A lot of folks owe DA Alvin Bragg an apology. Everyone said this was the weakest case against Trump... and yet, it is the only one that got through the process to conviction.
I’m devastated that women didn’t unite behind Kamala. It was and is still stunning after all the hours writing calling door knocking and having difficult conversations with friends family and folks in the grocery line. Not to mention $$ spent. Can we please have a woman head the DNC? If we can’t count on our vote to get a woman behind the Resolution desk can we at least have a say in party leadership? We have to start somewhere and the party has needed a complete overhaul since Bush v Gore. Thank you Gina.
Excellent suggestion. If you look at countries who are lead by women, it's easy to see that women do a better job on the whole. The DNC needs an overhaul and putting a woman at the head is a winning tactic.
Wasserman Schultz. Quite so. The DNC is all about raising $. It serves the donor class, just like the RNC. Will someone point out to them that R-Lite does not win elections?
I too voted for Kamala and wish she would have won. For the DNC, yes, a woman would be great. Having said that, Wisconsin's local DNC Chair Ben Wikler, who put his hat in the ring for national DNC Chair, is excellent. I have no idea who will actually get the job, but if Ben gets it, it will be a loss for Wisconsin on the local level and a huge win for the national DNC.
I agree. Women are not better. Does Marsha Blackburn, Nancy Mace, Elise Stefanic, Marge Greene, Susie Collins, and Lisa Boebert ring a bell. Women can be venal too. No matter gender, race or creed the worst can be found among them. Let's get a winner for DNC and let's get the old Democrats out of their offices and in front of cameras to TELL THE TRUTH!
I’ll be watching for sure Kristie and I’m not giving up hope that we can get an effective Chair. I’m convinced it would make a difference. Somethings gotta give.
I am in District 6 in MD, and April Delaney is our newly elected Rep. I've just e-mailed her and requested she do what she can to get a woman to run to be in charge of the DNC. I don't know what that process entails, but I've asked her to do what she can.
I so agree with you Mary. And to have Biden come out, and say that if he had of stayed in he thinks he could have won. Kamala had his back always and stood with him, probably even made him appear more cognizant than he was, and I believe the most qualified VP & person to run for President. It is hugely disappointing to see Biden’s ego inflated to the point of trying to take away the extraordinary run she had with so much Integrity and Humility. We are so fortunate to have her and I’ll be phone banking and whatever I can hoping she runs in 2028. No one has ever brought republicans in and had so many high ranking military people along with high ranking cabinet & justice officials cross political lines to vote for a different party than their own.
I don’t think Kamala would’ve lost if it hadn’t of been for the assistance of the russians. And so sorry to say that women play the part in the take down of their own gender and sanctioning physical abuse against women. The fact that Christians, who in the Bible says,
Leviticus 26:1-2
This passage states that “you should not make idols, graven images, or standing images, and that you should not bow down to them.
And
Colossians 3:5
“This passage calls greed a form of idolatry, and states that people who put love and desire for riches and power ahead of God are worshipping demons. “
Lynda, at the risk of overusing the term brilliant, this is exactly the right term to call what you have written here - and what you have written Joyce about the NY sentencing for DJT. And thank God literally for Chief Justice Roberts & Justice Barrett refusing to give DJT one more undeserved pass.
Mary, yes it’s deeply disappointing that Kamala wasn’t elected. And, that the orange smear isn’t in shackles, which we all know here he fully deserves. However, the efforts to elect Kamala may become the blocks for a way to reclaim and strengthen our democratic government. I hear you. I’m with you. Hear us roar 🦁
" The Judge and prosecutors in court today were American heroes. They put themselves squarely in the sights of a very powerful man."
Ah, but you see, that's part of the illusion...people BELIEVE he is powerful, treat him accordingly, and - voilà, he IS powerful in our eyes. But DA Bragg, Judge Merchan, and the twelve jury members pulled back the curtain to find...to find what? A craven, whimpering coward, bully, and lying manipulator, that's who. And ultimately found the "powerful man"guilty of 34 felonies, by unanimous vote. And sent him into the presidency as Felon 47, full stop.
This is the first but all-important step in demolishing "the powerful man" image, and if other civil and legal institutions can summon the same courage to call the Orange Wizard out every time he transgresses, his feet of clay will be exposed, and tRump eventually will crumble, as all frauds and bullies before him.
Have faith, people, the NYC judicial system has shown us the way, we must only embrace and follow their example.
Inquiry to Google AI: "Can a felon in Florida have a alcohol license?"
Response:
"a convicted felon cannot get an alcohol license in Florida if they were convicted of a felony within the last 15 years. A conviction includes a guilty plea, nolo contendere plea, or bond forfeiture."
"The Florida Beverage Law and the Florida Administrative Code require applicants to be of good moral character. The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco defines a person of good moral character as someone who can distinguish right from wrong, follows rules of right conduct, and acts in a way that shows trust and confidence."
I'm not a lawyer but I'd guess The Trump Corporation (not having been convicted as a conglomerate) can possess liquor licenses. If so, it's again maddening how trump-shaped the holes in our justice system are.
I hear through this post today and in many of the comments, at least he is a convicted felon, even though he is going to be the next president, even though he can run roughshod over peoples lives and is completely immune. Why is it I hear nothing of the moral tone he sets for children and teens, young adults during the next four years. What kind of a president does this set up as a role model. I am saddened with all the destruction overwhelming tragedy, a city of tent dwellers among the wreckage of a poisoned carcinogenic landscape where the inhabitants will most likely never seee their insurance policies pay out. Where they will never be able to rebuild, where their future, their employment will never be recovered, where a generation of children will be angry and lost. Who cares for them. Do you think Trump does?
This is likely where we get screwed by the American legal system. It’s likely that the liquor license is held by a company. If the local laws require a real person with a real body, they’ve probably paid (with an NDA) someone to be the person.
Yes but small potatoes. We need a lot more resistance. Trump is displayed on his own media and how we see him is just how he is seen on ours here. My faith cannot just be summoned on so little. Let's see more. How he will be seen and treated in the rest of the world and what they will think and do, remains to be seen.
That is a great observation. I went to court and stood in line to get a seat in the courtroom just so I could witness first hand, the monster that is Trump. I wasn’t disappointed. For one brief moment, I thought as I sat in court with the monster at the front desk, what if I had jumped up and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Donald Trump, why did you grab Ivanka’s boobies are you a pervert?”
Well, I would have been immediately taken into custody. I would like to think that world media would have wanted to interview me after I was released on bail. And then I would have promoted my book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums.” But for the fact that I have 7 cats to feed at home I chose to remain silent. It would have been a Fredrico Fellini moment that’s for sure.
Good one, Bill! Two things: 1.) If all people are created equal, we should all be treated equally. If I approaches Ivanka….(you can imagine the outcome) and 2.) I am beginning to imagine the eventual movies that could be made of the life of Donald Trump. Of course, the writers, the directors, the producers, the gaffers, the best boys would all be sent to jail and forced to pay fines….You know that “tail of obligations resulting from a sentence in a criminal case.”
The classic movie Citizen Kane directed, produced, and starred in by Orson Welles will one day in the future, have a remake only this time the main pseudo-fictional character will be Donald Trump. The movie scene will open with a very bloated relic of his former self; uneven orange-smeared makeup slobbed across his face in bed. His overgrown blond hair is found similar to the muss of Boris Johnson’s now showing gray roots from lack of up-to-date hair dye. He periodically wakes from a semi-conscious state at his future dilapidated Mar-a-Lago residence (for lack of having sufficient funds to upkeep the property due to previous constant litigation and losses.) He looks around demanding more Kentucky Fried Chicken wings as low paid personal rush in another bucket and his last word is not “Rosebud” as in the movie Citizen Kane but:
“Stormy.” And the ex 45th president of the United States expires. The camera fades to black then opens at Le Club in the early disco 1970s, a members-only Manhattan nightclub in the East 50s, where models, fashionistas and a variety of Eurotrash (including his wife) went to be seen.
“The government has just filed suit against our company,” said Trump, “saying we discriminated against Blacks. What do you think we should do?”
The Roy Cohn obedient ass-kisser to Senator Joe McCarthy hearings accusing entertainment personalities of being communists shoots back, “Tell them to go to hell and fight the thing in court and let them prove you discriminated against them.”
Roy Cohn has become Trump’s go-to lawyer and fixer.
Cohn admonishes the young Trump to 1. Never settle. Never surrender. 2. Counter-attack, counter-sue immediately. 3. No matter what happens, no matter how deep into the shit you get, claim victory and never admit defeat.
These lessons were found to be the essential attributes of his future self.
Well, it was the weakest case. National security exposure at Mar-a-Lago? Attempting to subvert a lawful election on J6? And the GA case? All much more impactful. He was convicted of 34 felonies that no one, certainly not 77+ million people, cared about. But credit to Bragg and his team, yet Merchan's negligent decision to delay sentencing until after the election meant he technically wasn't a convicted felon, and it likely changed the outcome of the election. trump's abuse of the legal system and the fealty of SCOTUS to him are main reasons why the others didn't get through. And let's not forget Mitch McConnell, who blamed trump for J6, subsequently providing the permission structure for other Rs in the Senate to not convict in impeachment #2.
This is something I had not even thought about! It should be that way…even though the cost would staggering — to all of us, who would have to put up with his venom afterwards. However, I believe there will be some voice given to the Judge’s thoughtful and unflappable management of the case brought before him. I hope I live long enough to see it happen!
Please reread Joyce and move on without the drama. Merchan has demonstrated he is an exceptional judge and hero who gave the citizens this small measure of justice. Thank him and be at peace.
Roberts and ACBarrett played it to make the court seem somewhat less SPOILED. I agree, if there was a chance for a real penalty, both would’ve voted with the MAGA BOYS… Tommy, Hang your flag upside down and Gorsuck…..
Please tell us in what way? You would have preferred a jail sentence which could never have been carried out anyway and would have preserved the illusion that Trump was still able to avoid the stigma of being a convicted felon?
Joyce, I am glad you have hope. I am not there yet. I am concerned with the immunity ruling that Trump will act like a mob boss. Already we are experiencing this with pronouncements about using force to take Greenland and Panama. Now Republicans in Congress are introducing bills to decimate programs that help Seniors, those on Medicaid and SNAP. All to give billionaires more tax breaks. I can’t even understand how sadistic these folks are
We may be able to stop some of their more destructive actions by having the Dems stay united. They will overreach and the middle class will quickly see that their intention is to add to the assets of the wealthy, not to help regular people. We should take back the house and the Senate in the midterm elections.
Also, the Dems should take the lead, loudly, proudly and strongly on serious campaign finance reform. Too many voters are disenchanted by the problem of money in politics and we will win people back by taking the lead on this issue once again.
Amen to that! And they need to find a way to rework the Federal Election Commission so it doesn't end up deadlocked or controlled by one party or the other. I still have hope that when many of those on the Right are no longer serving in positions of authority or are dead, we will be able to right the wrongs of Citizens United and undo some of the fuckery passed by the GOP and the current SCOTUS.
Unfortunately I think the current SCOTUS will be around a long time.. Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett are relatively young (50s) and I've expect we will see two more 50ish judges replace Alito and Thomas soon after Trump takes over. Fortunately the three Dems are still pretty young as well. But I see a lot of 6-3 decisions in the next 12-16 years mostly going against the liberals.
The only way that might be defused is for a Dem to be elected in 2028 along with a Dem Congress and they enlarge the court to 15 justices. That doesn't require constitutional amendment, just a simple r law.
But somehow Trump will take credit for the Biden good economy and find a way to blame Biden for anything that goes wrong - and his band of Maggots will believe him.
The 2026 Senate map is not good. Maine and NC are the only possible flippable seats. Susan Collins for some reason is unbeatable. Jon Ossoff in GA, could be in danger. 2028 is a better map, but what will America look like in four years.
Ossoff voted YES on the Laken Riley Act. Deporting anyone who shoplifts $100.00 as reported by ANYONE - NOT A COURT OF LAW, is not someone needed by Democrats. We need better than that.
I keep repeating this. I hope trump overreaches so badly, that republicans up for election in 2026 abandon him, to save their seats, and Dems make the case the trump and trumpism is toxic to everyday Americans.
It's greed as well as lust for power that fuels these brutes. There is no doubt that these sycophants will play their games like those in Nazi Germany but in the end many of them, not enough I might add, paid the price for their treachery.
I wonder, will it take an invasion by one of our former allies that will cleanse the American palette?
Yes, greed and power act like drugs. Look at how many reasonable Republicans and a few Democrats took a taste and all of a sudden you watch them suck up to the rich and powerful.
What I hope and believe is that it will be the midterms that steady the ship....
And the major newspapers? Washington Post and the New York Times!!!!! They bow down to Trump, too! Why is anybody who is repulsed at having a felon as President still subscribed to those papers? The stupidity of Trump is what sells the papers and they are his partners.
He is a mob boss, who views NATO as a protection racket.
His plan, such as he has one, is to destroy NATO, so the wewlthy thugs of this world, both here and in Russia and elsewhere, can plunder the dwindling resources of a dying planet.
Trump has dementia and probably Alzheimers. Ignore all his crazy ideas that he misinterpreted from ignorant advisors or got from the Internet. Every single thing he says is spur of the moment and mostly lies because he can not tell fact from fiction anymore. Stop listening to him!!
Their sadism is easy to understand just read the DSM V TR. Their pathology is succinctly outlined. Rich white male "good christians" have ALWAYS done what they wanted and 90% of the time in this country's entire history gotten away with it starting when these POS stole Indigenous women and children from this continent for the sexual slavery trade 400+ years ago.
I am sure, some will not, lol, I am 78, but a green girl still, but I see how there are young new waves who are and will be there eager to get through this and live differently.
Donald and his ilk have no idea, blinded that they are by their greed, that they will not last.
He may try to act like he doesn’t care. But he is actually a scared little bully terrified of being a “loser.” His father will be ashamed of him from his perch in hell. His father’s #1 rule was to NEVER be a sucker or a loser. If he had any brains he would let it go. But he’ll keep the story alive by fighting to have it overturned. Accepting being a loser is beyond his capacity.
Merchan should have had a “change of heart” and sent the fat fu*k to jail for 8 days, just long enough so that he could go straight to his inauguration from jail.
It's a great fantasy, but it would never have happened. As Joyce points out, it's likely that if Judge Merchan hadn't said in advance that he was not going to sentence him to anything other than unconditional release, the corrupt SCOTUS would have delayed the sentencing, as the orange dirtbag requested. So now we have a president-elect (and soon to be President Convicted Felon, which will be my name for him come 1/20/2025) who is, for all time, a convicted felon. And he only has 30 days to file an appeal. Is he going to want to keep dredging this up and reminding folks of his feloniousness? I'm not sure his snowflake ego could bear it.
Of course he will appeal. He hates being a felon more than the cost of the appeal, even in PR terms. And the verdict can still be overturned in which case he won't be a felon anymore.
If he wins the appeal, it will be because some white house staff testified. Prosecutor didn't have to because there was enough evidence without them. Prosecutor wouldn't have if the Supreme Court hadn't slipped in all that immunity garbage during trial. If they let him off the hook, we will see just how corrupt the courts are.
Wouldn't have happened. He would have been given time to appeal and by the time anything could have been done he would be in office. Merchan knew exactly what he was doing.
Everything he's done has been unprecedented, and was never contemplated by the Framers. Was never even contemplated by anybody until it actually came to be. Shocking and shameful. He's an embarrassment to the good name of the United States of America.
One thing that cannot be contemplated by anyone is the Trump Presidential Library. At dinner my husband and I were trying to think of what it could possibly contain. We're both rather creative but couldn't come up with anything. Yep, another Carter Center for sure--I can't wait....
My first thought is that his library, if it is anything but an empty shell, will be located in a Florida swamp and filled with examples of all the cheap items he has made in China to sell to his willing victims...God Bless the USA bibles, various books he "wrote," trading cards with his picture, Trump drinkware and glassware, Trump vodka, Trump steaks, MAGA hats of course, T-shirts, Trump cologne and perfume, Trump “Never Surrender High-Tops” and a gaggle of other shoes, Trump "Freedom cooler," NFTs, Trump "silver" coins, Trump gold plated coins, Trump watches, Christmas ornaments, soon to be Trump guitars and in celebration of his election a new line of goods including a pair of $299 "Trump Landslide" boots and a $69.99 special inaugural edition of his God Bless the USA Bible.
A building filled with Trump's 8 years+ of lies, it will be the biggest and probably gold plated of all Presidential libraries. It will be "beautiful". Probably have a giant McDonald's inside with $100.00 MAGA MEALS. Mainly just a Grift Shoppe.
We all need to work TOGETHER to prevent these guys from doing damage. We'll feel better when we are fighting them. (I LOATHE fElon, and I wish he didn't have citizenship (and as a car nut, I loathe his damn Teslas, which are as ugly as he is). Really, I'd get a kick out of it if Trump begins getting seriously jealous of fElon.
And exactly how are we nobodies supposed to prevent the fascists who are already in power from doing damage?
By nobodies I mean people like me - I’m a disabled veteran living on disability (that will no doubt be taken away), I’m poor, I don’t hold office but I did write letters and send emails, neither of which matter one jot for billionaires who don’t give a shit about who they crush. I donate what I can but do not kid myself in thinking that 9.00 actually does a thing.
I am serious, please tell me exactly how I can actually stop trump or Elon or any one of them from doing more damage?
Continue to write your Senators and Reps. Talk to your friends and family. They have already made Steve Bannon and MAGA mad by supporting bringing in immigrant engineers rather than training and paying Americans. They want to destroy the public schools so they won’t have to pay teacher retirement. Help people understand what they are doing to our country. We can win in the next election.
There may be a branch of Indivisible where you are--I think they're all over the country--where people get together and send postcards to get people to vote, send letters to their representatives, stuff like that. It's easier when you can do these types of things with other people who are doing them. Just google Indivisible and your general location... If you need help with that let me know. There are a lot of people who don't have much money, so they donate small amounts, and the small amounts add up.
Thank you for replying Jane and David. I do appreciate that you each did.
I mean no disrespect to either of you when I say this - I cannot count how many times I’ve been told to do what each of you suggest. Maybe in a blue state these things work. I hope so. (But then, aren’t you just preaching to the choir?) I am aware of where Indivisible is where I live. Which is decidedly not a blue state. It is 95% as rabidly red as it can get.
Letters to my Congressional Reps are tossed into the round file because not a single one of my Congressional Reps care about anything except being lapdogs to trump. It’s been that way since 2017. Todd Young used to at least send out responses. They were quite brilliantly written propaganda for trump but up until 2017 he did respond. Then he quit. Why? Because. They. Don’t. Care. If you aren’t in the magacult then you no longer matter. Period.
Writing people who don’t care if you even exist became deeply demoralizing and was affecting my ability to resist, to speak up. I quit and doing so helped me refocus my energy elsewhere.
Postcards do not change anyone’s mind about what to believe or how to vote. I can see why people do this though. It feels like action. It feels hopeful. I decided to try it again last year and sent out hundreds of postcards. I did so to see if it helped me feel like I was helping. It did not. I kept my commitment to the group though and finished them all. But, just like writing my Reps, it was demoralizing. To me. I won’t do it again.
You can’t change people’s minds with letters, emails and postcards once they’ve full on joined a cult. I wish those in charge of these groups would do basic research into how cults are formed and how difficult it is to change anyone once they’ve jumped in with both feet.
We need organizations at the very basic levels - in our towns and cities - that focus on the realities of living in a fascist state. Organizations that are founded not on postcards but on very basic, very concrete things that will need to be done to help all those who will be targeted beginning on Jan 20th. We need groups who can organize to come up with actual, real ways of helping (money, food, shelter, healthcare) when people lose Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and Veteran’s Compensation and Veteran’s Healthcare. We have to help each other keep going - as in actual living, not in hoping for better - because we don’t know how long our descent into chaos and full on fascism is going to last.
I don’t even look at that anymore - like, when will this stop. Let’s all focus on “the most important election of our lives” kind of stuff. Please. We’ve been told that since 2018 and look where we are. If we continue to have elections then yes, absolutely, keep voting and vote for those who don’t want to destroy you or your neighbors. But, for me, for now, I’m focusing on what I can do at the level of my everyday life. Unless the entirety of everyone who isn’t in the magacult actually stood up and marched to take over, none of them are going to listen. That’s how a cult operates. And doing that would be a hostile takeover - which is not something I’m recommending.
1. Keep coming to the bulwark Substack 2. Read Ruth BenGiat and Foster’s posting 3. Please always remember that there are many of us who support you with our hearts and with what we can donate to help get Dems into the house and senate. I always donate more than I can to try to “cover” many who just can’t. It’s my way of saying thank you for writing letters. Please keep your heart strong and pat your spirit on the back each time you do.
I live in France (where we have our political problems, too, for sure), and I've been questioned many times by your exact question. It is unfathomable!!
I've read in the last day or two that George W. Bush, because he had a felony DUI conviction, had to get permission from Canadian authorities to visit as President. I'd hazard a guess that Trump will be allowed to visit as President, but he'll have to ask for permission to enter the particular country. (For another country to say "no" would be the ultimate cosmic smackdown....)
I knew someone who was a convicted felon and he like to travel but there were countries he could not go to with that conviction. So it is indeed a very interesting question.
This is for other nations to decide however and whenever they wish.
The decisions of other sovereign nations will have nothing to do with Justice or Law (US or International), but with power and political expediency, until he is dead.
Doubt VD’s eulogy will resonate far,
& it can’t come soon enough. But enough of noise, there’s work to do!
Somebody told me that a convicted felon could not hold a liquor license and that is why tRump did not want that sentence. You know, hotels and bars. Misinformation?
He will also have diplomatic immunity once he is President and given the lack of a "major" felony conviction (like murder or treason) this isn't going to impede him much unless a country is out for blood.
Joyce, I agree with you whole heartedly as far as the sentencing went today. It was courageous of Judge Merchan. I’m hopeful if don-old does appeal and it goes all the way to SCOTUS that Robert’s and Barrett won’t change their vote.
The California fires are such a tragedy. My heart goes out to those that have lost their homes and those that have been displaced.
The winds on-shore, firefighters are piloting planes & helicopters. ABC News hitched an aerial ride with a Cal-Fire Chief & telecast clear footage on David Muir's show.
ABC has excellent footage which airs tonight: "American Catastrophe: LA Burning" a 2020 Special Edition. 9 PM Pacific.
The bottom line is that this man got away with what was supposed to be time served in jail. The worst part of this is that the American people voted this man back into office. I cannot fathom the reason why they would want this kind of man in the highest office of the United States of America and of the world. From here, on out people who voted for this man will feel the repercussion of his decisions that he will make for all of us in the following four years. I’ll be ready to say I told you so.
I've been an attorney for 46 years. To have this mentally ill, morally corrupt thug in charge of our country for the near future makes me physically ill. Joyce, thank you for your clear thinking and analysis. Your words give me hope.
When we get more data from the election I think we will find that many who voted for him literally did not know about his crimes. More horrifying, I'm thinking that there are lots of Americans whose brains have been so pickled by watching television stories that they have no understanding of the complexities of running a government. It's all reality TV. And that includes some of the politicians. !
"It leads me to believe the damage Donald Trump has done and will continue to do to our system can be repaired through individual acts of conscience and courage. Hear me out" Okay. I heard you out. Here's what I heard. You are an optimist through and through. I grew up in NYC way back when and we ALL KNEW WHO DONALD TRUMP WAS in the 1970's and 1980's. He is a piece of &(*&T! Your optimism is adorable. I am a realist. Trump is an EFFING CRIMINAL no matter what any court does -- or doesn't say. I am sickened that millions of people -- including family members of mine -- voted for him. Despicable...ALL OF THEM!
You are so right there! As Joyce said, there are justices who have a lot to answer for. Unfortunately, they won’t ever have to. The one item on my mind is which one of those four will retire first?
Lost among all the discussions about this case, is what sort of money did Trump avoid paying in taxes on that hush money. Isn’t it taxable? If so, will he reimburse? Or is that a different, IRS matter?
Well, of course! Why go after the rich crooks when there of so many of without the means to return fire. They have money to litigate … but not to pay taxes.
I would like to hope that albeit now long after it might have done any good, President Biden would help Degenerate Don to actually honor a campaign promise and release his tax returns
Joyce, I love your take here. Merchan has demonstrated enormous strength and moral clarity throughout. As an aside, I’m looking forward to more pics of your birds!
Proves that money & lawyers more interested in money than in serving justice are leaches on the U.S. judicial system. They make a mockery of our laws & justice. This needs to be corrected. That's my view I'm sticking to it unless proven wrong. Kudos to Judge Murchon! He's a HERO!
A lot of folks owe DA Alvin Bragg an apology. Everyone said this was the weakest case against Trump... and yet, it is the only one that got through the process to conviction.
E. Jean Carroll and Stormy Daniels!
STRONG WOMEN UNITE!!!
Gina, heck, all women should unite! (And I'm an old guy.)
Doug - I join you in thought and in "approximate age" I'm sure!
Another old guy here. I am with Doug and Ivan.
Phil - Welcome to "The Approximate Age Group!"
I’m devastated that women didn’t unite behind Kamala. It was and is still stunning after all the hours writing calling door knocking and having difficult conversations with friends family and folks in the grocery line. Not to mention $$ spent. Can we please have a woman head the DNC? If we can’t count on our vote to get a woman behind the Resolution desk can we at least have a say in party leadership? We have to start somewhere and the party has needed a complete overhaul since Bush v Gore. Thank you Gina.
Excellent suggestion. If you look at countries who are lead by women, it's easy to see that women do a better job on the whole. The DNC needs an overhaul and putting a woman at the head is a winning tactic.
DNC had Debbie "Whasshername" as the leader. She was a disaster walking on two legs.
Wasserman Schultz. Quite so. The DNC is all about raising $. It serves the donor class, just like the RNC. Will someone point out to them that R-Lite does not win elections?
I too voted for Kamala and wish she would have won. For the DNC, yes, a woman would be great. Having said that, Wisconsin's local DNC Chair Ben Wikler, who put his hat in the ring for national DNC Chair, is excellent. I have no idea who will actually get the job, but if Ben gets it, it will be a loss for Wisconsin on the local level and a huge win for the national DNC.
I agree. Women are not better. Does Marsha Blackburn, Nancy Mace, Elise Stefanic, Marge Greene, Susie Collins, and Lisa Boebert ring a bell. Women can be venal too. No matter gender, race or creed the worst can be found among them. Let's get a winner for DNC and let's get the old Democrats out of their offices and in front of cameras to TELL THE TRUTH!
Mary - With all due respects, if any, I would take Sen. Collins over any other of the individuals you mentioned..
I’ll be watching for sure Kristie and I’m not giving up hope that we can get an effective Chair. I’m convinced it would make a difference. Somethings gotta give.
I am in District 6 in MD, and April Delaney is our newly elected Rep. I've just e-mailed her and requested she do what she can to get a woman to run to be in charge of the DNC. I don't know what that process entails, but I've asked her to do what she can.
I so agree with you Mary. And to have Biden come out, and say that if he had of stayed in he thinks he could have won. Kamala had his back always and stood with him, probably even made him appear more cognizant than he was, and I believe the most qualified VP & person to run for President. It is hugely disappointing to see Biden’s ego inflated to the point of trying to take away the extraordinary run she had with so much Integrity and Humility. We are so fortunate to have her and I’ll be phone banking and whatever I can hoping she runs in 2028. No one has ever brought republicans in and had so many high ranking military people along with high ranking cabinet & justice officials cross political lines to vote for a different party than their own.
I don’t think Kamala would’ve lost if it hadn’t of been for the assistance of the russians. And so sorry to say that women play the part in the take down of their own gender and sanctioning physical abuse against women. The fact that Christians, who in the Bible says,
Leviticus 26:1-2
This passage states that “you should not make idols, graven images, or standing images, and that you should not bow down to them.
And
Colossians 3:5
“This passage calls greed a form of idolatry, and states that people who put love and desire for riches and power ahead of God are worshipping demons. “
Yet this is what a large percentage of “Christians” have done. This is blasphemy. And they are so Proud of it.
Lynda, at the risk of overusing the term brilliant, this is exactly the right term to call what you have written here - and what you have written Joyce about the NY sentencing for DJT. And thank God literally for Chief Justice Roberts & Justice Barrett refusing to give DJT one more undeserved pass.
Mary, yes it’s deeply disappointing that Kamala wasn’t elected. And, that the orange smear isn’t in shackles, which we all know here he fully deserves. However, the efforts to elect Kamala may become the blocks for a way to reclaim and strengthen our democratic government. I hear you. I’m with you. Hear us roar 🦁
Excellent explanation & perspective. Thank you; we ARE in this together. Prayers for LA.
too late...the election is over
" The Judge and prosecutors in court today were American heroes. They put themselves squarely in the sights of a very powerful man."
Ah, but you see, that's part of the illusion...people BELIEVE he is powerful, treat him accordingly, and - voilà, he IS powerful in our eyes. But DA Bragg, Judge Merchan, and the twelve jury members pulled back the curtain to find...to find what? A craven, whimpering coward, bully, and lying manipulator, that's who. And ultimately found the "powerful man"guilty of 34 felonies, by unanimous vote. And sent him into the presidency as Felon 47, full stop.
This is the first but all-important step in demolishing "the powerful man" image, and if other civil and legal institutions can summon the same courage to call the Orange Wizard out every time he transgresses, his feet of clay will be exposed, and tRump eventually will crumble, as all frauds and bullies before him.
Have faith, people, the NYC judicial system has shown us the way, we must only embrace and follow their example.
I also understand that as a convicted felon Trump, who owns many hotels, cannot possess a liquor license.
Inquiry to Google AI: "Can a felon in Florida have a alcohol license?"
Response:
"a convicted felon cannot get an alcohol license in Florida if they were convicted of a felony within the last 15 years. A conviction includes a guilty plea, nolo contendere plea, or bond forfeiture."
"The Florida Beverage Law and the Florida Administrative Code require applicants to be of good moral character. The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco defines a person of good moral character as someone who can distinguish right from wrong, follows rules of right conduct, and acts in a way that shows trust and confidence."
I think Florida may want a word with Trump.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-golf-resort-liquor-licenses-224007075.html
"But the instant he becomes a sentenced felon, Trump will have received what Jersey liquor officials consider to be a final judgment of conviction."
I think New Jersey may want a word with Trump.
I'm not a lawyer but I'd guess The Trump Corporation (not having been convicted as a conglomerate) can possess liquor licenses. If so, it's again maddening how trump-shaped the holes in our justice system are.
Well, as long as he is head of it, wouldn't that pose a problem? He is not putting his businesses into Trust with his children while he is president.
Linda this is small potatoes...trying to make some lemonade when there is a rotten lemon.
Obviously. Apparently the big potatoes do not get roasted. They are allowed to lie where they may.
I hear through this post today and in many of the comments, at least he is a convicted felon, even though he is going to be the next president, even though he can run roughshod over peoples lives and is completely immune. Why is it I hear nothing of the moral tone he sets for children and teens, young adults during the next four years. What kind of a president does this set up as a role model. I am saddened with all the destruction overwhelming tragedy, a city of tent dwellers among the wreckage of a poisoned carcinogenic landscape where the inhabitants will most likely never seee their insurance policies pay out. Where they will never be able to rebuild, where their future, their employment will never be recovered, where a generation of children will be angry and lost. Who cares for them. Do you think Trump does?
And cannot vote in Florida!
I just read that he can become of New York laws. Is this true?
This is likely where we get screwed by the American legal system. It’s likely that the liquor license is held by a company. If the local laws require a real person with a real body, they’ve probably paid (with an NDA) someone to be the person.
The courage to stand against this felon is what every one of needs to muster. No capitulation. EVER!
Bravo, Lance! Well said!!!
Yes but small potatoes. We need a lot more resistance. Trump is displayed on his own media and how we see him is just how he is seen on ours here. My faith cannot just be summoned on so little. Let's see more. How he will be seen and treated in the rest of the world and what they will think and do, remains to be seen.
Thank you for this important reminder.
And District Attorney Bragg shut-out Trump 408-0. ✌🏽⚖️😇
That is a great observation. I went to court and stood in line to get a seat in the courtroom just so I could witness first hand, the monster that is Trump. I wasn’t disappointed. For one brief moment, I thought as I sat in court with the monster at the front desk, what if I had jumped up and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Donald Trump, why did you grab Ivanka’s boobies are you a pervert?”
Well, I would have been immediately taken into custody. I would like to think that world media would have wanted to interview me after I was released on bail. And then I would have promoted my book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums.” But for the fact that I have 7 cats to feed at home I chose to remain silent. It would have been a Fredrico Fellini moment that’s for sure.
Good one, Bill! Two things: 1.) If all people are created equal, we should all be treated equally. If I approaches Ivanka….(you can imagine the outcome) and 2.) I am beginning to imagine the eventual movies that could be made of the life of Donald Trump. Of course, the writers, the directors, the producers, the gaffers, the best boys would all be sent to jail and forced to pay fines….You know that “tail of obligations resulting from a sentence in a criminal case.”
The Citizen Kane Movie of Tomorrow: Citizen Trump
February 17, 2024
The classic movie Citizen Kane directed, produced, and starred in by Orson Welles will one day in the future, have a remake only this time the main pseudo-fictional character will be Donald Trump. The movie scene will open with a very bloated relic of his former self; uneven orange-smeared makeup slobbed across his face in bed. His overgrown blond hair is found similar to the muss of Boris Johnson’s now showing gray roots from lack of up-to-date hair dye. He periodically wakes from a semi-conscious state at his future dilapidated Mar-a-Lago residence (for lack of having sufficient funds to upkeep the property due to previous constant litigation and losses.) He looks around demanding more Kentucky Fried Chicken wings as low paid personal rush in another bucket and his last word is not “Rosebud” as in the movie Citizen Kane but:
“Stormy.” And the ex 45th president of the United States expires. The camera fades to black then opens at Le Club in the early disco 1970s, a members-only Manhattan nightclub in the East 50s, where models, fashionistas and a variety of Eurotrash (including his wife) went to be seen.
“The government has just filed suit against our company,” said Trump, “saying we discriminated against Blacks. What do you think we should do?”
The Roy Cohn obedient ass-kisser to Senator Joe McCarthy hearings accusing entertainment personalities of being communists shoots back, “Tell them to go to hell and fight the thing in court and let them prove you discriminated against them.”
Roy Cohn has become Trump’s go-to lawyer and fixer.
Cohn admonishes the young Trump to 1. Never settle. Never surrender. 2. Counter-attack, counter-sue immediately. 3. No matter what happens, no matter how deep into the shit you get, claim victory and never admit defeat.
These lessons were found to be the essential attributes of his future self.
And so it was.
(From Donald's Vanity Tantrums)
Agreed. And it took bravery to take on Trump because he is like a tornado mowing down and destroying everything in his path.
Two reasons Trump is not the legal president:
1. He is unqualified per the constitution as a confirmed insurrectionist that caused his impeachment; and
2. The election was hacked with an algorithmic manipulation (see “Dire Talks” YouTube video).
Links to Dire Talk’s Newest video - Clark County Nevada - Leaked Data Proves Algorithmic Manipulation!!
Please look at the proof:
https://youtu.be/qmzGOQwMG_k
https://youtu.be/y3-jqU8m-80?si=AzvhGqSUU-bC6VC1
https://youtu.be/T5cq1ITqzWU
Voters were suppressed:
https://youtu.be/P_XdtAQXnGE
https://www.gregpalast.com/author/greg-palast/
Both Leticia James and E. Jean Carroll prevailed in their civil suits. Trump is still on the hook for both.
Well, it was the weakest case. National security exposure at Mar-a-Lago? Attempting to subvert a lawful election on J6? And the GA case? All much more impactful. He was convicted of 34 felonies that no one, certainly not 77+ million people, cared about. But credit to Bragg and his team, yet Merchan's negligent decision to delay sentencing until after the election meant he technically wasn't a convicted felon, and it likely changed the outcome of the election. trump's abuse of the legal system and the fealty of SCOTUS to him are main reasons why the others didn't get through. And let's not forget Mitch McConnell, who blamed trump for J6, subsequently providing the permission structure for other Rs in the Senate to not convict in impeachment #2.
Seriously Judge Merchan is a hero. The 4 SCOTUS justices who would have bent to 45 are not.
We keep learning what real heroes look like. I wish it had been Judge Merchan who had been on the cover of Time Magazine as “Person of the Year.”
It should have been Kamala Harris. or Anybody But Trump.
W.Woman - I agree !! Thank You !!
This is something I had not even thought about! It should be that way…even though the cost would staggering — to all of us, who would have to put up with his venom afterwards. However, I believe there will be some voice given to the Judge’s thoughtful and unflappable management of the case brought before him. I hope I live long enough to see it happen!
Not only could have but did. They are waiting with bated breath to do more for him. Damn them to hell.
Are you serious? Mershan is a coward.
Please reread Joyce and move on without the drama. Merchan has demonstrated he is an exceptional judge and hero who gave the citizens this small measure of justice. Thank him and be at peace.
Well said!
A prison sentence would have been vacated. He gave Roberts and Barret the room to vote for a small measure of justice.
No matter what Trump is now a felon in the eyes of the law and history.
Roberts and ACBarrett played it to make the court seem somewhat less SPOILED. I agree, if there was a chance for a real penalty, both would’ve voted with the MAGA BOYS… Tommy, Hang your flag upside down and Gorsuck…..
yes but very small consolation
Please tell us in what way? You would have preferred a jail sentence which could never have been carried out anyway and would have preserved the illusion that Trump was still able to avoid the stigma of being a convicted felon?
How is Judge mershan a coward
Just the fact he did not capitulate (like ABC did) in the face of Trump’s mafia-like threats and the MAGAT party threats shows he is brave.
I wish Harris had done the brave and right thing asking for hand recounts in the swing states.
https://youtu.be/qmzGOQwMG_k
https://youtu.be/y3-jqU8m-80?si=AzvhGqSUU-bC6VC1
https://youtu.be/T5cq1ITqzWU
So COWARD TRUMP is the same as Mershan. What MAGA group you belong to?
Disagree wholeheartedly….. Just throwing in a wrench, Ron? Please explain….
What would you have done?
Your not reading what happened.
What?
Joyce, I am glad you have hope. I am not there yet. I am concerned with the immunity ruling that Trump will act like a mob boss. Already we are experiencing this with pronouncements about using force to take Greenland and Panama. Now Republicans in Congress are introducing bills to decimate programs that help Seniors, those on Medicaid and SNAP. All to give billionaires more tax breaks. I can’t even understand how sadistic these folks are
We may be able to stop some of their more destructive actions by having the Dems stay united. They will overreach and the middle class will quickly see that their intention is to add to the assets of the wealthy, not to help regular people. We should take back the house and the Senate in the midterm elections.
Also, the Dems should take the lead, loudly, proudly and strongly on serious campaign finance reform. Too many voters are disenchanted by the problem of money in politics and we will win people back by taking the lead on this issue once again.
Amen to that! And they need to find a way to rework the Federal Election Commission so it doesn't end up deadlocked or controlled by one party or the other. I still have hope that when many of those on the Right are no longer serving in positions of authority or are dead, we will be able to right the wrongs of Citizens United and undo some of the fuckery passed by the GOP and the current SCOTUS.
Unfortunately I think the current SCOTUS will be around a long time.. Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett are relatively young (50s) and I've expect we will see two more 50ish judges replace Alito and Thomas soon after Trump takes over. Fortunately the three Dems are still pretty young as well. But I see a lot of 6-3 decisions in the next 12-16 years mostly going against the liberals.
The only way that might be defused is for a Dem to be elected in 2028 along with a Dem Congress and they enlarge the court to 15 justices. That doesn't require constitutional amendment, just a simple r law.
Dems are not bold enough to expand the court.
Maybe for now but at some point they will figure it out. I sure hope so. It is pretty freaking obvious, no?
And Republicans won’t help them
But somehow Trump will take credit for the Biden good economy and find a way to blame Biden for anything that goes wrong - and his band of Maggots will believe him.
Not should take back the house and senate in November. We better. This is close to the last beacon of hope.
The 2026 Senate map is not good. Maine and NC are the only possible flippable seats. Susan Collins for some reason is unbeatable. Jon Ossoff in GA, could be in danger. 2028 is a better map, but what will America look like in four years.
https://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election/
I donated to help Jon Ossoff
Can you please make a $3 donation to help Jon Ossoff defend this seat? We have to be ready for whatever comes next.
Ossoff voted YES on the Laken Riley Act. Deporting anyone who shoplifts $100.00 as reported by ANYONE - NOT A COURT OF LAW, is not someone needed by Democrats. We need better than that.
Newly elected, Ruben Gallego, did too. Self preservation is a bigger motivator than having a moral compass.
Jon Osoff is in a lot of danger particularly if Kemp chooses to run. It is ashame because he is young and bright. He is what we need.
I keep repeating this. I hope trump overreaches so badly, that republicans up for election in 2026 abandon him, to save their seats, and Dems make the case the trump and trumpism is toxic to everyday Americans.
Why do the rich need tax cuts?
It's greed as well as lust for power that fuels these brutes. There is no doubt that these sycophants will play their games like those in Nazi Germany but in the end many of them, not enough I might add, paid the price for their treachery.
I wonder, will it take an invasion by one of our former allies that will cleanse the American palette?
Yes, greed and power act like drugs. Look at how many reasonable Republicans and a few Democrats took a taste and all of a sudden you watch them suck up to the rich and powerful.
What I hope and believe is that it will be the midterms that steady the ship....
And the major newspapers? Washington Post and the New York Times!!!!! They bow down to Trump, too! Why is anybody who is repulsed at having a felon as President still subscribed to those papers? The stupidity of Trump is what sells the papers and they are his partners.
that has been absolutely disgraceful - as have the tech bros. capitulation.
Nor can I? Do they not have children? Elderly parents? Any remote hint of humanity? It appears not.
He is a mob boss, who views NATO as a protection racket.
His plan, such as he has one, is to destroy NATO, so the wewlthy thugs of this world, both here and in Russia and elsewhere, can plunder the dwindling resources of a dying planet.
We killed our Mother.
Trump has dementia and probably Alzheimers. Ignore all his crazy ideas that he misinterpreted from ignorant advisors or got from the Internet. Every single thing he says is spur of the moment and mostly lies because he can not tell fact from fiction anymore. Stop listening to him!!
Ms. Miller - I totally agree with you and "proud" to be a member of "I'm Not There Yet" either group !!
Their sadism is easy to understand just read the DSM V TR. Their pathology is succinctly outlined. Rich white male "good christians" have ALWAYS done what they wanted and 90% of the time in this country's entire history gotten away with it starting when these POS stole Indigenous women and children from this continent for the sexual slavery trade 400+ years ago.
I am more concerned that Donald be seen by a global community as a convicted felon than the pure matter of him being in jail for a few hours or days.
History will show
I agree with Joyce
Kudos to Judge Merchan for a harrowing year, and protection to him and his family.
Yes, history will surely show … if we survive. But sadly, some won’t be around to read it.
I am sure, some will not, lol, I am 78, but a green girl still, but I see how there are young new waves who are and will be there eager to get through this and live differently.
Donald and his ilk have no idea, blinded that they are by their greed, that they will not last.
“Ilk” — excellent word!
😁
Concur Flo.
Judge Juan Merchan Rocks!!!
Ridiculous. Trump will wear his conviction as a badge of honor. He is the OG!
He may try to act like he doesn’t care. But he is actually a scared little bully terrified of being a “loser.” His father will be ashamed of him from his perch in hell. His father’s #1 rule was to NEVER be a sucker or a loser. If he had any brains he would let it go. But he’ll keep the story alive by fighting to have it overturned. Accepting being a loser is beyond his capacity.
If tRUMP truly sees his conviction as a badge of honor why does plan to appeal it?
And will don his gilded b-ball shoes and challenge all comers one-on-one … just like Mike.
Merchan should have had a “change of heart” and sent the fat fu*k to jail for 8 days, just long enough so that he could go straight to his inauguration from jail.
In his orange jump suit, with no time to change clothes or put on his pancake makeup…
It's a great fantasy, but it would never have happened. As Joyce points out, it's likely that if Judge Merchan hadn't said in advance that he was not going to sentence him to anything other than unconditional release, the corrupt SCOTUS would have delayed the sentencing, as the orange dirtbag requested. So now we have a president-elect (and soon to be President Convicted Felon, which will be my name for him come 1/20/2025) who is, for all time, a convicted felon. And he only has 30 days to file an appeal. Is he going to want to keep dredging this up and reminding folks of his feloniousness? I'm not sure his snowflake ego could bear it.
He will appeal….Narcissists cannot help themselves…..
Of course he will appeal. He hates being a felon more than the cost of the appeal, even in PR terms. And the verdict can still be overturned in which case he won't be a felon anymore.
But it will be good while it lasts!
I'm waiting for the "I'm with the Felon" shirts to be sold on Mega sites.
If he wins the appeal, it will be because some white house staff testified. Prosecutor didn't have to because there was enough evidence without them. Prosecutor wouldn't have if the Supreme Court hadn't slipped in all that immunity garbage during trial. If they let him off the hook, we will see just how corrupt the courts are.
Wouldn't have happened. He would have been given time to appeal and by the time anything could have been done he would be in office. Merchan knew exactly what he was doing.
Wouldn't that have been something!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏
As a convicted felon, are there countries he cannot enter as president or does the convicted felon sentence only apply to him as a private citizen?
If a convicted felon cannot serve in the military, how can a convicted felon serve as the nation's Commander-in-Chief?
Everything he's done has been unprecedented, and was never contemplated by the Framers. Was never even contemplated by anybody until it actually came to be. Shocking and shameful. He's an embarrassment to the good name of the United States of America.
One thing that cannot be contemplated by anyone is the Trump Presidential Library. At dinner my husband and I were trying to think of what it could possibly contain. We're both rather creative but couldn't come up with anything. Yep, another Carter Center for sure--I can't wait....
My first thought is that his library, if it is anything but an empty shell, will be located in a Florida swamp and filled with examples of all the cheap items he has made in China to sell to his willing victims...God Bless the USA bibles, various books he "wrote," trading cards with his picture, Trump drinkware and glassware, Trump vodka, Trump steaks, MAGA hats of course, T-shirts, Trump cologne and perfume, Trump “Never Surrender High-Tops” and a gaggle of other shoes, Trump "Freedom cooler," NFTs, Trump "silver" coins, Trump gold plated coins, Trump watches, Christmas ornaments, soon to be Trump guitars and in celebration of his election a new line of goods including a pair of $299 "Trump Landslide" boots and a $69.99 special inaugural edition of his God Bless the USA Bible.
You're pretty good! But you forgot one important moneymaker--swatches of the suit he wore getting his mugshot.....
Thank you Sophia! I wouldn't be surprised if he's sold enough of those "mugshot" swatches to make a dozen suits.
As i said before thousands of leather bound books with blank pages, maybe transcripts from is various court trials?
They might have superman comics.
Oh, they will have some gold-painted bibles.
Can you even imagine his eulogy? What could one possibly even say?
Haven't thought about the euology, but I thought about the headstone recently for some reason.
I think it should say "Here LIES Donald J. Trump."
You win! 🤣🤣🤣
😂😝
I will do everything in my power to ensure that he doesn’t lie in state in the very Capitol he had desecrated….
One could say "Good riddance."
A building filled with Trump's 8 years+ of lies, it will be the biggest and probably gold plated of all Presidential libraries. It will be "beautiful". Probably have a giant McDonald's inside with $100.00 MAGA MEALS. Mainly just a Grift Shoppe.
Grift Shoppe is perfect.
Exactly. I have wondered this all along.
I’m not sure I can stand 4 years of this/him, JD, and Elon. Seriously.
We all need to work TOGETHER to prevent these guys from doing damage. We'll feel better when we are fighting them. (I LOATHE fElon, and I wish he didn't have citizenship (and as a car nut, I loathe his damn Teslas, which are as ugly as he is). Really, I'd get a kick out of it if Trump begins getting seriously jealous of fElon.
And exactly how are we nobodies supposed to prevent the fascists who are already in power from doing damage?
By nobodies I mean people like me - I’m a disabled veteran living on disability (that will no doubt be taken away), I’m poor, I don’t hold office but I did write letters and send emails, neither of which matter one jot for billionaires who don’t give a shit about who they crush. I donate what I can but do not kid myself in thinking that 9.00 actually does a thing.
I am serious, please tell me exactly how I can actually stop trump or Elon or any one of them from doing more damage?
Continue to write your Senators and Reps. Talk to your friends and family. They have already made Steve Bannon and MAGA mad by supporting bringing in immigrant engineers rather than training and paying Americans. They want to destroy the public schools so they won’t have to pay teacher retirement. Help people understand what they are doing to our country. We can win in the next election.
There may be a branch of Indivisible where you are--I think they're all over the country--where people get together and send postcards to get people to vote, send letters to their representatives, stuff like that. It's easier when you can do these types of things with other people who are doing them. Just google Indivisible and your general location... If you need help with that let me know. There are a lot of people who don't have much money, so they donate small amounts, and the small amounts add up.
Thank you for replying Jane and David. I do appreciate that you each did.
I mean no disrespect to either of you when I say this - I cannot count how many times I’ve been told to do what each of you suggest. Maybe in a blue state these things work. I hope so. (But then, aren’t you just preaching to the choir?) I am aware of where Indivisible is where I live. Which is decidedly not a blue state. It is 95% as rabidly red as it can get.
Letters to my Congressional Reps are tossed into the round file because not a single one of my Congressional Reps care about anything except being lapdogs to trump. It’s been that way since 2017. Todd Young used to at least send out responses. They were quite brilliantly written propaganda for trump but up until 2017 he did respond. Then he quit. Why? Because. They. Don’t. Care. If you aren’t in the magacult then you no longer matter. Period.
Writing people who don’t care if you even exist became deeply demoralizing and was affecting my ability to resist, to speak up. I quit and doing so helped me refocus my energy elsewhere.
Postcards do not change anyone’s mind about what to believe or how to vote. I can see why people do this though. It feels like action. It feels hopeful. I decided to try it again last year and sent out hundreds of postcards. I did so to see if it helped me feel like I was helping. It did not. I kept my commitment to the group though and finished them all. But, just like writing my Reps, it was demoralizing. To me. I won’t do it again.
You can’t change people’s minds with letters, emails and postcards once they’ve full on joined a cult. I wish those in charge of these groups would do basic research into how cults are formed and how difficult it is to change anyone once they’ve jumped in with both feet.
We need organizations at the very basic levels - in our towns and cities - that focus on the realities of living in a fascist state. Organizations that are founded not on postcards but on very basic, very concrete things that will need to be done to help all those who will be targeted beginning on Jan 20th. We need groups who can organize to come up with actual, real ways of helping (money, food, shelter, healthcare) when people lose Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and Veteran’s Compensation and Veteran’s Healthcare. We have to help each other keep going - as in actual living, not in hoping for better - because we don’t know how long our descent into chaos and full on fascism is going to last.
I don’t even look at that anymore - like, when will this stop. Let’s all focus on “the most important election of our lives” kind of stuff. Please. We’ve been told that since 2018 and look where we are. If we continue to have elections then yes, absolutely, keep voting and vote for those who don’t want to destroy you or your neighbors. But, for me, for now, I’m focusing on what I can do at the level of my everyday life. Unless the entirety of everyone who isn’t in the magacult actually stood up and marched to take over, none of them are going to listen. That’s how a cult operates. And doing that would be a hostile takeover - which is not something I’m recommending.
I thank you for responding. I wish you both well.
1. Keep coming to the bulwark Substack 2. Read Ruth BenGiat and Foster’s posting 3. Please always remember that there are many of us who support you with our hearts and with what we can donate to help get Dems into the house and senate. I always donate more than I can to try to “cover” many who just can’t. It’s my way of saying thank you for writing letters. Please keep your heart strong and pat your spirit on the back each time you do.
Good eye, David: "fElon." I think there's a good chance those two guys will self-destruct. Both are rumored to be less-than-stable.
I sure hope they self destruct! Incidentally, Hope, I saw "fElon" when someone else had done it. So I can't take credit for it.
Appreciate the "fElon", and request permission to use it-
suggest another, recognizing that the reason the impending occupant
lied and scrambled and threatened and begged to avoid this action on
this day is because he knows that it permanently brands him as a LOSER_
suggest from hereon forward, he be labelled "thirty four"- not president,
not 45, not 47, but thirty four (all lower case) always, and forever. will
rattle around in his brain pan perpetually!
At this point fElon is definitely in the public domain. Use it in good health, and to good effect!
And I will take your suggestion of calling Trump thirty-four.
Yes, that was my thought as well. How can he get a security clearance? How can he vote? Can he possess a firearm? How about nukes......oh my!
Or get security clearance and be handed the nuclear codes?
I live in France (where we have our political problems, too, for sure), and I've been questioned many times by your exact question. It is unfathomable!!
Take Sarkosy, for example. He is convicted and is illegible for any position for 5 years.
I know Canada will not and has not permitted people with felony convictions to enter the country. Let’s hope they continue that.
I don’t think France will either…here again I assume the conviction would follow him to the presidency😎
Yes, the convictions (plural) will follow Felon 34X. Under STATE, New York), law, the jury determined convictions cannot be pardoned.
I've read in the last day or two that George W. Bush, because he had a felony DUI conviction, had to get permission from Canadian authorities to visit as President. I'd hazard a guess that Trump will be allowed to visit as President, but he'll have to ask for permission to enter the particular country. (For another country to say "no" would be the ultimate cosmic smackdown....)
Ditto for Australia.
I knew someone who was a convicted felon and he like to travel but there were countries he could not go to with that conviction. So it is indeed a very interesting question.
True - he was convicted as a private citizen…
Doesn’t matter. But we’ll see whether they will make him a Very Special Person and let him ignore their laws too.
He will have to have permission to enter certain countries.
This is for other nations to decide however and whenever they wish.
The decisions of other sovereign nations will have nothing to do with Justice or Law (US or International), but with power and political expediency, until he is dead.
Doubt VD’s eulogy will resonate far,
& it can’t come soon enough. But enough of noise, there’s work to do!
VD?
Sorry, my pet name for JD (Vance), since the sofa episode.
that's a good one!
Good question!
Somebody told me that a convicted felon could not hold a liquor license and that is why tRump did not want that sentence. You know, hotels and bars. Misinformation?
None would lose his license in NJ…
Question I would think for courts…either way😎😎
There may be nations that do not allow convicted felons to enter. However, they'll let this particular convicted felon enter if he's POTUS.
Love that!
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/donald-trump-felon-travel-38-countries.amp
He will also have diplomatic immunity once he is President and given the lack of a "major" felony conviction (like murder or treason) this isn't going to impede him much unless a country is out for blood.
Thank you, Joyce, for this. It is so hard to stay engaged at this moment in time and I appreciate your commitment to all of us.
Joyce, I agree with you whole heartedly as far as the sentencing went today. It was courageous of Judge Merchan. I’m hopeful if don-old does appeal and it goes all the way to SCOTUS that Robert’s and Barrett won’t change their vote.
The California fires are such a tragedy. My heart goes out to those that have lost their homes and those that have been displaced.
The winds on-shore, firefighters are piloting planes & helicopters. ABC News hitched an aerial ride with a Cal-Fire Chief & telecast clear footage on David Muir's show.
ABC has excellent footage which airs tonight: "American Catastrophe: LA Burning" a 2020 Special Edition. 9 PM Pacific.
The bottom line is that this man got away with what was supposed to be time served in jail. The worst part of this is that the American people voted this man back into office. I cannot fathom the reason why they would want this kind of man in the highest office of the United States of America and of the world. From here, on out people who voted for this man will feel the repercussion of his decisions that he will make for all of us in the following four years. I’ll be ready to say I told you so.
I hear you. Would you vote for this man for a local office? For city council? For school board? Heck, no.
Wouldn't hire him as a garbage collector. . .
I've been an attorney for 46 years. To have this mentally ill, morally corrupt thug in charge of our country for the near future makes me physically ill. Joyce, thank you for your clear thinking and analysis. Your words give me hope.
I don’t think this particular case was ever going to include jail time.
When we get more data from the election I think we will find that many who voted for him literally did not know about his crimes. More horrifying, I'm thinking that there are lots of Americans whose brains have been so pickled by watching television stories that they have no understanding of the complexities of running a government. It's all reality TV. And that includes some of the politicians. !
Catharsis, thank you....Felon 47 has a ring to it.
Ooh, I like that. Felon 47!
"It leads me to believe the damage Donald Trump has done and will continue to do to our system can be repaired through individual acts of conscience and courage. Hear me out" Okay. I heard you out. Here's what I heard. You are an optimist through and through. I grew up in NYC way back when and we ALL KNEW WHO DONALD TRUMP WAS in the 1970's and 1980's. He is a piece of &(*&T! Your optimism is adorable. I am a realist. Trump is an EFFING CRIMINAL no matter what any court does -- or doesn't say. I am sickened that millions of people -- including family members of mine -- voted for him. Despicable...ALL OF THEM!
The charge of "killing the law" lies squarely on the Supreme Court; Trump "only" broke the law.
You are so right there! As Joyce said, there are justices who have a lot to answer for. Unfortunately, they won’t ever have to. The one item on my mind is which one of those four will retire first?
May the history books tell their full stories in great detail.
Nice!
Lost among all the discussions about this case, is what sort of money did Trump avoid paying in taxes on that hush money. Isn’t it taxable? If so, will he reimburse? Or is that a different, IRS matter?
He is a major tax cheat too.
Really, a jack of many (nefarious) trades, master of none.
I don’t understand cults. Jim Jones, Donald Trump, Branch Davidians … stuff of sci-fi become real.
Check out Anne Applebaum’s Substack for more on this very creepy reality.
Will do … thanks. But which article, please
Sorry! Thus one:
https://open.substack.com/pub/anneapplebaum/p/new-article-and-new-feature-for-the?r=apy04&utm_medium=ios
Thank you! Fascinating stuff, great writing too
The IRS could have been involved in all of his cases involving money but chose not to apparently.
Well, of course! Why go after the rich crooks when there of so many of without the means to return fire. They have money to litigate … but not to pay taxes.
I would like to hope that albeit now long after it might have done any good, President Biden would help Degenerate Don to actually honor a campaign promise and release his tax returns
A pipe dream.
Income in that he tried to pass off the money as a business expense not a personal one. But I am no expert here.
IMO, the "hush money" is not Trump "income" unless the actual money source was income.
Don’t understand
Joyce, I love your take here. Merchan has demonstrated enormous strength and moral clarity throughout. As an aside, I’m looking forward to more pics of your birds!
And chickens, cats, and dogs!
Proves that money & lawyers more interested in money than in serving justice are leaches on the U.S. judicial system. They make a mockery of our laws & justice. This needs to be corrected. That's my view I'm sticking to it unless proven wrong. Kudos to Judge Murchon! He's a HERO!
I'd like to see more real chicken photos to brighten my mood and a lot fewer of the bone spurs coward chicken.