At least you start out your days with a certain optimistic attitude. I wake up thinking 'Oh my, what will they do today to push the US and the world closer to the brink.'
I’ve noticed that Fridays are for the “flood the zone” 💩🎪. The intention being partly to dominate the weekend news cycle and have begun to expect it and steel myself accordingly.
I'm a 3rd-shift vampire who is up all night & slumbering during the daylight hours. Every day when I wake up, I'm terrified to reach for my phone. I'm scared to scroll through notifications or to read email/substack headlines. Each day brings a fresh new hell.
Trump wants us to all talk about his performance as if it were a wrestling match. He wants to entertain us. Don't let him entertain you. Be disgusted by him. Don't talk for hours about what he's done; take action to counter his actions.
That after his humiliating bullying performance in the oval with Vance he turned to the press and said it would 'make great television' underscores this. I mean WTAF???
Talk is CHEAP! One thing we can ALL do is make donations to the sites recommended by Timothy Snyder! Every little bit will help Ukraine and piss off the Felon! What could be better??!!
According to the article in The Hill cited by Robert in the last two newsletters (I’m on my iPad so can’t supply link), Trump’s KGB code name is Krasnov. So, President Krasnov it is. Tell a friend.
I call Trump official president and Musk acting president. In that sense they are like a lot of European countries where the president greets dignitaries, and the PM runs the country. So, Trump is president and Musk is PM.
Yes Jon! Putin's Manchurian candidate showed his true colors with his disgraceful meeting with President Zelenskyy. It would only take a few Republicans with spines to impeach Trump and Vance. Then the Republicans in the Senate would have a third chance to save our democracy.
They are not going to do so. They will watch the US sell fewer goods, have a diminished work force in industries that support people like agriculture, construction, cleaning, child care etc... Women will be imprisoned in the country and not have a chance to vote or get birth control to prevent pregnancy, and will not have access to information about the viability of their fetus because there are bills now to make those tests illegal. They will watch us bomb Mexico and perhaps drug cartels, but perhaps other targets. Who knows. My friend was saying this morning that from her POV Putin and Trump made a deal for Putin to take Europe, and for Trump to take North America.
Thanks, all, but these nightmares are are overwhelming. I’m trying hard to not get lost in it as one part of my “self care.” So thank you all for your thoughtfulness, but I have to go read The Borowitz Report now
Reva, while I was thinking that too, I think that he would get the idea to expand after taking Canada and Mexico. Europe is going to have to think long and hard about defending Canada from Trump, as the same time that they are helping Ukraine with Putin as fellow members of NATO.
Maybe I’m hallucinating conspiracy theories but I wouldn’t be surprised if Putin, Xi and Trump have a plan to divide the world into three area of domination. Trump is no match for those others so then it will really be curtains.
Many "insiders" report that Russia is weakened and that Putin no longer has good command of his military officers. I believe there is a good chance he will be defeated, and Russia will divide into zones or states of its various ethnic groups. May it be so. But first, depose Trump.
I cant imagine that siding with Russia and all the crimes he is doing against Americans by gutting Federally funded programs is not considired Treason. Trump is a domestic terrorist why arent they arresting him?
Who would arrest him? The marshals who work for the courts have Trump as their boss too. The military does as well. With no one to stop him except the people, Americans are going to have to decide whether they will rely on the legal system to manage Trump. Plenty of countries have, and even some have voted the fascist out of power. Others have not managed to do that because the hold was too complete.
Of course Trump or Putin trying to expand their territory could just mean that they have a lot more people rising up against them. All the non-MAGA Canadians and Mexicans for that matter.
Trump is not well, physically or psychologically. Nature may do the job for us. The 'fired" civil servants are many now, including top military brass. I do believe they will answer the call to defend the US, along with an increasing population of voters.
Although he’s purged the JCS, he’s really risking our first-ever, military-led, coup d’êtat. To protect against this he purged the JCS and stocked them with MAGA loyalists. Will the rank-and-file obey?
I don't think ENOUGH Americans understand how quickly and "democratically" Hitler destroyed Germany's democracy.
Trump, Vance, the Oligarchs and the authors of Project 2025 ALL understand this 👇
“The big joke on democracy is that it gives its mortal enemies the means to its own destruction.” - Joseph Goebbels, March 23, 1933 (The day Hiter succeeded in destroying Germany"s democracy)
True Lisa, but just a few Republicans with spines could also make that happen. Not sure what it's going to take for them to see that our democracy is at risk…
My daily dose of perspective: All the flowers here are blooming. My friend's husband died two nights ago. He was 94 and hated trump. My local Indivisible chapter is planning a fun and motivating event. I'm going after a good night's sleep. I hope you find one, too. Tomorrow is another day.
I hope many see the worthiness of the Indivisible organization which encourages us all to take a step as often as possible to support the power of the many! Power in numbers will help us defeat Trump and his stooges.
Suggested action: One Million Postcards for Ukraine...
At this particular time I think there should be a campaign in response to the disgraceful treatment of President Zelensky and Ukraine by the current US administration.
The goal is to get one million people to write a post card expressing their feelings to President Trump. This could start immediately so postcards would arrive by March 15 (the Ides of March). The symbolism of that date will not be lost on many people.
Postcards are good because they are 1) cheap and are 2) easy to write, and are 3) harder to ignore if a million start arriving at the White House and therefore 4) generate publicity for Ukraine (the major media should be alerted).
The One Million Postcards could also go to our senators and congress members--and not just the ones who represent us individually but any that we can share addresses for in DC or local addresses in districts. If they are showing up everywhere ...
March 14, I believe, is also the date that a new CR has to pass. Between calls and postcards with the same message, it could be quite impactful.
"For 80 years the US has stood strong with its allies and spread democratic values around the world. This is not the time to give in to autocracy. Stand up for our democracy. Stand up for Ukraine."
Too hard to create one message. Who would create it and circulate it? Use your right to free speech and write whatever moves you. Just write! My postcard will go out tomorrow.
I think this is a tremendous idea. But have no idea how to assist in implementing it and getting the word out. (I have no social media presence) I am new to this sort of grassroots protesting. All I have done so far is create a button that I have been wearing every day for a year. It says:
I am the silent Majority
Pro- Choice
Pro- Democracy
Anti- Trump
When people comment that they like it I give it to them, if they say they will wear it.
Right now I am waiting for a bumper sticker that I ordered that says:
Proud American
Anti-Trump
Postcards printed up in Blue and Yellow on one side and a message on the other cannot be ignored if we can organize and coordinate for a million to be mailed as close together as possible.
It would be nice if Robert would publicize the idea! Just tell your friends. Too hard to organize a single message or postcard image. Just get one from any place that has any postcards. If you don't have a postcard stamp, use a letter stamp. Only costs a few cents more. My postcard is going out tomorrow. If each of us gets 2 other people to send a card we will get to 1M on March 15
We attended a demonstration at SpaceX at mid day today. Hundreds of people lined Crenshaw Boulevard, many with home made signs expressing outrage at Elon Musk. Putin and Trump were also targets of ridicule and outrage. Cars and trucks driving slowly through horns blaring in solidarity. We were voting today with our feet.
Saturday, there was a demonstration in our small western Maine town of Norway--there were a couple dozen people wearing blue, waving signs expressing disgust and anger at fascist Trump and his heinie-kissing sidekick vp, as well as a good number of signs expressing anger with the unelected leader of "DOGE". We honked and I hung out our plowtruck window, waving & cheering. It's really heartening to see people waking up to our peril!
The Women's March and more recently the People's March in Washngton DC were impressive in organization and size, but I love the proliferation of grassroots protests springing up every day across the country. It seems people are taking a spontaneous, inspired, and equally effective sort of action.
For grassroots involvement, one great movement is found at Indivisible.org. Leah and Ezra on Thursdays at 3 pm EST on their Zoom 1 hour Q&A program. Get the link by signing up with your email and zip code. It’s encouraging and strong in support of anti-Trump/Musk/Vance/the Devil. Join soon! You’ll be glad you are supporting democracy in our country.
Your description and photo of that cubbyhole and the words of Churchill on the importance of his alliance with Roosevelt touch me deeply at this particular time.
At the end of Robert's Saturday AM talk, he sounded so much like Churchill, so inspiring, when it ended, I just sobbed. A good and helpful sort of sobbing, for one minute. I wanted everyone to hear him.
With the three upcoming special House elections coming up, two in Florida, and one in New York, do Democrats have any chance of winning in these red districts? Not a pie in the sky campaign like what we saw between Mitch McConnell and Amy McGrath a while back, but a real chance. With voter rage building, I would like to hear from people in those districts to know what they honestly think.
I don’t care what the odds are, I’ve donated and written postcards for Josh Heil and donated to Gay Valimont, the 2 candidates for FL. I’ll keep writing. Volunteers are always helpful for campaigns and you never know the impact of personal interaction.
The most vulnerable may be Stefanik here in NY. But the GOP is afraid, and have been holding her back from accepting the UN Ambassadorship and releasing the seat. I don't know the latest, if they are releasing her or not yet.
If you google "Democrats name NY-21 nominee despite uncertain special election timeline" the Albany Times Union will let you read about the candidate. Here in NY CD 19 we flipped our seat from red to blue. We plan on helping out our upstate friends.
I believe Hochul and state democrats are going to keep that seat open as long as possible (after she resigns), to not only affect the house majority but move it to a regular election day to get a larger turnout. Finally Dems being strategic.
You are welcome. I don't have the latest news, but GOP operatives are eyeing these budget negotiations like devious miscreants. Perhaps even 2026, but it looks like they are digging their own graves.
FL-1 congressional district historically voted Republican between 70 and 80%. Even after the GOP dissolved and was replaced by MAGA their scum candidate Gaetz constantly pulled a ⅔ majority.
Fl-6 looks pretty solid for MAGA as well. NY-21 actually voted for the Democrats until Stefanik came along. So there is a good chance flipping that seat. In any case all three races should give a good indication of how the mood of MAGA voters has soured.
If Trump screws Canada badly enough with his tariff insanity it will hurt the folks in NY CD 21 a lot as the economy up there is pretty sad and has been for a long time. That might move people who depend on various government programs and or jobs related to cross border commerce to get by to wake up and vote Democratic.
According to Gay Valimont (not sure of the spelling), there are MANY. She has her own experience of losing her husband to ALS and her daughter to a brain tumor within a short span of time, and she says she speaks to many in her area who are afraid of losing their healthcare etc.
good question. I bet a lot. And how many registered Democrats did not vote in 2024 because Steffy was such a total lock. GOTV and registration ,etc. could be meaningful.
It’s embarrassing alright, it made me sick watching it, in my 78 years I don’t think I have ever seen a US president behave so despicably, and I saw nixon. I think he’s satanic, I really do, he’s going to help bring about WWIII, and for that I will blame Biden for allowing it to happen, he could have stopped it but chose not to. This was predictable, they told us what they wanted to do in Project 2025, the Biden White House read it and understood the threat and chose not to act. I loved the guy and thought he did a very fine job in everything but this, and maybe in the end this is what really mattered. He should have been on TV every week of his presidency explaining in detail what he was doing for all Americans, but he wasn’t and he didn’t and now we have this. 🤬
Thank you Howard. Everyone I know is completely freaked out and furious over the daily horrors coming out of this administration. I've been telling everyone I know to get engaged, start fighting back, and not give up.
Call the republican senators and demand to know why they are doing what they are doing, and when they are going to change course. Remind them that they have WWII heroes in their families...remind them that they work for all of us. tell them they do not need to fear Trump's reprisal, that we have their backs. Insist that their epitaphs will remember that they let this happen.
I love those Churchill War Rooms photos. Thank you. At the same time, it is painfully sad. I do wish we can ultimately rebuild those alliances, but I am not clear if our allies will want to. I hope I am wrong. Certainly the US can elect better and I feel that will happen, starting 2026.
It was righteously satisfying, if a bit too late, to see the Vermonters protest and reject Vance as he tried to escape for a ski vacation, after helping to demolish said alliances with vulgar, juvenile abuse. I've read Vance had to flee into a secret location with his family. Well played, Vermont. Many U.S. citizens do not want this and they are furious. I also saw a brief town hall excerpt by Suozzi, D NY, in a Trump + 5 district. He got a standing ovation when he mentioned how pissed off and freaked out (his words) people were over the Zelenskyy debacle. Those thugs need to go, because I don't foresee them changing their tune. Some of the damage is irreparable, but pro-democracy forces like those in this community are putting up the good fight.
I saw a video of Vermonters screaming at the cars carrying Vance and family. I hope they heard everything that was being said but I doubt it. He probably told his kids that the people were happy to have them there.
That is heartening. This is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow for many Americans, despite the sinister logic of the move.
Do you see a very long game of using the U.S. as a uniquely powerful, but at same time vulnerable (e g large numbers of low education / red hat voters, etc) hinge in turning allegiances? Where even Trump is only a useful pawn? I am starting to discern a pattern. I could be wrong but I'm afraid not.
Here's what I want from my Democratic leaders. Take these actions:
1. Call it a FASCIST COUP!!! Loudly and often.
2. Start thinking outside the box.
3. VERY IMPORTANT: Set up a SHADOW CABINET with an alt-Press Secretary who gives DAILY briefings. Leverage the power you have and quit handwringing about how powerless you are.
4. Do NOT cooperate or collaborate with the Repugs. At all. Ever.
5. Call for mass demonstrations and economic boycotts.
This is a 5 alarm fire. Quit acting like this is business as usual.
Consumer spending is a major part of the economy, and massive boycotts would have a serious effect. And it’s something most everyone can do. It does need to be immediate and long term, not just a day here and there.
I totally agree. Take it to the streets, I'm going to my Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday to protest. Hoping it will be a huge crowd after the world saw America choose Russia over Ukraine. Daily briefings by strong Democrats it's a must.
I've been meaning all day to share this gift link from The Atlantic with this community, in case any have not seen it. "It Was an Ambush" by Tom Nichols.
One note: when President Zelenskyy said that the United States could feel threatened by Russia some day. “You have a nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future.”
Zelenskyy is correct we will feel it but wrong as to when - Russia has invaded the US now!
I believe that Putin infiltrated the US long ago. He planted people in every state and in governments. They’ve laid low until now. Now, they are cabinet members.
Today, Instead of Bell Laboratories developing an encrypted line of communication for two leaders working to save democracy, we have Musk's StarLink which he bestows or denies according to his own wants and whims, loyal to no one, patriotic to nothing, whispering in Trump's ear. In the other ear, Putin. Timothy Snyder's analysis yesterday of the Friday Fiasco is crystal clear and essential reading, whether Trump is literally a Russian asset or not.
That's a fascinating analogy. My father began his career as a scientific researcher at Bell Labs. I can't imagine that caliber of scientists giving a Musk technocracy the time of day. Moreover, we are watching the decimation of the world's leading crucible of scientists before our eyes, via ignorant Musk funding exploitation. Thanks for the summation of Snyder again.
Every day I think it can't get any worse, and every day I am wrong.
At least you start out your days with a certain optimistic attitude. I wake up thinking 'Oh my, what will they do today to push the US and the world closer to the brink.'
I’ve noticed that Fridays are for the “flood the zone” 💩🎪. The intention being partly to dominate the weekend news cycle and have begun to expect it and steel myself accordingly.
Plus, they disappear on weekends. I loved the anti-Vance crowd in Vermont when he arrived there for a vacation.
Yes! I'm very proud of living in VT, "The Brave Little State".
Didn’t they used to call it the Friday night Dump?
Don't get me wrong, I wake up like that too, still afraid to check the breaking news to see what else they broke.
Certainly gives "breaking news" a new meaning!
I'm a 3rd-shift vampire who is up all night & slumbering during the daylight hours. Every day when I wake up, I'm terrified to reach for my phone. I'm scared to scroll through notifications or to read email/substack headlines. Each day brings a fresh new hell.
Diane,
Here's what I think: I'm a 72yr old American and when I die, it damn sure won't be as the subject of a king!
"ACTION IS THE ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY" Robert Hubble
I don't know, I'm thinking of moving to the UK.🙄
Trump wants us to all talk about his performance as if it were a wrestling match. He wants to entertain us. Don't let him entertain you. Be disgusted by him. Don't talk for hours about what he's done; take action to counter his actions.
That after his humiliating bullying performance in the oval with Vance he turned to the press and said it would 'make great television' underscores this. I mean WTAF???
drump is all about the optics.
ETTD. Everything.
Talk is CHEAP! One thing we can ALL do is make donations to the sites recommended by Timothy Snyder! Every little bit will help Ukraine and piss off the Felon! What could be better??!!
Yes. I just set up a monthly donation.
One more admonition from our local chapter of Indivisible: Don't use his name.
I use his name as little as possible, and use lower case letters when I do. If I could use subscript in these messages, I'd do so.
According to the article in The Hill cited by Robert in the last two newsletters (I’m on my iPad so can’t supply link), Trump’s KGB code name is Krasnov. So, President Krasnov it is. Tell a friend.
I've also seen Trump referred to as PINO, President in Name Only.
Someone - maybe it was here - referred to Trump as a "decorative" president. Apt.
I call Trump official president and Musk acting president. In that sense they are like a lot of European countries where the president greets dignitaries, and the PM runs the country. So, Trump is president and Musk is PM.
I call him The Great Dicktator.
I call him the Bloviator.
I wrote PINO in one of my messages to the WH
Yes Jon! Putin's Manchurian candidate showed his true colors with his disgraceful meeting with President Zelenskyy. It would only take a few Republicans with spines to impeach Trump and Vance. Then the Republicans in the Senate would have a third chance to save our democracy.
They are not going to do so. They will watch the US sell fewer goods, have a diminished work force in industries that support people like agriculture, construction, cleaning, child care etc... Women will be imprisoned in the country and not have a chance to vote or get birth control to prevent pregnancy, and will not have access to information about the viability of their fetus because there are bills now to make those tests illegal. They will watch us bomb Mexico and perhaps drug cartels, but perhaps other targets. Who knows. My friend was saying this morning that from her POV Putin and Trump made a deal for Putin to take Europe, and for Trump to take North America.
Thanks, all, but these nightmares are are overwhelming. I’m trying hard to not get lost in it as one part of my “self care.” So thank you all for your thoughtfulness, but I have to go read The Borowitz Report now
Do take care of yourself.
Great antidote!
And South and Central America so we no longer have a border problem
Reva, while I was thinking that too, I think that he would get the idea to expand after taking Canada and Mexico. Europe is going to have to think long and hard about defending Canada from Trump, as the same time that they are helping Ukraine with Putin as fellow members of NATO.
Maybe I’m hallucinating conspiracy theories but I wouldn’t be surprised if Putin, Xi and Trump have a plan to divide the world into three area of domination. Trump is no match for those others so then it will really be curtains.
Many "insiders" report that Russia is weakened and that Putin no longer has good command of his military officers. I believe there is a good chance he will be defeated, and Russia will divide into zones or states of its various ethnic groups. May it be so. But first, depose Trump.
And defending Denmark from a Trump conquest of Greenland.
I cant imagine that siding with Russia and all the crimes he is doing against Americans by gutting Federally funded programs is not considired Treason. Trump is a domestic terrorist why arent they arresting him?
Who would arrest him? The marshals who work for the courts have Trump as their boss too. The military does as well. With no one to stop him except the people, Americans are going to have to decide whether they will rely on the legal system to manage Trump. Plenty of countries have, and even some have voted the fascist out of power. Others have not managed to do that because the hold was too complete.
Of course Trump or Putin trying to expand their territory could just mean that they have a lot more people rising up against them. All the non-MAGA Canadians and Mexicans for that matter.
Trump is not well, physically or psychologically. Nature may do the job for us. The 'fired" civil servants are many now, including top military brass. I do believe they will answer the call to defend the US, along with an increasing population of voters.
Although he’s purged the JCS, he’s really risking our first-ever, military-led, coup d’êtat. To protect against this he purged the JCS and stocked them with MAGA loyalists. Will the rank-and-file obey?
I don't think ENOUGH Americans understand how quickly and "democratically" Hitler destroyed Germany's democracy.
Trump, Vance, the Oligarchs and the authors of Project 2025 ALL understand this 👇
“The big joke on democracy is that it gives its mortal enemies the means to its own destruction.” - Joseph Goebbels, March 23, 1933 (The day Hiter succeeded in destroying Germany"s democracy)
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/01/hitler-germany-constitution-authoritarianism/681233/
Those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it... Wake Up America!
Unfortunately, time is running out. Trump is on track to beat Hitler:
Hitler systematically disabled & then dismantled his country’s democratic structures & processes in less than 2 months’ time—specifically,
1 month,
3 weeks,
2 days,
8 hours, &
40 minutes.
The minutes, as we will see, mattered."
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/01/hitler-germany-constitution-authoritarianism/681233/
If we got rid of TFG and JD Pants then we'd have to get rid of Johnson..etc etc etc
Johnson is an ignorant tool. If POS and JD are gone, he'll fold.
True Lisa, but just a few Republicans with spines could also make that happen. Not sure what it's going to take for them to see that our democracy is at risk…
They know that. If they wanted him out of office, they could have done that numerous times. He is being enabled from more than one source.
Comrade Krasnodar. Never President.
What does Krasnov mean in Russian? "Idiot?" "Sucker?" "Sissy?" "Fool?
Pretty or beautiful.
HA!
My daily dose of perspective: All the flowers here are blooming. My friend's husband died two nights ago. He was 94 and hated trump. My local Indivisible chapter is planning a fun and motivating event. I'm going after a good night's sleep. I hope you find one, too. Tomorrow is another day.
I am sorry for your friend's loss of her husband Ivy. Being 94 is a good run. Thank you for all you are doing.
I hope many see the worthiness of the Indivisible organization which encourages us all to take a step as often as possible to support the power of the many! Power in numbers will help us defeat Trump and his stooges.
Suggested action: One Million Postcards for Ukraine...
At this particular time I think there should be a campaign in response to the disgraceful treatment of President Zelensky and Ukraine by the current US administration.
The goal is to get one million people to write a post card expressing their feelings to President Trump. This could start immediately so postcards would arrive by March 15 (the Ides of March). The symbolism of that date will not be lost on many people.
Postcards are good because they are 1) cheap and are 2) easy to write, and are 3) harder to ignore if a million start arriving at the White House and therefore 4) generate publicity for Ukraine (the major media should be alerted).
The One Million Postcards could also go to our senators and congress members--and not just the ones who represent us individually but any that we can share addresses for in DC or local addresses in districts. If they are showing up everywhere ...
March 14, I believe, is also the date that a new CR has to pass. Between calls and postcards with the same message, it could be quite impactful.
These are great ideas and I have lots of pre-stamped postcards, so I will use them accordingly.
I like this idea!
How about sending 1 million post cards that say "Zelensky for President"
Great idea!
We need one script so that the message is very, very clear.
"For 80 years the US has stood strong with its allies and spread democratic values around the world. This is not the time to give in to autocracy. Stand up for our democracy. Stand up for Ukraine."
Something that emphasizes standing with our allies and democratic values around the world.
Too hard to create one message. Who would create it and circulate it? Use your right to free speech and write whatever moves you. Just write! My postcard will go out tomorrow.
I think this is a tremendous idea. But have no idea how to assist in implementing it and getting the word out. (I have no social media presence) I am new to this sort of grassroots protesting. All I have done so far is create a button that I have been wearing every day for a year. It says:
I am the silent Majority
Pro- Choice
Pro- Democracy
Anti- Trump
When people comment that they like it I give it to them, if they say they will wear it.
Right now I am waiting for a bumper sticker that I ordered that says:
Proud American
Anti-Trump
Postcards printed up in Blue and Yellow on one side and a message on the other cannot be ignored if we can organize and coordinate for a million to be mailed as close together as possible.
It would be nice if Robert would publicize the idea! Just tell your friends. Too hard to organize a single message or postcard image. Just get one from any place that has any postcards. If you don't have a postcard stamp, use a letter stamp. Only costs a few cents more. My postcard is going out tomorrow. If each of us gets 2 other people to send a card we will get to 1M on March 15
We attended a demonstration at SpaceX at mid day today. Hundreds of people lined Crenshaw Boulevard, many with home made signs expressing outrage at Elon Musk. Putin and Trump were also targets of ridicule and outrage. Cars and trucks driving slowly through horns blaring in solidarity. We were voting today with our feet.
Saturday, there was a demonstration in our small western Maine town of Norway--there were a couple dozen people wearing blue, waving signs expressing disgust and anger at fascist Trump and his heinie-kissing sidekick vp, as well as a good number of signs expressing anger with the unelected leader of "DOGE". We honked and I hung out our plowtruck window, waving & cheering. It's really heartening to see people waking up to our peril!
The Women's March and more recently the People's March in Washngton DC were impressive in organization and size, but I love the proliferation of grassroots protests springing up every day across the country. It seems people are taking a spontaneous, inspired, and equally effective sort of action.
For grassroots involvement, one great movement is found at Indivisible.org. Leah and Ezra on Thursdays at 3 pm EST on their Zoom 1 hour Q&A program. Get the link by signing up with your email and zip code. It’s encouraging and strong in support of anti-Trump/Musk/Vance/the Devil. Join soon! You’ll be glad you are supporting democracy in our country.
People in VT protested Vance’s arrival for a skiing vacation after his abominable performance in the Oval Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhtPqcZDYFU
I love seeing these protests grow!
Your description and photo of that cubbyhole and the words of Churchill on the importance of his alliance with Roosevelt touch me deeply at this particular time.
At the end of Robert's Saturday AM talk, he sounded so much like Churchill, so inspiring, when it ended, I just sobbed. A good and helpful sort of sobbing, for one minute. I wanted everyone to hear him.
English is now the Official language. Since most Republicans cannot speak it correctly, shouldn’t the Official language be American?
With the three upcoming special House elections coming up, two in Florida, and one in New York, do Democrats have any chance of winning in these red districts? Not a pie in the sky campaign like what we saw between Mitch McConnell and Amy McGrath a while back, but a real chance. With voter rage building, I would like to hear from people in those districts to know what they honestly think.
I don’t care what the odds are, I’ve donated and written postcards for Josh Heil and donated to Gay Valimont, the 2 candidates for FL. I’ll keep writing. Volunteers are always helpful for campaigns and you never know the impact of personal interaction.
Josh Weil I think.
I have donated to both also.
Me, too
The most vulnerable may be Stefanik here in NY. But the GOP is afraid, and have been holding her back from accepting the UN Ambassadorship and releasing the seat. I don't know the latest, if they are releasing her or not yet.
If you google "Democrats name NY-21 nominee despite uncertain special election timeline" the Albany Times Union will let you read about the candidate. Here in NY CD 19 we flipped our seat from red to blue. We plan on helping out our upstate friends.
Another Josh Riley constituent here ~
I believe Hochul and state democrats are going to keep that seat open as long as possible (after she resigns), to not only affect the house majority but move it to a regular election day to get a larger turnout. Finally Dems being strategic.
Yes, there is a coordinated effort between Hochul and Jeffries. I'm not exactly sure how it will play out, but they hold the cards on that seat.
Blake Gendebein is a great candidate. Blake for the North Country!
Fascinating. I'd been wondering about the lack of confirmation; thanks for enlightening.
You are welcome. I don't have the latest news, but GOP operatives are eyeing these budget negotiations like devious miscreants. Perhaps even 2026, but it looks like they are digging their own graves.
That’s very interesting news!
Very interesting. I knew there were delays in her U.N. Ambassador confirmation, but I thought Stefanik had resigned.
I have my doubts that Matt Gaetz' election will flip Democratic, but do hold out hope for at least one of the others.
FL-1 congressional district historically voted Republican between 70 and 80%. Even after the GOP dissolved and was replaced by MAGA their scum candidate Gaetz constantly pulled a ⅔ majority.
Fl-6 looks pretty solid for MAGA as well. NY-21 actually voted for the Democrats until Stefanik came along. So there is a good chance flipping that seat. In any case all three races should give a good indication of how the mood of MAGA voters has soured.
If Trump screws Canada badly enough with his tariff insanity it will hurt the folks in NY CD 21 a lot as the economy up there is pretty sad and has been for a long time. That might move people who depend on various government programs and or jobs related to cross border commerce to get by to wake up and vote Democratic.
Curious how many in those districts are on Medicaid?
According to Gay Valimont (not sure of the spelling), there are MANY. She has her own experience of losing her husband to ALS and her daughter to a brain tumor within a short span of time, and she says she speaks to many in her area who are afraid of losing their healthcare etc.
Like Kamala said, trump will wake up thinking what can he do for himself, she would wake up thinking what can she do for us. I so loved that woman.
good question. I bet a lot. And how many registered Democrats did not vote in 2024 because Steffy was such a total lock. GOTV and registration ,etc. could be meaningful.
Check out the various maps from Democracy Labs.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzQZTVpCQtJfzvxhFzRPMzNJshhT
This link just takes me to my email account.
for some reason when i put this url into my computer I get a message that it can't be loaded
As an Australian I feel sorry for America right now. The more days go by the more evidence exists that Ukraine is the leading country on the planet.
Thank you, Howard. We are depleted and embarrassed.
It’s embarrassing alright, it made me sick watching it, in my 78 years I don’t think I have ever seen a US president behave so despicably, and I saw nixon. I think he’s satanic, I really do, he’s going to help bring about WWIII, and for that I will blame Biden for allowing it to happen, he could have stopped it but chose not to. This was predictable, they told us what they wanted to do in Project 2025, the Biden White House read it and understood the threat and chose not to act. I loved the guy and thought he did a very fine job in everything but this, and maybe in the end this is what really mattered. He should have been on TV every week of his presidency explaining in detail what he was doing for all Americans, but he wasn’t and he didn’t and now we have this. 🤬
I don’t find myself disagreeing with you, Dick.
Yes, we are indeed embarrassed and depleted.
I'd respectfully add that we are stunned and sickened. It is a continuing nightmare that becomes darker with each passing day.
Yet, we have not surrendered. We still fight in numerous ways every day.
Thank you Howard. Everyone I know is completely freaked out and furious over the daily horrors coming out of this administration. I've been telling everyone I know to get engaged, start fighting back, and not give up.
Call the republican senators and demand to know why they are doing what they are doing, and when they are going to change course. Remind them that they have WWII heroes in their families...remind them that they work for all of us. tell them they do not need to fear Trump's reprisal, that we have their backs. Insist that their epitaphs will remember that they let this happen.
I love those Churchill War Rooms photos. Thank you. At the same time, it is painfully sad. I do wish we can ultimately rebuild those alliances, but I am not clear if our allies will want to. I hope I am wrong. Certainly the US can elect better and I feel that will happen, starting 2026.
It was righteously satisfying, if a bit too late, to see the Vermonters protest and reject Vance as he tried to escape for a ski vacation, after helping to demolish said alliances with vulgar, juvenile abuse. I've read Vance had to flee into a secret location with his family. Well played, Vermont. Many U.S. citizens do not want this and they are furious. I also saw a brief town hall excerpt by Suozzi, D NY, in a Trump + 5 district. He got a standing ovation when he mentioned how pissed off and freaked out (his words) people were over the Zelenskyy debacle. Those thugs need to go, because I don't foresee them changing their tune. Some of the damage is irreparable, but pro-democracy forces like those in this community are putting up the good fight.
I saw a video of Vermonters screaming at the cars carrying Vance and family. I hope they heard everything that was being said but I doubt it. He probably told his kids that the people were happy to have them there.
Yahoo News has a nice compilation of various protests erupting after the despicable show of allegiance to Putin in the Oval Office.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/j-d-vance-asked-being-020610437.html
That is heartening. This is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow for many Americans, despite the sinister logic of the move.
Do you see a very long game of using the U.S. as a uniquely powerful, but at same time vulnerable (e g large numbers of low education / red hat voters, etc) hinge in turning allegiances? Where even Trump is only a useful pawn? I am starting to discern a pattern. I could be wrong but I'm afraid not.
I sent many postcards for Suozzi and donated to his campaign but he has made some bad votes since his election and I hope he got an earful for those.
Here's what I want from my Democratic leaders. Take these actions:
1. Call it a FASCIST COUP!!! Loudly and often.
2. Start thinking outside the box.
3. VERY IMPORTANT: Set up a SHADOW CABINET with an alt-Press Secretary who gives DAILY briefings. Leverage the power you have and quit handwringing about how powerless you are.
4. Do NOT cooperate or collaborate with the Repugs. At all. Ever.
5. Call for mass demonstrations and economic boycotts.
This is a 5 alarm fire. Quit acting like this is business as usual.
Consumer spending is a major part of the economy, and massive boycotts would have a serious effect. And it’s something most everyone can do. It does need to be immediate and long term, not just a day here and there.
And yet 3 Democratic senators voted to confirm one of Trump’s nominees even after we told them to resist: https://2paragraphs.com/2025/02/3-democrat-senators-vote-to-implement-trumps-policy-after-gop-senator-and-bernie-sanders-say-no/
If we make it through this, I foresee some serious overhauling of the Democratic Party and lots of replacements of our current “leaders.”
I totally agree. Take it to the streets, I'm going to my Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday to protest. Hoping it will be a huge crowd after the world saw America choose Russia over Ukraine. Daily briefings by strong Democrats it's a must.
I've been meaning all day to share this gift link from The Atlantic with this community, in case any have not seen it. "It Was an Ambush" by Tom Nichols.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/ukraine-us-relations-trump/681880/?gift=D6OR2AWfzJsWdroWHkpG7wFvmEBqiu7QA3WRvutvkKg&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
Thank you for sharing this article
Very welcome.
One note: when President Zelenskyy said that the United States could feel threatened by Russia some day. “You have a nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future.”
Zelenskyy is correct we will feel it but wrong as to when - Russia has invaded the US now!
I believe that Putin infiltrated the US long ago. He planted people in every state and in governments. They’ve laid low until now. Now, they are cabinet members.
Today, Instead of Bell Laboratories developing an encrypted line of communication for two leaders working to save democracy, we have Musk's StarLink which he bestows or denies according to his own wants and whims, loyal to no one, patriotic to nothing, whispering in Trump's ear. In the other ear, Putin. Timothy Snyder's analysis yesterday of the Friday Fiasco is crystal clear and essential reading, whether Trump is literally a Russian asset or not.
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/the-war-trump-chooses?r=84sda&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
That's a fascinating analogy. My father began his career as a scientific researcher at Bell Labs. I can't imagine that caliber of scientists giving a Musk technocracy the time of day. Moreover, we are watching the decimation of the world's leading crucible of scientists before our eyes, via ignorant Musk funding exploitation. Thanks for the summation of Snyder again.