I agree that the time to be polite is long past. The truth is the truth, and we must say it unvarnished. Al Green was demonstrative in a wholly necessary way. Trump is a power-hungry dictator grasping whatever he can claw back for himself, and we should shout him down as we call him out for it in Congress, the Senate, the courts, and the town squares. Aggressively fighting for truth, justice and the American way is not a vice. And what Trump is doing is not the American way, as he knows so very well. He is a dictator-in-progress and a traitor, and I have had it with him.
Here's opportunity to listen to the perspective of 2 former Congressional staffers (Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, founders of Indivisible.org) who are in the know about the context for the various actions taken by the Dems attending Trump's speech to Congress, AND to get grounded on what we can and need to do for resistance:
Wow! I listened to the recording, and those guys are amazing. They have a very well-thought-out strategy with actionable steps. It was very encouraging to listen to them.
I’m so glad you posted this because I missed the Zoom and I’m glad they addressed the censure vote. They also discussed the move to end temporary protected status of Ukrainian and other refugees here, and to deport these people which we need to stand against. I wonder if this could be pinned to the top because Indivisible is helping us coordinate actions and reporting on what’s working: Calling our Members of Congress and what to say, requesting town halls or holding empty chair town halls, and upcoming, a large coordinated action (with other groups) coming up on April 5.
I'm going to disagree with you, and with a lot of progressives on the Rep. Green story. I'm a member of a progressive group, and they were demanding a full on attack of the Democrats who voted for censure.
Those Democrats live in swing or red districts where Trump won in 2024. They have to show their Republican constituents that they hear them too, or we lose those seats. Sometimes they need to vote with the Republicans.
Rep. Green knew that speaking out during Trump's speech was wrong, and there would be consequences , but he has no regrets. There is no punishment for a censure, except for saying there was one.
I think the scenario worked out perfectly. No, there didn't need to be others that joined him. The image of this elderly Black man who had gone to jail with John Lewis during the civil rights movement, standing alone, shaking his cane, and speaking out for the people of America needed nothing else.
Getting back to those ten Democrats who voted for censure. Democrats have this purity test for every little thing rather than looking at the big picture. There will be important votes where we need their support, but this was not one of them. Also, when that time comes, can we please be civil.
This from MEIDAS+
… A consistent trend for House Dems who voted with Republicans to censure Al Green is that almost all are in tough swing districts, some won by Trump: Bera, Case, Costa, Gillen, Himes, Houlahan, Kaptur, Moskowitz, Perez, Souzzi. A lot of people were upset by these votes, and I totally get that, but the reality is that Green didn’t care. He wanted to be censured to wear it like a badge of honor. The last Dem to get censured was Adam Schiff - and he used it to get elected to the Senate.
… That will not be happening for Green, but I think he was perfectly happy with how everything played out.
Thank you for your explanation, and your comments in the thread. While I disliked that the 10 Dems were forced to vote with the Repubs in favor of censure, in this case it did not matter that they did because the end result would be unchanged. However I do think that if some or most of the Dems did walk out with Rep. Green, that would have been a more stirring image than their apparent resigned acceptance of FFOTUS's evisceration of our government. But at the same time their decision to stay and listen to the longest ever such "SOTU" was probably its own punishment.
I do sympathize with the swing district vulnerability.
But can you define what is "wrong" with civil protest, in our esteemed bicameral venue designed as chamber that represents We The People, that conducts a full on, right wing extremist propaganda spectacle? Should we not have our reps speak truth to power in such a biased media environment? I see nothing wrong with this. This is peaceful protest that corrects propaganda, at the source for the population.
Dan, those people also represent the republicans who live in their district. We have to stop acting as if they only represent democrats. We need to keep these democrats in their seats. They are with us, but they also are walking a fine line. Some battles are not only not worth fighting, they actually work against our best interests. There is a possibility of being able to win the war by letting some of the battles slide.
Yes, this is true too, and I’m familiar with Perez. It’s a very fine needle to thread. One other part of the calculus here is what the effect is in terms of emboldening and unifying voters around the righteous display of good trouble and speaking truth to power, in many other districts around the country. There’s a great appetite now for more, and this too crosses into Republican + districts (e g, the town halls that GOP just cancelled). Playing to potential losses can overlook gains to be captured elsewhere. We are in a paradigm shift, like a post truth Realpolitik with severe consequences. I honestly don’t have all the answers, but appreciate your insights.
This 'red state Dems must bow to Republican bad acts' argument does not hold in this case. Moderate Democrats in very endangered seats in 'red' districts voted NO. Their coalitions include a wide range of moderates and progressives, who they also represent by slim but winning margins and whose votes they can't afford to lose.
The vote to censure Green was a gratuitous exercise in Republican bullying at best and Republican terrorism at worst. They picked the wrong man, Green won't bow, but it wasn't about Green it was about intimidating others. Across government people are now self censoring to avoid Republican threats of retribution against themselves and families. Several of the 10 who bowed to MAGA are senior citizens close to or above retirement age - who can afford to show some ethical courage.
Thank you Lin. I didn't know all these details but the basic premise I agree with. There's a calculus at play -- vulnerable Dems have to toe the line to protect their slim wins, vs. potential gains in other areas if we play to the mass increase for civic protest from reps and citizens. My feeling, because it is difficult to play out over all states, is to lean into the moment and embolden other districts and voters to vote blue next election. The severity of the moment seems to encourage the actions and I just have trouble seeing the strategic gain from censuring Green's protest. In a different climate, perhaps.
Yes, I'm for a full on attack of Republicans, but do we really need to be mean to our people too? John Fetterman, maybe, but I am familiar with Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's district, and it was a miracle she was elected the first time, and the re-elected in a very red district.
Were not reps MTG and Boebert despicable to Biden? Rep. Green was not cynical -- he was objecting to policies that would harm his constituents, and many across the country.
Yes, what Republicans have done in the past during State of the Union addresses is despicable, but don't you see how Rep. Green worked this in our favor?
Rep. Green's protest was spot on perfect. Did you know that he directed people to watch the censure vote and his speech after the vote? Did you see him with 20 Democrats sing "We Shall Overcome" in the well of the House? My issue is that I don't think we need to beat up on the 10 Democrats who voted for censure.
You know how crazy Joe Kent is, and the next time they will run a more acceptable Republican candidate, and we will lose that seat. Rep. Perez is a good person, and doing the best she can.
Not mean, but yes to emphatically demanding that they get much louder and active in their opposition. Perez can go back to her folks and explain what is actually happening what her constituents stand to lose. This is no time for politics as usual.
I appreciate your and similar thoughts on this subject - those who did not vote might have some misgivings but it could be argued that they did not want to join in a vote that was no doubt politically motivated - the GOP side of the aisle has allowed for Marjorie Taylor Green, for example, to ignore all rules of decorum on an almost daily basis, both in and outside the chamber. Would silence - the refusal to join the action - with press statements decorum should apply for ALL members, and no doubt if the speech was across the aisle, it might have been disapproved by some Republicans, but a censure would have failed.
Exactly! The censure was a non-event giving good cover for swing district reps. Let's be at least a little bit practical here. Rep. Green was well within his rights and politics to protest as he did and I support him but that is a completely different matter from the censure vote. This is politics, folks. Let's keep our heads in the game and our eyes on the prize.
And while I'm at it, why does thinking that individuals born male shouldn't play on women's sports teams mean that one doesn't support trans rights? Democrats do themselves no favors making it yet another litmus test when the equities are at best mixed and the related science/medical issues are murky at best to most Americans.
Yes, Democrats have a purity test problem. Candidates are elected to represent the people in their district. Someone in Nebraska is not elected to represent me.
My first reaction is to disagree with you on trans rights in women's sports, but I see your point. I just wish I didn't feel like I was betraying the Democrats by changing my mind. Thanks for bringing it up.
I'd like to think that are 2 acceptable Dem/liberal views on the trans people in sports question: (i)They belong and they deserve our support on this and other issues and (ii) I'm not sure about this sports thing and may even be against it but I support trans rights generally. Unfortunately, the 3rd view seems to have a lot of sway and that is if you're against trans women in sports you're against trans people in general and furthermore you're not one of us. I think the latter view is wrong on multiple counts.
Very well said. I'm going to use your comments in conversations, and get more information. I know Martina Navratilova is getting slammed for her stance on it, and I've always been a fan of hers.
Thanks for your comment,Kate.I’m in Florida,not in Rep Moskowitz’ district although I did call his office and politely told the staffer I supported Rep Green’s actions as he was standing up and speaking out for all of us at a time when we felt abandoned by Dem legislators.
I agree. I don't know the details of the other 9 who voted for censure, but I know about Rep Marie G-Perez from SW WA state. She twice barely defeated an extreme, billionaire backed, MAGA man, winning by recount. She is also sane. At least we get some Dem votes from her vs what could have been another House MAGA seat. I do wish she hadn't voted to censure. I am more annoyed at Senate Dems (Mark Kelly, Ruben Gallego etc) who voted to confirm Trump nominees.
Yes, Perez only won because Joe Kent is a lunatic. It is worth saying he is now in the Trump administration. I live in Portland but worked with a lot of people in Perez's district, and my guess is every one of them is a Republican. We need that seat, and she must represent all of the people in her district.
I suggest listening to the YouTube link above of the Indivisible Zoom. We are in an authoritarian coup and there needs to be strong and unified opposition to this, according to all who understand how fast this can happen. The Dem Reps need to hold town halls and explain this to their constituents if they are afraid of losing their votes in the future. They can also tell them how they will be losing their Medicaid, Medicare, SS, school funding, SNAP, college loans, etc., etc., if they don’t make some good trouble.
Thanks, Kate. I live next to Ami Bera's district (represented by the fabulous Doris Matsui), and have contributed to his campaigns. He is a good man and a good representative who votes with us every time it counts. And yes, let's not waste our time — our phone calls, emails, and protests — on these purity test items. We will have some disagreements "within the family," but we should have civil discussions, not attacks and trolling.
I lived outside Toledo, Ohio for 11 years. Marcy Kaptur was Toledo’s Congressional representative then and now. I moved from that area over 20 years ago. She has been in Congress since 1983–42 years! The woman voted against NAFTA back in the day because she thought it would harm her constituents, blue collar folks.
I am appalled at the ways that Democrats think they can go along with MAGAts. As far as I am concerned, all Republicans are MAGAts. These people are unprincipled and have NO shame. I don’t know what these Democrats thought they were going to accomplish by voting against one of their own. The MAGAts just see that as weakness. There is no more finesse in governing or compromise to be had. Steve Schmidt was right that the Republican Party needs to be burnt to the ground.
Robert, Amidst the storm of noteworthy things going on, PLEASE do not omit to discuss the latest incident of Elon Musk’s rockets falling out of the sky. The NYT is downplaying Thursday’s incident as merely disrupting some Florida airports, see https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/science/spacex-starship-launch.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare. But I live in South Florida and I don’t want Musk’s failures now literally falling on my head! Robert, with your unique expertise and interest in all things sky-ward, you are the ideal commentator on the out-of-control private vanity space ventures that are proliferating. Musk’s arrogance and ineptitude are wreaking havoc in many dimensions, including in the skies above us.
This is incredible! I just saw the exchange now. Senator Merkley presented direct inquiry yesterday to his GOP counterparts in the chamber if DJT is an asset. Just wow.
And his demeanor is absolutely clear and cool and substantive. His rationale even better: his own constituents are asking, and bringing receipts. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, truly:
You are welcome. I was honestly surprised at this level of candor. The entire Senate has been informed. The GOP is now running on a platform of propaganda, betraying us and our allies.
Merkley is brilliant in “attacking” these fools because he used calm candor and absolute facts. They were shaking in their boots when he asked if The Con was a Russian asset. The first guy reminded me of Kavanaugh nervously trying to answer a question he wasn’t expecting. And to see Whittaker again…made me ill. They are ALL Russian agents!
Incredible perhaps as the Senator made this remarks in a congressional hearing. Other than that, he was just stating facts. It should be clear by now that Trump, knowingly or unknowingly, has been groomed by Putin. The only argument against him being an asset: if he were, he wouldn't be so shamelessly acting like one. But that might very well be his strategy.
Thank you, Dan for bringing this to our attention. Senator Merkley was just perfect in this exchange. This is exactly what we need our Senators to be doing.
Oh, and, the revolution might not be televised but it will most certainly be on YouTube (and twitter, Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, etc.).
I don’t like Newsom, but I think he’s correct here in defending women athletes. This is not a hill for us to die on. female athletes have legitimate concerns about being forced to compete against biological males. We are losing these athletes to Trump. girls sports are a precious new development in human history and deserve to be protected
I disagree. I’m sorry to see readers here support this. Trans people and their loved ones are living in extreme fear. And our governor bent over to a hate filled bigot. Trans women are not better than cis women, and there are very few of them competing but should be allowed.
But even if you believe that, the bottom line is newsom should not have given a fascist space to lie about and diss trans women - or anyone. Kirk is a bigot, misgendered trans women as he spoke about them, and newsom actually asked this a-hole how democrats could do better. Trans women are a major target particularly for magats. It is heartbreaking to see even liberal people throw them under the bus.
“As we confront oppressive legislation today, may we find hope in the history of the institute and a cautionary tale in the Nazis who were bent on erasing it.”
If you think calling members of the trans community "biological males” is appropriate, you betray an offensively weak position on the issue. And that weakness will be used to divide and conquer by the well oiled autocratic playbook now employed by GOP operatives. Read Robert Hubbell's comment on the history of this below. Hard disagree. This precise labeling argument is being litigated in the courts, as it is trotted out in bogus EOs to constrain the trans community on passports, IDs, and all manner of nefarious forms.
Years ago in a case of a trans swimmer winning a highly competitive race by a wide margin Trump used it in his speeches belting out 34, 35, 37 or whatever it was, seconds. He certainly weaponized the issue. In a sports magazine somebody penned an article, criticizing him for it. The argument was: this was a long distance race, in shorter races, like a 50m dash, that swimmer bested the competition just by one or two seconds, so what's the big deal. My first reaction: Oh my, another one or two percent for MAGA. In a sport where the difference between winning and perhaps not even making it to finals sometimes is 0,5 seconds or less and young women (and men) are training for years to make the cut this isn't a winning argument.
So yes, this shouldn't be a hill for us to die on. But perhaps we already did. And the trans are among the first to be victimized.
This whole 'biological male' trope, like 'pro-life' is fallacious right wing rhetoric. It is meant to demonize the extension of civil rights and to be a political wedge issue. It has nothing to do about concern for girls or women, who would be better served by a full range of healthcare and educational services which Republicans are against.
Among humans there is a wide range of body types. Not necessarily equated with athletic skill. In ballet, we are finding that you don't have to be a sylph or white to dance beautifully. Even men are performing on pointe. Are they taking opportunities away or are they expanding their art form?
There are very few trans women athletes. In an infamous case in Florida, a girl transitioned young, her parents were allowed to change her papers, she was a top student and in high school prom queen. She was so slender, that she at first could not make a volley ball team but had to train intensively to make it. When she did, she was not the strongest athlete but her team spirit made her a beloved asset. Until a right wing school board member made her a political issue, Had her mother arrested for changing her papers. Had school officials demoted for treating her fairly. In Maine a Republican state rep, Laurel Libby doxed a trans student on facebook and threw her to the MAGA vigilantes.
Martina is wrong. Trans woman’s bodies are very different after blockers and female hormones. If they win it is fair and they don’t win all the time. Think of Michael Phelps too - his body is beyond that of most swimmers. Should he have been required to leave the sport because it was unfair he had a wing span unlike any other make? Did he win fairly. Yes he did. Martina is an amazing athlete.
I’m disappointed in her as a member of the LGBTQ community. She threw her sisters under the bus.
Agree and admire your temerity in voicing a dissenting view. Two things can be true. Trans people deserve to be protected from unfair discrimination and women who play sports deserve to have a fair playing field. College sports is a zero sum game; not everyone gets to be on the team. Dems need to get out of their own way on the sports issue.
Among the 530,000 women athletes participating in college sports, 10 are trans. And up to the point where nazi maga types made it an issue, did you know about it? No one did because it was a non-issue. If there was a concept of unfairness, there would have been an athlete front and center, dominating a sport like basketball or soccer. There isn't.
And to the person who says sports is a "zero sum game", you are way off base. The vast majority of college sports is about participating at a high level, with the vast majority doing their thing in relative obscurity - think about the starting guard at some division 2 school - there are way more of those athletes than ones we read about in headlines as we get ready to fill out our brackets in a couple of weeks. The only reasonable exceptions to that are ones affected by NIL and big money - football and basketball - and even those are just stepping stones to being more formal professional sports (for a select few).
So when people try to defend this when the potential impact is infinitesimal, you really end up just defending bigotry.
Just need to clarify something here. Americans (and we're not alone in this) seem to have the smug idea that we are the beginning of civilization. Girls and women in sports is not a "new development in human history", just in ours. Other cultures and societies, in the past and now, have included women and girls in sports activities for eons (and included what are now often referred to as "two-spirit" people. I do agree this deserves to be supported in our culture too. .
I am writing today because, on top of the extraordinarily difficult realities we are all living with, I, like many many others, am experiencing very personal impact in my family. My sister's son, who lives. as she does, in Canada, was recently let go very reluctantly by his company there. He has developed special software for years that goes to companies all over to help them do things in a more environmentally friendly way. Apparently, the tariffs have made it no longer possible to get some of the parts that are needed.
And I got much harder news the next day. My son-in-law no longer has a job in Portland Oregon where he has worked for many years. And, to make it worse, my daughter made the decision not to work but to focus her energies and skills on bringing up my two grandchildren, who are wonderful people. The older one is now is in her final semester in high school I was waiting to hear about colleges.
I'm telling you this because I also want to that, whilel dealing as well as I can with my sorrow and concern, I am finding it somewhat helpful, when someone asks me how I am to sometimes mention that I'm having a hard time because two people in my family have recently lost jobs because of what is happening in our country. I have read that one of the things we can do is let other people know about the human consequences to individuals from this nightmare we are living in. So I thought I would pass that along.
As a good resource of the day, I recommend the weekly youtube podcast of Simon Rosenberg (Hopium, also sometimes linked here), usually posted on Wednesday evenings. Despite the optimistic name, Rosenberg's appearances are very sharp and serious. He focuses on pro-democratic strategy and really balances fierce activisim with a broader conceptual framework moving forward. He's not afraid to critique ill-conceived blunders, but still offers an inspiring, gritty broad-tent overview.
There's much to say on the international scene, some disconcerting. In an awkward, but not unanticipated wedge, Meloni has now come forward with an Italian, pro-Trump stance. Not sure if this will obstruct the EU efforts at supporting Ukraine, though they have a valid vote.
Domestic, I too cannot fathom why Dems are censuring the one very bright spot of "good trouble" by rep. Green. Get over it -- that's precisely what we need right now, and his targets were right on in the chamber. Let's keep pushing righteous causes fiercely, despite the blips of self-defeating conduct. There is building momentum even in the face of "shock doctrine" torrents being thrown at us.
GERMAN LEGISLATORS: Gosh, Chancellor Hitler, we're so sorry that our Jewish colleague was so intemperate. We'll censure him immediately. And did we say we're sorry loud enough?
CHANCELLOR HITLER: Thank you for your support. And don't worry. I'll take care of him, too.
As evidenced by the column and the comments it was wise of the Democratic House leadership to let Democrats in the House follow their conscience on whether to boycott, walk-out, or listen stoically to Trump's lies and propaganda. To do otherwise would have furthered worse divisiness among ourselves. On transgender rights, Democrats have to stand for equal justice for all. We can do that as long as we have a big majority of adherents to our ideals among ourselves standing together and keep the few outspoken strays on one issue or another from commandeering our party but under our tent. History tells us that if we let the fascist and nazi Maggots come for transgender people it will only be a matter of time before they come for us. It holds painfully earned lessons; if we can't learn from it, we're doomed to repeat painful mistakes. History is our teacher. Read "On Tyranny" by Timothy Ryan.
I agree with you Helen. But Democrats need to be ready. In the last days of the 2024 campaign, Musk funded ads made those handful of trans athletes look like a frightful mob taking over every high school volleyball team from Maine to San Diego, and Trump highlighted in the balcony the young woman who took a hard spike from a trans athlete and received in Trump's words a "brain injury" that "ended her athletic career." In 2026, God forbid, Ukraine will be a vassal state of Russia, Trump will have destroyed an independent civil service, tariffs will have lowered the standard of living for 90% of Americans, the Post Office will be run by Amazon, and the economy will be in shambles with 12% unemployment and Republicans will ignore all that and will be running against woke and DEI and trans athletes. Democrats need to realize this.
Robert - great that you pointed out the defections of Newsom and the 10 (really 11) Dems who did not stand with Rep. Al Green. This got under my craw immediately, and I wondered if I were alone in these feelings.
First of all - it's important to remember that Newsom left his wife to marry Kimberley Guilfoyle when he was Mayor of S.F. His judgement will always be dubious.
Secondly: All the Dems present should've gotten up and walked out with Green. THAT would've made the news.
RH: "Trump's chaos will harm every American—ensuring that a backlash will eventually overwhelm Trump and his enablers. We must endure, we must not quit, we must turn our outrage and anxiety into action."
And it is unfair and unseemly that Trump's chaos will not adversely or materially impact his band of billionaires that comprise his cabinet. None of those people care one whit about receiving $2-5,000/mo in a Social Security benefit. People like me who have paid into Social Security for over 40 years see it as a lifeline. Musk could care less. And his 20 something bros have no clue.
Robert, thanks for your incredible generosity and energy in continuing the newsletter while you are on vacation! You know many of us here hang on to it each morning as our daily dose of sanity.
But, you could have been excused from your duties during your break. So many thanks for your steadfastness in keeping it up!!
Is it just a coincidence that Trump wants to do away with US NATO membership and shut down the DOE, two achievements realized by Democratic presidents? And two presidents who were not appreciated at the time, but who are now recognized for their significant achievements while in office. Unlike Truman and Carter, I doubt his disastrous administration will undergo any sort of rehabilitation in the years to come.
Most of the things Trump wants to shutter -- or that ideologues who run things behind scenes want to destroy -- were initiated by Dem / liberal presidents, including JFK (USAID), civil rights legislation (LBJ), numerous New Deal initiatives by FDR, ACA by Obama, etc. Only PEPFAR, by Bush, seems applicable here. The whole thing stinks.
We are happy that you and Jill have gotten away for a visit to the UK and Scotland. We are amazed at your ability to keep us all “informed” about developments here at home. We feel the “shifts of the wind” happening. It is SO encouraging to see Jamie Raskin leading a protest in DC recently. We are encouraged by the leadership of Senator Murphy (Connecticut) Senator Murray (Washington) and others in the willingness to make resistance noise!
I agree that the time to be polite is long past. The truth is the truth, and we must say it unvarnished. Al Green was demonstrative in a wholly necessary way. Trump is a power-hungry dictator grasping whatever he can claw back for himself, and we should shout him down as we call him out for it in Congress, the Senate, the courts, and the town squares. Aggressively fighting for truth, justice and the American way is not a vice. And what Trump is doing is not the American way, as he knows so very well. He is a dictator-in-progress and a traitor, and I have had it with him.
Here's opportunity to listen to the perspective of 2 former Congressional staffers (Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, founders of Indivisible.org) who are in the know about the context for the various actions taken by the Dems attending Trump's speech to Congress, AND to get grounded on what we can and need to do for resistance:
https://youtu.be/0hYp3iPz-fU?si=Xn_MmC6_6nk2IWup
Wow! I listened to the recording, and those guys are amazing. They have a very well-thought-out strategy with actionable steps. It was very encouraging to listen to them.
Yes, Ashley! Your local Indivisible group will welcome you with open arms. Check them out!
I’m so glad you posted this because I missed the Zoom and I’m glad they addressed the censure vote. They also discussed the move to end temporary protected status of Ukrainian and other refugees here, and to deport these people which we need to stand against. I wonder if this could be pinned to the top because Indivisible is helping us coordinate actions and reporting on what’s working: Calling our Members of Congress and what to say, requesting town halls or holding empty chair town halls, and upcoming, a large coordinated action (with other groups) coming up on April 5.
Thanks, Ellie. I'll watch it later.
I couldn't agree with you more. Yesterday, in The INK stubstack, Anand Giridharadas
and Anat Shenkar spoke eloquently to this very issue. It's titled "Free America". So worth the time.
https://the.ink/p/watch-free-america
I'm going to disagree with you, and with a lot of progressives on the Rep. Green story. I'm a member of a progressive group, and they were demanding a full on attack of the Democrats who voted for censure.
Those Democrats live in swing or red districts where Trump won in 2024. They have to show their Republican constituents that they hear them too, or we lose those seats. Sometimes they need to vote with the Republicans.
Rep. Green knew that speaking out during Trump's speech was wrong, and there would be consequences , but he has no regrets. There is no punishment for a censure, except for saying there was one.
I think the scenario worked out perfectly. No, there didn't need to be others that joined him. The image of this elderly Black man who had gone to jail with John Lewis during the civil rights movement, standing alone, shaking his cane, and speaking out for the people of America needed nothing else.
Getting back to those ten Democrats who voted for censure. Democrats have this purity test for every little thing rather than looking at the big picture. There will be important votes where we need their support, but this was not one of them. Also, when that time comes, can we please be civil.
This from MEIDAS+
… A consistent trend for House Dems who voted with Republicans to censure Al Green is that almost all are in tough swing districts, some won by Trump: Bera, Case, Costa, Gillen, Himes, Houlahan, Kaptur, Moskowitz, Perez, Souzzi. A lot of people were upset by these votes, and I totally get that, but the reality is that Green didn’t care. He wanted to be censured to wear it like a badge of honor. The last Dem to get censured was Adam Schiff - and he used it to get elected to the Senate.
… That will not be happening for Green, but I think he was perfectly happy with how everything played out.
Thank you for your explanation, and your comments in the thread. While I disliked that the 10 Dems were forced to vote with the Repubs in favor of censure, in this case it did not matter that they did because the end result would be unchanged. However I do think that if some or most of the Dems did walk out with Rep. Green, that would have been a more stirring image than their apparent resigned acceptance of FFOTUS's evisceration of our government. But at the same time their decision to stay and listen to the longest ever such "SOTU" was probably its own punishment.
I do sympathize with the swing district vulnerability.
But can you define what is "wrong" with civil protest, in our esteemed bicameral venue designed as chamber that represents We The People, that conducts a full on, right wing extremist propaganda spectacle? Should we not have our reps speak truth to power in such a biased media environment? I see nothing wrong with this. This is peaceful protest that corrects propaganda, at the source for the population.
Rep. Green did speak truth to power. The whole thing was played perfectly, and as he said, he considers the censure a badge of honor.
I honestly found the thread of your extended comment difficult to follow. If we are in agreement, I apologize.
Dan, those people also represent the republicans who live in their district. We have to stop acting as if they only represent democrats. We need to keep these democrats in their seats. They are with us, but they also are walking a fine line. Some battles are not only not worth fighting, they actually work against our best interests. There is a possibility of being able to win the war by letting some of the battles slide.
Yes, this is true too, and I’m familiar with Perez. It’s a very fine needle to thread. One other part of the calculus here is what the effect is in terms of emboldening and unifying voters around the righteous display of good trouble and speaking truth to power, in many other districts around the country. There’s a great appetite now for more, and this too crosses into Republican + districts (e g, the town halls that GOP just cancelled). Playing to potential losses can overlook gains to be captured elsewhere. We are in a paradigm shift, like a post truth Realpolitik with severe consequences. I honestly don’t have all the answers, but appreciate your insights.
This 'red state Dems must bow to Republican bad acts' argument does not hold in this case. Moderate Democrats in very endangered seats in 'red' districts voted NO. Their coalitions include a wide range of moderates and progressives, who they also represent by slim but winning margins and whose votes they can't afford to lose.
The vote to censure Green was a gratuitous exercise in Republican bullying at best and Republican terrorism at worst. They picked the wrong man, Green won't bow, but it wasn't about Green it was about intimidating others. Across government people are now self censoring to avoid Republican threats of retribution against themselves and families. Several of the 10 who bowed to MAGA are senior citizens close to or above retirement age - who can afford to show some ethical courage.
Thank you Lin. I didn't know all these details but the basic premise I agree with. There's a calculus at play -- vulnerable Dems have to toe the line to protect their slim wins, vs. potential gains in other areas if we play to the mass increase for civic protest from reps and citizens. My feeling, because it is difficult to play out over all states, is to lean into the moment and embolden other districts and voters to vote blue next election. The severity of the moment seems to encourage the actions and I just have trouble seeing the strategic gain from censuring Green's protest. In a different climate, perhaps.
OK. Play nice. Nice guys finish last; so don't make a habit out of it.
Yes, I'm for a full on attack of Republicans, but do we really need to be mean to our people too? John Fetterman, maybe, but I am familiar with Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's district, and it was a miracle she was elected the first time, and the re-elected in a very red district.
Were not reps MTG and Boebert despicable to Biden? Rep. Green was not cynical -- he was objecting to policies that would harm his constituents, and many across the country.
Yes, what Republicans have done in the past during State of the Union addresses is despicable, but don't you see how Rep. Green worked this in our favor?
That is my point -- it was in our favor. Why would you advocate for rep. Green to not disrupt in civil protest? Or am I misreading your comment above?
Rep. Green's protest was spot on perfect. Did you know that he directed people to watch the censure vote and his speech after the vote? Did you see him with 20 Democrats sing "We Shall Overcome" in the well of the House? My issue is that I don't think we need to beat up on the 10 Democrats who voted for censure.
Exactly! I am in Portland, across the mighty Columbia River. I closely watched her election. We dodged a MAGA when she won.
moved to Austin from Portland - that I miss it is an understatement!
Same here, Juli. Only I ended up stuck in Vermont. Ok place, but not home. I miss the Pacific Northwest fiercely.
You know how crazy Joe Kent is, and the next time they will run a more acceptable Republican candidate, and we will lose that seat. Rep. Perez is a good person, and doing the best she can.
You're right.
Not mean, but yes to emphatically demanding that they get much louder and active in their opposition. Perez can go back to her folks and explain what is actually happening what her constituents stand to lose. This is no time for politics as usual.
I appreciate your and similar thoughts on this subject - those who did not vote might have some misgivings but it could be argued that they did not want to join in a vote that was no doubt politically motivated - the GOP side of the aisle has allowed for Marjorie Taylor Green, for example, to ignore all rules of decorum on an almost daily basis, both in and outside the chamber. Would silence - the refusal to join the action - with press statements decorum should apply for ALL members, and no doubt if the speech was across the aisle, it might have been disapproved by some Republicans, but a censure would have failed.
Exactly! The censure was a non-event giving good cover for swing district reps. Let's be at least a little bit practical here. Rep. Green was well within his rights and politics to protest as he did and I support him but that is a completely different matter from the censure vote. This is politics, folks. Let's keep our heads in the game and our eyes on the prize.
And while I'm at it, why does thinking that individuals born male shouldn't play on women's sports teams mean that one doesn't support trans rights? Democrats do themselves no favors making it yet another litmus test when the equities are at best mixed and the related science/medical issues are murky at best to most Americans.
Yes, Democrats have a purity test problem. Candidates are elected to represent the people in their district. Someone in Nebraska is not elected to represent me.
My first reaction is to disagree with you on trans rights in women's sports, but I see your point. I just wish I didn't feel like I was betraying the Democrats by changing my mind. Thanks for bringing it up.
I'd like to think that are 2 acceptable Dem/liberal views on the trans people in sports question: (i)They belong and they deserve our support on this and other issues and (ii) I'm not sure about this sports thing and may even be against it but I support trans rights generally. Unfortunately, the 3rd view seems to have a lot of sway and that is if you're against trans women in sports you're against trans people in general and furthermore you're not one of us. I think the latter view is wrong on multiple counts.
Very well said. I'm going to use your comments in conversations, and get more information. I know Martina Navratilova is getting slammed for her stance on it, and I've always been a fan of hers.
Thanks for your comment,Kate.I’m in Florida,not in Rep Moskowitz’ district although I did call his office and politely told the staffer I supported Rep Green’s actions as he was standing up and speaking out for all of us at a time when we felt abandoned by Dem legislators.
I agree. I don't know the details of the other 9 who voted for censure, but I know about Rep Marie G-Perez from SW WA state. She twice barely defeated an extreme, billionaire backed, MAGA man, winning by recount. She is also sane. At least we get some Dem votes from her vs what could have been another House MAGA seat. I do wish she hadn't voted to censure. I am more annoyed at Senate Dems (Mark Kelly, Ruben Gallego etc) who voted to confirm Trump nominees.
Yes, Perez only won because Joe Kent is a lunatic. It is worth saying he is now in the Trump administration. I live in Portland but worked with a lot of people in Perez's district, and my guess is every one of them is a Republican. We need that seat, and she must represent all of the people in her district.
I suggest listening to the YouTube link above of the Indivisible Zoom. We are in an authoritarian coup and there needs to be strong and unified opposition to this, according to all who understand how fast this can happen. The Dem Reps need to hold town halls and explain this to their constituents if they are afraid of losing their votes in the future. They can also tell them how they will be losing their Medicaid, Medicare, SS, school funding, SNAP, college loans, etc., etc., if they don’t make some good trouble.
Thanks, Kate. I live next to Ami Bera's district (represented by the fabulous Doris Matsui), and have contributed to his campaigns. He is a good man and a good representative who votes with us every time it counts. And yes, let's not waste our time — our phone calls, emails, and protests — on these purity test items. We will have some disagreements "within the family," but we should have civil discussions, not attacks and trolling.
I lived outside Toledo, Ohio for 11 years. Marcy Kaptur was Toledo’s Congressional representative then and now. I moved from that area over 20 years ago. She has been in Congress since 1983–42 years! The woman voted against NAFTA back in the day because she thought it would harm her constituents, blue collar folks.
I am appalled at the ways that Democrats think they can go along with MAGAts. As far as I am concerned, all Republicans are MAGAts. These people are unprincipled and have NO shame. I don’t know what these Democrats thought they were going to accomplish by voting against one of their own. The MAGAts just see that as weakness. There is no more finesse in governing or compromise to be had. Steve Schmidt was right that the Republican Party needs to be burnt to the ground.
Thank you for the complex perspective on the 10 Dems who voted for censure.
Yes. We need to understand who is with us and who is just thinking about surviving to fight another day.
As if there will be another day.
Point well taken!
Robert, Amidst the storm of noteworthy things going on, PLEASE do not omit to discuss the latest incident of Elon Musk’s rockets falling out of the sky. The NYT is downplaying Thursday’s incident as merely disrupting some Florida airports, see https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/science/spacex-starship-launch.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare. But I live in South Florida and I don’t want Musk’s failures now literally falling on my head! Robert, with your unique expertise and interest in all things sky-ward, you are the ideal commentator on the out-of-control private vanity space ventures that are proliferating. Musk’s arrogance and ineptitude are wreaking havoc in many dimensions, including in the skies above us.
So now you're dodging space trash AND hurricanes you won't know are coming because of trashing NOAA. 🙏
This is incredible! I just saw the exchange now. Senator Merkley presented direct inquiry yesterday to his GOP counterparts in the chamber if DJT is an asset. Just wow.
And his demeanor is absolutely clear and cool and substantive. His rationale even better: his own constituents are asking, and bringing receipts. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, truly:
https://youtu.be/1-9tiGDuwCc?si=hP1ZL4SK7ET1oszk
Thanks, Dan. I encourage everyone to watch this. We need to know who our true stalwarts of democracy are. Many thanks to Senator Merkley.
You are welcome. I was honestly surprised at this level of candor. The entire Senate has been informed. The GOP is now running on a platform of propaganda, betraying us and our allies.
And their answers were chilling .
I think it helps to observe responses like that as intelligence professionals would: they are repeating empty propaganda talking points.
I loved watching Senator Merkley shut down their propaganda.
Merkley is brilliant in “attacking” these fools because he used calm candor and absolute facts. They were shaking in their boots when he asked if The Con was a Russian asset. The first guy reminded me of Kavanaugh nervously trying to answer a question he wasn’t expecting. And to see Whittaker again…made me ill. They are ALL Russian agents!
Incredible perhaps as the Senator made this remarks in a congressional hearing. Other than that, he was just stating facts. It should be clear by now that Trump, knowingly or unknowingly, has been groomed by Putin. The only argument against him being an asset: if he were, he wouldn't be so shamelessly acting like one. But that might very well be his strategy.
Thank you, Dan for bringing this to our attention. Senator Merkley was just perfect in this exchange. This is exactly what we need our Senators to be doing.
Oh, and, the revolution might not be televised but it will most certainly be on YouTube (and twitter, Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, etc.).
Ha! Exactly. You are welcome.
I mentioned because I read this hearing was apparently not broadcast, though it was taped.
I watched this- thanks Dan.
Excellent. Thanks for that link.
I don’t like Newsom, but I think he’s correct here in defending women athletes. This is not a hill for us to die on. female athletes have legitimate concerns about being forced to compete against biological males. We are losing these athletes to Trump. girls sports are a precious new development in human history and deserve to be protected
I disagree. I’m sorry to see readers here support this. Trans people and their loved ones are living in extreme fear. And our governor bent over to a hate filled bigot. Trans women are not better than cis women, and there are very few of them competing but should be allowed.
But even if you believe that, the bottom line is newsom should not have given a fascist space to lie about and diss trans women - or anyone. Kirk is a bigot, misgendered trans women as he spoke about them, and newsom actually asked this a-hole how democrats could do better. Trans women are a major target particularly for magats. It is heartbreaking to see even liberal people throw them under the bus.
Agree 100% with your defense of trans rights here, Janice.
First they came for….
“As we confront oppressive legislation today, may we find hope in the history of the institute and a cautionary tale in the Nazis who were bent on erasing it.”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-forgotten-history-of-the-worlds-first-trans-clinic/
If you think calling members of the trans community "biological males” is appropriate, you betray an offensively weak position on the issue. And that weakness will be used to divide and conquer by the well oiled autocratic playbook now employed by GOP operatives. Read Robert Hubbell's comment on the history of this below. Hard disagree. This precise labeling argument is being litigated in the courts, as it is trotted out in bogus EOs to constrain the trans community on passports, IDs, and all manner of nefarious forms.
Years ago in a case of a trans swimmer winning a highly competitive race by a wide margin Trump used it in his speeches belting out 34, 35, 37 or whatever it was, seconds. He certainly weaponized the issue. In a sports magazine somebody penned an article, criticizing him for it. The argument was: this was a long distance race, in shorter races, like a 50m dash, that swimmer bested the competition just by one or two seconds, so what's the big deal. My first reaction: Oh my, another one or two percent for MAGA. In a sport where the difference between winning and perhaps not even making it to finals sometimes is 0,5 seconds or less and young women (and men) are training for years to make the cut this isn't a winning argument.
So yes, this shouldn't be a hill for us to die on. But perhaps we already did. And the trans are among the first to be victimized.
This! Thanks!
This whole 'biological male' trope, like 'pro-life' is fallacious right wing rhetoric. It is meant to demonize the extension of civil rights and to be a political wedge issue. It has nothing to do about concern for girls or women, who would be better served by a full range of healthcare and educational services which Republicans are against.
Among humans there is a wide range of body types. Not necessarily equated with athletic skill. In ballet, we are finding that you don't have to be a sylph or white to dance beautifully. Even men are performing on pointe. Are they taking opportunities away or are they expanding their art form?
There are very few trans women athletes. In an infamous case in Florida, a girl transitioned young, her parents were allowed to change her papers, she was a top student and in high school prom queen. She was so slender, that she at first could not make a volley ball team but had to train intensively to make it. When she did, she was not the strongest athlete but her team spirit made her a beloved asset. Until a right wing school board member made her a political issue, Had her mother arrested for changing her papers. Had school officials demoted for treating her fairly. In Maine a Republican state rep, Laurel Libby doxed a trans student on facebook and threw her to the MAGA vigilantes.
Thank you so much for this Lin. You said it so well.
Yup, I am with Maria Navratilova on this. Nothing against Trans folks, but also believe in fairness.
Martina is wrong. Trans woman’s bodies are very different after blockers and female hormones. If they win it is fair and they don’t win all the time. Think of Michael Phelps too - his body is beyond that of most swimmers. Should he have been required to leave the sport because it was unfair he had a wing span unlike any other make? Did he win fairly. Yes he did. Martina is an amazing athlete.
I’m disappointed in her as a member of the LGBTQ community. She threw her sisters under the bus.
Agree and admire your temerity in voicing a dissenting view. Two things can be true. Trans people deserve to be protected from unfair discrimination and women who play sports deserve to have a fair playing field. College sports is a zero sum game; not everyone gets to be on the team. Dems need to get out of their own way on the sports issue.
Among the 530,000 women athletes participating in college sports, 10 are trans. And up to the point where nazi maga types made it an issue, did you know about it? No one did because it was a non-issue. If there was a concept of unfairness, there would have been an athlete front and center, dominating a sport like basketball or soccer. There isn't.
And to the person who says sports is a "zero sum game", you are way off base. The vast majority of college sports is about participating at a high level, with the vast majority doing their thing in relative obscurity - think about the starting guard at some division 2 school - there are way more of those athletes than ones we read about in headlines as we get ready to fill out our brackets in a couple of weeks. The only reasonable exceptions to that are ones affected by NIL and big money - football and basketball - and even those are just stepping stones to being more formal professional sports (for a select few).
So when people try to defend this when the potential impact is infinitesimal, you really end up just defending bigotry.
Just need to clarify something here. Americans (and we're not alone in this) seem to have the smug idea that we are the beginning of civilization. Girls and women in sports is not a "new development in human history", just in ours. Other cultures and societies, in the past and now, have included women and girls in sports activities for eons (and included what are now often referred to as "two-spirit" people. I do agree this deserves to be supported in our culture too. .
It’s a delicate balance between fairness and safety.
I am writing today because, on top of the extraordinarily difficult realities we are all living with, I, like many many others, am experiencing very personal impact in my family. My sister's son, who lives. as she does, in Canada, was recently let go very reluctantly by his company there. He has developed special software for years that goes to companies all over to help them do things in a more environmentally friendly way. Apparently, the tariffs have made it no longer possible to get some of the parts that are needed.
And I got much harder news the next day. My son-in-law no longer has a job in Portland Oregon where he has worked for many years. And, to make it worse, my daughter made the decision not to work but to focus her energies and skills on bringing up my two grandchildren, who are wonderful people. The older one is now is in her final semester in high school I was waiting to hear about colleges.
I'm telling you this because I also want to that, whilel dealing as well as I can with my sorrow and concern, I am finding it somewhat helpful, when someone asks me how I am to sometimes mention that I'm having a hard time because two people in my family have recently lost jobs because of what is happening in our country. I have read that one of the things we can do is let other people know about the human consequences to individuals from this nightmare we are living in. So I thought I would pass that along.
As a good resource of the day, I recommend the weekly youtube podcast of Simon Rosenberg (Hopium, also sometimes linked here), usually posted on Wednesday evenings. Despite the optimistic name, Rosenberg's appearances are very sharp and serious. He focuses on pro-democratic strategy and really balances fierce activisim with a broader conceptual framework moving forward. He's not afraid to critique ill-conceived blunders, but still offers an inspiring, gritty broad-tent overview.
https://youtu.be/45gTs_p7WVg?si=tu6jpjpvMPO4hPZC
There's much to say on the international scene, some disconcerting. In an awkward, but not unanticipated wedge, Meloni has now come forward with an Italian, pro-Trump stance. Not sure if this will obstruct the EU efforts at supporting Ukraine, though they have a valid vote.
Domestic, I too cannot fathom why Dems are censuring the one very bright spot of "good trouble" by rep. Green. Get over it -- that's precisely what we need right now, and his targets were right on in the chamber. Let's keep pushing righteous causes fiercely, despite the blips of self-defeating conduct. There is building momentum even in the face of "shock doctrine" torrents being thrown at us.
GERMAN LEGISLATORS: Gosh, Chancellor Hitler, we're so sorry that our Jewish colleague was so intemperate. We'll censure him immediately. And did we say we're sorry loud enough?
CHANCELLOR HITLER: Thank you for your support. And don't worry. I'll take care of him, too.
As evidenced by the column and the comments it was wise of the Democratic House leadership to let Democrats in the House follow their conscience on whether to boycott, walk-out, or listen stoically to Trump's lies and propaganda. To do otherwise would have furthered worse divisiness among ourselves. On transgender rights, Democrats have to stand for equal justice for all. We can do that as long as we have a big majority of adherents to our ideals among ourselves standing together and keep the few outspoken strays on one issue or another from commandeering our party but under our tent. History tells us that if we let the fascist and nazi Maggots come for transgender people it will only be a matter of time before they come for us. It holds painfully earned lessons; if we can't learn from it, we're doomed to repeat painful mistakes. History is our teacher. Read "On Tyranny" by Timothy Ryan.
Timothy Snyder. If you click the 3 little dots you can edit your post.
You mean Timothy Snyder?
The transgender athletes issue is a distraction. There are so few of them. Don’t take the bait or give it oxygen.
I agree with you Helen. But Democrats need to be ready. In the last days of the 2024 campaign, Musk funded ads made those handful of trans athletes look like a frightful mob taking over every high school volleyball team from Maine to San Diego, and Trump highlighted in the balcony the young woman who took a hard spike from a trans athlete and received in Trump's words a "brain injury" that "ended her athletic career." In 2026, God forbid, Ukraine will be a vassal state of Russia, Trump will have destroyed an independent civil service, tariffs will have lowered the standard of living for 90% of Americans, the Post Office will be run by Amazon, and the economy will be in shambles with 12% unemployment and Republicans will ignore all that and will be running against woke and DEI and trans athletes. Democrats need to realize this.
Regarding the censure of Al Green.
Has no one moved to censure Marjorie Taylor Green for wearing her MAGA hat? This is also against the arcane rules of Congress.
Robert - great that you pointed out the defections of Newsom and the 10 (really 11) Dems who did not stand with Rep. Al Green. This got under my craw immediately, and I wondered if I were alone in these feelings.
First of all - it's important to remember that Newsom left his wife to marry Kimberley Guilfoyle when he was Mayor of S.F. His judgement will always be dubious.
Secondly: All the Dems present should've gotten up and walked out with Green. THAT would've made the news.
RH: "Trump's chaos will harm every American—ensuring that a backlash will eventually overwhelm Trump and his enablers. We must endure, we must not quit, we must turn our outrage and anxiety into action."
And it is unfair and unseemly that Trump's chaos will not adversely or materially impact his band of billionaires that comprise his cabinet. None of those people care one whit about receiving $2-5,000/mo in a Social Security benefit. People like me who have paid into Social Security for over 40 years see it as a lifeline. Musk could care less. And his 20 something bros have no clue.
Robert, thanks for your incredible generosity and energy in continuing the newsletter while you are on vacation! You know many of us here hang on to it each morning as our daily dose of sanity.
But, you could have been excused from your duties during your break. So many thanks for your steadfastness in keeping it up!!
Is it just a coincidence that Trump wants to do away with US NATO membership and shut down the DOE, two achievements realized by Democratic presidents? And two presidents who were not appreciated at the time, but who are now recognized for their significant achievements while in office. Unlike Truman and Carter, I doubt his disastrous administration will undergo any sort of rehabilitation in the years to come.
Most of the things Trump wants to shutter -- or that ideologues who run things behind scenes want to destroy -- were initiated by Dem / liberal presidents, including JFK (USAID), civil rights legislation (LBJ), numerous New Deal initiatives by FDR, ACA by Obama, etc. Only PEPFAR, by Bush, seems applicable here. The whole thing stinks.
Robert,
We are happy that you and Jill have gotten away for a visit to the UK and Scotland. We are amazed at your ability to keep us all “informed” about developments here at home. We feel the “shifts of the wind” happening. It is SO encouraging to see Jamie Raskin leading a protest in DC recently. We are encouraged by the leadership of Senator Murphy (Connecticut) Senator Murray (Washington) and others in the willingness to make resistance noise!
Steve Schmitz