Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans. In the last 8 years, Republicans have called, and Democrats haven't. So, when you call: A: When calling the DC office, ask for the Staff member in charge of whatever you're calling about ("Hi, I'd like to speak with the staffer in charge of Healthcare, please") — local offices won't always have specific ones, but they might. If you get transferred to that person, awesome. If you don't, that's ok — ask for that person's name, and then just keep talking to whoever answered the phone. Don't leave a message (unless the office doesn't pick up at all — then you can — but it's better to talk to the staffer who first answered than leave a message for the specific staffer in charge of your topic).
yesterday morning I tried to call 3 senators, my own 2 and Schumer, I called DC and also their local offices.. the phone system was not working at all.. ended up writing messages on their contact me pages.. called my congressman, no person answered just ' leave a message', same with H. Jeffries.. I will keep calling but either there were so many calls the phone system crashed or I don't know what.
I doubt anyone reads messages from their offices but I wrote them anyway. my topic was'Other' - you have to choose from a drop down- I urged them to stand up and stop the coup that is happening, start impeachment proceedings, arrest elon musk..
Same thing happened to me, called Cornyn and Cruz offices in DC and Texas. At both locations the recorded message they play was “breaking up,” (very hard to understand), no real people answered any of the phones, left voice messages and used online contact form.
Thankfully, Rep. Greg Casar’s office had a real person answer the call :)
I was told by Sen. Collins’ office in Maine that the phone problems in DC. most likely were related to the volume of calls. All my congressional offices said the were receiving a huge number of calls about Musk’s takeover.
This happened to me too with the Senate finance committee and with Senator Oso, but I called Senator Warnock‘s office and the line was clear and I actually spoke to a person so keep trying!
My husband emailed John Curtis about musk and got a reply that said DOGE was established by executive order to modernize government. Blah, blah, blah, debt problems, support efforts to make government more efficient. My husband is sending this reply.
Thank you for your rationale that attempts to explain supporting Elon Musk’s actions. I understand that Congress controls spending, and Elon Musk’s incursion is illegal. On your topic of the debt, Elon Musk's paid no corporate taxes. That does not contribute to an efficient government or reduced debt. Consider ensuring that corporations and the wealthy pay taxes.
I am so sick and tired of GOP Congresscritters who get to pick their constituents via partisan gerrymandering rather thatthe constituents picking their reps!
I think this inability to reach our reps by phone may be a plan by them to thwart our calls.Just a hunch but who knows considering what we are dealing with.
I don't think the staffers for GOP senators are all that anxious to answer the phone OR clear out the Voice mail box. I have had much better luck with my US House rep. I am actually getting a live person on the line at least 50% of the IF I am calling during regular business hours.
I can't even get a live staffer at my Senators' satellite offices. Yesterday, I kept getting a bad connection on my landline (the audio kept cutting in and out), so I switched to my cell and I got the same thing! Very frustrating!
I called my Congresswoman and noticed the connection was "breaking up" as well. At the time, I was using my car microphone, so I didn't follow up on the issue. However, it DID cross my mind that the calls are being INTERFERED WITH.
...and you know, Elon Musk has the satellites that are used in global warfare, ijs.
Here in Washington, we talked to Senator Murray’s local staffer who told us the volume of calls crashed the system. We’re rallying at that office this week and have hundreds of people signed up to show up. Let’s show them what the people expect from them.
It also happened to me when trying to contact my senators from CA. Interestingly enough, I was able to get through with NO breaking up at all, to my represent Kevin Kiley, republican.
That was my experience as well. I tried calling my Senators and all members of the Senate Finance Committee, but had to resort to the contact pages.
Wondering how it is that Republican constituents can get through but not Democrat. If they just had a central number where messages could be left and retrieved.
Thanks, Lin, for passing on this interesting and useful information. One additional suggestion: Hopefully representatives' offices in Washington as well as in their districts will face a deluge of calls – but there are only so many staffers to take them. So don't tie them down or clog the lines by placing unnecessary long calls. Make room for the next caller.
Of course, you call with a heavy heart, incensed, whatever, and you finally have somebody on the other line who listens to you. But remember, whatever argument you bring up, they have heard it all. As Lin clearly conveyed, it's the statistic that counts. So not only state the subject you are calling about (I know, I know, where to start?) but follow up with two or three arguments like bullet points and what action you expect from the representative. It shouldn't take more than 45 seconds or a minute to get your point across. Perhaps write down what you want to say before calling.
And be assertive but polite. Even when calling one of the Brownshirts.
What‘s *not* important, now, are logical arguments. What *is* important are expressions of *deep anger*. The people at the other end of the phone lines surely know how to count … if nothing else.
Show up at one of their regional offices, if possible, as I plan to do today.My Senators are not close (Rubio’s replacement doesn’t even have regional office(s) yet,probably by design.When I called my MAGA US Rep yesterday and asked the staffer what they were doing about Elon’s takeover and the breach of my personal data, staffer advised me to call DC.DC said staffer handling the the matter was at a meeting.MAGA knows it’s a coup !
Thanks. Your stats are helpful. I also need to point out that regional offices are helpful too. Their staffers when they answer- can be quite knowledgeable. it is better to leave a clear message and state action you want. My senators from MA Sen Warren and Sen Markey have had a full phone mailbox in DC daily since the election. I can at least leave a message at regional offices, occasionally talk to a staffer. ✊🙋♀️
I have discovered, and downloaded a new phone app called "5 Calls" that uses your zip code to identify, and call, your Senators and Representatives on various issues. It also gives you a script to follow on the issue when you get through.
If you can't get through or "the mailbox is full", send an e-mail to them on the topic via their official government page.
If you aren't already following Jessica Craven on Substack, I suggest doing so. Here is a link to yesterday's substack column. Jessica almost always includes a Resistbot petition to sign in every issue - either one she created herself or one she is passing along.
Using the first link, you can see trending campaigns and sign and share those campaigns or search by topic. You can also review some of the documents to get ideas for what you want to say in your own individual emails. I wanted to send my rep and senators an email about Elon Musk's illegal data breach and so I searched on "Elon Musk" and this petition popped to the top and pretty much said exactly what I had been thinking, so I texted it out:
Note: once you complete your set up in Resistnot it "knows" who to send it to (e.g., your senators, and your congress critter. You can also check out which petitions are trending.
I sign petitions almost every day. Does anyone know if they are effective? Are the Resist.bot petitions more impactful than others like Change.org and MoveOn?
I believe the ResistBot petitions go out as an email to your elected officials. I know that I get emails back from my electeds after I send them a ResistBot. The responses are mostly "word salad" form letters (since I have a GOP trifecta), but I appreciate that they received my message and take it as a sign that it got counted in the "what are my constituents worried about" game..
The petitions from other groups opt you in to a lot of emails from them and also groups fundraising for various causes - Daily Kos is the worst! So I really prefer ResistBot which I view as an AI tool to automate emails and spread the power of the grassroots!
lin, I always wondered about the reality and strategy of calling our members of congress. The stats from the congressional staffer give the needed info to help turn some dems around to the need to call. I am a caller. Yet today when I tried to reach my MOC, none even allowed a message to be left because of the volume of calls. This creates its own problem obviously. I AM trying to make my wishes known, but cannot. I have gone so far as to call ( but could only leave a message) with my local State Representative urging her to help me find a way to pass my message along. Also, I came across Pete Buttigieg speaking two weeks ago at the US c conference of Mayors. I cannot link to it for this post unfortunately because of my inept computer skills. However, he is very articulate about the need to show up for your local communities to affect grassroots change that will matter in this coup. Our cities/towns/village communities need our voices to balance the megaphone. It’s math.
I attempted to call my senators at various offices including DC and the calls all failed. I even tried calling the capitol switchboard with the same result. I’m hoping it a result of an overwhelming number of calls. I was able to call my representative.
Yesterday I called a handful of legislators, most of them not from my state, who had been mentioned in the news for doing things that were helpful for our side, just to let them know I appreciated them. Figuring they were busy, I kept it short, and told them I didn't need call backs. The people who picked up the phone all seemed happy to hear from me. And several of them were in the news today for doing more good for us.
Reportedly Susan Collins has decided to vote for Gabbard of all the horrors. With such slim margins I suppose that's it for our secrets but with Elon digging around in there we may not have many. I wonder if this is one reason why. Another may be the hair raising comments they are getting. I can tell you that if you look through what is written to any of the Republican reps who dare to defy, it is chilling. I almost have sympathy for these people who have made themselves a bed with daemons. Anyway, we obviously can't compete with the R callers for vileness so maybe mention strong intentions to participate in influence multipliers like organizing etc.
Great column I just wrote to IL Gov Pritzker to ask him to get more involved. We. Red our best leaders to push back. Trump is & a convicted felon! We need people with what it takes to put an end to this coup!
I appreciate all of your encouraging words. As a mother of three, grandmother of 4, my husband and I can at least attend a rally and make it clear that the Constitution of the US is well worth saving. I don’t want my family or, anyone else’s oppressed by an oligarchy. And BtW we look forward to meeting all those other “radical lunatics” in front of The Treasury Office building.
He is hanging himself...no assistance needed. I can't remember the interviewers name but when talking about firing DOJ he just laughed. He said these are the most badass members of our government. They are x Marines that kick doors in and keep us safe. Trump will not be able to fire them. It gives me a little comfort to hear these words. He is also having to back off everything he does...He looks like a joke. Mild mannered Canada is kicking his ass. He is over his head and sinking.....Looks more like a sinking boat than a coup.
Lin, I view current events as the continuation of the multi-pronged coup that trump and his co-conspirators began plotting before the election in November 2020. It has continued ever since then, sometimes more visibly than at other times, but it is in full force now.
A major difference between 2020 and 2025 is that Musk has joined the fray. He is smarter than trump, more ruthless than trump, and more decisive than trump.
Another difference is that trump now has the services of a private militia standing by, in the form of the 1500 convicted insurrectionists he freed. The current stage of the couple has been bloodless so far, but it may not remain bloodless. Remember that trump once asked why protesters couldn't just be shot in the legs.
The tariffs were just the cover up story to hide the coup. Rachel Maddow exposed last night that they are trying to dismantle the press in the same way Trump's friend Viktor Orban did in Hungary.
They may have the "legacy media" in their pockets but not the substack journalists and historians, or the independent media like The Guardian, The New Republic. Independent media needs our $$ support to survive.
They did not fool Lawrence O'Donnell last night either - he led off with the invasion of Treasury. Most of the rest of MSNBC though is beyond salvaging.
The gravity of Musk and his agents' activity should not in any way be diminished. While it does appear Trump's activity is more erratic cover, this is very much an administrative coup d'etat and the damage already caused by seizing private data of up to 330 million citizens, and potentially weaponizing it against same citizens is not a matter to fool with. Sorry to say, but when I said the other day here that some people may not understand the import of a domestic coup, I meant it. U.S. isolation has dulled a domestic sense of political sophistication and sharpness apparent in other countries. Hence I posted just now an article in German which also makes the urgent distinction that this is not just a "disruption" -- it is properly called a "coup d'etat", with all its grave implications.
The tariffs are another matter. They, like many distractions, could be part to take eyes off the main goal -- dismantling the federal government, destroying democracy and replacing it with an American-style autocracy. Though tariffs also seem like a way to shift the balance of international power away from NATO, and more to a BRICS type of scenario. Trump does look more like a buffoon, but he now holds the keys to enormous global power.
The tariffs were a distraction, but not in the way most think. Trump is obsessed with tariffs; he’s a massive fan of William McKinley, the king of tariffs. So, no, I don't think Trump set it up to distract, but Musk absolutely used the chaos to enact his plan. It’s a subtle difference but an important one. The whole administrative takeover is too advanced for Trump. He likely knew the broad strokes, but the details and the use of the tariff mess were all Musk.
Yes, agree. I also think tariffs are a bit of an ego boost for him, his photo op chance to carry a big stick and smack countries around in a way (he thinks) he understands. Whereas the other admin / tech / 2025 details he really doesn't care about, save for consolidating power and lashing out.
When there is widespread booing of the US National Anthem in Canada, you know it is bad.
My car cr*pped out in late December and the shop was unable to find the part I needed. I ended up car shopping in January during the incredible freeze here in NC (where the high for the day barely broke freezing). UGH! But now I have a brand new car that wasn't jacked up in price due to Trump's sanctions.
The heart of the matter with Trump and Co. is the struggle not for freedom of expression but rather for the experience and expression of honor.
We are free to be honorable or dishonorable. However, there is no freedom in dishonor. We are beholden to our given word.
The disgust we felt in witnessing Trump lie during the act of taking office and all along the campaign leading up to that moment, and ever since, is being with the acts of violence to our sacred honor his continuous lies visit upon our own relationship with truth.
If we didn't have that relationship to what is true and real we would have no trouble with his violations of truth.
Our soul, the collective soul of our shared nation is one of fidelity, of honoring what is true.
The daily disloyalty to truth in Trump’s speaking and actions drives the recoil some feel viscerally in just seeing his face or hearing his voice.
Standing up for truth, for decency, for honor, is the now the daily battle we’re engaged in. It is a battle for life of our very own soul as well as for the soul of our nation.
Make peace within yourself by honoring your promises to yourself and bring that space of honor to your relationship with all you see, hear, touch, and do.
I respectfully would like to point out that in most other countries, and many in this country, recognize we are now being subjected to an accelerated, administrative coup d'etat.
Acting honorably now demands the courage for masses to resist and speak truth to power, whether in writing, activism or other forms of efficacious agency. This can feel like a particularly nasty business for a country that has traditionally been isolationist and relatively sheltered, with a sanitized political discourse.
For those of us who grew up in New York, we know full well DT hasn't honored promises since the 1970s. It's not going to start now.
Hey Dan, I Iike where you’re going and there is grave danger in collapsing actions and honor.
The phrase “Acting honorably” suggests that actions in and of themselves are honorable or lack honor. Once honor is reduced to a thing like a quality contained or imbued in actions, then honor demands certain actions be taken or we would then lack honor.
This concept of honor gets us into all sorts of deep trouble. Perhaps the worst trouble is that this move of crystallizing honor into a thing or quality then allow for honor to take responsibility for our actions rather than being responsible ourselves for the choices we make to act or not act.
If honor as an almost kind of entity is making a demand, the honor then is responsible for the actions and their outcomes. We become servants of some higher power who’s calling the shots so to speak. “I did it in the name of honor” or some other nonsense.
This leads people down the path where they end up saying and thinking “I was just following orders and it’s my duty and honor to follow the orders of my leader. I gave my word that I would so now I must.” It alleviates the burden of the responsibility for the choices we continually make.
We’ve all seen the atrocities this way of thinking justifies for some people.
Choice is selecting FREELY and after consideration. If we are duty or honor-bound bound then the selection isn’t free. While silly to write, free means free. Any encumbrance is not free. We are free to choose actions. We can also decide to act.
Janis sang “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” It’s a great song but that is not freedom. That’s freedom as a thing and freedom as a thing ain’t free or freedom.
Frankly, choice is a bitch in there there is absolutely no evading the responsibility that comes with choosing. Decisions are a whole other basis for selecting as the reasons for the decision can be pointed to as the responsible agency for one’s actions.
It's no accident that the root of the word decide is cid. Cid is the Latin word for kill. It's the root of the words homicide, genocide, and pesticide. They, and others, all mean to kill something.
Honor life. Hold it as the highest value or principle. Don’t use honor to justify killing life.
Honor is like truth. It just is. It doesn’t justify anything. Once you use truth or honor to justify your actions, responsibility has left the building.
Thanks for this thoughtful delineation. Though I'm short for time, I think this is key:
"This leads people down the path where they end up saying and thinking “I was just following orders and it’s my duty and honor to follow the orders of my leader. I gave my word that I would so now I must.” It alleviates the burden of the responsibility for the choices we continually make.
We’ve all seen the atrocities this way of thinking justifies for some people."
Yes, agree. This leads to defenses raised at Nuremberg, and more recently, some of the appallingly obeisant answers in confirmation hearings, where they all basically proclaim, I will follow the leader. Nothing more.
One distinction that you don't seem to make here, and might condense your argument and strengthen it, is this: you don't seem to be making a distinction between honor as a noun or adjective, and honor as a verb. That critical verb tense of 'honor' might be best to check its root derivations in the Oxford English Dictionary. This will clarify honor as something already actively embodied within its root meaning; the distinction between that, and action / active tense, should already be evident in the etymology.
It is this very verbal sense of honor as agency and duty that is then enshrined in the discourse surrounding our constitutional law, and oaths to uphold that law. I believe honor pops up repeatedly in swearing oath to the Constitution and other ceremony for high office in the U.S., though I do not have the text to quote here.
"...you don't seem to be making a distinction between honor as a noun or adjective, and honor as a verb."
That's right, I'm distinguishing honor as not a thing. I'm looking from an ontology and existential take and not a grammatical one. Collapsing honor into merely a grammatical form misses what I am point to.
As you are short on time, I won't elaborate further.
“The daily disloyalty to truth in Trump’s speaking and actions drives the recoil some feel viscerally in just seeing his face or hearing his voice.”
I have said this over and over- I have a deep and visceral reaction to his face and voice. I truly wish media would stop printing his photo attached to their articles. I wish tv news would blur his face and disguise his voice. It feels like I am being assaulted every single time I see his face or hear his voice.
I agree with you. Seeing his face or hearing his voice makes me physically ill. If his face is on the cover of a magazine, I tear off the cover. If I see him on tv or online, I change the channel or click the off button. He is beyond disgusting in every possible way.
Remember that a newspaper kept listing all the lies trump told during his first time. 30573 lies and misleading claims at the end. Hard to believe, it was the Washington Post.
One thing you can say about trump is he is like a dog with a bone, he doesn't stop no matter how much push back he gets from anyone. He tried the first coup when he lost the election and this is his new attempt. He won't quit. He has all these supporters and now the violent ones are out of prison so there's his 'brown shirts' his SS. I'm becoming active with a group here in North Seattle. That is helpful in decreasing anxiety. This group is through Indivisible.org but Moveon has groups to I think. You can use a zip code to find one near you.
Thank you good to learn everyone’s hard work is creating a breakthrough in the apathy and hand wringing.
Please indulge me tonight with a personal experience and a suggestion.
Today, 2/3/25, all three of the identity theft/credit bureaus I subscribe to sent me alerts, that my email address and login ID name information appeared on the DARK WEB. The email address named in the alert is one I use ONLY for Medicare and Social Security communication. I’ve since created a new unique login.
My suggestion to you is to do the same, don’t wait for an alert.
This could all get very very bad. The alert may be real or it may be a scam so I wouldn’t click on any links. So many older people (and low tech people such as myself) may be subject to scams and now dead ends with regard to getting access to websites and people to help them.
I’m a retired teacher and IT specialist. I don’t click on Any email or social media embedded links.
I posted my reply at 1:00am PDT after a very long day and failed to include your warning, so thank you for your reply.
I didn’t take the alerts at face value. Instead I logged directly on to each bureau’s website to verify the alerts then updated the login prodigals. Which I’ve done every April since 2015.
There is nothing in that post that said or recommended to click on a link. But in any case, even when I get email alerts from mcafee or a credit bureau all you have to do is go login to your account as usual.
I would recommend setting up a credt freeze at all three of the main credit bureaus. It is pretty easy to temporarily remove a freeze if necessary. Also if a website offers 2-factor authentication to protect your ID do not opt out even on a private computer in your home.
And it is probably a good idea to file your income tax early to prevent scams. If it turns out you owe the IRS money, I think you can pay with a voucher at a later date.
Thanks for sharing,Pat. I just showed up at my MAGA US Rep’s local office this morning and used your experience when the staffer told me “we don’t know yet if data has been breached”.
I’m a retired teacher and IT specialist. I don’t click on Any email or social media embedded links.
I posted my reply at 1:00am PDT after a very long day and failed to include your warning, so thank you for your reply.
I didn’t take the alerts at face value. Instead I logged directly on to each bureau’s website to verify the alerts then updated the login prodigals. Which I’ve done every April since 2015.
A few helpful links and developments. To encourage us through such a dark, accelerated crisis, Jay Kuo has provided the most articulate breakdown I've read in the past 24 hours on precisely how the resistance is building. He does answer in the affirmitive: Is Somebody Doing Something? Yes." Kuo breaks it down into four categories: people, political, lawsuits and popular. https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/is-somebody-doing-something
For anybody who reads German, Die Zeit has posted -- in a more pointed German analysis -- an interesting analogue to sanitizing the terminology of a coup in the press, per today's newsletter by Robert. They explain why the term "coup d'etat" from the French, is the proper name and not "disruption". https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2025-02/elon-musk-usa-disruption-5vor8
Byline: '"They Say Disruption and mean: coup d'etat'. In economics, disruption describes an everyday process: innovations replace old technology. And in politics? Let's not be fooled."
*There was also hope coming out of New York. There is reporting that Hakeem Jeffries has been working with NY Governor Hochul on changing law to push back the Special Election to fill House seat of Elise Stefanik. This will keep the House GOP majority even thinner for longer. Yes, NY Senate can do this because they have the majority. When Federal / Congress abuses power, states can and should fight back.
Yes -- it was with some relief that I read it. He really worked hard on that because it's clear how this whole techno-coup is rattling all of us. As it should, unfortunately.
Another piece of the Indivisible/MoveOn action plan from Sunday evening is underway. People across the country are making appointments/showing up at the local offices of their Senators and Reps. Topic #1 is to oppose Russ Vought for Director of the Office of Management & Budget. He is one of the chief architects of Project 2025 and the "Schedule F" plan to gut the civil service and place Trump loyalists in leadership positions. Here's a link to a letter signed by over 20 orgs https://civilrights.org/resource/letter-of-opposition-to-russell-voughts-nomination-to-be-omb-director/
I'll be showing up at Mitch McConnell's office this morning
Important clarification on blocking nominees: Senator Schatz is only blocking *State Department Nominees*, not all nominees, thus far. I am not clear if that distinction is what Robert Hubbell meant in tonight's newsletter, or not. If so, my apologies. If not: Schatz is not himself blocking people like Gabbard, RFK Jr., Patel etc.
State is his remit, and he is taking action. Thus it is up to all of us to pressure other Senators to begin blocking other destructive nominees. As the article states -- not the best headline -- he will block diplomatic nominees. I don't know if it has been mentioned. Still, a great show of pushback and hope in the right direction.
Otherwise, thank you for encouragement regarding the building resistance. The rest is so flagrantly illegal and depths potentially so damaging, it is hard to know where to begin.
Pardon the typos, I'm moving fast! Time to shift from being a passive consumer of information into being an ACTIVE consumer. We owe it Robert Hubbell and others who are speaking out to DO something. Something I'm encountering on social media as many of us are taking action is a certain amount of negativity, and it's not just me. So, from here on out, we've decided to ignore the nay-sayers, the complainers, the people who suffer from SPITRS syndrome, the pessimists, and the perfectionists. As the saying goes, "Don't give me labor pains, give me babies!" No one is doing anything? I'm still seeing THAT online. Ha! Read the article below - and it's not just marching, for the past month or so, millions of people have been:
--calling elected officials, business heads, agency heads multiple times
--emailing elected officials, business heads, agency heads multiple times
--signing and circulating petitions
--attending local events/meetings; City Council, Chamber of Commerce, etc.
--standing up to MAGAs at said events
--boycotting, which involves multiple calls/emails to companies we're boycotting
--writing content for activists and sharing on social media
--meeting one-on-one with elected officials from sheriff to senator
--presenting at local political events/meetings; this takes multiple calls/emails to get on the agenda
--participating in Zoom calls organized by various activist groups and political movements
--doing their best to stay on top of the massive amount of information coming out of Washington, DC, Ottawa, and our state capitals
--doing their best to validate information as quickly as they can
--doing things that can't be mentioned online because they know we are all being surveilled
Yes. Push back on the “we can’t do anything about this,” and, “no one is doing anything,” narrative. It’s not helpful and in fact is exactly what the Trumpists want us to feel. Not everything we do will succeed, but taking action is the point.
This is on the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. That is, on Charles Koch via his bagman Leonard Leo. The Roberts Court Federalist Society majority immunity decision authorized a Trump tyranny and their Chevron decision authorized dismantling the regulatory agencies. The Heritage Foundation Project 2025 detailed the workings of 'a unitary executive' - the FedSoc anti constitutional notion which drove the immunity decision. Now, yes, the GOP triumvirate might have dismantled the government by using the protocols of constitutional law to overthrow the constitutional government. Trump might have waited for Russell Vought to be installed as OMB director in order to impound funds and destroy agencies, while the rest of his cabinet did the same in their jurisdictions. But what fun would *that* be? Too banal. The interesting thing is that Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler - and until now Trump - had a lock on the theatre of histrionic excess, while their minions quietly went about the logistics of terror. But now it is Musk center stage breaking things. Trump may think he has Musk doing his dirty work, but in fact Trump's name is on the wreckage. Trump may think he's running the show, but in effect he is the Project 2025 crash test dummy for Charles Koch et al.
Well, yes, this is very true. But: we are facing a coup with historic proportions. That it is primarily administrative right now should not allow us to marinate in the decades-long buildup to this frankly chaotic and poorly orchestrated seizure. It needs urgent and fierce pushback, and as Robert said, we must keep a vigilant watch on events right now.
A good rundown of some of the history above is in Nancy MacClean's Democracy in Chains. And decisions like Citizens United accelerated dark money in U.S. politics.
But there are other factors at play. There is deeply disturbing and rolling buildup of transnational / foreign influence wrapped up in this. Musk himself is transnational, as is Thiel. There are different bodies of research that cover this, whether it be Eastern influence, or the breakdown of trad capitalism into atomized fiefdoms, like Quinn Slobodian's Crackup Capitalism, etc.
Then of course there's the broligarch tech angle, covered in places like Varoufakis' Techno-Feudalism, etc. All of these are converging now in a singularly perverse nexus of Musk and his crack team seizing data, obstructing departments, and all the rest. And then belatedly taking cover in the name of the executive. Criming first, and then having some dubious memos circulated, should not override properly appropriated Congressional funding and its lawful disbursement activity.
"Trump may think he's running the show, but in effect he is the Project 2025 crash test dummy for Charles Koch et al."
I think somebody need to sabotage the bromance between Musk and Trump. Trump is so thin-skinned that it can't be that difficult. Hopefully the Lincoln Project is on the job!
Absolutely right, Mr. Hubbell. This was all predicted and predictable. Including the fake denials by Trump that he had no idea about Project 2025 which, is indeed proving to be the roadmap for his acts and actions. We (well not the readers of your blog) have allowed ourselves to sleepwalk into a dictatorship in the making.
A question: doesn’t Congress have a right to enter the USAID building? And if so, why couldn’t they have a professional (locksmith?) get them in? Whose building is it and who has a right to lock it up?
Trump backs off the tariffs yet most voters believe his threats worked and they got results. Trump is all about image not substance and he is 24/7 promoting himself and his tough man image. I am glad to see the Democrats slowing down confirmations just like the Republicans have done. It is going to take more than rallies and slow downs to stop this disaster. Right now Musk is a bigger threat than Trump. Not sure how we manage him or his influence
From a congressional staffer:
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans. In the last 8 years, Republicans have called, and Democrats haven't. So, when you call: A: When calling the DC office, ask for the Staff member in charge of whatever you're calling about ("Hi, I'd like to speak with the staffer in charge of Healthcare, please") — local offices won't always have specific ones, but they might. If you get transferred to that person, awesome. If you don't, that's ok — ask for that person's name, and then just keep talking to whoever answered the phone. Don't leave a message (unless the office doesn't pick up at all — then you can — but it's better to talk to the staffer who first answered than leave a message for the specific staffer in charge of your topic).
yesterday morning I tried to call 3 senators, my own 2 and Schumer, I called DC and also their local offices.. the phone system was not working at all.. ended up writing messages on their contact me pages.. called my congressman, no person answered just ' leave a message', same with H. Jeffries.. I will keep calling but either there were so many calls the phone system crashed or I don't know what.
I doubt anyone reads messages from their offices but I wrote them anyway. my topic was'Other' - you have to choose from a drop down- I urged them to stand up and stop the coup that is happening, start impeachment proceedings, arrest elon musk..
Same thing happened to me, called Cornyn and Cruz offices in DC and Texas. At both locations the recorded message they play was “breaking up,” (very hard to understand), no real people answered any of the phones, left voice messages and used online contact form.
Thankfully, Rep. Greg Casar’s office had a real person answer the call :)
I was told by Sen. Collins’ office in Maine that the phone problems in DC. most likely were related to the volume of calls. All my congressional offices said the were receiving a huge number of calls about Musk’s takeover.
that's what I thought!
That was my experience as well. Have they hacked the phone systems too?
It wouldn't surprise me!
Me too!
I teued calling one of our senators yesterday and thevcall kept breaking up
So frustrating! Same with me calling senators Kelly and Gallego. Andy Biggs my loathed rep NEVER answers his phone.
This happened to me too with the Senate finance committee and with Senator Oso, but I called Senator Warnock‘s office and the line was clear and I actually spoke to a person so keep trying!
I couldn't get through, so I wrote a message on his website. Ditto for Sen. Ossoff.
Call their LOCAL offices, in your state!
MAKE your voice heard, LOUD and CLEAR!
Same thing at the local offices. Bad connection, crackling, etc.
One of my senators does not have a local number, just the DC one.
Neither Sen. Ossoff's nor Sen. Warnock's dropdown menu includes "coup."
My husband emailed John Curtis about musk and got a reply that said DOGE was established by executive order to modernize government. Blah, blah, blah, debt problems, support efforts to make government more efficient. My husband is sending this reply.
Thank you for your rationale that attempts to explain supporting Elon Musk’s actions. I understand that Congress controls spending, and Elon Musk’s incursion is illegal. On your topic of the debt, Elon Musk's paid no corporate taxes. That does not contribute to an efficient government or reduced debt. Consider ensuring that corporations and the wealthy pay taxes.
Good for him!
I am so sick and tired of GOP Congresscritters who get to pick their constituents via partisan gerrymandering rather thatthe constituents picking their reps!
I think this inability to reach our reps by phone may be a plan by them to thwart our calls.Just a hunch but who knows considering what we are dealing with.
I don't think the staffers for GOP senators are all that anxious to answer the phone OR clear out the Voice mail box. I have had much better luck with my US House rep. I am actually getting a live person on the line at least 50% of the IF I am calling during regular business hours.
I can't even get a live staffer at my Senators' satellite offices. Yesterday, I kept getting a bad connection on my landline (the audio kept cutting in and out), so I switched to my cell and I got the same thing! Very frustrating!
I called my Congresswoman and noticed the connection was "breaking up" as well. At the time, I was using my car microphone, so I didn't follow up on the issue. However, it DID cross my mind that the calls are being INTERFERED WITH.
...and you know, Elon Musk has the satellites that are used in global warfare, ijs.
Don’t give up.
Keep calling!
I am getting through to my senators and my representative.
ALSO: !!! today I called my governor’s office.
- I insisted that my governor block all January 6 criminals from holding any kind of state job.
- I also insisted that he make a public statement condemning the actions of /infiltration in to our federal government by Elon Musk.
- I also insisted that he call together all other governors to do the same.
CALL YOUR GOVERNORS!
Their collective voices matter!
Had not thought of that. Will do and our AG. Thanks!
Hawley’s lines in DC and field offices in Springfield MO were crackling and I was not able to leave any messages.
At least it was possible to leave Schmitt a VM with his DC office.
I think there was a widespread issue with the phone lines for the senate. I did get through to my Congressman.
same here - vm full - recordings staticky - I'm in MA - calling Warren & Markey to say keep it up!!!
me too! i also called NY as I used to live there and they are the dems leaders.. but the MA phone lines were awful
Here in Washington, we talked to Senator Murray’s local staffer who told us the volume of calls crashed the system. We’re rallying at that office this week and have hundreds of people signed up to show up. Let’s show them what the people expect from them.
It also happened to me when trying to contact my senators from CA. Interestingly enough, I was able to get through with NO breaking up at all, to my represent Kevin Kiley, republican.
Same for me but my rep is a Dem.
no sh*t!!
That was my experience as well. I tried calling my Senators and all members of the Senate Finance Committee, but had to resort to the contact pages.
Wondering how it is that Republican constituents can get through but not Democrat. If they just had a central number where messages could be left and retrieved.
Thanks, Lin, for passing on this interesting and useful information. One additional suggestion: Hopefully representatives' offices in Washington as well as in their districts will face a deluge of calls – but there are only so many staffers to take them. So don't tie them down or clog the lines by placing unnecessary long calls. Make room for the next caller.
Of course, you call with a heavy heart, incensed, whatever, and you finally have somebody on the other line who listens to you. But remember, whatever argument you bring up, they have heard it all. As Lin clearly conveyed, it's the statistic that counts. So not only state the subject you are calling about (I know, I know, where to start?) but follow up with two or three arguments like bullet points and what action you expect from the representative. It shouldn't take more than 45 seconds or a minute to get your point across. Perhaps write down what you want to say before calling.
And be assertive but polite. Even when calling one of the Brownshirts.
Jessica Craven (Chop Wood Carry Water) gives specific language that is informed, straightforward and clear….all good!
Love Jessica Craven! She helps keep my head up and my dirait motivated.
What‘s *not* important, now, are logical arguments. What *is* important are expressions of *deep anger*. The people at the other end of the phone lines surely know how to count … if nothing else.
This is great advice!
Show up at one of their regional offices, if possible, as I plan to do today.My Senators are not close (Rubio’s replacement doesn’t even have regional office(s) yet,probably by design.When I called my MAGA US Rep yesterday and asked the staffer what they were doing about Elon’s takeover and the breach of my personal data, staffer advised me to call DC.DC said staffer handling the the matter was at a meeting.MAGA knows it’s a coup !
Thanks for cross posting this, Lin. Important info! I’ve already emailed this to myself so I can share it at a more reasonable hour…. 💤
Thanks. Your stats are helpful. I also need to point out that regional offices are helpful too. Their staffers when they answer- can be quite knowledgeable. it is better to leave a clear message and state action you want. My senators from MA Sen Warren and Sen Markey have had a full phone mailbox in DC daily since the election. I can at least leave a message at regional offices, occasionally talk to a staffer. ✊🙋♀️
I have discovered, and downloaded a new phone app called "5 Calls" that uses your zip code to identify, and call, your Senators and Representatives on various issues. It also gives you a script to follow on the issue when you get through.
If you can't get through or "the mailbox is full", send an e-mail to them on the topic via their official government page.
If you aren't already following Jessica Craven on Substack, I suggest doing so. Here is a link to yesterday's substack column. Jessica almost always includes a Resistbot petition to sign in every issue - either one she created herself or one she is passing along.
If you are new to ResistBot, check out:
https://resist.bot/
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/about-resistbot?
Using the first link, you can see trending campaigns and sign and share those campaigns or search by topic. You can also review some of the documents to get ideas for what you want to say in your own individual emails. I wanted to send my rep and senators an email about Elon Musk's illegal data breach and so I searched on "Elon Musk" and this petition popped to the top and pretty much said exactly what I had been thinking, so I texted it out:
https://resist.bot/petitions/PDVIIZ
Note: once you complete your set up in Resistnot it "knows" who to send it to (e.g., your senators, and your congress critter. You can also check out which petitions are trending.
I sign petitions almost every day. Does anyone know if they are effective? Are the Resist.bot petitions more impactful than others like Change.org and MoveOn?
I believe the ResistBot petitions go out as an email to your elected officials. I know that I get emails back from my electeds after I send them a ResistBot. The responses are mostly "word salad" form letters (since I have a GOP trifecta), but I appreciate that they received my message and take it as a sign that it got counted in the "what are my constituents worried about" game..
The petitions from other groups opt you in to a lot of emails from them and also groups fundraising for various causes - Daily Kos is the worst! So I really prefer ResistBot which I view as an AI tool to automate emails and spread the power of the grassroots!
Cheryl - Thank you; this is very helpful! I will follow up today.
lin, I always wondered about the reality and strategy of calling our members of congress. The stats from the congressional staffer give the needed info to help turn some dems around to the need to call. I am a caller. Yet today when I tried to reach my MOC, none even allowed a message to be left because of the volume of calls. This creates its own problem obviously. I AM trying to make my wishes known, but cannot. I have gone so far as to call ( but could only leave a message) with my local State Representative urging her to help me find a way to pass my message along. Also, I came across Pete Buttigieg speaking two weeks ago at the US c conference of Mayors. I cannot link to it for this post unfortunately because of my inept computer skills. However, he is very articulate about the need to show up for your local communities to affect grassroots change that will matter in this coup. Our cities/towns/village communities need our voices to balance the megaphone. It’s math.
Pete Buttigieg speaking on 1/19/25 at the US Conference of Mayors
https://youtu.be/2JeuMW4N8cY?si=_Fm8cGyqe_uGj8JL
Really interesting. This is helpful, about asking for the specific staffer. I could not get through to anyone live yesterday.
Thank you for this. Very good information. I will share it.
Well my pieces of work representatives have let all their voice mail overflow and our not answering their phones.
I attempted to call my senators at various offices including DC and the calls all failed. I even tried calling the capitol switchboard with the same result. I’m hoping it a result of an overwhelming number of calls. I was able to call my representative.
Yesterday I called a handful of legislators, most of them not from my state, who had been mentioned in the news for doing things that were helpful for our side, just to let them know I appreciated them. Figuring they were busy, I kept it short, and told them I didn't need call backs. The people who picked up the phone all seemed happy to hear from me. And several of them were in the news today for doing more good for us.
Reportedly Susan Collins has decided to vote for Gabbard of all the horrors. With such slim margins I suppose that's it for our secrets but with Elon digging around in there we may not have many. I wonder if this is one reason why. Another may be the hair raising comments they are getting. I can tell you that if you look through what is written to any of the Republican reps who dare to defy, it is chilling. I almost have sympathy for these people who have made themselves a bed with daemons. Anyway, we obviously can't compete with the R callers for vileness so maybe mention strong intentions to participate in influence multipliers like organizing etc.
If they can't stand the heat, they need to stay out of the kitchen.
It is more than time for Collins to retire! (I just checked Ballotpedia and she's up for reelection in 2026).
Great column I just wrote to IL Gov Pritzker to ask him to get more involved. We. Red our best leaders to push back. Trump is & a convicted felon! We need people with what it takes to put an end to this coup!
Fabulous advice. Thank you, lin+.
I live in Baltimore. I will go to the Treasury department to protest the coup.
Thank you very much!
Hope to see you there.
Thank you.
Thank you so very, very much!
I appreciate all of your encouraging words. As a mother of three, grandmother of 4, my husband and I can at least attend a rally and make it clear that the Constitution of the US is well worth saving. I don’t want my family or, anyone else’s oppressed by an oligarchy. And BtW we look forward to meeting all those other “radical lunatics” in front of The Treasury Office building.
Thank you! We in CA will be with you in spirit.
Thank you!
Thank you for your service!
Thank you!
He is hanging himself...no assistance needed. I can't remember the interviewers name but when talking about firing DOJ he just laughed. He said these are the most badass members of our government. They are x Marines that kick doors in and keep us safe. Trump will not be able to fire them. It gives me a little comfort to hear these words. He is also having to back off everything he does...He looks like a joke. Mild mannered Canada is kicking his ass. He is over his head and sinking.....Looks more like a sinking boat than a coup.
It is very much a coup.
It should not be played down.
We all need to step up.
Lin, I view current events as the continuation of the multi-pronged coup that trump and his co-conspirators began plotting before the election in November 2020. It has continued ever since then, sometimes more visibly than at other times, but it is in full force now.
A major difference between 2020 and 2025 is that Musk has joined the fray. He is smarter than trump, more ruthless than trump, and more decisive than trump.
Another difference is that trump now has the services of a private militia standing by, in the form of the 1500 convicted insurrectionists he freed. The current stage of the couple has been bloodless so far, but it may not remain bloodless. Remember that trump once asked why protesters couldn't just be shot in the legs.
Yes.
The tariffs were just the cover up story to hide the coup. Rachel Maddow exposed last night that they are trying to dismantle the press in the same way Trump's friend Viktor Orban did in Hungary.
Exactly! He invited Orban to Florida. They are following the Hungarian playbook in plain sight and they told us they would!!!!
They may have the "legacy media" in their pockets but not the substack journalists and historians, or the independent media like The Guardian, The New Republic. Independent media needs our $$ support to survive.
They did not fool Lawrence O'Donnell last night either - he led off with the invasion of Treasury. Most of the rest of MSNBC though is beyond salvaging.
Thank God for Substack writers and their engaged readers!!!!! Also, for those whose comments provide valuable insight and information.
I agree! I am a paid subscriber to more substacks than I can actually keep up with reading.
Yes, very much so. Thank you for the Maddow tip.
I assume you meant to say "in the SAME way..."
Nothing Trump does seems SANE to me!
Typo, fixed it.
The gravity of Musk and his agents' activity should not in any way be diminished. While it does appear Trump's activity is more erratic cover, this is very much an administrative coup d'etat and the damage already caused by seizing private data of up to 330 million citizens, and potentially weaponizing it against same citizens is not a matter to fool with. Sorry to say, but when I said the other day here that some people may not understand the import of a domestic coup, I meant it. U.S. isolation has dulled a domestic sense of political sophistication and sharpness apparent in other countries. Hence I posted just now an article in German which also makes the urgent distinction that this is not just a "disruption" -- it is properly called a "coup d'etat", with all its grave implications.
The tariffs are another matter. They, like many distractions, could be part to take eyes off the main goal -- dismantling the federal government, destroying democracy and replacing it with an American-style autocracy. Though tariffs also seem like a way to shift the balance of international power away from NATO, and more to a BRICS type of scenario. Trump does look more like a buffoon, but he now holds the keys to enormous global power.
The tariffs were a distraction, but not in the way most think. Trump is obsessed with tariffs; he’s a massive fan of William McKinley, the king of tariffs. So, no, I don't think Trump set it up to distract, but Musk absolutely used the chaos to enact his plan. It’s a subtle difference but an important one. The whole administrative takeover is too advanced for Trump. He likely knew the broad strokes, but the details and the use of the tariff mess were all Musk.
Yes, agree. I also think tariffs are a bit of an ego boost for him, his photo op chance to carry a big stick and smack countries around in a way (he thinks) he understands. Whereas the other admin / tech / 2025 details he really doesn't care about, save for consolidating power and lashing out.
Yes, Trump is an ignorant,weak man, but he’s not in charge. Musk is and he has the backing of many oligarchs and the entire far right conspirators.
"Mild mannered Canada is kicking his ass."
When there is widespread booing of the US National Anthem in Canada, you know it is bad.
My car cr*pped out in late December and the shop was unable to find the part I needed. I ended up car shopping in January during the incredible freeze here in NC (where the high for the day barely broke freezing). UGH! But now I have a brand new car that wasn't jacked up in price due to Trump's sanctions.
I think he's a punk for backing down as well. He is such a small little man. That said the damage he is doing to the federal government is very real.
I just see that the DOJ is being gutted. I didn't see any huge resistance. Please show me there was resistance when I didn't see it? thank you
The heart of the matter with Trump and Co. is the struggle not for freedom of expression but rather for the experience and expression of honor.
We are free to be honorable or dishonorable. However, there is no freedom in dishonor. We are beholden to our given word.
The disgust we felt in witnessing Trump lie during the act of taking office and all along the campaign leading up to that moment, and ever since, is being with the acts of violence to our sacred honor his continuous lies visit upon our own relationship with truth.
If we didn't have that relationship to what is true and real we would have no trouble with his violations of truth.
Our soul, the collective soul of our shared nation is one of fidelity, of honoring what is true.
The daily disloyalty to truth in Trump’s speaking and actions drives the recoil some feel viscerally in just seeing his face or hearing his voice.
Standing up for truth, for decency, for honor, is the now the daily battle we’re engaged in. It is a battle for life of our very own soul as well as for the soul of our nation.
Make peace within yourself by honoring your promises to yourself and bring that space of honor to your relationship with all you see, hear, touch, and do.
I respectfully would like to point out that in most other countries, and many in this country, recognize we are now being subjected to an accelerated, administrative coup d'etat.
Acting honorably now demands the courage for masses to resist and speak truth to power, whether in writing, activism or other forms of efficacious agency. This can feel like a particularly nasty business for a country that has traditionally been isolationist and relatively sheltered, with a sanitized political discourse.
For those of us who grew up in New York, we know full well DT hasn't honored promises since the 1970s. It's not going to start now.
Hey Dan, I Iike where you’re going and there is grave danger in collapsing actions and honor.
The phrase “Acting honorably” suggests that actions in and of themselves are honorable or lack honor. Once honor is reduced to a thing like a quality contained or imbued in actions, then honor demands certain actions be taken or we would then lack honor.
This concept of honor gets us into all sorts of deep trouble. Perhaps the worst trouble is that this move of crystallizing honor into a thing or quality then allow for honor to take responsibility for our actions rather than being responsible ourselves for the choices we make to act or not act.
If honor as an almost kind of entity is making a demand, the honor then is responsible for the actions and their outcomes. We become servants of some higher power who’s calling the shots so to speak. “I did it in the name of honor” or some other nonsense.
This leads people down the path where they end up saying and thinking “I was just following orders and it’s my duty and honor to follow the orders of my leader. I gave my word that I would so now I must.” It alleviates the burden of the responsibility for the choices we continually make.
We’ve all seen the atrocities this way of thinking justifies for some people.
Choice is selecting FREELY and after consideration. If we are duty or honor-bound bound then the selection isn’t free. While silly to write, free means free. Any encumbrance is not free. We are free to choose actions. We can also decide to act.
Janis sang “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” It’s a great song but that is not freedom. That’s freedom as a thing and freedom as a thing ain’t free or freedom.
Frankly, choice is a bitch in there there is absolutely no evading the responsibility that comes with choosing. Decisions are a whole other basis for selecting as the reasons for the decision can be pointed to as the responsible agency for one’s actions.
It's no accident that the root of the word decide is cid. Cid is the Latin word for kill. It's the root of the words homicide, genocide, and pesticide. They, and others, all mean to kill something.
Honor life. Hold it as the highest value or principle. Don’t use honor to justify killing life.
Honor is like truth. It just is. It doesn’t justify anything. Once you use truth or honor to justify your actions, responsibility has left the building.
Thanks for this thoughtful delineation. Though I'm short for time, I think this is key:
"This leads people down the path where they end up saying and thinking “I was just following orders and it’s my duty and honor to follow the orders of my leader. I gave my word that I would so now I must.” It alleviates the burden of the responsibility for the choices we continually make.
We’ve all seen the atrocities this way of thinking justifies for some people."
Yes, agree. This leads to defenses raised at Nuremberg, and more recently, some of the appallingly obeisant answers in confirmation hearings, where they all basically proclaim, I will follow the leader. Nothing more.
One distinction that you don't seem to make here, and might condense your argument and strengthen it, is this: you don't seem to be making a distinction between honor as a noun or adjective, and honor as a verb. That critical verb tense of 'honor' might be best to check its root derivations in the Oxford English Dictionary. This will clarify honor as something already actively embodied within its root meaning; the distinction between that, and action / active tense, should already be evident in the etymology.
It is this very verbal sense of honor as agency and duty that is then enshrined in the discourse surrounding our constitutional law, and oaths to uphold that law. I believe honor pops up repeatedly in swearing oath to the Constitution and other ceremony for high office in the U.S., though I do not have the text to quote here.
"...you don't seem to be making a distinction between honor as a noun or adjective, and honor as a verb."
That's right, I'm distinguishing honor as not a thing. I'm looking from an ontology and existential take and not a grammatical one. Collapsing honor into merely a grammatical form misses what I am point to.
As you are short on time, I won't elaborate further.
“The daily disloyalty to truth in Trump’s speaking and actions drives the recoil some feel viscerally in just seeing his face or hearing his voice.”
I have said this over and over- I have a deep and visceral reaction to his face and voice. I truly wish media would stop printing his photo attached to their articles. I wish tv news would blur his face and disguise his voice. It feels like I am being assaulted every single time I see his face or hear his voice.
I agree with you. Seeing his face or hearing his voice makes me physically ill. If his face is on the cover of a magazine, I tear off the cover. If I see him on tv or online, I change the channel or click the off button. He is beyond disgusting in every possible way.
I hear you. You are not alone.
Remember that a newspaper kept listing all the lies trump told during his first time. 30573 lies and misleading claims at the end. Hard to believe, it was the Washington Post.
O tempora, o mores.
It’s interesting to consider what environment makes serial lying acceptable.
One thing you can say about trump is he is like a dog with a bone, he doesn't stop no matter how much push back he gets from anyone. He tried the first coup when he lost the election and this is his new attempt. He won't quit. He has all these supporters and now the violent ones are out of prison so there's his 'brown shirts' his SS. I'm becoming active with a group here in North Seattle. That is helpful in decreasing anxiety. This group is through Indivisible.org but Moveon has groups to I think. You can use a zip code to find one near you.
Here is an excellent piece by the great folks at DemLabs on Senator Schatz’s leadership by blocking confirmation of nominees and a link to thank him:
https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/03/democrats-to-play-hardball-senator-schatz-vows-to-stall-trump-nominees/
And, those of us with Democrat Senators can pressure them to follow Schatz’s courageous lead!
Thank you good to learn everyone’s hard work is creating a breakthrough in the apathy and hand wringing.
Please indulge me tonight with a personal experience and a suggestion.
Today, 2/3/25, all three of the identity theft/credit bureaus I subscribe to sent me alerts, that my email address and login ID name information appeared on the DARK WEB. The email address named in the alert is one I use ONLY for Medicare and Social Security communication. I’ve since created a new unique login.
My suggestion to you is to do the same, don’t wait for an alert.
This could all get very very bad. The alert may be real or it may be a scam so I wouldn’t click on any links. So many older people (and low tech people such as myself) may be subject to scams and now dead ends with regard to getting access to websites and people to help them.
Indeed, do not click on links!
Thank you for pointing out this omission.
I’m a retired teacher and IT specialist. I don’t click on Any email or social media embedded links.
I posted my reply at 1:00am PDT after a very long day and failed to include your warning, so thank you for your reply.
I didn’t take the alerts at face value. Instead I logged directly on to each bureau’s website to verify the alerts then updated the login prodigals. Which I’ve done every April since 2015.
I will update again this April.
There is nothing in that post that said or recommended to click on a link. But in any case, even when I get email alerts from mcafee or a credit bureau all you have to do is go login to your account as usual.
Created a unique login to the email? I am thinking I should change my medicare and SS communication to a brand new email account maybe.
Yes, that’s what I did. It’s a pain to do, but very important.
I would recommend setting up a credt freeze at all three of the main credit bureaus. It is pretty easy to temporarily remove a freeze if necessary. Also if a website offers 2-factor authentication to protect your ID do not opt out even on a private computer in your home.
And it is probably a good idea to file your income tax early to prevent scams. If it turns out you owe the IRS money, I think you can pay with a voucher at a later date.
I froze all 3 of mine months ago - it can be a pain with some, but it prevents any new credit being issued with your credentials.
Thanks for sharing,Pat. I just showed up at my MAGA US Rep’s local office this morning and used your experience when the staffer told me “we don’t know yet if data has been breached”.
Um, they know.
It's hard to say, but this alert could be a scam.
Thank you for pointing out this omission.
I’m a retired teacher and IT specialist. I don’t click on Any email or social media embedded links.
I posted my reply at 1:00am PDT after a very long day and failed to include your warning, so thank you for your reply.
I didn’t take the alerts at face value. Instead I logged directly on to each bureau’s website to verify the alerts then updated the login prodigals. Which I’ve done every April since 2015.
I will update again this April.
A few helpful links and developments. To encourage us through such a dark, accelerated crisis, Jay Kuo has provided the most articulate breakdown I've read in the past 24 hours on precisely how the resistance is building. He does answer in the affirmitive: Is Somebody Doing Something? Yes." Kuo breaks it down into four categories: people, political, lawsuits and popular. https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/is-somebody-doing-something
For anybody who reads German, Die Zeit has posted -- in a more pointed German analysis -- an interesting analogue to sanitizing the terminology of a coup in the press, per today's newsletter by Robert. They explain why the term "coup d'etat" from the French, is the proper name and not "disruption". https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2025-02/elon-musk-usa-disruption-5vor8
Byline: '"They Say Disruption and mean: coup d'etat'. In economics, disruption describes an everyday process: innovations replace old technology. And in politics? Let's not be fooled."
*There was also hope coming out of New York. There is reporting that Hakeem Jeffries has been working with NY Governor Hochul on changing law to push back the Special Election to fill House seat of Elise Stefanik. This will keep the House GOP majority even thinner for longer. Yes, NY Senate can do this because they have the majority. When Federal / Congress abuses power, states can and should fight back.
Kuo’s piece was spot on. I’ve shared it widely.
Yes -- it was with some relief that I read it. He really worked hard on that because it's clear how this whole techno-coup is rattling all of us. As it should, unfortunately.
Another piece of the Indivisible/MoveOn action plan from Sunday evening is underway. People across the country are making appointments/showing up at the local offices of their Senators and Reps. Topic #1 is to oppose Russ Vought for Director of the Office of Management & Budget. He is one of the chief architects of Project 2025 and the "Schedule F" plan to gut the civil service and place Trump loyalists in leadership positions. Here's a link to a letter signed by over 20 orgs https://civilrights.org/resource/letter-of-opposition-to-russell-voughts-nomination-to-be-omb-director/
I'll be showing up at Mitch McConnell's office this morning
I will be at Bernie Moreno's Columbus,OH office today, 2-3 p.m. with Central OH Indivisible.
Important clarification on blocking nominees: Senator Schatz is only blocking *State Department Nominees*, not all nominees, thus far. I am not clear if that distinction is what Robert Hubbell meant in tonight's newsletter, or not. If so, my apologies. If not: Schatz is not himself blocking people like Gabbard, RFK Jr., Patel etc.
State is his remit, and he is taking action. Thus it is up to all of us to pressure other Senators to begin blocking other destructive nominees. As the article states -- not the best headline -- he will block diplomatic nominees. I don't know if it has been mentioned. Still, a great show of pushback and hope in the right direction.
Otherwise, thank you for encouragement regarding the building resistance. The rest is so flagrantly illegal and depths potentially so damaging, it is hard to know where to begin.
Exactly. Useless
Pardon the typos, I'm moving fast! Time to shift from being a passive consumer of information into being an ACTIVE consumer. We owe it Robert Hubbell and others who are speaking out to DO something. Something I'm encountering on social media as many of us are taking action is a certain amount of negativity, and it's not just me. So, from here on out, we've decided to ignore the nay-sayers, the complainers, the people who suffer from SPITRS syndrome, the pessimists, and the perfectionists. As the saying goes, "Don't give me labor pains, give me babies!" No one is doing anything? I'm still seeing THAT online. Ha! Read the article below - and it's not just marching, for the past month or so, millions of people have been:
--calling elected officials, business heads, agency heads multiple times
--emailing elected officials, business heads, agency heads multiple times
--signing and circulating petitions
--attending local events/meetings; City Council, Chamber of Commerce, etc.
--standing up to MAGAs at said events
--boycotting, which involves multiple calls/emails to companies we're boycotting
--writing content for activists and sharing on social media
--meeting one-on-one with elected officials from sheriff to senator
--presenting at local political events/meetings; this takes multiple calls/emails to get on the agenda
--participating in Zoom calls organized by various activist groups and political movements
--doing their best to stay on top of the massive amount of information coming out of Washington, DC, Ottawa, and our state capitals
--doing their best to validate information as quickly as they can
--doing things that can't be mentioned online because they know we are all being surveilled
https://itsgoingdown.org/protests-spread-as-tens-of-thousands-hit-the-streets/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIOx4NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHf81ggaI5ZOzaK4NdCM1_OvAT9vU02wt7uXQxxhG9ZH_E1JJKjKq6PoZcg_aem__T0voxGqCBDkyLBlV3gNdQ
Yes. Push back on the “we can’t do anything about this,” and, “no one is doing anything,” narrative. It’s not helpful and in fact is exactly what the Trumpists want us to feel. Not everything we do will succeed, but taking action is the point.
This is on the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. That is, on Charles Koch via his bagman Leonard Leo. The Roberts Court Federalist Society majority immunity decision authorized a Trump tyranny and their Chevron decision authorized dismantling the regulatory agencies. The Heritage Foundation Project 2025 detailed the workings of 'a unitary executive' - the FedSoc anti constitutional notion which drove the immunity decision. Now, yes, the GOP triumvirate might have dismantled the government by using the protocols of constitutional law to overthrow the constitutional government. Trump might have waited for Russell Vought to be installed as OMB director in order to impound funds and destroy agencies, while the rest of his cabinet did the same in their jurisdictions. But what fun would *that* be? Too banal. The interesting thing is that Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler - and until now Trump - had a lock on the theatre of histrionic excess, while their minions quietly went about the logistics of terror. But now it is Musk center stage breaking things. Trump may think he has Musk doing his dirty work, but in fact Trump's name is on the wreckage. Trump may think he's running the show, but in effect he is the Project 2025 crash test dummy for Charles Koch et al.
Well, yes, this is very true. But: we are facing a coup with historic proportions. That it is primarily administrative right now should not allow us to marinate in the decades-long buildup to this frankly chaotic and poorly orchestrated seizure. It needs urgent and fierce pushback, and as Robert said, we must keep a vigilant watch on events right now.
A good rundown of some of the history above is in Nancy MacClean's Democracy in Chains. And decisions like Citizens United accelerated dark money in U.S. politics.
But there are other factors at play. There is deeply disturbing and rolling buildup of transnational / foreign influence wrapped up in this. Musk himself is transnational, as is Thiel. There are different bodies of research that cover this, whether it be Eastern influence, or the breakdown of trad capitalism into atomized fiefdoms, like Quinn Slobodian's Crackup Capitalism, etc.
Then of course there's the broligarch tech angle, covered in places like Varoufakis' Techno-Feudalism, etc. All of these are converging now in a singularly perverse nexus of Musk and his crack team seizing data, obstructing departments, and all the rest. And then belatedly taking cover in the name of the executive. Criming first, and then having some dubious memos circulated, should not override properly appropriated Congressional funding and its lawful disbursement activity.
"Trump may think he's running the show, but in effect he is the Project 2025 crash test dummy for Charles Koch et al."
I think somebody need to sabotage the bromance between Musk and Trump. Trump is so thin-skinned that it can't be that difficult. Hopefully the Lincoln Project is on the job!
For resistance small to large watch all three parts of AOC on YouTube today, “AOC shares what is happening and how she sees this being addressed”
Part one: https://youtu.be/EpTSO8J0Xwc?si=KlZK92VxY50-i5Qx
Part two: https://youtu.be/SYTmVKu2xXo?si=6Aoe9wzKdqKQGa05
Part three: https://youtu.be/OURHkm8o6gk?si=d5WPE0IIXCftxh32
Absolutely right, Mr. Hubbell. This was all predicted and predictable. Including the fake denials by Trump that he had no idea about Project 2025 which, is indeed proving to be the roadmap for his acts and actions. We (well not the readers of your blog) have allowed ourselves to sleepwalk into a dictatorship in the making.
A question: doesn’t Congress have a right to enter the USAID building? And if so, why couldn’t they have a professional (locksmith?) get them in? Whose building is it and who has a right to lock it up?
This isn‘t about *rights* – it‘s about *POWER*.
It‘s a *coup*!
Trump backs off the tariffs yet most voters believe his threats worked and they got results. Trump is all about image not substance and he is 24/7 promoting himself and his tough man image. I am glad to see the Democrats slowing down confirmations just like the Republicans have done. It is going to take more than rallies and slow downs to stop this disaster. Right now Musk is a bigger threat than Trump. Not sure how we manage him or his influence