Danielle Sassoon's resignation, and the others that followed, reminded me of Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre. I remember how in the political climate of the time, it was so shocking, and contributed to the tide turning against the President. Back then we could not have imagined the horrific political climate we are in now, and I consider what Bove did is worse.
I want so much to believe that what Sassoon and the others did by resigning will make a difference. It is worth noting that once again it is a woman who is willing to bravely stand up and act with integrity, and with her stellar Republican conservative credentials both of those matter.
Kate, In my view, Sassoon’s resignation, combined with other profiles in courage we’ve recently witnessed, matter immensely because such actions invariably send ripples of influence that increasingly will gain prominence in public dialogue, contributing in ways we can’t precisely foretell to reaching critical mass, suddenly creating change. Hence, a reason for believing in our power and resilience over the upheaval and despair stoked by the Trump-Musk reign.
Stephen, Admittedly, the shock and awe, slash and burn meant to disorient and demoralize us exacts a devastating toll. Still, witnessing demonstrations of resistance and opposition growing increasingly bigger and louder, and knowing I’m a part of it, renews my belief that we’re going to claw back power and repair some amount of the damage.
Recently "hundreds of poor rural utility customers in Alabama saw their electrical bills rise by $100 because the federal government had frozen grant funds that would normally subsidize them. That is but one example out of hundreds or even thousands that will begin to play out nationwide.
When MAGA voters do come around to the realization that the White House and the GOP’s plans involve taking away their social safety net, their enthusiastic support may begin to ebb. And in an evenly divided country, all it takes is a few percent to turn away for the whole MAGA project to fail."
do you think they will come around? How will it happen? I hope we will figure out ways to facilitate the communication that will be needed...we can't keep thinking it's just gonna happen because can't they see it the way we see it. No, we need to look at how they see things and try to find ways to support and sow seeds of possibility.
Stephen, In my view, our current engagement principally entails stopping what we can, delaying what we can’t stop, and exacting a political toll when we can do neither. As for the folks we need increasingly to reach, my priority rests with the 10.8 million who voted for Biden in 2020 and didn’t vote in 2024. Additionally, though I only can claim anecdotal data, I understand Trump already is losing support among folks who voted for him largely based on kitchen-table issues.
In an interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, Cory Booker said that we need to be Citizen Truth Tellers, and I thought that perfectly described what is most important. We must counter the tsunami of lies, doing so one person at a time.
I agree with your assessment of Danielle Sassoon's honorable stand. One thought, though, is that when the Saturday Night Massacre happened, all Americans watched the news unfold on CBS, ABC, and NBC. Everyone got the same information and it was shocking. It was easier to get agreement when we started with the same facts. I can't imagine what Fox and the other "news" outlets are reporting today. That has worried me for many years.
It also started what would today be a meme: "Impeach the Cox sacker", which lent an impactful air of irreverence that hit Nixon's ego. Damaging Felon47's ego would be infinitely valuable but I'm bereft of creativity this morning.
The next step is for the American Bar Association (ABA) to discipline (disbar) Emil Bove. The ABA needs to live by its words:
"The American Bar Association supports the rule of law.
We call upon our elected representatives to stand with us and to insist upon adherence to the rule of law and the legal processes and procedures that ensure orderly change. The administration cannot choose which law it will follow or ignore. These are not partisan or political issues. These are rule of law and process issues. We cannot afford to remain silent. We must stand up for the values we hold dear. The ABA will do its part and act to protect the rule of law.
We urge every attorney to join us and insist that our government, a government of the people, follow the law. It is part of the oath we took when we became lawyers."
Right on, Kate! We can only hope that enough GOP senators will prove me wrong and decide that loyalty to the Constitution matters more than collaborating with criminals.
We must be there to literally kick them in the ass every time they bow down to the Convicted Felon. Remind them at every opportunity that their oath was to protect and defend THE CONSTITUTION, not their constituency and surely not a criminal president.
There's another group devastated by USAID being shutdown: Farmers who sell crops to USAID and the port workers who export them. They get to vote.
Democracy Labs created this map which overlays the farming districts and the ports hurt by Musk/Trump closing USAID. The map is overlaid with the Congressperson and Senator for that district. Let's make it easier to hold them accountable.
American farmers ruined by Musk killing USAID: Check this map
Thank you. I have a friend who farms here in MN who is afraid he will lose his farm now without the USAID contract. This needs to be sent to every Republican state representative and Senator and publicized widely!
Yes, this is all madness! Cruelty for no good end. Just retribution and muscle flexing. Please circulate to farm friends and to "conservatives" who are good people who should, would, could see the sheer stupidity in this. I am not hopeful that a lot will change their minds about Trump, but some will and some will empower others to. Hard to change when all your news comes from FOX.
Thank you for the map. I can call Senator Scott and appointed Senator Moody of Florida with cold. hard facts about the effect Musk/ Trump has on farmers and their families.
Thanks for the link. I followed it to discover that some of the farmers affected was in my congressional district. Also one of the ports was in my state. I alerted my Representative immediately that the illegal actions of the Trump administration was going to cause him problems.
I suspect he and I are going to be on a first name basis soon. I can only hope it is a friendly one. If he abides by his oath to the Constitution I can see no reason why it can't be friendly.
I spoke up last night about Trump's lawless actions to a very Republican Township Committee. I spoke my mind and accused most of them of being complicit in voting for Trump. One of them actually came over to me afterwards to tell me that he didn't. Then I told him he needs to call the Republican assemblymen and congressmen in our state and tell them that Trump is a lawless tyrant and to stop supporting him. It felt good and 3 other people followed me. This needs to happen in every red town in every state.
OK, where are the voices of the farmers who supply 41% of the grains and other foods to USAID? They were trump voters, right? Is it too early to hear from the farmers in America who support USAID? ? Are they trying to work out something else with the supplies ready to be shipped? Where's the news coverage of those sources of food? Did Elmo destroy the paperwork that supplied the names of the contracts and locations of the farms? Why couldn't Elmo have made certain that everything ready to load could go...cleared the docks so no food would go to waste and lives would not hang in the balance? Why didn't any reporter ask him why he didn't send what has already been allocated? I don't believe Elmo musk is a genius! At this point I don't believe anyone does! We all know what he is!!
White House press corps is mostly suck-ups who fear being denied access. Check out the AP being banned for freedom of the press "style" choice: not calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America....can almost everyone in the United States agree that this is a petty, bullying and silly thing for the "most powerful man in the world" to be worrying about. What's next? Banning reporters because they want put Trump's name in all caps. The Press Corps must start asking questions and follow ups that will continue to show Trump lying and not caring, doing horrible things and not knowing that he is doing horrible things, and being one mean, selfish, evil person. They've spent ht years normalizing one of the worst leaders in history. It's exhausting (and I apologize for this rant), but we've got to keep chipping away at the wall of lies and showing the damage Trump is doing.
There are MAGA people who are true believers whom we will never change, but there's got to be millions of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are ashamed at the cruel lawlessness of their President and embarrassed by the Oval Office circus act of Elon Musk dancing around in his ball cap with his 4 year old, while the President slouches at the Resolute desk. What is with the kid prop? Can't the richest man in the world afford a baby sitter?
Musk is a screwed up 11-year old, and Trump is a weird, mean, and emotionally frozen and intellectually barren 90 year old. I got to believe 80% of Americans wouldn't want either of them sitting next to them in their high school cafeterias. Don't give up.
A question to ask any Trumpite. Would you hire Donald Trump to babysit your 13-year old daughter? Yet you voted for him to babysit the Constitution of your country and to represent you and 330 million other Americans on the world stage. Please explain that.
I’d love to see the White House Press Corp boycott the press briefings. See how long it takes before Trump has a cow because he’s not in the major media outlets
Would be sweet but there is no courage in the lot of them. When it comes to Trump the press is ALL about clicks. They have no interest in the truth if that leads to fewer clicks.
Elmo/Elon doesn't care about food rotting or American farmers hurt by this senseless freeze. It's purely a power and cruelty trip for him and his techno posse.
Elon Musk, a genius. Now that's a joke. He is one hell of a liar; right up there with his Co-President. Notice that he hasn't given one solid example (that I've been able to find) of ANY waste in government. Where is his 150-year old SS recipient? Most likely he/she only lives in his twisted greedy mind.
Tesla's MO? I hope not but this is what the AP discovered...
The 150-year-old SS recipient lie came from Musk's teenage hooligans' lack of COBOL knowledge. COBOL is an ancient programming language that some government systems still use. COBOL uses 1875 as a placeholder when date of birth is not known. Amateurs and worse mucking about in our data.
That's really comforting. Children screwing around in a Treasury computer language they have no knowledge of. What could go wrong with the authorized financial payments to millions of Americans? I'd call this a typical Elon *uck-up *uck-up. It's what 77,000,000 nitwits voted for, a President who has no interest in governing, just enriching himself at our expense.
We converted Danielle Sassoon's powerful 6 page resignation letter into an engaging 12 minute podcast using AI. The podcast features a couple discussing what the case is all about and how Trump weaponized the Justice system to pressure NY Mayor Eric Adams into doing his bidding.
No one had to pressure Eric Adams to do Trump's bidding. Adams is corrupt to the core and always has been. He was elected by a peculiar coalition of voters who will support anyone 'who looks like them.' In Adams' case, Black voters in Brooklyn and MAGA cops on Staten Island. Broadly speaking.
And so it goes: Danielle Sassoon is the Elliott Richardson of our time; Eric Adams is our G. Gordon Liddy. Pete Hegseth deserved the private smackdown he got from Susie Wiles and the bleat goes on.
What's next - The Kash Patel nomination to be Director of the FBI. If you have time please read Joyce Vance's Substack Civil Discourse from last night: https://substack.com/inbox/post/157071011
Horrifying.
For a long time I've subscribed to Simon Rosenberg's Hopium Chronicles on Substack. Simon is a senior Democratic Strategist in DC. Every day he gives us our priorities to remain active in this fight: Blanket the phones in the Senate with your calls of outrage, follow up with emails on the Senator's contact form, AND send snail mail. I've been doing this every day.
If you can get to your Senators' offices in DC or locally, tell them what you think. Call them. Do what you can. When I was in grad school in California a friend and I were in DC doing research at the Library of Congress. We went over to the Senate offices and handed a letter to Diane Feinstein opposing the war in Iraq. She voted for the war anyway, but we did our best. We need to Do Something (Michelle Obama said this.) or our Democracy is dead.
I am filled with admiration for Sassoon. I am a lawyer too. It is our responsibility as lawyers to resign when put into an untenable position in a case. There’s a slow perhaps steady beat of lawyers finally waking up and taking the proper stand. ABA finally came out with a statement that sounded bold but let’s see some action, disbarment.
Pam, I am not a lawyer. But it seems to me that the ABA should be looking at disbarring some of these lawyers enabling the Musk takeover and illegal acts by their numbers.
It's inspiring to see Danielle Sassoon and her colleagues demonstrate what integrity, courage, and the worth of keeping your soul looks like. What a contemptible human Bove is. "Everything Trump Touches Dies". I'd say it's a law of nature now. I hope there's an escape clause for the innocent, ultimately. Peter Baker's article in the Times is worth a read. Something I don't often say about him these days. If only the Times had had the wisdom and courage to start publishing pieces like that years ago. Regardless, I think Baker is on to something. Trump's narcissism is spiraling into a new level. Surrounding yourself with 2nd tier bootlickers and acolytes is not conducive to staying in touch with reality, leaving aside all that morality junk. Add a younger version of himself in Musk as co-President. It's not just that Hegseth's performance made Neville Chamberlain look like Churchill, the sheer utter incompetence he displayed must fill those R Senators with pride in their votes. And it's not even been a month. At least I guess that 1.5% plurality who thought Trump was what we needed to get those egg prices down are happy. I hear that stores are giving them away for free... :-)
Thanks to your strong encouragement I wrote to WaPo and today this was published digitally. It well be in the print addition Saturday.
The replacement of our constitutional system of government with the whims of an unelected private citizen is happening before our very eyes. Why aren’t you calling it what it is: a coup? Susan De Quattro, Silver Spring
From now on 'Sassoon' should be the term one refers to to measure integrity, just us 'Scaramucci' became a synonym for a very short period of time.
It takes four Sassoons to sink Kash Patell's nomination in the Senate. MAGA senator's offices should be flooded with copies of her memorable letter to trump's lawyers running the DOJ.
Much is being looted, actual money, democracy, honor, justice, etc. As leadership begins and ends with me, it’s up to me to stop the $steal.
Here are actions I will take today to stop the $steal. Each of us must look for ourselves to what actions will work for themselves. Not everyone will be able to take the same actions. All these actions I am taking will be uncomfortable and make my life more difficult. I’m offering my list as both an act of throwing my hat over the fence and committing my word to these actions publicly and suggesting ideas for others to consider.
I invite you join me in taking back our collective purse, to stop the $steal, by withholding your money from going to people who then use it to support the $steal Trump is leading.
Here is what I will do today that will make an immediate difference:
Cancel accounts with:
Amazon (Jeff Bezos – Amazon’s founder and former CEO, remains one of the largest individual shareholders)
YouTube (Owned by Google, owned by Alphabet which Sergey Brin co-founder of Google supports Trump)
Change my browsers default search engine away from Google to DuckDuckGo or another search engine.
CHATGPT Plus (Sam Altman plus Elon Musk as co-founder and invested parties)
Sign out of Google and do not use Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google services.
I know many will not be able to do this. Each of us must make our own choices.
Future actions I pledge to take:
Participle in 2/28 retaking of the purse.
As an idea starter I used my remaining ChatGPT Plus subscription to ask:
What financial actions can I take as an individual that will impact Elon Musk's wealth?
I got the following ChatGPT Plus response:
If you’re looking to take financial actions that could impact Elon Musk’s wealth, here are some strategic approaches:
1. Avoid Supporting His Companies
Musk’s wealth is largely tied to the success of his companies. You can choose not to contribute to their revenue by:
• Not buying Tesla vehicles or avoiding Tesla’s SolarCity products.
• Not using X (formerly Twitter), especially paid subscriptions like X Premium.
• Not investing in Tesla (TSLA) or other Musk-affiliated stocks.
• Choosing competitors like Ford, Rivian, GM (EVs) or NASA-backed space ventures (instead of SpaceX/Starlink).
2. Divest from Musk-Affiliated Stocks
• If you own shares in Tesla (TSLA), consider selling them.
• Avoid funds or ETFs that include Tesla (such as ARK Invest, S&P 500 ETFs).
• If enough investors divest, it can reduce demand for Tesla stock, which could pressure its valuation.
3. Boycott Starlink and SpaceX Services
• If you use Starlink (satellite internet), switch to alternatives.
• Encourage governments and businesses to consider other aerospace providers over SpaceX.
4. Influence Tesla’s Stock Price
• Tesla’s valuation is heavily influenced by public sentiment and investor confidence.
• If you’re a Tesla shareholder, you can vote on corporate governance issues or push for less Musk involvement in leadership.
• Tesla’s stock price affects Musk’s wealth significantly due to his stock-based compensation and reliance on Tesla stock as loan collateral.
5. Advocate for More Regulation & Oversight
• Push for regulations that increase scrutiny on Tesla, SpaceX, and X.
• Encourage action against self-driving claims, labor issues, and safety concerns, which could impact Tesla’s business operations.
6. Support Lawsuits or Antitrust Actions
• Some governments and groups have sued Musk’s companies over various issues (labor, misleading claims, monopolistic behavior).
• Public awareness and legal pressure can affect a company’s stock and reputation.
7. Promote Alternatives to His Businesses
• Encourage public transit, non-Tesla EVs, and competing satellite services to weaken Musk’s dominance in those industries.
• Consider alternative social media platforms instead of X/Twitter.
While an individual impact may be small, collective actions can influence market trends, consumer behavior, and investor sentiment. Would you like a deeper analysis of any of these strategies?
Not a bad list of ideas!
Then I asked:
Extending this idea, how can I most effectively impact the finances of the US economy as an individual that will send the strongest and clearest message to the market and the Trump administration that I disapprove of the current policies and actions they are taking?
I got the following response:
If you want to financially impact the U.S. economy in a way that clearly signals disapproval of the Trump administration’s policies and actions, here are targeted economic strategies that could send a strong message:
1. Redirect Spending to Opposing Markets & Local Economies
• Boycott Pro-Trump Companies: Avoid businesses that support or fund Trump-aligned policies. Use tools like Goods Unite Us to see corporate political donations.
• Support Local & Independent Businesses: Shift spending away from large corporations that benefit from Trump-era deregulation and tax cuts.
• Prioritize Sustainable & Ethical Companies: Trump’s policies often favor fossil fuels and big business over climate action—supporting green energy, sustainable goods, and ethical brands counters this.
2. Shift Investments Away from Trump-Aligned Sectors
• Divest from companies benefiting from deregulation & tax breaks: Industries like Big Oil, defense contractors, Wall Street hedge funds, and real estate received major advantages under Trump’s policies.
• Avoid buying stocks in corporations that back Trump’s agenda: Check political donation records of major companies and choose alternatives.
• Invest in progressive ETFs and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) funds: These funds prioritize ethical investments counter to Trump-backed industries.
3. Withhold or Delay Spending on Big-Ticket Items
• Consumer confidence drives the U.S. economy—if spending declines, businesses react, and the market shifts.
• Delay major purchases like homes, cars, and luxury goods if possible, especially from industries that benefit from Trump’s policies (e.g., real estate, fossil fuels).
• If many consumers delay purchases, it sends a message to the market that people are financially uncertain about the administration’s leadership.
4. Influence Market Perception of U.S. Stability
• Convert some assets to foreign currencies or crypto: A weak U.S. dollar signals global concern about leadership and policy stability.
• Support international over U.S.-based corporations: This shifts economic growth abroad and weakens U.S. corporate dominance.
• If you’re a business owner, reduce U.S. market dependence and expand international partnerships.
5. Encourage Labor & Worker Movements
• Support unionization efforts—Trump-era policies weakened worker protections.
• Encourage strikes & collective bargaining—industries like tech, healthcare, and education are pivotal to the economy and can apply pressure.
6. Amplify Financial & Economic Messages Publicly
• Share financial data, corporate political ties, and ethical spending guides—many consumers don’t realize where their money flows.
• Influence public discussions on financial activism by using social media, newsletters, or community groups to spread awareness.
• Encourage businesses to take anti-Trump stances—consumer demand and activism forced companies to distance themselves from Trump’s actions in the past.
7. Target the Stock Market with Consumer & Investor Sentiment
• The stock market responds to uncertainty—if enough investors pull out of certain sectors or short key stocks, it can impact financial narratives.
• Encourage sell-offs or investment shifts from pro-Trump corporations or industries.
• Raise awareness of corporate lobbying efforts that support Trump-backed policies.
8. Financially Support Opposition to Trump Policies
Bern, thank you so much for this list. I will copy it and post it where I can see it every day and tackle these suggestions as best I can. One item at a time. I will be looking for a list of corporations supporting Trump. I will join Costco since they are on Trumps vengeance list for not dropping DEI and they need our support. Do people even know how many things DEI includes. Anti-DEI seems to be used mostly to back up racists. A long time ago I dumped ALL corporate media. They have been major Trump enablers.
You are most welcome, Marie. Yes, one item at a time, one day at a time. It's forging a new path which takes time to establish. Having just made a public promise has already made new things visible.
Thanks for list, Bern, I have copied and sent on to others. I have a copy over my computer. Even doing only a few of the actions might make a difference..and make me feel less powerless.
Passion, bravery, courage, knowing what is right and acting on it and the willingness to do the work, including the unglamorous organizational work, plus a heart felt and experienced understanding of the kind of man Trump is and the murderous injury his toxic masculinity does every day. Did not most of us learn how to "behave" from our mothers? Not discounting the good effect of fathers, including my own.
Still, we have to be careful about gender essentialism here...i.e. women always smart and brave, men all clods, stupid, and cowardly. Look at the women in your lives who admire and voted for Trump. A female friend of mine asked three women in her book group, whether they regretted voting for Trump. Ans: Of course not, January 6 was a fake job. He was right to pardon all those insurrectionists, and he's doing a great job, but more to the point, they are all "Christians." Not to mention Tulsi Gabbard, Marjory Taylor Greene, Linda McMahon, Ms. Biondi, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, you get my point.
I have always been a relentless optimist - I thought McGovern would win in 1972! (Don't blame me - I'm from Massachusetts) I realize it's still very early to see how the criminal might fail miserably and I continue to phone, write postcards and give money (although I and SICK and TIRED of the Dems relentless texts, which simply infuriates me ----- do they not listen???) All that said, I feel that we are being destroyed like a tsunami - moving rapidly with incredible force and destroying everything in its path. Yes - we are mounting legal challenges wherever we can. But what will that mean given the criminal's simply ignoring them. Seems to me that most checks on him in that arena are diminishing daily - and of course the SCOTUS is so corrupt they can not be relied upon to act responsibly. And, as I've said, I believe Musk/Criminal will bribe Thomas, Alito and the other deplorables into retiring so that the criminal can put young hateful people on the court. Money talks. Yes - musk was enjoined from doing damage from the Treasury - which he has ignored. Publishing date about Federal Employees financial information seems to have no consequences. On the few occasions I watch a clip of a dem talking about what is going on - I want to scream. So measured; so polite and so out of touch. People - the Nationalists in South Africa remained in power for 40 years ---- You may say 'they are getting to me - and my feelings are what they want to happen'. Forgive me -- when I immigrated here in 67 I could not get over the freedom, the comments on TV criticizing the government and the sense that although there were major problems regarding race - the country was moving in the right direction. But I lived through the takeover and effective control of the right wing politicians in South Africa. We resisted, protested and were silenced, jailed, banned and deported -- sound familiar?
It is not done yet. Danielle Sassoon's act of courage as well as the courage of other members of the Justice Department is impressive. We do not yet know whether the result will be an Elliot Richardson and Archibald Cox-like beginning of the end as it was for Nixon. Or whether it will be a Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger bump in the road as it has been for Trump.
Danielle Sassoon's resignation, and the others that followed, reminded me of Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre. I remember how in the political climate of the time, it was so shocking, and contributed to the tide turning against the President. Back then we could not have imagined the horrific political climate we are in now, and I consider what Bove did is worse.
I want so much to believe that what Sassoon and the others did by resigning will make a difference. It is worth noting that once again it is a woman who is willing to bravely stand up and act with integrity, and with her stellar Republican conservative credentials both of those matter.
Kate, In my view, Sassoon’s resignation, combined with other profiles in courage we’ve recently witnessed, matter immensely because such actions invariably send ripples of influence that increasingly will gain prominence in public dialogue, contributing in ways we can’t precisely foretell to reaching critical mass, suddenly creating change. Hence, a reason for believing in our power and resilience over the upheaval and despair stoked by the Trump-Musk reign.
I only hope your right but today I have my doubts
Stephen, Admittedly, the shock and awe, slash and burn meant to disorient and demoralize us exacts a devastating toll. Still, witnessing demonstrations of resistance and opposition growing increasingly bigger and louder, and knowing I’m a part of it, renews my belief that we’re going to claw back power and repair some amount of the damage.
The resistance is needed all I’m asking is are the right people resisting not you and I but voters who stayed home or voted for Trump
Recently "hundreds of poor rural utility customers in Alabama saw their electrical bills rise by $100 because the federal government had frozen grant funds that would normally subsidize them. That is but one example out of hundreds or even thousands that will begin to play out nationwide.
When MAGA voters do come around to the realization that the White House and the GOP’s plans involve taking away their social safety net, their enthusiastic support may begin to ebb. And in an evenly divided country, all it takes is a few percent to turn away for the whole MAGA project to fail."
https://thinkbigpicture.substack.com/p/donald-trump-white-house-strategery
And farmers in red states like my home state, Kansas
do you think they will come around? How will it happen? I hope we will figure out ways to facilitate the communication that will be needed...we can't keep thinking it's just gonna happen because can't they see it the way we see it. No, we need to look at how they see things and try to find ways to support and sow seeds of possibility.
Interesting thread. I've been wondering how rump supporters are doing...
do they know the truth? Or are they "foxed" into thinking it was something other than that?
Stephen, In my view, our current engagement principally entails stopping what we can, delaying what we can’t stop, and exacting a political toll when we can do neither. As for the folks we need increasingly to reach, my priority rests with the 10.8 million who voted for Biden in 2020 and didn’t vote in 2024. Additionally, though I only can claim anecdotal data, I understand Trump already is losing support among folks who voted for him largely based on kitchen-table issues.
In an interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, Cory Booker said that we need to be Citizen Truth Tellers, and I thought that perfectly described what is most important. We must counter the tsunami of lies, doing so one person at a time.
I agree, and like your term "ripples of influence."
I agree with your assessment of Danielle Sassoon's honorable stand. One thought, though, is that when the Saturday Night Massacre happened, all Americans watched the news unfold on CBS, ABC, and NBC. Everyone got the same information and it was shocking. It was easier to get agreement when we started with the same facts. I can't imagine what Fox and the other "news" outlets are reporting today. That has worried me for many years.
It also started what would today be a meme: "Impeach the Cox sacker", which lent an impactful air of irreverence that hit Nixon's ego. Damaging Felon47's ego would be infinitely valuable but I'm bereft of creativity this morning.
The next step is for the American Bar Association (ABA) to discipline (disbar) Emil Bove. The ABA needs to live by its words:
"The American Bar Association supports the rule of law.
We call upon our elected representatives to stand with us and to insist upon adherence to the rule of law and the legal processes and procedures that ensure orderly change. The administration cannot choose which law it will follow or ignore. These are not partisan or political issues. These are rule of law and process issues. We cannot afford to remain silent. We must stand up for the values we hold dear. The ABA will do its part and act to protect the rule of law.
We urge every attorney to join us and insist that our government, a government of the people, follow the law. It is part of the oath we took when we became lawyers."
this sounds like a letter writing campaign. I'll write one. Will you?
And the winner in the category of Lick Their Boots and They'll Kick You in The Teeth is ... Susan Collins!
Former Elon Musk worker challenges Susan Collins for US Senate
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/14/former-elon-musk-worker-challenges-susan-collins-for-us-senate/
Right on, Kate! We can only hope that enough GOP senators will prove me wrong and decide that loyalty to the Constitution matters more than collaborating with criminals.
We must be there to literally kick them in the ass every time they bow down to the Convicted Felon. Remind them at every opportunity that their oath was to protect and defend THE CONSTITUTION, not their constituency and surely not a criminal president.
There's another group devastated by USAID being shutdown: Farmers who sell crops to USAID and the port workers who export them. They get to vote.
Democracy Labs created this map which overlays the farming districts and the ports hurt by Musk/Trump closing USAID. The map is overlaid with the Congressperson and Senator for that district. Let's make it easier to hold them accountable.
American farmers ruined by Musk killing USAID: Check this map
https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/08/american-farmers-ruined-by-musk-killing-usaid-check-this-map/
Thank you. I have a friend who farms here in MN who is afraid he will lose his farm now without the USAID contract. This needs to be sent to every Republican state representative and Senator and publicized widely!
I'm sorry about your friend. It's what we knew might happen, but it's still senseless. Meantime, there's rotting food not feeding hungry people.
Yes, this is all madness! Cruelty for no good end. Just retribution and muscle flexing. Please circulate to farm friends and to "conservatives" who are good people who should, would, could see the sheer stupidity in this. I am not hopeful that a lot will change their minds about Trump, but some will and some will empower others to. Hard to change when all your news comes from FOX.
The farmers need to speak up, and raise hell with their Republican Representatives and Senators.
Sent to my red state family members to get them to call their congressional representatives!
Thank you for the map. I can call Senator Scott and appointed Senator Moody of Florida with cold. hard facts about the effect Musk/ Trump has on farmers and their families.
Thanks for the link. I followed it to discover that some of the farmers affected was in my congressional district. Also one of the ports was in my state. I alerted my Representative immediately that the illegal actions of the Trump administration was going to cause him problems.
I suspect he and I are going to be on a first name basis soon. I can only hope it is a friendly one. If he abides by his oath to the Constitution I can see no reason why it can't be friendly.
Thank you for sharing this small bit of hope and reminder of the power of a single voice. 💙
When I can't sleep, I usually read your newsletter and always love the space pics as well.
Onward friends!
Me too, Robert's newsletter has saved my sanity. Thank you Robert for giving me strength.
I spoke up last night about Trump's lawless actions to a very Republican Township Committee. I spoke my mind and accused most of them of being complicit in voting for Trump. One of them actually came over to me afterwards to tell me that he didn't. Then I told him he needs to call the Republican assemblymen and congressmen in our state and tell them that Trump is a lawless tyrant and to stop supporting him. It felt good and 3 other people followed me. This needs to happen in every red town in every state.
Thank you, Fern! Borrowing from Stefan above, I would say you are a Sassoon!
Courage and righteousness!!! Way to go!
Yes, people in red states need to speak up like you so bravely did. In deep gratitude to you.
OK, where are the voices of the farmers who supply 41% of the grains and other foods to USAID? They were trump voters, right? Is it too early to hear from the farmers in America who support USAID? ? Are they trying to work out something else with the supplies ready to be shipped? Where's the news coverage of those sources of food? Did Elmo destroy the paperwork that supplied the names of the contracts and locations of the farms? Why couldn't Elmo have made certain that everything ready to load could go...cleared the docks so no food would go to waste and lives would not hang in the balance? Why didn't any reporter ask him why he didn't send what has already been allocated? I don't believe Elmo musk is a genius! At this point I don't believe anyone does! We all know what he is!!
White House press corps is mostly suck-ups who fear being denied access. Check out the AP being banned for freedom of the press "style" choice: not calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America....can almost everyone in the United States agree that this is a petty, bullying and silly thing for the "most powerful man in the world" to be worrying about. What's next? Banning reporters because they want put Trump's name in all caps. The Press Corps must start asking questions and follow ups that will continue to show Trump lying and not caring, doing horrible things and not knowing that he is doing horrible things, and being one mean, selfish, evil person. They've spent ht years normalizing one of the worst leaders in history. It's exhausting (and I apologize for this rant), but we've got to keep chipping away at the wall of lies and showing the damage Trump is doing.
There are MAGA people who are true believers whom we will never change, but there's got to be millions of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are ashamed at the cruel lawlessness of their President and embarrassed by the Oval Office circus act of Elon Musk dancing around in his ball cap with his 4 year old, while the President slouches at the Resolute desk. What is with the kid prop? Can't the richest man in the world afford a baby sitter?
Musk is a screwed up 11-year old, and Trump is a weird, mean, and emotionally frozen and intellectually barren 90 year old. I got to believe 80% of Americans wouldn't want either of them sitting next to them in their high school cafeterias. Don't give up.
A question to ask any Trumpite. Would you hire Donald Trump to babysit your 13-year old daughter? Yet you voted for him to babysit the Constitution of your country and to represent you and 330 million other Americans on the world stage. Please explain that.
I’d love to see the White House Press Corp boycott the press briefings. See how long it takes before Trump has a cow because he’s not in the major media outlets
Would be sweet but there is no courage in the lot of them. When it comes to Trump the press is ALL about clicks. They have no interest in the truth if that leads to fewer clicks.
Elmo/Elon doesn't care about food rotting or American farmers hurt by this senseless freeze. It's purely a power and cruelty trip for him and his techno posse.
Elon Musk, a genius. Now that's a joke. He is one hell of a liar; right up there with his Co-President. Notice that he hasn't given one solid example (that I've been able to find) of ANY waste in government. Where is his 150-year old SS recipient? Most likely he/she only lives in his twisted greedy mind.
Tesla's MO? I hope not but this is what the AP discovered...
https://apnews.com/article/tesla-china-musk-investigation-takeaways-422af6d3c6e7cc88173d12891e8c0a9a
The 150-year-old SS recipient lie came from Musk's teenage hooligans' lack of COBOL knowledge. COBOL is an ancient programming language that some government systems still use. COBOL uses 1875 as a placeholder when date of birth is not known. Amateurs and worse mucking about in our data.
That's really comforting. Children screwing around in a Treasury computer language they have no knowledge of. What could go wrong with the authorized financial payments to millions of Americans? I'd call this a typical Elon *uck-up *uck-up. It's what 77,000,000 nitwits voted for, a President who has no interest in governing, just enriching himself at our expense.
We converted Danielle Sassoon's powerful 6 page resignation letter into an engaging 12 minute podcast using AI. The podcast features a couple discussing what the case is all about and how Trump weaponized the Justice system to pressure NY Mayor Eric Adams into doing his bidding.
https://youtu.be/c-lyPDzfPAc
No one had to pressure Eric Adams to do Trump's bidding. Adams is corrupt to the core and always has been. He was elected by a peculiar coalition of voters who will support anyone 'who looks like them.' In Adams' case, Black voters in Brooklyn and MAGA cops on Staten Island. Broadly speaking.
And so it goes: Danielle Sassoon is the Elliott Richardson of our time; Eric Adams is our G. Gordon Liddy. Pete Hegseth deserved the private smackdown he got from Susie Wiles and the bleat goes on.
What's next - The Kash Patel nomination to be Director of the FBI. If you have time please read Joyce Vance's Substack Civil Discourse from last night: https://substack.com/inbox/post/157071011
Horrifying.
For a long time I've subscribed to Simon Rosenberg's Hopium Chronicles on Substack. Simon is a senior Democratic Strategist in DC. Every day he gives us our priorities to remain active in this fight: Blanket the phones in the Senate with your calls of outrage, follow up with emails on the Senator's contact form, AND send snail mail. I've been doing this every day.
If you can get to your Senators' offices in DC or locally, tell them what you think. Call them. Do what you can. When I was in grad school in California a friend and I were in DC doing research at the Library of Congress. We went over to the Senate offices and handed a letter to Diane Feinstein opposing the war in Iraq. She voted for the war anyway, but we did our best. We need to Do Something (Michelle Obama said this.) or our Democracy is dead.
I am filled with admiration for Sassoon. I am a lawyer too. It is our responsibility as lawyers to resign when put into an untenable position in a case. There’s a slow perhaps steady beat of lawyers finally waking up and taking the proper stand. ABA finally came out with a statement that sounded bold but let’s see some action, disbarment.
Pam, I am not a lawyer. But it seems to me that the ABA should be looking at disbarring some of these lawyers enabling the Musk takeover and illegal acts by their numbers.
It's inspiring to see Danielle Sassoon and her colleagues demonstrate what integrity, courage, and the worth of keeping your soul looks like. What a contemptible human Bove is. "Everything Trump Touches Dies". I'd say it's a law of nature now. I hope there's an escape clause for the innocent, ultimately. Peter Baker's article in the Times is worth a read. Something I don't often say about him these days. If only the Times had had the wisdom and courage to start publishing pieces like that years ago. Regardless, I think Baker is on to something. Trump's narcissism is spiraling into a new level. Surrounding yourself with 2nd tier bootlickers and acolytes is not conducive to staying in touch with reality, leaving aside all that morality junk. Add a younger version of himself in Musk as co-President. It's not just that Hegseth's performance made Neville Chamberlain look like Churchill, the sheer utter incompetence he displayed must fill those R Senators with pride in their votes. And it's not even been a month. At least I guess that 1.5% plurality who thought Trump was what we needed to get those egg prices down are happy. I hear that stores are giving them away for free... :-)
Yeah who thought Pete would screw up this fast!
I wonder what drinking binge he will go on and if someone will report it…
Hegseth is probably roaming Europe looking for a honey trap...
Hegseth will one of the first Trump fires. As soon as the heat gets close to Trump's feet Hegseth goes under the bus.
Thanks to your strong encouragement I wrote to WaPo and today this was published digitally. It well be in the print addition Saturday.
The replacement of our constitutional system of government with the whims of an unelected private citizen is happening before our very eyes. Why aren’t you calling it what it is: a coup? Susan De Quattro, Silver Spring
From now on 'Sassoon' should be the term one refers to to measure integrity, just us 'Scaramucci' became a synonym for a very short period of time.
It takes four Sassoons to sink Kash Patell's nomination in the Senate. MAGA senator's offices should be flooded with copies of her memorable letter to trump's lawyers running the DOJ.
Stop the $steal
Much is being looted, actual money, democracy, honor, justice, etc. As leadership begins and ends with me, it’s up to me to stop the $steal.
Here are actions I will take today to stop the $steal. Each of us must look for ourselves to what actions will work for themselves. Not everyone will be able to take the same actions. All these actions I am taking will be uncomfortable and make my life more difficult. I’m offering my list as both an act of throwing my hat over the fence and committing my word to these actions publicly and suggesting ideas for others to consider.
I invite you join me in taking back our collective purse, to stop the $steal, by withholding your money from going to people who then use it to support the $steal Trump is leading.
Here is what I will do today that will make an immediate difference:
Cancel accounts with:
Amazon (Jeff Bezos – Amazon’s founder and former CEO, remains one of the largest individual shareholders)
YouTube (Owned by Google, owned by Alphabet which Sergey Brin co-founder of Google supports Trump)
Change my browsers default search engine away from Google to DuckDuckGo or another search engine.
CHATGPT Plus (Sam Altman plus Elon Musk as co-founder and invested parties)
Sign out of Google and do not use Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google services.
I know many will not be able to do this. Each of us must make our own choices.
Future actions I pledge to take:
Participle in 2/28 retaking of the purse.
As an idea starter I used my remaining ChatGPT Plus subscription to ask:
What financial actions can I take as an individual that will impact Elon Musk's wealth?
I got the following ChatGPT Plus response:
If you’re looking to take financial actions that could impact Elon Musk’s wealth, here are some strategic approaches:
1. Avoid Supporting His Companies
Musk’s wealth is largely tied to the success of his companies. You can choose not to contribute to their revenue by:
• Not buying Tesla vehicles or avoiding Tesla’s SolarCity products.
• Not using X (formerly Twitter), especially paid subscriptions like X Premium.
• Not investing in Tesla (TSLA) or other Musk-affiliated stocks.
• Choosing competitors like Ford, Rivian, GM (EVs) or NASA-backed space ventures (instead of SpaceX/Starlink).
2. Divest from Musk-Affiliated Stocks
• If you own shares in Tesla (TSLA), consider selling them.
• Avoid funds or ETFs that include Tesla (such as ARK Invest, S&P 500 ETFs).
• If enough investors divest, it can reduce demand for Tesla stock, which could pressure its valuation.
3. Boycott Starlink and SpaceX Services
• If you use Starlink (satellite internet), switch to alternatives.
• Encourage governments and businesses to consider other aerospace providers over SpaceX.
4. Influence Tesla’s Stock Price
• Tesla’s valuation is heavily influenced by public sentiment and investor confidence.
• If you’re a Tesla shareholder, you can vote on corporate governance issues or push for less Musk involvement in leadership.
• Tesla’s stock price affects Musk’s wealth significantly due to his stock-based compensation and reliance on Tesla stock as loan collateral.
5. Advocate for More Regulation & Oversight
• Push for regulations that increase scrutiny on Tesla, SpaceX, and X.
• Encourage action against self-driving claims, labor issues, and safety concerns, which could impact Tesla’s business operations.
6. Support Lawsuits or Antitrust Actions
• Some governments and groups have sued Musk’s companies over various issues (labor, misleading claims, monopolistic behavior).
• Public awareness and legal pressure can affect a company’s stock and reputation.
7. Promote Alternatives to His Businesses
• Encourage public transit, non-Tesla EVs, and competing satellite services to weaken Musk’s dominance in those industries.
• Consider alternative social media platforms instead of X/Twitter.
While an individual impact may be small, collective actions can influence market trends, consumer behavior, and investor sentiment. Would you like a deeper analysis of any of these strategies?
Not a bad list of ideas!
Then I asked:
Extending this idea, how can I most effectively impact the finances of the US economy as an individual that will send the strongest and clearest message to the market and the Trump administration that I disapprove of the current policies and actions they are taking?
I got the following response:
If you want to financially impact the U.S. economy in a way that clearly signals disapproval of the Trump administration’s policies and actions, here are targeted economic strategies that could send a strong message:
1. Redirect Spending to Opposing Markets & Local Economies
• Boycott Pro-Trump Companies: Avoid businesses that support or fund Trump-aligned policies. Use tools like Goods Unite Us to see corporate political donations.
• Support Local & Independent Businesses: Shift spending away from large corporations that benefit from Trump-era deregulation and tax cuts.
• Prioritize Sustainable & Ethical Companies: Trump’s policies often favor fossil fuels and big business over climate action—supporting green energy, sustainable goods, and ethical brands counters this.
2. Shift Investments Away from Trump-Aligned Sectors
• Divest from companies benefiting from deregulation & tax breaks: Industries like Big Oil, defense contractors, Wall Street hedge funds, and real estate received major advantages under Trump’s policies.
• Avoid buying stocks in corporations that back Trump’s agenda: Check political donation records of major companies and choose alternatives.
• Invest in progressive ETFs and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) funds: These funds prioritize ethical investments counter to Trump-backed industries.
3. Withhold or Delay Spending on Big-Ticket Items
• Consumer confidence drives the U.S. economy—if spending declines, businesses react, and the market shifts.
• Delay major purchases like homes, cars, and luxury goods if possible, especially from industries that benefit from Trump’s policies (e.g., real estate, fossil fuels).
• If many consumers delay purchases, it sends a message to the market that people are financially uncertain about the administration’s leadership.
4. Influence Market Perception of U.S. Stability
• Convert some assets to foreign currencies or crypto: A weak U.S. dollar signals global concern about leadership and policy stability.
• Support international over U.S.-based corporations: This shifts economic growth abroad and weakens U.S. corporate dominance.
• If you’re a business owner, reduce U.S. market dependence and expand international partnerships.
5. Encourage Labor & Worker Movements
• Support unionization efforts—Trump-era policies weakened worker protections.
• Encourage strikes & collective bargaining—industries like tech, healthcare, and education are pivotal to the economy and can apply pressure.
6. Amplify Financial & Economic Messages Publicly
• Share financial data, corporate political ties, and ethical spending guides—many consumers don’t realize where their money flows.
• Influence public discussions on financial activism by using social media, newsletters, or community groups to spread awareness.
• Encourage businesses to take anti-Trump stances—consumer demand and activism forced companies to distance themselves from Trump’s actions in the past.
7. Target the Stock Market with Consumer & Investor Sentiment
• The stock market responds to uncertainty—if enough investors pull out of certain sectors or short key stocks, it can impact financial narratives.
• Encourage sell-offs or investment shifts from pro-Trump corporations or industries.
• Raise awareness of corporate lobbying efforts that support Trump-backed policies.
8. Financially Support Opposition to Trump Policies
• Donate to organizations fighting Trump-era policies (ACLU, environmental groups, progressive PACs).
• Fund grassroots movements focused on economic justice, voting rights, and policy change.
• Support alternative media platforms that counter pro-Trump economic narratives.
The Strongest & Clearest Message
A combination of these financial strategies—especially if amplified collectively—can:
✔ Shift public perception of economic confidence under Trump.
✔ Impact industries that rely on Trump-aligned policies.
✔ Show corporations and markets that consumer and investor sentiment is against Trump-era policies.
✔ Make media & political figures acknowledge financial resistance as an indicator of public disapproval.
Would you like more tactical steps for a specific sector or financial action?
There are some immediate actions you can take to support the opposition to Trump policies and some ideas for future financial strategies to implement.
Bern, thank you so much for this list. I will copy it and post it where I can see it every day and tackle these suggestions as best I can. One item at a time. I will be looking for a list of corporations supporting Trump. I will join Costco since they are on Trumps vengeance list for not dropping DEI and they need our support. Do people even know how many things DEI includes. Anti-DEI seems to be used mostly to back up racists. A long time ago I dumped ALL corporate media. They have been major Trump enablers.
You are most welcome, Marie. Yes, one item at a time, one day at a time. It's forging a new path which takes time to establish. Having just made a public promise has already made new things visible.
Superb. Thank you — we have power. Let’s use it.
Agree about Costco. We will expand our business there and drop our Sam’s membership (we have both — long and silly story).
Goods Unite Us is a great source!
Thanks for list, Bern, I have copied and sent on to others. I have a copy over my computer. Even doing only a few of the actions might make a difference..and make me feel less powerless.
This is great, Bern! Thank you! We should be using all tools at our disposal.
How is it that women especially stand up to Trump. E Jean Carrol, Cheney, Sassoon, Bishop Budde?
Passion, bravery, courage, knowing what is right and acting on it and the willingness to do the work, including the unglamorous organizational work, plus a heart felt and experienced understanding of the kind of man Trump is and the murderous injury his toxic masculinity does every day. Did not most of us learn how to "behave" from our mothers? Not discounting the good effect of fathers, including my own.
Still, we have to be careful about gender essentialism here...i.e. women always smart and brave, men all clods, stupid, and cowardly. Look at the women in your lives who admire and voted for Trump. A female friend of mine asked three women in her book group, whether they regretted voting for Trump. Ans: Of course not, January 6 was a fake job. He was right to pardon all those insurrectionists, and he's doing a great job, but more to the point, they are all "Christians." Not to mention Tulsi Gabbard, Marjory Taylor Greene, Linda McMahon, Ms. Biondi, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, you get my point.
I have always been a relentless optimist - I thought McGovern would win in 1972! (Don't blame me - I'm from Massachusetts) I realize it's still very early to see how the criminal might fail miserably and I continue to phone, write postcards and give money (although I and SICK and TIRED of the Dems relentless texts, which simply infuriates me ----- do they not listen???) All that said, I feel that we are being destroyed like a tsunami - moving rapidly with incredible force and destroying everything in its path. Yes - we are mounting legal challenges wherever we can. But what will that mean given the criminal's simply ignoring them. Seems to me that most checks on him in that arena are diminishing daily - and of course the SCOTUS is so corrupt they can not be relied upon to act responsibly. And, as I've said, I believe Musk/Criminal will bribe Thomas, Alito and the other deplorables into retiring so that the criminal can put young hateful people on the court. Money talks. Yes - musk was enjoined from doing damage from the Treasury - which he has ignored. Publishing date about Federal Employees financial information seems to have no consequences. On the few occasions I watch a clip of a dem talking about what is going on - I want to scream. So measured; so polite and so out of touch. People - the Nationalists in South Africa remained in power for 40 years ---- You may say 'they are getting to me - and my feelings are what they want to happen'. Forgive me -- when I immigrated here in 67 I could not get over the freedom, the comments on TV criticizing the government and the sense that although there were major problems regarding race - the country was moving in the right direction. But I lived through the takeover and effective control of the right wing politicians in South Africa. We resisted, protested and were silenced, jailed, banned and deported -- sound familiar?
It is not done yet. Danielle Sassoon's act of courage as well as the courage of other members of the Justice Department is impressive. We do not yet know whether the result will be an Elliot Richardson and Archibald Cox-like beginning of the end as it was for Nixon. Or whether it will be a Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger bump in the road as it has been for Trump.