There is so much—a deluge of evidence that a second Trump administration would be far darker, far more dangerous, and far closer to fascism and authoritarianism than the first one was. Like a wounded animal that is cornered, Trump has no other way out. It’s not difficult to see the signs. What’s difficult is understanding how so many people are able to ignore the truth that is in front of us.
I’m finding that most, nearly all, people I know are completely unaware of what’s currently happening in our country. Is anyone else feeling this way? It’s pretty isolating, and I treat patients all day.
I agree that forums like this are important so one has a sense of who is out there that is not the addlepated people who are supporting Trump or one of the other Republican candidates. Interestingly enough, while Trump has half of the Republican vote according to these stats, he does not have the other half, which may not necessarily go for him. Let them stay home if they don't like Trump and are not enthusiastic about their candidates. That Americans are flirting with fascism is scary. Don't you wish you could just wake up and it was a dream based on a book you read, like 1984.
I have that same dream every night. What if we could only wake up to find this nightmare over? That maybe it won’t be 1984 after all? Whew.
I suppose in someways Trump is a stress test of our democracy. In my dreams, we pass. We’re safe.
Then reality rears its ugly head again with the sunrise. It’s terrible.
We are not safe because democracy is not safe.
We have to work to save democracy every day.
I hear myself saying that and it sounds so trite and useless. I need to pick up a shovel and shovel dirt like my life, all of our lives depend on my shoveling.
I know that Trump is only the tip of the spear. Trump is not the only Trump out there . There is a Hitler out there. And h/she is much smarter than Trump. And I think, what am I going to do today with my little shovel that would help?
Can you tell it was a dark and stormy night last night?
Yes. There are people out there who are far worse than trump. Take for example the slithering Steven Miller, Roger Stone, dozens if not hundreds of others.
Thank you all it really is nice to know I am not alone. There’s a very specific issue I have been working on for the past 3 years and the outcome, thus far, is disappointing and concerning.
Probably the most important thing to know, and one of our greatest challenges is the extreme politicization of the COVID19 pandemic has been supported by a small group of physicians who were recruited by the Trump 2020 reelection campaign to support the premature opening of the economy. No less than 4 major news outlets wrote about this in May 2020. This AP article explains it best: https://apnews.com/article/health-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-virus-outbreak-4ee1a3a8d631b454f645b2a8d9597de7
Working with NLFD, which was about 5-7 of us at any given time, we managed to garner significant earned media, mostly because major medical groups persistently declined to take a stand on the issue. Our efforts were highlighted in an ABC News segment titled “The truth about ivermectin.” https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/truth-ivermectin-83239643
In April 2022, I participated in the Federation of State Medical Boards Annual Conference where I took the time to show the audience an example of how bad the disinformation is: https://youtu.be/x1QXo6Jl5gQ. Additionally, I spoke with prosecutors at HHS-OIG and USAO-MDFL (part of the U.S. DOJ Health Care Strike Force), facilitated the submission of evidence in a January 6th criminal case via a DOJ prosecutor, and met with the Medical Board of California’s executive committee. I wrote letters to the FDA, FTC, and FBI. No response. No action was taken.
Probably the most important contact I made was with the President of the American Board of Internal Medicine Dr. Rich Baron. ABIM facilitated a one day meeting at the American College of Physicians office in Philadelphia in June 2022. Executive leadership from several medical organizations attended, AMA ect. Kristina Lawson, immediate past president of the Medical Board of California and I made the case for these organizations to use their platform and resources to push back on physician led disinformation. This ultimately led to the creation of the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science. I had no part in creating this group but did attend a meeting late last year. Please take a look at the list of coalition members. It’s enormous. https://trustinhealthandscience.org/the-coalition/
The Coalition for Trust in Health and Science was announced in March 2023 and has, to date, provided information on their website and nothing more. Several board certifying bodies have taken action and stripped a very small number of these physicians of their board certifications, and some medical boards have taken action against some of these doctors, but overall, nothing has been done insofar as a coordinated effort to oppose the disinformation in a public facing way. As you can see by the 20% COVID booster uptake and the Republican Party making anti-vaccine, anti-science, anti-public health conspiracy theories part of their political platform the problem only continues to get worse. The fact of the matter here is that Trump’s MAGA movement has achieved its ends by politicizing everything which I wrote about here. https://thetruthinfusion.substack.com/p/the-politicization-of-everything.
In brief, extreme politicization and polarization turns all issues into mere matters of opinion. It serves to make the truth appear unknowable. American historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt describes this authoritarian tactic to create information disorder, “Where anything is possible and nothing is true.”
The fact that we are dealing with an evidence based issue that has been allowed to be politicized makes this very challenging. The other issue is that the barrage of news and information, good, bad, or otherwise makes it very hard to get any one particular message to break through. This is another purposeful tactic referred to as “censorship through noise.”
I had to shut NLFD down in October 2022 due to lack of support, harassment, death threats, cease and desist letters falsely alleging defamation (From Steven Biss, Devin Nunes lawyer who sued the Twitter cow). The letter was sent on behalf of one of these doctor groups. Since then I’ve been trying to figure out what to do.
This is a highly coordinated and very well funded movement. COVID19 disinformation can be meaningfully considered a “Big lie” just like you often hear people refer to the 2020 election denialism as a “Big lie.” It is centrally coordinated by the MAGA movement. Taking a step back, what I recently realized is that, due to lack of leadership and attention to this issue, the U.S. professional practice of medicine now has an extremism problem.
The last book I read was the biography of Leo Alexander, a German psychiatrist and lead medical investigator for the U.S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg doctors trial. Now I have a very simple message:
The U.S. professional practice of medicine has an extremist problem.
Trump and the MAGA movement is conditioning their base, telling them that doctors are killing people on purpose for financial gain (which Trump said himself) and accusing ideologic opponents of being Nazi’s who need to be hanged under the banner of the Nuremberg Code. This is not a move simply to persuade, it’s preparing them for real world atrocities against transgender, LGBTQ+, racial minorities, Jews, women, and on and on.
I don’t think this is a difficult thing for people to understand and it’s absolutely indefensible, but again at this point I don’t know what to do.
What you have written is stunning. It was because of Covid disinformation and lack of support for vaccines that hundreds of thousands of people died in this country. And Covid is certainly not finished with us. It seems there wasn't much choice on your part to close the NLFD given the death threats. I wonder if the American people a a whole think this I how we should live going forward. Doubtful. It's also why Anthony Fauci continues to get death threats, which seem to have become the "norm" if Trump is threatening the judge in his case and there are bomb threats at the judge's home. Early on in Covid, I read two important books that I still recommend. The first is Laurie Garrett's, The Coming Plague and Dr. Ali S. Khan's, The Next Pandemic. Both books were written before the general population ever heard of Covid. I wish the whole country would have read these books before Covid started killing over a million people. It might have saved some lives. Some people still don't want to believe how deadly Covid has been and can continue to be. Thank you for the work you do.
Someone I'm not normally fond of, and former boss (I was way down on the chain), but has does much good, and devoted millions and has given excellent discussions in interviews and panel discussions is Bill Gates. Then you have Jeff Bezos trying to force people to work and become exposed.
P.S., I shouldn't speak on this subject at all since I haven't been vaccinated. I was in the hospital for most of the last half of 2020 (not for covid) and I was frequently monitored. It seems I had antibodies, they thought from exposure from being in the hospital. After the vaccine my wife was vaccinated but then exposed (she didn't get ill) but it was thought I might need to be vaccinated. I was home but still unable to get out of bed so they sent a nurse and they said I still had strong antibodies. I've had at least five blood tests saying I still have antibodies, the latest this past Nov. At that time the doctor said sometimes people have natural immunities to certain diseases. So there is no reason I'm told to be vaccinated for covid. Which I find strange, but I had all the vaccinations as a child that were available then and I keep up with the rest that are applicable. I am of an age where I don't get vaccinated for personal safety any longer. But I still feel I have no right to risk anyone else were I not. Vaccinations, as I stated in an earlier reply cannot be left to personal choice but should be legally mandated to prevent possible harm to others, just as driving drunk is not left to personal choice and nearly everywhere in US one is banned from smoking in a public facility. When personal choice is done in a societal setting (and not being vaccinated and going into public makes it just as societal as smoking in a restaurant), then it becomes societal need and not personal choice. Society has no need to control anyone's sexual preferences or dress style because if someone wants to dress as the opposite sex or sleep with the same sex then it is not societal choice because now society is harming the person.
I don't believe there is even a fine line here. I think it is a pretty clear distinction between what a person does that harms others and society does to harm a person. I can't think of any situation where the distinction is not clear. But I know many situations where a person might claim they have a right that is harmful to others and many situations where the society tries to harm individuals.
I’m currently still researching the Nazi doctors, reading documents written by Dr. Leo Alexander, lead medical investigator at the Nuremberg doctors trial. He wrote some very interesting articles now paywalled by JAMA. However, this document is excellent and I would recommend everyone read it. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aDTV8gXO3ER64EPf8d7aT7cvhc7naCNz/view?usp=drivesdk This should be a much bigger issue than it is because the threat is so high. I will take a look at the books you recommended. I’m a big fan of Laurie Garrett.
Thank you. But the anti-vax movement preceded Covid, Covid only allowed it to expand by giving it exposure. Now everyone will scream, but Covid was not a serious killer, yes it took millions of lives, I am not saying it didn't kill, but what if took lives in the percentages that cholera, small pox, or the bubonic plague that when hitting a community could take as high as 90% of those who contacted it. What if Covid had been that kind of a killer and the next plague is one of those, or heaven forbid, a new virus as covid was. No. There cannot even be a discussion. It's not free speech if millions die. And supposed doctors who encourage people to not get vaccinated are committing cold blooded, premeditated murder. That may sound extreme, but I don't know what else to call it. I was vaccinated for cholera (this was a while back and the procedure could be different now) and get 3 boosters before I could go into a cholera infested region. I got very ill from the shots (I don't know if technically all shots are vaccines) but I didn't get cholera where it seemed everywhere I turned someone was dying. (Actually I went to administer vaccines in a region where the epidemic had already began). It is murder for any supposed to tell people they don't need to be or might suffer risk so they shouldn't get vaccinated. I vomited so severely after the first shot I decided to renege on going, but I was told at the time that the boosters were necessary (all administered in a ten day period I should have noted) or I might have remained ill. Of course there might be risks, I suppose some might rarely die, that's what they told me might have happened even if I hadn't completed the treatment. But even if I had been the rare exception how does my life compare to millions who will be not die? It's not just the person that is vaccinated in one community, it saves the next community because almost always the disease can't take hold, therefore doesn't spread and eventually when everyone is vaccinated--obviously the virus or bacterium can't find a human host. Until someone comes along if they let their children be vaccinated .
It's not a personal risk choice one can be permitted to make on his. Driving drunk is not a personal risk we allow people to make. You can be arrested for driving drunk---it's a law of prevention. Vaccines are not a personal risk choice and these doctors can't be allowed to speech that could kill millions. As a preventive measure it is a speech that must be illegal.
Thank you for your information. Trump's not a doctor and hardly ever knowledge about anything he spouts off about. I was speaking of medical doctors giving advice they have been trained to know could take many lives.
It cannot be tolerated because the next epidemic might take the lives of 90% who contact it. Even 20% would increase Covid mortality rates tenfold.
I agree with and what you describe as having happened is simply beyond intolerable
There are multiple crimes wrapped up in this disinformation doctor movement. No one in power is willing to touch is and the violations are clear as day.
I would like to believe there other forums like this where like-minded people can share their thoughts and ideas. I'm not a computer maven, but try scolling through Substack. I know we outnumber the MAGAts.
Don't be dimayed by polls, it's likely they aren't getting accurate responses. MAGAts are afraid of retribution. They'll support trump in public but some of them are repulsed by his rhetoric.We need to beat them at the ballot box.
P.S. You can probably find another (overlapping) support forum folllowing Heather Cox Richardson.
I am not dismayed by polls but dismayed and sickened that after all the inside and outside legal, courtroom and social posting antics of Trump individuals still believe in the man regardless of their comments/forms such as this or subtracts.
I too am sickened by trump and trumpers, but I will not be intimidated. Right-wing media elevates and amplifies them, but I believe we still outnumber them.
Many forums are an out growth of HCR -----4 years now !--- Thom Hartman has been around, with good insights, info, thoughts for a long time---Democracy Now !
I come here (and to other Substacks) to read and inform myself at a level that most of the citizens that support tfg aren’t capable of understanding. It is for this reason I don’t think you’ll find many Trump-supporting Substacks. Too intellectual for them.
There aren’t threats of violence against counter opinions, there is a dialog here that can’t be done on other social media platforms. I’m not saying there are no pro-tfg Substacks but why post here when there is a much larger support-group/ audience on “Truth”(lies) Social or Facebook?
Alice R: Is there even an intellectual argument or basis one can use to support TFG and the MAGAs? Hatred of ‘the other’? Is that it? And for sure they have their own venues to wallow in and spread that hatred.
My own two sibs are magats and it’s pains the core of my being. I just do not understand why.
As one who was raised in a very Republican family, I feel tradition may be part of (most of) the reason to cling to the GOP. It took me decades to break with that tradition and it still bothers me a bit. (First time I voted Democrat was when McCain was the Republican nominee. No way I wanted Palin one heartbeat away from becoming POTUS.)
I have no idea how to explain myself to others who don’t see/hear where tfg is leading this country. I feel they have closed their eyes, plugged their ears, and are humming to themselves to block out all contrary positions.
Sorry not to be much help. Hope someone else responds with a better answer.
I was raised by a republican family. I had to explain the benefits of Medicare to my parents who were frothing at the mouth, saying how LBJ was destroying the country, yada yada. They were damn glad to have Medicare in their elder years, both living long (still) rethug lives 😆 And they were HORRIFIED, as was my spouse (also a rethug) when at age 21, I registered with great pride as a Democrat!
One thing that sticks out about the difference between MAGAets and their chosen one is that the Bible is probably NOT on his nightstand. Ask them if they know if he goes to church on a regular basis (or ever has after has) ?
Bob - I am afraid that folks who subscribe to forums like this one and comment are for the most part preaching to the choir. The people who need this information are not here.
My father was an avid trumper. He was impossible to reason with. This forum isn't going to chage a MAGAt's mind, they won't be here to read it. It does, however, give me hope and connection to like-minded thoughtful folks.
My father, a Pearl Harbor survivor, was an avid trumper, too, as were many of his friends. One friend proudly wore his MAGA hat and mask to my father's memorial service. UGH!! To say we got into more than one "discussion" about tfg is an understatement. The man lived to be 98. Died 5 months before the 2020 election. He was more than happy to reap the benefits of Social Security and Medicare all the while saying the most discussing comments about Dems, especially, President Obama. You can probably guess the comments. Of course, he was looking forward to once again voting for the orange one. Fox was on constantly. I will never understand.
I subscribe to this and other forums to gain a solid sense of what is actually going on. And there are forums whose purpose is action, with training. I do not think we need waste our time trying to convince Trumpers. There are not as many of them as there were, and though the number is still large, there are more of us than them. AND as we get closer to the election (we are still a long ways out, and the campaign winds up, the differences between the candidates will stand in stark contrast. We will be able to reach many of those who right now are simply not involved. These are the folks we need to be thinking of and directing our attentions to. Forget the hard-core cultists- they are lost. No sense wasting time and energy on them. d
Here are some online action groups you all can check out if you are interested in being active in any of a variety of ways. One of the simplest- and proven effective is mailing handwritten postcards or letters to people in districts with tight races.
Not just for journalists: Lots of good tips for activists for reaching out, working with press, engaging other people.
PostCardsToVoters Linktr.ee (https://linktr.ee/postcardstovoters) to see how to joinPostcards To Voters. If you have already joined, remember that Abby the Bot is not texting but you can get addresses via the PTV linktr.ee). Thank you!
And definitely get this on your list of places to check for simple action items:
Yes, Nick. It’s true. And the reality for me is that we are living in a complete coup at this point. Every bit of evidence from chaotic congressional hearings to the unconstitutional laws just enacted by the Governor and AG of Texas plays before us while the wannabe king pummels us daily.
People are checked out. Thank goodness for Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, The Lincoln Project, Meidas Touch Network, Liz Cheney, Mary Trump, The Bulwark, and so many others who consistently bring the malice of maga to our attention.
Ugh, My very intelligent professionally focused 33 yearold daughter did not know who Jim Jordan is. Fortunately, her older sister is completely engaged.
Nick, I would guess most of your patients respect you and are probably afraid to put you off with differing politics, or like many they remain undecided (how IS that?). You have a great platform to nudge them, at least to get out and vote, and if it is appropriate maybe even find an important issue that means something for health care (insurance regulation, reproductive rights, ACA). I wouldn't get into personalities; it is like counseling people to stop smoking. They just glaze over and carry on. Have a look here for ideas:
Thank you Bonnie I appreciate your perspective, it is very important. I am also a big fan of Larry Levitt. There a many challenging issues in U.S. healthcare right now. The biggest problem is not, however, mentioned in Levitt’s article: the corporatization of American healthcare. Mergers and acquisitions amongst publicly traded, for profit health insurance companies, hospitals, and private equity owned physician groups have supercharged our market driven system that places profits over patients. Over the last three years my work attempting to stop U.S. licensed doctors from spreading COVID19 disinformation taught me that the forces behind this movement are all the same. They will let nothing get in the way of maintaining the status quo. This applies to both Republicans and Democrats. I’m absolutely not trying to say that the parties are the same, but the healthcare lobby has complete regulatory capture over the industry and I am unable to advocate in a way that ignores that. It’s just not me.
People are comfortably numb and glazed over from all the chaos and outrageous behavior. It’s normal now and seems they’ve checked out. Thanks to msm not pushing back when they should. We all need to gear up and stay focused. There are more of us who want democracy. If every Dem got out to vote, we would win easily.
I think some of MSM is starting to wake up. Hope so. A lot of them dropped the ball. What makes it especially important for them to pick it up now is that their participation is critical in getting good info out via other news outlets who don't have news gathering resources.
Also, remember the great work done by Brennan Center and Propublica. I donate to them. They are essential.
My doc was shaken in 2020 when he realized many of his patients had no grasp of covid. They were unresponsive when he tried to impart protocols for prevention. He believed he knew these people he had treated for more than a decade.
I agree that most people do not know about Trump's dictator desires, or Project 2025. Finding it too scary to think about, and being unwilling to make any changes in their lives, I find that most people are just not thinking about what having Trump again means. They might be thinking that they lived through him before so they can get through 4 more years. Most of them are thinking, "How can I pay for my child's college and save money to retire?"And, "I am exhausted and want to retire, but I need to send my children to college which I cannot afford to do and retire." Others have said to me, "Do you really think he might win?" I have said, he might win, so what can we do to prevent that. Many just feel helpless. I had a colleague who said his vote does not count so he refuses to vote. There is no argument that I can make that can change his mind. He is in his early 30s. His wife votes, and she must feel really frustrated with him on this. Imagine if everyone felt that way. Let us hope that there are issues that get people out, because with higher numbers Democrats do better.
I feel the same.. and I also wonder what I missing by not watching local news or commercial TV. I think it totally depends on your news source. I subscribe to 4 political substacks and the NYT and sometimes listen to NPR. I work with a bright 24 year old who has huge knowledge gaps as to what Trump is being convicted of and his actions. She’s no fan of Trump but was totally unaware of just how dangerous he is and would be if elected again.
Knowledge gaps? I overheard a conversation at my optometrist's office yesterday. The tech was explaining to the girl at the welcome desk how to address an envelope. Really! She said, "you don't know how to send a letter?". That is a shocking lack of knowledge.
This is an existential crisis for our democracy. Not hyperbole. If we don't defeat the facists at the ballot box this delicate social experiment we call America could come to an end.
We need every single vote we can muster to defeat this menace.
Read my post buried in these comments. I think we receive so much unfiltered media input these days the average person is simply overwhelmed. We don't have to validate our comments and there is no "filter" to weed out the nonsense from the factual. We can say whatever we want, however we want, with no repercussions for our irresponsibility. We can be as mean and bullying as Trump and no one can do anything about it, all from the protection of our anonymous basement cave. In the old days you would have to stand in front of me and risk getting a punch in the nose. Bullies no longer have that concern.
Yes, Nick. I consider it my secondary responsibility at the clinic I work at to educate every patient about what's going on. You would be surprised at how many women come in to have an abortion who don't know their right do so is in jeopardy here, and banned in many states. I have gotten many women registered to vote, and implore ALL of my patients to pay attention to what's going on. Most of them appreciate the heads up. I just hope they stay engaged.
Nick, it is difficult to find people that can actually speak to the issues of the day in any depth. Sound byte headlines are like fast food, who has time to read or cook? Today’s media is like a Chicken McNugget. Fast, yet not a good nutrition choice
After reading Joyce’s post, “Warning”, I asked my son, his wife (early 30s) and our 2 mid-teen grandsons if they knew who Rudy Giuliani was. These are bright, active engaged people. They do vote and vote Blue. Our grandsons are ‘A’ students and our daughter-in-law has a Master’s degree from a major university.
She thought the name was vaguely familiar. The other 3 had no idea. My question drew blank looks only, as my son pulled out his phone to do a Google search.
They can quote every statistic or score there is for SEC sports. That’s what shows up on their feed. And they think it’s funny that I can never remember the name of the coach for the Tennessee Vols. 😕
Yes , Dr. Sawyer, I feel the same way. Many people seem almost unaware of the dangers to our democracy. I hear echoes of Fox News. The folks I have been talking to the last 5 years or so, don’t want to listen. Even though I have kept trying, I am now being told that I am losing family & friends. I don’t know what more to do and am ready to give up. I’m 76 years old and don’t have much fight left in me, just nearly overwhelming sadness for my children and my grandson...
I know that sense of sadness, because I have it too. But don't give up on yourself. Do give up on the people who won't listen. There is a lot you can do to help get out the vote in places with tight races, with really simple actions and the support of others. I'll post my list of some options just below this one.
Here are some online action groups you all can check out if you are interested in being active in any of a variety of ways. One of the simplest- and proven effective is mailing handwritten postcards or letters to people in districts with tight races:
Not just for journalists: Lots of good tips for activists for reaching out, working with press, engaging other people.
PostCardsToVoters Linktr.ee (https://linktr.ee/postcardstovoters) to see how to joinPostcards To Voters. If you have already joined, remember that Abby the Bot is not texting but you can get addresses via the PTV linktr.ee).
And definitely get this on your list of places to check for simple action items:
How can anyone read anything trump writes or listen to anything trump says and think anything other than he is deranged? He’s a comic book villain brought to life. He is a living nightmare. We have all been held hostage by the crazy orange thing for eight years. And does anyone else think Roger Stone looks like a Batman villain? It’s all so sick that I can’t really write anything that sounds sane.
Many don't follow politics in a Prez election year 'til Sept or Oct. But when America is bombarded with attack ads in the coming weeks and months, Trump's antics will be front and center for all to see.
It’s exactly how I feel. I have no sane words to say about that freak, and cannot wrap my head around anyone that can possibly think that he is sane and capable of looking after ANYTHING, let alone the world order. This nightmare must end soon.
This is what Trump has done for the past 50 years, since he and his father were sued for racist rental practices by the federal government. His teacher was Roy Cohn, perhaps the most evil person to ever hold a law license in this country (which was finally taken for him for a lifetime of evil). Trump has used the system to wear down opponents. He has attacked the system whenever he seemed to be in jeopardy. Judge J. Michael Luttig has said this whole campaign is about preserving the rule of law against a man who has attacked and abused it his entire life. Trump doesn't believe the rules apply to him. The Economist called him the most dangerous threat to the planet.
Years ago, Chomsky cited why the GOP no longer represented a legitimate political party within the framework of the U.S. Constitution. I think now, he might add to Sheldon Whitehouse’s research on the Heritage Foundation to shed light on its apparent agenda to subvert American democracy .
Could not agree more, as a small leak in a roof not attended to eventually destroys the house that is what the GOP has attempted to do over time, creating the small leak in the home of democracy.
The Heritage Foundation agenda is to establish a Christian theocracy. Their philosophy is that democracy is at odds with Christianity and they know full well that Christianity was not a part of the constitution, nor was any religion.
This is the truth. He was born into a mobster family with international reach both financially and therein politically. The corruption and rule by violence we are seeing exposed is the tip of a very large and decades in the making iceberg.
Trump lives in a world where the only thing that matters is how much power you have over others and how you deploy in the most brutal way possible that to ensure you do not slip into becoming an underdog. He is a mafiosa style boss: a tyrant.
It remains shocking to me how even close family members will turn against you when you refuse to agree to believe that these global criminal rich men’s evil is good rather than risk incurring the wrath of a violent societal status quo who are given their daily orders by Murdoch & the (late) Epstein international media and political cartels.
Hi Sharon, I've looking all over the substack to find who asked 'which issue'? :))
I have both the on-line and hard copy subscription: it was online on November 15, 2023 and in the hard copy on November 18, 2023. I receive a weekly magazine and received three that week - they wanted us to notice the issue about the serious danger Trump is to the world - not just the US. I will be so glad when we have beaten back this monster. And we will 💙
Hi Sharon, I think it was in November or December. I have my print issues and I receive online as well. I recall, they said they made a special issue for the one listing Trump as the danger and I think I received three issues that week
Thank you, Joyce. I have questions. On Thursday 1/11/24 in a Courtroom in New York, Judge Engoron allowed Trump to speak in closing on his own behalf provided he followed a set of rules already laid down in writing. Trump proceeded to ignore the rules, insult the judge and hold a political rally IN THE COURTROOM. How is that not contempt of court? And if I am correct, why is Trump walking around free, why is he not in a holding cell, like any other American would be? Why do we even bother to bring him to court if we have no intention of applying the law to him just because he is running in the election to become America's first dictator?
I agree and cannot fathom why the lawyers are not held in contempt with the fruitless arguments they keep making in an obvious attempt to delay.
And I am sick to death of purists saying “oooh, we have to handle Trump with kid gloves or there could be violence…”
Well, look around- there’s already violence! I read a stat the other day- major crime is down across the board… except acts of violence toward judges, elections workers, and political figures, which has sky rocketed since Trump.
He’s being treated way too soft and that continues to embolden he and his cronies.
I get that the jurists are doing their utmost to prevent causes for appeal...because that is exactly what Tang Face wants. I believe he had hopes of provoking Judge Engoron with his stupid rant and getting more "evidence" to show what an unfairly treated victim is poor iddle Twumpy. (GACK)
I have the same questions. But I have another to add to yours. How the heck did Trump in his first election? I couldn't stand him eight years ago, and really, REALLY can't stand to see his face, hear his voice, read about him, hear about him, or even think about him any longer! Am I the only one who feels that way? (Sorry, that made two questions. You can see how much I'm losing my mind)
I'm not too fond of Roger Stone, either. In fact, everything about him GROSSES ME OUT!!!
Better stop before I continue to add to the list of Trumpublican creeps.
Roger Stone is quite possibly one of the most corrupt, sick, evil beings I've ever seen or read about. Even a digital photo of him gives off toxic slime vibes.
Little wonder that Stone gravitated into Trump's orbit. Birds of a feather really do flock together.
And yes...I'm sick to death of seeing and hearing Tang Face...but every day he plays out these disgusting antics makes me more resolved to do what ever I can to prevent this vile repulsive creature from being elected a second time. He. Will. Lose.
Yes Dianne. I think people need to be aware of what the Christian nationalist have in store in their minds. But I think we need to put our energy toward reelecting Biden as you indicate. The only reason I bring up the issue of 2025 being in the works since the 70s is because people need to be self educated and read for themselves: Frank Schaeffer ‘ Crazy for God’ has written and spoken extensively.
Valere, I agree with you! I received a gift card for a local bookstore, so I'm going to look for that and a few others that have been mentioned. here. Thanks for letting me know about this one.
Only ONE of my questions is, and has always been, how did Trump get 7 million MORE votes in 2020 than in 2016? After four years of his despotic rule, seven million MORE people got out and voted for him? No. If ANYONE tried to steal an election in 2020, it was him and his cronies. It was also the same year that Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Susan Collins came from polls stating they were deep underwater in approval ratings to WIN their elections. I get that Republicans lie to pollsters because it's reflexive for them to lie about everything (they learn from their "leaders"), but Trump's vote totals in 2020 REALLY have me concerned -- he lost because they didn't cheat ENOUGH, and who had any time or motivation to investigate when all Trump did between Election Day and NOW is claim that Democrats cheated? We have to make sure we can overcome their continued cheating in 2024 too.
Steve, those are some very interesting questions that I never thought about before. You're right about the seven million more votes after the four years of evil that we endured. If anything, there should have been that many votes LESS than they claim. I think that all the Trump minions will go to their death beds (MSN's word police would never have approved those two words, BTW) claiming that the Democrats cheated. Lindsey Graham originally criticized the insurrection, yet five minutes later, he changed her mind. More than likely, Trump got to him, just like Trump he did with Mark Meadows when he "summoned: Meadows for a nice little chat at his little castle in Florida.
It worries me that since the last elections, Trump's cronies and MAGA people have had a lot of time to hone their "skills" so they can cheat ---big time --- without any of them getting caught, As far as I know, they still haven't determined who the person was that was hanging out at the Democrat Headquarters the night before the insurrection. It's still my belief that MTG was the person in that video taken behind the Democrat Headquarters the night before. The person in that video definitely had the gait of a female.
Can you imagine if the losers of the Super Bowl or the World Series made such a scene, calling the other team liars and cheaters? Neither Democrats nor Republicans would never have stood for it!
There's no doubt in my mind that we HAVE to be "in this together" and do all we can to ensure that Trump never gets within a mile of the WH. Since he and his extremely under-educated attorneys are determined to join his client in keeping him out of jail, I'm starting to lose faith in the justice system, even though I worked in "that system" for 12 years and did an internship in the State Attorney's Office.
Growing up, we were reminded over and again about safety in numbers. Joyce always reinforces that at the end of each Civil Discourse "class." The safety in this case is protecting our democracy --- and ourselves.
Unfortunately, in sports, there are referees who, as Justice Roberts said of his job, call balls and strikes. In politics, there are no referees. It's just us, We the People.
Sandy, We the People have to be the judges. For example, no matter how many zillions of times MAGAs refuse to believe J6 was merely a harmless group of tourists visiting The Capitol that day, and that the police and Feds were the ones who instigated all of it.
We the People watched it on TV that day, including Trump saying he loves all of them. We've also seen coverage over many times since then.
Hi Dianne, In response to what I think is you first question: how did Trump win in 2016? He won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote. As did 'W'. This goes back to the founders of the US. They were all - to the last man, wealthy (for the times) landed - meaning they owned at least several acres of land. And they didn't trust the less educated, free, white working men, who were the only ones who could vote.
While I love and admire the Constitution, and have some understanding of the people of the 18th and 19th century Europe and those in America - based only on the written word (mainly the Constitution and the Federalist papers written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. I won't pretend to understand why, if they didn't trust the under or non educated men they didn't simply educate them.
Of course I also don't understand why intelligent, liberal, progressive people fell asleep at the wheel and didn't stop ALEC either in the 1970's through the early 2000's when they managed to take over the majority of small State legislatures and padded the Courts with autocratic, non-law abiding judges.
A year or so ago, I bought the book "Don't Know Much About History" by Kenneth C. Davis. It patiently sits on my bookshelf, waiting for me to at least look at the first page. After your response, and those from others, I'm going to dust it off and start reading. I graduated from high school 50 years ago, so I think I forgot way too much about American History. Thanks for your inspiration.
Hi Fay, The electoral college was a compromise between the founders who wanted the president to be elected by members of congress and those who wanted popular vote. We had only thirteen states at the time and southern states did not have large voting populations. If we did away with the electoral college today (imperfect as it is), the president would (or could) be elected by New York, California and Texas. Of course populations shift. Jefferson stated that the electorate needed to be educated to know what the representatives were doing and to challenge and confront. This is why he established the University of Virginia, as a public university. We are becoming more educated on this substack and more able to challenge and confront. 💙
Yes. And yes, I also agree those of us on Substack are also becoming more educated (I didn't know Jefferson started U of V) But we are one percent of the population. We need to reach about 80% to have a real democracy.
Good question. The judge backed down and let him speak even though DT hadn't signed off on the rules the judge gave him for speaking. I just read Comey's Jan 10th op-ed in WaPo: "The rule of law must be vindicated regardless of the threat." Is that what happened here? Judicial decision-making based on fear or favor?
Agreed...I'm sure we will have to defend democracy for a good many election cycles before this fervor for authoritarianism dies down. And we'll have to keep an eagle eye out for imitators who might be more plausible, competent, likeable and far less overt about their leanings than Cadet Obvious (Tang Face).
Agree. I'm starting to make notes on what we should be doing IF Biden wins, a goal I believe can be achieved, regardless of the current polls, and am working toward; the election is a long way from today. So far, I have assuring our elections are free and fair, as you noted. I'm also adding repairing the breach in our electorate.
Yes, I'm glad DeDumbass doesn't seem to be in the running for much longer because I think he was supposed to be Trump 2.0, but he has the personality of a wet dishrag -- I've heard it said that people like him until they meet him.
Agree. We'll go through another round of the Big Lie with failed attempts to prove it in the courts that will conveniently be ignored or discredited by his supporters. And another insurrection? I would say no, at least not on Jan 6th at the Capitol, based on recogntion by law enforcment of their failures that day and the Electoral Count Reform Act.
But they'll think of something. I'm sure the plans are already being developed. We need a mule to expose them in advance.
As I head to bed, I find myself hoping that a Year from now, the name Trump, will be not be seen .That he will be out of sight and mind! And, securely imprisoned !
They're the Seething Inadequates. As Jennifer Rubin pointed out yesterday, they are the people who think they have been denied their "rightful place," which has been given to undeserving Others.
In my role as an historian, I had the opportunity 40 years ago to interview a German Luftwaffe general, Adolf Galland, who had many face-to-face dealings with Adolf Hitler. After we had talked awhile, I finally asked him if he had any insight into how it was that Hitler had accomplished what he had. His answer has resonated with me ever since, and most particularly these past 8 years: "The people placed Adolf Hitler in power because he gave voice to their discontent." Sound familiar?
I think it goes even deeper. Those with power see that their numbers are dwindling and unless a victory comes quickly, they will never be in a winning position without significantly changing their policies. They have formulated a way to sway people based on fears, getting them to vote even against their own interests. Appealing to the discontented with a barrage of lies; the Right will say and do anything to get votes and end free elections once they get full power. Their supporters won't know what hit them. So I don't fault the people completely; they are underwater, struggling, and will do what they are told.
Indeed Bonnie, you have given the examples that Joyce quotes from Orwell as 'doublespeak.' Trump promised the disillusioned a tax cut (to gain their votes). The minute he got into office he made a tax cut: for the billionaires. That's doublespeak: holding two contradictory ideas in one's head. But his minions have not recognized the doublespeak. Thank Steve Bannon, the black-ops communication master who sending doses of doublespeak six days per week from his War Room. It's not so much 'what he says' but the 'way he says it' .....in a chilling doublespeak, designed to be repeated just the right number of times to take hold in the MAGA minds.
The tax "cut" that now expires for lower income people - but is permanent for the billionaires! That little bit seems to have escaped the msm's attention completely.
It’s more sinister than that. NBC has Kristin Welker hosting Meet the Press. She sat quietly while letting Elise Stefanik call insurrectionists in jail hostages and then listened to her refuse to back the results of November’s election. Welker did not ask a single followup question.
This was NBC hosting a unpaid Republican campaign ad.
Agree completely. But their supporters, under a second Trump Admin, won't get hit. Only the people they all hate - the Left, the Dems, the coastal elites - will feel the effect of unfree and unfair elections. In fact, their supporters don't want free and fair elections.
Yes, it's familiar. However. the Germans in the early 30s who gave the Nazis a majority in 1933 had a much more reasonable basis for being discontented that included a worldwide depression. He blamed on Jewish financiers.
Yes, I meant to say the Depression was only part of their discontent. Both their loss of the war and the Versailles reparations that followed were a greater part.
Part of this, I think, is because our primary process is broken; only the extremes in each party bother to vote. Ranked-choice voting would repair this. "Our 'choose-one' elections deprive voters of meaningful choices, create increasingly toxic campaign cycles, advance candidates who lack broad support, and leave voters feeling like our voices are not heard" (https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/).
The Congressional Elections Authority Clause has not been used in an omnibus manner since 1842. It's the forgotten power. The people should sue Congress, seeking the removal of pay and privilege until Congress cleans itself. All are accountable.
It's interesting. I might be one of the few lay person who has thought its stated powers though based on a clear-language reading. I have been trying to reach influencers since 2017.
Same here - where in the world would we all BE without Joyce & LFAA and all those other wonderful humans - who are getting the "word" out there as much as possible. The hard part is waking people up to pay attention.
Hi Sandy, If you want to know more about Deep Canvassing, Pat Blumenthal will be presenting her work in Colorado at a zoom meeting of Seniors Taking Action, 11 AM Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan 31. Can sign up here https://seniorstakingaction.org/, and will get the newsletter for link to the meetings. It’s free and very informative. We have weekly meetings with great speakers. Can see the list of past and future speakers on the link to speaker series. And questions, please let me know. Dianesaatchi@gmail.com
I agree with you. Waking my son is going to be a challenge, though. My husband and I don't know how to have "that discussion" whenever we visit. It's different and difficult when it's a family member. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry, Jessica. I can't get on board with electing Progressives, as your profile puts it. Center-left Dems, like me, yes. Progressives? No. If you want to know why, let me know.
And, the plan I'm looking for is defeating Trump in the swing states, where the election will be decided.
Hi, Sandy. I suspect I know why. The name "progressives" has taken on a new meaning to some recently. I promise that's not what we're doing at CWCW. But either way, take care!
Trump winning isn't inevitable in my book. We all have to get out vote for Democracy, or this could literally be our last vote as King Trump and his Christofascist Nationalist Movement KKKrowd turn America into a pawn of Putin.
Kimberly, I also worry that we may have already had our last normal election; that even without Trump, the strategy is now out of the bag - here and globally - and whatever honesty or transparency used to be in political contests will have no place except with losers.
Even without the all out Republican attack on voting rights supported by the Disgraced Roberts Court, the odds are stacked in favor of the sparsely populated Western States that were hustled into statehood in 1889 by a Republican dominated Congress that had all ready evolved into the defenders of private wealth. If the Senate represented people rather than land, Wyoming would have 1 Senator but California would have 52.
And that's why our Democracy is so vital. We must be willing to see and vote to fix the things that led us to this point:
The Electoral College vs Popular Majority Vote, mail in ballots nationwide, ridding ourselves of Citizens United and throwing out the tax code leaving only the things that balance the playing field. Corporations need to pay their fair share of taxes. Profits over a certain percentage need to be taxed. CEOs and other executives should only be making a nationwide percentage over their workers. Everyone deserves to earn a living wage and healthcare. The wealthy need to pay their fair share. No more loopholes.
If they rule him ineligible in one state, surely that must apply to all states. The Disgraced Roberts Court has neither the courage nor the integrity to do what the Constitution demands.
Agree, and Trump shouldn’t complain if a GOP stacked court rules him ineligible. Yeah, you’re right, probably not gonna happen and court’s legitimacy will be further eroded.
Republicans would be in disarray. The MAGAts wsould stay home, and to paraphrase a hackneyed legal phrase, the Democrats could nominate and elect a ham sandwich.
Thank you Joyce(I think) for nighttime read before I turn the light out. You would think that people would be appalled at the things the orange maggot says but they seem to look up to him. Thinking he is strong. Me I think he is a weak, one that needs to bully and berate people to make himself feel important. He cares nothing about anyone but himself. And that B.S. about keeping him from the funeral he didn’t have to show up to court but if he hadn’t he would not have been able to do his rant. That was his choice. That was more important. Good night!
If it's true that TFG has only $400M in cash, and the Judge gives the DA what she is asking for, then he may be pushed to the limit and have a biological event. ::)) We should be so lucky.
The honor is all ours, Joyce! I can honestly hear the worry in your writing. It is terrifying to see how far some people have fallen and hit their heads. To show admiration for a crook, a grifter, a liar, a rapist, is totally mind-boggling to me. What is it that they don’t see? These people are devoid of feelings. They are being led by their noses as if they’re in a trance. I desperately want to see their bubble burst wide open.
And while we are grinding our teeth about all of this, what the hell do we do about Judge Cannon? Will Jack Smith, once and for all, ask for her removal? I do not want to play the waiting game. I am angry that Judge Engoron let Trump utter any words at all! This man is crazy as is the rest of his mob.
I don't trust Cannon at all. Had she been older than 25, a plain, ordinary, "dog," I wonder if he would have ever appointed her in the first place. She will drag and delay, and drag and delay his case until you-know-what freezes over,
"What’s difficult is understanding how so many people are able to ignore the truth that is in front of us." (Joyce's words). It's truly incomprehensible, but where else but here can we see and read it in such clear statements? Sadly, not only the repubs are not speaking out against the orange monster and his henchmen (e.g. Roger Stone), but I don't see many dems either who counter the frivolous statements that tfg and others posts. Attending the funeral of his mother-in-law? Who believes that new lie, when he is set to be at a campaign event at the same time. No doubt, he garnered some sympathy with dumb people.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
I’m finding that most, nearly all, people I know are completely unaware of what’s currently happening in our country. Is anyone else feeling this way? It’s pretty isolating, and I treat patients all day.
This is why forums like this are so important. We need a sense that we are not alone in our quest for democracy and inclusion.
Isolation is common for older folks like myself. I find a common purpose from the people here and it makes me feel connected to our cause of freedom.
I agree that forums like this are important so one has a sense of who is out there that is not the addlepated people who are supporting Trump or one of the other Republican candidates. Interestingly enough, while Trump has half of the Republican vote according to these stats, he does not have the other half, which may not necessarily go for him. Let them stay home if they don't like Trump and are not enthusiastic about their candidates. That Americans are flirting with fascism is scary. Don't you wish you could just wake up and it was a dream based on a book you read, like 1984.
I have that same dream every night. What if we could only wake up to find this nightmare over? That maybe it won’t be 1984 after all? Whew.
I suppose in someways Trump is a stress test of our democracy. In my dreams, we pass. We’re safe.
Then reality rears its ugly head again with the sunrise. It’s terrible.
We are not safe because democracy is not safe.
We have to work to save democracy every day.
I hear myself saying that and it sounds so trite and useless. I need to pick up a shovel and shovel dirt like my life, all of our lives depend on my shoveling.
I know that Trump is only the tip of the spear. Trump is not the only Trump out there . There is a Hitler out there. And h/she is much smarter than Trump. And I think, what am I going to do today with my little shovel that would help?
Can you tell it was a dark and stormy night last night?
Yes. There are people out there who are far worse than trump. Take for example the slithering Steven Miller, Roger Stone, dozens if not hundreds of others.
They'e not worse. They are all of a feather. Fascists.
They're worse in my eyes because they are not stupid.
Addlepated - thank you for this, a word I’d not heard in years.
Indeed
Thank you all it really is nice to know I am not alone. There’s a very specific issue I have been working on for the past 3 years and the outcome, thus far, is disappointing and concerning.
I’m not sure how familiar everyone is with the origins of the disinformation doctor groups, their political affiliations, funding mechanisms and messaging. These are U.S. licensed and board certified physicians, like me. When I started No License for Disinformation (NLFD) in September 2021, we announced the formation of our 501c3 in a Washington Post Opinion. The article is paywalled so it’s here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/174FXMU7YaV3kPwbr9HAGLzQpg37532tI/view?usp=drivesdk or https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/21/state-medical-boards-should-punish-doctors-who-spread-false-information-about-covid-vaccines/
Probably the most important thing to know, and one of our greatest challenges is the extreme politicization of the COVID19 pandemic has been supported by a small group of physicians who were recruited by the Trump 2020 reelection campaign to support the premature opening of the economy. No less than 4 major news outlets wrote about this in May 2020. This AP article explains it best: https://apnews.com/article/health-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-virus-outbreak-4ee1a3a8d631b454f645b2a8d9597de7
Working with NLFD, which was about 5-7 of us at any given time, we managed to garner significant earned media, mostly because major medical groups persistently declined to take a stand on the issue. Our efforts were highlighted in an ABC News segment titled “The truth about ivermectin.” https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/truth-ivermectin-83239643
In April 2022, I participated in the Federation of State Medical Boards Annual Conference where I took the time to show the audience an example of how bad the disinformation is: https://youtu.be/x1QXo6Jl5gQ. Additionally, I spoke with prosecutors at HHS-OIG and USAO-MDFL (part of the U.S. DOJ Health Care Strike Force), facilitated the submission of evidence in a January 6th criminal case via a DOJ prosecutor, and met with the Medical Board of California’s executive committee. I wrote letters to the FDA, FTC, and FBI. No response. No action was taken.
Probably the most important contact I made was with the President of the American Board of Internal Medicine Dr. Rich Baron. ABIM facilitated a one day meeting at the American College of Physicians office in Philadelphia in June 2022. Executive leadership from several medical organizations attended, AMA ect. Kristina Lawson, immediate past president of the Medical Board of California and I made the case for these organizations to use their platform and resources to push back on physician led disinformation. This ultimately led to the creation of the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science. I had no part in creating this group but did attend a meeting late last year. Please take a look at the list of coalition members. It’s enormous. https://trustinhealthandscience.org/the-coalition/
The Coalition for Trust in Health and Science was announced in March 2023 and has, to date, provided information on their website and nothing more. Several board certifying bodies have taken action and stripped a very small number of these physicians of their board certifications, and some medical boards have taken action against some of these doctors, but overall, nothing has been done insofar as a coordinated effort to oppose the disinformation in a public facing way. As you can see by the 20% COVID booster uptake and the Republican Party making anti-vaccine, anti-science, anti-public health conspiracy theories part of their political platform the problem only continues to get worse. The fact of the matter here is that Trump’s MAGA movement has achieved its ends by politicizing everything which I wrote about here. https://thetruthinfusion.substack.com/p/the-politicization-of-everything.
In brief, extreme politicization and polarization turns all issues into mere matters of opinion. It serves to make the truth appear unknowable. American historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt describes this authoritarian tactic to create information disorder, “Where anything is possible and nothing is true.”
The fact that we are dealing with an evidence based issue that has been allowed to be politicized makes this very challenging. The other issue is that the barrage of news and information, good, bad, or otherwise makes it very hard to get any one particular message to break through. This is another purposeful tactic referred to as “censorship through noise.”
I had to shut NLFD down in October 2022 due to lack of support, harassment, death threats, cease and desist letters falsely alleging defamation (From Steven Biss, Devin Nunes lawyer who sued the Twitter cow). The letter was sent on behalf of one of these doctor groups. Since then I’ve been trying to figure out what to do.
This is a highly coordinated and very well funded movement. COVID19 disinformation can be meaningfully considered a “Big lie” just like you often hear people refer to the 2020 election denialism as a “Big lie.” It is centrally coordinated by the MAGA movement. Taking a step back, what I recently realized is that, due to lack of leadership and attention to this issue, the U.S. professional practice of medicine now has an extremism problem.
I recently did a ton of reading about Nazi doctors and was struck by the parallels to what we’re seeing today. Just read this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2352969/pdf/bmj00571-0043.pdf
The last book I read was the biography of Leo Alexander, a German psychiatrist and lead medical investigator for the U.S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg doctors trial. Now I have a very simple message:
The U.S. professional practice of medicine has an extremist problem.
Trump and the MAGA movement is conditioning their base, telling them that doctors are killing people on purpose for financial gain (which Trump said himself) and accusing ideologic opponents of being Nazi’s who need to be hanged under the banner of the Nuremberg Code. This is not a move simply to persuade, it’s preparing them for real world atrocities against transgender, LGBTQ+, racial minorities, Jews, women, and on and on.
I don’t think this is a difficult thing for people to understand and it’s absolutely indefensible, but again at this point I don’t know what to do.
What you have written is stunning. It was because of Covid disinformation and lack of support for vaccines that hundreds of thousands of people died in this country. And Covid is certainly not finished with us. It seems there wasn't much choice on your part to close the NLFD given the death threats. I wonder if the American people a a whole think this I how we should live going forward. Doubtful. It's also why Anthony Fauci continues to get death threats, which seem to have become the "norm" if Trump is threatening the judge in his case and there are bomb threats at the judge's home. Early on in Covid, I read two important books that I still recommend. The first is Laurie Garrett's, The Coming Plague and Dr. Ali S. Khan's, The Next Pandemic. Both books were written before the general population ever heard of Covid. I wish the whole country would have read these books before Covid started killing over a million people. It might have saved some lives. Some people still don't want to believe how deadly Covid has been and can continue to be. Thank you for the work you do.
Someone I'm not normally fond of, and former boss (I was way down on the chain), but has does much good, and devoted millions and has given excellent discussions in interviews and panel discussions is Bill Gates. Then you have Jeff Bezos trying to force people to work and become exposed.
P.S., I shouldn't speak on this subject at all since I haven't been vaccinated. I was in the hospital for most of the last half of 2020 (not for covid) and I was frequently monitored. It seems I had antibodies, they thought from exposure from being in the hospital. After the vaccine my wife was vaccinated but then exposed (she didn't get ill) but it was thought I might need to be vaccinated. I was home but still unable to get out of bed so they sent a nurse and they said I still had strong antibodies. I've had at least five blood tests saying I still have antibodies, the latest this past Nov. At that time the doctor said sometimes people have natural immunities to certain diseases. So there is no reason I'm told to be vaccinated for covid. Which I find strange, but I had all the vaccinations as a child that were available then and I keep up with the rest that are applicable. I am of an age where I don't get vaccinated for personal safety any longer. But I still feel I have no right to risk anyone else were I not. Vaccinations, as I stated in an earlier reply cannot be left to personal choice but should be legally mandated to prevent possible harm to others, just as driving drunk is not left to personal choice and nearly everywhere in US one is banned from smoking in a public facility. When personal choice is done in a societal setting (and not being vaccinated and going into public makes it just as societal as smoking in a restaurant), then it becomes societal need and not personal choice. Society has no need to control anyone's sexual preferences or dress style because if someone wants to dress as the opposite sex or sleep with the same sex then it is not societal choice because now society is harming the person.
I don't believe there is even a fine line here. I think it is a pretty clear distinction between what a person does that harms others and society does to harm a person. I can't think of any situation where the distinction is not clear. But I know many situations where a person might claim they have a right that is harmful to others and many situations where the society tries to harm individuals.
I’m currently still researching the Nazi doctors, reading documents written by Dr. Leo Alexander, lead medical investigator at the Nuremberg doctors trial. He wrote some very interesting articles now paywalled by JAMA. However, this document is excellent and I would recommend everyone read it. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aDTV8gXO3ER64EPf8d7aT7cvhc7naCNz/view?usp=drivesdk This should be a much bigger issue than it is because the threat is so high. I will take a look at the books you recommended. I’m a big fan of Laurie Garrett.
Censorship through noise, the one skill Trump has.
Horrifying
Thank you. But the anti-vax movement preceded Covid, Covid only allowed it to expand by giving it exposure. Now everyone will scream, but Covid was not a serious killer, yes it took millions of lives, I am not saying it didn't kill, but what if took lives in the percentages that cholera, small pox, or the bubonic plague that when hitting a community could take as high as 90% of those who contacted it. What if Covid had been that kind of a killer and the next plague is one of those, or heaven forbid, a new virus as covid was. No. There cannot even be a discussion. It's not free speech if millions die. And supposed doctors who encourage people to not get vaccinated are committing cold blooded, premeditated murder. That may sound extreme, but I don't know what else to call it. I was vaccinated for cholera (this was a while back and the procedure could be different now) and get 3 boosters before I could go into a cholera infested region. I got very ill from the shots (I don't know if technically all shots are vaccines) but I didn't get cholera where it seemed everywhere I turned someone was dying. (Actually I went to administer vaccines in a region where the epidemic had already began). It is murder for any supposed to tell people they don't need to be or might suffer risk so they shouldn't get vaccinated. I vomited so severely after the first shot I decided to renege on going, but I was told at the time that the boosters were necessary (all administered in a ten day period I should have noted) or I might have remained ill. Of course there might be risks, I suppose some might rarely die, that's what they told me might have happened even if I hadn't completed the treatment. But even if I had been the rare exception how does my life compare to millions who will be not die? It's not just the person that is vaccinated in one community, it saves the next community because almost always the disease can't take hold, therefore doesn't spread and eventually when everyone is vaccinated--obviously the virus or bacterium can't find a human host. Until someone comes along if they let their children be vaccinated .
It's not a personal risk choice one can be permitted to make on his. Driving drunk is not a personal risk we allow people to make. You can be arrested for driving drunk---it's a law of prevention. Vaccines are not a personal risk choice and these doctors can't be allowed to speech that could kill millions. As a preventive measure it is a speech that must be illegal.
Thank you for your information. Trump's not a doctor and hardly ever knowledge about anything he spouts off about. I was speaking of medical doctors giving advice they have been trained to know could take many lives.
It cannot be tolerated because the next epidemic might take the lives of 90% who contact it. Even 20% would increase Covid mortality rates tenfold.
I agree with and what you describe as having happened is simply beyond intolerable
There are multiple crimes wrapped up in this disinformation doctor movement. No one in power is willing to touch is and the violations are clear as day.
It just now struck me: Orwell was 40 years off when he titled his book 1984.
I was teaching in East Los Angeles in 1984. He was spot on. And then it got worse.
Took 40 years for the Midwest to catch up.
I do. Is it groundhog day yet?
Same feeling here, Bob.
Question ~~ How many forms are "like this" and how many TOTAL subscribers are there?
I suggest there are more "MAGA Forms than ones like this and/or more followers of the TRUMP/MAGA philosophies/Forms.
If so, it is going to be more than a bumpy ride to National Election Day in November!
I would like to believe there other forums like this where like-minded people can share their thoughts and ideas. I'm not a computer maven, but try scolling through Substack. I know we outnumber the MAGAts.
Don't be dimayed by polls, it's likely they aren't getting accurate responses. MAGAts are afraid of retribution. They'll support trump in public but some of them are repulsed by his rhetoric.We need to beat them at the ballot box.
P.S. You can probably find another (overlapping) support forum folllowing Heather Cox Richardson.
I am not dismayed by polls but dismayed and sickened that after all the inside and outside legal, courtroom and social posting antics of Trump individuals still believe in the man regardless of their comments/forms such as this or subtracts.
I too am sickened by trump and trumpers, but I will not be intimidated. Right-wing media elevates and amplifies them, but I believe we still outnumber them.
Another excellent pro-democracy community on Substack is the one of readers of Robert Hubbell's Today's Edition Newsletter.
Thank you.
Many forums are an out growth of HCR -----4 years now !--- Thom Hartman has been around, with good insights, info, thoughts for a long time---Democracy Now !
Democracy Now! is such an excellent go to as well.
And Timothy Snyder.
It’s my hope that the privacy of the ballot box will allow people to say what they won’t in public.
I come here (and to other Substacks) to read and inform myself at a level that most of the citizens that support tfg aren’t capable of understanding. It is for this reason I don’t think you’ll find many Trump-supporting Substacks. Too intellectual for them.
There aren’t threats of violence against counter opinions, there is a dialog here that can’t be done on other social media platforms. I’m not saying there are no pro-tfg Substacks but why post here when there is a much larger support-group/ audience on “Truth”(lies) Social or Facebook?
Alice R: Is there even an intellectual argument or basis one can use to support TFG and the MAGAs? Hatred of ‘the other’? Is that it? And for sure they have their own venues to wallow in and spread that hatred.
My own two sibs are magats and it’s pains the core of my being. I just do not understand why.
As one who was raised in a very Republican family, I feel tradition may be part of (most of) the reason to cling to the GOP. It took me decades to break with that tradition and it still bothers me a bit. (First time I voted Democrat was when McCain was the Republican nominee. No way I wanted Palin one heartbeat away from becoming POTUS.)
I have no idea how to explain myself to others who don’t see/hear where tfg is leading this country. I feel they have closed their eyes, plugged their ears, and are humming to themselves to block out all contrary positions.
Sorry not to be much help. Hope someone else responds with a better answer.
I was raised by a republican family. I had to explain the benefits of Medicare to my parents who were frothing at the mouth, saying how LBJ was destroying the country, yada yada. They were damn glad to have Medicare in their elder years, both living long (still) rethug lives 😆 And they were HORRIFIED, as was my spouse (also a rethug) when at age 21, I registered with great pride as a Democrat!
BTW I think winning the debate to put Palin on the ticket is when this push to the radical right first showed up publicly in the GOP.
One thing that sticks out about the difference between MAGAets and their chosen one is that the Bible is probably NOT on his nightstand. Ask them if they know if he goes to church on a regular basis (or ever has after has) ?
You find maggot forums everywhere. On social media, podcasts, churches.
Yes I know but that is not my point
I believe HRC has over 1m...
And because of her I follow other similarly viewed (as in point-of-view) Sub-stacks.
💙
Bob - I am afraid that folks who subscribe to forums like this one and comment are for the most part preaching to the choir. The people who need this information are not here.
My father was an avid trumper. He was impossible to reason with. This forum isn't going to chage a MAGAt's mind, they won't be here to read it. It does, however, give me hope and connection to like-minded thoughtful folks.
My father, a Pearl Harbor survivor, was an avid trumper, too, as were many of his friends. One friend proudly wore his MAGA hat and mask to my father's memorial service. UGH!! To say we got into more than one "discussion" about tfg is an understatement. The man lived to be 98. Died 5 months before the 2020 election. He was more than happy to reap the benefits of Social Security and Medicare all the while saying the most discussing comments about Dems, especially, President Obama. You can probably guess the comments. Of course, he was looking forward to once again voting for the orange one. Fox was on constantly. I will never understand.
I'm not trying to convert anyone. I'm here for comfort and support. It helps relieve anxiety.
I subscribe to this and other forums to gain a solid sense of what is actually going on. And there are forums whose purpose is action, with training. I do not think we need waste our time trying to convince Trumpers. There are not as many of them as there were, and though the number is still large, there are more of us than them. AND as we get closer to the election (we are still a long ways out, and the campaign winds up, the differences between the candidates will stand in stark contrast. We will be able to reach many of those who right now are simply not involved. These are the folks we need to be thinking of and directing our attentions to. Forget the hard-core cultists- they are lost. No sense wasting time and energy on them. d
Here are some online action groups you all can check out if you are interested in being active in any of a variety of ways. One of the simplest- and proven effective is mailing handwritten postcards or letters to people in districts with tight races.
https://votefwd.org/
Letter-writing to get out vote in critical races in other states. Just starting to organize for 2024
https://statesproject.org/
Focus on states rather than WaDC. Great for talking points ! Some really good pointers.
https://democracytoolkit.press/
Not just for journalists: Lots of good tips for activists for reaching out, working with press, engaging other people.
PostCardsToVoters Linktr.ee (https://linktr.ee/postcardstovoters) to see how to joinPostcards To Voters. If you have already joined, remember that Abby the Bot is not texting but you can get addresses via the PTV linktr.ee). Thank you!
And definitely get this on your list of places to check for simple action items:
Chop Wood Carry Water
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/
Thank you. i will explore all these valuable connections
Yes, Nick. It’s true. And the reality for me is that we are living in a complete coup at this point. Every bit of evidence from chaotic congressional hearings to the unconstitutional laws just enacted by the Governor and AG of Texas plays before us while the wannabe king pummels us daily.
People are checked out. Thank goodness for Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, The Lincoln Project, Meidas Touch Network, Liz Cheney, Mary Trump, The Bulwark, and so many others who consistently bring the malice of maga to our attention.
People must wake up immediately.
Ugh, My very intelligent professionally focused 33 yearold daughter did not know who Jim Jordan is. Fortunately, her older sister is completely engaged.
Those are the places I rely upon for information and analyses.
Nick, I would guess most of your patients respect you and are probably afraid to put you off with differing politics, or like many they remain undecided (how IS that?). You have a great platform to nudge them, at least to get out and vote, and if it is appropriate maybe even find an important issue that means something for health care (insurance regulation, reproductive rights, ACA). I wouldn't get into personalities; it is like counseling people to stop smoking. They just glaze over and carry on. Have a look here for ideas:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2807689
Thank you Bonnie I appreciate your perspective, it is very important. I am also a big fan of Larry Levitt. There a many challenging issues in U.S. healthcare right now. The biggest problem is not, however, mentioned in Levitt’s article: the corporatization of American healthcare. Mergers and acquisitions amongst publicly traded, for profit health insurance companies, hospitals, and private equity owned physician groups have supercharged our market driven system that places profits over patients. Over the last three years my work attempting to stop U.S. licensed doctors from spreading COVID19 disinformation taught me that the forces behind this movement are all the same. They will let nothing get in the way of maintaining the status quo. This applies to both Republicans and Democrats. I’m absolutely not trying to say that the parties are the same, but the healthcare lobby has complete regulatory capture over the industry and I am unable to advocate in a way that ignores that. It’s just not me.
Frightening, isn't it?
People are comfortably numb and glazed over from all the chaos and outrageous behavior. It’s normal now and seems they’ve checked out. Thanks to msm not pushing back when they should. We all need to gear up and stay focused. There are more of us who want democracy. If every Dem got out to vote, we would win easily.
I think some of MSM is starting to wake up. Hope so. A lot of them dropped the ball. What makes it especially important for them to pick it up now is that their participation is critical in getting good info out via other news outlets who don't have news gathering resources.
Also, remember the great work done by Brennan Center and Propublica. I donate to them. They are essential.
My doc was shaken in 2020 when he realized many of his patients had no grasp of covid. They were unresponsive when he tried to impart protocols for prevention. He believed he knew these people he had treated for more than a decade.
I agree that most people do not know about Trump's dictator desires, or Project 2025. Finding it too scary to think about, and being unwilling to make any changes in their lives, I find that most people are just not thinking about what having Trump again means. They might be thinking that they lived through him before so they can get through 4 more years. Most of them are thinking, "How can I pay for my child's college and save money to retire?"And, "I am exhausted and want to retire, but I need to send my children to college which I cannot afford to do and retire." Others have said to me, "Do you really think he might win?" I have said, he might win, so what can we do to prevent that. Many just feel helpless. I had a colleague who said his vote does not count so he refuses to vote. There is no argument that I can make that can change his mind. He is in his early 30s. His wife votes, and she must feel really frustrated with him on this. Imagine if everyone felt that way. Let us hope that there are issues that get people out, because with higher numbers Democrats do better.
I feel the same.. and I also wonder what I missing by not watching local news or commercial TV. I think it totally depends on your news source. I subscribe to 4 political substacks and the NYT and sometimes listen to NPR. I work with a bright 24 year old who has huge knowledge gaps as to what Trump is being convicted of and his actions. She’s no fan of Trump but was totally unaware of just how dangerous he is and would be if elected again.
She isnt concerned by the issue of women's reproductive health - if not by the abortion bans?
Knowledge gaps? I overheard a conversation at my optometrist's office yesterday. The tech was explaining to the girl at the welcome desk how to address an envelope. Really! She said, "you don't know how to send a letter?". That is a shocking lack of knowledge.
This is an existential crisis for our democracy. Not hyperbole. If we don't defeat the facists at the ballot box this delicate social experiment we call America could come to an end.
We need every single vote we can muster to defeat this menace.
Every MAGA vote counts the same as one of ours.
Read my post buried in these comments. I think we receive so much unfiltered media input these days the average person is simply overwhelmed. We don't have to validate our comments and there is no "filter" to weed out the nonsense from the factual. We can say whatever we want, however we want, with no repercussions for our irresponsibility. We can be as mean and bullying as Trump and no one can do anything about it, all from the protection of our anonymous basement cave. In the old days you would have to stand in front of me and risk getting a punch in the nose. Bullies no longer have that concern.
Yes, Nick. I consider it my secondary responsibility at the clinic I work at to educate every patient about what's going on. You would be surprised at how many women come in to have an abortion who don't know their right do so is in jeopardy here, and banned in many states. I have gotten many women registered to vote, and implore ALL of my patients to pay attention to what's going on. Most of them appreciate the heads up. I just hope they stay engaged.
Nick, it is difficult to find people that can actually speak to the issues of the day in any depth. Sound byte headlines are like fast food, who has time to read or cook? Today’s media is like a Chicken McNugget. Fast, yet not a good nutrition choice
Same here.
After reading Joyce’s post, “Warning”, I asked my son, his wife (early 30s) and our 2 mid-teen grandsons if they knew who Rudy Giuliani was. These are bright, active engaged people. They do vote and vote Blue. Our grandsons are ‘A’ students and our daughter-in-law has a Master’s degree from a major university.
She thought the name was vaguely familiar. The other 3 had no idea. My question drew blank looks only, as my son pulled out his phone to do a Google search.
They can quote every statistic or score there is for SEC sports. That’s what shows up on their feed. And they think it’s funny that I can never remember the name of the coach for the Tennessee Vols. 😕
Yes , Dr. Sawyer, I feel the same way. Many people seem almost unaware of the dangers to our democracy. I hear echoes of Fox News. The folks I have been talking to the last 5 years or so, don’t want to listen. Even though I have kept trying, I am now being told that I am losing family & friends. I don’t know what more to do and am ready to give up. I’m 76 years old and don’t have much fight left in me, just nearly overwhelming sadness for my children and my grandson...
I know that sense of sadness, because I have it too. But don't give up on yourself. Do give up on the people who won't listen. There is a lot you can do to help get out the vote in places with tight races, with really simple actions and the support of others. I'll post my list of some options just below this one.
Here are some online action groups you all can check out if you are interested in being active in any of a variety of ways. One of the simplest- and proven effective is mailing handwritten postcards or letters to people in districts with tight races:
https://votefwd.org/
Letter-writing to get out vote in critical races in other states. Just starting to organize for 2024
https://statesproject.org/
Focus on states rather than WaDC. Great for talking points ! Some really good pointers.
https://democracytoolkit.press/
Not just for journalists: Lots of good tips for activists for reaching out, working with press, engaging other people.
PostCardsToVoters Linktr.ee (https://linktr.ee/postcardstovoters) to see how to joinPostcards To Voters. If you have already joined, remember that Abby the Bot is not texting but you can get addresses via the PTV linktr.ee).
And definitely get this on your list of places to check for simple action items:
Chop Wood Carry Water
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/
I feel often the same Nick
Possibly as everyone has intuitively the sense things are very wrong, but not the energy to delve directly into it ?
And then there are others who are so worried and they become really active. But it’s hard to realize there is a large portion who is active.
We shall work through this and democracy will win.
Isolating and dangerous..
How can anyone read anything trump writes or listen to anything trump says and think anything other than he is deranged? He’s a comic book villain brought to life. He is a living nightmare. We have all been held hostage by the crazy orange thing for eight years. And does anyone else think Roger Stone looks like a Batman villain? It’s all so sick that I can’t really write anything that sounds sane.
Many don't follow politics in a Prez election year 'til Sept or Oct. But when America is bombarded with attack ads in the coming weeks and months, Trump's antics will be front and center for all to see.
Cult leader.
It’s exactly how I feel. I have no sane words to say about that freak, and cannot wrap my head around anyone that can possibly think that he is sane and capable of looking after ANYTHING, let alone the world order. This nightmare must end soon.
This is what Trump has done for the past 50 years, since he and his father were sued for racist rental practices by the federal government. His teacher was Roy Cohn, perhaps the most evil person to ever hold a law license in this country (which was finally taken for him for a lifetime of evil). Trump has used the system to wear down opponents. He has attacked the system whenever he seemed to be in jeopardy. Judge J. Michael Luttig has said this whole campaign is about preserving the rule of law against a man who has attacked and abused it his entire life. Trump doesn't believe the rules apply to him. The Economist called him the most dangerous threat to the planet.
Actually the whole of the GOP is the most dangerous threat to the planet according to Noam Chomsky
Years ago, Chomsky cited why the GOP no longer represented a legitimate political party within the framework of the U.S. Constitution. I think now, he might add to Sheldon Whitehouse’s research on the Heritage Foundation to shed light on its apparent agenda to subvert American democracy .
Could not agree more, as a small leak in a roof not attended to eventually destroys the house that is what the GOP has attempted to do over time, creating the small leak in the home of democracy.
The Heritage Foundation agenda is to establish a Christian theocracy. Their philosophy is that democracy is at odds with Christianity and they know full well that Christianity was not a part of the constitution, nor was any religion.
This is the truth. He was born into a mobster family with international reach both financially and therein politically. The corruption and rule by violence we are seeing exposed is the tip of a very large and decades in the making iceberg.
Trump lives in a world where the only thing that matters is how much power you have over others and how you deploy in the most brutal way possible that to ensure you do not slip into becoming an underdog. He is a mafiosa style boss: a tyrant.
It remains shocking to me how even close family members will turn against you when you refuse to agree to believe that these global criminal rich men’s evil is good rather than risk incurring the wrath of a violent societal status quo who are given their daily orders by Murdoch & the (late) Epstein international media and political cartels.
The NYer in me has always hated him. And now the CAian does, too.
Indeed: the Economist devoted an entire hard copy magazine to that topic. And yes, in a formative time of Trump's life, Roy Cohn was his mentor.
Which issue of the Economist?
Hi Sharon, I've looking all over the substack to find who asked 'which issue'? :))
I have both the on-line and hard copy subscription: it was online on November 15, 2023 and in the hard copy on November 18, 2023. I receive a weekly magazine and received three that week - they wanted us to notice the issue about the serious danger Trump is to the world - not just the US. I will be so glad when we have beaten back this monster. And we will 💙
Hi Sharon, I think it was in November or December. I have my print issues and I receive online as well. I recall, they said they made a special issue for the one listing Trump as the danger and I think I received three issues that week
Thank you, Joyce. I have questions. On Thursday 1/11/24 in a Courtroom in New York, Judge Engoron allowed Trump to speak in closing on his own behalf provided he followed a set of rules already laid down in writing. Trump proceeded to ignore the rules, insult the judge and hold a political rally IN THE COURTROOM. How is that not contempt of court? And if I am correct, why is Trump walking around free, why is he not in a holding cell, like any other American would be? Why do we even bother to bring him to court if we have no intention of applying the law to him just because he is running in the election to become America's first dictator?
His Lawyers should be held in contempt also.
I agree and cannot fathom why the lawyers are not held in contempt with the fruitless arguments they keep making in an obvious attempt to delay.
And I am sick to death of purists saying “oooh, we have to handle Trump with kid gloves or there could be violence…”
Well, look around- there’s already violence! I read a stat the other day- major crime is down across the board… except acts of violence toward judges, elections workers, and political figures, which has sky rocketed since Trump.
He’s being treated way too soft and that continues to embolden he and his cronies.
I get that the jurists are doing their utmost to prevent causes for appeal...because that is exactly what Tang Face wants. I believe he had hopes of provoking Judge Engoron with his stupid rant and getting more "evidence" to show what an unfairly treated victim is poor iddle Twumpy. (GACK)
“Tang Face”!!!!! Bwahaha!!! Thanks for that nickname!! Very funny!!
That beautiful knickname is courtesy of Sarah Kinsella Dow from whom I use it with attribution!
Ah-greee!
Best nickname ever!!!
Pundits, not purists. (Phone won’t let me edit!!)
Appeasement NEVER works.
Or disbarred
I have the same questions. But I have another to add to yours. How the heck did Trump in his first election? I couldn't stand him eight years ago, and really, REALLY can't stand to see his face, hear his voice, read about him, hear about him, or even think about him any longer! Am I the only one who feels that way? (Sorry, that made two questions. You can see how much I'm losing my mind)
I'm not too fond of Roger Stone, either. In fact, everything about him GROSSES ME OUT!!!
Better stop before I continue to add to the list of Trumpublican creeps.
Roger Stone is quite possibly one of the most corrupt, sick, evil beings I've ever seen or read about. Even a digital photo of him gives off toxic slime vibes.
Little wonder that Stone gravitated into Trump's orbit. Birds of a feather really do flock together.
And yes...I'm sick to death of seeing and hearing Tang Face...but every day he plays out these disgusting antics makes me more resolved to do what ever I can to prevent this vile repulsive creature from being elected a second time. He. Will. Lose.
Thank you T. L. I'm with you.
He. HAS. To. Lose! And we are going to be the biggest reason for his downfall. The clock's ticking.
Yes Dianne. I think people need to be aware of what the Christian nationalist have in store in their minds. But I think we need to put our energy toward reelecting Biden as you indicate. The only reason I bring up the issue of 2025 being in the works since the 70s is because people need to be self educated and read for themselves: Frank Schaeffer ‘ Crazy for God’ has written and spoken extensively.
Valere, I agree with you! I received a gift card for a local bookstore, so I'm going to look for that and a few others that have been mentioned. here. Thanks for letting me know about this one.
I thought I was alone in disgust just looking at Stone.
Dianne - you said stated the exact same questions & reactions I have! They (and others) all gross me out! And yeah - many many "others".
HOW in this day of constant media blather can there still be people who are unaware?
That, back in the day, would have been referred to as "The $64,000 Question."
Only ONE of my questions is, and has always been, how did Trump get 7 million MORE votes in 2020 than in 2016? After four years of his despotic rule, seven million MORE people got out and voted for him? No. If ANYONE tried to steal an election in 2020, it was him and his cronies. It was also the same year that Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Susan Collins came from polls stating they were deep underwater in approval ratings to WIN their elections. I get that Republicans lie to pollsters because it's reflexive for them to lie about everything (they learn from their "leaders"), but Trump's vote totals in 2020 REALLY have me concerned -- he lost because they didn't cheat ENOUGH, and who had any time or motivation to investigate when all Trump did between Election Day and NOW is claim that Democrats cheated? We have to make sure we can overcome their continued cheating in 2024 too.
Steve, those are some very interesting questions that I never thought about before. You're right about the seven million more votes after the four years of evil that we endured. If anything, there should have been that many votes LESS than they claim. I think that all the Trump minions will go to their death beds (MSN's word police would never have approved those two words, BTW) claiming that the Democrats cheated. Lindsey Graham originally criticized the insurrection, yet five minutes later, he changed her mind. More than likely, Trump got to him, just like Trump he did with Mark Meadows when he "summoned: Meadows for a nice little chat at his little castle in Florida.
It worries me that since the last elections, Trump's cronies and MAGA people have had a lot of time to hone their "skills" so they can cheat ---big time --- without any of them getting caught, As far as I know, they still haven't determined who the person was that was hanging out at the Democrat Headquarters the night before the insurrection. It's still my belief that MTG was the person in that video taken behind the Democrat Headquarters the night before. The person in that video definitely had the gait of a female.
Can you imagine if the losers of the Super Bowl or the World Series made such a scene, calling the other team liars and cheaters? Neither Democrats nor Republicans would never have stood for it!
There's no doubt in my mind that we HAVE to be "in this together" and do all we can to ensure that Trump never gets within a mile of the WH. Since he and his extremely under-educated attorneys are determined to join his client in keeping him out of jail, I'm starting to lose faith in the justice system, even though I worked in "that system" for 12 years and did an internship in the State Attorney's Office.
Growing up, we were reminded over and again about safety in numbers. Joyce always reinforces that at the end of each Civil Discourse "class." The safety in this case is protecting our democracy --- and ourselves.
Unfortunately, in sports, there are referees who, as Justice Roberts said of his job, call balls and strikes. In politics, there are no referees. It's just us, We the People.
Sandy, We the People have to be the judges. For example, no matter how many zillions of times MAGAs refuse to believe J6 was merely a harmless group of tourists visiting The Capitol that day, and that the police and Feds were the ones who instigated all of it.
We the People watched it on TV that day, including Trump saying he loves all of them. We've also seen coverage over many times since then.
Yes we do. But a good chunk of us is ill. See "The Shared Psychosis of Donald Trump and His Loyalists" (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-shared-psychosis-of-donald-trump-and-his-loyalists/).
Never-Democrats will never vote other than Republican no matter how onerous the R candidate is.
Hi Dianne, In response to what I think is you first question: how did Trump win in 2016? He won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote. As did 'W'. This goes back to the founders of the US. They were all - to the last man, wealthy (for the times) landed - meaning they owned at least several acres of land. And they didn't trust the less educated, free, white working men, who were the only ones who could vote.
While I love and admire the Constitution, and have some understanding of the people of the 18th and 19th century Europe and those in America - based only on the written word (mainly the Constitution and the Federalist papers written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. I won't pretend to understand why, if they didn't trust the under or non educated men they didn't simply educate them.
Of course I also don't understand why intelligent, liberal, progressive people fell asleep at the wheel and didn't stop ALEC either in the 1970's through the early 2000's when they managed to take over the majority of small State legislatures and padded the Courts with autocratic, non-law abiding judges.
Wow!
A year or so ago, I bought the book "Don't Know Much About History" by Kenneth C. Davis. It patiently sits on my bookshelf, waiting for me to at least look at the first page. After your response, and those from others, I'm going to dust it off and start reading. I graduated from high school 50 years ago, so I think I forgot way too much about American History. Thanks for your inspiration.
Hi Fay, The electoral college was a compromise between the founders who wanted the president to be elected by members of congress and those who wanted popular vote. We had only thirteen states at the time and southern states did not have large voting populations. If we did away with the electoral college today (imperfect as it is), the president would (or could) be elected by New York, California and Texas. Of course populations shift. Jefferson stated that the electorate needed to be educated to know what the representatives were doing and to challenge and confront. This is why he established the University of Virginia, as a public university. We are becoming more educated on this substack and more able to challenge and confront. 💙
Yes. And yes, I also agree those of us on Substack are also becoming more educated (I didn't know Jefferson started U of V) But we are one percent of the population. We need to reach about 80% to have a real democracy.
Spot on Fay - as always:)
I don’t understand why Trump was not immediately put in the witness box and cross examined. He was testifying and lying.
Bam! I couldn’t agree more. Lock him up for contempt. Anyone else would have been.
Good question. The judge backed down and let him speak even though DT hadn't signed off on the rules the judge gave him for speaking. I just read Comey's Jan 10th op-ed in WaPo: "The rule of law must be vindicated regardless of the threat." Is that what happened here? Judicial decision-making based on fear or favor?
...and don't think for one second this ends with the election even if he loses.
That's one thought that constantly haunts me, too.
Agreed...I'm sure we will have to defend democracy for a good many election cycles before this fervor for authoritarianism dies down. And we'll have to keep an eagle eye out for imitators who might be more plausible, competent, likeable and far less overt about their leanings than Cadet Obvious (Tang Face).
Agree. I'm starting to make notes on what we should be doing IF Biden wins, a goal I believe can be achieved, regardless of the current polls, and am working toward; the election is a long way from today. So far, I have assuring our elections are free and fair, as you noted. I'm also adding repairing the breach in our electorate.
Yes, I'm glad DeDumbass doesn't seem to be in the running for much longer because I think he was supposed to be Trump 2.0, but he has the personality of a wet dishrag -- I've heard it said that people like him until they meet him.
...or smell him...?
It will be a total replay of 2020!!! Possibly much worse and even violent. Scary shit!
You got it! Be prepared.
Agree. We'll go through another round of the Big Lie with failed attempts to prove it in the courts that will conveniently be ignored or discredited by his supporters. And another insurrection? I would say no, at least not on Jan 6th at the Capitol, based on recogntion by law enforcment of their failures that day and the Electoral Count Reform Act.
But they'll think of something. I'm sure the plans are already being developed. We need a mule to expose them in advance.
As I head to bed, I find myself hoping that a Year from now, the name Trump, will be not be seen .That he will be out of sight and mind! And, securely imprisoned !
I am mystified by the seemingly normal people supporting this cruel, vengeful, narcissistic playground bully.
They're the Seething Inadequates. As Jennifer Rubin pointed out yesterday, they are the people who think they have been denied their "rightful place," which has been given to undeserving Others.
In my role as an historian, I had the opportunity 40 years ago to interview a German Luftwaffe general, Adolf Galland, who had many face-to-face dealings with Adolf Hitler. After we had talked awhile, I finally asked him if he had any insight into how it was that Hitler had accomplished what he had. His answer has resonated with me ever since, and most particularly these past 8 years: "The people placed Adolf Hitler in power because he gave voice to their discontent." Sound familiar?
I think it goes even deeper. Those with power see that their numbers are dwindling and unless a victory comes quickly, they will never be in a winning position without significantly changing their policies. They have formulated a way to sway people based on fears, getting them to vote even against their own interests. Appealing to the discontented with a barrage of lies; the Right will say and do anything to get votes and end free elections once they get full power. Their supporters won't know what hit them. So I don't fault the people completely; they are underwater, struggling, and will do what they are told.
Indeed Bonnie, you have given the examples that Joyce quotes from Orwell as 'doublespeak.' Trump promised the disillusioned a tax cut (to gain their votes). The minute he got into office he made a tax cut: for the billionaires. That's doublespeak: holding two contradictory ideas in one's head. But his minions have not recognized the doublespeak. Thank Steve Bannon, the black-ops communication master who sending doses of doublespeak six days per week from his War Room. It's not so much 'what he says' but the 'way he says it' .....in a chilling doublespeak, designed to be repeated just the right number of times to take hold in the MAGA minds.
The tax "cut" that now expires for lower income people - but is permanent for the billionaires! That little bit seems to have escaped the msm's attention completely.
The ADHD media?
It’s more sinister than that. NBC has Kristin Welker hosting Meet the Press. She sat quietly while letting Elise Stefanik call insurrectionists in jail hostages and then listened to her refuse to back the results of November’s election. Welker did not ask a single followup question.
This was NBC hosting a unpaid Republican campaign ad.
Yup those are the ones!
Exactly.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
George Orwell
Somebody needs to write this script - "1984 in 2024" and do it soon!
Agree completely. But their supporters, under a second Trump Admin, won't get hit. Only the people they all hate - the Left, the Dems, the coastal elites - will feel the effect of unfree and unfair elections. In fact, their supporters don't want free and fair elections.
I do as well.
Thx for the Rubin quote. Spot on, IMO.
Yes, it's familiar. However. the Germans in the early 30s who gave the Nazis a majority in 1933 had a much more reasonable basis for being discontented that included a worldwide depression. He blamed on Jewish financiers.
The discontents about the Depression were nothing compared to the discontents over having lost the war and its results.
Yes, I meant to say the Depression was only part of their discontent. Both their loss of the war and the Versailles reparations that followed were a greater part.
James, please read Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland
by Christopher R. Browning, Kevin Gallagher, et al.
It will give you some frighteningly valuable insights about normal people.
I always love book recommentations, but I have SOO much to read. Could you note three of the most valuable insights?
Thanks. I will.
Because there is no civic centerist leadership? Because no one asks potential and likely voters what they would like in national election processes?
Part of this, I think, is because our primary process is broken; only the extremes in each party bother to vote. Ranked-choice voting would repair this. "Our 'choose-one' elections deprive voters of meaningful choices, create increasingly toxic campaign cycles, advance candidates who lack broad support, and leave voters feeling like our voices are not heard" (https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/).
The Congressional Elections Authority Clause has not been used in an omnibus manner since 1842. It's the forgotten power. The people should sue Congress, seeking the removal of pay and privilege until Congress cleans itself. All are accountable.
It's interesting. I might be one of the few lay person who has thought its stated powers though based on a clear-language reading. I have been trying to reach influencers since 2017.
Hmm. Didn't know about that. Thx.
Happy to be in this together with good folks like you! 😎
Katie, so am I!
Same here - where in the world would we all BE without Joyce & LFAA and all those other wonderful humans - who are getting the "word" out there as much as possible. The hard part is waking people up to pay attention.
It’s not easy to enlighten or otherwise turn people’s thinking around. While time consuming there is a proved way to succeed, it’s called Deep Canvassing. Can read about it here https://forgeorganizing.org/article/getting-personal-build-power-and-better-tomorrow?emci=deb50ad3-9a8f-ee11-8925-002248223f36&emdi=bb904081-5094-ee11-8925-002248223f36&ceid=43055735
I just read about deep canvassing a week or so ago! Thx for this.
Hi Sandy, If you want to know more about Deep Canvassing, Pat Blumenthal will be presenting her work in Colorado at a zoom meeting of Seniors Taking Action, 11 AM Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan 31. Can sign up here https://seniorstakingaction.org/, and will get the newsletter for link to the meetings. It’s free and very informative. We have weekly meetings with great speakers. Can see the list of past and future speakers on the link to speaker series. And questions, please let me know. Dianesaatchi@gmail.com
Thank you, Diane. I signed up for the newsletter.
I agree with you. Waking my son is going to be a challenge, though. My husband and I don't know how to have "that discussion" whenever we visit. It's different and difficult when it's a family member. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Start by listening to understand. That alone breaks down the wall, a little bit.
I'll try that! Thanks!
You're welcome, Diane. You might check out Braver Angels (https://braverangels.org/). They hold events for bringing red and blue together to do that listening. They have an online event, "Families and Politics" coming up on Jan 20th (https://braverangels.org/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=3795).
I have no idea! I'm fortunate that both my kids feel as I do. This subject seems to be so touchy - politics and religion!
I feel for you -
Maggie, thank you for the kind words. You're right about this being touchy. It would be like asking my son and his wife how much they earn.
We are in this together, indeed. And we absolutely will NOT let him win. Have courage, all. We can do this.
I like the rallying cry, but what is the plan, meaning how exactly will we do this?
I have a newsletter for that! chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com
Sorry, Jessica. I can't get on board with electing Progressives, as your profile puts it. Center-left Dems, like me, yes. Progressives? No. If you want to know why, let me know.
And, the plan I'm looking for is defeating Trump in the swing states, where the election will be decided.
Hi, Sandy. I suspect I know why. The name "progressives" has taken on a new meaning to some recently. I promise that's not what we're doing at CWCW. But either way, take care!
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Yes Joyce, we're in this together. Thanks to you and many others, we are there for each other to the end.
Trump winning isn't inevitable in my book. We all have to get out vote for Democracy, or this could literally be our last vote as King Trump and his Christofascist Nationalist Movement KKKrowd turn America into a pawn of Putin.
He is losing to abortion.
Roevember IS coming.
GOP = Government of Putin
Kimberly, I also worry that we may have already had our last normal election; that even without Trump, the strategy is now out of the bag - here and globally - and whatever honesty or transparency used to be in political contests will have no place except with losers.
Even without the all out Republican attack on voting rights supported by the Disgraced Roberts Court, the odds are stacked in favor of the sparsely populated Western States that were hustled into statehood in 1889 by a Republican dominated Congress that had all ready evolved into the defenders of private wealth. If the Senate represented people rather than land, Wyoming would have 1 Senator but California would have 52.
And that's why our Democracy is so vital. We must be willing to see and vote to fix the things that led us to this point:
The Electoral College vs Popular Majority Vote, mail in ballots nationwide, ridding ourselves of Citizens United and throwing out the tax code leaving only the things that balance the playing field. Corporations need to pay their fair share of taxes. Profits over a certain percentage need to be taxed. CEOs and other executives should only be making a nationwide percentage over their workers. Everyone deserves to earn a living wage and healthcare. The wealthy need to pay their fair share. No more loopholes.
Seems like nobody thinks the Supreme Court will take him off the ballots in states that attempt to do so...
If they rule him ineligible in one state, surely that must apply to all states. The Disgraced Roberts Court has neither the courage nor the integrity to do what the Constitution demands.
Agree, and Trump shouldn’t complain if a GOP stacked court rules him ineligible. Yeah, you’re right, probably not gonna happen and court’s legitimacy will be further eroded.
But it would be a huge game changer if they did rule in Colorado’s favor. Democrats would have some decisions to make about Biden’s candidacy.
Republicans would be in disarray. The MAGAts wsould stay home, and to paraphrase a hackneyed legal phrase, the Democrats could nominate and elect a ham sandwich.
Thank you Joyce(I think) for nighttime read before I turn the light out. You would think that people would be appalled at the things the orange maggot says but they seem to look up to him. Thinking he is strong. Me I think he is a weak, one that needs to bully and berate people to make himself feel important. He cares nothing about anyone but himself. And that B.S. about keeping him from the funeral he didn’t have to show up to court but if he hadn’t he would not have been able to do his rant. That was his choice. That was more important. Good night!
Robert Hubbell (on Substack) wrote a piece "Trump is a Loser Tell a Friend" https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/trump-is-a-loser-tell-a-friend. It's worth keeping in mind. Especially for all those folks not paying attention.
Thanks for this! I'm a subscriber now! Great piece!
If it's true that TFG has only $400M in cash, and the Judge gives the DA what she is asking for, then he may be pushed to the limit and have a biological event. ::)) We should be so lucky.
The honor is all ours, Joyce! I can honestly hear the worry in your writing. It is terrifying to see how far some people have fallen and hit their heads. To show admiration for a crook, a grifter, a liar, a rapist, is totally mind-boggling to me. What is it that they don’t see? These people are devoid of feelings. They are being led by their noses as if they’re in a trance. I desperately want to see their bubble burst wide open.
And while we are grinding our teeth about all of this, what the hell do we do about Judge Cannon? Will Jack Smith, once and for all, ask for her removal? I do not want to play the waiting game. I am angry that Judge Engoron let Trump utter any words at all! This man is crazy as is the rest of his mob.
I don't trust Cannon at all. Had she been older than 25, a plain, ordinary, "dog," I wonder if he would have ever appointed her in the first place. She will drag and delay, and drag and delay his case until you-know-what freezes over,
"What’s difficult is understanding how so many people are able to ignore the truth that is in front of us." (Joyce's words). It's truly incomprehensible, but where else but here can we see and read it in such clear statements? Sadly, not only the repubs are not speaking out against the orange monster and his henchmen (e.g. Roger Stone), but I don't see many dems either who counter the frivolous statements that tfg and others posts. Attending the funeral of his mother-in-law? Who believes that new lie, when he is set to be at a campaign event at the same time. No doubt, he garnered some sympathy with dumb people.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
~ George Orwell, 1984