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I can't imagine what the GOP thinks all that footage will show. That there are large swaths of the Capitol Building that rioters didn't get to so "statistically" there wasn't an insurrection? LOOK, nobody invaded that broom closet, they must have been peaceful.
And why blur the faces of peaceful tourist just doing their sightseeing in a closed building?
One of the best vehicles for identifying criminals at the Capitol in January 6 are Citizen Watchdogs, who publish screen captures from videos so that we can identify. That is what MAGA Mike is trying to prevent. The DOJ already has the footage from the National Archives.
I’m fairly certain that a number of the people who invaded the Capitol on 1/6 started to wander around and be swept up by what was going on. Such people would probably be guilty of little more than trespass. By focusing on such people, Mike Johnson Republicans will hope to change the narrative about 1/6 and blot out the truth.
I trust he will hope in vain. But it is in line with "trump must have won because his rallies were bigger." Those who believe that are already convinced it was all brave patriots.
Trespass IS illegal, of course. Would Mikie refuse to call the cops when a bunch of people came into his house to "sightsee" peacefully? That "hero" GOP couple thought that just walking PAST their house justified hauling out the firepower.
Thanks Robert! I think a key factor as to why Americans feel the economy is not good is that the basics of life are so challenging: unlike Europe, we lack state supported and affordable childcare, which makes for stress and limits women’s easy participation in the workforce; we struggle to pay for healthcare; our public transport makes driving necessary, which contributes to stress and costs; and people can’t afford to buy houses even if they are working three jobs, and good alternative cheap rentals are hard to come by. So I think the despondency speaks to a general malaise and a sense that we are failing at the fundamentals.
I bristle at Jonathan Last's (and many other economist's) use of the word "perception." It is not perception that grocery prices are double what they were 1.5 years ago, and that young Americans cannot afford to buy their first homes. Both these things are real pain points, not to be dismissed as "perception." Perhaps the problem is how economists define the word "economy" and how their survey respondents think about the word differently.
I have appreciated how Scott Galloway on the Pivot podcast discusses this phenomenon. Another rousing discussion of it dropped yesterday, and made me feel very seen & understood. December 5th episode entitled "Dow is Up" Tune in at minute 20:00. https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR
I appreciate your feelings of financial stress, but your "perception" of grocery prices is far from accurate. Since 2020, grocery prices increased 18.4% according to the USDA. Your feelings about housing costs appear to be more accurate as equity vultures are gobbling up housing as it comes on the market and jacking up rents.
This discussion is insightful. It points out that we cannot out-of-hand simply dismiss the thoughts and concerns of others. More specifically, it points to a need I have advocated and taught classes about - our need to figure out how to listen and to talk with one another in a civil tone and manner. That is one of the reasons Today’s Edition feels so safe.
Good point. Wages have increased during Biden's administration, but not in parity with inflation during that time. Losing the child tax credit was a horrific blow to most family's finances. That, of course, was due to the Repubs refusal to renew.
Where I am, it's easy to afford your 1st home. My niece and her wife bought theirs for $61k 5 yrs ago. Houses still sell for that or less than $100k. Will they get move in ready, 4 bed, 2 bath? Heck no. Move 5 miles east and chances are higher they'd get 3 bed, 1 bath in move in condition. Rural farming community, NW IL. Jobs to be had, minimum wage depending on job. Warehouse starting at $17 or better. Fast food or convenience stores start at $15. I'm not sure where the factories start. Higher, I know that. They can also, for a home loan, get a USDA loan for 1st time home buyers.
I don’t think there’s been a rundown shack in CA that’s been sold for $61k within the past 5 years! Your niece and her wife are lucky to have a piece of the pie.
There's a 6 bed, 2 bath Victorian home in home on the most opulent Street (actually its Park Avenue) in town, listed for $75k. Dicker down because I know it needs work. Remember though, the costs here won't be astronomical. You'll have a beautiful home when you're done. We sold a 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, completely rehabbed in 2018, for $132k. That included their closing costs. The house was an farmhouse with touchs of Victorian and 4 square, in town, built in 1896. Beautiful lady, we hated to sell, but our daughter, who's disabled, kept slipping on the front staircase. So. We now own a ranch. We had front stairs and servant stairs, which I uncovered while demoing. The stories I have! LOL
I don't believe my husband and I would even now, be homeowners if we lived in CA. Our first home, we had built for $45k in '82. 3 bed, 1 bath. I LOVED that house! Completely remodeled, top to bottom in '97, then husband's job transferred to TN. In '03 Had to sell and move. 🤷♀️ Company went bankrupt in 15 months in TN. So we came home, to IL. Bought the old girl end of '04.
I love it!! It’s absolutely amazing what you built your house for in the 80’s! We bought our almost now 100 year old home in ‘76 for $44500, 3bdrm 1 bath. No garage but a basement. We would not be able to afford to buy it now. Millennial and Gen Zers are getting screwed.
Another factor is the huge imbalance of wealth in this country — the 1% vs the 99%. Biden is addressing this but it took decades to come to this point and it’ll take more than one 4-year presidential term to make a significant dent in this. CEO’s shouldn’t be making exponentially more money than the lowest paid workers. So, yes, the economy’s numbers are good but MY numbers aren’t. This is no small hurdle to overcome.
There are 735 billionaires in the US now. In the last few weeks, the phenomenon of people
becoming billionaires by inheriting wealth has begun, so now we have billionaires who are that wealthy who did nothing but be born to the right parents. In the next 20 years or so, the projection is that about 5.7 trillion dollars will move generationally through inheritance.
I would need to check it out, but it seems to me that the 2017 Republican tax gift allowed continuation of large sums as inheritance without taxation. I’ll check and report what I find.
Yes. The estate tax in the US was designed to prevent the creation of an aristocracy based on inherited wealth.
Things got slightly dodgy with family farms, which were valued highly for estate tax purposes, but rather the just tweak the law to fix that small piece....
And we have 136 of them in NYC alone, but yet they think hitting people with congestion pricing is a good idea, as opposed to say, taxing those 136 billionaires 000001% more.
**ROBERT AND OTHERS** This is an ALERT!! Yesterday, I received an envelope covered with colorful stickers. My name and address were typed out but no return address was on it. Inside the envelope were four papers about all of the egregious things that Trump has done. At the top of these pages was, in small print: “As I lack your outspoken courage...I can only timidly applaud your bravery...as I cower behind guarded anonymity.”
While the author and I agree about Trump, I am creeped out that this person had the audacity to write to me as to how they obtained my address and not include theirs!
Many now belong in the tech industry and are young. They did not inherit money from their folks. There are those in the music and entertainment industries, also. We pay their prices to see their films, their plays, their performances.
One good example of your concluding point is that, while the rate of inflation is trending lower recently, prices are still increasing, just not as fast. What will make people happier is when prices go down and stay there for a while.
The point, really, is that prices of *visible* “necessities” (gas, food, …) rose. Some may ease off, but others will stick. Those others are being noticed by ordinary people.
You are so right! You hit the nail on the head! We know the abysmal lack of a basic safety net is real, but the GOP has been chipping away at what we DID have as well as denying access in many regions (the south and rural) to good programs. So the “keep it local” GOP continues to undermine too many, as I’ve said before. That’s a reason it continues to be important that we continue to get good candidates to run and serve at every level. Then “keeping it local” will cease to be the problem that it is in too many places! And people can start to feel hopeful again.
One other significant overlay is the "silver tsunami" of baby boomers reaching retirement age, living longer without resources to support their longevity and the GOP saying they're going to cut Medicare and Soc Security will run out, which puts the pinch on their children, which trickles down, etc. Fear of personal unknown...
I know many people who have retired and have health problems of their own but are caring for their elderly parents in their 90's. They have no good options available. Likewise, childcare is extremely expensive. Other countries have broader safety nets that cover these gaps.
We were grateful we had the resources as caregivers for my elderly dad with dementia .Yes, Barbara, for so many there are no good options.
Team Biden is on it ! Let’s message 📣 . So many are unaware.⬇️
“The Biden administration on Monday rolled out a new Medicare pilot program aimed at improving the quality of life for people with dementia and reducing the burden on unpaid caregivers.”
My thoughts exactly. Case in point: after COVID pandemic protections expired, millions of low-income Americans have been kicked off Medicaid in Red States over the past year, often for specious reasons (often stemming from lack of adequate state resources to help applicants and to process their applications. Of course! Why spend more money to help them, say GOP (Greed over People) officials?), not b/c they are ineligible. In turn, this has also impacted these folks' ability to obtain other assistance. Funny how Medicaid recipients can be denied medical coverage and assistance for not completing their paperwork through no fault of their own, while Clarence Thomas can willfully ignore his SCOTUS paperwork for years and be allowed many hundreds of thousands of dollars of benefits from us the taxpayers... https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-unwinding-public-assistance-access-problems/
PS, you make good points. And often those people who are struggling because our services are stretched or non-existent. Thus, it would be to our benefit to provide any assistance to these folks to the extent we citizens can.
Robert, your point that "There is a fine line between sounding the alarm and conditioning people to accept impending catastrophe as the steady state," reminds me of Timothy Snyder's first lesson on resisting tyranny: Do Not Obey In Advance.
As Mr. Snyder explains, "Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do."
Thank you for helping to change the trajectory of our national media narrative in this regard.
If there were awards for stellar use of words, we'd watch Robert be up for "the House GOP will squander its quickly evaporating legislative calendar to provide political cover for an aspiring dictator." That led me to see our country's Framers meeting in the Astral somewhere, shaking their heads at what the party of Abraham Lincoln has become. It's impossible to make sense of it. Helping a madman to destroy our democracy. Robert's words hit the mark and pained my heart.
While not specifically about Today's Edition today, this article about Virginia's certification of the November 2023 elections is a positive sign!
"RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s State Board of Elections voted unanimously to certify the 2023 legislative elections and other electoral contests during a meeting Monday in Richmond."
Dec 6, 2023·edited Dec 6, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
and from Lynell's article about Virginia's certification of the Nov. 7 election are the splendid results! "Democrats held their Senate majority in November and flipped control of the House of Delegates."
That's thanks in large part to The States Project who poured $60 million into the Dem state legislature campaigns. Robert frequently highlighted The States Project Giving Circles, and Hubbell readers followed through with generous donations big and small that added up to make an impact!
To Greg Sargent's point, "this country has thwarted Trump in the past—and will likely do so again," The States Project--and numerous grassroots organizations who got out the vote--have the secret sauce to scale up for 2024.
Dec 6, 2023·edited Dec 6, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
To add to the good news this morning, there was a special election here in my MN State House district yesterday. Despite concerns that voters would not show up (school board elections in Nov, then a primary election to pick a candidate, then the election for State Rep. Three times to the polls in 4 weeks. Two of the three days included new snow) voters showed up in large numbers and elected a Democrat, Bianca Virnig to the MN House!
I was really impressed by all the effort and attention paid to this one election locally. I am a registered Democrat. I received an email reminder on Sunday. Then a text message and a phone call yesterday to again remind me to get to the polls. My new neighbors, who just moved here in September, received registration information from our district office. Mailers, door hangers, door knocking neighbors, letters to the editor, endorsements from community leaders, more.
Relentless attention paid and efforts made to protect and preserve our blue trifecta state government. It worked!
We have work to do in 2024 but for the next couple days, I’m going to revel in our fall victories in Virginia and Minnesota. Huge thanks to all the donors to The States Project! What a great job we did!
That is so cool, Sheila! And this just in my inbox: "Wisconsin Trump electors settle lawsuit, agree Biden won in 2020...In a legal settlement Wednesday, the 10 Republicans who signed official-looking paperwork falsely purporting Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2020 have agreed to withdraw their inaccurate filings, acknowledge Joe Biden won the presidency and not serve as presidential electors in 2024 or in any election where Trump is on the ballot."
Umm, that actually leaves a stale taste. This was civil suit as Wisconsin state authorities obviously to this day haven't seen a reason to officially go after these people. And the outcome is akin to bankrobbers who got caught and settled the case by returning the stolen money, putting out a statement that robbing the bank is not the correct way to withdraw money and agreeing that they would not do it again.
These people should be heavily fined, do time and loose their right to participate in the electoral process (actively and passively).
Mike Johnson’s comments regarding the necessity to “blur faces” to avoid retaliation by the DOJ is clearly an attempt to obstruct justice!!! As Speaker of the US House of Representatives his comments are truly terrifying. He should be prosecuted!
It's not an attempt to obstruct justice as the DOJ as well as the FBI had a good look at the footage already.
What Johnson did actually is a lot worse. It's a clear signal to the insurrectionists that 'we are in this together and we have got your back.' Using the term 'retaliation' shows exactly where he stands. And this man is second in line of presidential succession. The insurrectionists came a long way since their first failed attempt on Jan 6.
I was thinking the same thing, Stefan. Aren’t these the very tapes that the DOJ and FBI used to track down and arrest these 1200 individuals associated with the insurrection? I too believe this is just a ploy by Mike Johnson to send a signal to MAGA folks that "we’ve got your back," both voters and actual insurrectionists. Anyone who is foolish enough to think that these tapes have not been used by the DOJ is easily duped. But of course, that is no surprise at all, because about 1/3 of this country seems to be in the thrall of a narcissistic, lying, gaslighting lunatic.
Stefan, I believe it is both. There are many "internet sleuths" who recognized people in the video already available, and they are responsible for reporting them to the FBI. I can't recall the name of the author at this moment, but a reporter wrote a book about the sleuths. He said that statistically, there is not enough time to prosecute all who trespassed and/or were violent during the insurrection. Some will get away with it.
It's very scary. We have to turn the House Democratic, retain the Senate and re-elect Joe Biden for this to change. Much work needs to be done by those of us who have the time
I need to add that the perception of our economy on a personal level - what the average American "feels" has nothing to do with statistics and comparisons with other nations (we NEVER look to other countries for ideas - we are "exceptional"!)
The average family is "feeling" desperate because if child care is available, it's outrageously expensive. The average family is probably dealing with an elderly parent or grandparent who needs help. But home care workers are just not available. The average homeowner has trouble finding competitive contractors and tradesmen - and when they do, their charges are through the roof. And maybe they would love to move to a larger home to accommodate a growing family, but housing prices and mortgage rates make it really tough. Oh, and the student loans... And to add insult to injury, how could they possibly contribute to a college fund or even fully fund their own retirements?
So yes, our economy is "booming" but for the average, working hard family, the challenges are huge. If Carville is still right and "it's the economy, stupid" then Democrats need to address the stuff people are really struggling with daily. Overall stats about growth, unemployment, etc, are just blah, blah, blah - when you can't make life work for you. In fact, Democrats crowing about it demonstrates a certain out of touch elitism!
Biden and team need to be pounding the "kitchen table" about helping young couples with child care and elder care. Imagine if they are in that sandwich of worrying about both! Democrats need to tell people that Republicans are blocking the help they want to give them.
Everything you say is true. It was true before Biden was president. Why, then, was Trump not saddled with blame for the "feelings" of Americans? One guess, and the answer is "the media."
Trump had (has) a genius for making people look in the wrong direction. People (and media) were preoccupied with his antics., not with the content of what he and his minions were trying to accomplish.
I totally agree. Providng more support for economically struggling Americans should be a major point in Biden's 2024 campaign.
We hope Joe runs on his great achievements and not as just the Anti-Trump stand in.
His job as president is not done.
He can proudly claim that while his policies have uplifted the American economy, improved incomes for the middle class and lead the world's recovery, there is still much work to do to help struggling Americans and struggling families reach an sustainable life in America.
Bringing back the child tax credit would be a huge step in the right direction. Of course, the ill-fated Build Back Better was all about funding the caring economy, so I don't think it's that Biden isn't aware of the needs. It just isn't politically possible right now.
Ellen, you are correct about the child tax credit. Also snap benefits were greatly increased during the covid years, this year those dollars are now a mere fraction of what they were just a year ago. 1200. becomes 300., feels like inflation to those trying to survive. Food banks in our area are absolutely overwhelmed. I hear KING5, in the NW, say it is INFLATION in their food drive. It's truly more complicated then that. Just try to stretch a budget when your benefits are cut by 2/3rds. It feels like drowning, so complains about the economy and inflation are the result. Food banks and families are trying to keep people fed.
Robert and Jill I appreciate the time and wisdom you share to help keep us sane. Thank you both. Rest and get well.
You are so right! The messaging is not what it will need to be to help more people to feel hope for a better economic reality for themselves. I have hope it will improve for "regular people" over this next year, as inflation is under better control through the good actions of the FED. I'm shocked that Biden is not doing this! He is hurting himself through the lack of an explanation to "regular" people whose economic lives are NOT better yet! Hope is what is needed for those who are suffering!
Please, please feel better, Rob. So sorry this has hung on for so long. Thank you for this thorough newsletter, as always. To read outright Speaker Johnson’s clear explanation of why the faces need to be blurred. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” burst from my mouth as I listened to your newsletter narrative. So they can’t be identified for the DOJ to charge them.???!!!
Such good news to read the Washington Post is waking up. Thank you for all your reported today. Bumped into this and you and your managing editor came to mind:
Hope isn’t the same thing as happiness. You don’t need to be happy to be hopeful. You need instead to accept the unknowability of the future, and that there are versions of that future which could be better than the present. Hope, in its simplest form, is the acceptance of possibility. ~Matt Haig
For other readers, Katherine is referring to a comment I made on the audio version. My wife and I have struggled with a cold/cough/chest thing for 6 weeks and aren't feeling better. WE have been to the doctor 3 times and are on appropriate medication. Lots of people in our circle have the same symptoms. Yes, we have repeatedly tested for Covid, RSV, pneumonia etc. We just need to tough it out.
"Toughing it out?" Few people are more practiced in that skill than you and your Managing Editor. Be well and tough it out for all of us. All of us our responsible for furthering the ripples of influence that come together here from your good work.
Robert, if you don't take high doses of vitamin D, start doing so. the immune system does not run on all four cylinders in people who are deficient in D. Deficient, by modern standards, is having a lower level than 40ng/ml. Unfortunately, docs of a certain age learned something which is not true--that it is easy to get a toxic dose of D. It's not.
I started taking 3000 IU D/day in 2004. Before that, I'd had an elaborate process for nipping colds in the bud when I felt them coming on, or mitigating them if it was too late to stop them. I'd gotten the idea to take large doses of D from something I read in a scientific or medical publication.
In '06, I realized that I hadn't even started to get a cold since I started with the D. I still almost never get colds, or flu (I do get flu shots, which I started doing in '13 or '14).
My two siblings have had similar experiences with D, and none of us has had COVID. On the other hand, my niece, who hasn't taken D has had COVID. And, yeah, that's a small N, but it's worked well.
One of the odd things about D, though, is that when you take it in the usual supplement form, it takes a month and a half to get your blood level up to sufficiency. So you might want to take 10,000 IU/day for 2-3 weeks before going down to a maintenance dose.(A doc who's well versed in D would probably put you on a higher starting dose, but I would feel out of my league suggesting anything higher.) But I can tell you that one of my closest friends, who is an immunologist at NIH, has taken 10,000 IU/day for a number of years, having been prescribed that level for osteopenia. She is 76, and on top of her work at NIH, she runs a sheep farm. And I've known people with multiple sclerosis who have taken 20,000 IU/day, which enabled one woman I knew to get out of her wheelchair and dance with her husband. (MS involves a deficiency of D)
One of my greatest sadnesses these last few years is that we have failed to come together in crises, examples being the COVID crisis and the January 6 attack.
I am becoming more hopeful that ENOUGH of us, from different political camps, may come together to soundly repudiate Trump. I loved this quote Heather Cox Richardson shared from Rachel Maddow’s show: “It is important that Liz Cheney is infinity and I am negative infinity on the ideological number line. It's important because that tells you how serious and big something has to be to put us, to put me and Liz Cheney, together on the same side of something in American life.”
That was a great interview, and Nicolle Wallace came back to work yesterday to spend a full hour with LIz Cheney. Liz Cheney is a powerhouse, and, though it's difficult to ignore her past, this is who she is now. And I think she's going to make a difference if the right people listen to her and read her book! That's a big "if!"
I believe she'll be on The Beat with Ari Melber this afternoon (Wednesday.) She is a powerful voice for democracy, regardless of her party affiliation. I wonder who she is scaring more with her "considering" a "possible run" for office - Trump or President Biden?
I have a comment for yesterday's newsletter. I wanted to think about it, or sleep on it first. UN Women are a prescribed organization for safety for women and girls. In my experiences producing a documentary on this topic I have found that sometimes no one returns my calls. Yesterday's newsletter made me ponder this situation and I have come to this possible conclusion. Less than every three days a woman is killed in or outside her own home in industrialized countries. In the city where I was born, a woman had a safety plan in place and yet was not safe. She told a friend, I will be all right, a friend said on the news. This also made me think.
Women's organizations are over prescribed. They may not return calls because they are so busy, and volunteering as well. It may be safety concerns about the truth of the caller. Often those who help are targetted.
We must be very careful when trying to blame organizations whose goal is safety when their world is not our world. Jacqueline Rose has a good essay on this idea: whose pain is more valuable? Do we measure it?
I cried when I read of what happened while reading yesterday to innocent women and children. My life is dedicated to children. Mourning is a part of learning. We cannot turn away, and also have a responsibility to remember that silence on this topic is what makes it so dangerous in the first place. Many friends of those who are violent, are silent at least for a long time they are.
Merrick GarlandS abject cowardice in not charging members of Congress will remain a permanent stain on any reputation he may hope to have; right now, his reputation is of utter negligence in not appointing Jack Smith two years earlier
Not true. You are assuming other members of Congress will not be charged and a the goal is to convict Trump first and quickly and then go for the rest.
I in part agree with Greg Sargent and his views stated in Today’s Edition. Currently Liz Chaney is making the rounds promoting her book but also providing a conservative Republicans view of Trump and what his presidency would look like. One comment she made yesterday was that Tommy Tuberville a staunch Trump supporter has released his hold on all military appointments BUT the top four star generals who run the military and would be required to be on board if Trump wanted to use marshal law as a revenge tool. This is a real threat. There is a unique dynamic taking place because we have the warnings from multiple sources of what a Trump presidency would look like and we have on the other hand the House under Speaker Johnson another Trump supporter acting against the best interests of Democracy and being third in line to run our country. Johnson demonstrates now how a Trump presidency would operate with no guard rails. The problem frankly is voters are tired of the everyday landslide of multiple threats and outrage and we have to find a way together to remain strong and more importantly focused.
And as I mentioned in your notes, she is also telling all interviewers that she is keeping her options open to consider a third party candidacy. If she states her primary goal is to stop Donald Trump that will not serve the country or her.
I’m speculating – but there may be a lot of Republicans who hate Democrats even more than they hate Trump. Under current circumstances, many of them might vote for Trump (others might not vote). Cheney might be hoping she can draw away many of those currently reluctant Trump voters. In a close election, it could make a positive difference.
Not sure that will work. We want reluctant voters of Trump to vote for Biden. Chaney doesn’t like losing and being a third party candidate does not help her or defeating Trump and she knows that. This is her getting inside Trump’s head
It’s hard to imagine that it is not Donald Trump controlling the GOP congress and nobody in the GOP is standing up for protecting the constitution, nobody. Every War veteran from WWll on must be turning in their graves. I know my father is. Thanks Robert
I think many people would join me in applauding Mike Johnson. I'd applaud him if he chose to be Speaker of the House over being spokesperson for the Freedom Caucus. I'd applaud him if he stood up and pushed funding for Ukraine, Israel and the IRS rather than putting all three at the mercy of Gym Jordan and James Comer and MTG. I'd applaud him if, by his actions, He pushed forward on budget items that would serve to keep our economy strong and our debt out of default, rather agreeing to measures to weaken the economy in pursuit of disarray that serves Donald Trump's malign interests. But until he serves country, not king, he doesn't get my applause or thanks. Has he no patriotic fiber in his heart and mind?
I’ve gotten largely caught up in what’s going on in the world of both Trump and the hapless and criminal GOP from today’s edition. The distillation of many good sources is a huge benefit to me as I also focus on many aspects of my own life. As always, having good sources at hand helps all of us spread the word! Let’s all keep it up.
While I agree with you, Robert, that the MAGA take-down of constitutional government in the USA is not inevitable and we need to keep that in people’s minds, I can’t help thinking that we Americans are being too passive in response to the dangerous actions of Republicans in Congress. Shouldn’t we be out in the streets demanding that they do their job instead of running out the clock with their destructive agendas?
Hi, everyone. Reader reports about abusive comments are increasing.
So, for the second day in a row, please do not direct comments AT one another. People should feel free to comment without fear of personal attack. Criticize ideas and viewpoints all you want. Don't criticize one another. Please.
I will ensure that this Comment section is a safe community for the exchange of ideas, so if you violate the rules of civility, expect to have your comment removed. Repeat offenders will be banned permanently. I can't tell you how much I dislike having to discuss this topic, but here we are. Please be respectful to one another!
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The problem is more focused on false information. Those comments need to be removed because it matters.
I can't imagine what the GOP thinks all that footage will show. That there are large swaths of the Capitol Building that rioters didn't get to so "statistically" there wasn't an insurrection? LOOK, nobody invaded that broom closet, they must have been peaceful.
And why blur the faces of peaceful tourist just doing their sightseeing in a closed building?
Good point because the FBI has used the tapes to identify possible defendants already and obscuring their faces now is another political
Stunt.
oh, but we must prevent participants' FRIENDS for seeing them and causing them embarrassment--for being patriots, apparently.
One of the best vehicles for identifying criminals at the Capitol in January 6 are Citizen Watchdogs, who publish screen captures from videos so that we can identify. That is what MAGA Mike is trying to prevent. The DOJ already has the footage from the National Archives.
It’s too late for that.
Why are they still doing this to begin with. I’m sick of these guys. I can’t believe we’re still paying their salaries.
I’m fairly certain that a number of the people who invaded the Capitol on 1/6 started to wander around and be swept up by what was going on. Such people would probably be guilty of little more than trespass. By focusing on such people, Mike Johnson Republicans will hope to change the narrative about 1/6 and blot out the truth.
I trust he will hope in vain. But it is in line with "trump must have won because his rallies were bigger." Those who believe that are already convinced it was all brave patriots.
Trespass IS illegal, of course. Would Mikie refuse to call the cops when a bunch of people came into his house to "sightsee" peacefully? That "hero" GOP couple thought that just walking PAST their house justified hauling out the firepower.
Excellent point about Mikie!
And, in the end, they lost their weapons, and the "gentleman" lost a primary election by a margin that would be embarrassing to any reasonable person.
Excellent “gotcha.”
Thanks Robert! I think a key factor as to why Americans feel the economy is not good is that the basics of life are so challenging: unlike Europe, we lack state supported and affordable childcare, which makes for stress and limits women’s easy participation in the workforce; we struggle to pay for healthcare; our public transport makes driving necessary, which contributes to stress and costs; and people can’t afford to buy houses even if they are working three jobs, and good alternative cheap rentals are hard to come by. So I think the despondency speaks to a general malaise and a sense that we are failing at the fundamentals.
I bristle at Jonathan Last's (and many other economist's) use of the word "perception." It is not perception that grocery prices are double what they were 1.5 years ago, and that young Americans cannot afford to buy their first homes. Both these things are real pain points, not to be dismissed as "perception." Perhaps the problem is how economists define the word "economy" and how their survey respondents think about the word differently.
I have appreciated how Scott Galloway on the Pivot podcast discusses this phenomenon. Another rousing discussion of it dropped yesterday, and made me feel very seen & understood. December 5th episode entitled "Dow is Up" Tune in at minute 20:00. https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR
I appreciate your feelings of financial stress, but your "perception" of grocery prices is far from accurate. Since 2020, grocery prices increased 18.4% according to the USDA. Your feelings about housing costs appear to be more accurate as equity vultures are gobbling up housing as it comes on the market and jacking up rents.
You're right, I exaggerated! Exactly the problem economists are pointing out.
However, I would still say that 20% increase in 2 years is enormous, especially with wages not rising accordingly.
This discussion is insightful. It points out that we cannot out-of-hand simply dismiss the thoughts and concerns of others. More specifically, it points to a need I have advocated and taught classes about - our need to figure out how to listen and to talk with one another in a civil tone and manner. That is one of the reasons Today’s Edition feels so safe.
Thanks John. You sound like a great teacher.
Good point. Wages have increased during Biden's administration, but not in parity with inflation during that time. Losing the child tax credit was a horrific blow to most family's finances. That, of course, was due to the Repubs refusal to renew.
We need prohibitions on companies buying up houses.
Where I am, it's easy to afford your 1st home. My niece and her wife bought theirs for $61k 5 yrs ago. Houses still sell for that or less than $100k. Will they get move in ready, 4 bed, 2 bath? Heck no. Move 5 miles east and chances are higher they'd get 3 bed, 1 bath in move in condition. Rural farming community, NW IL. Jobs to be had, minimum wage depending on job. Warehouse starting at $17 or better. Fast food or convenience stores start at $15. I'm not sure where the factories start. Higher, I know that. They can also, for a home loan, get a USDA loan for 1st time home buyers.
I don’t think there’s been a rundown shack in CA that’s been sold for $61k within the past 5 years! Your niece and her wife are lucky to have a piece of the pie.
There's a 6 bed, 2 bath Victorian home in home on the most opulent Street (actually its Park Avenue) in town, listed for $75k. Dicker down because I know it needs work. Remember though, the costs here won't be astronomical. You'll have a beautiful home when you're done. We sold a 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, completely rehabbed in 2018, for $132k. That included their closing costs. The house was an farmhouse with touchs of Victorian and 4 square, in town, built in 1896. Beautiful lady, we hated to sell, but our daughter, who's disabled, kept slipping on the front staircase. So. We now own a ranch. We had front stairs and servant stairs, which I uncovered while demoing. The stories I have! LOL
I don't believe my husband and I would even now, be homeowners if we lived in CA. Our first home, we had built for $45k in '82. 3 bed, 1 bath. I LOVED that house! Completely remodeled, top to bottom in '97, then husband's job transferred to TN. In '03 Had to sell and move. 🤷♀️ Company went bankrupt in 15 months in TN. So we came home, to IL. Bought the old girl end of '04.
I'm writing you a book and I don't know why! Ha!
I love it!! It’s absolutely amazing what you built your house for in the 80’s! We bought our almost now 100 year old home in ‘76 for $44500, 3bdrm 1 bath. No garage but a basement. We would not be able to afford to buy it now. Millennial and Gen Zers are getting screwed.
Another factor is the huge imbalance of wealth in this country — the 1% vs the 99%. Biden is addressing this but it took decades to come to this point and it’ll take more than one 4-year presidential term to make a significant dent in this. CEO’s shouldn’t be making exponentially more money than the lowest paid workers. So, yes, the economy’s numbers are good but MY numbers aren’t. This is no small hurdle to overcome.
There are 735 billionaires in the US now. In the last few weeks, the phenomenon of people
becoming billionaires by inheriting wealth has begun, so now we have billionaires who are that wealthy who did nothing but be born to the right parents. In the next 20 years or so, the projection is that about 5.7 trillion dollars will move generationally through inheritance.
I would need to check it out, but it seems to me that the 2017 Republican tax gift allowed continuation of large sums as inheritance without taxation. I’ll check and report what I find.
Yes. The estate tax in the US was designed to prevent the creation of an aristocracy based on inherited wealth.
Things got slightly dodgy with family farms, which were valued highly for estate tax purposes, but rather the just tweak the law to fix that small piece....
And we have 136 of them in NYC alone, but yet they think hitting people with congestion pricing is a good idea, as opposed to say, taxing those 136 billionaires 000001% more.
**ROBERT AND OTHERS** This is an ALERT!! Yesterday, I received an envelope covered with colorful stickers. My name and address were typed out but no return address was on it. Inside the envelope were four papers about all of the egregious things that Trump has done. At the top of these pages was, in small print: “As I lack your outspoken courage...I can only timidly applaud your bravery...as I cower behind guarded anonymity.”
While the author and I agree about Trump, I am creeped out that this person had the audacity to write to me as to how they obtained my address and not include theirs!
Definitely creepy. But so much information is available,
especially if you are willing to pay for it. A search on your name and 9.95 will give someone your last known address and background check.
Just sends shivers down my spine!
That was a mass mailer. Anyone can buy address lists.
The postmark was in Evansville, Indiana!
Many now belong in the tech industry and are young. They did not inherit money from their folks. There are those in the music and entertainment industries, also. We pay their prices to see their films, their plays, their performances.
I would say, born to wealthy parents. There are a lot of kids born to amazing parents who are not wealthy.
The “right” parents to inherit billions.
Absolutely!! The inequality gap is outrageous with the likes of Musk buying a major social network and using it for his hateful rhetoric.
One good example of your concluding point is that, while the rate of inflation is trending lower recently, prices are still increasing, just not as fast. What will make people happier is when prices go down and stay there for a while.
The point, really, is that prices of *visible* “necessities” (gas, food, …) rose. Some may ease off, but others will stick. Those others are being noticed by ordinary people.
Exactly, and neither journalists nor politicians seem to understand that.
You are so right! You hit the nail on the head! We know the abysmal lack of a basic safety net is real, but the GOP has been chipping away at what we DID have as well as denying access in many regions (the south and rural) to good programs. So the “keep it local” GOP continues to undermine too many, as I’ve said before. That’s a reason it continues to be important that we continue to get good candidates to run and serve at every level. Then “keeping it local” will cease to be the problem that it is in too many places! And people can start to feel hopeful again.
Nicely said, Deborah!
One other significant overlay is the "silver tsunami" of baby boomers reaching retirement age, living longer without resources to support their longevity and the GOP saying they're going to cut Medicare and Soc Security will run out, which puts the pinch on their children, which trickles down, etc. Fear of personal unknown...
I know many people who have retired and have health problems of their own but are caring for their elderly parents in their 90's. They have no good options available. Likewise, childcare is extremely expensive. Other countries have broader safety nets that cover these gaps.
We were grateful we had the resources as caregivers for my elderly dad with dementia .Yes, Barbara, for so many there are no good options.
Team Biden is on it ! Let’s message 📣 . So many are unaware.⬇️
“The Biden administration on Monday rolled out a new Medicare pilot program aimed at improving the quality of life for people with dementia and reducing the burden on unpaid caregivers.”
https://www.axios.com/2023/07/31/medicare-pilot-aims-to-coordinate-dementia-care
MESSAGING is the answer!
My thoughts exactly. Case in point: after COVID pandemic protections expired, millions of low-income Americans have been kicked off Medicaid in Red States over the past year, often for specious reasons (often stemming from lack of adequate state resources to help applicants and to process their applications. Of course! Why spend more money to help them, say GOP (Greed over People) officials?), not b/c they are ineligible. In turn, this has also impacted these folks' ability to obtain other assistance. Funny how Medicaid recipients can be denied medical coverage and assistance for not completing their paperwork through no fault of their own, while Clarence Thomas can willfully ignore his SCOTUS paperwork for years and be allowed many hundreds of thousands of dollars of benefits from us the taxpayers... https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-unwinding-public-assistance-access-problems/
It doesn’t have to be this hard or people. We keep putting profits over people.
Great comment! I would add that all the sh!t we have to worry about that a lot of Europeans and most Scandinavians don't adds to the following:
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2015/04/the-science-of-scarcity
PS, you make good points. And often those people who are struggling because our services are stretched or non-existent. Thus, it would be to our benefit to provide any assistance to these folks to the extent we citizens can.
Robert, your point that "There is a fine line between sounding the alarm and conditioning people to accept impending catastrophe as the steady state," reminds me of Timothy Snyder's first lesson on resisting tyranny: Do Not Obey In Advance.
As Mr. Snyder explains, "Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do."
Thank you for helping to change the trajectory of our national media narrative in this regard.
.
An excellent point which appears to be the intent of the far right.
If there were awards for stellar use of words, we'd watch Robert be up for "the House GOP will squander its quickly evaporating legislative calendar to provide political cover for an aspiring dictator." That led me to see our country's Framers meeting in the Astral somewhere, shaking their heads at what the party of Abraham Lincoln has become. It's impossible to make sense of it. Helping a madman to destroy our democracy. Robert's words hit the mark and pained my heart.
While not specifically about Today's Edition today, this article about Virginia's certification of the November 2023 elections is a positive sign!
"RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s State Board of Elections voted unanimously to certify the 2023 legislative elections and other electoral contests during a meeting Monday in Richmond."
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-elections-2023-general-assembly-8cc62a8f92b1327c23ec8f9e9c5e23af?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
and from Lynell's article about Virginia's certification of the Nov. 7 election are the splendid results! "Democrats held their Senate majority in November and flipped control of the House of Delegates."
That's thanks in large part to The States Project who poured $60 million into the Dem state legislature campaigns. Robert frequently highlighted The States Project Giving Circles, and Hubbell readers followed through with generous donations big and small that added up to make an impact!
To Greg Sargent's point, "this country has thwarted Trump in the past—and will likely do so again," The States Project--and numerous grassroots organizations who got out the vote--have the secret sauce to scale up for 2024.
To add to the good news this morning, there was a special election here in my MN State House district yesterday. Despite concerns that voters would not show up (school board elections in Nov, then a primary election to pick a candidate, then the election for State Rep. Three times to the polls in 4 weeks. Two of the three days included new snow) voters showed up in large numbers and elected a Democrat, Bianca Virnig to the MN House!
I was really impressed by all the effort and attention paid to this one election locally. I am a registered Democrat. I received an email reminder on Sunday. Then a text message and a phone call yesterday to again remind me to get to the polls. My new neighbors, who just moved here in September, received registration information from our district office. Mailers, door hangers, door knocking neighbors, letters to the editor, endorsements from community leaders, more.
Relentless attention paid and efforts made to protect and preserve our blue trifecta state government. It worked!
We have work to do in 2024 but for the next couple days, I’m going to revel in our fall victories in Virginia and Minnesota. Huge thanks to all the donors to The States Project! What a great job we did!
That is so cool, Sheila! And this just in my inbox: "Wisconsin Trump electors settle lawsuit, agree Biden won in 2020...In a legal settlement Wednesday, the 10 Republicans who signed official-looking paperwork falsely purporting Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2020 have agreed to withdraw their inaccurate filings, acknowledge Joe Biden won the presidency and not serve as presidential electors in 2024 or in any election where Trump is on the ballot."
Gifted article: https://wapo.st/3R4FKwK
Could it be that our country is finally on the right track, ably assisted by the States Project, et cetera?
Umm, that actually leaves a stale taste. This was civil suit as Wisconsin state authorities obviously to this day haven't seen a reason to officially go after these people. And the outcome is akin to bankrobbers who got caught and settled the case by returning the stolen money, putting out a statement that robbing the bank is not the correct way to withdraw money and agreeing that they would not do it again.
These people should be heavily fined, do time and loose their right to participate in the electoral process (actively and passively).
Hopefully the text messages they obtained can be utilized for other cases.
Yes, Yes, and triple Yes, Ellie!
Yes exactly. And if we finally get some wind in our sails from the press that will be all the better.
Mike Johnson’s comments regarding the necessity to “blur faces” to avoid retaliation by the DOJ is clearly an attempt to obstruct justice!!! As Speaker of the US House of Representatives his comments are truly terrifying. He should be prosecuted!
It's not an attempt to obstruct justice as the DOJ as well as the FBI had a good look at the footage already.
What Johnson did actually is a lot worse. It's a clear signal to the insurrectionists that 'we are in this together and we have got your back.' Using the term 'retaliation' shows exactly where he stands. And this man is second in line of presidential succession. The insurrectionists came a long way since their first failed attempt on Jan 6.
You could not be more correct!!! I’m screaming with anger!!!
I was thinking the same thing, Stefan. Aren’t these the very tapes that the DOJ and FBI used to track down and arrest these 1200 individuals associated with the insurrection? I too believe this is just a ploy by Mike Johnson to send a signal to MAGA folks that "we’ve got your back," both voters and actual insurrectionists. Anyone who is foolish enough to think that these tapes have not been used by the DOJ is easily duped. But of course, that is no surprise at all, because about 1/3 of this country seems to be in the thrall of a narcissistic, lying, gaslighting lunatic.
Stefan, I believe it is both. There are many "internet sleuths" who recognized people in the video already available, and they are responsible for reporting them to the FBI. I can't recall the name of the author at this moment, but a reporter wrote a book about the sleuths. He said that statistically, there is not enough time to prosecute all who trespassed and/or were violent during the insurrection. Some will get away with it.
I can’t *like* the content of Jenn Z’s because I think she’s right (unfortunately).
It's very scary. We have to turn the House Democratic, retain the Senate and re-elect Joe Biden for this to change. Much work needs to be done by those of us who have the time
to do it.
Another great letter, Robert.
I need to add that the perception of our economy on a personal level - what the average American "feels" has nothing to do with statistics and comparisons with other nations (we NEVER look to other countries for ideas - we are "exceptional"!)
The average family is "feeling" desperate because if child care is available, it's outrageously expensive. The average family is probably dealing with an elderly parent or grandparent who needs help. But home care workers are just not available. The average homeowner has trouble finding competitive contractors and tradesmen - and when they do, their charges are through the roof. And maybe they would love to move to a larger home to accommodate a growing family, but housing prices and mortgage rates make it really tough. Oh, and the student loans... And to add insult to injury, how could they possibly contribute to a college fund or even fully fund their own retirements?
So yes, our economy is "booming" but for the average, working hard family, the challenges are huge. If Carville is still right and "it's the economy, stupid" then Democrats need to address the stuff people are really struggling with daily. Overall stats about growth, unemployment, etc, are just blah, blah, blah - when you can't make life work for you. In fact, Democrats crowing about it demonstrates a certain out of touch elitism!
Biden and team need to be pounding the "kitchen table" about helping young couples with child care and elder care. Imagine if they are in that sandwich of worrying about both! Democrats need to tell people that Republicans are blocking the help they want to give them.
Everything you say is true. It was true before Biden was president. Why, then, was Trump not saddled with blame for the "feelings" of Americans? One guess, and the answer is "the media."
In a recent book I read, trump is described as a master of mirage.
Trump had (has) a genius for making people look in the wrong direction. People (and media) were preoccupied with his antics., not with the content of what he and his minions were trying to accomplish.
I totally agree. Providng more support for economically struggling Americans should be a major point in Biden's 2024 campaign.
We hope Joe runs on his great achievements and not as just the Anti-Trump stand in.
His job as president is not done.
He can proudly claim that while his policies have uplifted the American economy, improved incomes for the middle class and lead the world's recovery, there is still much work to do to help struggling Americans and struggling families reach an sustainable life in America.
Go Joe!!
He has work to do in this aspect of his campaigning.
Bringing back the child tax credit would be a huge step in the right direction. Of course, the ill-fated Build Back Better was all about funding the caring economy, so I don't think it's that Biden isn't aware of the needs. It just isn't politically possible right now.
Ellen, you are correct about the child tax credit. Also snap benefits were greatly increased during the covid years, this year those dollars are now a mere fraction of what they were just a year ago. 1200. becomes 300., feels like inflation to those trying to survive. Food banks in our area are absolutely overwhelmed. I hear KING5, in the NW, say it is INFLATION in their food drive. It's truly more complicated then that. Just try to stretch a budget when your benefits are cut by 2/3rds. It feels like drowning, so complains about the economy and inflation are the result. Food banks and families are trying to keep people fed.
Robert and Jill I appreciate the time and wisdom you share to help keep us sane. Thank you both. Rest and get well.
If anything, Biden repeatedly has been trying to find ways to relieve those things and Republicans repeatedly find ways to obstruct those solutions.
You are so right! The messaging is not what it will need to be to help more people to feel hope for a better economic reality for themselves. I have hope it will improve for "regular people" over this next year, as inflation is under better control through the good actions of the FED. I'm shocked that Biden is not doing this! He is hurting himself through the lack of an explanation to "regular" people whose economic lives are NOT better yet! Hope is what is needed for those who are suffering!
Please, please feel better, Rob. So sorry this has hung on for so long. Thank you for this thorough newsletter, as always. To read outright Speaker Johnson’s clear explanation of why the faces need to be blurred. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” burst from my mouth as I listened to your newsletter narrative. So they can’t be identified for the DOJ to charge them.???!!!
Such good news to read the Washington Post is waking up. Thank you for all your reported today. Bumped into this and you and your managing editor came to mind:
Hope isn’t the same thing as happiness. You don’t need to be happy to be hopeful. You need instead to accept the unknowability of the future, and that there are versions of that future which could be better than the present. Hope, in its simplest form, is the acceptance of possibility. ~Matt Haig
(Book: The Comfort Book [ad] https://amzn.to/3N52Guv)
For other readers, Katherine is referring to a comment I made on the audio version. My wife and I have struggled with a cold/cough/chest thing for 6 weeks and aren't feeling better. WE have been to the doctor 3 times and are on appropriate medication. Lots of people in our circle have the same symptoms. Yes, we have repeatedly tested for Covid, RSV, pneumonia etc. We just need to tough it out.
"Toughing it out?" Few people are more practiced in that skill than you and your Managing Editor. Be well and tough it out for all of us. All of us our responsible for furthering the ripples of influence that come together here from your good work.
Can’t hit a “like” here but do continue to take care. Here’s hoping for a recovery soon.
Agreed !!!!
Robert, if you don't take high doses of vitamin D, start doing so. the immune system does not run on all four cylinders in people who are deficient in D. Deficient, by modern standards, is having a lower level than 40ng/ml. Unfortunately, docs of a certain age learned something which is not true--that it is easy to get a toxic dose of D. It's not.
I started taking 3000 IU D/day in 2004. Before that, I'd had an elaborate process for nipping colds in the bud when I felt them coming on, or mitigating them if it was too late to stop them. I'd gotten the idea to take large doses of D from something I read in a scientific or medical publication.
In '06, I realized that I hadn't even started to get a cold since I started with the D. I still almost never get colds, or flu (I do get flu shots, which I started doing in '13 or '14).
My two siblings have had similar experiences with D, and none of us has had COVID. On the other hand, my niece, who hasn't taken D has had COVID. And, yeah, that's a small N, but it's worked well.
One of the odd things about D, though, is that when you take it in the usual supplement form, it takes a month and a half to get your blood level up to sufficiency. So you might want to take 10,000 IU/day for 2-3 weeks before going down to a maintenance dose.(A doc who's well versed in D would probably put you on a higher starting dose, but I would feel out of my league suggesting anything higher.) But I can tell you that one of my closest friends, who is an immunologist at NIH, has taken 10,000 IU/day for a number of years, having been prescribed that level for osteopenia. She is 76, and on top of her work at NIH, she runs a sheep farm. And I've known people with multiple sclerosis who have taken 20,000 IU/day, which enabled one woman I knew to get out of her wheelchair and dance with her husband. (MS involves a deficiency of D)
One of my greatest sadnesses these last few years is that we have failed to come together in crises, examples being the COVID crisis and the January 6 attack.
I am becoming more hopeful that ENOUGH of us, from different political camps, may come together to soundly repudiate Trump. I loved this quote Heather Cox Richardson shared from Rachel Maddow’s show: “It is important that Liz Cheney is infinity and I am negative infinity on the ideological number line. It's important because that tells you how serious and big something has to be to put us, to put me and Liz Cheney, together on the same side of something in American life.”
That was a great interview, and Nicolle Wallace came back to work yesterday to spend a full hour with LIz Cheney. Liz Cheney is a powerhouse, and, though it's difficult to ignore her past, this is who she is now. And I think she's going to make a difference if the right people listen to her and read her book! That's a big "if!"
I believe she'll be on The Beat with Ari Melber this afternoon (Wednesday.) She is a powerful voice for democracy, regardless of her party affiliation. I wonder who she is scaring more with her "considering" a "possible run" for office - Trump or President Biden?
I have a comment for yesterday's newsletter. I wanted to think about it, or sleep on it first. UN Women are a prescribed organization for safety for women and girls. In my experiences producing a documentary on this topic I have found that sometimes no one returns my calls. Yesterday's newsletter made me ponder this situation and I have come to this possible conclusion. Less than every three days a woman is killed in or outside her own home in industrialized countries. In the city where I was born, a woman had a safety plan in place and yet was not safe. She told a friend, I will be all right, a friend said on the news. This also made me think.
Women's organizations are over prescribed. They may not return calls because they are so busy, and volunteering as well. It may be safety concerns about the truth of the caller. Often those who help are targetted.
We must be very careful when trying to blame organizations whose goal is safety when their world is not our world. Jacqueline Rose has a good essay on this idea: whose pain is more valuable? Do we measure it?
I cried when I read of what happened while reading yesterday to innocent women and children. My life is dedicated to children. Mourning is a part of learning. We cannot turn away, and also have a responsibility to remember that silence on this topic is what makes it so dangerous in the first place. Many friends of those who are violent, are silent at least for a long time they are.
Merrick GarlandS abject cowardice in not charging members of Congress will remain a permanent stain on any reputation he may hope to have; right now, his reputation is of utter negligence in not appointing Jack Smith two years earlier
Not true. You are assuming other members of Congress will not be charged and a the goal is to convict Trump first and quickly and then go for the rest.
Let's hope that's on the agenda.
That is never going to happen. And he should have appointed Jack Smith earlier.
Agreed.
I in part agree with Greg Sargent and his views stated in Today’s Edition. Currently Liz Chaney is making the rounds promoting her book but also providing a conservative Republicans view of Trump and what his presidency would look like. One comment she made yesterday was that Tommy Tuberville a staunch Trump supporter has released his hold on all military appointments BUT the top four star generals who run the military and would be required to be on board if Trump wanted to use marshal law as a revenge tool. This is a real threat. There is a unique dynamic taking place because we have the warnings from multiple sources of what a Trump presidency would look like and we have on the other hand the House under Speaker Johnson another Trump supporter acting against the best interests of Democracy and being third in line to run our country. Johnson demonstrates now how a Trump presidency would operate with no guard rails. The problem frankly is voters are tired of the everyday landslide of multiple threats and outrage and we have to find a way together to remain strong and more importantly focused.
And as I mentioned in your notes, she is also telling all interviewers that she is keeping her options open to consider a third party candidacy. If she states her primary goal is to stop Donald Trump that will not serve the country or her.
There is no way she will run as a third party because that would guarantee a Trump win.
I’m speculating – but there may be a lot of Republicans who hate Democrats even more than they hate Trump. Under current circumstances, many of them might vote for Trump (others might not vote). Cheney might be hoping she can draw away many of those currently reluctant Trump voters. In a close election, it could make a positive difference.
Not sure that will work. We want reluctant voters of Trump to vote for Biden. Chaney doesn’t like losing and being a third party candidate does not help her or defeating Trump and she knows that. This is her getting inside Trump’s head
It’s hard to imagine that it is not Donald Trump controlling the GOP congress and nobody in the GOP is standing up for protecting the constitution, nobody. Every War veteran from WWll on must be turning in their graves. I know my father is. Thanks Robert
I think many people would join me in applauding Mike Johnson. I'd applaud him if he chose to be Speaker of the House over being spokesperson for the Freedom Caucus. I'd applaud him if he stood up and pushed funding for Ukraine, Israel and the IRS rather than putting all three at the mercy of Gym Jordan and James Comer and MTG. I'd applaud him if, by his actions, He pushed forward on budget items that would serve to keep our economy strong and our debt out of default, rather agreeing to measures to weaken the economy in pursuit of disarray that serves Donald Trump's malign interests. But until he serves country, not king, he doesn't get my applause or thanks. Has he no patriotic fiber in his heart and mind?
Amen!
I’ve gotten largely caught up in what’s going on in the world of both Trump and the hapless and criminal GOP from today’s edition. The distillation of many good sources is a huge benefit to me as I also focus on many aspects of my own life. As always, having good sources at hand helps all of us spread the word! Let’s all keep it up.
While I agree with you, Robert, that the MAGA take-down of constitutional government in the USA is not inevitable and we need to keep that in people’s minds, I can’t help thinking that we Americans are being too passive in response to the dangerous actions of Republicans in Congress. Shouldn’t we be out in the streets demanding that they do their job instead of running out the clock with their destructive agendas?