In February 2024, continuing her long history of election denialism, Lara Trump said she did not believe President Biden received 81 million votes in the 2020 election. In March, the former television producer for Inside Edition became the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (“RNC”), her father-in-law’s handpicked candidate for the job. A habitual election denier is now running the Republican Party, or as it should be more correctly known, the party of Trump.
It appears one of our hopes will be that the RNC spends so much money on trump legal fees and his campaign grifters there will be no money left for down ticket candidates. Makes donations to our down ticket candidates even more important esp in swing states. I wonder if we will ever find out how most of the GOP congressional people think about their party now being trump's party. I can't wait for the day I never have to see his face or hear his voice again.
It must suck to be a Republican congressional candidate, knowing that you’ll receive no campaign funds from the Party because all donations are directed to the Trump campaign.
And diverted to his legal defense instead of your race. It seems like it should be demoralizing. Reps like mtg are in one party districts,so the radicals don’t need anything, they are shoe ins. I think R’s loose the house this fall. If they don’t, things are a lot lot worse than before.
I was disappointed in the DNC's distribution of campaign funds for 2022 (delay in getting campaign ads on tv, few billboards and as a result we have Ron Johnson for another 6 freaking years) so canceled my monthly DNC contribution and now only contribute directly to the candidates I support in the various states.
YES - to both! Ryan was the "poster boy" for a Dem candidate imho. Think also Sean Patrick Murphy (NY) - loved him! And yes, I know the DSCC is responsible for Democrat Senator campaigns and DCCC for Democrat Representative campaigns (of which Sean Patrick Murphy was the Committee Chair prior to losing his election), but Harrison is responsible (or irresponsible). Rep Gallagher who retires in a few days before the end of his term had NO ONE running against him in the upcoming election (which would have been the second time). In today's political climate, no GOP candidate should be running unopposed. None. I am unimpressed with Harrison and have been from the beginning. He's good at fundraising, but has no presence in terms of lifting up the Dems or messaging. We all knew Ronna McDaniel as RNC Chair. Wonder how many could name the DNC Chair. But I do hope our Republican neighbors continue contributions with the RNC (to pay for trump's legal bills) because it might give the amazing candidates the Dems do have - a much better chance.
Thanks for your post. I do the same. I go to the candidates web site and get the address. I stopped giving to the organizations who can't be trusted in my opinion.
That's just sad, Beatrice - for all of us. We need a DNC in which we are confident - good at promoting, messaging, visiblity and spending the funds where needed. I contributed to Harrison's Senate campaign against Lindsey Graham but have since read that he doesn't like to travel and other less encouraging information about him in this role. Lara Trump, like Ronna is already all over the news and networks with the RNC messaging. Where is Harrison? 😡
One would certainly think so...but now Trump has his DIL in there doing his bidding...guess we shall see. ButI don't hold out much hope that this will change.
I’m sure when donors contribute to an individual candidate’s campaign fund, that money belongs to the candidate. When donors give to the RNC, that money goes to pay Trump’s legal bills. Maybe some of it will be left for his campaign, but not for down-ballot races.
With 4 trials and so many charges against him - do you really think they care if it is legal? If we had a decent AG maybe it would matter. I sometimes wonder where/why Obama came up with this judicial coward. I really thought more of Obama. I guess no is perfect.
There will be plenty in the local races. Charlie Koch has been screwing with Colorado all his useless life. We just nominated Ken Bucks replacement last night to run against a place holder/ disgraced former mayor who will have Koch and AnSchutz and Coors backing.
I admin a group of democrats that hate DeSantis and TFG and I’ve encouraged them to donate to down ballot candidates, make calls or texts, postcards, help a down ballot candidate anyway possible.
I'm in Florida, too. FT6 just targeted the state. Maybe a million unregistered Florida women trend heavily Democratic, and could flip the state. Could lift all Democratic candidates.
Just a suggestion: could we not use the word “hate”?
That word personalizes the discussion and lowers it to Trump’s abysmal level. . Trump’s campaign is all about hate and he wants to call his opponent ( judges, DAs, us) “haters”.
What does Liz cheney say? Do every thing i can to make sure he never gets to the white house again.
We don't know how much, if any, money will make it to the down ticket candidates. What we can be virtually certain of is that no one will get any RNC money without first swearing loyalty to Trump and stating that they believe that the 2020 election was stolen. It all depends on whether Trump values the money more than he values forced loyalty.
If he does try to coerce down ticket candidates; they'll have to choose between being tied to Trump or running without RNC funding. Hopefully a lose/lose situation for them.
It's not hyperbole to say that the fate of our nation is at stake.
A thumbnail sketch of Project 2025 indicates that many social services will be cancelled or combined into other departments.
The departments that remain will have political appointees in charge, as the career civil servants are eliminated.
Further, these appointees will be hired on and paid "merit-based" system. In other words, they will be hired based on their fealty to trump, and paid according to their utility to trump.
Here are some passages from Project 2025 regarding the National Security Council (NSC).
“Led by the National Security Advisor (NSA), the NSC staff will be...implementing the President’s national security goals...”
“In organizing an NSC staff that is...aligned with the President’s goals...the NSA should immediately...eliminate directorates that are not aligned with the President’s agenda...”
“Accountable senior officials...selected...politically who report directly to political staff should be the...managers for...national security policy...”
“The accountable senior officials should be empowered to...hire staff who are aligned with...the President’s national security priorities.”
That, my friends, is just the tip of the iceberg.
I've read, and condensed much of Project 2025. You can find them at Polytricks.
Glad you posted this. This info needs to get out to mainstream Americans who don't follow politics. If trump becomes prez we may not have another free election again. GOP/MAGAs will rig legislation to favor themselves. It is really scary if you look at it closely. I haven't yet seen a reasonable/logical explanation for why congressional GOP and Americans support trump. He's a horrible human being and wants to be a dictator.
The big hypocrite is Ted Cruz who went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School. Yet he acts like all east coast people are elitists and he is just your average American. His wife went to Harvard Business School and has been a managing director at Goldman Sachs since 2012.
Let me just say this.The Republican Party is now the Putin branch of the Republican Party.There is no middle ground here.This group is full on fascist and aligns itself with Vladimir Putin and Russia and we the taxpayers are paying these peoples salaries for treason.
The Republican Party as we knew it died on March 8. This is now the MAGA party. Those who were traditional Republicans are now, for all intents, and purposes Independents.
Spot on Valere. 🎯 Professor, Heather ox Richardson detailed Kishida's speech on LFAA last night in her real-time 'Letters' with exact copious quotations.
Thank you Bryan - I will read Heather this morning. I loved everything about Kishida’s visit - from the replacement of 200 cherry trees at the tidal basin, his toast at the state dinner Wednesday night, and his joint address to Congress (during which he made the points that Japan was ramping up their defense budget and supporting Ukraine in response to Putin and the billions Japan was bringing to the U.S. economy with the plants they have here. I know they have Honda in Ohio and Toyota in North Carolina. I think those remarks about Japanese supporting American economy were directed mostly to Republicans. After his speech, he was surrounded by Republicans Ted Cruz. Kishida went to North Carolina yesterday afternoon to visit the Toyota plant. I like him a lot - he and Biden have a great relationship and Biden has fostered that. But Kishida’s trip to Toyota in North Carolina appears to me to be making a point in case Trump wins because Trump has never recognized Japan’s role. That’s just my thought about that maneuver. Biden will win and Trump will be in jail and we will all be happy dancing. But I know Kishida is shoring support from both sides. He doesn’t want it to look like he’s simply here to cater to Biden. His speech to Congress was to emphasize that Ukraine is just the first step in Putin’s takeover plan. I think he was very effective. I think we’re at an inflection point with Trump and support for Ukraine. And I thought it was interesting that so many Republicans gave standing ovations during the speech. He was here at Biden’s invite - but he took the opportunity to remind Congress that the US was the key to holding back Putin. Trump was throwing ketchup on the wall over this one. Not only did he address the danger Putin presents, but he clearly expressed how Japan was stepping up and working with NATO to do so. They might not be part of NATO, but he wanted everyone in that room to know that they were paying their 2% for defending freedom. Looking forward to reading what Heather has to say
I'm also grateful for the reference to the poll showing that, at least at the moment, people think the hush money charges against Trump are serious. Naturally, Trump and his politicians will continue their disinformation efforts targeting lower-information voters but they can also argue that it doesn't matter much anyway because godless commie transgender-loving rmigrant hiding, 8-mo fetus killing BLM radicals and their politician servants should be prevented from "destroying the country" regardless. That's been one of the big reasons for their radicalization efforts -- make it seems as though nothing Trump does maters anyway, given the extreme danger posed by the devils we know we all are. I sure hope all that's unsuccessful and I guess we all need to work hard so it is!
It really is stunning how quickly the Republican party has disappeared and been replaced by the trump party.
I've been anxious to see how trump's supporters might respond to actual evidence, given under oath in one of his trials. He stole this election with these payoffs.
"It really is stunning how quickly the Republican party has disappeared and been replaced by the trump party."
However it was given a really good kick-start by Reagan, Gingrich, and the Tea Party nutters ... resentful even if powerful - hating Congress, the public service, the major corporations, the media, the schools ... it's a long list of hate. Trump just gave them all much more permission to spew lies and hatred - after all he has always been full of lies and hate, and prospered.
You got it! Gingrich was spewing hate well before trump was a “thing”; while trump could still speak coherently. The team Republican vs team Democrat started with Gingrich. Previously the two parties would actually argue but worked together ultimately. Governing a diverse country should not be a team sport; they work for all of us.
And the Federalist Society and the decimation of our judicial system. As out of control the repugs now are, they certainly knew how to play the long game.
Talk about a shadow government! The Federalist Society has infested ours and is calling the shots. The first allegiance of its members seems to be to it and not to our democracy.
To echo JV, it’s highly probable that Rs will not be exposed to the evidence presented in the trial because their media bubble will either not focus on it or will frame it as lies….remember controlling the media is a major means by which autocrats maintain their power.
One good thing to come out of all of this. All that money going to defend the Vulgar Talking Yam is that much less going to his campaign. And all that money going to his campaign means there's that much less available for House and Senate races.
How ironic would it be if all this focus on the Yam and his legal problems ultimately means losing the House and the Democrats maintaining control of the Senate, while re-electing Biden to the top job?
Thanks Joyce, I could never imagine our country getting worse by the minute and we are in our own domestic “Cold War”. The memory of the country working together is fading and the question is will our institutions hold up under the storm of the 2024 Election.
They've been required to have plans in place for violence in the workplace. I can't remember where I read this, but in the last week or so. Now it makes sense. The plans are not just for lone gunmen, but insurrectionists.
Yes, and the social media algorithms which promote dissent because it prompts more views which contribute significantly to our nations discontent. The EU recognizes what’s happening and is in the process of establishing guard rails that the social media companies must adhere to. However, our Congress allows social media to use algorithms that promote divisiveness likely because social media companies are such a huge part of today’s economy. Have they become the “robber barons” of the 21st century?
Joyce, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your knowledge and insight continues to be invaluable. What a crazy time we are living through! I hope someday we can look back on this nightmare and heave a sigh of relief. Until then, as you say, we are in this together.
“The liar has the advantage of knowing beforehand what the audience wishes and expects to hear”- wrote Hannah Arendt. Trump got 74 million votes in 2020- that’s 47% percent of all the votes that were cast. 44% of all votes cast by women were cast for him. Isn’t it past time we ask ourselves why did 74 million fellow Americans want to hear the lies that they were waiting and hoping to hear and believe? If we focus our eyes only on the incredible, master liar, and do not understand why so many voters, (especially crucial independents) are still hungry for the lies that Trump knows they are waiting for and hoping to hear from him, we may see him be elected president again.
Don't forget that some of those who voted for Trump wanted to preserve their tax breaks. They'd vote for a watermelon if it meant its opponent couldn't raise their taxes.
Oh my gosh, we just had dinner the other night with another couple we've known and liked for several years. They flat out said they're voting for trump for the tax breaks. We will remain friends because we won't let trump ruin that, but wow what a self-serving reason to vote for tfg.
I know, I understand that perspective. But we enjoy their company, and we only touched on politics once, briefly. We choose to remain friends. In no way are we going to allow Donald J. Trump to influence who we associate with! We won't give him that power!
I agree Pamela. I have not given up friends or family. I think they will reach reality one day. And Trump is going to lose on November 5, be in jail and we will have a blue bicameral congress.
I cannot respect a person who votes for that “thing”. Good luck with that. That is NOT a reason to vote for someone who plans to dismantle our democracy.
And this is the case for us to approach people one by one to inform them of the lies and refute the lies: for example, his big lie that inflation has resulted in groceries costing 60% more during Biden‘s term. The truth is, all presidents have had inflation with rising costs. They don’t go down they go up every single. Even with Joe Biden having to pick up the tail end of Covid with supply chain issues, we saw 20% higher costs and grocery stores, and then the increase went to 3%, which is less than we experience during Trump. Trump is indeed a convincing liar. But when you fact, check what he says and have the facts on hand when someone comes out with these outlandish stories and lies you can at least tell them what the truth is: “ Yes, we saw higher prices after Covid and as we recovered with the supply chain. We do not have higher prices now.” And a lot of these higher grocery costs are going for packaged foods: not whole grains, legumes or organic produce.
^Yes, Tony, there were scalpers. But prices were not at 60% as Trump claimed. They were 20% and then decreased (thanks to Biden shaming the price increases from scalpers).
Prices for groceries are still high. The monopolies that run the grocery stores are profiteering. I heard a grocery store manager being interviewed. He was saying that once people get used to paying $7 for a box of cereal the they can raise the price again. It’s all about return for the stockholders. The Federal Government can address price fixing but not with the current House of Representatives do nothing attitude.
Totally blue voter here, but yes, grocery prices are still very high, and I'm not seeing a decrease. I'll vote blue no matter who, but this is fuel for magats.
Y'all -- I can't help but wonder something (just watching Alex Wagner).
Given that all Confederate Republicans do is screech "The election was stollen [sic] 11!1" --
WHY instead of shouting back "No! It was NOT!!"
Why don't Democrats instead start explaining to people who *clearly do not understand it* HOW EXACTLY ELECTIONS DO WORK??
Because I will freely admit to having been a poli sci major, but from the more progressive networks to elected officials to public academics -- that literally is the one thing I *do not see happening*.
*Explain* the Electoral College.
*Explain* (in short words) how elections are supposed to be certified.
*Explain* why those Republican fake electors are in fact fake (and in some cases under indictment).
I would have said this long ago but U honestly thought someone(s) far more important than me would have gotten AROUND to this right now.
And to Lara Nepo "Tone Deaf" Trump, I offer only Reiner and Sorkin's inimitable words, edited for the occasion --
"It doesn't MATTER what you BELIEVE. It only matters what you can PROVE."
I had an online conversation with a dude who kept saying "Elections are rigged." I replied to him that they are not rigged and Trump's people who said that openly are getting sued (and losing) to the voting machine manufacturers. That shut him up.
People used to say "bravo" to congratulate or praise those who did something really well, but apparently in Italian, it should be adjusted to gender and number, hence "brava" for a woman or "bravi" for more than one person. Is that why you used those question marks?
Great start. Plus there were all the lawful recounts, audits and other measures routinely carried out before the major lawsuits, all of which they lost, were enven launched. Plus R-aligned lawyers have been disbarred for lying about elections and bringing bad-faith lawsuits. Plus some of the biggest election-liar nutters, like Kari Lake, kept on lying and suing long after the pre-Jan 6 lawsuits, and lost too.
Unfortunately you can’t make people with closed minds listen. They have already given over their ability to think independently to the talking heads they watch day and night.
I don’t know that I'm talking about people with closed minds -- I definitely agree about that -- as I am talking about people who literally don't know.
I have a friend with 19-year-old students and the friend professor was exasperatedly asking something like "How can you normalize someone like Trump?"
and the 19-year-old pointed out, not illogically for those of us who don't push our students and kids to read Ruth BenGhiat and watch PBS, that at their age ... Trump is "normal" because he and his running buddies are quite literally all they know. 😬
Think about it. When he was fauxlected 8 years ago they were 11.
The kids -- and they are eligible voters now -- really do have a point.
Have to agree with you there. I remember when Trump went after the Gold Star parent who lost his son in the Middle East. I couldn’t believe someone who was the leader of the most powerful nation on earth would go after an ordinary citizen for expressing an opinion. Those new young voters have never known it to be otherwise.
And they have missed Biden bringing honor and decency to the White House and re-establishing our international reputation? Biden spent all of 2019 repairing Trump's idiocies such as taking us out of the Paris Accord (and don't forget Sharpie Gate when he redrew Alabama so it so it's eastern-most border was the Atlantic ocean (Hurricane Dorian was no threat to Alabama, but since Trump did not know where Alabama was on the map, he redrew it - insisted Alabama was threatened and would not back down. Biden had to form two task forces to correct the mess. Two senior NOAA officials lost their jobs. The kids have somehow 'missed' Biden's diplomacy, but recall with clarity bad behaviors? If Trump and his running buddies are 'normal' the parents are reinforcing that theme.
It's a form of deprogramming, and is difficult. We might not even know if we succeeded, because the payoff could occur weeks or months after the attempt.
You spelled it out and just for your information there is no one more important than you. There is no one on this Substack, who has a more important voice than you do.
I think our intrepid leader here Professor Joyce, and Mary Trump, and all the fearless Wonkette writers who create the space where those of us who care about democracy can be informed and take action ... we're so grateful for them because without them we couldn't share information.
M, I think what Joyce has created in this community is the kind of social fabric we had in America during the Depression and World War II. Americans had to stick together to survive. And that’s what we are doing now. metaphorically we are surrounding Trump and saying “no, you’re not going to do this to us.” And when any of our group expresses sadness or a bit of disillusionment, we encourage them to keep going. We are showing that the group is stronger than an individual. Joyce is setting the town for that, but I think in a way we’re helping her as well. She knows she’s making a difference.
Actually, many people have been discussing these things all along, including here and on most of the other discussion groups as well as the wide range of media I use. But there is a sort of pattern to ongoing discussions: they weave in and out of various aspects of what is going on. Same is true of media coverage and analysis. So you might have just missed those particular waves as they came around. Some of course, have never gone away, and some of the activist groups are very focused on teaching about the issues you mention. I have to admit that I'm a bit baffled that you think nobody brought it up until you did. But we can't all be on top of everything at once, and I'm sure that I've missed things that are obvious to other people, as well.
I've certainly tried this with some people. It's worth doing even if the person doesn't seem all that receptive at first. Sometimes you just need to get a person thinking, and admitting at least to themselves that the person they just spoke with cares and is knowledgeable. It might take a month or two for the payoff to occur, and we might never know it did.
It appears one of our hopes will be that the RNC spends so much money on trump legal fees and his campaign grifters there will be no money left for down ticket candidates. Makes donations to our down ticket candidates even more important esp in swing states. I wonder if we will ever find out how most of the GOP congressional people think about their party now being trump's party. I can't wait for the day I never have to see his face or hear his voice again.
It must suck to be a Republican congressional candidate, knowing that you’ll receive no campaign funds from the Party because all donations are directed to the Trump campaign.
And diverted to his legal defense instead of your race. It seems like it should be demoralizing. Reps like mtg are in one party districts,so the radicals don’t need anything, they are shoe ins. I think R’s loose the house this fall. If they don’t, things are a lot lot worse than before.
Yes, all monies going to his legal defense. No money left for his campaign! Ha! Ha! Ha!
I was disappointed in the DNC's distribution of campaign funds for 2022 (delay in getting campaign ads on tv, few billboards and as a result we have Ron Johnson for another 6 freaking years) so canceled my monthly DNC contribution and now only contribute directly to the candidates I support in the various states.
I do the same.
Think Mandela Barnes and Tim Ryan…we have Jamie Harrison to thank for that. Dreadful!
YES - to both! Ryan was the "poster boy" for a Dem candidate imho. Think also Sean Patrick Murphy (NY) - loved him! And yes, I know the DSCC is responsible for Democrat Senator campaigns and DCCC for Democrat Representative campaigns (of which Sean Patrick Murphy was the Committee Chair prior to losing his election), but Harrison is responsible (or irresponsible). Rep Gallagher who retires in a few days before the end of his term had NO ONE running against him in the upcoming election (which would have been the second time). In today's political climate, no GOP candidate should be running unopposed. None. I am unimpressed with Harrison and have been from the beginning. He's good at fundraising, but has no presence in terms of lifting up the Dems or messaging. We all knew Ronna McDaniel as RNC Chair. Wonder how many could name the DNC Chair. But I do hope our Republican neighbors continue contributions with the RNC (to pay for trump's legal bills) because it might give the amazing candidates the Dems do have - a much better chance.
Thanks for your post. I do the same. I go to the candidates web site and get the address. I stopped giving to the organizations who can't be trusted in my opinion.
That's just sad, Beatrice - for all of us. We need a DNC in which we are confident - good at promoting, messaging, visiblity and spending the funds where needed. I contributed to Harrison's Senate campaign against Lindsey Graham but have since read that he doesn't like to travel and other less encouraging information about him in this role. Lara Trump, like Ronna is already all over the news and networks with the RNC messaging. Where is Harrison? 😡
I thought paying for Trump’s legal costs with money donated to the Republican candidates campaign fund is ILLEGAL, is it not?
One would certainly think so...but now Trump has his DIL in there doing his bidding...guess we shall see. ButI don't hold out much hope that this will change.
I’m sure when donors contribute to an individual candidate’s campaign fund, that money belongs to the candidate. When donors give to the RNC, that money goes to pay Trump’s legal bills. Maybe some of it will be left for his campaign, but not for down-ballot races.
But does it matter? To date Trump has not been half accountable for hardly anything!
Well, we can always hope he goes on trial for yet another illegal way to raise money.
With 4 trials and so many charges against him - do you really think they care if it is legal? If we had a decent AG maybe it would matter. I sometimes wonder where/why Obama came up with this judicial coward. I really thought more of Obama. I guess no is perfect.
Biden chose him for AG, not Obama.
There will be plenty in the local races. Charlie Koch has been screwing with Colorado all his useless life. We just nominated Ken Bucks replacement last night to run against a place holder/ disgraced former mayor who will have Koch and AnSchutz and Coors backing.
Do what you can.
Since the Koch brothers built their own private fiefdom in CO they feel very entitled.
As Joyce would say, the chickens are coming home to roost!
Well, wasn't it what they wanted? The party doesn't even have a platform, and it stands for absolutely nothing.
It sucks if you are lame enough to BE a repub and admit it.
I hope they've all figured that out
I admin a group of democrats that hate DeSantis and TFG and I’ve encouraged them to donate to down ballot candidates, make calls or texts, postcards, help a down ballot candidate anyway possible.
I'm in Florida, too. FT6 just targeted the state. Maybe a million unregistered Florida women trend heavily Democratic, and could flip the state. Could lift all Democratic candidates.
Register Democrats -- save Democracy.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/mission
I’m no longer in Florida but I’m still helping my friends. I moved to N GA mountains cause I couldn’t afford homeowners insurance.
Hey Rusty,
I'm living in Arizona now, and it feels like I am behind enemy lines.
That’s how I felt in Florida. In Georgia I don’t see as much political division between neighbors.
Just a suggestion: could we not use the word “hate”?
That word personalizes the discussion and lowers it to Trump’s abysmal level. . Trump’s campaign is all about hate and he wants to call his opponent ( judges, DAs, us) “haters”.
What does Liz cheney say? Do every thing i can to make sure he never gets to the white house again.
We don't know how much, if any, money will make it to the down ticket candidates. What we can be virtually certain of is that no one will get any RNC money without first swearing loyalty to Trump and stating that they believe that the 2020 election was stolen. It all depends on whether Trump values the money more than he values forced loyalty.
If he does try to coerce down ticket candidates; they'll have to choose between being tied to Trump or running without RNC funding. Hopefully a lose/lose situation for them.
It's not hyperbole to say that the fate of our nation is at stake.
A thumbnail sketch of Project 2025 indicates that many social services will be cancelled or combined into other departments.
The departments that remain will have political appointees in charge, as the career civil servants are eliminated.
Further, these appointees will be hired on and paid "merit-based" system. In other words, they will be hired based on their fealty to trump, and paid according to their utility to trump.
Here are some passages from Project 2025 regarding the National Security Council (NSC).
“Led by the National Security Advisor (NSA), the NSC staff will be...implementing the President’s national security goals...”
“In organizing an NSC staff that is...aligned with the President’s goals...the NSA should immediately...eliminate directorates that are not aligned with the President’s agenda...”
“Accountable senior officials...selected...politically who report directly to political staff should be the...managers for...national security policy...”
“The accountable senior officials should be empowered to...hire staff who are aligned with...the President’s national security priorities.”
That, my friends, is just the tip of the iceberg.
I've read, and condensed much of Project 2025. You can find them at Polytricks.
Glad you posted this. This info needs to get out to mainstream Americans who don't follow politics. If trump becomes prez we may not have another free election again. GOP/MAGAs will rig legislation to favor themselves. It is really scary if you look at it closely. I haven't yet seen a reasonable/logical explanation for why congressional GOP and Americans support trump. He's a horrible human being and wants to be a dictator.
I've tried to capture the essence of Project 2025 so folks won't have to read its 900 pages.
It's difficult reading, but I believe everyone should become familiar with its contents.
I bet they purposely did it that way so reporters and others won't bother reading the whole thing. Just like the way they write up legislation.
I just suffered through Chapter 26 on Trade. The first part is written by Peter Navarro. To me it illustrates that Navarro,
a) Is a paranoid psychotic, and
b) He belongs in prison.
I hear a lot of gas from republicans about, "intellectuals" and how we are the enemy. Navarro has a Masters and PhD in Economics from Harvard.
Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.
The big hypocrite is Ted Cruz who went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School. Yet he acts like all east coast people are elitists and he is just your average American. His wife went to Harvard Business School and has been a managing director at Goldman Sachs since 2012.
Does that mean that only Rs with still-large campaign war chests will have a chance of retaining their seats?
Amen.
Isn’t any investigation where Lara Trump just flat wipes out the RNC campaign money?
Let me just say this.The Republican Party is now the Putin branch of the Republican Party.There is no middle ground here.This group is full on fascist and aligns itself with Vladimir Putin and Russia and we the taxpayers are paying these peoples salaries for treason.
Russia, Russia, Russia.
Rinse and repeat.
👍👍
The Republican Party as we knew it died on March 8. This is now the MAGA party. Those who were traditional Republicans are now, for all intents, and purposes Independents.
It's been dead since Newt
President Franklin Roosevelt warned us about Donald Trump’s lies:
“It is an old strategy of tyrants to delude their victims into fighting their battles for them.”
Zoe, Watch Prime Minister Kishida’s address to the joint session of Congress today. Japan gets it while our own Republicans do not
Our own republicans don’t want to “get” it.
Spot on Valere. 🎯 Professor, Heather ox Richardson detailed Kishida's speech on LFAA last night in her real-time 'Letters' with exact copious quotations.
Thank you Bryan - I will read Heather this morning. I loved everything about Kishida’s visit - from the replacement of 200 cherry trees at the tidal basin, his toast at the state dinner Wednesday night, and his joint address to Congress (during which he made the points that Japan was ramping up their defense budget and supporting Ukraine in response to Putin and the billions Japan was bringing to the U.S. economy with the plants they have here. I know they have Honda in Ohio and Toyota in North Carolina. I think those remarks about Japanese supporting American economy were directed mostly to Republicans. After his speech, he was surrounded by Republicans Ted Cruz. Kishida went to North Carolina yesterday afternoon to visit the Toyota plant. I like him a lot - he and Biden have a great relationship and Biden has fostered that. But Kishida’s trip to Toyota in North Carolina appears to me to be making a point in case Trump wins because Trump has never recognized Japan’s role. That’s just my thought about that maneuver. Biden will win and Trump will be in jail and we will all be happy dancing. But I know Kishida is shoring support from both sides. He doesn’t want it to look like he’s simply here to cater to Biden. His speech to Congress was to emphasize that Ukraine is just the first step in Putin’s takeover plan. I think he was very effective. I think we’re at an inflection point with Trump and support for Ukraine. And I thought it was interesting that so many Republicans gave standing ovations during the speech. He was here at Biden’s invite - but he took the opportunity to remind Congress that the US was the key to holding back Putin. Trump was throwing ketchup on the wall over this one. Not only did he address the danger Putin presents, but he clearly expressed how Japan was stepping up and working with NATO to do so. They might not be part of NATO, but he wanted everyone in that room to know that they were paying their 2% for defending freedom. Looking forward to reading what Heather has to say
Penetrating analysis that hits the nuances. Good work.
Brilliant quotation. So applicable in so many dirty political fights. 👏
NYC Weather forecast for the next 10 days = “Stormy” with high likelihood of incarceration!
😂😂
With an air quality index ranging toward rancid.
Or at the very least, "unsettled."
🤣🤣🤣
Hid, I hope you’re right!!!!!
Thank you for your continued hard work to keep us informed, Joyce🙏🏼⚖️🇺🇸
I'm also grateful for the reference to the poll showing that, at least at the moment, people think the hush money charges against Trump are serious. Naturally, Trump and his politicians will continue their disinformation efforts targeting lower-information voters but they can also argue that it doesn't matter much anyway because godless commie transgender-loving rmigrant hiding, 8-mo fetus killing BLM radicals and their politician servants should be prevented from "destroying the country" regardless. That's been one of the big reasons for their radicalization efforts -- make it seems as though nothing Trump does maters anyway, given the extreme danger posed by the devils we know we all are. I sure hope all that's unsuccessful and I guess we all need to work hard so it is!
It really is stunning how quickly the Republican party has disappeared and been replaced by the trump party.
I've been anxious to see how trump's supporters might respond to actual evidence, given under oath in one of his trials. He stole this election with these payoffs.
"It really is stunning how quickly the Republican party has disappeared and been replaced by the trump party."
However it was given a really good kick-start by Reagan, Gingrich, and the Tea Party nutters ... resentful even if powerful - hating Congress, the public service, the major corporations, the media, the schools ... it's a long list of hate. Trump just gave them all much more permission to spew lies and hatred - after all he has always been full of lies and hate, and prospered.
You got it! Gingrich was spewing hate well before trump was a “thing”; while trump could still speak coherently. The team Republican vs team Democrat started with Gingrich. Previously the two parties would actually argue but worked together ultimately. Governing a diverse country should not be a team sport; they work for all of us.
Yes! And he being a student of history should have known better. But power is one hell of a drug.
And the Federalist Society and the decimation of our judicial system. As out of control the repugs now are, they certainly knew how to play the long game.
Indeed ... the Federalist Society is one of the great slimes on the public weal.
Talk about a shadow government! The Federalist Society has infested ours and is calling the shots. The first allegiance of its members seems to be to it and not to our democracy.
To echo JV, it’s highly probable that Rs will not be exposed to the evidence presented in the trial because their media bubble will either not focus on it or will frame it as lies….remember controlling the media is a major means by which autocrats maintain their power.
Thank goodness you are on our side with us.
Talking about people not getting the honest coverage of the trial if they watch Fox.
My boss, an absolutely rabid trump supporter, said to me today, "I think dad's dementia is getting worse, he watches CNN all the time now."
It was all I could do not to comment that maybe his dementia is getting better with his new meds.
It is SO hard living in a red state and working for people who hate Biden and love trump.
Will his dad vote?
One good thing to come out of all of this. All that money going to defend the Vulgar Talking Yam is that much less going to his campaign. And all that money going to his campaign means there's that much less available for House and Senate races.
How ironic would it be if all this focus on the Yam and his legal problems ultimately means losing the House and the Democrats maintaining control of the Senate, while re-electing Biden to the top job?
There's no splitting the baby here.
Sure hope you are right.
Thanks Joyce, I could never imagine our country getting worse by the minute and we are in our own domestic “Cold War”. The memory of the country working together is fading and the question is will our institutions hold up under the storm of the 2024 Election.
And what are Trump’s minions/militias going to do when he loses?
His minions will incite another insurrection. Only it will be worse this time. The National Guard should be on standby.
I would like to be visiting another country when that happens. It WILL be ugly if he does not win.
And it will be ugly if Traitor does win.
Either way, we'll and our democracy will be in big trouble.
And a really dangerous insurrection. A well armed milita man lives in my neighborhood.
Please be careful. 💙💙
My area in Virginia, too
Sounds like my neighborhood.
Stay. Safe.
I read somewhere that big corporations, Meta, Google, etc. are planning for violence, insurrection, whatever might happen. Scary..
They've been required to have plans in place for violence in the workplace. I can't remember where I read this, but in the last week or so. Now it makes sense. The plans are not just for lone gunmen, but insurrectionists.
It will become a hot war
They could very well end up swimming in their own guts...
Yes, and the social media algorithms which promote dissent because it prompts more views which contribute significantly to our nations discontent. The EU recognizes what’s happening and is in the process of establishing guard rails that the social media companies must adhere to. However, our Congress allows social media to use algorithms that promote divisiveness likely because social media companies are such a huge part of today’s economy. Have they become the “robber barons” of the 21st century?
Thank you, Joyce, for your clear-eyed and articulate reporting. Keep safe and well - we need you!
Joyce, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your knowledge and insight continues to be invaluable. What a crazy time we are living through! I hope someday we can look back on this nightmare and heave a sigh of relief. Until then, as you say, we are in this together.
“The liar has the advantage of knowing beforehand what the audience wishes and expects to hear”- wrote Hannah Arendt. Trump got 74 million votes in 2020- that’s 47% percent of all the votes that were cast. 44% of all votes cast by women were cast for him. Isn’t it past time we ask ourselves why did 74 million fellow Americans want to hear the lies that they were waiting and hoping to hear and believe? If we focus our eyes only on the incredible, master liar, and do not understand why so many voters, (especially crucial independents) are still hungry for the lies that Trump knows they are waiting for and hoping to hear from him, we may see him be elected president again.
Don't forget that some of those who voted for Trump wanted to preserve their tax breaks. They'd vote for a watermelon if it meant its opponent couldn't raise their taxes.
How many of the 74 million who voted for him did it because they wanted to preserve their tax breaks?
Oh my gosh, we just had dinner the other night with another couple we've known and liked for several years. They flat out said they're voting for trump for the tax breaks. We will remain friends because we won't let trump ruin that, but wow what a self-serving reason to vote for tfg.
I would drop them in a NY minute. They’re not worth your time. Seriously.
I know, I understand that perspective. But we enjoy their company, and we only touched on politics once, briefly. We choose to remain friends. In no way are we going to allow Donald J. Trump to influence who we associate with! We won't give him that power!
I agree Pamela. I have not given up friends or family. I think they will reach reality one day. And Trump is going to lose on November 5, be in jail and we will have a blue bicameral congress.
I cannot respect a person who votes for that “thing”. Good luck with that. That is NOT a reason to vote for someone who plans to dismantle our democracy.
The 1%, that's who. Hardly 74 million.
So 740,000.
And this is the case for us to approach people one by one to inform them of the lies and refute the lies: for example, his big lie that inflation has resulted in groceries costing 60% more during Biden‘s term. The truth is, all presidents have had inflation with rising costs. They don’t go down they go up every single. Even with Joe Biden having to pick up the tail end of Covid with supply chain issues, we saw 20% higher costs and grocery stores, and then the increase went to 3%, which is less than we experience during Trump. Trump is indeed a convincing liar. But when you fact, check what he says and have the facts on hand when someone comes out with these outlandish stories and lies you can at least tell them what the truth is: “ Yes, we saw higher prices after Covid and as we recovered with the supply chain. We do not have higher prices now.” And a lot of these higher grocery costs are going for packaged foods: not whole grains, legumes or organic produce.
Truth is. . . The higher prices are mainly due to monopolies. Their COVID supply chain woes were over but they didn’t decrease prices.
^Yes, Tony, there were scalpers. But prices were not at 60% as Trump claimed. They were 20% and then decreased (thanks to Biden shaming the price increases from scalpers).
Prices for groceries are still high. The monopolies that run the grocery stores are profiteering. I heard a grocery store manager being interviewed. He was saying that once people get used to paying $7 for a box of cereal the they can raise the price again. It’s all about return for the stockholders. The Federal Government can address price fixing but not with the current House of Representatives do nothing attitude.
Totally blue voter here, but yes, grocery prices are still very high, and I'm not seeing a decrease. I'll vote blue no matter who, but this is fuel for magats.
True
https://youtu.be/gj7WEbh4e0M?si=mYokLp9qk-5ZsEpZ
Inflation or Greed?
Amen
Maybe these links will help in understanding why Trump's lies are taken as fact. Most interesting reading.
Part 1 https://tomklingenstein.com/video/trumps-virtues/
Part II https://tomklingenstein.com/video/trumps-virtues-part-ii/
Thank you, Professor Joyce
Y'all -- I can't help but wonder something (just watching Alex Wagner).
Given that all Confederate Republicans do is screech "The election was stollen [sic] 11!1" --
WHY instead of shouting back "No! It was NOT!!"
Why don't Democrats instead start explaining to people who *clearly do not understand it* HOW EXACTLY ELECTIONS DO WORK??
Because I will freely admit to having been a poli sci major, but from the more progressive networks to elected officials to public academics -- that literally is the one thing I *do not see happening*.
*Explain* the Electoral College.
*Explain* (in short words) how elections are supposed to be certified.
*Explain* why those Republican fake electors are in fact fake (and in some cases under indictment).
I would have said this long ago but U honestly thought someone(s) far more important than me would have gotten AROUND to this right now.
And to Lara Nepo "Tone Deaf" Trump, I offer only Reiner and Sorkin's inimitable words, edited for the occasion --
"It doesn't MATTER what you BELIEVE. It only matters what you can PROVE."
😖😖
I had an online conversation with a dude who kept saying "Elections are rigged." I replied to him that they are not rigged and Trump's people who said that openly are getting sued (and losing) to the voting machine manufacturers. That shut him up.
Brava Louise!
???
People used to say "bravo" to congratulate or praise those who did something really well, but apparently in Italian, it should be adjusted to gender and number, hence "brava" for a woman or "bravi" for more than one person. Is that why you used those question marks?
Great start. Plus there were all the lawful recounts, audits and other measures routinely carried out before the major lawsuits, all of which they lost, were enven launched. Plus R-aligned lawyers have been disbarred for lying about elections and bringing bad-faith lawsuits. Plus some of the biggest election-liar nutters, like Kari Lake, kept on lying and suing long after the pre-Jan 6 lawsuits, and lost too.
Unfortunately you can’t make people with closed minds listen. They have already given over their ability to think independently to the talking heads they watch day and night.
I don’t know that I'm talking about people with closed minds -- I definitely agree about that -- as I am talking about people who literally don't know.
I have a friend with 19-year-old students and the friend professor was exasperatedly asking something like "How can you normalize someone like Trump?"
and the 19-year-old pointed out, not illogically for those of us who don't push our students and kids to read Ruth BenGhiat and watch PBS, that at their age ... Trump is "normal" because he and his running buddies are quite literally all they know. 😬
Think about it. When he was fauxlected 8 years ago they were 11.
The kids -- and they are eligible voters now -- really do have a point.
Have to agree with you there. I remember when Trump went after the Gold Star parent who lost his son in the Middle East. I couldn’t believe someone who was the leader of the most powerful nation on earth would go after an ordinary citizen for expressing an opinion. Those new young voters have never known it to be otherwise.
And they have missed Biden bringing honor and decency to the White House and re-establishing our international reputation? Biden spent all of 2019 repairing Trump's idiocies such as taking us out of the Paris Accord (and don't forget Sharpie Gate when he redrew Alabama so it so it's eastern-most border was the Atlantic ocean (Hurricane Dorian was no threat to Alabama, but since Trump did not know where Alabama was on the map, he redrew it - insisted Alabama was threatened and would not back down. Biden had to form two task forces to correct the mess. Two senior NOAA officials lost their jobs. The kids have somehow 'missed' Biden's diplomacy, but recall with clarity bad behaviors? If Trump and his running buddies are 'normal' the parents are reinforcing that theme.
Try "Trump hates dogs" and "Trump stole from kids with cancer."
Gets 'em in the gut.
It's a form of deprogramming, and is difficult. We might not even know if we succeeded, because the payoff could occur weeks or months after the attempt.
Brava “M”!
You spelled it out and just for your information there is no one more important than you. There is no one on this Substack, who has a more important voice than you do.
Wow, Valere 🤗
I think our intrepid leader here Professor Joyce, and Mary Trump, and all the fearless Wonkette writers who create the space where those of us who care about democracy can be informed and take action ... we're so grateful for them because without them we couldn't share information.
But I sure am grateful for your encouragement ❤🤍💙
M, I think what Joyce has created in this community is the kind of social fabric we had in America during the Depression and World War II. Americans had to stick together to survive. And that’s what we are doing now. metaphorically we are surrounding Trump and saying “no, you’re not going to do this to us.” And when any of our group expresses sadness or a bit of disillusionment, we encourage them to keep going. We are showing that the group is stronger than an individual. Joyce is setting the town for that, but I think in a way we’re helping her as well. She knows she’s making a difference.
Actually, many people have been discussing these things all along, including here and on most of the other discussion groups as well as the wide range of media I use. But there is a sort of pattern to ongoing discussions: they weave in and out of various aspects of what is going on. Same is true of media coverage and analysis. So you might have just missed those particular waves as they came around. Some of course, have never gone away, and some of the activist groups are very focused on teaching about the issues you mention. I have to admit that I'm a bit baffled that you think nobody brought it up until you did. But we can't all be on top of everything at once, and I'm sure that I've missed things that are obvious to other people, as well.
I've certainly tried this with some people. It's worth doing even if the person doesn't seem all that receptive at first. Sometimes you just need to get a person thinking, and admitting at least to themselves that the person they just spoke with cares and is knowledgeable. It might take a month or two for the payoff to occur, and we might never know it did.
100% Raf.
The RNC is no more. I’m surprised he hasn’t named it MA GA. Lara as chairwoman is just complete pandering not as bad as Jared but in the same vein.
The mainstream Media seems to be side-stepping some of the facts.
I am hopeful trump’s day of reckoning will start Monday. I hope there will be no violence, and that the judge will keep him on a very short leash.
It is a comfort to know that we are getting the true facts from you on Civil Discourse.
I’ll end by saying you even made me chuckle when you said,” I prefer Mr. Smith goes to Washington to Mr. Johnson going to Florida…”
Biden is opening campaign offices across the country while Trump is closing offices and trimming budgets. Oh my Oh my.
Louise, it is hard not to be excited about that!
Thank you Joyce for all your hard work. 👏👏❤️❤️⚖️⚖️