The day started off with the Justice Department’s new management directing prosecutors to investigate, and even prosecute, what they perceive as state or local efforts to obstruct immigration enforcement.
This is a much better title than the phase of my life as a prosecutor where I handled arsons and bombs and someone put a sign on my office door that said "Arson Chick"
I feel your pain! As a corporate attorney I had to go to another country and notify 70 people that they were being terminated, and I was thereafter known as The Terminator!
I am terrified and it's only day four! One of my clients told me that last month, before the inauguration, her friend who is from Puerto Rico living here in Philadelphia with her husband and two kids was stopped and was asked for her ID. She didn't have it on her so they put her on a bus and off to Tijuana!
I can't decide what is scarier--the mass deportation situation or the pardoning of the insurrectionists. They are talking about regrouping and carrying out trump's retribution fantasy....
There is nothing positive about pardoning these criminals that are getting ready to be trump's militia. I'm afraid they'll go after trump's perceived enemies. trump will just keep pardoning.
If you want outrage just wait for the privatization of medicare....
Most of his edicts are so repugnant they cannot be ranked. He is like a spoiled 2 yr old breaking all his toys in a temper tantrum who grew up to be this narcissistic immoral being, bent on wreaking havoc upon our government (& ultimately the American people). He is petty, vindictive and dangerous. He has ordered that Health & Human Services departments (CDC for one) can no longer issue any notices. These agencies are supported by our tax dollars & We the People have a right to benefit from their research, current information & health risks…..but this is another step in shutting down information, freedom of the press, or any narrative other than Trump’s.
We need to keep pressure on our elected officials by demanding that they oppose these kind of unilateral take-aways. The mid-term elections are coming up and the Rs want to keep all their seats. We need to be loud & visible to bring about any change.
So are you to fall for that bot's BS..Read all of it's posts and you will clearly see that it is a disinformation bot put in place to spread negative messages about being defeated, and giving up, blah blah blah. So take a seat.
Autocracy doesn’t arrive with a bang; it sneaks in under the guise of legalese and executive memos. This DOJ directive is a quiet alarm bell for anyone paying attention. Democracy is being tested, and we can’t afford to hit snooze.
There is nothing sneaky about brazenly pardoning the insurrectionists who are already talking about payback. trump just got himself his own private militia....
I'm not sure anything Trump and his cronies had planned or is doing is quiet. The question is who is listening and do they understand what the ramifications are. It may be wise if those with a podium begin to compare what Trump is doing to what happened in Nazi Germany. Many Americans will get it and for those who are ignorant of the history, maybe a history lesson might help some with brains and an open mind. One way or another the ramifications of the steps Trump has and is taking is important to communicate to all Americans so maybe additional destruction to our democracy and rule of law can be dwarfed.
I am on the board for a shelter that cares for asylum seekers. I had a 22 yr old crying on my shoulder today because they are so scared! I am fighting but the actions this week in just 3 days are just beyond words! Thank you for being you!
Thank you, Dawn, for your commitment to help people who arrive here without any resources. Thankfully, people like you are there to help them. They'll always remember how you helped. God bless you.
You're a persistent worthless piece of shit, aren't you? Go back to Flyover Loserville, where you belong with the rest of the shitkicking hayshaking losers.
I'm betting you've seen (at about 1:50 pm today, 1-23-25, EST) that U.S. District Court Judge John C. Coughenour (in Seattle) has issued a 14-day restraining order that will block, for 14 days, trump's Executive Order ending birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional". Trump's EO wasn't going to take effect until February 19. There are also Federal Court hearings scheduled in Maryland and New Hampshire the next few weeks on this same EO. Here's the Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/judge-in-seattle-blocks-trump-order-on-birthright-citizenship-nationwide/
I hope that 22 yr, and others, can see and hear the sound of good people adding more and more of their voices and power to correct this wrong. Chin up!
The problem is there are human beings, including children, at the border RIGHT now. There are a few thousand Afghanis that HELPED us who were waiting to fly out and their flights were canceled. CRUELTY is the goal. And people will die waiting.
One can also fight from abroad. That is what many of the people who supported Navalny did too. I am involved in Democrats Abroad and we are planning to fight from abroad.
Operationally, how do you identify people to strip them of birthright citizenship? Both my grandparents were immigrants. Both my parents were born here. I have never seen— nor would i know how to locate—proof that my grandparents officially became citizens.
He probably doesn't have them nor does he know where to find them. But he has "people" who would look for them or create such documents, if needed.
In a related comment, when he was signing the EO on day one, Melania was standing over his shoulder, seemingly to make sure he excluded Baron from deportation. 😉
What I read is that DT is wanting both parents to be US citizens, so this is going to affect many of my friends in the US who are working at our neighborhood university and came to the US as academic couples and had their children here. None of them had US citizenship when their children were born here.
It affects my daughter and me as well. How so, my mother was not born in the US, and in fact is not a US citizen, she is a resident alien. My husband was not born in the US so that would make my daughter not a US citizen.
Furthermore, by this definition DT only has one child who could be a US citizen and since DTs mom was born abroad he should not be one either, or allowed to be President.
As # 45, this was an ongoing project. In January 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated its intention to refer approximately 1,600 additional citizens to DOJ for prosecution. In its 2019 budget request, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed its intention to review the files of 700,000 U.S. citizens. https://immpolicytracking.org/media/documents/ACLU_Fact_Sheet_on_Denaturalization.pdf
IMHO the people targeted are not from Northern Europe. USCIS removed Humanitarian Parole, complicating access for migrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua.The elimination of humanitarian status probably brings the sponsors of the people who just lost their visa rights int gun sights. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268986/trump-humanitarian-parole-immigration
One of my friends who could not come into the country right away in the first Trump administration, is Northern European and African. He is German-Egyptian, meaning born and raised in Germany with a German mom and Egyptian dad who had a medical practice together. Since my friend is Muslim he had a hard time entering the US to take up his teaching job at our local Uni, because of the Trump Muslim ban. His Finnish wife and he stayed in Finland with their children until then. Both children had been born in the US though because he had done his doctoral work in the US. So, that is why they have citizenship.
Well, they used to have citizenship. Now the orange diaper baby will take it away if mom is Finnish and he's German-Egyptian. Anyway, why would they ever come here if they can live in Europe?
I read it in Wikipedia, so I don't know if it can be believed--but according to the article, Mary Trump had become a naturalized citizen by the time DonOld was born. Does that affect his status? I wish.
I assume his immigration and deportation policies only apply to people whose skin is one shade or more darker than his - without the makeup, of course.
In the old days you could make an application to Homeland Security (it took me 14 months to get a response). You can also try FamilySearch. which is a tremendous resource. I was able to get information/documents from the County Clerk, where my Grandfather and his brother were naturalized. It takes time and patience.
Not necessarily. If there is a decision on birthright citizenship that reverses current law, it would affect all children born of immigrants, black, white or brown.
Musk was granted citizenship back in 2005 I believe. I am pretty sure all his kids were born after that. But even if not, as he is now a citizen, I think his kids are also granted citizenship.
I think the word “strip” is misleading. My understanding is that Trump’s order is for births happening on or after the date the executive order takes place.
Were your grandparents naturalized before or after your parents were born? See how silly this is?
But the larger point is that it is very clear in the Constitution that persons born in the US are full citizens, period. The reason for the statement was that after the civil war, many formerly Confederate states enacted laws saying you couldn’t be a citizen unless your grandfather was a citizen, which meant freed slaves weren’t citizens. The intent of this passage was to make it clear you could not deny citizenship to someone born in America, whatever the status of their parents.
The courts have consistently supported birthright citizenship.
Probably also worth noting that at the time there were no laws prohibiting immigration.
That is not my understanding. My understanding is that it is applicable to everyone currently living in the USA. Where did you see that it applies to people going forward?
It's unclear because the specifics aren't in the initial authorizing executive order, which may not mean anything anyway. But it is safe to say that this will be an unresolved issue for a while.
I would disagree that the 14th Amendment is "perfectly clear" on this issue. As with many clauses in the Constitution, there is wiggle room. In this case the "comma" clause that reads "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof," provides a huge loophole that the SCOTUS could reinterpret almost any way they choose.
For instance they could decide that this clause means someone borne of undocumented immigrants can not be "subject to the jurisdiction" as they are not citizens and therefore not subject to the jurisdiction.
It will obviously not be a popular decision if they decide this, and it will turn 150 years of jurisprudence in the US on its head, but with this SCOTUS stranger things have happened.
You can also look at Heller, where they read "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State" right out of the Second Amendment while ignoring the facts that at the time there was no standing army and the arms mentioned consisted of muzzle loading muskets.
But if immigrants who are not citizens are not "subject to the jurisdiction" they can't be prosecuted either, can they? My understanding is that clause is for those with diplomatic immunity.
Interesting that you should mention children born of undocumented immigrants. As I understand it, here in El Paso, women would cross the border from Mexico when they were about to give birth, so their children would have US citizenship. I don't know if that is still happening, but it easily could because so many people cross the border daily for work or school. I've known people who are US citizens that worked in Mexico.
My point exactly. My father was an immigrant, but my mother's family came to this country starting in 1633 and all her ancestors were here before 1775. So what am I? What trump doesn't seem to understand is that all of us, at one time or another, were immigrants. Given that my father arrived here in 1913, there's no way I would ever find his immigration papers.
Go to the Mormons. They can find anything. Such as the passenger manifest of the ship that brought my wife's grandfather to US in the 1890s from Ukraine via Hamburg.
I empathize with you and I have been wondering, too: How far back is he going to go? What if half your family can trace its roots back to the 2nd Mayflower and your other side has immigrant grandparents? I know from stories that my immigrant grandparents became citizens, but what if my parent was born BEFORE they became citizens? Will that parent be posthumously stripped of their birth-right citizenship? If THAT happens, even though I was born here, does that negate MY birthright citizenship?
I think the immediate focus is on those brought here illegally in the past few decades; it is STILL wrong, according to the Constitution, and has been challenged before and dismissed. Heather Cox Richardson talked about this on her Tuesday Politics Chat, if you're interested in the history of how it came to be and has been defended.
I'm guessing there is a database that identifies when people became naturalized citizens and most likely is in the Department of State.
I don't have the paperwork any more, but I know that my mother's first ancestors arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1633, and all her ancestors were here before 1775. My father was born in Hungary and came here in 1913 at the age of 8. I know he was a citizen, but it would appear that doesn't count.
Joyce! You are awesome- here fighting in NC- wish I had a law degree for all the shenanigans taking place but we have to be vigilant. From the Carolina Journal this am—Griffin will not be allowed to bypass a state trial court in his effort to block 65,000 or more votes from counting in his election against Democrat Allison Riggs. The state’s highest court issued an order Wednesday sending the case back to Wake County Superior Court to address his election challenge.
The 5-1 decision prompted four justices to write separate opinions. The North Carolina Supreme Court acted as the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals prepares for oral arguments Monday dealing with the same dispute.
This judge is a douche bag, and North Carolinians shouldn't have to go through this, but, sadly, I think MAGA's who lose close elections are going to use the Orange playbook from now on in terms of appealing ad nauseum and holding up elections. I do have high confidence in Anderson Clayton and the NC DEM Party, however! She is smart and savvy and well-connected. Almost makes me want to move there.
How do we fight Joyce? As I posted earlier one of my client's friends from Puerto Rico who has a green card was stopped here in Philadelphia and because she didn't have ID was thrown in a bus. My client got a call from her from Tijuana! I'm relying on people like you with large platforms....
In case you haven't noticed, this woman or bot, is spreading disinformation in every one of its posts. The message is to give up, don't fight, we're already defeated. She is put in place here to pollute the discussion with negativity.
No, please don’t even think of leaving as we must carry the political “fight” forward to take back the House of Representatives in 21 months! We can achieve this critically important result by motivating fair minded voters in just twenty (20) “truly competitive” Congressional Districts within only twelve (12) competitive states! Winning the House majority can and will protect our democracy until the general election in 2028! We need all hands on deck to work in their neighborhoods to promote and inspire a massive turnout of fair minded patriots to defeat Trumpism front and center! Stay and fight politically for the America we cherish! Will you?
Michelle, my family has been here since the Revolutionary War. This is our country and people like you worked to make it great and young people will be strong and we will come back. I am sad as well, but this is our country. There are more of us.
Thanks Joyce! The only way to stop this nonsense is to stand up to the bully at every turn. Challenge and fight it in the courts! And show our strength in the streets if we have to!
As a contrarian, and obviously having a minority opinion here, I will submit that the 14th amendment is no longer needed as it was initiated to prevent African Americans formerly enslaved from being sent to Africa. I welcome debate. There are countless examples of women in pregnancy who time their birth by their presence in this country. They exploit this opening.
There is nothing wrong with revisiting laws no longer needed. Another amendment being the 2nd although this one really never gave citizens the right to bear arms but only “organized militia.” The NRA which was taken over by industry zealots poisoned the mindsets by claiming otherwise. We should be willing to invalidate amendments no longer necessary. Contrary opinions welcomed.
The law is needed because we want people to immigrate here and put down permanent roots and contribute to our nation. People often talk about immigration as if it was a gift we are bestowing. Imo it's a gift we are receiving.
Millions of Americans whose ancestry is not related to slavery have citizenship because of the 14th Amendment. This is called precedence. I would proffer that this makes the 14th Amendment essential.
So what? Well, if you really feel strongly about it, no non indigenous person living in America has a right to US citizenship since the the land was forcibly taken from them by white people not born here.
Laws no longer needed? You mean like the 4th amendment clause: “a well regulated militia being necessary for the defense of the country, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” We have a full-time military and the national guard to defend us. We don’t need a well-regulated militia, so there is no need for the 4th Amendment either.
I'm guessing (I'm not an attorney) 47 wanted to free all those terrorists from J6 so that he could have his own "well regulated militia." Some would say he can't do that? Who's going to stop him? SCOTUS???
You mean paramilitary brownshirts. Yes, he now has that and they've shouted from the rooftops that they're buying guns, seeking retribution, and will take on anyone they meet in the street. Good stuff.
2nd. You’re getting confused, man. And militias as interpreted in the 18th century were official armies of the states. Militia today have a different meaning. The 4th protects against unwarranted searches. A man’s home is his castle clause.
I think that is an unnecessary slur. You may not agree with Katz' position but it is a perfectly valid one to hold. I personally disagree (because I would prefer that we permit anyone who wants to come to America to come) but I think it is a valid positron to argue that people here illegally should not have the right to automatically have their children borne here become citizens even if they themselves can't.
"There are countless examples of women in pregnancy who time their birth by their presence in this country. They exploit this opening."
According to an AP article published in 2020, when he last tried to restrict birthright citizenship, "There are no figures on how many foreign women travel to the U.S. specifically to give birth. The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for stricter immigration laws, estimated that in 2012 about 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the U.S. and then left the country."
What would we gain by eliminating birthright citizenship? What would we lose?
And what standard would you suggest we use instead?
It seems it might be looked at with a lens similar to Blackstone's formulation that "it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer".
States shouldn’t have to sue the federal government to stop orders that are unconstitutional by their very nature, but here we are. The worst part of all of it is that it’s purely performative, rather than addressing any actual problems. I’m pretty sure that there will be no actual governing by Trump’s acolytes in the next four years, not least because his administration will be full of both the incompetent and the power-hungry and will turn on each other in a heartbeat.
I think there are many bad things that Trump is doing but it's not ALL performance. The birthright citizenship issue is a serious one and there are people on both sides of that argument who believe they are correct. And there are good arguments for both sides even if most of us here I expect would oppose Trump's view. That doesn't make the issue unimportant or performative.
I think the actions Trump is taking to stir up the pot on this issue and others are extreme and alarming, but I think the issue itself should be considered and a wise decision would hopefully be forthcoming.
Thank you Deb Pierce McCabe. I follow the state of Washington's Attorney General NICHOLAS W. BROWN. Age 47, former Army JAG Corp.
4 states have the best federal civil action that will topple Trump's attack on the 14th Amendment. See, my detailed comment below for the details of the case filed in Federal Court at Seattle. The case is already on calendar for a hearing.
We were all forewarned that (Liar, Fraud, Con, Grifter, Sex-abuser, Scumbag, Convicted Felon) Trump’s re-election would bring on another four-year-long shit show.
We have to do what we can to change this undemocratic path the current admin is trying to take us down. It mimics too much of a history that we don't want repeated. So we need to make sure that history is known to point out the similarities we face with it today. We have to encourage our representatives in Congress to stand firm for what must be done to stop the erosion of our democracy and rule of law. We must encourage the press to point out lies, disinformation, conspiracy theories and contradictions whenever they are spread. And we must begin to take steps now to help with voter turnout for the midterms.
You bring up a good point. This is why democrats need to re-evaluate issues. Without going into detail, we need new ideas. And I will assert that the white working class has left the Democratic Party for good reason only to run into the arms of a republicans who do not have their interests at heart.
Because the "white working class" hates that educated, qualified, competent womrn and people of color finally got a chance to participate in America without being to their Almighty white male superiors first.
Corporations moved jobs overseas, leaving communities in thr lurch. The GOP proposes policies to help their donors.
Don’t think Trump cares what Justice Scalia said; Justice Scalia is dead, past tense, and Trump only cares what Trump says, present tense.
Trump expects loyalty to him over the Constitution, and this act stinks entirely of protection racket: Do what I say and all is jack; defy me and my boys will have something to say.
I am just off a Zoom with Marc Elias' on Democracy Docket. which ended 5:00 pm Pacific. Over 3000 folks were on the Zoom-Webinar. Trump's attack on birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment was a central topic.
Marc Elias mentioned that a federal case was filed yesterday 1/21/25 in the Western District of Washington at Seattle & will likely is the first very strong challenge. The case is already set for a Hearing essentially a Rocket 🚀 Docket.
The case is the states of Washington Oregon, Arizona & Illinois vs. Donald Trump et al.
WA's AG Nick Brown rocks!
Case: 2:25-cv-00127; That's 4 states: WA, ORE, AZ & Illinois.
This Seattle case is not to be confused with a similar case filed by 22 State Attorney Generals. But, this case is in the 9th Circuit on Appeal which bodes well. 👍
Bryan - the Democracy Docket Zoom was outstanding! I’m guessing Marc Elias’s team will NOT be filing anything in Judge Kacsmaryk’s court. We can also venue shop!
Thank you for the clear presentation of this first shot in the war, so to speak. It is unrolling rapidly. I always believed he meant to do what he said he would do, but to see it in print, in the way it is being done, is terrifying (that would is going to be overused! alas). Thank you for your calm presentations which also make clear that the Resistance has begun
Trump has clearly laid out his plan to govern by threats, intimidation and coercion, exploiting the DOJ prosecutors and the U.S. military to display the full potential of his wrath. The parallels with the Nazi regime are becoming even more into focus.
The time is quickly approaching when even the middle-of-the road-Republicans will be forced to make a choice between their personal loyalty to Donald J. Trump and their loyalty to our democracy. This truly is the time that try men's souls. Let us hope that they put the country's interests above their own.
i don't know if they pay attention until it effects them personally. What are they listening to or reading? All of us here are working at staying informed...
I recently had an argument with a MAGA neighbor after being provoked by him. After reviewing what he said, his responses and phrasing came mostly from truth social
You’re welcome I meant to say also everything I said which was totally based on verifiable information which I pointed out to him was ignored as his responses turned more against me rather than the election, typically childish behavior. He is also a member of the local Global Methodist Church which is another source of damaging propaganda. They won’t listen, all we can hope for is to totally outnumber them.
And of course this political theater gets us no closer to a rational and sustainable immigration policy. But then, an actual solution is the last thing any terrorist organization wants.
Dale what would a rational and sustainable plan look like to you? I would proffer that we in fact have attempted to have one but that no President had actually attempted to seriously enforce it because the costs are now so high as to make it unenforceable, and our citizens want something much more flexible and permissible.
I think the correct solution at least for some period of time would be an open border policy. We have a large country with lots of empty space. We are not overcrowded at all. Let's get the benefit of people wanting to come here for freedom and prosperity and turn that to a political and philosophical advantage.
This would let Ramaswamy's Indian tech immigrants and Mexico's farmer worker immigrants all in equally (along with others as well). Diversity would increase and or country would once again be the melting of of the world.
That is what brought us our strength once and would again IMHO.
Believe we already had that discussion. Great pipe dream. Ain't gonna happen in the real world and certainly while the MAGAsphere has control of the levers.
On January 20, 2025, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Oath of Office to Trump as required by Article II, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution: Before he <any President-elect> enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath.
This is Trump’s sworn oath: “I Donald John Trump do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”
That is a fraudulent oath, a false statement made under oath. Trump lied! It is not his intent to preserve, protect and defend our democracy, which is what the Constitution is, a democracy of, by, and for the people. To be fair, there is one other possibility and that is he was not even aware he lied, such is his psychological structure. Either way, his Oath is not truthful. How do I know he was not truthful? I know because of the homework that went into my Substack post, It Can’t Happen Here (rolandlavoie.substack.com). Read that post and decide for yourself. As for me, his Oath is, without question, wicked; it is not a serious promise that commits him to keep his word, it is not a guardrail against wrongdoing or misconduct.
Trump will not exercise his oath because he views democracy negatively. He is a proponent of Hitler’s “the principle of personality is the principle of achievement” and, like Hitler, he believes the “principle of democracy is an underachieving, irresponsible majority of numbers”. Trump buys all of Hitler’s cynical realism about democracy. I suspect that Trump thinks it is just ‘common sense’.
Here is Hitler speaking in 1922: “Rule of the people in reality is the rule of stupidity, of mediocrity, of half-heartedness, of cowardice, of weakness, and of inadequacy. Thus, democracy will in practice lead to the destruction of a people’s true values.”
Trump wholeheartedly believes that as well. To deliver on his promise to Make America Great Again, he is ditching democracy and implementing Hitler’s playbook. Democracy is out, and individual personality, individual genius (wealth), autocracy, and fascism are in. Every day of Trump2.0 will prove his Oath was a lie.
But, hey, he did not put his hand on the Bible so maybe his Oath doesn’t count, maybe that whole Oath thing was a skillful sleight of hand - of the worst sort. Chief Justice Roberts bought it, especially the “so help me God” part. Sure, the words are in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, except the “so help me God” part, which was added to the Oath in 1818; but they are just words, right? Okay, okay, John Wayne would have us believe words are what men live by; a man’s word means he keeps his promises; you can trust him, he is trustworthy and reliable; he is a man of his word. Obviously, Trump is not that kind of man, he does not have that goodness of human character; he is no John Wayne. So where is Trump on the moral spectrum? Jesus taught that people should be truthful, but Trump is an inveterate liar; therefore, about truthfulness, he is off the end of the moral spectrum.
Lies come in all sizes, some are small white lies and some can be incredibly dark and destructive - like his Oath of Office lie. It was so dark, in fact, that when combined with his inaugural speech right after his Oath, a speech that was devoid of love, respect, humility, and beauty, the combined Oath and speech conjure up the specter of the Antichrist.
It remains disquieting that Trump swore an Oath of Office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution when he has no intent to do that. He does not believe the statement of national purpose in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (1863): “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Left to his natural impulses, Trump is on course to perish government of, by and for the people.
While Trump is no Hitler, not even close, he is a serious student of Hitler, especially his ability to enthrall his audiences. Trump2.0 is doubling down on his use of Hitler’s playbook and that is a prescription for ruin. By 1945, Germany lay in ruins and on April 30,1945, Hitler committed suicide.
Trump’s Oath of Office is a wicked lie, which presages a battle for America’s innermost self.
Primary references used in this comment:
My New Order, a collection of speeches by Adolf Hitler, 1926.
The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt, 1951.
“The best of his ability” Trump doesn’t have any abilities. He’s in office to stay out of prison and bilk more money out of the government. Our taxes will pay every penny for his court cases and they’ll go up unless we’re part of the million dollar contribution crowd. Unemployment will skyrocket with all the government layoffs. Interest rates will soar and inflation will be insane. Then there will be food shortages because we all know immigrants are the farm workers and food processors. Along with that we won’t know if our food is safe to eat. Buy your rice and beans now.
Just for the record, there is no requirement anywhere that your hand be placed on a Bible. That is a personal preference as is the choice to use the words "swear" or "affirm", one being at religious term, the other being a non secular term. It was obviously kind of dorky to have his wife actually hold the Bible for him but not put his hand on it, but it has zero meaning at all in reality.
I wouldn't hold my breath for 2 years. Maybe even 4. There will be no impeachment while the GOP holds the House and even when they don't hold it there is virtually no chance of getting 2/3 of the Senate to convict.
This all could have been avoided had Biden had the courage to pardon all law-abiding undocumented immigrants. They are only guilty of a federal misdemeanor, unlike say, beating a capitol policeman into a heart attack. Shame on him and the cowardly Democrats afraid of xenophobic blowback. Carter had the courage to do it for 500,000 draft evaders, all guilty of a felony-and it was the right thing to do since the war was corrupt, but it wasn't a popular act.
We are in this mess because Biden was blind to his vulnerability as soon as he lost the house in 2022.I deeply admire his accomplishments when he had almost no Congressional power to work with. The issue here is pardoning people with resources while simultaneously allowing this monster to try to destroy the lives of 11 million innocent people who lack legal defense. We just buried a great man who understood these moral imperatives. Apparently Biden does not. If a leader cannot rise to a critical moral challenge, I will call him out-I don’t care who he is.
Allen, there was no act Biden could have taken that would have prevented this free-fall into fascism, kleptocracy, theocracy, oligarchy, or whatever other type of group is currently flexing their political power for the control of the government. This has been building for decades, organizing more patiently than one could imagine. The Project 2025 authors noted they have been preparing such a document prior to each election for many years. Only in this year did the Outline for the first 100 Days become the first 180 Days, fully detailed in 900 pages as they collected plans to take charge and remake the government in their image, achieving full control and eliminating all opposition. The execution of these plans, through Executive Order, is exactly what we are seeing.
Pardoning undocumented immigrants would be 100% totally ineffective. WHY? Because pardons can NOT be prospective only retrospective, ie they only hold for crimes committed in the past.
Any undocumented immigrant who is guilty of a crime on January 19 who would have been pardoned by a Biden act would STILL be committing the SAME crime on Jan 21 after Trump took office unless they either got citizenship or papers for status on the same day as the pardon OR they left the country.
There would be virtually no way for any but a small percentage to get legal status (Biden would have had the power to give a pardon but NOT the power to give them citizenship or legal status) on that day. Everyone else Subject to that pardon would immediately be breaking the law again on Jan 21 and again Subject to deportation.
This idea was floated but it was absolutely deemed to be useless and senseless.
It is absolutely different from the mass pardon given to draft resisters by Carter. Those people were no longer committing a crime after the pardons were given because the draft had already been terminated after the Vietnam War war over. And they were all US citizens so they could all return home if they weren't already.
I didn’t just blame Biden. I called my Congressman, I called my Senator, I called Senator Whitehouse, I called Senator Murphy. I wrote Joyce Vance, I wrote Steve Schmidt, I wrote Ezra Klein, I wrote Chris Hayes, I wrote Rachel Maddow, and I wrote Michael Mooreasking them to publicly press Biden to pardon the immigrants. ONLY Michael Moore publicly called for the pardon. The rest: crickets. I am amazed at your healthcare remark. The pardon power is absolute in the Constitution. Health care requires legislation. The comparison is ludicrous.
As I noted above, a pardon for undocumented immigrants would have had essentially no effect and would have been a waste of time and effort. Since their crime was continuing as long as they remained in the US without proper status they would still so be subject to arrest after Trump took office. That is why no one responded to your request. It would have had ZERO effect. Biden would have needed the power to grant them legal status in the US, a power he did not have under Article II.
Joyce!!!! thank you! You are my elucidator!
This is a much better title than the phase of my life as a prosecutor where I handled arsons and bombs and someone put a sign on my office door that said "Arson Chick"
I feel your pain! As a corporate attorney I had to go to another country and notify 70 people that they were being terminated, and I was thereafter known as The Terminator!
As far as I can tell Joyce, you’re still dealing with arson and bombs… as they drop on precedent and the rule of law.
Can we call TCF “Precedent Trump?” The first convicted felon serving as president, certainly sets a precedent. One our founders never imagined.
Predator trump ( no caps on his name)
His title for me is FELON TRUMP!
That covers it ALL?
Jaundiced Predator drumph...born with no caps & no Jimminy Cricket on his shoulders to provide a guiding conscience....a hollow man.
I don’t use his name, just a number #45.
I would laugh if I did not start this morning by crying. Seems to be a daily event.
I am terrified and it's only day four! One of my clients told me that last month, before the inauguration, her friend who is from Puerto Rico living here in Philadelphia with her husband and two kids was stopped and was asked for her ID. She didn't have it on her so they put her on a bus and off to Tijuana!
I can't decide what is scarier--the mass deportation situation or the pardoning of the insurrectionists. They are talking about regrouping and carrying out trump's retribution fantasy....
The one good thing about the pardons is that they aroused outrage from more people and groups than other issues have.
Maybe that will cause some folks to pay attention and voice opposition, who otherwise wouldn't have.
There is nothing positive about pardoning these criminals that are getting ready to be trump's militia. I'm afraid they'll go after trump's perceived enemies. trump will just keep pardoning.
If you want outrage just wait for the privatization of medicare....
But who are we going to voice opposition to?
Most of his edicts are so repugnant they cannot be ranked. He is like a spoiled 2 yr old breaking all his toys in a temper tantrum who grew up to be this narcissistic immoral being, bent on wreaking havoc upon our government (& ultimately the American people). He is petty, vindictive and dangerous. He has ordered that Health & Human Services departments (CDC for one) can no longer issue any notices. These agencies are supported by our tax dollars & We the People have a right to benefit from their research, current information & health risks…..but this is another step in shutting down information, freedom of the press, or any narrative other than Trump’s.
We need to keep pressure on our elected officials by demanding that they oppose these kind of unilateral take-aways. The mid-term elections are coming up and the Rs want to keep all their seats. We need to be loud & visible to bring about any change.
You are a fucking moron.
So are you to fall for that bot's BS..Read all of it's posts and you will clearly see that it is a disinformation bot put in place to spread negative messages about being defeated, and giving up, blah blah blah. So take a seat.
who is ?
maybe a response to the deleted comment....
Were you directing this response to me? If so , why??
You give us all courage, Joyce Vance!
You stood up to arsonists and bombers, and that gives us courage to stand up to an insurrectionist, albeit one whom was elected president.
And we get watch her chickens !
Yes,. Please keep the chicken photos coming!
Give us courage to keep letting criminals into our country?
Reported per the September 2024 Terms of Use.
You're still here asshole.
Who is it that you imagine is advocating this? Hmm?
I agree, it’s a great title, and one which we will definitely remember. (“Arson Chick,” really??)
"Arson Chick"!? No wonder you have a strong affinity for your poultry friends!
Har!
I second your ‘Har.’
Yes, in keeping with the Latin origins of elucidator, Joyce is both an explainer and an illuminator of the Dark Side.
E. Jean—you are our heroine.
Har!
Autocracy doesn’t arrive with a bang; it sneaks in under the guise of legalese and executive memos. This DOJ directive is a quiet alarm bell for anyone paying attention. Democracy is being tested, and we can’t afford to hit snooze.
There is nothing sneaky about brazenly pardoning the insurrectionists who are already talking about payback. trump just got himself his own private militia....
Felon Trump tells it all, and he told us what his plans are!
Put your seat belt on! Believe what Felon Trump has told you!
FT is going to do exactly what he “promised.”
Seat up very straight! Hang in there! BUT resist in every way!
I'm not sure anything Trump and his cronies had planned or is doing is quiet. The question is who is listening and do they understand what the ramifications are. It may be wise if those with a podium begin to compare what Trump is doing to what happened in Nazi Germany. Many Americans will get it and for those who are ignorant of the history, maybe a history lesson might help some with brains and an open mind. One way or another the ramifications of the steps Trump has and is taking is important to communicate to all Americans so maybe additional destruction to our democracy and rule of law can be dwarfed.
In this case it has arrived with a bang!
I am leaving the country on Saturday and am beginning to wonder why I would come back 😢
Because we're going to fight!
I am on the board for a shelter that cares for asylum seekers. I had a 22 yr old crying on my shoulder today because they are so scared! I am fighting but the actions this week in just 3 days are just beyond words! Thank you for being you!
Thank you, Dawn, for your commitment to help people who arrive here without any resources. Thankfully, people like you are there to help them. They'll always remember how you helped. God bless you.
Thank you for anything you do. Asylum seekers go through hell. I think Lady Liberty is about to crumble!
You're a persistent worthless piece of shit, aren't you? Go back to Flyover Loserville, where you belong with the rest of the shitkicking hayshaking losers.
Dawn,
I'm betting you've seen (at about 1:50 pm today, 1-23-25, EST) that U.S. District Court Judge John C. Coughenour (in Seattle) has issued a 14-day restraining order that will block, for 14 days, trump's Executive Order ending birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional". Trump's EO wasn't going to take effect until February 19. There are also Federal Court hearings scheduled in Maryland and New Hampshire the next few weeks on this same EO. Here's the Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/judge-in-seattle-blocks-trump-order-on-birthright-citizenship-nationwide/
Also, Bloomberg Law: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/trump-birthright-citizenship-order-temporarily-blocked-by-judge?source=newsletter&item=body-link®ion=text-section
I hope that 22 yr, and others, can see and hear the sound of good people adding more and more of their voices and power to correct this wrong. Chin up!
The problem is there are human beings, including children, at the border RIGHT now. There are a few thousand Afghanis that HELPED us who were waiting to fly out and their flights were canceled. CRUELTY is the goal. And people will die waiting.
Dawn,
I don't know if you've already got a copy of today's injunction or not. In the event you don't, here's where you can find it and copy it if needed: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.343943/gov.uscourts.wawd.343943.43.0_1.pdf
One can also fight from abroad. That is what many of the people who supported Navalny did too. I am involved in Democrats Abroad and we are planning to fight from abroad.
Operationally, how do you identify people to strip them of birthright citizenship? Both my grandparents were immigrants. Both my parents were born here. I have never seen— nor would i know how to locate—proof that my grandparents officially became citizens.
And i bet trump doesn’t have his grandparents’ citizenship papers either.
He probably doesn't have them nor does he know where to find them. But he has "people" who would look for them or create such documents, if needed.
In a related comment, when he was signing the EO on day one, Melania was standing over his shoulder, seemingly to make sure he excluded Baron from deportation. 😉
Ha!
Send Melania back home! Take her father! Take her sister!
She came in illegally! All of them probably did, too?
He's German!
What I read is that DT is wanting both parents to be US citizens, so this is going to affect many of my friends in the US who are working at our neighborhood university and came to the US as academic couples and had their children here. None of them had US citizenship when their children were born here.
It affects my daughter and me as well. How so, my mother was not born in the US, and in fact is not a US citizen, she is a resident alien. My husband was not born in the US so that would make my daughter not a US citizen.
Furthermore, by this definition DT only has one child who could be a US citizen and since DTs mom was born abroad he should not be one either, or allowed to be President.
As # 45, this was an ongoing project. In January 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated its intention to refer approximately 1,600 additional citizens to DOJ for prosecution. In its 2019 budget request, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed its intention to review the files of 700,000 U.S. citizens. https://immpolicytracking.org/media/documents/ACLU_Fact_Sheet_on_Denaturalization.pdf
IMHO the people targeted are not from Northern Europe. USCIS removed Humanitarian Parole, complicating access for migrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua.The elimination of humanitarian status probably brings the sponsors of the people who just lost their visa rights int gun sights. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268986/trump-humanitarian-parole-immigration
One of my friends who could not come into the country right away in the first Trump administration, is Northern European and African. He is German-Egyptian, meaning born and raised in Germany with a German mom and Egyptian dad who had a medical practice together. Since my friend is Muslim he had a hard time entering the US to take up his teaching job at our local Uni, because of the Trump Muslim ban. His Finnish wife and he stayed in Finland with their children until then. Both children had been born in the US though because he had done his doctoral work in the US. So, that is why they have citizenship.
Well, they used to have citizenship. Now the orange diaper baby will take it away if mom is Finnish and he's German-Egyptian. Anyway, why would they ever come here if they can live in Europe?
I read it in Wikipedia, so I don't know if it can be believed--but according to the article, Mary Trump had become a naturalized citizen by the time DonOld was born. Does that affect his status? I wish.
Not according to his formula where your parents need to have been born in the US.
I assume his immigration and deportation policies only apply to people whose skin is one shade or more darker than his - without the makeup, of course.
In the old days you could make an application to Homeland Security (it took me 14 months to get a response). You can also try FamilySearch. which is a tremendous resource. I was able to get information/documents from the County Clerk, where my Grandfather and his brother were naturalized. It takes time and patience.
White immigrants will be fine.
Not necessarily. If there is a decision on birthright citizenship that reverses current law, it would affect all children born of immigrants, black, white or brown.
Were Musk’s Children born before he was a citizen? Will they get an exception?
Musk was granted citizenship back in 2005 I believe. I am pretty sure all his kids were born after that. But even if not, as he is now a citizen, I think his kids are also granted citizenship.
I think the word “strip” is misleading. My understanding is that Trump’s order is for births happening on or after the date the executive order takes place.
Were your grandparents naturalized before or after your parents were born? See how silly this is?
But the larger point is that it is very clear in the Constitution that persons born in the US are full citizens, period. The reason for the statement was that after the civil war, many formerly Confederate states enacted laws saying you couldn’t be a citizen unless your grandfather was a citizen, which meant freed slaves weren’t citizens. The intent of this passage was to make it clear you could not deny citizenship to someone born in America, whatever the status of their parents.
The courts have consistently supported birthright citizenship.
Probably also worth noting that at the time there were no laws prohibiting immigration.
That is not my understanding. My understanding is that it is applicable to everyone currently living in the USA. Where did you see that it applies to people going forward?
It's unclear because the specifics aren't in the initial authorizing executive order, which may not mean anything anyway. But it is safe to say that this will be an unresolved issue for a while.
I would disagree that the 14th Amendment is "perfectly clear" on this issue. As with many clauses in the Constitution, there is wiggle room. In this case the "comma" clause that reads "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof," provides a huge loophole that the SCOTUS could reinterpret almost any way they choose.
For instance they could decide that this clause means someone borne of undocumented immigrants can not be "subject to the jurisdiction" as they are not citizens and therefore not subject to the jurisdiction.
It will obviously not be a popular decision if they decide this, and it will turn 150 years of jurisprudence in the US on its head, but with this SCOTUS stranger things have happened.
Just look at the presidential immunity decision.
You can also look at Heller, where they read "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State" right out of the Second Amendment while ignoring the facts that at the time there was no standing army and the arms mentioned consisted of muzzle loading muskets.
But if immigrants who are not citizens are not "subject to the jurisdiction" they can't be prosecuted either, can they? My understanding is that clause is for those with diplomatic immunity.
Interesting that you should mention children born of undocumented immigrants. As I understand it, here in El Paso, women would cross the border from Mexico when they were about to give birth, so their children would have US citizenship. I don't know if that is still happening, but it easily could because so many people cross the border daily for work or school. I've known people who are US citizens that worked in Mexico.
IDK: I read (here?, HCR?, Hopium Chronicles?) that he wants to take revenge against Kamala and is trying to figure out how to deport her.
My point exactly. My father was an immigrant, but my mother's family came to this country starting in 1633 and all her ancestors were here before 1775. So what am I? What trump doesn't seem to understand is that all of us, at one time or another, were immigrants. Given that my father arrived here in 1913, there's no way I would ever find his immigration papers.
Go to the Mormons. They can find anything. Such as the passenger manifest of the ship that brought my wife's grandfather to US in the 1890s from Ukraine via Hamburg.
Thank you!
I empathize with you and I have been wondering, too: How far back is he going to go? What if half your family can trace its roots back to the 2nd Mayflower and your other side has immigrant grandparents? I know from stories that my immigrant grandparents became citizens, but what if my parent was born BEFORE they became citizens? Will that parent be posthumously stripped of their birth-right citizenship? If THAT happens, even though I was born here, does that negate MY birthright citizenship?
I think the immediate focus is on those brought here illegally in the past few decades; it is STILL wrong, according to the Constitution, and has been challenged before and dismissed. Heather Cox Richardson talked about this on her Tuesday Politics Chat, if you're interested in the history of how it came to be and has been defended.
I'm guessing there is a database that identifies when people became naturalized citizens and most likely is in the Department of State.
I don't have the paperwork any more, but I know that my mother's first ancestors arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1633, and all her ancestors were here before 1775. My father was born in Hungary and came here in 1913 at the age of 8. I know he was a citizen, but it would appear that doesn't count.
I can trace mine back to John Quincy Adams. Someone in my family wrote a book about it so certainly I could find that book if I tried.
Joyce! You are awesome- here fighting in NC- wish I had a law degree for all the shenanigans taking place but we have to be vigilant. From the Carolina Journal this am—Griffin will not be allowed to bypass a state trial court in his effort to block 65,000 or more votes from counting in his election against Democrat Allison Riggs. The state’s highest court issued an order Wednesday sending the case back to Wake County Superior Court to address his election challenge.
The 5-1 decision prompted four justices to write separate opinions. The North Carolina Supreme Court acted as the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals prepares for oral arguments Monday dealing with the same dispute.
This judge is a douche bag, and North Carolinians shouldn't have to go through this, but, sadly, I think MAGA's who lose close elections are going to use the Orange playbook from now on in terms of appealing ad nauseum and holding up elections. I do have high confidence in Anderson Clayton and the NC DEM Party, however! She is smart and savvy and well-connected. Almost makes me want to move there.
How do we fight Joyce? As I posted earlier one of my client's friends from Puerto Rico who has a green card was stopped here in Philadelphia and because she didn't have ID was thrown in a bus. My client got a call from her from Tijuana! I'm relying on people like you with large platforms....
This machine is to well greased. Fighting may be suicidal.
There are many excellent immigration lawyers, immigration law resources & a capable bar of asylum attorneys.
In case you haven't noticed, this woman or bot, is spreading disinformation in every one of its posts. The message is to give up, don't fight, we're already defeated. She is put in place here to pollute the discussion with negativity.
Go fuck yourself, Trumpscum.
are you talking about Veronica?
Drop dead. Your accusations are your confessions of guilt.
No, please don’t even think of leaving as we must carry the political “fight” forward to take back the House of Representatives in 21 months! We can achieve this critically important result by motivating fair minded voters in just twenty (20) “truly competitive” Congressional Districts within only twelve (12) competitive states! Winning the House majority can and will protect our democracy until the general election in 2028! We need all hands on deck to work in their neighborhoods to promote and inspire a massive turnout of fair minded patriots to defeat Trumpism front and center! Stay and fight politically for the America we cherish! Will you?
One leaves, one leaves behind.
I wish I had the resources to leave, this is all too much for me 😞
Michelle & Everyone:
The Democracy Docket Website is FREE: www.democracy docket.com
Like Heather Cox Richardson, Marc Elias produces real-time News-you-can-Use
Democracy Docket has over 800 case law pages!
"If you Do not like the News - Go Out & Make Some Yourself!"
Excellent reply, Bryan. Thank you!
I need to give my hat tip to Wes "Scoop" Nisker 🙏 for his famous Bay Area sign off " ... Make Some Yourself ". Scoop died back in 2023.
Thanks for the reminder, Marc is a hero
Michelle, my family has been here since the Revolutionary War. This is our country and people like you worked to make it great and young people will be strong and we will come back. I am sad as well, but this is our country. There are more of us.
I'm leaving on the 2nd and really hate the thought of coming home.
Thanks Joyce! The only way to stop this nonsense is to stand up to the bully at every turn. Challenge and fight it in the courts! And show our strength in the streets if we have to!
As a contrarian, and obviously having a minority opinion here, I will submit that the 14th amendment is no longer needed as it was initiated to prevent African Americans formerly enslaved from being sent to Africa. I welcome debate. There are countless examples of women in pregnancy who time their birth by their presence in this country. They exploit this opening.
There is nothing wrong with revisiting laws no longer needed. Another amendment being the 2nd although this one really never gave citizens the right to bear arms but only “organized militia.” The NRA which was taken over by industry zealots poisoned the mindsets by claiming otherwise. We should be willing to invalidate amendments no longer necessary. Contrary opinions welcomed.
The law is needed because we want people to immigrate here and put down permanent roots and contribute to our nation. People often talk about immigration as if it was a gift we are bestowing. Imo it's a gift we are receiving.
Millions of Americans whose ancestry is not related to slavery have citizenship because of the 14th Amendment. This is called precedence. I would proffer that this makes the 14th Amendment essential.
No European nation offers birth right citizenship.
So what? Well, if you really feel strongly about it, no non indigenous person living in America has a right to US citizenship since the the land was forcibly taken from them by white people not born here.
Right on, Cindy!!
Laws no longer needed? You mean like the 4th amendment clause: “a well regulated militia being necessary for the defense of the country, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” We have a full-time military and the national guard to defend us. We don’t need a well-regulated militia, so there is no need for the 4th Amendment either.
I'm guessing (I'm not an attorney) 47 wanted to free all those terrorists from J6 so that he could have his own "well regulated militia." Some would say he can't do that? Who's going to stop him? SCOTUS???
That’s my fear too. His own Revolutionary Guard.
You mean paramilitary brownshirts. Yes, he now has that and they've shouted from the rooftops that they're buying guns, seeking retribution, and will take on anyone they meet in the street. Good stuff.
2nd. You’re getting confused, man. And militias as interpreted in the 18th century were official armies of the states. Militia today have a different meaning. The 4th protects against unwarranted searches. A man’s home is his castle clause.
Are you arguing simply for your own entertainment?
I blocked him finally seems to be a troll
I think that is an unnecessary slur. You may not agree with Katz' position but it is a perfectly valid one to hold. I personally disagree (because I would prefer that we permit anyone who wants to come to America to come) but I think it is a valid positron to argue that people here illegally should not have the right to automatically have their children borne here become citizens even if they themselves can't.
"There are countless examples of women in pregnancy who time their birth by their presence in this country. They exploit this opening."
According to an AP article published in 2020, when he last tried to restrict birthright citizenship, "There are no figures on how many foreign women travel to the U.S. specifically to give birth. The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for stricter immigration laws, estimated that in 2012 about 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the U.S. and then left the country."
What would we gain by eliminating birthright citizenship? What would we lose?
And what standard would you suggest we use instead?
It seems it might be looked at with a lens similar to Blackstone's formulation that "it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer".
Weird.
States shouldn’t have to sue the federal government to stop orders that are unconstitutional by their very nature, but here we are. The worst part of all of it is that it’s purely performative, rather than addressing any actual problems. I’m pretty sure that there will be no actual governing by Trump’s acolytes in the next four years, not least because his administration will be full of both the incompetent and the power-hungry and will turn on each other in a heartbeat.
I think there are many bad things that Trump is doing but it's not ALL performance. The birthright citizenship issue is a serious one and there are people on both sides of that argument who believe they are correct. And there are good arguments for both sides even if most of us here I expect would oppose Trump's view. That doesn't make the issue unimportant or performative.
I think the actions Trump is taking to stir up the pot on this issue and others are extreme and alarming, but I think the issue itself should be considered and a wise decision would hopefully be forthcoming.
Thank you, Joyce. And thank you to my state Attorney General, Nick Brown, for leading this fight.
Thank you Deb Pierce McCabe. I follow the state of Washington's Attorney General NICHOLAS W. BROWN. Age 47, former Army JAG Corp.
4 states have the best federal civil action that will topple Trump's attack on the 14th Amendment. See, my detailed comment below for the details of the case filed in Federal Court at Seattle. The case is already on calendar for a hearing.
Nick Brown rocks!
We were all forewarned that (Liar, Fraud, Con, Grifter, Sex-abuser, Scumbag, Convicted Felon) Trump’s re-election would bring on another four-year-long shit show.
Sadly, we’re now just at the beginning.
RESIST!!!
If I knew for certain it would only be 4 years, I would be calmer. I do not believe so for one minute.
All the more reason to fight against this, now.
We have to do what we can to change this undemocratic path the current admin is trying to take us down. It mimics too much of a history that we don't want repeated. So we need to make sure that history is known to point out the similarities we face with it today. We have to encourage our representatives in Congress to stand firm for what must be done to stop the erosion of our democracy and rule of law. We must encourage the press to point out lies, disinformation, conspiracy theories and contradictions whenever they are spread. And we must begin to take steps now to help with voter turnout for the midterms.
You bring up a good point. This is why democrats need to re-evaluate issues. Without going into detail, we need new ideas. And I will assert that the white working class has left the Democratic Party for good reason only to run into the arms of a republicans who do not have their interests at heart.
Because the "white working class" hates that educated, qualified, competent womrn and people of color finally got a chance to participate in America without being to their Almighty white male superiors first.
Corporations moved jobs overseas, leaving communities in thr lurch. The GOP proposes policies to help their donors.
But, sure,it's all thr fault of DEI,right?
This appears to be too complicated for your thought processes.
The way I see it it could be less than 4. However the GOP will continue to try and seize power even if we win, so this is going to be a major problem.
Go drop dead, you worthless braindead piece of shit.
If you don't like it, leave and don't let the door hit your ignorant ass you embarrassing piece of something I scrape off my shoe.
Monday I dug out my Resist; With Fear for Our Democracy, I Dissent; and #OneTermDonnie t-shirts, and will put them in regular rotation.
Yes, focused Opposition!
You took the words from my mouth.
Don’t think Trump cares what Justice Scalia said; Justice Scalia is dead, past tense, and Trump only cares what Trump says, present tense.
Trump expects loyalty to him over the Constitution, and this act stinks entirely of protection racket: Do what I say and all is jack; defy me and my boys will have something to say.
Topic: 14th Amendment Birthright Citizenship
I am just off a Zoom with Marc Elias' on Democracy Docket. which ended 5:00 pm Pacific. Over 3000 folks were on the Zoom-Webinar. Trump's attack on birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment was a central topic.
Marc Elias mentioned that a federal case was filed yesterday 1/21/25 in the Western District of Washington at Seattle & will likely is the first very strong challenge. The case is already set for a Hearing essentially a Rocket 🚀 Docket.
The case is the states of Washington Oregon, Arizona & Illinois vs. Donald Trump et al.
WA's AG Nick Brown rocks!
Case: 2:25-cv-00127; That's 4 states: WA, ORE, AZ & Illinois.
This Seattle case is not to be confused with a similar case filed by 22 State Attorney Generals. But, this case is in the 9th Circuit on Appeal which bodes well. 👍
Bryan - the Democracy Docket Zoom was outstanding! I’m guessing Marc Elias’s team will NOT be filing anything in Judge Kacsmaryk’s court. We can also venue shop!
Thanks for the clear explanation of these actions.
Thank you for the clear presentation of this first shot in the war, so to speak. It is unrolling rapidly. I always believed he meant to do what he said he would do, but to see it in print, in the way it is being done, is terrifying (that would is going to be overused! alas). Thank you for your calm presentations which also make clear that the Resistance has begun
Trump has clearly laid out his plan to govern by threats, intimidation and coercion, exploiting the DOJ prosecutors and the U.S. military to display the full potential of his wrath. The parallels with the Nazi regime are becoming even more into focus.
The time is quickly approaching when even the middle-of-the road-Republicans will be forced to make a choice between their personal loyalty to Donald J. Trump and their loyalty to our democracy. This truly is the time that try men's souls. Let us hope that they put the country's interests above their own.
i don't know if they pay attention until it effects them personally. What are they listening to or reading? All of us here are working at staying informed...
I recently had an argument with a MAGA neighbor after being provoked by him. After reviewing what he said, his responses and phrasing came mostly from truth social
Thank you
You’re welcome I meant to say also everything I said which was totally based on verifiable information which I pointed out to him was ignored as his responses turned more against me rather than the election, typically childish behavior. He is also a member of the local Global Methodist Church which is another source of damaging propaganda. They won’t listen, all we can hope for is to totally outnumber them.
That’s it we have to reach the voters who didn’t vote and the young generation who wonder how they can move forward with the Dems.
And of course this political theater gets us no closer to a rational and sustainable immigration policy. But then, an actual solution is the last thing any terrorist organization wants.
Got that right Dale of Green Gables, signal vs noise.
Dale what would a rational and sustainable plan look like to you? I would proffer that we in fact have attempted to have one but that no President had actually attempted to seriously enforce it because the costs are now so high as to make it unenforceable, and our citizens want something much more flexible and permissible.
I think the correct solution at least for some period of time would be an open border policy. We have a large country with lots of empty space. We are not overcrowded at all. Let's get the benefit of people wanting to come here for freedom and prosperity and turn that to a political and philosophical advantage.
This would let Ramaswamy's Indian tech immigrants and Mexico's farmer worker immigrants all in equally (along with others as well). Diversity would increase and or country would once again be the melting of of the world.
That is what brought us our strength once and would again IMHO.
Believe we already had that discussion. Great pipe dream. Ain't gonna happen in the real world and certainly while the MAGAsphere has control of the levers.
On January 20, 2025, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Oath of Office to Trump as required by Article II, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution: Before he <any President-elect> enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath.
This is Trump’s sworn oath: “I Donald John Trump do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”
That is a fraudulent oath, a false statement made under oath. Trump lied! It is not his intent to preserve, protect and defend our democracy, which is what the Constitution is, a democracy of, by, and for the people. To be fair, there is one other possibility and that is he was not even aware he lied, such is his psychological structure. Either way, his Oath is not truthful. How do I know he was not truthful? I know because of the homework that went into my Substack post, It Can’t Happen Here (rolandlavoie.substack.com). Read that post and decide for yourself. As for me, his Oath is, without question, wicked; it is not a serious promise that commits him to keep his word, it is not a guardrail against wrongdoing or misconduct.
Trump will not exercise his oath because he views democracy negatively. He is a proponent of Hitler’s “the principle of personality is the principle of achievement” and, like Hitler, he believes the “principle of democracy is an underachieving, irresponsible majority of numbers”. Trump buys all of Hitler’s cynical realism about democracy. I suspect that Trump thinks it is just ‘common sense’.
Here is Hitler speaking in 1922: “Rule of the people in reality is the rule of stupidity, of mediocrity, of half-heartedness, of cowardice, of weakness, and of inadequacy. Thus, democracy will in practice lead to the destruction of a people’s true values.”
Trump wholeheartedly believes that as well. To deliver on his promise to Make America Great Again, he is ditching democracy and implementing Hitler’s playbook. Democracy is out, and individual personality, individual genius (wealth), autocracy, and fascism are in. Every day of Trump2.0 will prove his Oath was a lie.
But, hey, he did not put his hand on the Bible so maybe his Oath doesn’t count, maybe that whole Oath thing was a skillful sleight of hand - of the worst sort. Chief Justice Roberts bought it, especially the “so help me God” part. Sure, the words are in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, except the “so help me God” part, which was added to the Oath in 1818; but they are just words, right? Okay, okay, John Wayne would have us believe words are what men live by; a man’s word means he keeps his promises; you can trust him, he is trustworthy and reliable; he is a man of his word. Obviously, Trump is not that kind of man, he does not have that goodness of human character; he is no John Wayne. So where is Trump on the moral spectrum? Jesus taught that people should be truthful, but Trump is an inveterate liar; therefore, about truthfulness, he is off the end of the moral spectrum.
Lies come in all sizes, some are small white lies and some can be incredibly dark and destructive - like his Oath of Office lie. It was so dark, in fact, that when combined with his inaugural speech right after his Oath, a speech that was devoid of love, respect, humility, and beauty, the combined Oath and speech conjure up the specter of the Antichrist.
It remains disquieting that Trump swore an Oath of Office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution when he has no intent to do that. He does not believe the statement of national purpose in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (1863): “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Left to his natural impulses, Trump is on course to perish government of, by and for the people.
While Trump is no Hitler, not even close, he is a serious student of Hitler, especially his ability to enthrall his audiences. Trump2.0 is doubling down on his use of Hitler’s playbook and that is a prescription for ruin. By 1945, Germany lay in ruins and on April 30,1945, Hitler committed suicide.
Trump’s Oath of Office is a wicked lie, which presages a battle for America’s innermost self.
Primary references used in this comment:
My New Order, a collection of speeches by Adolf Hitler, 1926.
The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt, 1951.
Random Trump speeches.
“The best of his ability” Trump doesn’t have any abilities. He’s in office to stay out of prison and bilk more money out of the government. Our taxes will pay every penny for his court cases and they’ll go up unless we’re part of the million dollar contribution crowd. Unemployment will skyrocket with all the government layoffs. Interest rates will soar and inflation will be insane. Then there will be food shortages because we all know immigrants are the farm workers and food processors. Along with that we won’t know if our food is safe to eat. Buy your rice and beans now.
Just for the record, there is no requirement anywhere that your hand be placed on a Bible. That is a personal preference as is the choice to use the words "swear" or "affirm", one being at religious term, the other being a non secular term. It was obviously kind of dorky to have his wife actually hold the Bible for him but not put his hand on it, but it has zero meaning at all in reality.
Just sayin'...
Let me know when impeachment is proposed. Trump’s ignorance of the law and poor judgement make for resistance, even from supposed supporters.
Let us know when there are 66 Democratic Senators to find him guilty. Otherwise you're wasting valuable oxygen.
I wouldn't hold my breath for 2 years. Maybe even 4. There will be no impeachment while the GOP holds the House and even when they don't hold it there is virtually no chance of getting 2/3 of the Senate to convict.
This all could have been avoided had Biden had the courage to pardon all law-abiding undocumented immigrants. They are only guilty of a federal misdemeanor, unlike say, beating a capitol policeman into a heart attack. Shame on him and the cowardly Democrats afraid of xenophobic blowback. Carter had the courage to do it for 500,000 draft evaders, all guilty of a felony-and it was the right thing to do since the war was corrupt, but it wasn't a popular act.
Come on. Enough with the Biden blaming.
We are in this mess because Biden was blind to his vulnerability as soon as he lost the house in 2022.I deeply admire his accomplishments when he had almost no Congressional power to work with. The issue here is pardoning people with resources while simultaneously allowing this monster to try to destroy the lives of 11 million innocent people who lack legal defense. We just buried a great man who understood these moral imperatives. Apparently Biden does not. If a leader cannot rise to a critical moral challenge, I will call him out-I don’t care who he is.
Don’t blame Biden. This is all on trump.
Cyber criminals
Allen, there was no act Biden could have taken that would have prevented this free-fall into fascism, kleptocracy, theocracy, oligarchy, or whatever other type of group is currently flexing their political power for the control of the government. This has been building for decades, organizing more patiently than one could imagine. The Project 2025 authors noted they have been preparing such a document prior to each election for many years. Only in this year did the Outline for the first 100 Days become the first 180 Days, fully detailed in 900 pages as they collected plans to take charge and remake the government in their image, achieving full control and eliminating all opposition. The execution of these plans, through Executive Order, is exactly what we are seeing.
May James Carter rest in eternal piece. He was a very good human being!!
Pardoning undocumented immigrants would be 100% totally ineffective. WHY? Because pardons can NOT be prospective only retrospective, ie they only hold for crimes committed in the past.
Any undocumented immigrant who is guilty of a crime on January 19 who would have been pardoned by a Biden act would STILL be committing the SAME crime on Jan 21 after Trump took office unless they either got citizenship or papers for status on the same day as the pardon OR they left the country.
There would be virtually no way for any but a small percentage to get legal status (Biden would have had the power to give a pardon but NOT the power to give them citizenship or legal status) on that day. Everyone else Subject to that pardon would immediately be breaking the law again on Jan 21 and again Subject to deportation.
This idea was floated but it was absolutely deemed to be useless and senseless.
It is absolutely different from the mass pardon given to draft resisters by Carter. Those people were no longer committing a crime after the pardons were given because the draft had already been terminated after the Vietnam War war over. And they were all US citizens so they could all return home if they weren't already.
Just stop it. Why didn't Biden decree that we all have free healthcare and as well?
What does blaming Biden accomplish, aside from mark you as one of those Americans who hates everyone who loses?
I didn’t just blame Biden. I called my Congressman, I called my Senator, I called Senator Whitehouse, I called Senator Murphy. I wrote Joyce Vance, I wrote Steve Schmidt, I wrote Ezra Klein, I wrote Chris Hayes, I wrote Rachel Maddow, and I wrote Michael Mooreasking them to publicly press Biden to pardon the immigrants. ONLY Michael Moore publicly called for the pardon. The rest: crickets. I am amazed at your healthcare remark. The pardon power is absolute in the Constitution. Health care requires legislation. The comparison is ludicrous.
As I noted above, a pardon for undocumented immigrants would have had essentially no effect and would have been a waste of time and effort. Since their crime was continuing as long as they remained in the US without proper status they would still so be subject to arrest after Trump took office. That is why no one responded to your request. It would have had ZERO effect. Biden would have needed the power to grant them legal status in the US, a power he did not have under Article II.