I’ll be connected to The Contrarian during the 🤮 inauguration. I will not watch the moron, and will mute him whenever I can, 4 years, gosh it’s going to be looooong. But the mid terms are coming up! I plan to support all Blue candidates in my state/FloriDuh.
I'm getting out of the house altogether: lunch with my daughter at 11, then watch "Wicked" all afternoon. I am staying as FAR AWAY from anything that reeks of the horror which is supposed to take place on Monday -- and that includes staying away from the TV and computer -- as possible.
I will be deep cleaning whatever needs it in my house...cupboards, closets, garage...whatever is in sight. It serve as a proxy for the badly needed "cleaning" our Capitol will need after the swearing in.
Ellie, yeah, there may be a lot of vomit from the Democrats who have to listen to the BS pumped out by Toddler-Trump in the presence of our billionaire class and the world's dictators. I even want to vomit thinking about it, and I almost never vomit.
I believe I read that since the "party" is being held inside - the Clintons, the Bushes, and Obama wont be attending - hope thats factual - if so, I bet its a big relief to all of them that they have an excuse to stay away!
The actual puragatation - I believe - of course, cant remember exactly WHERE I read it or heard it - so could be bogus. But I sure wouldnt blame them for staying away. I have to wonder with the 600 seats available, exactly where the trump dump would seat them in the rotunda.
Now one is forcing the cowardly Dems from attending. I applaud Michelle and Nancy. Why aren't more skipping this shameful display? Because they still haven't grown a pair.
On January 6, 2021 I was watching the electoral certification on tv when Ted Cruz started objecting. I thought they were heinous and boring, holding up the process that was inevitable. I went out for a walk. When I returned about two hours later, I could scarcely comprehend what I saw before my eyes on the screen.
I don't plan to watch the inauguration tomorrow, or any of the day's events. But my own memory of January 6 gives me pause whenever I decide to look away.
Teresa, I don't know that having stayed in and watched the whole insanity would have helped. It would have shown you just what kind of jerks Republicans turned out to be, running for their lives, then voting to acquit Trump weeks later. I get it that people can have really short attention spans, but not that short. Oh wait, they even voted against certification later that night (really short memories). I had the news on, unusual because I had been talking on Zoom to my students about the certification. I was so nauseated! I encouraged my students to turn on their TVs, shocking their parents who were helping monitor their at-home learning (COVID, you remember). They got to see what an appalling event Trump had orchestrated. However, here we are 4 years later and nearly half of the people who voted thought it was OK to put an insurrectionist back in office. Sigh!!
Yes, I'm aware that my eyeballs on the tv screen wouldnot have deterred or halted the attack on our Capitol.
The pity and the crime is that the eyeballs on the tv screen in the dining room off the Oval Office could have halted the attack right away if those eyes were connected to a mind that honored his sworn oath of office.
Teresa, alas, that would have been a different person, a person who actually cares about anyone but himself and the power and money he can accumulate. He has never worked a day in his life, except to give stupid speeches of hatred and anger, walk around followed by an entourage of guys pretending to be a good businessman. I can't think of anything else. He was hoping for a coup and was furious it didn't happen. He has never forgiven this nation for stopping it. Now he is back with his insanity, this time with deeper dementia, but all the hatred, fear (he is scared of everything), and vengeance he wants to exact. He is truly scum and I don't disparage people with no reason. I blame the systemic misogyny and racism in this nation for electing, then re-electing such a despicable human being to be our president. Shame on us for not seriously addressing racism and misogyny and letting both control so much of American living.
kdsherpa, at the time, I wasn't thinking of anything much because I was in shock. My students and their families already had a jaded impression of Trump because of the ways he did what he could to undermine poor communities and blame people for their poverty, a rich child-man who never had to grow up because he got hold of his daddy's money and used it to be less than a good human being. Here we go again!
I was out doing some sort of errands when it happened, so I didn't see anything. When I turned on the news, it didn't feel real. Not having seen it from the beginning, I think it never quite got "in" to my psyche (or did I block it out), in a way I think it would have if I had seen it from the beginning.
kdsherpa, I am not sure it would have helped had you seen it from the beginning. It was surreal even then, realizing Trump had sent his rabid followers to wreck our capitol and steal the election for a man who really didn't care what happened. We know now that Trump supposedly tried to get his secret service guy to take him to the Capitol, but even though he had delusions of godhood in his mind, he would never have been permitted to go there. Well, he will get there tomorrow and be in the space where the invaders did damage, attacked police officers and pooped all over the place, leaving their waste for someone else to clean up. (It's too bad it wasn't collected and DNA identified so the American people would know the names of those who thought pooping all over our Capitol was OK.)
kdsherpa, yes, it was terrifying, particularly because it was hard to figure out what was going on. There was so much chaos, screaming, smashing things, yelling obscenities, and strange commentary by people who really didn't know what was going on, but couldn't keep from commenting. I could only hear it and it was horrific. What was shown by the January 6th Committee covered it pretty well, but they played segments. When it was going on for hours with no break at one point, it really was like a horror film.
Precisely! And that's why he's moved his fake (I can use that word if I want) inauguration indoors. Hotel reservations are pitiful, and crowd turnout will be the same. Moving the farce indoors will prevent this photo-op. Someone made the point that during one of his disgusting rallies in Iowa, the temp was 17 BELOW ZERO -- and he made attendees WAIT OUTSIDE to be admitted!!! No question about it: the guy love his followers.
kdsherpa, sounds like you have a good plan. You are going to like "Wicked!" You will also be healthier staying away from the media's attempts to pretend Toddler-Trump is worthy of being president of this nation; he isn't.
I will be attending a MLK event through Democrats Abroad Germany, and then going to quiz bowl at our local bar in my German city. We Democrats Abroad will have a team as we vie against the finest German and other English speakers in our city. We are going to ignore the inauguration on that day.
However, on the day after I shall be waiting to see what happens in my Democratic US city, where much of my closest family is, that is Chicago, where Trump has promised to start immigration raids. So, I am looking to see what bills are signed after the inauguration and what happens to immigrants. I see immigrants in the Trump administration as the Jews in Hitlers administration.
Everyone who looks the other way is just like the Germans, who just wanted to live their lives and felt if it did not affect them they would just accept it. This is at a time when they had mostly lived under monarchy where the rulers decided anyway what was what. The USA has no excuse to be allowing such fascist moves to happen without protest.
I am concerned for my neighbors from Mexico, China and those who are Muslim. It is hard to know who they will target, but I can imagine a lot of people will stay home and be afraid to leave. I imagine people might be afraid to send their children to school too. The city says it is ready, that is as ready as one can be.
I am a private citizen. DOD members are not allowed to be politically involved as far as I know. I have asked a member of my group whose husband is a DOD member and she does not know because people know better than to discuss politics with others in the DOD.
Excuse me but didn't the last two killings involve ex-military? And isn't the military known to be backers of the repugs because it is supposed to be the party that supports defense.
As a retired Federal employee the Hatch act was violated so many time in 45s last reign. They were never prosecuted. So much for not being "allowed to"
I don't see this nightmare ending in four years. I see anyone who runs against him to be stopped by whatever means.
He has had a good teacher and mentor. I also see only 2 more days of democracy with Evil entering our midst.
It has great power and desire and ability to inject the evil into every evidence of good just as a malignancy metastasizes. The outcome is the same. This sounds familiar.
I don't agree. Prices are not going down, tariffs are going to strangle the middle class; the 21+ do not like or trust him and he isn't going to make it 4 years. You think he is repugnant? Take a look at the lick spittle Vance and tell me people will "follow" him. He has no following and no one in Congress likes him. He right up there with Cancun Cruz and a few others. It won't work.
The one hope I had to preserve democracy was that the Senate would not confirm his obedient picks for key cabinet positions, but that hope is fading. The only good thing I can see coming of this now is that he & his clan will demonstrate what a Plutocracy does to the less fortunate.
I was speaking with my son, who loves Russian history, about this. He said
unfortunately, most under Stalin were with him to the end. I agree…those
who voted for Trump will sacrifice anything to support him. This is the problem. It is cultural and he needs to meet his maker for anything to change, for the MAGA voter.
It doesn’t die with him. He isn’t the brains. Miller, Bannon, Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation will continue to shape the dismantling of the democracy we didn’t think we could lose. The oligarchy is trump’s goal.
Marcia, add the muskmelon, Zuckerberg and Bezos (plus the rest of the billionaires supporting him). The insane amount of money held by these 3 alone -- nearly $1,000,000,000,000, or a TRILLION dollars -- in combination with their ability to control social media, added to the threats of AI, point to a difficult landscape ahead for us and the world.
We can resist all we want to but there is no one listening. The felon who will become the president and his evil cronies, as well as extreme justices, will just eliminate all rights and liberties anytime it suits them. The convicted felon made 25B overnight??? Here is the first example of him doing whatever he wants. It is against the law for him to personally benefit financially from the office of president. No one will complain about that and MSM will not point out that it is illegal for him to do that. Of course he did it strategically, the night before inauguration.
And what does a person his age do with that much money. He already bought the US government? Maybe Ivanka and djt will fight over it. We all know eric is too stupid.
I think Joyce has overly thought this out. It’s not a lack of civics lesson or civics education. It’s just an over abundance of plain dumb fuckery assholes who spend to much time doing unsocial things like sticking their stupid faces in their cell devises all fucken day long and believing whatever the device says to believe. It’s not a lack of civics lessons. And now we will sink into a deep and dark quagmire of our making.
I performed for a group of marchers in Manhattan this morning. The cold was brutal on my fingers as I performed my songs. I’m tired. I’m exhausted. I’m depressed. And I’m mad as hell. And I know I will exercise my now non-existent right of free speech and if I’m arrested who knows what I will later do.
I’m still hoping that Joe Biden will pardon Leonard Peltier. If he doesn’t, Biden will show his ultimate cowardice and ignorance.
B. Katz: You’re another version of those who hate Biden (or will/will not) per one issue. That’s a mistake. I have a friend who hates him over Gaza. She’s for that pardon; me too.
But I agree with you in that I urge us to figure out a way to educate people about democracy that keeps people from blaming schooling.
I was a good student; I got good grades in terrible Civics classes because I knew what they wanted me to repeat back. I didn’t learn about democracy until I lived and worked and watched and started lifelong learning.
I’m talking about education in the 50s. It wasn’t any better in Civics (except in today’s Maga schools) then than it is now. And yet, despite Nixon, we did better overall until now. We even got rid of Nixon.
Maybe the next two years — until midterms — will be a lesson to us all (almost anyway).
Regarding your plan to boycott TV coverage of the inauguration, I’m in touch with an amazingly sharp 103-year-old WWII veteran who was severely wounded in battle. I asked him if he will be watching the inauguration, and here is his reply:
“As much as I dislike seeing a picture of Trump I want to see and remember the day, the day that so many Citizens had voted to turn our Country over to a Dictator. Putin has taught him well. It bothers me to remember the friends who died in WWII to keep this country from a Dictator to see it turned over to one by voters.”
I admire his toughness, and want to emulate it, insofar as I’m able. I'll be watching the inauguration along with my friend. Sadly, not watching it will not make it not happen. If we all stop standing as witnesses to everything we don't like, where will that leave us?
Thank you, Mr Smith, for your assessment and for the anecdote.
Please pass to the veteran my sincere respect for him and for his service. He is not alone, among the few WWII combat veterans who are beyond shock and deeply saddened by what is now occurring.
His sincerity and his commitment remind me of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, along with Dr Martin Luther King's words and actions. His remarks are, also, so much like remarks and the reasoning behind choosing to take civic action of another, local and recently deceased, WWII combat veteran. This latter veteran was the most civic minded and civically active American man I have met.
I like the proposal to turn the TV on to some other channel while the inauguration is going on, if you're registered with Neilson, as a small protest to lower his ratings.
What candidates would that be? Florida’s Democratic Party is a circular firing squad, with some of the most uninteresting characters on the planet. Nikki Fried is the closest thing that we have to a major candidate, and she couldn’t beat a retread Republican, Charlie Crist. Gillum was an embarrassment. We’ve had boring, and awful candidates with unbrandable last names like Sink, and Meek. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the next gubernatorial candidate will be Adam Anthrax, or Peter Plague. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Apparently we should turn on our TV to another station to show we are watching something else? That is what I will do. Ovation here I come. Or binge on Netflix.
Dianne, (you spell your name as my sister does!!) I will absolutely not be paying any attention to the BS that is inauguration day tomorrow. Because of our Supreme Court, a Trumpette judge, and a pathetic AG, an insurrectionist, convicted and sentenced criminal, indicted thief, will be sworn into office. There is no possible way I can support that. I will do my best to ignore that absolute anti-American Toddler-Trump for the next 4 years and hope Democrats and our media will start dealing with the realities of racism, misogyny, homo/transphobia through this next 4 years. People must be shown what racism et al are and how easily we have been duped into believing people are inferior to ourselves. We can learn strategies to grow out of that toddleresque ignorance and attitude. We will keep having jerks like Toddler-Trump gaining office over anyone not rich, white, and male if we don't. White America thinks it did it's good deed by voting for Barack Obama and racism is past; it isn't. They need to know that was only the start of how we as a nation need to grow up. Childhood can be great for actual children, but not for people over age 18 (or maybe even 25 for some people).
Dianne, I just signed up for The Contrarian. I can't keep up with it, but what I can read seems excellent. (I'll be at work on Monday, and very glad for the distraction!)
Reminds me of a time at the grocery store I watched a guy with a MAGA hat on take a magazine with Michelle Obama on the cover and turn it backwards. Until he saw me watching him. Then he turned it back. Grudgingly. 😊
That when you heard him relating a story of an elderly guest of his country club, an 80-year old man, who fell off a stage and hit his head, to Trump replied: “‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away. I couldn’t—you know, he was right in front of me, and I turned away. I didn’t want to touch him. He was bleeding all over the place. And I felt terrible, because it was a beautiful white marble floor, and now it had changed color. Became very red.” You said, "That's cool!" (https://www.gq.com/story/donald-trump-howard-stern-story)
What you don't get, Trump supporters, is that our succumbing to frustration and shaking our heads, thinking of you as stupid, may very well be wrong and unhelpful, but it's also...hear me...charitable.
Because if you're NOT stupid, we must turn to other explanations, and most of them are less flattering.
Apparently there are quite a few ways of looking at this lack of active intelligence, one of them being that the weak cheap attachment to insufficient media that entertains instead of informing is a national addiction, plain and simple. Along with other possibly associated addictions such as the imbibing of unfood or as you could turn it around, 'doof', which appears to affect the working intelligence.
Thank you for this! I will keep it. I do not believe trump voters are all stupid. However, I believe many are victims of deliberate disinformation campaigns. If it was only their own future at stake - similar to someone who gets sucked into a cult - I could feel more compassion. But their conversion to trumpism has real consequences for my children and grandchildren and we must keep fighting for truth and justice.
Two Trump voters are, dare I say, close friends of mine. Both Harvard grads. Both with abundant means. Both with houses in tax havens. They want the financial bennies to keep coming. It is beyond sickening.
This is wonderful, Ingrid! Thank you. You've gathered all the horrible things he's done in one place. Now if only his supporters would actually read this! How do we reach them?
Public school education has changed. I grew up in Illinois. In order to graduate from high school we had to take a test on the US Constitution and pass it. That was the state who required it. Our high school had a civics class requirement. I was in 10th grade when I took it.
I believe that was a defining moment for me. I went on to study Poli Sci and my graduate work was studying the Constitution.
My mom recently passed away. We found no less than 10 copies of the Constitution in her condo.
I guess this apple didn’t fall far from the tree!
This week my sister, myself, and our spouses are cleaning out my mom’s condo. We continue to be amazed at how much she supported the Democratic Party.
Thank you Normalcy! Even her grandchildren recognized through their eulogies of her, how amazing she was. She was a champion to and for all of us. Our number one cheerleader. So in our lifetimes we walked beside her not behind her.
I remember decades ago reading a book called Dumbing Us Down by Gatto and began to worry about curriculum at that point. I think everyone needs to go to their next school board meeting and ask specific questions about Civics classes and content. If no meetings are available, find out which teachers at your high school teach any social studies and ask them. It may be too late, but we have to start somewhere. Good information needs to be replenished.
As to Trump race and religion, he is just using them. This is not a pious, insightful man. He says and does - more than anyone else alive at this time that I can think of - whatever will grow his base, give him fame, and fill his coffers. Greed is the driving demon here, and it is contagious, deceptive, and deadly. It has been sadly disappointing to find out how much of our systems have been based on the honor system with cardboard guardrails. We have a long way to go to build up our justice system, return truth to our government, and give voice to the common citizen rather than only those who have amassed great wealth.
I took civics during the short period when JFK was president—it seemed than, an honorable - even noble - choice to pursue politics or diplomacy. Ah youth.
That organization gets a little bit of money from me every month. This is a long-term thing and we've got to think that way by supporting the young generation of service-minded candidates.
Here is a "cardboard guardrail": a DOJ "policy" that prohibits prosecuting a sitting president. WTF? That policy effectively makes him a king!
The government is packed with leaders who can do their jobs without a putz of a president interfering with their work. Oh, and you may have noticed there is a VP who can host foreign dignitaries and babble to the press.
We are here because of Mitch McConnell and Merrick Garland who chose badly.
I've been an advocate for starting to formally teach Civics in Middle School for a long time. High School, specifically 11th grade, is waaay too late to start. In many states, mine included, it's legal to drop out at 16, which, for quite a large number of kids, is at the end of Sophomore year. That means they never learn Civics.
Along with teaching Civics in school, I would want to have a requirement that anyone wanting to run for office, especially at the federal level, should have to pass a Civics test as well as the same citizenship test as immigrants do when applying to become Americans. Actually, I'd apply this requirement to everyone seeking to be appointed to Cabinet, Department, and Administration positions as well. Maybe we'd have fewer unqualified people in those positions, too.
My civics class, the only one I know was ever offered or required, was when I was in junior high school in the 9th grade. I remember nothing else about it except that it made me see that I was looking at a replay of the fall of the Roman empire. I have no idea what I saw or how I knew that, but I probably was seeing the beginnings of what we're going through now.
Excellent post and spot on. "Greed is the driving demon here, and it is contagious, deceptive and deadly." I think greed has gotten worse since social media began showing us images of what *we think* we lack, or what *we think* we need. We got off of Amazon - a difficult choice because we have to drive to stock up on things now - when Bezos censored WaPo in endorsing Kamala. We got off Instagram when Zuckerberg slavishly gave in to allowing everything on that medium. It is time to question the slick ads selling us utter nonsense. Not just for the environment, but to bring down these unprincipled billionaires - that power is in our hands.
John Taylor Gatto and Weapons of Mass Deception is a must-read! As soon as the question “What sort of citizen do WE WANT?” was ingrained into the civil machinery, the edutainment machine gifted us with the improved citizen product.
I WILL have alternative plans to watching the inauguration. I haven't detailed them, but whether it's take a nap, take a walk or just take a pass, I'll NOT be watching!
I will be watching carefully but, not the Pennsylvania Avenue Freeze Out. I along with other Democracy Docket members (non-attorneys & attorneys) will be scrutinizing each & every so-called "Executive Order" particularly any alleged Order(s) aimed Immigrants & their U.S. citizen family members. A possible target is blue Chicago.
After 48 hours on Wednesday, 1/22/25 at 4 PM Pacific MARC ELIAS & the Democracy Docket Team will be on a Webinar to take responsive legal action(s).
Participation in the Webinar required an application & specific authorization to be on the Webinar Link. I applied in a number roles which including my authorship of Bryan's Substack. Watch this Space.
Wenda, in 2022, POLITICO reported "that Elias Law Group represented 950 clients, including more than 150 Dem House & Senate Campaigns and [individual] members of Congress".
Marc's Team has been there & done that ... done that very well.
Where are Democrat leaders? Why aren’t they blasting fight songs? It is VERY disappointing! I plan to bake multiple batches of high fiber muffins. I need something to be regular!
Agreed. At what level? I live in Chicago's Old Town and have the time and inclination to run for a Local School Council role at the elementary or high school levels. I think Civics would be in a high school curriculum but maybe there are threads of Civics in social studies curriculum at the younger levels? So where would I be most effective to influence the development or expansion of Civics curriculum, in your opinion? For the record, I had Civics in high school Social Studies classes on Long Island in the 1960s. Cannot believe we're where we are relative to education, knowledge, disinformation and low-information. Heartbreaking...
It should begin in middle school and be enhanced in high school. Schools teach World History but little has been spent on Civics education mainly because of unforeseen b I’d get cuts and the gerrymandering of local and state politics.
In Massachusetts, it seemed to be the Pilgrims every year, the whitewashed version. In high school, I remember a teacher that would say “ don’t waste American minutes. “ ??? Still don’t understand that one. Luckily both my parents were veterans of WW II and took democracy seriously. Now we’ve got a draft dodging compulsive egotistical maniac for president yet again. BUT. It was not a free and fair election. Donnie put his fat fingers on the scales of justice beginning a long time ago. Screwed the census his way. Pay attention to the injustice happening with the North Carolina election because that’s our future unless we make some noise.
NC is where I was born and raised by Holocaust victims. The town was Southern Baptist, churches on every corner. Democracy was essential in my household and it is in mine too.
I think it should be a requirement in high school as again. In high school it was called Government and couldn't graduate without knowing about the three branches, how they worked, the constitution, and the history of democracy.
I think Civics should be taught in every grade level K-12. It needs to be baked in and built on just like reading and math. iCivics, a free teaching resource for K-12 civics lessons, was started by Sandra Day O'Connor after she retired because she was so concerned about the state of civic understanding in the general population. In the last speech she gave before she died, she said it was her proudest legacy. I didn't see that quote, or even a reference to iCivics, in any of the many obituaries I read except the iCivics website. That's also a commentary on how we view the importance of civics understanding in this country.
Go for it, Diane. I think civics lessons should start early. My sister raised her children in Philadelphia. That city is a civics lesson. We all went on day trips with them to various historical places. My nephew was Bar mitzvahed 10 days after 9/11. We all were in town and visited Independence Hall.
I taught 2nd grade, 4th and 5th. Civics per se wasn't taught as a course, but we always voted on classroom behavior standards (or snacks or read alouds or sometimes field trips) and emphasized kindness and telling the truth. Herding cats is easier but we as staff did our best. When Obama was elected, the entire school celebrated in the auditorium watching his inauguration. Indeed, many students didn't understand the consequence but they did know that someone looking like them was now President. When t**** was elected, my 4th graders were stunned; the ones with two moms and undocumented family understood the reality and were truly scared. So, no, it wasn't Civics but civility which, hopefully, my students have built upon in the ensuing 10-20+ years since I last saw them.
American Government is a class required for graduation almost everywhere. The states of the former Confederacy often micromanage content, and the quality of teaching varies widely from boring worksheets and lectures to experiential learning with mock legislative sessions and court cases. My granddaughter, who voted for the first time in November 2024, benefited from the latter, and became knowledgeable enough to advise her boyfriend’s parents about how to assess a bad initiative in our state.
But, Joyce, I agree that we need to reclaim opportunities for popular education outside of schools like that practiced effectively in Latin America during the dictatorships, and here in the US in the anti-Viet Nam war movement and second wave feminism. It works when we reach outside our own echo chambers.
Please DO contribute your passion to your local school district. I turned my retirement to working on transforming higher ed business schools to address climate and equality. It may feel like very little most of the time but if everyone does a little . . . .
I work at a McDonald's in Alabama. On Monday morning, a mom and dad came in with their 8 or 9 year old daughter. They set up her laptop and textbooks and proudly told me they were homeschooling, because where better to learn than the PlayPlace, right? They bought her a large iced coffee. The books were a bible, bible study, scripture. No history, math, english, geography. Unless you want your daughter to be Katie Britt, minus the senate seat, why, just WHY? Poverty and pregnancy are her lot. This beautiful little girl, who has no one to trust but mom and dad, could have taken the bus to classes, sports, friends, free lunch, and educated, responsible role models. No one seems to go to school here any more. When they left, they walked to the bus stop. They do not have a car. Life is not going to get better. I weep for her. And for us.
Such words Joyce, thank you. I had such a good civics education throughout my early years (back in the day, as we say) that I can’t imagine being anyone can be “educated” without that. That said, my plan is to watch the MLK Jr parade in our town in AZ, re-connect with the local legislative district democrats there, watch Selma, and continue reading The Eyes on the Prize.
I am so happy to learn of the Contrarian. It will be a much needed alternative to our beloved media sources that are bending the knee. Our movement needs content creators who can teach civics via comics, memes and reels to the masses of our fellow citizens who have become used to getting their information from those sources. Who among us has those skills and can do that?
As someone who’s spent a lifetime teaching high school history, civics, and economics, and later preparing the next generation of teachers, I deeply resonate with your call to invest in civics education. It’s not just about understanding structures like the Constitution or the Bill of Rights but fostering a sense of civic responsibility.
To that end, I designed a lesson exploring how systemic inequality has shaped communities, using redlining maps and the 1940 Census. It’s a powerful way for students to connect history with personal narratives and understand the impact of policy on people’s lives. I’d love to share it here: "Mapping Inequality: Exploring Personal History in Redline Maps and the 1940 Census." https://peterpappas.com/2020/11/mapping-inequality-exploring-personal-history-in-redline-maps-and-the-1940-census.html
Thank you for emphasizing the relay race of democracy—it’s work worth continuing.
Bravo for your lessons on systemic inequality ... I don't know in what state you teach, but isn't there a substantial chance in some states--Florida comes to mind--that your lessons would be considered "radical" or "woke" by the local politicos or school board?
Thank you for the kind words! Fortunately, I teach at the University of Portland in Oregon, where I work with future educators. It’s a supportive environment for fostering critical thinking and exploring systemic inequality without fear of political pushback. I’m grateful to help prepare the next generation of teachers to tackle these essential topics.
I'm Canadian. When I started at McGill University in Montreal many years ago, there were quite a few Americans in my classes. In conversations with them, I was struck by how much more they knew about the structure of American governance than I did about Canadian. I was curious why this was; every time I asked, the response was: civics classes in high school. I so admired the knowledge and perspective they had that I remember it to this day: civics classes in high school.
Not watching or listening to the inauguration. Joined Indivisible and am working to keep our Democracy intact and functioning. On Monday I will honor Dr. King and his and other Civil Rights people who worked so hard to reach goals that seemed impossible. More to do, always more to do.
Last week we hosted the first meeting of our local Indivisible chapter for 2025. We were at full capacity in a large room. We asked people their priorities and they told us for 40 minutes. I tallied and will share them. Those with the most votes will be our priorities. We are connecting new members to the tools we’ve developed to track state legislation and make our voices heard.
We recruited volunteers to attend local school boards, our library, city and county council meetings and report back so we can take action where needed, when it’s needed.
Our message is to build power locally and statewide because this empowers us nationally. We are building community for mutual support and collaborating with allied organizations. We are preparing to defend vulnerable people, and we will work to elect honorable public servants. Damn the torpedoes!
The vast majority of Americans are centrist, agreeing on so much. We've let the fringe on both ends of the spectrum drive the conversation for too long.
It's time to respectfully and factually reengage in order to protect the good most of us value, and to refine and redefine our democracy to address our shared future.
I’ll be connected to The Contrarian during the 🤮 inauguration. I will not watch the moron, and will mute him whenever I can, 4 years, gosh it’s going to be looooong. But the mid terms are coming up! I plan to support all Blue candidates in my state/FloriDuh.
I'm getting out of the house altogether: lunch with my daughter at 11, then watch "Wicked" all afternoon. I am staying as FAR AWAY from anything that reeks of the horror which is supposed to take place on Monday -- and that includes staying away from the TV and computer -- as possible.
I will be deep cleaning whatever needs it in my house...cupboards, closets, garage...whatever is in sight. It serve as a proxy for the badly needed "cleaning" our Capitol will need after the swearing in.
Good idea
That is a great idea!
I’m saving all dirt and dust for Monday!
LOL!! And there will be plenty of it.
My plan also
Ellie, yeah, there may be a lot of vomit from the Democrats who have to listen to the BS pumped out by Toddler-Trump in the presence of our billionaire class and the world's dictators. I even want to vomit thinking about it, and I almost never vomit.
I believe I read that since the "party" is being held inside - the Clintons, the Bushes, and Obama wont be attending - hope thats factual - if so, I bet its a big relief to all of them that they have an excuse to stay away!
WOW!!!!! Do you mean the after-puragatation? or the puragatation itself?
The actual puragatation - I believe - of course, cant remember exactly WHERE I read it or heard it - so could be bogus. But I sure wouldnt blame them for staying away. I have to wonder with the 600 seats available, exactly where the trump dump would seat them in the rotunda.
Now one is forcing the cowardly Dems from attending. I applaud Michelle and Nancy. Why aren't more skipping this shameful display? Because they still haven't grown a pair.
I love the symmetry!
On January 6, 2021 I was watching the electoral certification on tv when Ted Cruz started objecting. I thought they were heinous and boring, holding up the process that was inevitable. I went out for a walk. When I returned about two hours later, I could scarcely comprehend what I saw before my eyes on the screen.
I don't plan to watch the inauguration tomorrow, or any of the day's events. But my own memory of January 6 gives me pause whenever I decide to look away.
Teresa, I don't know that having stayed in and watched the whole insanity would have helped. It would have shown you just what kind of jerks Republicans turned out to be, running for their lives, then voting to acquit Trump weeks later. I get it that people can have really short attention spans, but not that short. Oh wait, they even voted against certification later that night (really short memories). I had the news on, unusual because I had been talking on Zoom to my students about the certification. I was so nauseated! I encouraged my students to turn on their TVs, shocking their parents who were helping monitor their at-home learning (COVID, you remember). They got to see what an appalling event Trump had orchestrated. However, here we are 4 years later and nearly half of the people who voted thought it was OK to put an insurrectionist back in office. Sigh!!
Yes, I'm aware that my eyeballs on the tv screen wouldnot have deterred or halted the attack on our Capitol.
The pity and the crime is that the eyeballs on the tv screen in the dining room off the Oval Office could have halted the attack right away if those eyes were connected to a mind that honored his sworn oath of office.
Teresa, alas, that would have been a different person, a person who actually cares about anyone but himself and the power and money he can accumulate. He has never worked a day in his life, except to give stupid speeches of hatred and anger, walk around followed by an entourage of guys pretending to be a good businessman. I can't think of anything else. He was hoping for a coup and was furious it didn't happen. He has never forgiven this nation for stopping it. Now he is back with his insanity, this time with deeper dementia, but all the hatred, fear (he is scared of everything), and vengeance he wants to exact. He is truly scum and I don't disparage people with no reason. I blame the systemic misogyny and racism in this nation for electing, then re-electing such a despicable human being to be our president. Shame on us for not seriously addressing racism and misogyny and letting both control so much of American living.
That was a brilliant thing you did, telling your students to watch history -- so that their parents were also forced to watch the nightmare unfold.
kdsherpa, at the time, I wasn't thinking of anything much because I was in shock. My students and their families already had a jaded impression of Trump because of the ways he did what he could to undermine poor communities and blame people for their poverty, a rich child-man who never had to grow up because he got hold of his daddy's money and used it to be less than a good human being. Here we go again!
I was out doing some sort of errands when it happened, so I didn't see anything. When I turned on the news, it didn't feel real. Not having seen it from the beginning, I think it never quite got "in" to my psyche (or did I block it out), in a way I think it would have if I had seen it from the beginning.
kdsherpa, I am not sure it would have helped had you seen it from the beginning. It was surreal even then, realizing Trump had sent his rabid followers to wreck our capitol and steal the election for a man who really didn't care what happened. We know now that Trump supposedly tried to get his secret service guy to take him to the Capitol, but even though he had delusions of godhood in his mind, he would never have been permitted to go there. Well, he will get there tomorrow and be in the space where the invaders did damage, attacked police officers and pooped all over the place, leaving their waste for someone else to clean up. (It's too bad it wasn't collected and DNA identified so the American people would know the names of those who thought pooping all over our Capitol was OK.)
The only difference is that I think I might have gotten hysterical with terror.
kdsherpa, yes, it was terrifying, particularly because it was hard to figure out what was going on. There was so much chaos, screaming, smashing things, yelling obscenities, and strange commentary by people who really didn't know what was going on, but couldn't keep from commenting. I could only hear it and it was horrific. What was shown by the January 6th Committee covered it pretty well, but they played segments. When it was going on for hours with no break at one point, it really was like a horror film.
Leave your tv tuned to Histiry or ESPN so "they" can't count you watching
Good point!
That's interesting thought. But I can't stomach seeing one second of it, so I'll just be out of the house entirely.
“They” can’t count whether you even have your tv on or off , let alone what you are watching… unless you are part of the Nielson Ratings family.
Don't bet on that...
They will lie anyway.
Honestly - the more of us who ignore doofus on "his" day will LOWER HIS RATINGS - remember? that means a great deal to him.
Precisely! And that's why he's moved his fake (I can use that word if I want) inauguration indoors. Hotel reservations are pitiful, and crowd turnout will be the same. Moving the farce indoors will prevent this photo-op. Someone made the point that during one of his disgusting rallies in Iowa, the temp was 17 BELOW ZERO -- and he made attendees WAIT OUTSIDE to be admitted!!! No question about it: the guy love his followers.
Great! I hope you love Wicked as much as we did! I might re-watch Hamilton when I get home from work.
kdsherpa, sounds like you have a good plan. You are going to like "Wicked!" You will also be healthier staying away from the media's attempts to pretend Toddler-Trump is worthy of being president of this nation; he isn't.
I will be attending a MLK event through Democrats Abroad Germany, and then going to quiz bowl at our local bar in my German city. We Democrats Abroad will have a team as we vie against the finest German and other English speakers in our city. We are going to ignore the inauguration on that day.
However, on the day after I shall be waiting to see what happens in my Democratic US city, where much of my closest family is, that is Chicago, where Trump has promised to start immigration raids. So, I am looking to see what bills are signed after the inauguration and what happens to immigrants. I see immigrants in the Trump administration as the Jews in Hitlers administration.
Everyone who looks the other way is just like the Germans, who just wanted to live their lives and felt if it did not affect them they would just accept it. This is at a time when they had mostly lived under monarchy where the rulers decided anyway what was what. The USA has no excuse to be allowing such fascist moves to happen without protest.
I am concerned for my neighbors from Mexico, China and those who are Muslim. It is hard to know who they will target, but I can imagine a lot of people will stay home and be afraid to leave. I imagine people might be afraid to send their children to school too. The city says it is ready, that is as ready as one can be.
https://apnews.com/article/chicago-ice-raids-trump-immigrant-community-b3b276656067b5302bed7dfcaf950f57
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/18/nx-s1-5266892/immigration-raid-chicago-trump
Linda, are you with the DOD in Germany or a private citizen??
I ask this because I’m curious,if you are DOD, what is the opinion of fellow Army
personal.
I am almost afraid of the answer knowing how many support the conman.
I am a private citizen. DOD members are not allowed to be politically involved as far as I know. I have asked a member of my group whose husband is a DOD member and she does not know because people know better than to discuss politics with others in the DOD.
Yes, I grew up in the military. One did not discuss politics. Thanks
Hatch Act. Depends on level of employment.
Excuse me but didn't the last two killings involve ex-military? And isn't the military known to be backers of the repugs because it is supposed to be the party that supports defense.
As a retired Federal employee the Hatch act was violated so many time in 45s last reign. They were never prosecuted. So much for not being "allowed to"
This is what I found. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/30/military-veterans-remain-a-republican-group-backing-trump-over-harris-by-wide-margin/
I don't see this nightmare ending in four years. I see anyone who runs against him to be stopped by whatever means.
He has had a good teacher and mentor. I also see only 2 more days of democracy with Evil entering our midst.
It has great power and desire and ability to inject the evil into every evidence of good just as a malignancy metastasizes. The outcome is the same. This sounds familiar.
I don't agree. Prices are not going down, tariffs are going to strangle the middle class; the 21+ do not like or trust him and he isn't going to make it 4 years. You think he is repugnant? Take a look at the lick spittle Vance and tell me people will "follow" him. He has no following and no one in Congress likes him. He right up there with Cancun Cruz and a few others. It won't work.
Isotope you are spot on!!
Ugh, sorry for the spelling. I do hope you are spot on! I agree, Vance with his eyeliner should
not appeal to the pickup driving voters around me. Nor, of course,
normal people. But these people have a huge propaganda machine behind them. Those who listen to it are all in. The Ds need to “man up”
and fight dirty.
I agree--and also, I did love "Isotope you are spot on!" 😂
What middle class? There are the haves and have-nots aka "serfs".
But look Cruz won against the best possible candidate. Here in Texas mourning and terrified but back in the saddle.
The one hope I had to preserve democracy was that the Senate would not confirm his obedient picks for key cabinet positions, but that hope is fading. The only good thing I can see coming of this now is that he & his clan will demonstrate what a Plutocracy does to the less fortunate.
I was speaking with my son, who loves Russian history, about this. He said
unfortunately, most under Stalin were with him to the end. I agree…those
who voted for Trump will sacrifice anything to support him. This is the problem. It is cultural and he needs to meet his maker for anything to change, for the MAGA voter.
Time for a drink!
Make that two.
His "maker"?? you do mean Satan don't you? A loving God would not create something this vile.
Hahaha! I’m sure his maker was malevolent, probably has horns too.
Those Senators are afraid of what Trump will do to them.
Agree, until he is 6 feet under we are in deep you-know-what.
It doesn’t die with him. He isn’t the brains. Miller, Bannon, Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation will continue to shape the dismantling of the democracy we didn’t think we could lose. The oligarchy is trump’s goal.
Marcia, add the muskmelon, Zuckerberg and Bezos (plus the rest of the billionaires supporting him). The insane amount of money held by these 3 alone -- nearly $1,000,000,000,000, or a TRILLION dollars -- in combination with their ability to control social media, added to the threats of AI, point to a difficult landscape ahead for us and the world.
Hi Marcia, great point. My sense though is these others, creepy Miller
and the rest, do not have the “star” appeal of Trump. I do hope this is true and the rural MAGAs will stay home. But, I worry the damage these
fascist do to our nation, in the meantime, will be an insurmountable
situation.
"Brains" ?? don't you mean contemptous?
Most definitely! Cancer can kill.
I said a prayer and asked for Help. I see nothing else that can stop this death spiral of democracy.
Think the guys that tossed his first wife down the stairs will come for him soon. That’s how his type of operation works.
Oh your bad.
We can resist all we want to but there is no one listening. The felon who will become the president and his evil cronies, as well as extreme justices, will just eliminate all rights and liberties anytime it suits them. The convicted felon made 25B overnight??? Here is the first example of him doing whatever he wants. It is against the law for him to personally benefit financially from the office of president. No one will complain about that and MSM will not point out that it is illegal for him to do that. Of course he did it strategically, the night before inauguration.
And what does a person his age do with that much money. He already bought the US government? Maybe Ivanka and djt will fight over it. We all know eric is too stupid.
EVIL is an under-utilized concept.
You know, sometimes elders dwindle away and die, just from losing the will to live.
Sometimes countries and civilizations do, too.
Happened all through history. If nobody can answer the question, “What is America?” maybe it’s because this is what the end looks like.
TYPO:
Donald Trump does not define who we area.
Should be ARE.
He only thinks he controls our area.
I read that several ways and belly laughed. No, he does not control MY “area.”
I think Joyce has overly thought this out. It’s not a lack of civics lesson or civics education. It’s just an over abundance of plain dumb fuckery assholes who spend to much time doing unsocial things like sticking their stupid faces in their cell devises all fucken day long and believing whatever the device says to believe. It’s not a lack of civics lessons. And now we will sink into a deep and dark quagmire of our making.
I performed for a group of marchers in Manhattan this morning. The cold was brutal on my fingers as I performed my songs. I’m tired. I’m exhausted. I’m depressed. And I’m mad as hell. And I know I will exercise my now non-existent right of free speech and if I’m arrested who knows what I will later do.
I’m still hoping that Joe Biden will pardon Leonard Peltier. If he doesn’t, Biden will show his ultimate cowardice and ignorance.
If I’m not the problem there is no solution
I was thinking about Moses sending the 12 spies into the promised land. Ten came back complaining and whining. Only two came back positive.
I’ve said for a long time we need to have strong civics education in our schools. How many people are ignorant of the basics
I mentioned earlier this week Van Jones did discussions with Chris Cillizza and Steve Schmidt on Substack. Everyone should listen to them
Maybe Joyce could provide links
EXCELLENT! I very important perspective from a brilliant man. Highly recommend. Thanks for the referral
He gave us 50 Years
Come on! That's pretty much a lot of uncowerdice !!
He gave us Clarence Thomas stop be sentimental.
B. Katz: You’re another version of those who hate Biden (or will/will not) per one issue. That’s a mistake. I have a friend who hates him over Gaza. She’s for that pardon; me too.
But I agree with you in that I urge us to figure out a way to educate people about democracy that keeps people from blaming schooling.
I was a good student; I got good grades in terrible Civics classes because I knew what they wanted me to repeat back. I didn’t learn about democracy until I lived and worked and watched and started lifelong learning.
I’m talking about education in the 50s. It wasn’t any better in Civics (except in today’s Maga schools) then than it is now. And yet, despite Nixon, we did better overall until now. We even got rid of Nixon.
Maybe the next two years — until midterms — will be a lesson to us all (almost anyway).
Not true. Ultimately he failed to pass the Torch.
So what, if it’s not lit any more?
Well, Bill, we’re going to need them to win in 2028, so might need an attitude adjustment.
Agree- until the Biden comment. Unless you are 90 yrs or older, don't be so effin judgmental.
Stop with the spell and grammar checking. Are you trying to put computers out of business?
Regarding your plan to boycott TV coverage of the inauguration, I’m in touch with an amazingly sharp 103-year-old WWII veteran who was severely wounded in battle. I asked him if he will be watching the inauguration, and here is his reply:
“As much as I dislike seeing a picture of Trump I want to see and remember the day, the day that so many Citizens had voted to turn our Country over to a Dictator. Putin has taught him well. It bothers me to remember the friends who died in WWII to keep this country from a Dictator to see it turned over to one by voters.”
I admire his toughness, and want to emulate it, insofar as I’m able. I'll be watching the inauguration along with my friend. Sadly, not watching it will not make it not happen. If we all stop standing as witnesses to everything we don't like, where will that leave us?
Thank you, Mr Smith, for your assessment and for the anecdote.
Please pass to the veteran my sincere respect for him and for his service. He is not alone, among the few WWII combat veterans who are beyond shock and deeply saddened by what is now occurring.
His sincerity and his commitment remind me of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, along with Dr Martin Luther King's words and actions. His remarks are, also, so much like remarks and the reasoning behind choosing to take civic action of another, local and recently deceased, WWII combat veteran. This latter veteran was the most civic minded and civically active American man I have met.
Thank you. They truly were the greatest generation. We can only work to ensure that their sacrifices were not in vain.
My ambivalence exactly
Ill catch a few reruns I suppose
I won't be watching At All. But I do plan to donate money tomorrow to Habitat for Humanity, in honor of Mr. Carter.
I like the proposal to turn the TV on to some other channel while the inauguration is going on, if you're registered with Neilson, as a small protest to lower his ratings.
What candidates would that be? Florida’s Democratic Party is a circular firing squad, with some of the most uninteresting characters on the planet. Nikki Fried is the closest thing that we have to a major candidate, and she couldn’t beat a retread Republican, Charlie Crist. Gillum was an embarrassment. We’ve had boring, and awful candidates with unbrandable last names like Sink, and Meek. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the next gubernatorial candidate will be Adam Anthrax, or Peter Plague. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I see not too many responses to Joyce’s request to name kids’books that enhance civics education.
I’ll add one…..
“Grace For President” by
Kelly DiPucchio
Salud! And thank you for your voice, Joyce Vance
🗽💜
Apparently we should turn on our TV to another station to show we are watching something else? That is what I will do. Ovation here I come. Or binge on Netflix.
Dianne, (you spell your name as my sister does!!) I will absolutely not be paying any attention to the BS that is inauguration day tomorrow. Because of our Supreme Court, a Trumpette judge, and a pathetic AG, an insurrectionist, convicted and sentenced criminal, indicted thief, will be sworn into office. There is no possible way I can support that. I will do my best to ignore that absolute anti-American Toddler-Trump for the next 4 years and hope Democrats and our media will start dealing with the realities of racism, misogyny, homo/transphobia through this next 4 years. People must be shown what racism et al are and how easily we have been duped into believing people are inferior to ourselves. We can learn strategies to grow out of that toddleresque ignorance and attitude. We will keep having jerks like Toddler-Trump gaining office over anyone not rich, white, and male if we don't. White America thinks it did it's good deed by voting for Barack Obama and racism is past; it isn't. They need to know that was only the start of how we as a nation need to grow up. Childhood can be great for actual children, but not for people over age 18 (or maybe even 25 for some people).
Absolutely agree with all you’ve said!
I signed up for Contrarian too. I plan to cancel my WAPO subscription during the coronation of the dictator.
Dianne, I just signed up for The Contrarian. I can't keep up with it, but what I can read seems excellent. (I'll be at work on Monday, and very glad for the distraction!)
💥💥💥💥 I invite you to check out my visual honoring Jack Smith, a genuine American hero.
https://kathleenweber.substack.com/p/its-not-over
💥💥💥💥 DON'T MISS THIS!!! 💥💥💥💥
Danny Cherry Jr.
I’m in the grocery store, and I’m near the magazine rack. Trump’s “person of the year” Time Magazine cover is prominently displayed.
This older white man takes the issues, and stuffs them behind other magazines, where they can’t be seen.
I laughed and he said, “No one needs to buy this shit.” 😭
https://substack.com/@dannycherryjr/note/c-86319241
Reminds me of a time at the grocery store I watched a guy with a MAGA hat on take a magazine with Michelle Obama on the cover and turn it backwards. Until he saw me watching him. Then he turned it back. Grudgingly. 😊
Here’s what’s doing the rounds on FB/META — seems quite reasonable, huh!
An anguished question from a Trump supporter: ‘Why do liberals think Trump supporters are stupid?’
THE SERIOUS ANSWER: Here’s what the majority of anti-Trump voters honestly feel about Trump supporters en masse:
That when you saw a man who had owned a fraudulent University, intent on scamming poor people, you thought "Fine." (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/04/10/trump-university-settlement-judge-finalized/502387002/)
That when you saw a man who had made it his business practice to stiff his creditors, you said, "Okay." (https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hotel-paid-millions-in-fines-for-unpaid-work)
That when you heard him proudly brag about his own history of sexual abuse, you said, "No problem." (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/list-trumps-accusers-allegations-sexual-misconduct/story?id=51956410)
That when he made up stories about seeing Muslim-Americans in the thousands cheering the destruction of the World Trade Center, you said, "Not an issue." (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/11/22/donald-trumps-outrageous-claim-that-thousands-of-new-jersey-muslims-celebrated-the-911-attacks/)
That when you saw him brag that he could shoot a man on Fifth Avenue and you wouldn't care, you exclaimed, "He sure knows me." (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/23/president-donald-trump-could-shoot-someone-without-prosecution/4073405002/)
That when you heard him relating a story of an elderly guest of his country club, an 80-year old man, who fell off a stage and hit his head, to Trump replied: “‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away. I couldn’t—you know, he was right in front of me, and I turned away. I didn’t want to touch him. He was bleeding all over the place. And I felt terrible, because it was a beautiful white marble floor, and now it had changed color. Became very red.” You said, "That's cool!" (https://www.gq.com/story/donald-trump-howard-stern-story)
That when you saw him mock the disabled, you thought it was the funniest thing you ever saw. (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/donald-trump-criticized-after-he-appears-mock-reporter-serge-kovaleski-n470016)
That when you heard him brag that he doesn't read books, you said, "Well, who has time?" (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/americas-first-post-text-president/549794/)
That when the Central Park Five were compensated as innocent men convicted of a crime they didn't commit, and he angrily said that they should still be in prison, you said, "That makes sense." (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/19/what-trump-has-said-central-park-five/1501321001/)
That when you heard him tell his supporters to beat up protesters and that he would hire attorneys, you thought, "Yes!" (https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-trump-campaign-protests-20160313-story.html)
That when you heard him tell one rally to confiscate a man's coat before throwing him out into the freezing cold, you said, "What a great guy!" (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/donald-trump-orders-protesters-coat-is-confiscated-and-he-is-sent-into-the-cold-a6802756.html)
That you have watched the parade of neo-Nazis and white supremacists with whom he curries favor, while refusing to condemn outright Nazis, and you have said, "Thumbs up!" (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/why-cant-trump-just-condemn-nazis/567320/)
That you hear him unable to talk to foreign dignitaries without insulting their countries and demanding that they praise his electoral win, you said, "That's the way I want my President to be." (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-insult-foreign-countries-leaders_n_59dd2769e4b0b26332e76d57)
That you have watched him remove expertise from all layers of government in favor of people who make money off of eliminating protections in the industries they're supposed to be regulating and you have said, "What a genius!" (https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/12/29/138-trump-policy-changes-2017-000603)
That you have heard him continue to profit from his businesses, in part by leveraging his position as President, to the point of overcharging the Secret Service for space in the properties he owns, and you have said, "That's smart!" (https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2018-03-05/how-is-donald-trump-profiting-from-the-presidency-let-us-count-the-ways)
That you have heard him say that it was difficult to help Puerto Rico because it was in the middle of water and you have said, "That makes sense." (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/09/26/the-very-big-ocean-between-here-and-puerto-rico-is-not-a-perfect-excuse-for-a-lack-of-aid/)
That you have seen him start fights with every country from Canada to New Zealand while praising Russia and quote, "falling in love" with the dictator of North Korea, and you have said, "That's statesmanship!" (https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/02/politics/donald-trump-dictators-kim-jong-un-vladimir-putin/index.html)
That Trump separated children from their families and put them in cages, managed to lose track of 1500 kids, has opened a tent city incarceration camp in the desert in Texas - he explains that they’re just “animals” - and you say, “Well, OK then.” (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-5-400-children-split-border-according-new-count-n1071791)
That you have witnessed all the thousand and one other manifestations of corruption and low moral character and outright animalistic rudeness and contempt for you, the working American voter, and you still show up grinning and wearing your MAGA hats and threatening to beat up anybody who says otherwise. (https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/06/04/451570/confronting-cost-trumps-corruption-american-families/)
What you don't get, Trump supporters, is that our succumbing to frustration and shaking our heads, thinking of you as stupid, may very well be wrong and unhelpful, but it's also...hear me...charitable.
Because if you're NOT stupid, we must turn to other explanations, and most of them are less flattering.
Great work! I would add inciting an insurrection, stealing and refusing to return classified documents, and obstruction of justice.
Very well written with pertinent links 👏🏻👏🏻.
Thanks Ingrid. Fantastic job of explaining how we got here—lies, misinformation, disinformation,brainwashing and greed won over simple human kindness.
Apparently there are quite a few ways of looking at this lack of active intelligence, one of them being that the weak cheap attachment to insufficient media that entertains instead of informing is a national addiction, plain and simple. Along with other possibly associated addictions such as the imbibing of unfood or as you could turn it around, 'doof', which appears to affect the working intelligence.
Thank you for this! I will keep it. I do not believe trump voters are all stupid. However, I believe many are victims of deliberate disinformation campaigns. If it was only their own future at stake - similar to someone who gets sucked into a cult - I could feel more compassion. But their conversion to trumpism has real consequences for my children and grandchildren and we must keep fighting for truth and justice.
Two Trump voters are, dare I say, close friends of mine. Both Harvard grads. Both with abundant means. Both with houses in tax havens. They want the financial bennies to keep coming. It is beyond sickening.
Outstanding!
This is wonderful, Ingrid! Thank you. You've gathered all the horrible things he's done in one place. Now if only his supporters would actually read this! How do we reach them?
That’s a million dollar question. Or a F-ELON question!
Brilliant.
This inauguration is no substitution for incarceration.
Never has it been truer that "Justice delayed is Justice denied."
Cruel Loss
red falters to blue
spirit deeply dented
eyes melancholy
a cruel loss
days, months, years
absent an animating force
struck stark before your time
a cruel loss
everything you love may go
everyone you love may die
you may be left alone
but with the cruelest loss
hopelessness captures your eyes
and you no longer see what could be
Ominous prose.
Understand
Public school education has changed. I grew up in Illinois. In order to graduate from high school we had to take a test on the US Constitution and pass it. That was the state who required it. Our high school had a civics class requirement. I was in 10th grade when I took it.
I believe that was a defining moment for me. I went on to study Poli Sci and my graduate work was studying the Constitution.
My mom recently passed away. We found no less than 10 copies of the Constitution in her condo.
I guess this apple didn’t fall far from the tree!
This week my sister, myself, and our spouses are cleaning out my mom’s condo. We continue to be amazed at how much she supported the Democratic Party.
Bravo for your mom, Kathi, and please accept my condolences!
Marlene, thank you for your kind words!
I also had to pass the civics class test to graduate. I am so grateful for that education!!
Kathi, I'm sorry for your loss of your mom. It seems that she raised two responsible daughters.
Thank you Jenn
A real citizen, your Mom. Be proud of her. And my condolences. You have shoes to fill don't you!
Thank you Normalcy! Even her grandchildren recognized through their eulogies of her, how amazing she was. She was a champion to and for all of us. Our number one cheerleader. So in our lifetimes we walked beside her not behind her.
Beautiful, Kathi. May her grandchildren carry on your Mom's legacy!
I hope they do
❤️💜💕
I remember decades ago reading a book called Dumbing Us Down by Gatto and began to worry about curriculum at that point. I think everyone needs to go to their next school board meeting and ask specific questions about Civics classes and content. If no meetings are available, find out which teachers at your high school teach any social studies and ask them. It may be too late, but we have to start somewhere. Good information needs to be replenished.
As to Trump race and religion, he is just using them. This is not a pious, insightful man. He says and does - more than anyone else alive at this time that I can think of - whatever will grow his base, give him fame, and fill his coffers. Greed is the driving demon here, and it is contagious, deceptive, and deadly. It has been sadly disappointing to find out how much of our systems have been based on the honor system with cardboard guardrails. We have a long way to go to build up our justice system, return truth to our government, and give voice to the common citizen rather than only those who have amassed great wealth.
For now, welcome to the Mad Tea Party.
I took civics during the short period when JFK was president—it seemed than, an honorable - even noble - choice to pursue politics or diplomacy. Ah youth.
It's always been noble to be a faithful politician and it always will be.
See David Hogg’s organization “Leaders We Deserve” for promoting young, energetic leadership.
He’s an amazing young leader.
Yes he is. I have donated to Leaders We Deserve.
And Turnup.us, and TheCivicsCenter.org
That organization gets a little bit of money from me every month. This is a long-term thing and we've got to think that way by supporting the young generation of service-minded candidates.
As is apt for a Joyce Vance post—let’s remember the scarcity of hen’s’ teeth.
It was shocking to learn how many accepted norms were built on the honor system and never codified. We can only hope it's not too late.
Here is a "cardboard guardrail": a DOJ "policy" that prohibits prosecuting a sitting president. WTF? That policy effectively makes him a king!
The government is packed with leaders who can do their jobs without a putz of a president interfering with their work. Oh, and you may have noticed there is a VP who can host foreign dignitaries and babble to the press.
We are here because of Mitch McConnell and Merrick Garland who chose badly.
Garland Garland Garland !!!
Will go quietly into the night!
Garlands inertia will be tasted for years to come!
I've been an advocate for starting to formally teach Civics in Middle School for a long time. High School, specifically 11th grade, is waaay too late to start. In many states, mine included, it's legal to drop out at 16, which, for quite a large number of kids, is at the end of Sophomore year. That means they never learn Civics.
Along with teaching Civics in school, I would want to have a requirement that anyone wanting to run for office, especially at the federal level, should have to pass a Civics test as well as the same citizenship test as immigrants do when applying to become Americans. Actually, I'd apply this requirement to everyone seeking to be appointed to Cabinet, Department, and Administration positions as well. Maybe we'd have fewer unqualified people in those positions, too.
My civics class, the only one I know was ever offered or required, was when I was in junior high school in the 9th grade. I remember nothing else about it except that it made me see that I was looking at a replay of the fall of the Roman empire. I have no idea what I saw or how I knew that, but I probably was seeing the beginnings of what we're going through now.
Great idea!
Similarly, seeing the movie Idiocracy, which is now looking prescient.
Excellent post and spot on. "Greed is the driving demon here, and it is contagious, deceptive and deadly." I think greed has gotten worse since social media began showing us images of what *we think* we lack, or what *we think* we need. We got off of Amazon - a difficult choice because we have to drive to stock up on things now - when Bezos censored WaPo in endorsing Kamala. We got off Instagram when Zuckerberg slavishly gave in to allowing everything on that medium. It is time to question the slick ads selling us utter nonsense. Not just for the environment, but to bring down these unprincipled billionaires - that power is in our hands.
John Taylor Gatto and Weapons of Mass Deception is a must-read! As soon as the question “What sort of citizen do WE WANT?” was ingrained into the civil machinery, the edutainment machine gifted us with the improved citizen product.
I WILL have alternative plans to watching the inauguration. I haven't detailed them, but whether it's take a nap, take a walk or just take a pass, I'll NOT be watching!
I will be watching carefully but, not the Pennsylvania Avenue Freeze Out. I along with other Democracy Docket members (non-attorneys & attorneys) will be scrutinizing each & every so-called "Executive Order" particularly any alleged Order(s) aimed Immigrants & their U.S. citizen family members. A possible target is blue Chicago.
After 48 hours on Wednesday, 1/22/25 at 4 PM Pacific MARC ELIAS & the Democracy Docket Team will be on a Webinar to take responsive legal action(s).
Participation in the Webinar required an application & specific authorization to be on the Webinar Link. I applied in a number roles which including my authorship of Bryan's Substack. Watch this Space.
Be Safe All. 🙏
Thank you for your efforts.
Thank you George. One of the central issues is the Long Game not just "Day 1".
I would roughly estimate 1460 Days & beyond ( 4 X 365 = Day 1460 ).
Thank you. I’m feeling powerless right now and it’s so good to know that many people like yourself will be working for us.
Wenda, in 2022, POLITICO reported "that Elias Law Group represented 950 clients, including more than 150 Dem House & Senate Campaigns and [individual] members of Congress".
Marc's Team has been there & done that ... done that very well.
Where are Democrat leaders? Why aren’t they blasting fight songs? It is VERY disappointing! I plan to bake multiple batches of high fiber muffins. I need something to be regular!
ME TOO!
I totally respect your reaction, Jan -- but I think it's important to see WITH OUR OWN EYES what is happening.
Agreed. At what level? I live in Chicago's Old Town and have the time and inclination to run for a Local School Council role at the elementary or high school levels. I think Civics would be in a high school curriculum but maybe there are threads of Civics in social studies curriculum at the younger levels? So where would I be most effective to influence the development or expansion of Civics curriculum, in your opinion? For the record, I had Civics in high school Social Studies classes on Long Island in the 1960s. Cannot believe we're where we are relative to education, knowledge, disinformation and low-information. Heartbreaking...
It should begin in middle school and be enhanced in high school. Schools teach World History but little has been spent on Civics education mainly because of unforeseen b I’d get cuts and the gerrymandering of local and state politics.
In Massachusetts, it seemed to be the Pilgrims every year, the whitewashed version. In high school, I remember a teacher that would say “ don’t waste American minutes. “ ??? Still don’t understand that one. Luckily both my parents were veterans of WW II and took democracy seriously. Now we’ve got a draft dodging compulsive egotistical maniac for president yet again. BUT. It was not a free and fair election. Donnie put his fat fingers on the scales of justice beginning a long time ago. Screwed the census his way. Pay attention to the injustice happening with the North Carolina election because that’s our future unless we make some noise.
NC is where I was born and raised by Holocaust victims. The town was Southern Baptist, churches on every corner. Democracy was essential in my household and it is in mine too.
Fully agree. If nothing else, the old “I am a bill” and other video shorts would be helpful.
Exactly!
I think it should be a requirement in high school as again. In high school it was called Government and couldn't graduate without knowing about the three branches, how they worked, the constitution, and the history of democracy.
I think Civics should be taught in every grade level K-12. It needs to be baked in and built on just like reading and math. iCivics, a free teaching resource for K-12 civics lessons, was started by Sandra Day O'Connor after she retired because she was so concerned about the state of civic understanding in the general population. In the last speech she gave before she died, she said it was her proudest legacy. I didn't see that quote, or even a reference to iCivics, in any of the many obituaries I read except the iCivics website. That's also a commentary on how we view the importance of civics understanding in this country.
Go for it, Diane. I think civics lessons should start early. My sister raised her children in Philadelphia. That city is a civics lesson. We all went on day trips with them to various historical places. My nephew was Bar mitzvahed 10 days after 9/11. We all were in town and visited Independence Hall.
I taught 2nd grade, 4th and 5th. Civics per se wasn't taught as a course, but we always voted on classroom behavior standards (or snacks or read alouds or sometimes field trips) and emphasized kindness and telling the truth. Herding cats is easier but we as staff did our best. When Obama was elected, the entire school celebrated in the auditorium watching his inauguration. Indeed, many students didn't understand the consequence but they did know that someone looking like them was now President. When t**** was elected, my 4th graders were stunned; the ones with two moms and undocumented family understood the reality and were truly scared. So, no, it wasn't Civics but civility which, hopefully, my students have built upon in the ensuing 10-20+ years since I last saw them.
American Government is a class required for graduation almost everywhere. The states of the former Confederacy often micromanage content, and the quality of teaching varies widely from boring worksheets and lectures to experiential learning with mock legislative sessions and court cases. My granddaughter, who voted for the first time in November 2024, benefited from the latter, and became knowledgeable enough to advise her boyfriend’s parents about how to assess a bad initiative in our state.
But, Joyce, I agree that we need to reclaim opportunities for popular education outside of schools like that practiced effectively in Latin America during the dictatorships, and here in the US in the anti-Viet Nam war movement and second wave feminism. It works when we reach outside our own echo chambers.
Please DO contribute your passion to your local school district. I turned my retirement to working on transforming higher ed business schools to address climate and equality. It may feel like very little most of the time but if everyone does a little . . . .
I work at a McDonald's in Alabama. On Monday morning, a mom and dad came in with their 8 or 9 year old daughter. They set up her laptop and textbooks and proudly told me they were homeschooling, because where better to learn than the PlayPlace, right? They bought her a large iced coffee. The books were a bible, bible study, scripture. No history, math, english, geography. Unless you want your daughter to be Katie Britt, minus the senate seat, why, just WHY? Poverty and pregnancy are her lot. This beautiful little girl, who has no one to trust but mom and dad, could have taken the bus to classes, sports, friends, free lunch, and educated, responsible role models. No one seems to go to school here any more. When they left, they walked to the bus stop. They do not have a car. Life is not going to get better. I weep for her. And for us.
Sad. Destined for mediocrity if she’s lucky.
Such words Joyce, thank you. I had such a good civics education throughout my early years (back in the day, as we say) that I can’t imagine being anyone can be “educated” without that. That said, my plan is to watch the MLK Jr parade in our town in AZ, re-connect with the local legislative district democrats there, watch Selma, and continue reading The Eyes on the Prize.
I am so happy to learn of the Contrarian. It will be a much needed alternative to our beloved media sources that are bending the knee. Our movement needs content creators who can teach civics via comics, memes and reels to the masses of our fellow citizens who have become used to getting their information from those sources. Who among us has those skills and can do that?
As someone who’s spent a lifetime teaching high school history, civics, and economics, and later preparing the next generation of teachers, I deeply resonate with your call to invest in civics education. It’s not just about understanding structures like the Constitution or the Bill of Rights but fostering a sense of civic responsibility.
To that end, I designed a lesson exploring how systemic inequality has shaped communities, using redlining maps and the 1940 Census. It’s a powerful way for students to connect history with personal narratives and understand the impact of policy on people’s lives. I’d love to share it here: "Mapping Inequality: Exploring Personal History in Redline Maps and the 1940 Census." https://peterpappas.com/2020/11/mapping-inequality-exploring-personal-history-in-redline-maps-and-the-1940-census.html
Thank you for emphasizing the relay race of democracy—it’s work worth continuing.
Bravo for your lessons on systemic inequality ... I don't know in what state you teach, but isn't there a substantial chance in some states--Florida comes to mind--that your lessons would be considered "radical" or "woke" by the local politicos or school board?
Thank you for the kind words! Fortunately, I teach at the University of Portland in Oregon, where I work with future educators. It’s a supportive environment for fostering critical thinking and exploring systemic inequality without fear of political pushback. I’m grateful to help prepare the next generation of teachers to tackle these essential topics.
I'm Canadian. When I started at McGill University in Montreal many years ago, there were quite a few Americans in my classes. In conversations with them, I was struck by how much more they knew about the structure of American governance than I did about Canadian. I was curious why this was; every time I asked, the response was: civics classes in high school. I so admired the knowledge and perspective they had that I remember it to this day: civics classes in high school.
Not watching or listening to the inauguration. Joined Indivisible and am working to keep our Democracy intact and functioning. On Monday I will honor Dr. King and his and other Civil Rights people who worked so hard to reach goals that seemed impossible. More to do, always more to do.
Last week we hosted the first meeting of our local Indivisible chapter for 2025. We were at full capacity in a large room. We asked people their priorities and they told us for 40 minutes. I tallied and will share them. Those with the most votes will be our priorities. We are connecting new members to the tools we’ve developed to track state legislation and make our voices heard.
We recruited volunteers to attend local school boards, our library, city and county council meetings and report back so we can take action where needed, when it’s needed.
Our message is to build power locally and statewide because this empowers us nationally. We are building community for mutual support and collaborating with allied organizations. We are preparing to defend vulnerable people, and we will work to elect honorable public servants. Damn the torpedoes!
Thank you and your chapter members for all of this attention and dedicated action! This is the way forward.
I will not be watching the inauguration either. I will be remembering Martin Luther King's speeches, writings, and non-violent actions.
Please don’t stop with the chicken pictures!
The chickens will back her into a corner if she does. 🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔
The vast majority of Americans are centrist, agreeing on so much. We've let the fringe on both ends of the spectrum drive the conversation for too long.
It's time to respectfully and factually reengage in order to protect the good most of us value, and to refine and redefine our democracy to address our shared future.
The vast majority of Americans are too fucking ignorant to know what a "centrist" is.