I watched.
I think Pete is well equipped to be anything he wants politically. He’d be great as a governor, Senator or President and I’d vote for him in ANY of those three positions. He’s good people! Mad respect all the way around. 💕
OMG, Stefan. Am I ever glad you posted these links from Colbert’s response to Trump’s “BULLet” points speech (emphasis on the BULL)😜They are hilarious!!! After I watched these clips, I watched tonight’s Colbert and it was more of the same hilarious humor from the speech. You gotta give it to Trump when it comes to providing stand ups and satirists like Andy Borowitz truly great material to work with! Thank God for people who can see the humor in the tragic—😀there is indeed a fine line between the two!
Oh, I really like my job! I work in an auction house, which also has a retail thing - I research & price used jewelry for retail. One thing I love about the auction world is that they are not agist. They go for people with expertise. I'm a graduate gemologist. The pay isn't great, but at least I have a job at almost 70.
I've been having unexplained dizziy spells. Took me a minute to realize that it happens every time I'm writing, speaking or reading about tRump & his little bouncy buddy Elmo.
Gayle: My digestive system is totally out of whack and I feel stressed out. Are we going to let this poor excuse for a human being make us sick? No we are not!
I watched the whole thing, and then wished I had used the time to catch up on episodes of Doctor Who. It was terrible, but also boring. I enjoyed seeing Bernie looking pissed, and Warren typing into her cell phone. I wonder if she was tracking how many lies he was telling? I was of 2 minds about a lot of things, like whether the Dems should attend, but felt that it was good that they did.
I watched the entire address to Congress. The single loudest sound voiced was the grisly crackling of bone from sinew breaking under relentless pressure. The frightening contrast between one side standing, clapping, cheering, jeering repeatedly, and the other siting in motionless mad silence, small signs in hand like shields against the continual onslaught of lies, could not have been more stark or sickening to witness. It was a surreal tableau. The pretense of movement against the actuality of going nowhere producing a seasickness in the conscious of the listener.
The speaker, once he made it to the podium, grabbed onto it with both hands and leaned, bent at the elbow nearly the entire time as if unable to stand poised and balanced on his own two feet for even a moment. It was the perfect metaphoric image of a man without internal structure or strength. A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props. He himself being a mere prop, a talking figurehead saying nothing. The foul stench of old deep corruption fouled the air and sensibilities of those listening. The event was one long desecration.
The vacuum of leadership, the absence consciousness, the mockery of goodness and decency, the swirling gathering darkness, the blinding white hot flashing lies, the darting dark figures only partially visible in daytime gloom, all winding towards an impending storm.
You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls.
Almost poetic, but offering the clear conclusion: "You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls."
OMG the NYT challenges Trump himself for most misleading statements. Here's just a sampling of what I found and I'm just one guy in his kitchen at 3:30 am:
Re his comments on immigration the Times says Trump was misleading because he promised to get illegal immigrants out "fast" and fast is a relative term. But in the same paragraph he characterized "many" of those immigrants as "murderers, human traffickers and gang members" but apparently the Times doesn't think that "many" is a relative term.
According to the Times, Trump's statement on inflation "lacks context." Well, that may be true, but it also flat out lacks truth. He said that we suffered the worst inflation in 48 years but perhaps even in the history of our country. According to Investopedia, this is flat out wrong both as to the 48 years and the country's entire history. Additionally, the only year inflation under Biden was truly high was 2021, during which Trump was president for a month and the country was suffering the effects of Trump's disastrous handling of Covid. Talk about lacking context!
According to the Times, Trump's bragging about restoring free speech is misleading. They point out that Trump banned the AP from the Oval Office and Air Force One and say that this "arguably" curtails free speech. Arguably?! Really???
The Times says Trump "lacked evidence" for his statement that his tariffs will bring in "trillions and trillions of dollars" while their very own text points out that this is mathematically impossible. Mathematical impossibility would seem to qualify for "false."
The Times characterizes Trump's statement that is administration "inherited an economic catastrophe" as "misleading." The economy was incredibly strong by every measure except arguably inflation and even that was within historic norms by the end of Biden's term. This is flat out wrong and using a non-existent "economic catastrophe" to justify incredibly stupid changes to economic policies and regulations is a lie squared.
Good perceptions and points, Jeff. Trump has so badly degraded public discourse over the last ten years that he can now flat-out blatantly lie... and yet have his falsehoods treated as statements worthy of legitimate discussion and analysis by Big Media. It's frustrating to see this soft-pedaling of again and again in the 'free' press. Whether the NY Times et al do this out of both-siderism habits, obliviousness, or direct support of the there-for-all-to-see hostile authoritarian takeover of the USA, the net effect is complicity.
Above all, thank you for encouraging us to stay strong. It's been a non-stop assault.
That's right -- he did say head of DOGE. Enter as evidence in the DOGE suits, like the AGs entered Leavitt's tweet for the funding freeze case.
And Trump was also, in fact, completely transparent in his thanking Roberts. Inside Job on live TV. Stunning disregard for judicial conduct. Let's see how Roberts tries to uphold the SC reputation now.
The good trouble caused by brave House rep Green induced brownshirt Johnson to forcefully have Green thrown out. I don't recall MTG or Boebert being tossed when they heckled Biden like depraved cheerleaders. Bring on the "free speech" censorship, GOP.
Yes, and i never did learn which congressman said that loudly and rudely....I have to say that last night the democratic folks present behaved with dignity...no yelling, no theatrics (well, not much!) What is mystifying to me is that the repubs were yelling and cheering constantly like they were watching a basketball game. So lame! So immature! Embarrassing! And whistling,too! Good Grief!
... didn't Marjorie Traitor Green yell at him too? Or was that at Biden. She is such a piece of work (I have often wondered if she wanted to be married to tffg - ugh!!).
The best thing I watched yesterday was this Red Wine and Blue interview of Prof. Timothy Snyder as
"The Real State of the Union." It's a richly dense 30 minute listen. Some highlights:
* Lesson #1 of On Tyranny is always the most important: Do not obey in advance.
* Lesson #18: We're already there, so important to stay calm.
* Lesson #19: Claim our signs of patriotism, our flag, the Ukrainian flag, show solidarity.
* Call out the bullying and ganging up on people's being their worst selves, mock them.
* Do small to medium actions on a regular basis with people you like. "Be the boulder slowing the avalanche."
* Make eye contact and small talk with people one on one, listen so they see you as human--preferable to confrontation.
* Public actions and pageantry are most important to be doing now--have a better time than they are having, which is angry grievance. Do joyful, surprising actions that get attention and have a positive message, flashmob mode, like the Tesla protests.
* Participate in protests with experienced people and have a plan; normalize it.
* If you can't go out to protest in person, then help organize, get other people out.
* Boycotts are effective, help change the moral vector of corporations. Do reverse protests to support the "good" companies like Costco.
* On social media, be disciplined to only repost good journalism.
* Pay money to subscribe for the good journalism and support those journalists by sharing online.
* Party politics are important, and celebrate the good politicians, but we can't wait for them. Call, email, write our electeds with efficient communications to get counted. It's up to us to create the moment for them to create the moment, as happened with the members of Congress in front of the Treasury.
I will add one thing to this excellent recount of Professor Snyder's talk which is available on Red Wine & Bkue's FB page. He noted that in conversation with your friends and neighbors who are still in the other camp, not only look them in the eye and listen, but at opportunities call them out as part of the conversation. Don't accuse them of lying, say something like "well actually the ecotnomy was better and even inflation was within historic norms by the end of Biden's term recovered from Trumps handling...etc., etc."
I watched the interview with Professor Timothy and thought it was excellent. The biggest takeaway for me was to allow yourself to do something everyday that gives you pleasure so you don't burn out.
HCR and Simon Rosenberg were a dynamic duo hosted by Commit to Democracy (who will be putting out today’s video). They align with recent messages from Anat Shenker-Osorio and Timothy Snyder to keep raising our voices from the ground up.
Sounds like I missed it (today is Thursday - sometimes it's hard to track messages when no dates are given. If that makes sense). It's too bad HCR doesn't mention her upcoming events on her Substack posts.
I could use that fact that I am in a different time zone as a reason why I did not watch the speech, but I have watched Trump talking only 2 times since he first ran in 2016, and both were briefings on Covid. I also watched about 5 minutes of the Apprentice once, but could not stomach it, which is why I knew I wasn't voting for him the first time he ran, or part of the reason. There has not been one single thing he has done to change my mind about that.
I write to you today as a friend and ally. In times of political turmoil and shifting global dynamics, it is important to remember the deep and lasting connections that bind our two nations. While recent actions by (former) President Trump may have strained diplomatic relationships, I want to be clear that many of us in Canada do not see his policies as a reflection of the American people as a whole.
In fact, his decisions—particularly those imposing tariffs on long-standing allies—have sparked a renewed sense of Canadian pride. We have always valued our identity, culture, and place in the world, but recent events have only strengthened our resolve to stand up for what we cherish.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to represent the kind of leadership that champions democracy, respect, and the belief that all people matter. In contrast, Trump's policies have pushed many Canadians, myself included, to reconsider our travel and spending habits. Where we once visited cities like New York, Boston, or Chicago for weekend getaways, we now choose to explore our own country or travel to destinations like Mexico or the Dominican Republic instead.
For those of you who did not vote for Trump, I can only hope that you find ways to act before his vision reshapes America in ways that are difficult to reverse. The question remains: Where are the Democratic leaders, the members of Congress, and those in the House who have the power to stand up and resist? Now is the time for courage, for conviction, and for decisive action.
As neighbours, we will continue to support the values of democracy, fairness, and global cooperation. Our friendship is stronger than any one political moment, and I trust that, together, we will navigate these times with integrity and hope
We would be very glad to switch chief executives with you. Except that no nation should have to suffer under the authoritarian moron who is Trump. His Republican colleagues are cowards or greedy or greedy cowards and many if not most of the Rs in Congress know Trump is a malignant narcissist but they don’t want Musk and other traitorous billionaires to get them kicked out of office by supporting someone else in their next primary election.
I couldn’t stomach watching what I knew would be a string of lies, boasts, blame, and gaslighting. Nor could I watch the Republicans cheering trump on, especially Mike Johnson with his smarmy smile nodding along. I did watch the strong rebuttal by Ellisa Slotkin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP2s7kWJfd0). Bernie Sanders had a longer one on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlrQKv1vN_4) that was typical Bernie telling it like it is.
I watched on a small screen old iPhone. But even then, listened more than watched.
The Democratic resistance - seated, mostly silent, holding up little corrective signs for viewers - got to Trump. Half the room not taking the bait or kissing the ring. Some not showing up at all. Some walking out.
Thank you for posting the rebuttal speech. I was really impressed with Ellisa Slotkin on the way she was trying to reach all Americans, even pointing out that she was raised with a father who was Republican and a mother who was Democrat. Quite the contrast from Katie Britt's rebuttal speech.
Thanks for posting the link to Bernie’s superb 20 minute response to Trump. Every American should watch or listen to the speech, even if they don’t agree with all of it.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech last nite was a reminder of what sincerity looks like. Seeing an hour and 3/4 of Trump's charade was another reality check -- let's stay sane while staring down heartless verbiage and more lies than are countable. Trudeau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83f47jIS_D8
My Canadian family and friends are righteously very angry. I have never seen such indignation…it is so “unCanadian”. But Prime Minister Trudeau spoke truthfully and forcefully and Canadians welcomed his words.
I have been communicating with my high school friend who married a Canadian and has lived there for 50 years. She says that yes, Canadians are angry and in shock that Trump has turned against them but also that she has never seen Canada more united. And that people from all parties are all in on the boycotts.
I thought Bernie Sanders rebuttal was very thoughtful and covered what I wish we might have heard from Trump! Bernie did a fantastic job with a rebuttal!
Trump thanked Roberts because Trump thinks Roberts did him a favor. And he's right. Roberts did him more than one favor. Immunity and no evidence. This is consistent with Trump being angry at Zelensky because Zelensky refused to do him the favor he asked of him when Trump wanted Zelensky to go after Joe Biden. He likes Putin more than Europe because Putin did him favors going after Hilary and Kamala. Nothing complicated about all of this. It's horrible, but true.
Even better than Senator Schiff's summary of Trump's pathetic speech is Bernie Sander's - Bernie gives a great list of talking points about what Donald Did Not Say..Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/QlrQKv1vN_4?feature=shared.
And to add a little note of cheer - over 500 voters stood outside Virginia's District 6 Congressman's office yesterday calling for a Town Hall that he refuses to hold!!! His office was locked and shuttered. Call your elected officials AGAIN today and find a little joy in your day.
Another yawn fest laced with lies and nonsense that went on forever. Seen one, seen ‘em all. I don’t know why so many Dems showed up. We’ve got to derail this process…our hope lies in the special elections coming up. Keep the faith and “Illegitimous non Carborumdum”….don’t let the bastards west you down.
If I were Schuman and Jeffries I would have proposed that Dems not show up for the State of the Union and instead hold town hall meetings with their constituents. Imagine what that would have looked like! Half the room empty, for the entire nation and the world to see clearly who supports the mad king!
I sincerely think that the Dem Congress lacks imagination on how to stand in opposition. They need our help.
What are your thoughts on what they can do going forward? Let’s make a list and send it to them.
I heard if Dems didn’t show up, Rs would have filled their seats with their staffers. Imagine even more cheering from the right. It would have looked like trump had all of the support.
I watch the entire address to Congress. The single loudest sound voiced was the grisly crackling of bone from sinew breaking under relentless pressure. The frightening contrast between one side standing, clapping, cheering, jeering repeatedly, and the other siting in motionless mad silence, small signs in hand like shields against the continual onslaught of lies, could not have been more stark or sickening to witness. It was a surreal tableau. The pretense of movement against the actuality of going nowhere producing a seasickness in the conscious of the listener.
The speaker, once he made it to the podium, grabbed onto it with both hands and leaned, bent at the elbow nearly the entire time as if unable to stand poised and balanced on his own two feet for even a moment. It was the perfect metaphoric image of a man without internal structure or strength. A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props. He himself being a mere prop, a talking figurehead saying nothing. The foul stench of old deep corruption fouled the air and sensibilities of those listening. The event was one long desecration.
The vacuum of leadership, the absence consciousness, the mockery of goodness and decency, the swirling gathering darkness, the blinding white hot flashing lies, the darting dark figures only partially visible in daytime gloom, all winding towards an impending storm.
You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls.
Very well written, Bern, poetic in places, too. Best sentence: “A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props.”
Talking about the cavalry coming to our rescue, Stephen Colbert had Pete Buttigieg on his after the speech show. There are three installments on youTube of their conversation. Please watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMFYTczHpv0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVNKasTrY_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfelwch5INA
Thanks, Stefan. I'd forgotten how much I like Pete. I hope his plan is to become a burr in trump's overloaded saddle. His intelligence, passion, patriotism, and sense of fairness is amazing.
YES! Anyone know what his plans are?
Pete might, and maybe Chastain. The public rumors are either Governor since Whitmer is term limited or the Senate.
Non-committal for the time. Colbert asks him at the end of the conversation.
I haven't finished watching yet, but will do so later today. I'm a fan of both of them!
Thank you so much, Stefan, for including these links! I have loved Pete Buttigieg since the first time I saw him and voted for him in the presidential primary a lifetime ago it seems now. What a smart and kind human being he is and what a fabulous president he will make one day, I sincerely hope!
Impressive how angry pursed lips can speak so evenly.
Thank you for the direct links to each video. I loved seeing how fast the views and likes were going up as I watched: over 150k views for the 1st segment & rapidly climbing, approaching 150k views for the 2nd segment (on flipping allegiances). The 3rd segment on resistance deserves more views still under 100k as I watched.
I think Pete is well equipped to be anything he wants politically. He’d be great as a governor, Senator or President and I’d vote for him in ANY of those three positions. He’s good people! Mad respect all the way around. 💕
I still have my Buttigieg 2020 bumper sticker on my car. I figure I can change the zero to an 8 in 2028.
Thanks for those links, Stefan.
OMG, Stefan. Am I ever glad you posted these links from Colbert’s response to Trump’s “BULLet” points speech (emphasis on the BULL)😜They are hilarious!!! After I watched these clips, I watched tonight’s Colbert and it was more of the same hilarious humor from the speech. You gotta give it to Trump when it comes to providing stand ups and satirists like Andy Borowitz truly great material to work with! Thank God for people who can see the humor in the tragic—😀there is indeed a fine line between the two!
Colbert is the best! Borowitz too! They provide much needed comic relief, while still telling us what's going on - especially Colbert, of course.
Thank you for this. I record Colbert but do not always watch it. Definitely pulling this one up to watch right now.
Thanks. I'll watch tonight, after work.
Exactly what are you doing at work? (-:
Oh, I really like my job! I work in an auction house, which also has a retail thing - I research & price used jewelry for retail. One thing I love about the auction world is that they are not agist. They go for people with expertise. I'm a graduate gemologist. The pay isn't great, but at least I have a job at almost 70.
Thank you!
Thank you. I couldn’t bear to watch. Thank you for an excellent description.
I quit watching after 10 minutes of his “speech.” Just couldn’t make myself watch something that was only elevating my blood pressure!
I've been having unexplained dizziy spells. Took me a minute to realize that it happens every time I'm writing, speaking or reading about tRump & his little bouncy buddy Elmo.
I developed a stress-induced back muscle spasm.
Oh wow! My back pains too???
Gayle: My digestive system is totally out of whack and I feel stressed out. Are we going to let this poor excuse for a human being make us sick? No we are not!
Just a note, we are the cavalry, hopefully riding to the rescue soon. Calvary was/is the hill on which Jesus was crucified.
It's hard to remember the spelling difference.
And Spellchecker is certainly no help. What we're going through does seem a bit like crucifixion though.
Horrible similarity but horribly true. On Ash Wednesday.
Look on the Bright Side of Life?
Excellent, Bern! If you weren't describing a $#!+show, this would be a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Excellent, your review should be on the front page of every paper Nation wide
I watched the whole thing, and then wished I had used the time to catch up on episodes of Doctor Who. It was terrible, but also boring. I enjoyed seeing Bernie looking pissed, and Warren typing into her cell phone. I wonder if she was tracking how many lies he was telling? I was of 2 minds about a lot of things, like whether the Dems should attend, but felt that it was good that they did.
This is so well written. Thank you.
I watched the entire address to Congress. The single loudest sound voiced was the grisly crackling of bone from sinew breaking under relentless pressure. The frightening contrast between one side standing, clapping, cheering, jeering repeatedly, and the other siting in motionless mad silence, small signs in hand like shields against the continual onslaught of lies, could not have been more stark or sickening to witness. It was a surreal tableau. The pretense of movement against the actuality of going nowhere producing a seasickness in the conscious of the listener.
The speaker, once he made it to the podium, grabbed onto it with both hands and leaned, bent at the elbow nearly the entire time as if unable to stand poised and balanced on his own two feet for even a moment. It was the perfect metaphoric image of a man without internal structure or strength. A soft wax figure, without inspiration, prerecorded sounds coming out of his mouth, unable to achieve uprightness without props. He himself being a mere prop, a talking figurehead saying nothing. The foul stench of old deep corruption fouled the air and sensibilities of those listening. The event was one long desecration.
The vacuum of leadership, the absence consciousness, the mockery of goodness and decency, the swirling gathering darkness, the blinding white hot flashing lies, the darting dark figures only partially visible in daytime gloom, all winding towards an impending storm.
You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls.
Almost poetic, but offering the clear conclusion: "You and I are the only calvary. The horn sounds, calling us to do the right thing, to do our duty, to do what must be done. We bring our light and dispel darkness or abandon hope, move to shelter, leaving our fate in the hands of others. The choice and outcome remains in our voice, in our hands. Each day, with each of us, democracy, goodness, truth, and justice stands or falls."
Thank you for your vivid, well written description of last night's lack of substance. I read my book and enjoyed the evening.
I appreciate this description—vivid writing. Thank you for watching. I could not bear to.
Your description is exquisite to read. Thank you.
OMG the NYT challenges Trump himself for most misleading statements. Here's just a sampling of what I found and I'm just one guy in his kitchen at 3:30 am:
Re his comments on immigration the Times says Trump was misleading because he promised to get illegal immigrants out "fast" and fast is a relative term. But in the same paragraph he characterized "many" of those immigrants as "murderers, human traffickers and gang members" but apparently the Times doesn't think that "many" is a relative term.
According to the Times, Trump's statement on inflation "lacks context." Well, that may be true, but it also flat out lacks truth. He said that we suffered the worst inflation in 48 years but perhaps even in the history of our country. According to Investopedia, this is flat out wrong both as to the 48 years and the country's entire history. Additionally, the only year inflation under Biden was truly high was 2021, during which Trump was president for a month and the country was suffering the effects of Trump's disastrous handling of Covid. Talk about lacking context!
According to the Times, Trump's bragging about restoring free speech is misleading. They point out that Trump banned the AP from the Oval Office and Air Force One and say that this "arguably" curtails free speech. Arguably?! Really???
The Times says Trump "lacked evidence" for his statement that his tariffs will bring in "trillions and trillions of dollars" while their very own text points out that this is mathematically impossible. Mathematical impossibility would seem to qualify for "false."
The Times characterizes Trump's statement that is administration "inherited an economic catastrophe" as "misleading." The economy was incredibly strong by every measure except arguably inflation and even that was within historic norms by the end of Biden's term. This is flat out wrong and using a non-existent "economic catastrophe" to justify incredibly stupid changes to economic policies and regulations is a lie squared.
I could go on but feh. Embarrassing.
A once great paper. Not any longer. What a shame.
Good perceptions and points, Jeff. Trump has so badly degraded public discourse over the last ten years that he can now flat-out blatantly lie... and yet have his falsehoods treated as statements worthy of legitimate discussion and analysis by Big Media. It's frustrating to see this soft-pedaling of again and again in the 'free' press. Whether the NY Times et al do this out of both-siderism habits, obliviousness, or direct support of the there-for-all-to-see hostile authoritarian takeover of the USA, the net effect is complicity.
That's why I've cancelled my subscription. To me, the Times cowardice had been apparent for while.
The Orange one did confirm one thing. He said Musk is the head of DOGE. . .
The courts will be on that! Oh yes.
Yes he did! And Rachel Maddow said that that statement would end up in court.
That is not a lie!!!
Above all, thank you for encouraging us to stay strong. It's been a non-stop assault.
That's right -- he did say head of DOGE. Enter as evidence in the DOGE suits, like the AGs entered Leavitt's tweet for the funding freeze case.
And Trump was also, in fact, completely transparent in his thanking Roberts. Inside Job on live TV. Stunning disregard for judicial conduct. Let's see how Roberts tries to uphold the SC reputation now.
The good trouble caused by brave House rep Green induced brownshirt Johnson to forcefully have Green thrown out. I don't recall MTG or Boebert being tossed when they heckled Biden like depraved cheerleaders. Bring on the "free speech" censorship, GOP.
Also didn't someone yell at Obama that he was a liar during a speech?
Yes, and i never did learn which congressman said that loudly and rudely....I have to say that last night the democratic folks present behaved with dignity...no yelling, no theatrics (well, not much!) What is mystifying to me is that the repubs were yelling and cheering constantly like they were watching a basketball game. So lame! So immature! Embarrassing! And whistling,too! Good Grief!
What I remember was that Obama criticized the Citizens United decision and Judge Alito yelled "you lie!" At the time it was a big deal.
Alito's sneering contempt is legion. Obama was right to criticize C U. It opened the floodgates to where we find ourselves now.
... didn't Marjorie Traitor Green yell at him too? Or was that at Biden. She is such a piece of work (I have often wondered if she wanted to be married to tffg - ugh!!).
The best thing I watched yesterday was this Red Wine and Blue interview of Prof. Timothy Snyder as
"The Real State of the Union." It's a richly dense 30 minute listen. Some highlights:
* Lesson #1 of On Tyranny is always the most important: Do not obey in advance.
* Lesson #18: We're already there, so important to stay calm.
* Lesson #19: Claim our signs of patriotism, our flag, the Ukrainian flag, show solidarity.
* Call out the bullying and ganging up on people's being their worst selves, mock them.
* Do small to medium actions on a regular basis with people you like. "Be the boulder slowing the avalanche."
* Make eye contact and small talk with people one on one, listen so they see you as human--preferable to confrontation.
* Public actions and pageantry are most important to be doing now--have a better time than they are having, which is angry grievance. Do joyful, surprising actions that get attention and have a positive message, flashmob mode, like the Tesla protests.
* Participate in protests with experienced people and have a plan; normalize it.
* If you can't go out to protest in person, then help organize, get other people out.
* Boycotts are effective, help change the moral vector of corporations. Do reverse protests to support the "good" companies like Costco.
* On social media, be disciplined to only repost good journalism.
* Pay money to subscribe for the good journalism and support those journalists by sharing online.
* Party politics are important, and celebrate the good politicians, but we can't wait for them. Call, email, write our electeds with efficient communications to get counted. It's up to us to create the moment for them to create the moment, as happened with the members of Congress in front of the Treasury.
https://youtu.be/ZQqLRew4F1g?si=8Djh1TCTjhhS4Hcq
I will add one thing to this excellent recount of Professor Snyder's talk which is available on Red Wine & Bkue's FB page. He noted that in conversation with your friends and neighbors who are still in the other camp, not only look them in the eye and listen, but at opportunities call them out as part of the conversation. Don't accuse them of lying, say something like "well actually the ecotnomy was better and even inflation was within historic norms by the end of Biden's term recovered from Trumps handling...etc., etc."
I watched the interview with Professor Timothy and thought it was excellent. The biggest takeaway for me was to allow yourself to do something everyday that gives you pleasure so you don't burn out.
Thank you, this is great information.
Thank you. I'll try to watch. Meanwhile, isn't HCR doing a thing tonight? I can't keep up.
HCR and Simon Rosenberg were a dynamic duo hosted by Commit to Democracy (who will be putting out today’s video). They align with recent messages from Anat Shenker-Osorio and Timothy Snyder to keep raising our voices from the ground up.
Sounds like I missed it (today is Thursday - sometimes it's hard to track messages when no dates are given. If that makes sense). It's too bad HCR doesn't mention her upcoming events on her Substack posts.
The Commit to Democracy folks said they’d have the recording ready next week.
https://www.commit2democracy.com/
So, they'll post something about it?
That's what the Commit to Democracy folks said during the zoom.
I did not watch.Plugged in my head phones and danced last night so I could re-energize for The Resistance….🎼🩰
Didn’t watch either. Watched something much more substantive: Sister Boniface Mysteries on BritBox. 😂
I could use that fact that I am in a different time zone as a reason why I did not watch the speech, but I have watched Trump talking only 2 times since he first ran in 2016, and both were briefings on Covid. I also watched about 5 minutes of the Apprentice once, but could not stomach it, which is why I knew I wasn't voting for him the first time he ran, or part of the reason. There has not been one single thing he has done to change my mind about that.
Dear American Neighbours,
I write to you today as a friend and ally. In times of political turmoil and shifting global dynamics, it is important to remember the deep and lasting connections that bind our two nations. While recent actions by (former) President Trump may have strained diplomatic relationships, I want to be clear that many of us in Canada do not see his policies as a reflection of the American people as a whole.
In fact, his decisions—particularly those imposing tariffs on long-standing allies—have sparked a renewed sense of Canadian pride. We have always valued our identity, culture, and place in the world, but recent events have only strengthened our resolve to stand up for what we cherish.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to represent the kind of leadership that champions democracy, respect, and the belief that all people matter. In contrast, Trump's policies have pushed many Canadians, myself included, to reconsider our travel and spending habits. Where we once visited cities like New York, Boston, or Chicago for weekend getaways, we now choose to explore our own country or travel to destinations like Mexico or the Dominican Republic instead.
For those of you who did not vote for Trump, I can only hope that you find ways to act before his vision reshapes America in ways that are difficult to reverse. The question remains: Where are the Democratic leaders, the members of Congress, and those in the House who have the power to stand up and resist? Now is the time for courage, for conviction, and for decisive action.
As neighbours, we will continue to support the values of democracy, fairness, and global cooperation. Our friendship is stronger than any one political moment, and I trust that, together, we will navigate these times with integrity and hope
Thank you for your unwavering friendship.
We would be very glad to switch chief executives with you. Except that no nation should have to suffer under the authoritarian moron who is Trump. His Republican colleagues are cowards or greedy or greedy cowards and many if not most of the Rs in Congress know Trump is a malignant narcissist but they don’t want Musk and other traitorous billionaires to get them kicked out of office by supporting someone else in their next primary election.
I couldn’t stomach watching what I knew would be a string of lies, boasts, blame, and gaslighting. Nor could I watch the Republicans cheering trump on, especially Mike Johnson with his smarmy smile nodding along. I did watch the strong rebuttal by Ellisa Slotkin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP2s7kWJfd0). Bernie Sanders had a longer one on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlrQKv1vN_4) that was typical Bernie telling it like it is.
I watched on a small screen old iPhone. But even then, listened more than watched.
The Democratic resistance - seated, mostly silent, holding up little corrective signs for viewers - got to Trump. Half the room not taking the bait or kissing the ring. Some not showing up at all. Some walking out.
Good visuals. Good job Dems.
Thanks for reporting. I was hoping they would walk out!
Seemed like the Dem area was not full in the beginning and half empty at the end. I was happy when Green yelled at 47!
Good! I hope it did get to Trump. He is not used to being called a liar.
Thank you for posting the rebuttal speech. I was really impressed with Ellisa Slotkin on the way she was trying to reach all Americans, even pointing out that she was raised with a father who was Republican and a mother who was Democrat. Quite the contrast from Katie Britt's rebuttal speech.
Thanks for posting the link to Bernie’s superb 20 minute response to Trump. Every American should watch or listen to the speech, even if they don’t agree with all of it.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech last nite was a reminder of what sincerity looks like. Seeing an hour and 3/4 of Trump's charade was another reality check -- let's stay sane while staring down heartless verbiage and more lies than are countable. Trudeau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83f47jIS_D8
My Canadian family and friends are righteously very angry. I have never seen such indignation…it is so “unCanadian”. But Prime Minister Trudeau spoke truthfully and forcefully and Canadians welcomed his words.
I have been communicating with my high school friend who married a Canadian and has lived there for 50 years. She says that yes, Canadians are angry and in shock that Trump has turned against them but also that she has never seen Canada more united. And that people from all parties are all in on the boycotts.
Don’t forget, Putin got the keys to Cybersecurity City.
We are so screwed.
TD: "We are so screwed."
We are so pushing back.
Events | 50501 Movement
.https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events.
I thought Bernie Sanders rebuttal was very thoughtful and covered what I wish we might have heard from Trump! Bernie did a fantastic job with a rebuttal!
Trump thanked Roberts because Trump thinks Roberts did him a favor. And he's right. Roberts did him more than one favor. Immunity and no evidence. This is consistent with Trump being angry at Zelensky because Zelensky refused to do him the favor he asked of him when Trump wanted Zelensky to go after Joe Biden. He likes Putin more than Europe because Putin did him favors going after Hilary and Kamala. Nothing complicated about all of this. It's horrible, but true.
Even better than Senator Schiff's summary of Trump's pathetic speech is Bernie Sander's - Bernie gives a great list of talking points about what Donald Did Not Say..Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/QlrQKv1vN_4?feature=shared.
And to add a little note of cheer - over 500 voters stood outside Virginia's District 6 Congressman's office yesterday calling for a Town Hall that he refuses to hold!!! His office was locked and shuttered. Call your elected officials AGAIN today and find a little joy in your day.
Another yawn fest laced with lies and nonsense that went on forever. Seen one, seen ‘em all. I don’t know why so many Dems showed up. We’ve got to derail this process…our hope lies in the special elections coming up. Keep the faith and “Illegitimous non Carborumdum”….don’t let the bastards west you down.
If I were Schuman and Jeffries I would have proposed that Dems not show up for the State of the Union and instead hold town hall meetings with their constituents. Imagine what that would have looked like! Half the room empty, for the entire nation and the world to see clearly who supports the mad king!
I sincerely think that the Dem Congress lacks imagination on how to stand in opposition. They need our help.
What are your thoughts on what they can do going forward? Let’s make a list and send it to them.
I heard if Dems didn’t show up, Rs would have filled their seats with their staffers. Imagine even more cheering from the right. It would have looked like trump had all of the support.
Ah! Got it!
Jeffries and Ken Paxton are having some type of mass meeting tonite to explain their plan of action. Just a fyi
Again, a day late, a dollar short.
Yes. Again simply sharing their response. I had deleted my statement that I will be watching Simon Rosenberg's livestream tonite for subscribers.
See elsewhere my comments about my Congresswoman Foushee's boycott.
Ken Paxton???????
Ken Martin. Sorry. And the person to call on me.