From Heather Cox Richardson today: "Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, who studies focus groups, told NPR, “When I ask voters in focus groups if they think Donald Trump is an authoritarian, the #1 response by far is, ‘What is an authoritarian?’”
If trump's followers felt he had been such a good president, why didn't they give him a second term when they were presented with the opportunity to do so in November 2020?
Yes. Read Heather Cox Richardson's column today. It is one of many documenting how people did not understand what Trump stood for. I hold the corporate and social media accountable for that. See Fox News, Twitter-X, NYT, WaPo, LATimes.
Totally agree. People really need to think about what voting for or against is going to get them. Why bother voting against abortion bans if you're voting for any republican officeholder.
It feels like we want to blame the addicts instead of holding the pushers and drug cartels accountable. Yes, those addicted to social media as a source of information, probably know its disinformation or at least misinformation at best and we need to help them break their addiction. What group will arise as the AA or NA for the internet media addiction? The analogy continues with foreign suppliers of disinformation being like fentanyl and chemically concocted poisons. I do hold the addicted accountable for their actions, including the harm they bring to their families and cultures, AND I think a real emphasis needs to be shutting down the supply side of the "illegal drugs". What's the latest on the Tik Tok "ban"? How do we get section 230 repealed from any platform whose algorithms elevate disinformation and harmful content? Accountability folks, blame is a waste of energy.
I am very clearly blaming the corporate and social media for this election. As I said in several other Substacks, the people who voted MAGA often do not have the time, know-how or resources to access other media than that available to them, and let's face it, many live in good media access deserts.
I think a really big part of it isn't access or desire of accurate information... it's a need to belong. My younger brother is a smart, educated man. His need to belong has taken him down a road of stupidity and irrationality. Years ago I dubbed him the Great Rationalizer. When I asked him why he likes T he told me "because he is honest"??? These people don't want to know the truth, they just want to belong to what ever group will take them. SAD
That I do not have. On some level people have to figure things out. I believe the remedy that Jonathan V. Long offered in The Bulwark today is Let Trump be Trump.
This means that some people have to learn the hard way that what they have been striving for, which might just be to feed their families and have some good times in the mix, is not enough to take care of themselves in this day and age, they need to perhaps feel the pain to decide that they want to be better informed.
Still, I think that everyone is starting to understand that the people who voted for Trump did not understand the consequences, let alone that there has been massive election interference. I heard discussed today that someone on one of the Democrats Abroad chats said, "I have seen a lot of people realize that their ballots weren’t counted, were cancelled or their history removed. I can no longer see my history either, does anyone else have this issue?"
I know there was huge Russian interference and I think Biden might have been too quick to call it a free and fair election. I hate to sow seeds of distrust, but I am raised in a question everything, but accept things if you can get good answers.
Still, overall, I think we are realizing that what the Founding Fathers worried about, is that an uneducated electorate does not promote democracy. Isn't that why we are supposed to have public education so that everyone gets an education? Well the Republicans have been messing with that for a long time.
My daughter is going to a public university in Europe. It has an age old stellar reputation, and it is free. While I know people who have gone to private schools here, most people go to Public schools and universities, and it does have a democratizing effect. The US has segregated by community and thus income, and in many cases that means class and race. There has been no separate and equal education, and the Republicans plan to dismantle it further.
To get information to the masses one needs to use the platforms that they use, which are varied and some are disgusting. Otherwise, one has to accept that the super wealthy are buying their votes, making them too apathetic to vote, and making it too difficult to vote, or tricking them into believing things that are not true, vis-a-vis corporate and social media.
I would definitely recommend reading Heather’s column (link above). Maybe do so with bourbon. The fact that the ignorance of the masses has condemned us to the fate that lies ahead is incomprehensible. The information was readily available!!!
I always read Heather’s column. And my response to it today was “Ignorance IS the real “enemy within””. As a former high school teacher n a rural “red” section of Maryland (which despite my efforts, unsurprisingly, voted for Trump and Andy Harris - ugh) I know first hand how hard it is to teach independent, future-thinking, media literacy and decision making to those who are facing food and housing insecurity and have no trusting sense of community. Nonetheless it didn’t (and won’t) stop me from trying.
Lonnise, as you do I do re HCR. However, you’re like a swimmer plunging into the surf trying to teach others how to do that in order to body surf into the beach. Maybe not the best analogy but courage to take it on can become positively addictive in life.
I’m impressed with what you’re continuing to do. Brava!
Thanks Samani. This analogy brought a huge smile and a little tear! My Dad taught me how to body surf. He is a decorated (though I didn’t about the commendations until I found his medals after his death 21 years ago) WWII veteran. Thank you to all our military, civil, and public school servants! You are a huge part of what protects the American dream from becoming a nightmare. It’s gonna be an exhausting 50 months, but we cannot give up protecting. Democracy strong, we must survive the cancer of white supremacy, ignorance and greed.
Lots of talk about disinformation making the difference. And it might be true. What gets me is the only reason disinformation works is if people are gullible enough to fall for it. How do you fix that? This election validated 100% disinformation campaigns, and hate speech. They worked to perfection on a very sad American electorate. Look for it to be the new normal in all future elections. We (and I) are in a very dark place.
Well, I think that is the 1 trillion dollar question. How do we get people access to better quality media now that the illiberals are taking over and will do all they can to quash media?
A lot of Americans live in good media deserts. Can us funding independent media make it available to more people. Can we present good information on TikTok? We are looking at a government that wants to quash higher education, and primary education, so people will be easier to push into the jobs that will be vacated by their massive immigrant deportation programs.
I read this article in the Journal of Democracy today, which is looking at backsliding democracies and the US is one of them. It was written before this election, but seems very salient.
I taught at the school that John Dewey created. He believed in Experience and Education. That is people learn best when they have meaningful experiences with real world consequences. So, a lot of people are going to have meaningful experiences, and with Republicans dominating the Senate and perhaps the House, as well as the White House and the Supreme Court they will be clear on who is in charge of the policies that they had no idea about because no one wrote about them before the election. Now writing about them is like a slap in the face.
I think the education policies are going to get people. Few will be able to afford higher education, and when they get done regulating it it may not be worth the debt. In primary education parents with children with any sort of learning difference or social emotional challenge are going to be facing a cold, cruel world in education. More on that another time.
As I told a friend the other day when she said the same thing — “When I had my first baby I only knew what others told me about childbirth. On my way to the hospital with child #2 I knew EXACTLY the minimum of what I would experience and wondered what the hell had I done??” Having a child is a beautiful thing so doing it more than once is worth it. Having trump once was way too much and doing it again is going to be horrible. There are no excuses for not educating oneself.
True, it is imperative the historical record on all the Trump cases is not destroyed but, it is more important for Federal prosecutors to make certain their legal actions do not completely destroy the rule of law & herald the destruction of our republic & facilitate attacks on vulnerable communities.
Too late for that. "Rule of law" - hah. T**** has, literally, gotten away with murder, and been given carte blanche. We no longer have "rule of law": if we did, he'd have been imprisoned for treason long ago. "Rule of law" is now "Money talks".
You express my sentiments exactly James. We've all watched this happen and unfortunately felt we could do nothing to stop it. It took many countries, united, to stop Hitler in the 40's. What do you think it will take to stop this current cruel trend, not only in our country, but for the world?
I intend to. To borrow a phrase, I'm going to "fight like hell" to defeat the T**** agenda. But the actions of the 'judiciary' (formerly free of influence from the White House and bribes) have left us without a government "of the people, by the people, for the people". We are all 'vulnerables'.
This, James, seems like our reality. Joyce referred to our potential to become a banana republic. Every citizen will find that to be our country, day by day, injustice after injustice. Moreover, we all can recognize that SCOTUS and several Trump appointed judges have already spoken and told us that “some are above the law..” Start with two justices - Thomas & Alito. We already know they have received goods, vacation junkets, and who knows what else. We have NO guardrails.
The United States of America has been taken over by people inside our country and, based on many reports we have seen to date by actors beyond our borders. Take for example the most openly brazen Viktor Orban with several meetings of CPAC in Hungary and visits to Mar-a-Lago. Also, recognize Trump or his surrogates, have been in contact with Putin during his administration and since his departure from the White House.
Ah! Geez! Don’t accuse me of spreading a conspiracy theory, just writing of what has already been reported by other sources. Let’s do our fact checking before going deeper.
I've never been able to shake the picture of Amy Barrett Comey with T****. Her smile, and her way of looking at him, still sends shivers through my body. She is, I fear (said to preclude claims of libel) owned by him.
James, good to hear you are going to fight like H. Please carry-on but, teachers in schools this coming Monday (not on Day1) are concerned that vulnerable students will start being deported or just be missing.
Each case is unique & factually different & requires smart legal tactics. Fortunately in the CA Bay Area, we have many professionals & lay people capable of stepping up.
TIM WALZ yesterday 11/7: "Take care of your Communities". Already underway.
As one who lives in Texas, where the state government is into cruelty and stupidity, I do not have any faith that our state government will protect anyone who isn't rich, white and male. Local government is our only hope.
So again trump gets away with everything while an ordinary person would get held accountable. The rule of law be damned. It does not exist. He has committed treason, stolen classified documents and shown or sold them to our enemies. How was he ever allowed to run for office. There needs to be some rule changes here to protect our country.
My daughter works in the DOJ. I haven't yet spoken to her about the election result, but I imagine there was, as in 2016, much weeping and gnashing of teeth in the halls of the DOJ. At least, this time, she won't have to see his portrait on the wall outside her new office. We have to work to stop T**** from his plan of replacing government officials with his own toadies and turning the DOJ against citizens he considers enemies (and that's a whole lot of us). We are all vulnerable. So, we fight. There must be no compromise with fascists.
Interesting Patricia as I researched the National Institute of Health (NIH) current research data on the definition, medical, psychological & cognitive realities of "delusional" to deal with a Troll who was slinging the word like a baseball bat.
I chose an NIH research article that has been cited by 196 other medical scientists. Alas, the Troll retreated from the Field as I was raising his potential tortious conduct which, of course, requires admissible evidence.
The Troll has not reappeared ... yet.
I respect honest self awareness; one cannot survive without functioning deductive reasoning based on the real world.
A big problem is with “norms.” Norms are not laws. Norms cannot be used to compel compliance. On the other hand, if laws are ignored by those who are supposed to enforce them, what purpose do laws serve? How can they protect anyone? The citizens of this country have relied on norms and traditions that have no enforcement mechanisms. There has also been the hope of elected officials having good character. Trump has revealed every fissure in our system of governance and in our legal system. He has widened them and exploited that width for his benefit and the country’s detriment. He ran to stay out of jail, and he succeeded.
I’m sorry, Joyce, I recognize how much you revere the legal system, but when those who are supposed to uphold shrug their shoulders and say, “ So what?!” The legal system is basically dead. We just don’t know when the funeral is. We are on our way back to the Middle Ages.
Those are some startling numbers in Kathleen Weber's piece. But the statement that blew me away was that Democrats watch Fox News more than any other news source. I'm floored.
I'd heard that some were mad that there was no true Convention to pick a Presidential candidate. Perhaps 12 million thought that was in poor taste. Will we ever know? Last time we lost a sure thing was when Michael Dukakis agreed to ride around in a tank with that helmet on his head sticking out of the tank. The end.
I think most of the 11M became disaffected in 2022 and 2023 when Biden made light of the pain of inflation. I think these 11M were lower propensity voters who didn't much care about such political niceties as whether there was a primary process or not. I think they were already turned off before 2024.
Thank you, Joyce, for walking us through these tumultuous times and explaining what might be ahead. In my heart of hearts, I am hoping (actually praying) that Joe and Kamala’s team conjure up something so miraculous that America and her Constitution will be saved. Far-fetched wish, I know. I have been in a rather comatose stage since Wednesday, crying off and on. Today, our governor, Gavin Newsom, held a Zoom call with us Californians, about 35,000+, to tell us he knows we are reeling. He did remind us that we have the 5th largest economy in the world and that cannot be overlooked. His job is to go to the state assembly and shore up funds and policies that he knows trump [his name will be lower-case] will attack. He said it is his job, our job to protect the migrant workers and immigrants because they contribute so much to our economy. He wanted to allay our fears by saying we need to take a break and reenergize to prepare for the fight ahead. I see other governors are doing the same like Pritzker, Hochul, Healey, and Shapiro.
Bottom line: White women let black women down. 53% voted R while 45% voted D. Black women: 97%! White women over 65: 54% while Black women in that same age group was 93%! 81% of all Jews voted for Kamala with 78% coming from Jewish women.
Cathy, I highly recommend reading The Nation That Never Was by Kermit Roosevelt III. We tried to leave what our country had been in the 1960s with the Civil Rights Act, etc., but we are and always have been - including the "founding fathers" - a nation of bigots and misogynists. I, too, thought we left that stuff behind, but it's clear now that we haven't.
With all due respect to you Marlene, the specific wishes & prayers you mention aren’t just far-fetched, they’re magical thinking. That’s a psychological term for hoping/wishing/praying for a savior to appear and save us. It might be soothing to indulge in this for a brief moment but any longer hurts you. It can easily become an unhealthy distraction from the work at hand. No one is going to magically save those of us who rejected living in a fascist led theocracy.
I envy you having a governor who is trying to protect their state and citizens. Indiana’s politicians care only for pleasing trump. Our newest senator-elect, jim banks, actually went on tv and said he hoped trump really will get rid of millions of immigrants. He’s all in on a fascist takeover.
Not sure all really understood what they voted for due to all the disinformation. They are in for a rude awakening. Stupidity and uneducated , believing all they read in right wing news. Well in a few months welcome to the real world. Glad to be Californian and a state that will stand up once again for our values.
Such somber news. Justice Department seems to be on top of the thwarted Iranian plot to kill donold. I wonder what it will be like in the coming four years when donold will “use” the Justice Department for revenge against his so-called enemies.
Coming soon will be the frightening reality of
Project 2025. My hope is that we can join together and make a difference.
Dang, I thought instead of Five Questions you were going to give us five more images of your chickens and/or other animal companions, and so I opened up this email. Horribly disappointed, frustrated and sad to find out instead that tffg will face no consequences for these two of his many crimes, and that this proves that in America, Justice is not blind.
I am grateful to you, Joyce, for the news and legal analysis that you provide regularly but am still heartsick over the election results.
While we do need the harsh truths Joyce writes about - and I very much appreciate her time, effort & work - it is quite difficult to read that justice no longer exists at all with regard to trump.
Not sorry to see Merrick Garland's backside as he exits DC...a lot to answer for, but that's for the historians. We the people get the mushroom treatment: kept in the dark and fed horseshit.
Totally agree as to Garland. He slow walked the investigations. Trump should have received justice well before this time. Justice delayed is justice denied!
It's all for sale, we know that, he already has been using it for deals. How do you think Jared got $2B from Saudi? What has he given Putin in all their talks? Soon he gives Putin Ukraine, Xi gets Taiwan, Bibi gets to level Gaza and Jared gets his wish of building hotels there -- not like ANY of that is not well known. Jared's talked about this since last March!!
I'm not so sure, Robert. At least some of them (a) value different things than we do that are legit, and/or (b) have been engulfed by the Fox / Sinclair / News Corp / Newsmax / One America / iHeart / Bott Radio / X / Rogan universe, which I know I for one have no experience of, but Michael Tomasky today was persuasive: https://newrepublic.com/post/188197/trump-media-information-landscape-fox
As someone posted today, doesn't excuse them, but explains the ignorance, and the demonization of those of us who actually understand and care about democracy.
I don't think it will help us in the long term to lump all of them into the deplorables bucket. Though over the last few days I admit, sadly, that I hope some of them rot there.
Wow! Thanks Jane for this link. I’m truly shocked to read how they have dominated the media and they will try to control as much as they can. How do we stop this? If we don’t get some balance back, we’re dead.
Anyone who calls American voters "deplorables" is being deplorable. The Trumpers I know are mostly hard working, or frustratingly under- or unemployed, ever since our Democratic leadership shipped their good, well paying jobs to China. And/or they have been brainwashed by Faux News, their priest or preacher, or their stock broker. Trump is actually no dummy: He wooed them, instead of denigrating them, and won.
Pretty sure they intend to fix all future elections. I don't see any democrats winning the House in 2 years. He claimed on truth social yesterday while bashing Governor Newsom that "as the "AGENT" for the United States of America on Voting & Elections" he would insist on ID and proof of citicitizenship to vote... just his very first statement indicating he's taking over elections, even at the state level. As we all know, that will soon become a talking point and then he willl attempt it. With both chambers of congress, the SCOTUS, the DOJ, and his oligarchs, I wonder how we will fight that.
Joyce, who decided that a sitting president could not be criminally charged? Is it in the Constitution? O hate to see Jack Smith not pursue what he can in the next 2 months and my husband said Judge Merchan has to sentence Trump. My husband is a retired Judge. He said the judge can't just forget the jury found him guilty. I hope he gets prison time. He isn't above the law.
Nothing in the Constitution or the law, for that matter, establishes a sitting president's immunity from indictment; it's just based on a couple of DOJ memos (original in 1973 and the second in 2000). This position was put into question (at least from an "historical" perspective) in two well-reasoned memos to both special counsels Leon Jaworski ("Nixon") and Kenneth Starr ("Clinton"). However, the Imperial Court's broad and incomprehensible ruling on presidential immunity probably can also now be interpreted to protect a sitting president. Btw --- this ruling was raised with Judge Merchan in a motion to dismiss the NY case because some of the evidence presented occurred while Trump was pretending to be president the first time. Merchan is scheduled to rule on that motion next week (11-12). The conventional wisdom is he will deny it, but that decision could then be appealed, possibly delaying sentencing yet again. Because of sentencing guidelines and the fact that Trump is (legally) considered a first offender, he would almost certainly not receive a prison sentence in any case. If sentencing does occur, it will most likely be suspended pending appeal or until Trump's term is up.
Yes, I am afraid he IS above the law. I wonder if massive fines can be imposed in place of prison? Not sure how tightly his hands are tied re sentencing. I’d be pissed off in a big way if I were a juror and the case just dissolves!
Also Gaza. Ukraine and Gaza will suffer even more now, possibly to the point of being wiped out. trump’s already said “Bibi should finish the job” and that he’ll “give” Ukraine to Putin (who won’t stop at Ukraine).
In two years, elections for House of Representatives, and some Senators, comes around again. Unless our elections are rigged by the nightmare taking over in Jan. (which I would not put past them, since voter suppression had a hand in this years outcome), we will be able to start clawing our way back to sanity and the rule of law. A steep uphill climb lies ahead.
And please, everyone, stop asking a deity for help.
I definitely believe in God. But God gave people the ability to choose. He doesn't "make" us do anything or force his choices on us. Why anyone would Want T**** as president or the worst job you can think of, is beyond me. I do not understand the apparent "worship" of this man! How could they listen to him speak and not see that he is a blubbering idiot? And all of those who chose him are not all dumb & uneducated. I know many folks with college degrees who think he's great. I also know people who did not vote for Obama simply because he's black and also did not for Hillary because she's a woman. So they definitely weren't going to vote for a black woman! Our country is sadly still prejudiced and misogynistic.
Yeah, Putin will coach him on how to have the perception of a democratic election. Actually, that's what the U.S. had had for the last few elections anyway, given all the gerrymandering and corporate financing
1. I have grave doubts that there will be another election in two years, or four, or again in our lifetimes.
2. You don’t get to tell anyone to stop practicing their faith. Freedom of religion, remember? Spiritual belief is greatly empowering for many. Martin Luther King, Jr., for example.
celeste k., I'm not sure it's God out there...but something is. eg. why is bobbit's name what it is ? Why was Lincoln's secretary named Kennedy and Kennedy's named Lincoln ? etc.
Marc Elias. He may not get very far given the blocks in front of him but he will give us a gadfly who will keep constitutional norms front and center of our minds. Where they need to be for the next four years. Yeah, wishful thinking for that white knight riding up on the white horse is alive and well inside my head. Something has to be alive and well inside my head to combat the dark and sick that will likely live outside my head. Geez, even our 1500 year old imagery is racist. Least I can do is put him on a black or brown horse.
The people who voted for Trump will get exactly what they voted for.
Unfortunately, so will the rest of us
Now, where in the hell did I leave my magic wand…….
Even though Trump's voters likely didn't realize what they were voting for w/Trump.
Which is no excuse.
They had every opportunity to educate themselves and not one of them missed 2017-2020! They 1000% knew.
From Heather Cox Richardson today: "Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, who studies focus groups, told NPR, “When I ask voters in focus groups if they think Donald Trump is an authoritarian, the #1 response by far is, ‘What is an authoritarian?’”
Can you say idiocracy?
If trump's followers felt he had been such a good president, why didn't they give him a second term when they were presented with the opportunity to do so in November 2020?
Yes. Read Heather Cox Richardson's column today. It is one of many documenting how people did not understand what Trump stood for. I hold the corporate and social media accountable for that. See Fox News, Twitter-X, NYT, WaPo, LATimes.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-8-2024
In Spy Talk today they were talking about the case that Prof. Vance mentions above with the assassination plots.
https://www.spytalk.co/p/new-in-spyweek-plot-to-murder-trump?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Willful ignorance; to vote FOR abortion rights and higher minimum wage and other protections, at the same time as voting FOR trump.
Totally agree. People really need to think about what voting for or against is going to get them. Why bother voting against abortion bans if you're voting for any republican officeholder.
It feels like we want to blame the addicts instead of holding the pushers and drug cartels accountable. Yes, those addicted to social media as a source of information, probably know its disinformation or at least misinformation at best and we need to help them break their addiction. What group will arise as the AA or NA for the internet media addiction? The analogy continues with foreign suppliers of disinformation being like fentanyl and chemically concocted poisons. I do hold the addicted accountable for their actions, including the harm they bring to their families and cultures, AND I think a real emphasis needs to be shutting down the supply side of the "illegal drugs". What's the latest on the Tik Tok "ban"? How do we get section 230 repealed from any platform whose algorithms elevate disinformation and harmful content? Accountability folks, blame is a waste of energy.
I am very clearly blaming the corporate and social media for this election. As I said in several other Substacks, the people who voted MAGA often do not have the time, know-how or resources to access other media than that available to them, and let's face it, many live in good media access deserts.
I think a really big part of it isn't access or desire of accurate information... it's a need to belong. My younger brother is a smart, educated man. His need to belong has taken him down a road of stupidity and irrationality. Years ago I dubbed him the Great Rationalizer. When I asked him why he likes T he told me "because he is honest"??? These people don't want to know the truth, they just want to belong to what ever group will take them. SAD
Linda, BOOM!
You identified the problem concisely:
“people who voted MAGA often do not have the time, know-how or resources to access other media than that available to them,”
Now that we have a diagnosis, can we formulate a remedy?? Do we have the will??
That I do not have. On some level people have to figure things out. I believe the remedy that Jonathan V. Long offered in The Bulwark today is Let Trump be Trump.
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-modest-proposal-let-trump-be-trump
This means that some people have to learn the hard way that what they have been striving for, which might just be to feed their families and have some good times in the mix, is not enough to take care of themselves in this day and age, they need to perhaps feel the pain to decide that they want to be better informed.
Jay Kuo talks about this in kinder terms.
https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/its-find-out-time
Still, I think that everyone is starting to understand that the people who voted for Trump did not understand the consequences, let alone that there has been massive election interference. I heard discussed today that someone on one of the Democrats Abroad chats said, "I have seen a lot of people realize that their ballots weren’t counted, were cancelled or their history removed. I can no longer see my history either, does anyone else have this issue?"
She was told to look into it at voterhelp@democratsabroad.org
I know there was huge Russian interference and I think Biden might have been too quick to call it a free and fair election. I hate to sow seeds of distrust, but I am raised in a question everything, but accept things if you can get good answers.
Still, overall, I think we are realizing that what the Founding Fathers worried about, is that an uneducated electorate does not promote democracy. Isn't that why we are supposed to have public education so that everyone gets an education? Well the Republicans have been messing with that for a long time.
My daughter is going to a public university in Europe. It has an age old stellar reputation, and it is free. While I know people who have gone to private schools here, most people go to Public schools and universities, and it does have a democratizing effect. The US has segregated by community and thus income, and in many cases that means class and race. There has been no separate and equal education, and the Republicans plan to dismantle it further.
To get information to the masses one needs to use the platforms that they use, which are varied and some are disgusting. Otherwise, one has to accept that the super wealthy are buying their votes, making them too apathetic to vote, and making it too difficult to vote, or tricking them into believing things that are not true, vis-a-vis corporate and social media.
Those I know tell me OAN, Fox, Breitbart are the best!
Well said, Lonnise. This is important. The harm from our addiction to social media will continue to send its destructive tentacles into our future.
How far and how much destructive havoc? Incalculable.
I had "repealing Section 230" on my wish list for a Harris presidency and Congress. Now itʻs not going to happen.
I would definitely recommend reading Heather’s column (link above). Maybe do so with bourbon. The fact that the ignorance of the masses has condemned us to the fate that lies ahead is incomprehensible. The information was readily available!!!
I always read Heather’s column. And my response to it today was “Ignorance IS the real “enemy within””. As a former high school teacher n a rural “red” section of Maryland (which despite my efforts, unsurprisingly, voted for Trump and Andy Harris - ugh) I know first hand how hard it is to teach independent, future-thinking, media literacy and decision making to those who are facing food and housing insecurity and have no trusting sense of community. Nonetheless it didn’t (and won’t) stop me from trying.
Lonnise, as you do I do re HCR. However, you’re like a swimmer plunging into the surf trying to teach others how to do that in order to body surf into the beach. Maybe not the best analogy but courage to take it on can become positively addictive in life.
I’m impressed with what you’re continuing to do. Brava!
Thanks Samani. This analogy brought a huge smile and a little tear! My Dad taught me how to body surf. He is a decorated (though I didn’t about the commendations until I found his medals after his death 21 years ago) WWII veteran. Thank you to all our military, civil, and public school servants! You are a huge part of what protects the American dream from becoming a nightmare. It’s gonna be an exhausting 50 months, but we cannot give up protecting. Democracy strong, we must survive the cancer of white supremacy, ignorance and greed.
Idiocracy. Watch the movie, it has now come to life. Replaced democracy.
Lots of talk about disinformation making the difference. And it might be true. What gets me is the only reason disinformation works is if people are gullible enough to fall for it. How do you fix that? This election validated 100% disinformation campaigns, and hate speech. They worked to perfection on a very sad American electorate. Look for it to be the new normal in all future elections. We (and I) are in a very dark place.
Well, I think that is the 1 trillion dollar question. How do we get people access to better quality media now that the illiberals are taking over and will do all they can to quash media?
A lot of Americans live in good media deserts. Can us funding independent media make it available to more people. Can we present good information on TikTok? We are looking at a government that wants to quash higher education, and primary education, so people will be easier to push into the jobs that will be vacated by their massive immigrant deportation programs.
I read this article in the Journal of Democracy today, which is looking at backsliding democracies and the US is one of them. It was written before this election, but seems very salient.
https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/misunderstanding-democratic-backsliding/
I taught at the school that John Dewey created. He believed in Experience and Education. That is people learn best when they have meaningful experiences with real world consequences. So, a lot of people are going to have meaningful experiences, and with Republicans dominating the Senate and perhaps the House, as well as the White House and the Supreme Court they will be clear on who is in charge of the policies that they had no idea about because no one wrote about them before the election. Now writing about them is like a slap in the face.
I think the education policies are going to get people. Few will be able to afford higher education, and when they get done regulating it it may not be worth the debt. In primary education parents with children with any sort of learning difference or social emotional challenge are going to be facing a cold, cruel world in education. More on that another time.
JC almighty - what a scary article. I personally do not want to live in a country where its democracy is back sliding. I do, but I don't want to.
As I told a friend the other day when she said the same thing — “When I had my first baby I only knew what others told me about childbirth. On my way to the hospital with child #2 I knew EXACTLY the minimum of what I would experience and wondered what the hell had I done??” Having a child is a beautiful thing so doing it more than once is worth it. Having trump once was way too much and doing it again is going to be horrible. There are no excuses for not educating oneself.
The idiocracy if completely contemptuous of intelligence, much less intelligent expression.
Bull.
Why not?
maybe they did...
“Beam me up,Scotty!” You won’t believe what just happened on Earth.
I pray God blesses every one of their little hearts , and that He gives them the four years they so richly deserve.
If we could only dole out more of the pain to those who “deserve” it!
I said that very thing yesterday - minus the bit about the magic wand, but think that's a good idea.
all magic wands have been recalled....something about false advertising.
Probably where I left mine!!
Keep looking for your wand! Blessed Be!
Thank you for an insightful and hard letter to read and write. Take care.
True, it is imperative the historical record on all the Trump cases is not destroyed but, it is more important for Federal prosecutors to make certain their legal actions do not completely destroy the rule of law & herald the destruction of our republic & facilitate attacks on vulnerable communities.
Too late for that. "Rule of law" - hah. T**** has, literally, gotten away with murder, and been given carte blanche. We no longer have "rule of law": if we did, he'd have been imprisoned for treason long ago. "Rule of law" is now "Money talks".
You express my sentiments exactly James. We've all watched this happen and unfortunately felt we could do nothing to stop it. It took many countries, united, to stop Hitler in the 40's. What do you think it will take to stop this current cruel trend, not only in our country, but for the world?
For sure no country will come to our rescue.
Not too late as vulnerables need, can & will be protected at the local & state level. Time to step up not shrink!
I intend to. To borrow a phrase, I'm going to "fight like hell" to defeat the T**** agenda. But the actions of the 'judiciary' (formerly free of influence from the White House and bribes) have left us without a government "of the people, by the people, for the people". We are all 'vulnerables'.
This, James, seems like our reality. Joyce referred to our potential to become a banana republic. Every citizen will find that to be our country, day by day, injustice after injustice. Moreover, we all can recognize that SCOTUS and several Trump appointed judges have already spoken and told us that “some are above the law..” Start with two justices - Thomas & Alito. We already know they have received goods, vacation junkets, and who knows what else. We have NO guardrails.
The United States of America has been taken over by people inside our country and, based on many reports we have seen to date by actors beyond our borders. Take for example the most openly brazen Viktor Orban with several meetings of CPAC in Hungary and visits to Mar-a-Lago. Also, recognize Trump or his surrogates, have been in contact with Putin during his administration and since his departure from the White House.
Ah! Geez! Don’t accuse me of spreading a conspiracy theory, just writing of what has already been reported by other sources. Let’s do our fact checking before going deeper.
I predict justice is Thomas and Alito will both resign within the next year or year and a half, well Republicans have control of the Senate.FWIW
I've never been able to shake the picture of Amy Barrett Comey with T****. Her smile, and her way of looking at him, still sends shivers through my body. She is, I fear (said to preclude claims of libel) owned by him.
James, good to hear you are going to fight like H. Please carry-on but, teachers in schools this coming Monday (not on Day1) are concerned that vulnerable students will start being deported or just be missing.
Each case is unique & factually different & requires smart legal tactics. Fortunately in the CA Bay Area, we have many professionals & lay people capable of stepping up.
TIM WALZ yesterday 11/7: "Take care of your Communities". Already underway.
ORGANIZED groups who can help desperately needed.
As one who lives in Texas, where the state government is into cruelty and stupidity, I do not have any faith that our state government will protect anyone who isn't rich, white and male. Local government is our only hope.
I hope!
So again trump gets away with everything while an ordinary person would get held accountable. The rule of law be damned. It does not exist. He has committed treason, stolen classified documents and shown or sold them to our enemies. How was he ever allowed to run for office. There needs to be some rule changes here to protect our country.
My daughter works in the DOJ. I haven't yet spoken to her about the election result, but I imagine there was, as in 2016, much weeping and gnashing of teeth in the halls of the DOJ. At least, this time, she won't have to see his portrait on the wall outside her new office. We have to work to stop T**** from his plan of replacing government officials with his own toadies and turning the DOJ against citizens he considers enemies (and that's a whole lot of us). We are all vulnerable. So, we fight. There must be no compromise with fascists.
Too late...that happened on Tuesday......
I know that. But Hitler was stopped after much bloodshed and fighting.
But it took the help of other countries. Right now all the world leaders are sucking up to 47.
exactly
patricia, nothing ended on Tuesday.
Bryan, Like I said, perhaps we are the ones who are delusional.
Interesting Patricia as I researched the National Institute of Health (NIH) current research data on the definition, medical, psychological & cognitive realities of "delusional" to deal with a Troll who was slinging the word like a baseball bat.
I chose an NIH research article that has been cited by 196 other medical scientists. Alas, the Troll retreated from the Field as I was raising his potential tortious conduct which, of course, requires admissible evidence.
The Troll has not reappeared ... yet.
I respect honest self awareness; one cannot survive without functioning deductive reasoning based on the real world.
A big problem is with “norms.” Norms are not laws. Norms cannot be used to compel compliance. On the other hand, if laws are ignored by those who are supposed to enforce them, what purpose do laws serve? How can they protect anyone? The citizens of this country have relied on norms and traditions that have no enforcement mechanisms. There has also been the hope of elected officials having good character. Trump has revealed every fissure in our system of governance and in our legal system. He has widened them and exploited that width for his benefit and the country’s detriment. He ran to stay out of jail, and he succeeded.
I’m sorry, Joyce, I recognize how much you revere the legal system, but when those who are supposed to uphold shrug their shoulders and say, “ So what?!” The legal system is basically dead. We just don’t know when the funeral is. We are on our way back to the Middle Ages.
I'm with Joyce. I'm also a lawyer, thinking I might be naive in believing in the system I've always trusted. That makes it so much harder.
I voted for Kamala Harris. But she lost big. I thought about it hard for three days and I have come up with a shocking answer.
Do you realize that 11 million Biden voters stayed home in 2024?
I invite you to read "Vanished into thin air: Where did 11 million Democratic voters go?"
https://kathleenweber.substack.com/p/vanished-into-thin-air-where-did
Also, I join so many others in saying that I value Joyce more than words can say.
Those are some startling numbers in Kathleen Weber's piece. But the statement that blew me away was that Democrats watch Fox News more than any other news source. I'm floored.
Please don’t forget proper punctuation marks. It’s Fox “News.”
To call such propaganda news is obscene.
Or faux “news”?
Trump won by 2.7%. Not big! George H.W. Bush won by just under 8%.
I'd heard that some were mad that there was no true Convention to pick a Presidential candidate. Perhaps 12 million thought that was in poor taste. Will we ever know? Last time we lost a sure thing was when Michael Dukakis agreed to ride around in a tank with that helmet on his head sticking out of the tank. The end.
I think most of the 11M became disaffected in 2022 and 2023 when Biden made light of the pain of inflation. I think these 11M were lower propensity voters who didn't much care about such political niceties as whether there was a primary process or not. I think they were already turned off before 2024.
They really "owned" Biden, didn't they? Their suffering will be as real as the MAGAts.
I don't think “owned” is a word that these disappointed former Biden voters would use. That's social media speak used by the right wing.
Kathleen, thank you for this substack link.
Thank you, Joyce, for walking us through these tumultuous times and explaining what might be ahead. In my heart of hearts, I am hoping (actually praying) that Joe and Kamala’s team conjure up something so miraculous that America and her Constitution will be saved. Far-fetched wish, I know. I have been in a rather comatose stage since Wednesday, crying off and on. Today, our governor, Gavin Newsom, held a Zoom call with us Californians, about 35,000+, to tell us he knows we are reeling. He did remind us that we have the 5th largest economy in the world and that cannot be overlooked. His job is to go to the state assembly and shore up funds and policies that he knows trump [his name will be lower-case] will attack. He said it is his job, our job to protect the migrant workers and immigrants because they contribute so much to our economy. He wanted to allay our fears by saying we need to take a break and reenergize to prepare for the fight ahead. I see other governors are doing the same like Pritzker, Hochul, Healey, and Shapiro.
Bottom line: White women let black women down. 53% voted R while 45% voted D. Black women: 97%! White women over 65: 54% while Black women in that same age group was 93%! 81% of all Jews voted for Kamala with 78% coming from Jewish women.
“Other governors” includes Governor Walz.
Shame on every white man and woman who stat this election out or voted Republican because Kamala is female and Black/Asian.
What a throwback to an America I thought we left behind long ago.
Cathy, I highly recommend reading The Nation That Never Was by Kermit Roosevelt III. We tried to leave what our country had been in the 1960s with the Civil Rights Act, etc., but we are and always have been - including the "founding fathers" - a nation of bigots and misogynists. I, too, thought we left that stuff behind, but it's clear now that we haven't.
Misogyny and racism have never gone away in our country!!!
*Sat
With all due respect to you Marlene, the specific wishes & prayers you mention aren’t just far-fetched, they’re magical thinking. That’s a psychological term for hoping/wishing/praying for a savior to appear and save us. It might be soothing to indulge in this for a brief moment but any longer hurts you. It can easily become an unhealthy distraction from the work at hand. No one is going to magically save those of us who rejected living in a fascist led theocracy.
I envy you having a governor who is trying to protect their state and citizens. Indiana’s politicians care only for pleasing trump. Our newest senator-elect, jim banks, actually went on tv and said he hoped trump really will get rid of millions of immigrants. He’s all in on a fascist takeover.
Kasumi, I am a psych major so I do know the term “magical thinking”. I didn’t write it to soothe myself, believe me.
It’s called being in denial, which is where I am.
Gov. Whitmer
Yes! I so forgot Walz and Gretchen!
You hit the nail on the head with the word comatose. Been saying I was aimless, in a daze, but now have the correct term for my emotional state.
Not sure all really understood what they voted for due to all the disinformation. They are in for a rude awakening. Stupidity and uneducated , believing all they read in right wing news. Well in a few months welcome to the real world. Glad to be Californian and a state that will stand up once again for our values.
“Read in the news”; I personally doubt there was much reading; mostly just watching.
Such somber news. Justice Department seems to be on top of the thwarted Iranian plot to kill donold. I wonder what it will be like in the coming four years when donold will “use” the Justice Department for revenge against his so-called enemies.
Coming soon will be the frightening reality of
Project 2025. My hope is that we can join together and make a difference.
Maybe DOJ will be too busy with his vindictiveness to catch plots against him next time
But then there will be jd.
We can only hope.
Dang, I thought instead of Five Questions you were going to give us five more images of your chickens and/or other animal companions, and so I opened up this email. Horribly disappointed, frustrated and sad to find out instead that tffg will face no consequences for these two of his many crimes, and that this proves that in America, Justice is not blind.
I am grateful to you, Joyce, for the news and legal analysis that you provide regularly but am still heartsick over the election results.
I had the same thought at first - chickens!
While we do need the harsh truths Joyce writes about - and I very much appreciate her time, effort & work - it is quite difficult to read that justice no longer exists at all with regard to trump.
Justice has never existed where he is concerned. Starting with buying an entry to Wharton after basically flunking out of Fordham.
This type of piece is why I subscribe.
Not sorry to see Merrick Garland's backside as he exits DC...a lot to answer for, but that's for the historians. We the people get the mushroom treatment: kept in the dark and fed horseshit.
Totally agree as to Garland. He slow walked the investigations. Trump should have received justice well before this time. Justice delayed is justice denied!
trump should have been under house arrest on Jan 7th.
Not just Garland; McConnell, too. I will detest them forever.
Thank you. This is why I subscribe
I don't see how any of our allies can trust him (and us, by extension) with sensitive information.
If they do they are fools and represent a danger to their citizens!
It's all for sale, we know that, he already has been using it for deals. How do you think Jared got $2B from Saudi? What has he given Putin in all their talks? Soon he gives Putin Ukraine, Xi gets Taiwan, Bibi gets to level Gaza and Jared gets his wish of building hotels there -- not like ANY of that is not well known. Jared's talked about this since last March!!
those hotel walls will have blood running down them.
Also many ghosts will walk the halls.
and the construction of same will be plagued bt unexplainable setbacks....
they can't. And now, being American is a badge of distrust.
especially to her citizens.
Thank you Joyce. Your efforts to keep us up to speed are highly appreciated. We will survive by stand strong and together. Chickens help too.
I think we should all buckle up! It’s going to be a bumpy ride the next four years!
Or, if lucky, 2 (congressional elections could make a diff … especially if today’s duped become, with loving help, tomorrow’s enlightened …)
Oh Gunner, I’m afraid that you don’t realize that the deplorables who voted for him are incapable of being enlightened. They are beyond help.
I'm not so sure, Robert. At least some of them (a) value different things than we do that are legit, and/or (b) have been engulfed by the Fox / Sinclair / News Corp / Newsmax / One America / iHeart / Bott Radio / X / Rogan universe, which I know I for one have no experience of, but Michael Tomasky today was persuasive: https://newrepublic.com/post/188197/trump-media-information-landscape-fox
As someone posted today, doesn't excuse them, but explains the ignorance, and the demonization of those of us who actually understand and care about democracy.
I don't think it will help us in the long term to lump all of them into the deplorables bucket. Though over the last few days I admit, sadly, that I hope some of them rot there.
Thank you Jane. The article was an eye- opener. I had no idea that many sources in addition to Fox existed.
Wow! Thanks Jane for this link. I’m truly shocked to read how they have dominated the media and they will try to control as much as they can. How do we stop this? If we don’t get some balance back, we’re dead.
Thank you, Jane, for this link… Dems must face this reality check in order to mount a strategic campaign or perish!
Thank you Jane for the link and comments. I, like Gigi, had no idea there are so many media groups existed.
"the deplorables who voted for him are incapable of being enlightened. They are beyond help. "
...........................................And that's the good news................................................
Anyone who calls American voters "deplorables" is being deplorable. The Trumpers I know are mostly hard working, or frustratingly under- or unemployed, ever since our Democratic leadership shipped their good, well paying jobs to China. And/or they have been brainwashed by Faux News, their priest or preacher, or their stock broker. Trump is actually no dummy: He wooed them, instead of denigrating them, and won.
Pretty sure they intend to fix all future elections. I don't see any democrats winning the House in 2 years. He claimed on truth social yesterday while bashing Governor Newsom that "as the "AGENT" for the United States of America on Voting & Elections" he would insist on ID and proof of citicitizenship to vote... just his very first statement indicating he's taking over elections, even at the state level. As we all know, that will soon become a talking point and then he willl attempt it. With both chambers of congress, the SCOTUS, the DOJ, and his oligarchs, I wonder how we will fight that.
If there are any more elections, that is.
Likely much longer than four years, I'm afraid.
The end of equal justice. The Judiciary is now officially not separated from politics anymore. SAD!!!
Terrifying.
Joyce, who decided that a sitting president could not be criminally charged? Is it in the Constitution? O hate to see Jack Smith not pursue what he can in the next 2 months and my husband said Judge Merchan has to sentence Trump. My husband is a retired Judge. He said the judge can't just forget the jury found him guilty. I hope he gets prison time. He isn't above the law.
Nothing in the Constitution or the law, for that matter, establishes a sitting president's immunity from indictment; it's just based on a couple of DOJ memos (original in 1973 and the second in 2000). This position was put into question (at least from an "historical" perspective) in two well-reasoned memos to both special counsels Leon Jaworski ("Nixon") and Kenneth Starr ("Clinton"). However, the Imperial Court's broad and incomprehensible ruling on presidential immunity probably can also now be interpreted to protect a sitting president. Btw --- this ruling was raised with Judge Merchan in a motion to dismiss the NY case because some of the evidence presented occurred while Trump was pretending to be president the first time. Merchan is scheduled to rule on that motion next week (11-12). The conventional wisdom is he will deny it, but that decision could then be appealed, possibly delaying sentencing yet again. Because of sentencing guidelines and the fact that Trump is (legally) considered a first offender, he would almost certainly not receive a prison sentence in any case. If sentencing does occur, it will most likely be suspended pending appeal or until Trump's term is up.
Yes, I am afraid he IS above the law. I wonder if massive fines can be imposed in place of prison? Not sure how tightly his hands are tied re sentencing. I’d be pissed off in a big way if I were a juror and the case just dissolves!
Buddy Elon can pay his tab.
... and he will
I’m afraid for our Country, our allies… and especially Ukraine! God help us!! Please tell me something positive I can hang my democratic hat on??
Also Gaza. Ukraine and Gaza will suffer even more now, possibly to the point of being wiped out. trump’s already said “Bibi should finish the job” and that he’ll “give” Ukraine to Putin (who won’t stop at Ukraine).
In two years, elections for House of Representatives, and some Senators, comes around again. Unless our elections are rigged by the nightmare taking over in Jan. (which I would not put past them, since voter suppression had a hand in this years outcome), we will be able to start clawing our way back to sanity and the rule of law. A steep uphill climb lies ahead.
And please, everyone, stop asking a deity for help.
I’m an atheist, but for theists, remember the saying “God helps those who help themselves. “
If there is a God out there he/she IS there, if we believe in him/her or not.
I definitely believe in God. But God gave people the ability to choose. He doesn't "make" us do anything or force his choices on us. Why anyone would Want T**** as president or the worst job you can think of, is beyond me. I do not understand the apparent "worship" of this man! How could they listen to him speak and not see that he is a blubbering idiot? And all of those who chose him are not all dumb & uneducated. I know many folks with college degrees who think he's great. I also know people who did not vote for Obama simply because he's black and also did not for Hillary because she's a woman. So they definitely weren't going to vote for a black woman! Our country is sadly still prejudiced and misogynistic.
I agree, but like I said perhaps we are the ones who are delutional...
Yeah, Putin will coach him on how to have the perception of a democratic election. Actually, that's what the U.S. had had for the last few elections anyway, given all the gerrymandering and corporate financing
don't forget the electoral college
1. I have grave doubts that there will be another election in two years, or four, or again in our lifetimes.
2. You don’t get to tell anyone to stop practicing their faith. Freedom of religion, remember? Spiritual belief is greatly empowering for many. Martin Luther King, Jr., for example.
I tell no one to stop practicing their faith.
celeste k., I'm not sure it's God out there...but something is. eg. why is bobbit's name what it is ? Why was Lincoln's secretary named Kennedy and Kennedy's named Lincoln ? etc.
Robert Hubbell included good news so far from the election:
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/day-3-first-steps-to-recoveryballot/comments
Thank you for the info and link. I’ll check it out.
Marc Elias. He may not get very far given the blocks in front of him but he will give us a gadfly who will keep constitutional norms front and center of our minds. Where they need to be for the next four years. Yeah, wishful thinking for that white knight riding up on the white horse is alive and well inside my head. Something has to be alive and well inside my head to combat the dark and sick that will likely live outside my head. Geez, even our 1500 year old imagery is racist. Least I can do is put him on a black or brown horse.
Debbie, Sorry, got nuthin'
Just coming in to stay in touch and informed. Joyce, you are the best! Everyone take care. And Thank You!