Especially all of you coffee lovers, be sure to read Heather Cox Richardson's full and accurate narrative of what really happened with the immigrants sent back to Colombia; background and possible ramifications of the incident in foreign relations with Colombia.
Absolutely agree about Heather Cox Richardson's piece from last night about Columbia. But why are we just hearing NOW about the work with Columbia and other Latin American countries on immigration --and especially Kamala's role???
I honestly don't care what happened pre-Orange Snake. We need to concentrate on the NOW and what is going on NOW. PIck the battles we can win now, not the battles of 2024.
Partly because explaing how the Biden Administration created an effective policy about immigration didn't fit the media narrative that Biden was seni-comatose and ineffective.
Partly because it's complicated and it doesn't fit into a simple catchy narrative and listeners aren't willing to work at grasping something. Partly because the air waves weren't receptive - so few channels willing to promote the information, and so much competition from the shiny easy play toys.
Here's the salient question. Would Kamala be president now if we'd heard about it sooner? If not, why bring it up now?
To take one head off this hydra, bad messaging isn't at the heart of the matter.
Here's a hint as that's the best I can do here in this brief space: We have an already always listening which prevents us from hearing anyone or thing that doesn't fit into that already always listening. You see it here routinely with people circling the drain of agreeing or disagreeing with what is said instead of looking with wonder and following lines of flight that MIGHT lead them to something actually new and not simply endless variations of more of the same, spinning our wheels, standing still with style.
No great leader is going to come along and save us. It's up to you and me, now.
Heather is great! I'd also recommend The Guardian, which is based in the UK but has a strong US presence. Most importantly, it avoids billionaire bias by having an endowment that pays for its excellent journalism. The oligarchs have captured the US legacy media.
Check out this article by David Smith in Washington DC:
Trump's MO is to PROJECT what he wants/plans to do, onto his opponents.
So when Trump spews bullshit about the Biden administration by saying: “The vicious, violent and unfair weaponisation of the justice department and our government will end...”, he is telling us what HE PLANS to do! By falsely accusing others first, it takes away the power of those same accusations when they, correctly, come back at him.
When Trump said this he left out three words: “The vicious, violent and unfair weaponisation of the justice department WILL NOW BEGIN, and our government will end.” 😉
Correct! Every accusation is an admission. Some of us realized that in 2016 in the debates when he said “The election is rigged.” He’s incapable of thinking about anyone but himself so he can only accuse what he’s doing or his enablers have promised to do for him.
Absolutely. Trump has been using this projection strategy since day one of his political career. Not sure why it has taken so long for his opponents to anticipate his next move call him out on it. I think the oligarch-owned press has been unwilling to unmask him.
According to Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Brook Harrington, Trump has a laundry list of favors he needs to repay to his Broligarchs and to Putin, with Putin coming first. What Putin wants is for the US, NATO, the EU to be broken like the Soviet Union was in 1990. The fact that the Soviet Union was corruptly mismanaged seems to escape Putin's reality bubble. People hungry for power never seem to understand that with their corruption they diminish the countries they are in. So, We see the immigration initiatives of getting rid of people who work in our economy, the pressure on California in its crisis and Trump trying to end FEMA payments as just one of the myriad of ways that he is wreaking social and financial destruction on the US. Brexit was a beginning of attacking the EU, and if Trump gets the US, NATO and the EU out of the way, then Putin will be able to retake his Soviet Union territories without opposition. The entire planet will be the weaker for what Donald Trump does.
Donald Trump cares about those he owes and illiberal leaders more than he cares about his base or the rest of the citizenry of the USA. He should be impeached and imprisoned. That will mean working hard to get rid of the Republican Congress.
We need to pay attention to the special elections. Right now that's two in FL which are being ignored because they are just assumed to be going to go red in very red districts, but even decreasing the margins can help put a scare (and some caution) into R representatives, and who knows? Minor miracles do occur. From AP: "In both districts, Republican primary winners should have the inside track to join Congress, said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. Both Fine and Patronis had high name recognition even before winning Trump’s endorsement. But they’ve also both faced criticism for not living in the districts they want to represent. Jewett said the Republican primary for Gaetz’s seat in particular could prove competitive. Jewett said there’s even a chance Democrats could run up the margins in a low turnout scenario, pointing to other recent special elections. 'Democrats might be able to take Waltz’s seat, but it would take a small miracle,' Jewett said. 'I think for the Gaetz seat, that would be more than a small miracle. It would be like a very large miracle to take that one.'" And yet... Sometimes with a little encouragement miracles happen. Youth Save Democracy seems to be one group working hard at these two special elections.
Not that the so-called mainstream media has lived up to any expectations I might have had, but I do wonder why there hasn't been more discussion of how so much of what Trump and cronies have been doing and intend to do fits neatly into a plan that could have been conceived by Putin--that is, essentially destroying the US as a viable, united nation from within. Putin/Trump are taking advantage of the fact that our populace is overwhelmingly underinformed about and uninterested in world and political affairs, without the civic literacy to even understand how they are being undermined. Whether Trump literally is under contract with Putin or simply wants to emulate him and doesn't really care whether we are aligned with him or the liberal democracies of the world, the net effect is the same.
Two professors of Fascism (Ben-Ghiat, Snyder), and a Prof of Sociology (Harrington) are saying that Trump owes Putin and he is prioritizing his agenda because of Putin being known for offing people who betray him. That was Harrington who said that part. What Putin wants is the US, NATO and the EU out of the way, diminished or broken up, so that he can pursue his agenda of reviving the Soviet Union without interference. I am assuming this is probably true.
Reflection: Every time I read something about Trump, GOP, MAGA, the lame media and even lame Dems I feel awful. But within minutes or hours I think of something I can do, like a letter, an email, a posting, and this awful feeling transforms into fierceness I did not know I possessed. Thank you for your excellent work, Robert and Jill. Thank you Hubbell Substack community for bringing this sense of togetherness. It’s an honor to be part of the opposition. We shall overcome. No doubt.
I do not believe Trump's patently unconstitutional actions are ignorant. I think they are very purposeful. And for every day that Congress does not object he is getting closer to his objectives.
Re Trump using the federal government for his personal purposes, my current thinking, admittedly speculative but I believe consistent w/ what we know, is that the whole Greenland brouhaha is a Trump family real estate play. I believe that we will eventually learn that Trump, through various means intended to mask his interest, either owns or more likely has an option to purchase land in Greenland that has mining upside and/or will be useful for American military bases. The key to me other than Trump's consistent Trumpiness is that when Junior recently went to Greenland he did not meet with government officials. I don't know who he did meet with but my money is on mining executives and real estate professionals.
Robert, you are correct to identify the revolving door between Big Law and government as a huge problem but it is not just a Trump or Republican issue. The only difference now is that one side of the equation is less "Big Law" and more just Jones Day (not literally but not too much of an exaggeration either).
We are hoping for some fresh vision in the next DNC leader. However, I am disappointed that so many Dems are voting with Republicans on Trump initiatives.
Then you're not watching MSNBC. Shumer has been on at least 3 times since I started watching this morning. Start watching the shows that all Americans can access, not just those with computers or Smartphones.
Bernie Sanders in the Senate is going on the road in a few weeks when there is Senate recess. I receive his emails and donated to help with his travels. There are Senate confirmation hearings underway now. I’m waiting for people like Cory Booker, Sheldon Whitehouse, John Fetterman, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren to go on speaking tours. Vice President Harris needs time to recover and heal. She and Doug left DC to return to the utter devastation in LA. Their neighborhood was under evacuation orders for weeks.
This is an odd collection. Has Elizabeth Warren done something recently I haven't heard about? Since several of these others have either behaved horribly or at best been very weak kneed toward the R take over.
A great deal of it at any rate. I'm growing more and more to feel like FFOTUS' interest in acquiring Greenland and Canada and acting like foreign policy is just real estate deals foreshadows a deal to "sell" the US to the highest bidder - Russia or China. And bidding can be in a variety of valuables. He is just too interested in being seen as the "biggest best ever in the history of the world" and far too interested in things being "just like the Louisiana Purchase". Normally, you don't break down your real estate before sale, but you do get rid of the termites, and you might strip the lumber, copper gutters, etc.
Thank you, Robert as always. As you have emphasized, Trump’s impoundment of funds Congress has appropriated for specific purposes is a raw assertion of dictatorial power and, as a federal judge said about his attempt to overturn birthright citizenship, blatantly unconstitutional. These two issues are obviously headed to the Supreme Court. If the Court were to uphold Trump’s brazen actions, we would be in free fall from our constitutional republic. I share your hope that this will not happen, but this is the same court that made up a presidential immunity doctrine out of whole cloth. Is there any doubt that Trump’s lurch toward dictatorship has been facilitated by that wretched decision, which has clearly led Trump to believe he can act with impunity without fear of legal consequences! Has there ever been a man in the oval office for whom such unfettered freedom is more dangerous? We are obviously in an existential fight for the future of our democracy. Thanks for helping us keep that in clear focus.
Remember the SCOTUS also said that only they could determine if any particular action is official and therefor falls under the immunity doctrine. They left the ultimate power with themselves.
The "leaders of the bar" should do something? That would be the ABA. They have been instrumental in empowering the selection of the current SCOTUS, the Federalist Society, the big firms that represent the dark money that is behind the lawlessness we are now seeing. The leaders of the bar are not our friends.
Just to add a note: Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny has 20 Lessons.
#5 is "Remember Professional Ethics."
SCOTUS has shown itself to be severely compromised, with several corrupt and unethical justices. It's not only the legal establishments that need to rein in the abuses of 47's growing dictatorship. The medical institution (specifically the AMA) needs to be called out for failing to protect reproductive rights, patient privacy, public health, and address costs that are responsible for at least half of all bankruptcies. The physicians in Congress are basically all old, white men; some are either not board certified or should be censured for being more concerned about their own bank accounts and privilege that the needs of the nation's population, which includes the poor, unhoused, addicted, chronically-ill, aged, and too many disadvantaged by generations of disparities and discrimination.
As a physician, I refuse to contribute to the AMA PAC, and recently lambasted them for the failures of using their influence to support expanding care and the objectives of the prior administration. One meme mocked "socialism" is wanting everyone to have health care, while "capitalism" is the insurance company refusing to pay for services needed. The GOP/MAGA motto appears to be "Get sick. Die quick."
Agreed esp with the motto at the end. It occurred to me with the attacks on healthcare for regular people and glorification of anti-reproductive rights that the plan is that only the rich get healthcare. All that’s needs is a continuous source of poor people to do the work (including provide health care..) As long as the poor can reach working age -ten? younger? - they survive. If they get sick or injured they die. (So much for family values.) The females need only bear enough able-bodied children to maintain the needed labor supply then they too are offed. Brave New World and 1984 only much much worse.
Janet, I have been saying this for years now. As an attorney, I am ashamed of how the legal profession has been complicit in the continuing erosion of the rule of law. This shouldn't just be a matter for the leaders of the bar--law firms and individual attorneys have the ability to stand up and announce their opposition to what is happening. At a minimum, as Robert suggests, those individual attorneys who are bringing or defending legal actions that are clearly unconstitutional, whether on behalf of the government or on behalf of individuals, should face censure and ultimately risk disbarment.
Stay with me, please, because I propose a solution st the end of this rant.
Given the Roberts Court's decision this summer to declare Presidents immune from prosecution for all official Presidential acts, aren't all these actions legal in the sense that Trump can't be prosecutcted for them? If the only remedy to misfeasance or malfeasance is impeachment and Trump has captured the Senate, it would seem the coup is complete, and Trump is a dictator in all senses of the word.
Robert proposes punishing the enablers and accomplices in the DOJ and elsewhere, but all Trump has to do is issue a blanket pardon for all members of his administration for all past and future actions. There's precedent for that (thanks Joe), and it gives Trump an immune executive branch, and key legislators, and anyone else be needs to carry out his agenda. He can condition the pardons on the continued loyalty of the people receiving them, creating a class of people indentured to him who can be prosecuted for actions taken on his behalf at his whim if he senses the slightest disloyalty.
But there is a possible solution, and it started from the seat of all power in a constitutional democracy: the people. As more voters become disgusted by the actions of the president and his elected lackeys, we have the power of recall to remove those elected representatives from office and replace them with people who actually reflect the people's wishes for self-governance. Recalls are narrowly focused on single senators or representatives, ideal in a situation like this one where the balance of power in either horse can flip with the change of a few seats. It seems likely that enough minds in swing districts have been changed by recent Presidential actions that a grass roots campaign to recall a few of these captured Republicans has a fair chance of success. It would, at the least, slow down any of Trump's actions that require congressional action. At best, it might create a majority large enough to make impeachment and conviction a possibility.
Recall elections are a focused tactic that can be carried out in states or districts with the best chance of success. They favor small-d democrats of either (or third) party, since it's unlikely that actual representatives of the people will be cast out in favor of more autocracy, especially as people begin to feel the real effects of our current situation. They are also Trump -proof. He can protect his cronies from prosecution, but he can't keep them in office against the will of their constituents.
Recall campaigns are a way to seize the initiative and put some teeth back into representative democracy. The worse things get, the easier it should be to find districts and even whole states with buyer's remorse.
One more thought: hang every Senate vote that came down to Vance breaking a 50-50 tie on every Senator who voted with Trump.
The ads write themselves. "Is Pete Hegseth the kind of person you want running it country's defense? Do you feel safer with him in charge of the world's most powerful fighting force? Your senator could have singlehandedly changed that decision. Vote to recall and send someone to Washington who actually represents your interests and opinions.."
That's true, too. We focus on the Joni Ernsts of the political world, but every vote for Pete Hegseth put Pete Hegseth into that seat.
In finding the best targets for recall petition, it might be a good idea to take a look at the data on voter suppression from the Palast article. Those are districts and states where there are a multitude of voters whose registrations could be cured and who should be very motivated to call for a reelection in which they can take part.
Sounds reasonable, but cumbersome and difficult to pull off. But we may not have the luxury of waiting until midterms. Would this recall effort be close to diverting attention to a tactic that will waste resources and not work, and what difference will it make if we recall Republican X and Democrat Y steps in to vote Trump's way -- the Democrats who voted for the Laken Riley.
Agreed that the midterms may be too late. I'm suggesting a small number of local or statewide races, which would be far less cumbersome than the national campaign that the midterms will be.
To your main point, of course it's possible that another Trump acolyte could be elected to replace a recalled one, but in that case it's unlikely the recall would be successful in the first place, so it's not a contest worth having. In spite of the experience of the last election, we need to trust the ultimate judgment of the people, especially after exposed to the consequences of their previous action. This is more true in swing districts, which is where the attention should be focused.
In short, it's a second chance to rebalance the legislature to reflect the true will of the people. If it fails, we may have to face the possibility that what we have now is actually what the majority of the people want.
We do have two seats, districts one and six, about to be voted on in FL by special election. One would be "a miracle" if we could flip it blue, one would only be "a small miracle", but there are definitely people working hard on it. There again, a strong blue showing would at least give a red winner a bit more pause, and with the way the first week here went down (if there are sane, reasonable people there paying attention to accurate truthful news) a small miracle just might be doable.
A miracle in Florida would be a very big deal, and since expectations are low it would send a powerful message.
However, as Trump demonstrated, a loss is a loss, no matter how small the margin. This is a winner-take-all environment where any win is spun as a mandate. That's what Trump has always done, and it's also a terrific lesson to take away from these elections if a Democrat wins.
In any case it's an opportunity to start trying to chip away at the red wall. Hopefully we find out it's made of thin glass, and shatters after the first few hits. You know, like those bulletproof Cybertruck windows.
Oh! You've got another ad right there: Shot of mElon hitting that window with the bat, frozen at the moment of impact, window shattered, and labeled "red wall" and the bat can be labeled as needed... possibly with a mElon move annoying to FF. Later, with a D name or movement.
Here's another possible consequence of recall elections.
Job one of every member of either house is to be re-elected. Right now, Republicans see no path to re-election other than demonstrating loyalty to Trump.
One or two successful recalls will demonstrate that there is a second power center that can determine re-election chances. Knowing that alternative path exists may give others in Congress the courage to express their actual opinions, knowing that their constituents have their backs.
So, even one or two successful recalls, besides rebalancing Congress to be more in tune with the popular will, could completely change the face of the midterms.
Even better, that second power center is we, the people. As it should be.
This is what I was thinking around the question of whether the hole might be filled by Dems who vote with Rs now, like Fetterman. Since so many seem to be caving out of cowardice, this ought to reduce rather than increase the number of sliders.
I am not clear on when and where recalls are permitted. If they aren’t for federal offices, you can be sure the magats will block them immediately with legal action. I hope someone - Robert? - can educate us on this.
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is how to play hardball! If he can threaten to primary representatives, we can recall or threaten recall. Your plan is sound. I hope others are listening!
Can recall really be threatened? This is a legal question. In which (how many) states do laws enable recall? Is recall a legal option for those in federal offices?
Interesting question. I always thought recalls were just part of the system, not something that had to be codified. Are there lawyers here who can answer that?
If you think recalls are a realistic solution, conside that Musk, thr Koch family and other wealthy donors will flood the media and social media platforms with advertising and videos spewing misinformation that will overwhelm recall effirts.
Oligarch money will be far less influential in a small number of local races than in a national campaign. The Senate will be riskier, but if people in a district or state are sufficiently outraged about the actions of the administration, their will should be clear, and the heavy-handedness of big money influence may actually work against the oligarchs.
This is true, and it's always wisest to consider every probability, not the least in order to be prepared to counter it, but of course if Ds discount any effort that obscene wealth will overwhelm, then we will be paralyzed.
Where are the law suits on these unconstitutional moves by The Felon? Oh, sorry he's allowed. Thanks SCOTUS! The chaos is overwhelming, as it is meant to be. Project 2025 in full gear. Gabard confirmed. The nails will be Patel and RFK. Fortunately I am a white, retired professional who can, if I'm careful can buy a carton of eggs A month, my vacanations are up to date and have a valid passport.
Trump wants the Supreme Court to strike down the Impoundment Act. Please understand that would be the end of the great experiment. When are our leaders going to speak out against this? Now would be a good time.
What we have to work with are words. What makes words words and not just sounds is agreed upon meaning. That’s AGREED upon meaning and not INHERENT meaning. That difference makes all the difference.
Laws are only laws when we have a consensus of agreement around the words that constitute the law. Positions of authority are held by agreement. The Constitution is only the Constitution because we agree it is the Constitution. I mean this literally.
Physics deals with the study of physical reality. Metaphysics deals with questions about the nature of the existence of what we call reality.
T has the mike and is challenging the agreed upon reality of our language-created nation. He now has Pete to back him up on the physics. Pete is now both the Secretary of the nation’s Defense and T’s Offense.
We now have an astounding opportunity to get clear about something so foundational to our lives that it is taken for granted and not even momentarily considered for the most part. And that is the power each one of us continually exercises in the creation of our reality by speaking.
T’s sudden and dramatic rewriting of the script punctures our tranquilized obliviousness to the mechanics of language which go unappreciated due to the very long-term and unconscious acquisition of language at the beginning of our lives. We are born into a tranquilized world and all of us get socialized or acculturated into this tranquilized world. Of course, part of this acculturation is seen in the automatic reaction to this suggestion with the thought, “Well, that’s just maybe like that for others, but not for me.” Of course, present company is excluded ;).
Now is the time for us to get clear about what is going on. While this forum is inadequate to the task, it is adequate to get the ball rolling.
The power to shape our shared reality is in our voice. What say you, my friends? What reality are you speaking into existence today and every day, even every minute? The power to shape our shared reality really has always been in your hands, or more rigorously, in your voice.
I write on two Substacks and I encourage my readers (all part of my public square) to engage in local actions and engage with their electeds. It's hard because I'm also full time in grad school and full time in my public library job but this stuff is too important.
Robert,I am astounded that you did not mention Trump’s order halting the distribution of HIV drugs in other nations, even if they have been delivered and patients are in a course of treatment. That is full depravity.
Edit: As Robert has pointed out, I was wrong here. I stand corrected, and happy to be so.
I mentioned it in Saturday's newsletter. Apparently you missed it.
Here is what I wrote on Friday:
Trump issues two orders designed to roll-back protections for reproductive liberty. The executive order prohibits aid organizations from providing relief to foreign countries to combat HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as “restricting foreign organizations receiving U.S. global health funding from providing and promoting abortion with other sources of financing.”
As a courtesy, perhaps you could amend your comment to note that I had already mentioned the issue.
Ah, but you just did that RH! I've been inundated by so many e-mails and so many new substack writers that I never subscribed to but are mysteriously appearing in my mailbox. I'm overwhelmed and have to say, I probably didn't read your message because it got lost in the shuffle....I have many that I haven't opened yet! But my old tired brain can only hold so much information--and it's all coming fast and furious!
RH can't cover ALL the damage that DJT is doing, but this one is really inhumane, and is in direct reference to the work done by President Carter...could it be that DJT is targeting the HIV program in Africa because Carter's death caused the American flag to be at half-mast on HIS Big Day? So funny that the flag pole's ropes FROZE at the Capitol and couldn't be used to raise the flag as DJT demanded!!!
I'm stunned by all I'm reading today and can't help thinking that the republicans in the House and Senate (except 3) are all COWARDS and are downright afraid of DJT and his supporters who issue death threats to anyone they don't like. These are terrible times!
I am now truly worried. I thought DT would do something like this, since he said he would, but this is full on dictator mode as you say. How do we stop him? I worry that we will slide passively into authoritarianism. Protests don’t work, what will? The economy will buckle and things will be ruined. I am truly pessimistic. Will we even have elections? Seriously.
Robert - Please help me find the confidence you seem to have regarding this statement: "Trump has overreached so badly that he has essentially ensured that he will lose in the Supreme Court. So, as we endure the chaos that will be created by his nearly incomprehensible order, we should be confident that Trump has gone too far, even for this compromised, corrupt, ethically challenged Supreme Court."
How and from where do you have confidence (or even hope) that this Supreme Court will support the Rule of Law over tRump? As I see it, they have already paved the way for him to break the law with impunity. I'm not arguing that you are "right or wrong," but am seeking the light through which you are able to view this and I am not.
Granting the president the authority to withhold funds appropriated by Congress would result in a restructuring of the Constitution regarding the separation of powers. Granting him criminal immunity did not do that. I don't think the Supreme Court will restructure the Constitution. If the Court does grant. him that power, then it doesn't really matter what you or I think. We will be in a different reality and all bets are off.
Here in Atlanta the ICE agents seem to be specifically tracking down people wearing ankle bracelets. People who came here seeking asylum and are following the rules. Checking in with Immigration on a schedule. They were legally compliant!
They showed up at houses of worship, schools,restaurants and homes. Setting off the alarms on the ankle monitors. It can’t get any easier to TRACK these humans!
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has been reporting. I personally am now on the streets handing out awareness flyers in immigrant communities. This is a DJT show of brut inhumane force. These are NOT criminals.
Especially all of you coffee lovers, be sure to read Heather Cox Richardson's full and accurate narrative of what really happened with the immigrants sent back to Colombia; background and possible ramifications of the incident in foreign relations with Colombia.
Absolutely agree about Heather Cox Richardson's piece from last night about Columbia. But why are we just hearing NOW about the work with Columbia and other Latin American countries on immigration --and especially Kamala's role???
Yes. Why didn't the Biden Administration crow about Kamala's work?
Why didn't the Harris/Walz campaign explain it?
I honestly don't care what happened pre-Orange Snake. We need to concentrate on the NOW and what is going on NOW. PIck the battles we can win now, not the battles of 2024.
The point of my questions is not to grind at past failures but to urge better responses in the future (the midterms!!).
Partly because explaing how the Biden Administration created an effective policy about immigration didn't fit the media narrative that Biden was seni-comatose and ineffective.
Partly because it's complicated and it doesn't fit into a simple catchy narrative and listeners aren't willing to work at grasping something. Partly because the air waves weren't receptive - so few channels willing to promote the information, and so much competition from the shiny easy play toys.
Because Democrats don’t know how to message. Hopefully, a new DNC chair will make a difference.
It is not always the democrats fault. It is mostly the media.
Guess why? Perhaps the medias refusal to report!
My question as well.
Here's the salient question. Would Kamala be president now if we'd heard about it sooner? If not, why bring it up now?
To take one head off this hydra, bad messaging isn't at the heart of the matter.
Here's a hint as that's the best I can do here in this brief space: We have an already always listening which prevents us from hearing anyone or thing that doesn't fit into that already always listening. You see it here routinely with people circling the drain of agreeing or disagreeing with what is said instead of looking with wonder and following lines of flight that MIGHT lead them to something actually new and not simply endless variations of more of the same, spinning our wheels, standing still with style.
No great leader is going to come along and save us. It's up to you and me, now.
Yes. Reporting in Substack that the legacy media misses.
Heather is great! I'd also recommend The Guardian, which is based in the UK but has a strong US presence. Most importantly, it avoids billionaire bias by having an endowment that pays for its excellent journalism. The oligarchs have captured the US legacy media.
Check out this article by David Smith in Washington DC:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/26/trump-white-house-lies-immigration-economy?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Yes. I also subscribe to the Guardian.
The Guardian has become my first stop for hard news.
https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/january-27-2025?r=6pp8t&utm_medium=ios
YES and APPLAUSE to HCR’s analysis. Why isn’t MSM presenting these facts???
Ellie, Why isn’t MSM presenting these facts? Perhaps they don’t fit Bezos’ narrative.
MSNBC is. Why aren't you watching it and telling others to watch.
They gave up (or willingly caved for the shiny objects) a long time ago.
Thanks Robert for your excellent posts.
But heed this warning:
Trump's MO is to PROJECT what he wants/plans to do, onto his opponents.
So when Trump spews bullshit about the Biden administration by saying: “The vicious, violent and unfair weaponisation of the justice department and our government will end...”, he is telling us what HE PLANS to do! By falsely accusing others first, it takes away the power of those same accusations when they, correctly, come back at him.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/26/trump-white-house-lies-immigration-economy?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
When Trump said this he left out three words: “The vicious, violent and unfair weaponisation of the justice department WILL NOW BEGIN, and our government will end.” 😉
Truth!
Projection, Distraction, Prevarication
Deny, Deny, Deny
Lie, Lie, Lie
Correct! Every accusation is an admission. Some of us realized that in 2016 in the debates when he said “The election is rigged.” He’s incapable of thinking about anyone but himself so he can only accuse what he’s doing or his enablers have promised to do for him.
Absolutely. Trump has been using this projection strategy since day one of his political career. Not sure why it has taken so long for his opponents to anticipate his next move call him out on it. I think the oligarch-owned press has been unwilling to unmask him.
According to Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Brook Harrington, Trump has a laundry list of favors he needs to repay to his Broligarchs and to Putin, with Putin coming first. What Putin wants is for the US, NATO, the EU to be broken like the Soviet Union was in 1990. The fact that the Soviet Union was corruptly mismanaged seems to escape Putin's reality bubble. People hungry for power never seem to understand that with their corruption they diminish the countries they are in. So, We see the immigration initiatives of getting rid of people who work in our economy, the pressure on California in its crisis and Trump trying to end FEMA payments as just one of the myriad of ways that he is wreaking social and financial destruction on the US. Brexit was a beginning of attacking the EU, and if Trump gets the US, NATO and the EU out of the way, then Putin will be able to retake his Soviet Union territories without opposition. The entire planet will be the weaker for what Donald Trump does.
Donald also is catering to China now because that is what he owes Musk, who does not want any of his businesses impeded as discussed in Musk Watch a new Substack. https://www.muskwatch.com/p/how-do-you-explain-trumps-abrupt?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Donald Trump cares about those he owes and illiberal leaders more than he cares about his base or the rest of the citizenry of the USA. He should be impeached and imprisoned. That will mean working hard to get rid of the Republican Congress.
Thank you Linda Weide. I believe you are exactly right
We need to pay attention to the special elections. Right now that's two in FL which are being ignored because they are just assumed to be going to go red in very red districts, but even decreasing the margins can help put a scare (and some caution) into R representatives, and who knows? Minor miracles do occur. From AP: "In both districts, Republican primary winners should have the inside track to join Congress, said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. Both Fine and Patronis had high name recognition even before winning Trump’s endorsement. But they’ve also both faced criticism for not living in the districts they want to represent. Jewett said the Republican primary for Gaetz’s seat in particular could prove competitive. Jewett said there’s even a chance Democrats could run up the margins in a low turnout scenario, pointing to other recent special elections. 'Democrats might be able to take Waltz’s seat, but it would take a small miracle,' Jewett said. 'I think for the Gaetz seat, that would be more than a small miracle. It would be like a very large miracle to take that one.'" And yet... Sometimes with a little encouragement miracles happen. Youth Save Democracy seems to be one group working hard at these two special elections.
That is good to hear. I wish Florida luck!
Not that the so-called mainstream media has lived up to any expectations I might have had, but I do wonder why there hasn't been more discussion of how so much of what Trump and cronies have been doing and intend to do fits neatly into a plan that could have been conceived by Putin--that is, essentially destroying the US as a viable, united nation from within. Putin/Trump are taking advantage of the fact that our populace is overwhelmingly underinformed about and uninterested in world and political affairs, without the civic literacy to even understand how they are being undermined. Whether Trump literally is under contract with Putin or simply wants to emulate him and doesn't really care whether we are aligned with him or the liberal democracies of the world, the net effect is the same.
Two professors of Fascism (Ben-Ghiat, Snyder), and a Prof of Sociology (Harrington) are saying that Trump owes Putin and he is prioritizing his agenda because of Putin being known for offing people who betray him. That was Harrington who said that part. What Putin wants is the US, NATO and the EU out of the way, diminished or broken up, so that he can pursue his agenda of reviving the Soviet Union without interference. I am assuming this is probably true.
Reflection: Every time I read something about Trump, GOP, MAGA, the lame media and even lame Dems I feel awful. But within minutes or hours I think of something I can do, like a letter, an email, a posting, and this awful feeling transforms into fierceness I did not know I possessed. Thank you for your excellent work, Robert and Jill. Thank you Hubbell Substack community for bringing this sense of togetherness. It’s an honor to be part of the opposition. We shall overcome. No doubt.
Not sure if you follow Chop Wood, Carry Water but this where I get most of my actions.
I do not believe Trump's patently unconstitutional actions are ignorant. I think they are very purposeful. And for every day that Congress does not object he is getting closer to his objectives.
Re Trump using the federal government for his personal purposes, my current thinking, admittedly speculative but I believe consistent w/ what we know, is that the whole Greenland brouhaha is a Trump family real estate play. I believe that we will eventually learn that Trump, through various means intended to mask his interest, either owns or more likely has an option to purchase land in Greenland that has mining upside and/or will be useful for American military bases. The key to me other than Trump's consistent Trumpiness is that when Junior recently went to Greenland he did not meet with government officials. I don't know who he did meet with but my money is on mining executives and real estate professionals.
Robert, you are correct to identify the revolving door between Big Law and government as a huge problem but it is not just a Trump or Republican issue. The only difference now is that one side of the equation is less "Big Law" and more just Jones Day (not literally but not too much of an exaggeration either).
And, it is very perturbing that we are not hearing more from Democrats, but that might be intentional from the media too.
You’re right the Democrats don’t have a cohesive approach to fight back. We need young blood who are motivated. Chuck Schumer is not going to save us.
AOC is the only one I have been hearing from right now. She is bold and articulate.
The Democrats have to decide as a party how they are going to fight back and not believe the Republicans will shoot themselves in the foot
We are hoping for some fresh vision in the next DNC leader. However, I am disappointed that so many Dems are voting with Republicans on Trump initiatives.
I'm loving Crockett these days.
Then you're not watching MSNBC. Shumer has been on at least 3 times since I started watching this morning. Start watching the shows that all Americans can access, not just those with computers or Smartphones.
Bernie Sanders in the Senate is going on the road in a few weeks when there is Senate recess. I receive his emails and donated to help with his travels. There are Senate confirmation hearings underway now. I’m waiting for people like Cory Booker, Sheldon Whitehouse, John Fetterman, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren to go on speaking tours. Vice President Harris needs time to recover and heal. She and Doug left DC to return to the utter devastation in LA. Their neighborhood was under evacuation orders for weeks.
Forget about Fetterman, he's going to flip to R.
This is an odd collection. Has Elizabeth Warren done something recently I haven't heard about? Since several of these others have either behaved horribly or at best been very weak kneed toward the R take over.
Thr media had to switch h from their
exhausting analysis of what Dems did wrong in the election to the Dems in disarray narrative
Jeff, thanks for speculating. That certainly helps explain the inexplicable!
A great deal of it at any rate. I'm growing more and more to feel like FFOTUS' interest in acquiring Greenland and Canada and acting like foreign policy is just real estate deals foreshadows a deal to "sell" the US to the highest bidder - Russia or China. And bidding can be in a variety of valuables. He is just too interested in being seen as the "biggest best ever in the history of the world" and far too interested in things being "just like the Louisiana Purchase". Normally, you don't break down your real estate before sale, but you do get rid of the termites, and you might strip the lumber, copper gutters, etc.
Trump is ignorant but the people behind him who wrote Project 2025 aren't. They're the real danger.
Thank you, Robert as always. As you have emphasized, Trump’s impoundment of funds Congress has appropriated for specific purposes is a raw assertion of dictatorial power and, as a federal judge said about his attempt to overturn birthright citizenship, blatantly unconstitutional. These two issues are obviously headed to the Supreme Court. If the Court were to uphold Trump’s brazen actions, we would be in free fall from our constitutional republic. I share your hope that this will not happen, but this is the same court that made up a presidential immunity doctrine out of whole cloth. Is there any doubt that Trump’s lurch toward dictatorship has been facilitated by that wretched decision, which has clearly led Trump to believe he can act with impunity without fear of legal consequences! Has there ever been a man in the oval office for whom such unfettered freedom is more dangerous? We are obviously in an existential fight for the future of our democracy. Thanks for helping us keep that in clear focus.
Yes, I agree. And I'm starting to see some S.C. fault lines on that immunity ruling emerge, too. I also commented on the impoundment crisis above.
Remember the SCOTUS also said that only they could determine if any particular action is official and therefor falls under the immunity doctrine. They left the ultimate power with themselves.
A measured comment than my last comment, Brent. I agree with you completely.
The "leaders of the bar" should do something? That would be the ABA. They have been instrumental in empowering the selection of the current SCOTUS, the Federalist Society, the big firms that represent the dark money that is behind the lawlessness we are now seeing. The leaders of the bar are not our friends.
Just to add a note: Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny has 20 Lessons.
#5 is "Remember Professional Ethics."
SCOTUS has shown itself to be severely compromised, with several corrupt and unethical justices. It's not only the legal establishments that need to rein in the abuses of 47's growing dictatorship. The medical institution (specifically the AMA) needs to be called out for failing to protect reproductive rights, patient privacy, public health, and address costs that are responsible for at least half of all bankruptcies. The physicians in Congress are basically all old, white men; some are either not board certified or should be censured for being more concerned about their own bank accounts and privilege that the needs of the nation's population, which includes the poor, unhoused, addicted, chronically-ill, aged, and too many disadvantaged by generations of disparities and discrimination.
As a physician, I refuse to contribute to the AMA PAC, and recently lambasted them for the failures of using their influence to support expanding care and the objectives of the prior administration. One meme mocked "socialism" is wanting everyone to have health care, while "capitalism" is the insurance company refusing to pay for services needed. The GOP/MAGA motto appears to be "Get sick. Die quick."
Agreed esp with the motto at the end. It occurred to me with the attacks on healthcare for regular people and glorification of anti-reproductive rights that the plan is that only the rich get healthcare. All that’s needs is a continuous source of poor people to do the work (including provide health care..) As long as the poor can reach working age -ten? younger? - they survive. If they get sick or injured they die. (So much for family values.) The females need only bear enough able-bodied children to maintain the needed labor supply then they too are offed. Brave New World and 1984 only much much worse.
Janet, I have been saying this for years now. As an attorney, I am ashamed of how the legal profession has been complicit in the continuing erosion of the rule of law. This shouldn't just be a matter for the leaders of the bar--law firms and individual attorneys have the ability to stand up and announce their opposition to what is happening. At a minimum, as Robert suggests, those individual attorneys who are bringing or defending legal actions that are clearly unconstitutional, whether on behalf of the government or on behalf of individuals, should face censure and ultimately risk disbarment.
So, are you saying we should give up hope?
And do you have any alternative suggestions?
Stay with me, please, because I propose a solution st the end of this rant.
Given the Roberts Court's decision this summer to declare Presidents immune from prosecution for all official Presidential acts, aren't all these actions legal in the sense that Trump can't be prosecutcted for them? If the only remedy to misfeasance or malfeasance is impeachment and Trump has captured the Senate, it would seem the coup is complete, and Trump is a dictator in all senses of the word.
Robert proposes punishing the enablers and accomplices in the DOJ and elsewhere, but all Trump has to do is issue a blanket pardon for all members of his administration for all past and future actions. There's precedent for that (thanks Joe), and it gives Trump an immune executive branch, and key legislators, and anyone else be needs to carry out his agenda. He can condition the pardons on the continued loyalty of the people receiving them, creating a class of people indentured to him who can be prosecuted for actions taken on his behalf at his whim if he senses the slightest disloyalty.
But there is a possible solution, and it started from the seat of all power in a constitutional democracy: the people. As more voters become disgusted by the actions of the president and his elected lackeys, we have the power of recall to remove those elected representatives from office and replace them with people who actually reflect the people's wishes for self-governance. Recalls are narrowly focused on single senators or representatives, ideal in a situation like this one where the balance of power in either horse can flip with the change of a few seats. It seems likely that enough minds in swing districts have been changed by recent Presidential actions that a grass roots campaign to recall a few of these captured Republicans has a fair chance of success. It would, at the least, slow down any of Trump's actions that require congressional action. At best, it might create a majority large enough to make impeachment and conviction a possibility.
Recall elections are a focused tactic that can be carried out in states or districts with the best chance of success. They favor small-d democrats of either (or third) party, since it's unlikely that actual representatives of the people will be cast out in favor of more autocracy, especially as people begin to feel the real effects of our current situation. They are also Trump -proof. He can protect his cronies from prosecution, but he can't keep them in office against the will of their constituents.
Recall campaigns are a way to seize the initiative and put some teeth back into representative democracy. The worse things get, the easier it should be to find districts and even whole states with buyer's remorse.
It just could work.
One more thought: hang every Senate vote that came down to Vance breaking a 50-50 tie on every Senator who voted with Trump.
The ads write themselves. "Is Pete Hegseth the kind of person you want running it country's defense? Do you feel safer with him in charge of the world's most powerful fighting force? Your senator could have singlehandedly changed that decision. Vote to recall and send someone to Washington who actually represents your interests and opinions.."
That's true, too. We focus on the Joni Ernsts of the political world, but every vote for Pete Hegseth put Pete Hegseth into that seat.
In finding the best targets for recall petition, it might be a good idea to take a look at the data on voter suppression from the Palast article. Those are districts and states where there are a multitude of voters whose registrations could be cured and who should be very motivated to call for a reelection in which they can take part.
Especially if he orders the military to shoot on our own citizens or we invade Greenland/Mexico/Panama Canal etc.
Sounds reasonable, but cumbersome and difficult to pull off. But we may not have the luxury of waiting until midterms. Would this recall effort be close to diverting attention to a tactic that will waste resources and not work, and what difference will it make if we recall Republican X and Democrat Y steps in to vote Trump's way -- the Democrats who voted for the Laken Riley.
Agreed that the midterms may be too late. I'm suggesting a small number of local or statewide races, which would be far less cumbersome than the national campaign that the midterms will be.
To your main point, of course it's possible that another Trump acolyte could be elected to replace a recalled one, but in that case it's unlikely the recall would be successful in the first place, so it's not a contest worth having. In spite of the experience of the last election, we need to trust the ultimate judgment of the people, especially after exposed to the consequences of their previous action. This is more true in swing districts, which is where the attention should be focused.
In short, it's a second chance to rebalance the legislature to reflect the true will of the people. If it fails, we may have to face the possibility that what we have now is actually what the majority of the people want.
I don't believe that. Do you?
We do have two seats, districts one and six, about to be voted on in FL by special election. One would be "a miracle" if we could flip it blue, one would only be "a small miracle", but there are definitely people working hard on it. There again, a strong blue showing would at least give a red winner a bit more pause, and with the way the first week here went down (if there are sane, reasonable people there paying attention to accurate truthful news) a small miracle just might be doable.
Josh Weil won the primary for the 6th district. He is a very attractive candidate. Please support him financially if you can,
A miracle in Florida would be a very big deal, and since expectations are low it would send a powerful message.
However, as Trump demonstrated, a loss is a loss, no matter how small the margin. This is a winner-take-all environment where any win is spun as a mandate. That's what Trump has always done, and it's also a terrific lesson to take away from these elections if a Democrat wins.
In any case it's an opportunity to start trying to chip away at the red wall. Hopefully we find out it's made of thin glass, and shatters after the first few hits. You know, like those bulletproof Cybertruck windows.
Oh! You've got another ad right there: Shot of mElon hitting that window with the bat, frozen at the moment of impact, window shattered, and labeled "red wall" and the bat can be labeled as needed... possibly with a mElon move annoying to FF. Later, with a D name or movement.
Here's another possible consequence of recall elections.
Job one of every member of either house is to be re-elected. Right now, Republicans see no path to re-election other than demonstrating loyalty to Trump.
One or two successful recalls will demonstrate that there is a second power center that can determine re-election chances. Knowing that alternative path exists may give others in Congress the courage to express their actual opinions, knowing that their constituents have their backs.
So, even one or two successful recalls, besides rebalancing Congress to be more in tune with the popular will, could completely change the face of the midterms.
Even better, that second power center is we, the people. As it should be.
This is what I was thinking around the question of whether the hole might be filled by Dems who vote with Rs now, like Fetterman. Since so many seem to be caving out of cowardice, this ought to reduce rather than increase the number of sliders.
I am not clear on when and where recalls are permitted. If they aren’t for federal offices, you can be sure the magats will block them immediately with legal action. I hope someone - Robert? - can educate us on this.
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is how to play hardball! If he can threaten to primary representatives, we can recall or threaten recall. Your plan is sound. I hope others are listening!
Can recall really be threatened? This is a legal question. In which (how many) states do laws enable recall? Is recall a legal option for those in federal offices?
Interesting question. I always thought recalls were just part of the system, not something that had to be codified. Are there lawyers here who can answer that?
If you think recalls are a realistic solution, conside that Musk, thr Koch family and other wealthy donors will flood the media and social media platforms with advertising and videos spewing misinformation that will overwhelm recall effirts.
Oligarch money will be far less influential in a small number of local races than in a national campaign. The Senate will be riskier, but if people in a district or state are sufficiently outraged about the actions of the administration, their will should be clear, and the heavy-handedness of big money influence may actually work against the oligarchs.
This is true, and it's always wisest to consider every probability, not the least in order to be prepared to counter it, but of course if Ds discount any effort that obscene wealth will overwhelm, then we will be paralyzed.
Where are the law suits on these unconstitutional moves by The Felon? Oh, sorry he's allowed. Thanks SCOTUS! The chaos is overwhelming, as it is meant to be. Project 2025 in full gear. Gabard confirmed. The nails will be Patel and RFK. Fortunately I am a white, retired professional who can, if I'm careful can buy a carton of eggs A month, my vacanations are up to date and have a valid passport.
Trump wants the Supreme Court to strike down the Impoundment Act. Please understand that would be the end of the great experiment. When are our leaders going to speak out against this? Now would be a good time.
They will likely not strike it down, because it refines what is already granted in the Constitution. I posted this solid rundown in my full comment above: https://www.stevevladeck.com/p/120-the-impoundment-crisis-of-2025
I hope you're right.
And we have liftoff!
The rubber has left the road.
What we have to work with are words. What makes words words and not just sounds is agreed upon meaning. That’s AGREED upon meaning and not INHERENT meaning. That difference makes all the difference.
Laws are only laws when we have a consensus of agreement around the words that constitute the law. Positions of authority are held by agreement. The Constitution is only the Constitution because we agree it is the Constitution. I mean this literally.
Physics deals with the study of physical reality. Metaphysics deals with questions about the nature of the existence of what we call reality.
T has the mike and is challenging the agreed upon reality of our language-created nation. He now has Pete to back him up on the physics. Pete is now both the Secretary of the nation’s Defense and T’s Offense.
We now have an astounding opportunity to get clear about something so foundational to our lives that it is taken for granted and not even momentarily considered for the most part. And that is the power each one of us continually exercises in the creation of our reality by speaking.
T’s sudden and dramatic rewriting of the script punctures our tranquilized obliviousness to the mechanics of language which go unappreciated due to the very long-term and unconscious acquisition of language at the beginning of our lives. We are born into a tranquilized world and all of us get socialized or acculturated into this tranquilized world. Of course, part of this acculturation is seen in the automatic reaction to this suggestion with the thought, “Well, that’s just maybe like that for others, but not for me.” Of course, present company is excluded ;).
Now is the time for us to get clear about what is going on. While this forum is inadequate to the task, it is adequate to get the ball rolling.
The power to shape our shared reality is in our voice. What say you, my friends? What reality are you speaking into existence today and every day, even every minute? The power to shape our shared reality really has always been in your hands, or more rigorously, in your voice.
I write on two Substacks and I encourage my readers (all part of my public square) to engage in local actions and engage with their electeds. It's hard because I'm also full time in grad school and full time in my public library job but this stuff is too important.
There is a price to pay for looking and seeing that can't be avoided. Good for you for honoring your self.
Thanks.
"Cruelty is entertainment for Trump's base" sums it up more precisely.
Robert,I am astounded that you did not mention Trump’s order halting the distribution of HIV drugs in other nations, even if they have been delivered and patients are in a course of treatment. That is full depravity.
Edit: As Robert has pointed out, I was wrong here. I stand corrected, and happy to be so.
I mentioned it in Saturday's newsletter. Apparently you missed it.
Here is what I wrote on Friday:
Trump issues two orders designed to roll-back protections for reproductive liberty. The executive order prohibits aid organizations from providing relief to foreign countries to combat HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as “restricting foreign organizations receiving U.S. global health funding from providing and promoting abortion with other sources of financing.”
As a courtesy, perhaps you could amend your comment to note that I had already mentioned the issue.
Thanks!
Done
Ah, but you just did that RH! I've been inundated by so many e-mails and so many new substack writers that I never subscribed to but are mysteriously appearing in my mailbox. I'm overwhelmed and have to say, I probably didn't read your message because it got lost in the shuffle....I have many that I haven't opened yet! But my old tired brain can only hold so much information--and it's all coming fast and furious!
RH can't cover ALL the damage that DJT is doing, but this one is really inhumane, and is in direct reference to the work done by President Carter...could it be that DJT is targeting the HIV program in Africa because Carter's death caused the American flag to be at half-mast on HIS Big Day? So funny that the flag pole's ropes FROZE at the Capitol and couldn't be used to raise the flag as DJT demanded!!!
I'm stunned by all I'm reading today and can't help thinking that the republicans in the House and Senate (except 3) are all COWARDS and are downright afraid of DJT and his supporters who issue death threats to anyone they don't like. These are terrible times!
Thanks! See my comment to Jonathan, above.
I am now truly worried. I thought DT would do something like this, since he said he would, but this is full on dictator mode as you say. How do we stop him? I worry that we will slide passively into authoritarianism. Protests don’t work, what will? The economy will buckle and things will be ruined. I am truly pessimistic. Will we even have elections? Seriously.
Robert - Please help me find the confidence you seem to have regarding this statement: "Trump has overreached so badly that he has essentially ensured that he will lose in the Supreme Court. So, as we endure the chaos that will be created by his nearly incomprehensible order, we should be confident that Trump has gone too far, even for this compromised, corrupt, ethically challenged Supreme Court."
How and from where do you have confidence (or even hope) that this Supreme Court will support the Rule of Law over tRump? As I see it, they have already paved the way for him to break the law with impunity. I'm not arguing that you are "right or wrong," but am seeking the light through which you are able to view this and I am not.
Granting the president the authority to withhold funds appropriated by Congress would result in a restructuring of the Constitution regarding the separation of powers. Granting him criminal immunity did not do that. I don't think the Supreme Court will restructure the Constitution. If the Court does grant. him that power, then it doesn't really matter what you or I think. We will be in a different reality and all bets are off.
Thank you. I will hang on to the hope that this broken SCOTUS will obey the Constitution, but it is hard to have any trust in them, as you well know.
Here in Atlanta the ICE agents seem to be specifically tracking down people wearing ankle bracelets. People who came here seeking asylum and are following the rules. Checking in with Immigration on a schedule. They were legally compliant!
They showed up at houses of worship, schools,restaurants and homes. Setting off the alarms on the ankle monitors. It can’t get any easier to TRACK these humans!
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has been reporting. I personally am now on the streets handing out awareness flyers in immigrant communities. This is a DJT show of brut inhumane force. These are NOT criminals.