Thank you…THANK YOU, ROBERT (and Jill!)!! You’re right…we will prevail. It will be ugly at times, but I have confidence that we will see the light shining upon us. ONWARD!
Enough with disappointment and awe at Trump's destruction of our country. The times call for action - lawsuits, surely. But marches, work stoppages, vocal and physical protests are needed desperately. Noise and sticks in gears!! We have ceded too much already.
I don’t know what you are reading, and admittedly, legacy media is not covering the protests that are happening but Minnesotans showed up at our Capital Monday for the 50501 protest - in below zero temps with dangerous windchills. On Tuesday, thousands more showed up, in even colder temps, for our wemakemn rally for our future. We rallied Tuesday as a strategy to demand our state legislators do more to protect the future for all Minnesotans - with the legislators in the building! They definitely got the legislators’ attention. And there were rallies and protests all across the country on Monday including a two person protest in a bright red community here in MN that some insightful reporter covered for the evening CBS affiliate - I don’t watch the news. Saw it on Instagram.
We have also organized a boycott against Target - a locally based corporation. And when Twin Cities Pride dropped Target as a corporate sponsor, we stepped up to the plate snd participated in their gofundme campaign to replace Target’s grant. Done - in a very short time.
I had planned to go to the Tuesday rally but instead spent the afternoon with the family of a former colleague of mine. She has a trans son who is absolutely devastated by the brutal rape and murder of trans man Sam Nordquist, a Minneapolis resident. No, none of us knew Sam but his murder and the fact that he was targeted simply because he was trans has so many running scared that they will be next. It was sad, exhausting and unbearable to just sit with a small group of young people so completely shredded by what happened - with no condemnation from anyone in the White House - can you imagine?
There are THOUSANDS of us doing our best to protect our futures and our kids. That you aren’t seeing it in the media doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. If you aren’t already, Bluesky has lots of stories about what is happening and is not owned by Meta. Or follow Jessica Craven on substack. Or organize a protest yourself. But coming here demanding all that you listed here when it is already occurring means you aren’t plugged in. Find your protests locally. Participate in national ‘Buy Nothing Day’ on Friday, February 28. Get busy yourself.
I think I read about it in Jessica Craven's substack, but I want to make all of you aware of a fairly new substack "We (the people) Dissent". A recent post asked for stories from people who participated in the "Not MY President" Day protest on Monday.
I am So proud to be from Minnesota! I was planning to join the protest at the Capitol but thought this old body couldn't handle the below zero Temps with the wind chill even worse. Hearing that brave souls showed up despite the weather made me realize I better step up my game.
Sanford, You did notice that there were nationwide protests on Monday and almost daily in DC at the sites under attack, that the lawsuits against Trump- Musk actions are flying, and much more. Right? I hear your frustration, but there is a lot going on that shouldn’t be overlooked. And we can’t expect that things are going to go back to normal quickly.
I think we can agree that there is good work going on, driven by many in this community. Yet I think your words, Mr. Herzfeld, "We have ceded too much alread" are apt and should energize our opposition. Even those 250 leaders of Commit to Democracy who Robert met with in San Francisco were surprised. In Robert's words, "No one anticipated the viciousness and audacity of Trump's assault on the Constitution." My comment is not to look backward or to cast blame. Responsibility lies with all of us. And we mustfind a welcoming message for those who voted for Trump as they wake up to his lies.
Help people realize that Trump and Trumpists and Project 2025 don't care about immigration, inflation, the cost of Cheerios (obviously). These "issues" are all means to an end: demolishing the "administrative state," and destroying opposition and establishing Trump, his family, his cronies, and the oligarchs as rulers of America. Steve Bannon said as much in 2016 and the absolute conviction that "government" is wasteful, too big, and run by lazy and incompetent people has been a part of the Republican assault since before Reagan. Once their power is unchallenged and absolute, their real work will begin demolishing the rights of every American.
Thousands of Americans are fighting back, but millions and millions of Americans, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Tanzanians, Venezuelans, and others will be hurt and even killed by Trump's actions. And Musk must be seen for both the power behind the throne and a convenient shield for Trump. Scientists will not only lose funding, their research will be halted and perhaps disappear completely and because of this people will die. With every resignation, and firing knowledge and competence go out the door. This is Germany in the 'thirties when Einstein and thousands of other scientists fled dictatorship. We know this. We need to draw out the outlines of the dystopia that Trump is bringing to America for all to see at the same time we help people see it. Trump told people that he would solve all their problems. We need to hammer away at the evidence that his dictatorship is bringing nothing but grief to the world. And find a way to stop him.
Here you go..if anyone wants to know about the many lawsuits that have been and are being brought, go to...
Just Security Litigation Tracker,
You will see a long list with explanations of law suits having to do with all that's happening, and dates past and future. This is so informative! It's also uplifting to see the court fights against this coup, and there are many.
Marc Elias (Democracy Docket) is going to summarize all the litigation every Friday. He sends emails throughout the week that I find very helpful, but also very alarming. Yesterday I received two emails from Marc. Trump is deeply cruel, violently angry, vindictive, and mentally unstable human being. In the first email Marc wrote "Already, Trump's ambition for his second term is much larger, more grandiose, than mere cruelty. This time he wants to destroy democracy and replace it with an authoritarian oligarch." I had tears in my eyes. That is the whole point of Project 25. Our Democratic Senators are not responding adequately at all. It's happening right before their eyes also.
And the Republican Senators have their fingers in their ears. I have been calling Ted Budd almost daily and his voicemail is always full. I can’t leave a message and I can’t talk to an aide.
Thanks, this is really helpful. Sending emails might be better than phone calls when you can't get through. I will be sharing this link to many of my activists friends.
Yes. I really love how you framed tonight's newsletter. It gives us something tangible to grab onto, as we stumble through a very dark moment. I really want to believe we can do this, and the U.S. is not permanently stained. An essential recognition:
"*In violation of the statutes that created the independent agencies,* Trump has signed an executive order that folded every independent agency under Trump's control."
It is so critical now, especially for non-attorneys, to recognize the flagrant illegality of much of this. They are blasting these EO proclamations at lightning speed. It is easy to overlook the thread of illegitimate authority -- which will ultimately be overturned by fights in court -- and feel overwhelmed. I think disappointment with Chutkan's initial TRO denial can turn positive, as the ruling she is inclined to issue later will have more staying power if / when it is appealed to the S.C.
Perhaps not surprising, but apparently Vance's speech in Munich was so debased that AfD was actually reported to lose percentage points in polls afterwards. Though I suspect it could be that pro-democratic parties gained points, rather than the AfD actually "losing" (they may, however, suffer from a scandal with campaign financing). I so detest this grotesque GOP cabal now. Sometimes I watch Sheldon Whitehouse cut them down in the Senate, or Raskin in the House, to feel a little better.
Please do not misread the following, but it is worth noting in light of tonight's newsletter premise: It is a rare juncture indeed to locate an advantageous wedge with Steve Bannon -- in opposition only; not in his policy, hatred or libertarian destruction. Bannon has now publicly denounced Elon Musk, and warned that Musk is recklessly destroying the institutions essential to the U.S. This is likely because Bannon recognizes that the current level of DOGE destruction will disproportionately affect their base voters. If they also become vocal about cutting out Musk, and restoring essential services, institutions, entitlement programs, etc., it is better to take the advantage. Leave the Schadenfreude of their ignorant votes and destructive behavior for another day. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5150832-steve-bannon-elon-musk-doge/
It puts (figuratively) a face to the fate of tens of thousands of people who are the first victims in this first chapter of implementing and securing the coup. And this is just the beginning. Everybody should be alarmed and feel compelled to resist. Remember the foreboding quote "First they came for..."
I have a family member who has had to terminate dedicated civil servants.The stress is off the charts in a hostile work environment.Please continue to read/share those personal stories as Stefan posted.
Please all keep calling,writing, visiting your legislators! Request a WRITTEN response of what they are doing to protect the safety and security of their constituents. If it’s a BS form letter about DOGE saving us,fight back! Write a Letter To Ed,call,write again,walk into their office.My MAGA US Rep’s DC staffer left a message yesterday about “my concerns”…hmmm,I smell MAGA fear.
Please keep in contact with those in your circle who are affected and fearful.I started a family text chain with useful info,”generally good practices” (freezing credit reports,screenshots of SS info)interspersed with positive stuff.Pics of Ms. Monarch flapping her wings dry in our butterfly garden after she emerged from her chrysalis,preparing for her one way flight to Mexico(sounds like a good idea) Amazing how they fit in such tiny houses!
My Senator (Ernst) replied to my DOGE criticisms not only with the “DOGE will save us from waste and fraud” bilge but also tried to mollify me with “oh, and don’t worry, they are limited to read-only privileges, so your data are perfectly safe”.
Yeah, right, Senator, except for the fact that they can COPY everything they have access to, and then all our private, privileged information will be available to anyone that musk chooses to share it with.
Yes. Thanks. The personal stories bring home the grief and devastation. It's a callous disregard for human lives. Many can't just pick up and move elsewhere. I just read an article now in Guardian UK about the chilling effect on scientific research / NIH cuts. I come from a family of scientific research. With the U.S. being, by a substantial margin, the world leader for so long, to have it severed overnight can ruin a generation of science. There aren't enough spots worldwide to absorb all the brain drain. Etc.
I don't feel the coup is yet secured, however -- the courts need time. They are doing a good job thus far. And the public, while a little scattered at first, is beginning to mobilize.
The university leaders need to speak out, but don't hold The brain drain is happening as research dries up in critical fields, tenure your breath. Faculty slots will disappear. As a nation we turned away when the humanities were decimated in the '80s and then again in this century when the country when gaga over STEM disciplines, but now the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines and in particular the biological and chemical sciences will feel the biggest pinch. Careers will be ruined, a generation will be wasted, and we will be denied as a culture the breakthroughs that have driven our economic and health progress.
I’m feeling particularly sad this morning as a Facebook friend recently posted a personal story of someone who had been terminated. It was also heartbreaking. I was appalled at some of the comments, totally ignoring the person’s trauma and insisting that this was necessary for the country to rid itself of fraud and abuse. I engaged with two of them, trying to break through and make them understand the massive firings were not a plan, nor the right way to go about this. All to no avail. I now realize that there is no conversing with Trumpers. They have no understanding, no empathy and most likely no brain.
If one applies Occam’s razor, the through line, the only persuasive one, is that the Trump/Musk operation is a direct assault on America, not just the Constitution. Wrecking the structure and economy of the U.S. is the point. Moreover, this assault is being coordinated with Vladimir Putin, and the Republican Party is in league with this operation. A wrecked America exactly serves Putin’s purposes. Trump is uncharacteristically but conspicuously cagey about his communications with Putin. None of this should be attributed to stupidity or inadvertence. Doing so will disarm us. The thin cover that this is about “government efficiency” is so obviously pretense that it is hardly worth the bother of refutation. There are times when the paranoid view is the correct one, and I believe this is such a time.
I totally agree with you. And wasn't the highfalutin, "He who saves his country does not violate the law" the giveway?! tRump is incapable of thinking that way, incapable. I see the fingerprints of a certain Duke graduate.
Thank you as we need your posts to continue to know what's going on. We had about 1000 rally in Tucson on Mon. & 272 in front of Tesla on Sat. I've called lots & am ready to send many letters to ALL senators. I do call in thank you's as well to such as Adam Schiff. We pray for those in a position to speak loudly against trump because they truly need our prayers for their protection.
I cannot understand why the shadow cabinet has not formed and begun taking action. On Saturday Robert urged anybody with a platform just do it. That’s my paraphrase. Robert was more eloquent.
I admit that I have no clue how to make it happen. We need to make it happen. Yesterday.
This is a really good question, Colleen. It seems like the DNC should be on the hook to form the shadow cabinet. Maybe we need to be filling Ken Martin’s inbox on this. I heard another great idea from former Senator Doug Jones (second hand from my spouse, so I could be editorializing:). Since Dems in Congress don’t currently hold committee chairs to initiate investigations, they could do “field investigations “ where they gather testimony in their own districts/states about the harm being done to ordinary Americans and publicize it. This is something within our power to pressure our own Senators and Representatives to do.
Thank you for your very clear assessment. The thread through all the Executive Orders makes it easier to understand what is happening.
But where are the Congressional representatives and our Senators and any and all business and religious leaders? Where are they … why are more elected officials just saying NO? This is ENOUGH! This is out of hand.. Why are they not having major events on the U.S. Capitol steps every day?
If I walk not in a designated crosswalk I could be ticketed or if I go five miles above speed limit I could be ticketed but some unelected person can demand to see our personal financial information … they are given a pass?
I am not an attorney but this is just wrong the way it is being done. These are not careful cost cutting measures ….this is blatant grab for total control and revenge.
Oh how I share your frustration. I am somewhat close to our congressman and know that as long as we’re in the minority they can’t change laws. And so many laws are limp and there seems to be no direct consequence in breaking them. If/when we gain majority again, I believe this is the first thing we the people need to make certain happens. Congress must create real laws and safeguards around elected officials responsibilities and deviations. Traditional and norms are no longer enough in a Rambo fed culture.
Our representatives may not have voting power right now but as elected "leaders", they sure have the power to create a shadow cabinet, to hold daily press conferences on the capitol steps, to express the outrage, inspire their constituents, inspire all of us, to articulate the mission for the opposition to unite around. There are two kinds of characters in writing, flat and round. Real leaders are not flat, and that's what we dems are stuck with, a lot of flat leader wannabes.
Yes, yes, yes! The American people get out in below-zero temperatures to protest, and we PAY these guys and gals a tidy sum to represent us. We should be seeing and hearing them shouting about this rolling and illegal coup, every day.
Amy, please get Josh Riley pushing for some version of the shadow Cabinet. When Rs are in the minority, they never shut up. Not that I want Democrats to be assholes, but there must be SOMEBODY with the smarts and savvy and courage to make some noise. Don’t you think? And thank you again for your amazing work getting Riley elected!
Just out of curiosity: is adding in tariffs on semiconductors a veiled attack on Taiwan? And / or dopey retribution for Biden's Chip act accomplishment, like another cheap shot "rebranding" effort for T to take credit? [Full disclosure: I have lived in Taiwan. I love it, the people, and our allied relationship. Forgive the language, but what an ignorant prick T is.]
It will be too late to let lawsuits make changes. Damage, destruction and death is happening right now. Some people are calling for a general strike on April 19. No one goes to work. Everything shuts down—federal government, state government, factories, everything except hospitals and other emergency services.
Full quote from Robert Reich below. This should be broadcasted high and wide, everywhere, all at once. While two months seems far away, this needs to percolate around the country.
“Others tell me that we have no choice but to engage in massive civil disobedience — a general strike on April 19, for example, the day our forefathers began the American Revolution 250 years ago. None of us shows up for work. Everything stops. Scientists stop working for the government (let RFK Jr. run an empty NIH and CDC, let Gabbard try to run without CIA and NSA labs, and the whole world without NOAA).
Not to do so signals that we’re intimidated by the bullying, which invites even more of it.”(Robert Reich)
"Some good news from an unexpected source: The Catholic Conference of Bishops."
I would argue that there can be no *good* news from US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Perhaps useful news, but not good news. The resettlement of refugees has been a cash cow for the church, ever since the Reagan administration/Federalist Society started tearing down the wall between church and state. Now the bishops' ox has been gored. And they're pissed. The bishops have so identified with Republican extremists, and operate at such a distance from Pope Francis that he has repeatedly chastised them on issues from the environment to human diversity to immigration.
"Pope Francis bluntly assessed the consequences of such moral failure [of the U. S. Bishops]: "What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly." His appeal was straightforward. "I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters."
"Some bishops were worse than silent. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, penned a column in his archdiocesan newspaper that repeated GOP talking points. "Allowing violent gangs, individuals with serious criminal histories, dealers of lethal illegal drugs, human traffickers and those who pose threats to our national security to enter our country and harm U.S. citizens is a serious dereliction of duty by our elected leaders," Naumann said. "I commend President Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.""
As a metaphor for the corrupt reformation of the American Catholic Church by the extremist Republican party, consider the years long reconstruction of a church in Bar Harbor by its patron and parishioner 'more Catholic than the Pope' Leonard Leo. It is suspected using funds shielded from taxes by typical Leo schemes. Taxes, which were they paid to the U. S. Treasury might fund government run secular assistance programs, untainted by the troubled Catholic church with its history of unabated abuse of the most vulnerable among us. Giving a new bent to 'suffer ye little children.'
Here in the US, Catholicism is for sale." The bishops have ceded their teaching authority to a host of well-funded right-wing political groups who have embraced the "Catholic" brand to advance their economic and partisan goals.
Republicans promised and delivered to the Catholic bishops the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, and as there side of the bargain the priests and bishops told their congregations to vote for the candidate who shared their values -- Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. I am a sorrowful Catholic hanging on to my faith in the Church by the tips of my fingers.
Maybe you should look into the Episcopal Church. All of the liturgy, none of the guilt and mostly open and welcoming to all. You’d be surprised at how many former Catholics are now doing just that.
Yes, Annette, several of my lifelong friends have made the move. Not sure if that's for me, but I respect the Episcopal and Anglican choice. Afraid I might take the big leap off the religion train all together. But while that works for many, I'm afraid that would be a desert for me. Complex. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
DeSantis vetoed $ two successive years.This before P2025 was a “thing”.
“Members of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops confirmed requesting the Governor to veto the $2 million in recurring funds for long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).”
It was wonderful to hear you speak (and to chat with you and Jill for a few minutes) in person today. You and Jessica Craven continue to be wise and guiding lights for us. Thank you for all you do, for your commitment to spreading the truth, and for inspiring us to continue working to save our democracy.
"There is no good reason to believe that a political movement based on resentment and hate will prevail over an ideology based on promoting the common good. Yes, we will experience retrograde cycles and reactionary moments, but they will pass."
Nothing I experience will come close to the harm thousands will feel due to this complete chaos and personnel slashing. But, I have already seen what SSA cuts are causing (latest LTE below). I urge everyone to documents any negative experiences they have and write to newspapers, call lawmakers, etc. I will say this is the first time I felt my R congresswoman’s office was really listening to me.
Keep writing,Cathy! ( fellow LTE writer).When I told my MAGA Rep’s staffer of a friend’s recent similar issues applying for Medicare this month ,she tried to blame it on “civil servants not returning to work after Covid”. I replied that the process was seamless for me last year as well as for my husband during Covid….when all those civil servants were working remotely.Staffer➡️no response.
Up in the middle of the night and so grateful for this reminder. A few suggestions to everyone - start hammering:
🔨 Banks and credit card companies - call them/comment on their social media posts - demand to know what they are doing to protect your data in the largest security breach ever? What are there DEI policies? What are they doing to stop Trump’s fascist coup? If he tanks the economy -their business will be hurt. Demand a written response explains what and how they are addressing these issues within a week. Tell them you will change banks if they can’t answer these questions. Ex: JP Morgan Chase head Jamie Dimon just said he’s getting rid of DEI and thinks bias training is a waste. He made $39M last year.
🔨Same for large corporations you patronize.
🔨See The Guardians article on how US shoppers are dumping corps for Trump-aligned policies.
🔨 Republicans House members in swing districts and senators up for reelection in 2026 in their social media. Ask if hat they’re doing to protect social security, Medicare/Medicaid, our data, our national security, our children, cancer research, heart disease research, etc.
Thank you Robert- am travelling and you a beacon when I check in with one eye closed as to the daily destruction-
I do wonder - where are the corporations in this? How the immigration issues will affect employees/ families and the chaos will affect the economy? Are they just hoping it will all just disappear? 🤦♀️🤷♀️
Apologies if you already covered this: FEB 28 BOYCOTT SHOPPING DAY. Newsweek article by Susan Blake (Feb 11)..."The People's Union is targeting Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, but the group is also asking boycotters to refrain from spending money on fast food or gas, as well.
If consumers must make purchases, they are asked to buy only from small, local businesses."
.....As a retired economist, I know that VOTES matter but since consumer spending is 2/3 of the economy, SO DO WALLETS!!!
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE OUR LIVES BRIGHTER.
Thank you…THANK YOU, ROBERT (and Jill!)!! You’re right…we will prevail. It will be ugly at times, but I have confidence that we will see the light shining upon us. ONWARD!
Thank-you, Robert and Jill. Thank-you, everyone who brave cold on Monday…among my friends who attended here in Maine, they now feel more energized
Enough with disappointment and awe at Trump's destruction of our country. The times call for action - lawsuits, surely. But marches, work stoppages, vocal and physical protests are needed desperately. Noise and sticks in gears!! We have ceded too much already.
We are planning a protest in front of a local tesla dealership Fri 28 Feb.
… and the Economic Blackout on Feb 28. No purchases that day – no gas, Amazon, Walmart, C.V.S.. If you must purchase, then go to a local store.
Excellent!!!
I don’t know what you are reading, and admittedly, legacy media is not covering the protests that are happening but Minnesotans showed up at our Capital Monday for the 50501 protest - in below zero temps with dangerous windchills. On Tuesday, thousands more showed up, in even colder temps, for our wemakemn rally for our future. We rallied Tuesday as a strategy to demand our state legislators do more to protect the future for all Minnesotans - with the legislators in the building! They definitely got the legislators’ attention. And there were rallies and protests all across the country on Monday including a two person protest in a bright red community here in MN that some insightful reporter covered for the evening CBS affiliate - I don’t watch the news. Saw it on Instagram.
We have also organized a boycott against Target - a locally based corporation. And when Twin Cities Pride dropped Target as a corporate sponsor, we stepped up to the plate snd participated in their gofundme campaign to replace Target’s grant. Done - in a very short time.
I had planned to go to the Tuesday rally but instead spent the afternoon with the family of a former colleague of mine. She has a trans son who is absolutely devastated by the brutal rape and murder of trans man Sam Nordquist, a Minneapolis resident. No, none of us knew Sam but his murder and the fact that he was targeted simply because he was trans has so many running scared that they will be next. It was sad, exhausting and unbearable to just sit with a small group of young people so completely shredded by what happened - with no condemnation from anyone in the White House - can you imagine?
There are THOUSANDS of us doing our best to protect our futures and our kids. That you aren’t seeing it in the media doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. If you aren’t already, Bluesky has lots of stories about what is happening and is not owned by Meta. Or follow Jessica Craven on substack. Or organize a protest yourself. But coming here demanding all that you listed here when it is already occurring means you aren’t plugged in. Find your protests locally. Participate in national ‘Buy Nothing Day’ on Friday, February 28. Get busy yourself.
We the people. All of us this time!
I think I read about it in Jessica Craven's substack, but I want to make all of you aware of a fairly new substack "We (the people) Dissent". A recent post asked for stories from people who participated in the "Not MY President" Day protest on Monday.
This link is for the Monday column: https://open.substack.com/pub/thepeopledissent/p/protest-tales?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Here is a link to today's column:
https://open.substack.com/pub/thepeopledissent/p/look-for-the-helpers?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I encourage you to sign up and spread the word. It will be a good central clearing house for finding info on upcoming actions all over the country.
Note: the author currently doesn't limit any content to free subscribers, which I think is very admirable.
I am So proud to be from Minnesota! I was planning to join the protest at the Capitol but thought this old body couldn't handle the below zero Temps with the wind chill even worse. Hearing that brave souls showed up despite the weather made me realize I better step up my game.
Sheila : what a great job you are doing. You inspire me to do.much more than I am currently doing
Thank you, Sheila! So inspiring!
Thank you for your courage!!!
Sanford, You did notice that there were nationwide protests on Monday and almost daily in DC at the sites under attack, that the lawsuits against Trump- Musk actions are flying, and much more. Right? I hear your frustration, but there is a lot going on that shouldn’t be overlooked. And we can’t expect that things are going to go back to normal quickly.
YES: also the nationwide boycott on Friday!
I think we can agree that there is good work going on, driven by many in this community. Yet I think your words, Mr. Herzfeld, "We have ceded too much alread" are apt and should energize our opposition. Even those 250 leaders of Commit to Democracy who Robert met with in San Francisco were surprised. In Robert's words, "No one anticipated the viciousness and audacity of Trump's assault on the Constitution." My comment is not to look backward or to cast blame. Responsibility lies with all of us. And we mustfind a welcoming message for those who voted for Trump as they wake up to his lies.
Help people realize that Trump and Trumpists and Project 2025 don't care about immigration, inflation, the cost of Cheerios (obviously). These "issues" are all means to an end: demolishing the "administrative state," and destroying opposition and establishing Trump, his family, his cronies, and the oligarchs as rulers of America. Steve Bannon said as much in 2016 and the absolute conviction that "government" is wasteful, too big, and run by lazy and incompetent people has been a part of the Republican assault since before Reagan. Once their power is unchallenged and absolute, their real work will begin demolishing the rights of every American.
Thousands of Americans are fighting back, but millions and millions of Americans, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Tanzanians, Venezuelans, and others will be hurt and even killed by Trump's actions. And Musk must be seen for both the power behind the throne and a convenient shield for Trump. Scientists will not only lose funding, their research will be halted and perhaps disappear completely and because of this people will die. With every resignation, and firing knowledge and competence go out the door. This is Germany in the 'thirties when Einstein and thousands of other scientists fled dictatorship. We know this. We need to draw out the outlines of the dystopia that Trump is bringing to America for all to see at the same time we help people see it. Trump told people that he would solve all their problems. We need to hammer away at the evidence that his dictatorship is bringing nothing but grief to the world. And find a way to stop him.
Don't fight back.
FIGHT FORWARD!!
(Courtesy Ted Lasso)
Here you go..if anyone wants to know about the many lawsuits that have been and are being brought, go to...
Just Security Litigation Tracker,
You will see a long list with explanations of law suits having to do with all that's happening, and dates past and future. This is so informative! It's also uplifting to see the court fights against this coup, and there are many.
Marc Elias (Democracy Docket) is going to summarize all the litigation every Friday. He sends emails throughout the week that I find very helpful, but also very alarming. Yesterday I received two emails from Marc. Trump is deeply cruel, violently angry, vindictive, and mentally unstable human being. In the first email Marc wrote "Already, Trump's ambition for his second term is much larger, more grandiose, than mere cruelty. This time he wants to destroy democracy and replace it with an authoritarian oligarch." I had tears in my eyes. That is the whole point of Project 25. Our Democratic Senators are not responding adequately at all. It's happening right before their eyes also.
And the Republican Senators have their fingers in their ears. I have been calling Ted Budd almost daily and his voicemail is always full. I can’t leave a message and I can’t talk to an aide.
Show up at local office.
Call local office.
Become a pest.
What about sending an email?
Oh, I’ve sent them too. I either get a “canned” reply with the Republican talking points, or nothing at all.
Here’s the link: https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
Thanks Dee and Derek - I saved the link (my file is named 47Hell) and made a donation.
Thanks, this is really helpful. Sending emails might be better than phone calls when you can't get through. I will be sharing this link to many of my activists friends.
Showing up with some friends at the local office is even better.
Thanks Derek…
Dee, thanks for this info. The amount of lawsuits is overwhelming!
Yes. I really love how you framed tonight's newsletter. It gives us something tangible to grab onto, as we stumble through a very dark moment. I really want to believe we can do this, and the U.S. is not permanently stained. An essential recognition:
"*In violation of the statutes that created the independent agencies,* Trump has signed an executive order that folded every independent agency under Trump's control."
It is so critical now, especially for non-attorneys, to recognize the flagrant illegality of much of this. They are blasting these EO proclamations at lightning speed. It is easy to overlook the thread of illegitimate authority -- which will ultimately be overturned by fights in court -- and feel overwhelmed. I think disappointment with Chutkan's initial TRO denial can turn positive, as the ruling she is inclined to issue later will have more staying power if / when it is appealed to the S.C.
Perhaps not surprising, but apparently Vance's speech in Munich was so debased that AfD was actually reported to lose percentage points in polls afterwards. Though I suspect it could be that pro-democratic parties gained points, rather than the AfD actually "losing" (they may, however, suffer from a scandal with campaign financing). I so detest this grotesque GOP cabal now. Sometimes I watch Sheldon Whitehouse cut them down in the Senate, or Raskin in the House, to feel a little better.
Please do not misread the following, but it is worth noting in light of tonight's newsletter premise: It is a rare juncture indeed to locate an advantageous wedge with Steve Bannon -- in opposition only; not in his policy, hatred or libertarian destruction. Bannon has now publicly denounced Elon Musk, and warned that Musk is recklessly destroying the institutions essential to the U.S. This is likely because Bannon recognizes that the current level of DOGE destruction will disproportionately affect their base voters. If they also become vocal about cutting out Musk, and restoring essential services, institutions, entitlement programs, etc., it is better to take the advantage. Leave the Schadenfreude of their ignorant votes and destructive behavior for another day. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5150832-steve-bannon-elon-musk-doge/
As you mention giving "something tangible to grab onto" I recommend reading this heartbreaking letter from a Federal employee
https://substack.com/home/post/p-157434986?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
It puts (figuratively) a face to the fate of tens of thousands of people who are the first victims in this first chapter of implementing and securing the coup. And this is just the beginning. Everybody should be alarmed and feel compelled to resist. Remember the foreboding quote "First they came for..."
I have a family member who has had to terminate dedicated civil servants.The stress is off the charts in a hostile work environment.Please continue to read/share those personal stories as Stefan posted.
Please all keep calling,writing, visiting your legislators! Request a WRITTEN response of what they are doing to protect the safety and security of their constituents. If it’s a BS form letter about DOGE saving us,fight back! Write a Letter To Ed,call,write again,walk into their office.My MAGA US Rep’s DC staffer left a message yesterday about “my concerns”…hmmm,I smell MAGA fear.
Please keep in contact with those in your circle who are affected and fearful.I started a family text chain with useful info,”generally good practices” (freezing credit reports,screenshots of SS info)interspersed with positive stuff.Pics of Ms. Monarch flapping her wings dry in our butterfly garden after she emerged from her chrysalis,preparing for her one way flight to Mexico(sounds like a good idea) Amazing how they fit in such tiny houses!
Please make time for self-care each day…🧘🏻♀️
My Senator (Ernst) replied to my DOGE criticisms not only with the “DOGE will save us from waste and fraud” bilge but also tried to mollify me with “oh, and don’t worry, they are limited to read-only privileges, so your data are perfectly safe”.
Yeah, right, Senator, except for the fact that they can COPY everything they have access to, and then all our private, privileged information will be available to anyone that musk chooses to share it with.
Yes. Thanks. The personal stories bring home the grief and devastation. It's a callous disregard for human lives. Many can't just pick up and move elsewhere. I just read an article now in Guardian UK about the chilling effect on scientific research / NIH cuts. I come from a family of scientific research. With the U.S. being, by a substantial margin, the world leader for so long, to have it severed overnight can ruin a generation of science. There aren't enough spots worldwide to absorb all the brain drain. Etc.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/19/trump-nih-funding-scientists
I don't feel the coup is yet secured, however -- the courts need time. They are doing a good job thus far. And the public, while a little scattered at first, is beginning to mobilize.
The university leaders need to speak out, but don't hold The brain drain is happening as research dries up in critical fields, tenure your breath. Faculty slots will disappear. As a nation we turned away when the humanities were decimated in the '80s and then again in this century when the country when gaga over STEM disciplines, but now the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines and in particular the biological and chemical sciences will feel the biggest pinch. Careers will be ruined, a generation will be wasted, and we will be denied as a culture the breakthroughs that have driven our economic and health progress.
I’m feeling particularly sad this morning as a Facebook friend recently posted a personal story of someone who had been terminated. It was also heartbreaking. I was appalled at some of the comments, totally ignoring the person’s trauma and insisting that this was necessary for the country to rid itself of fraud and abuse. I engaged with two of them, trying to break through and make them understand the massive firings were not a plan, nor the right way to go about this. All to no avail. I now realize that there is no conversing with Trumpers. They have no understanding, no empathy and most likely no brain.
If one applies Occam’s razor, the through line, the only persuasive one, is that the Trump/Musk operation is a direct assault on America, not just the Constitution. Wrecking the structure and economy of the U.S. is the point. Moreover, this assault is being coordinated with Vladimir Putin, and the Republican Party is in league with this operation. A wrecked America exactly serves Putin’s purposes. Trump is uncharacteristically but conspicuously cagey about his communications with Putin. None of this should be attributed to stupidity or inadvertence. Doing so will disarm us. The thin cover that this is about “government efficiency” is so obviously pretense that it is hardly worth the bother of refutation. There are times when the paranoid view is the correct one, and I believe this is such a time.
I totally agree with you. And wasn't the highfalutin, "He who saves his country does not violate the law" the giveway?! tRump is incapable of thinking that way, incapable. I see the fingerprints of a certain Duke graduate.
Thank you as we need your posts to continue to know what's going on. We had about 1000 rally in Tucson on Mon. & 272 in front of Tesla on Sat. I've called lots & am ready to send many letters to ALL senators. I do call in thank you's as well to such as Adam Schiff. We pray for those in a position to speak loudly against trump because they truly need our prayers for their protection.
That's great Diane but get Adam out of his comfort zone and onto the steps of the senate building for the morning SHADOW PRESS conference.
I cannot understand why the shadow cabinet has not formed and begun taking action. On Saturday Robert urged anybody with a platform just do it. That’s my paraphrase. Robert was more eloquent.
I admit that I have no clue how to make it happen. We need to make it happen. Yesterday.
This is a really good question, Colleen. It seems like the DNC should be on the hook to form the shadow cabinet. Maybe we need to be filling Ken Martin’s inbox on this. I heard another great idea from former Senator Doug Jones (second hand from my spouse, so I could be editorializing:). Since Dems in Congress don’t currently hold committee chairs to initiate investigations, they could do “field investigations “ where they gather testimony in their own districts/states about the harm being done to ordinary Americans and publicize it. This is something within our power to pressure our own Senators and Representatives to do.
thank you Diane for ALL you are doing!
Thank you for your very clear assessment. The thread through all the Executive Orders makes it easier to understand what is happening.
But where are the Congressional representatives and our Senators and any and all business and religious leaders? Where are they … why are more elected officials just saying NO? This is ENOUGH! This is out of hand.. Why are they not having major events on the U.S. Capitol steps every day?
If I walk not in a designated crosswalk I could be ticketed or if I go five miles above speed limit I could be ticketed but some unelected person can demand to see our personal financial information … they are given a pass?
I am not an attorney but this is just wrong the way it is being done. These are not careful cost cutting measures ….this is blatant grab for total control and revenge.
Oh how I share your frustration. I am somewhat close to our congressman and know that as long as we’re in the minority they can’t change laws. And so many laws are limp and there seems to be no direct consequence in breaking them. If/when we gain majority again, I believe this is the first thing we the people need to make certain happens. Congress must create real laws and safeguards around elected officials responsibilities and deviations. Traditional and norms are no longer enough in a Rambo fed culture.
Our representatives may not have voting power right now but as elected "leaders", they sure have the power to create a shadow cabinet, to hold daily press conferences on the capitol steps, to express the outrage, inspire their constituents, inspire all of us, to articulate the mission for the opposition to unite around. There are two kinds of characters in writing, flat and round. Real leaders are not flat, and that's what we dems are stuck with, a lot of flat leader wannabes.
Chris Murphy has been vocal lately but where is Schumer?
Too passive. Watch AOC ,she is fearless
Yes, yes, yes! The American people get out in below-zero temperatures to protest, and we PAY these guys and gals a tidy sum to represent us. We should be seeing and hearing them shouting about this rolling and illegal coup, every day.
Amy, please get Josh Riley pushing for some version of the shadow Cabinet. When Rs are in the minority, they never shut up. Not that I want Democrats to be assholes, but there must be SOMEBODY with the smarts and savvy and courage to make some noise. Don’t you think? And thank you again for your amazing work getting Riley elected!
Just out of curiosity: is adding in tariffs on semiconductors a veiled attack on Taiwan? And / or dopey retribution for Biden's Chip act accomplishment, like another cheap shot "rebranding" effort for T to take credit? [Full disclosure: I have lived in Taiwan. I love it, the people, and our allied relationship. Forgive the language, but what an ignorant prick T is.]
It will be too late to let lawsuits make changes. Damage, destruction and death is happening right now. Some people are calling for a general strike on April 19. No one goes to work. Everything shuts down—federal government, state government, factories, everything except hospitals and other emergency services.
Why not March 19? Why not February 28?
Full quote from Robert Reich below. This should be broadcasted high and wide, everywhere, all at once. While two months seems far away, this needs to percolate around the country.
“Others tell me that we have no choice but to engage in massive civil disobedience — a general strike on April 19, for example, the day our forefathers began the American Revolution 250 years ago. None of us shows up for work. Everything stops. Scientists stop working for the government (let RFK Jr. run an empty NIH and CDC, let Gabbard try to run without CIA and NSA labs, and the whole world without NOAA).
Not to do so signals that we’re intimidated by the bullying, which invites even more of it.”(Robert Reich)
April 19th? That is a Saturday and the day before Easter. No one will be working that day anyway. We need a better date
And when that general strike shuts down the country and Trump says, "See what the radical leftists are doing," what will be our response?
"Some good news from an unexpected source: The Catholic Conference of Bishops."
I would argue that there can be no *good* news from US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Perhaps useful news, but not good news. The resettlement of refugees has been a cash cow for the church, ever since the Reagan administration/Federalist Society started tearing down the wall between church and state. Now the bishops' ox has been gored. And they're pissed. The bishops have so identified with Republican extremists, and operate at such a distance from Pope Francis that he has repeatedly chastised them on issues from the environment to human diversity to immigration.
"Pope Francis bluntly assessed the consequences of such moral failure [of the U. S. Bishops]: "What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly." His appeal was straightforward. "I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters."
"Some bishops were worse than silent. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, penned a column in his archdiocesan newspaper that repeated GOP talking points. "Allowing violent gangs, individuals with serious criminal histories, dealers of lethal illegal drugs, human traffickers and those who pose threats to our national security to enter our country and harm U.S. citizens is a serious dereliction of duty by our elected leaders," Naumann said. "I commend President Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.""
As a metaphor for the corrupt reformation of the American Catholic Church by the extremist Republican party, consider the years long reconstruction of a church in Bar Harbor by its patron and parishioner 'more Catholic than the Pope' Leonard Leo. It is suspected using funds shielded from taxes by typical Leo schemes. Taxes, which were they paid to the U. S. Treasury might fund government run secular assistance programs, untainted by the troubled Catholic church with its history of unabated abuse of the most vulnerable among us. Giving a new bent to 'suffer ye little children.'
Here in the US, Catholicism is for sale." The bishops have ceded their teaching authority to a host of well-funded right-wing political groups who have embraced the "Catholic" brand to advance their economic and partisan goals.
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/statement-us-bishops-should-issue-likely-wont
"Pope Francis takes on climate deniers, 'irresponsible' Americans in new climate letter | National Catholic Reporter
https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/faith/news/pope-francis-takes-climate-deniers-irresponsible-americans-new-climate-letter"
US bishops' overreach in Supreme Court transgender case | National Catholic Reporter
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/us-bishops-overreach-supreme-court-transgender-case
While refuting JD Vance's hillbilly theology, Pope Francis chastises US bishops | National Catholic Reporter
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/while-refuting-jd-vances-hillbilly-theology-pope-francis-chastises-us-bishops
Republicans promised and delivered to the Catholic bishops the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, and as there side of the bargain the priests and bishops told their congregations to vote for the candidate who shared their values -- Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. I am a sorrowful Catholic hanging on to my faith in the Church by the tips of my fingers.
Maybe you should look into the Episcopal Church. All of the liturgy, none of the guilt and mostly open and welcoming to all. You’d be surprised at how many former Catholics are now doing just that.
Yes, Annette, several of my lifelong friends have made the move. Not sure if that's for me, but I respect the Episcopal and Anglican choice. Afraid I might take the big leap off the religion train all together. But while that works for many, I'm afraid that would be a desert for me. Complex. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Patrick: I know your pain. So upset .
DeSantis vetoed $ two successive years.This before P2025 was a “thing”.
“Members of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops confirmed requesting the Governor to veto the $2 million in recurring funds for long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).”
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/510283-move-over-march-madness-its-veto-season/
It was wonderful to hear you speak (and to chat with you and Jill for a few minutes) in person today. You and Jessica Craven continue to be wise and guiding lights for us. Thank you for all you do, for your commitment to spreading the truth, and for inspiring us to continue working to save our democracy.
"There is no good reason to believe that a political movement based on resentment and hate will prevail over an ideology based on promoting the common good. Yes, we will experience retrograde cycles and reactionary moments, but they will pass."
Thank you, Robert. I needed that.
Nothing I experience will come close to the harm thousands will feel due to this complete chaos and personnel slashing. But, I have already seen what SSA cuts are causing (latest LTE below). I urge everyone to documents any negative experiences they have and write to newspapers, call lawmakers, etc. I will say this is the first time I felt my R congresswoman’s office was really listening to me.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/168Tsspfn9EdstUWQeZolMQG_udBFl9CVdItBzV2XYRE/edit
Keep writing,Cathy! ( fellow LTE writer).When I told my MAGA Rep’s staffer of a friend’s recent similar issues applying for Medicare this month ,she tried to blame it on “civil servants not returning to work after Covid”. I replied that the process was seamless for me last year as well as for my husband during Covid….when all those civil servants were working remotely.Staffer➡️no response.
Up in the middle of the night and so grateful for this reminder. A few suggestions to everyone - start hammering:
🔨 Banks and credit card companies - call them/comment on their social media posts - demand to know what they are doing to protect your data in the largest security breach ever? What are there DEI policies? What are they doing to stop Trump’s fascist coup? If he tanks the economy -their business will be hurt. Demand a written response explains what and how they are addressing these issues within a week. Tell them you will change banks if they can’t answer these questions. Ex: JP Morgan Chase head Jamie Dimon just said he’s getting rid of DEI and thinks bias training is a waste. He made $39M last year.
🔨Same for large corporations you patronize.
🔨See The Guardians article on how US shoppers are dumping corps for Trump-aligned policies.
🔨 Republicans House members in swing districts and senators up for reelection in 2026 in their social media. Ask if hat they’re doing to protect social security, Medicare/Medicaid, our data, our national security, our children, cancer research, heart disease research, etc.
Thank you Robert- am travelling and you a beacon when I check in with one eye closed as to the daily destruction-
I do wonder - where are the corporations in this? How the immigration issues will affect employees/ families and the chaos will affect the economy? Are they just hoping it will all just disappear? 🤦♀️🤷♀️
@KC I know that feeling.
We're back to waking up every morning, grabbing our mobile phones, and holding our breath for what fresh hell he's unleashed overnight.
So horrible for our collective mental health.
Have you read John Pavlovich today? He agrees with you. https://open.substack.com/pub/johnpavlovitz/p/damn-you-look-tired-america?r=6o957&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Apologies if you already covered this: FEB 28 BOYCOTT SHOPPING DAY. Newsweek article by Susan Blake (Feb 11)..."The People's Union is targeting Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, but the group is also asking boycotters to refrain from spending money on fast food or gas, as well.
If consumers must make purchases, they are asked to buy only from small, local businesses."
.....As a retired economist, I know that VOTES matter but since consumer spending is 2/3 of the economy, SO DO WALLETS!!!
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE OUR LIVES BRIGHTER.