You have good reason, trump has every intention of burning the whole house down, it's crystal clear, he intends to dismantle the law and governance … and I have NO doubt that once in the chair he will set about abolishing two-term limits so that he can hand on total control to his children, unfettered by such trivialities as elections. Someone, not trump (he's too f stupid), has done the homework and groundwork on what steps are needed to unpick America's democratic institutions and constitution. He's not even in the job yet and he's displaying his cards to the world. The hubris is nauseating.
I agree that it’s the men behind the curtain who are running the game. Trump is too far gone into dementia to be the Chess Master. You can easily see that any posting with good grammar, focus and complete sentences was not written by this illiterate, ADD psychopath. There is evil, pure evil behind the throne.
Agree that Trump is too far gone into dementia to write complete sentences. My guess is that it’s Stephen Miller. He was one of the first announcements and is sneaky enough to take over behind the scenes.
Bonnie, and Stevie has a lot of help. He has all the Trump lawyers, and the many thugs he has "employed" to do his dirty work over the years. He bragged that he could take over a political party, and he did just what he said he did and our Supreme Court went right along with it. They think there is some kind of religious significance or something, all of the 6 being essentially Catholic. How can anyone respect a group of 5 men and a token woman to give a darn about the American people and our nation. They are too wrapped up in their own self-righteousness and the wealth that has been showered upon them for doing Trump's bidding, often enough to give the toddler-man pretty much whatever he wants, and Stevie will be right there to see that Toddler-Trump uses it.
Marge, yep, the powers behind the throne are evil and the American people were told what to expect, but their racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homo/transphobia, and classism that are so strong among them got them to ignore the truth and vote for the whole evil crowd anyway. Then Democrats, unable to get someone who would be with them on every single issue, either stayed home or voted for one of the 3rd party candidates who had nothing to offer, giving the election to evil. That is nuts, but is what America has become. Shame on us!
Heritage Foundation. Republicans. Plenty of candidates. Vance and Peter Thiel. Every writer of Project 2025. They have their puppet. They have planned for decades.
What are the odds that his 2028 campaign for president will be announced by 3 pm on Jan 20, 2025? Might be worth checking in with Las Vegas odds-makers.
Wednesday, Trump rallied House Republicans at a Capitol Hill hotel saying "I suspect I won't be running again unless you say 'He's good, we got to figure something else.'" He has also said electing him meant you would not have to vote ever again.
Well, the really amazing thing is that he displayed his cards throughout his time campaigning. There is no surprise here for those of us who were paying attention and recognized that he has, at every turn, told us in advance and kept his word while people kept saying “Oh! That’s only Trump being Trump.” Damn fools!
Marcia, yep, the Steves are appalling and are pulling at least some of Trump's strings. I keep thinking Trump is wearing an earpiece through which Trump is given instructions. I have wondered that since hearing some of his rally speeches when he would suddenly get back on some kind of track after a crazy rant. He accused Kamala Harris of wearing a wire, but knowing that Trump nearly always accuses others of doing what he is doing, no media that I heard ever asked that question. I wonder why. Hmmm!
I have had these concerns all along while reading Project 2025 with my Democrats Abroad book club. We have read 20 of the 30 chapters so far and will be going in the direction of reading about Democracy.
At the same time just because Congress bends the knee to Trump, as he does to Putin, which means they are all bending the knee to Putin and Musk who bought Trump his presidency, does not mean the military or the intelligence community will do so. We shall see. They can refuse him by claiming constitution. Wonder how the military will handle being run by an enemy agent.
I am making several appointments in my feline house community of 7 damn cats who don’t listen to any of my commands. Wild Man, the most recent entry into this cat-astrophy of a community, will become defacto leader. He has no leadership abilities other than pilfering food off Babe’s food plate every early morning feeding. If I pull him by his tail away from Babe’s plate, well, he goes wild on me and wants to claw my hand and bite me. I only took this recent addition in after a neighbor hit his close sibling. You see, Wild Man was born in my back yard just a few short years ago. And now I’ve given him control of the house above more senior cats. Ringo has been made aware of this appointment and is wondering why he wasn’t recognized for his leadership role after his alpha status several years ago after whipping Big Willie’s butt. And a sorrowful-looking Big Willie remains aloof after losing his mother. Babe will likely continue his food grab off Wild Man’s plate in spite of Wild Man’s new leadership role.
More appointments to follow. Elenor is the purring house groomer and now has a following of Muffin and Wild Man, the two feral as well as myself, another feral, as I patiently wait for Elenor to lick my hand in the middle of the night.
Reply, yes, he wrote 2 articles that relate to this. The first was Oligarchs' Island, which lays out the incoming White House Office and the roles of the people in it.
I have been sharing these posts a lot to people who seem bewildered by the Gaetz and Gabbard appointments, as well as Christian Nationalist Pete Hegseth. I am going to assume the other 2 are CN's. We know they are Russia Hawks. So, they are witting or unwitting assets of Putin, and thus of Jinping.
Furthermore, unless our DOD leadership has some non CN people who want to uphold the Constitution and do not want to see us go down the tank as a nation after centuries of fighting for increasing freedoms, then I am hoping they step up and stand down.
Right now if I were a NATO country (I live in one and am a dual citizen) or Ukraine, I would be looking to the US Military and the US Intelligence Community and offering them a home and a consulting position.
Well yes but Trump and people who have planned this out for him are now proposing a board to review military leadership and submit their names for forced retirement. S former military leaders suggested he would put a bogus test to the military leaders - yes or no, do you support Donald Trump and his agenda?
Linda, I am guessing it will depend on how the whole business is presented to the military underlings. They are trained to do whatever they are told and not provided care when what they have done is against their personal beliefs. I am hoping those in charge in the military now are teaching soldiers what their oath to the Constitution means; it is not an oath to Donald Trump or any of Trump's sycophants.
Stay away from the news. Always listen to Joyce. Skim the headlines if you must, but don’t read. Stay away from Facebook and not-twitter. Watch The West Wing if you have Max/HBO. Peek at instagram, but just for messages and maybe animal reels. This is what I’m doing. And I have severe suicidal ideation with my bipolar. It’s helping. Or scrub the kitchen if that will help, but try and keep your heart rate down. No wild dancing to songs you love, it’s a jungle out there. Good luck. And if reading, rotate heavy and light. ✌🏻🤞🏻
I started doing this during the first Trump stuff. I have set firm rules for myself and those who interact with me that I will avoid political things after 5pm, sometimes 6pm. That includes friendly phone calls where politics might still come up. I still know that to be an effective participant in the resistance, I need to stay on top of what's going on. So allow mornings for reading my faves, like Joyce, and alternate even that with watching Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell the mornings after they aired. We need to stay healthy, get enough sleep.
We must stay healthy, but I even got rid of Hulu live which carried msnbc. I can’t go there and listen to how we messed up. And we did because we can’t combat the online presence of idiots.
We didn't mess up. We as citizens have only so much power. And we are not offered many options. But very many people including us "left it all on the table" and didn't quite pull it off. No doubt in a while the Russian Republican machinations and voter suppression will once again be confirmed and once again it will be too late. But I will not accept responsibility for this nightmare and neither should you! Sometimes the bad guys win. Sometimes the arc of justice doesn't. So: stay healthy first! (I'm watching cooking shows....)
I was so incensed by Buffoon 1.0 that I ranted about it constantly. Although he would NEVER vote for him, my husband said I could only have 10 minutes to rant. It was much healthier. We are continuing that tradition with Buffoon 2.0
Nope, it’s still here and awful. My son is gay. I’m terrified. But the blaming, shifting blame and trying to rationalize 11/5 doesn’t make shit better. So I’m gonna stay out of the shit for a few weeks, then reevaluate.
I politely disagree on avoiding Facebook. I can sit for hours watching their "REELS" of dogs gone wild, cats astray, building mud huts & many more wild adventures. The occasional political post by a trusted friend is just fine. "X" on the other hand is going to have to go away. I'm trying out bsky.social (Blue Sky) so far the whackos are leaving us alone.
Me too. I can't even watch MSNBC anymore. I only read Joyce's post to stay updated. We are now in a Fascist Regime and no courts or Democrats or Republicans to protect us. Its very real, that it is over.
I agree, however, there are glimmers of hope. For instance, tffg didn't get Scott. So I am - stupidly perhaps - refusing to give up hope, at least not totally. It's not that I'm not scared, upset, pissed off, etc., etc. ...
I'm listening to podcasts re how Dems didn't message correctly to struggling people, that we're elitists, while Trump's shadow prez is the richest man on earth, while they offer up Matt Gaetz as AG and a Fox News host as Secretary of Defense.
Maybe "elite" is synonymous with "competent" and "reality-based."
He’s testing the loyalty of Republican senators. Or he may think he and Mike Johnson can pull an end run around the Senate altogether. See my other comment here about his power to adjourn Congress in certain situations.
Yesterday Republican senators demonstrated that they are not all Trump’s stooges. First, they rejected Trump’s pick for Senate Majority leader. Second, they retained the filibuster in the Senate. The House and its plotter Mike Johnson, architect of the 2020 fiasco, may be where the danger lies.
As I mention above, much smarter people than I announced several days ago that we will now enter a period of testing by the GOP to see how far they can go without bringing protesters out into the street.
Can't do that, Bruce, until what's-his-name is installed in the Department of Defense. Too many generals who take their oath seriously to chance protests taking place without a way to put them down. A test of the Insurrection Act??
There won't be any protesters out in the street. Americans are too lazy to stand up for Democracy. Most have no idea what Democracy is anymore thanks to our idiotic education system.
A long list Bruce. One that is of no interest to me at 70 years old.
I have no energy to fight any longer. I did all that in my younger years, and I now see that all those days of marching for women's rights, all those years of being a PP escort, all the money and work donated to campaigns was for naught. Evil will always be waiting to rear it's ugly head.
I will sit back and watch others do the heavy lifting now. I wish you the best in your fight Bruce.
Sorry to hear that, Rhonda. I’ve been an activist since I was about 12, and I see no reason to stop now at 72.
Rest up. Take care of yourself. Lean into your community. There are others ready to carry on the fight while you recover. Then, we hope to have you back with us.
Dear Rhonda, I am older than you 72 and I have RA and other shit gnawing at me. So, I understand what you are saying, and I am in the same boat. But some-one has to get the younger folk up and into the street. So I am writing to those who have lead so far...maybe several of them will and is already picking up the protest sign you and I have had to put in the attic. Love and Peace to you.
besides I can't help thinking that God is around somewhere laughing her head off. Let's see what they do with this ass hole. Every swing of a butterfly's wing makes change happen. You did your part don't forget or write that off.
Rhonda, I’m 81 and don’t have the energy but recognize the moment. Do what you can. As I have posted previously every generation has stepped up to make sacrifices- WW I & II, Depression Era, Korean & Vietnam, 9/11. We each care. You are no different. We’ll find or make our way through this evil bastard’s terror for generations to come. Rest your weary bones and join in.
He is nominating these for two reasons:1. to check Senate fealty and perhaps threaten those who dare to stand up to him ( though he will need them) This is more of his power play, consolidating his power, checking it 2. If they do stand up to him in enough numbers, he will have given his thanks to those nominated who supported him and move on to others. He's got a load of them. A process.
I was taught as a child that you do not destroy something without having first put in a foundation for the rebuilding.
I haven't figured out why GOP thinks it will work not to have a federal govt in today's complex and dangerous world but their claim is "give it all to the states" (which is of course also unconstitutional). If that played out, there would be regional alliances and disunited states but I'm not sure that helps anyone. In practice, it is more likely to be tear it all down and give it to us but, like Putin burning Ukraine to the ground and killing every human there, that looks like winning is still losing...
Basically stupid. Selfish but Stupid.
And if/when Putin DOES decide to send in troops, the first people lined up will be the Republicans willing to sell out their own country.
Oh yeah...I had already forgotten that.... But the point is relevant. If a bigger better tyrant were to walk in, once the US military and security agencies are gutted, the most untrustworthy would be shot first and those would be those politicians who sold out their own country, because they can never be trusted.
It's more than just "because he can"; it's clearly quite calculated. The orange criminal's demand for recess appointments and roster of spectacularly unqualified and awful nominees does three things for him:
1. Intimidate Republican senators, to see how far backwards he can get them to bend and flush out any who might be disloyal (and who will be viciously targeted).
2. Take the shortest, straightest line to his stated goals of mass deportations and persecution of anyone perceived to be a non-citizen (read, in the near future: anyone who is not white), using law enforcement as his instrument for vengeance, and securing the military as his personal palace guard and storm troopers, to be deployed against any dissent or domestic enemy.
3. Maybe get some of the current nominees, all extreme in their individual ways, through and into their posts. If one or two don't make it, oh well, more's the pity but there are replacements out there equally or nearly as extreme and more politically palatable who, given the success of 1. above, will get through the system.
Creating never-ending buzz and outrage, "owning the libs" in the parlance of the foaming-at-the-mouth crowd, are also benefits, to be sure, but secondary. Right now it's all about cementing complete, unchecked, unassailable, permanent power.
Republicans and Heritage are doing it because they have wanted to destroy the federal govt for 40 years or more and this is their grand opportunity. Put people at each agency who are the ANTITHESIS of the agency mission and watch them implode the agency. That IS the plot...uh...plan. And trump's promise.
Matt G. practiced law for 2 years, from 2008 to 2010 when he first ran for Congress. And he is being presented the opportunity to supervise the entire Department of Justice. Laughably absurd. But it will happen, unless some Senators grow balls and support the Constitution. We are 95% of the way to becoming a banana republic, laughingstock of the world. America is dissolving before our eyes.
When Murkowski made it public she would not vote for Harris, she took her seat at Trump's table. She did not say she would NOT vote for Trump's choices. She simply said she was surprised. That says a great deal about dear Lisa!
Two years of “practicing” law barely gives someone an opportunity to learn how to use the correct terminology and forms, much less appear in court and adequately address a legal issue. It means nothing. And all of us who spent decades in court roll our eyes at the arrogance of rude newbies who come into court with their demands of staff. We show them pretty quickly who’s not the boss of us and it’s not them.
And just how does that happen Bruce? We, the people, are not in control and no number of letters or phone calls will work when no one reads them or cares and the GOP critters have no spine or balls. They will bend the knee and kiss the ring of their god and savior.
Passive resistance is what we all do together. Here are some ideas for you!
Historically, people have employed various methods to prevent dictators from assuming and maintaining control. Here are some key approaches with examples:
Nonviolent Resistance
Nonviolent resistance has been one of the most effective methods for challenging dictatorships. This approach focuses on undermining the dictator's power through civil disobedience, strikes, and other peaceful actions.
Examples:
In Serbia, the Otpor! student movement used creative, nonviolent tactics to help overthrow Slobodan Milosevic in 20001.
The People Power Revolution in the Philippines in 1986 used mass demonstrations and civil disobedience to oust Ferdinand Marcos1.
Economic Pressure
Economic actions can significantly weaken a dictator's grip on power by disrupting the financial support that sustains the regime.
Examples:
Boycotts and strikes, such as the merchants' "general strike" or withdrawal of bank deposits, can put pressure on the regime1.
International trade embargoes, like those imposed on apartheid-era South Africa, can isolate dictatorial regimes1.
Information Dissemination
Spreading accurate information and countering propaganda is crucial in challenging dictatorships.
Examples:
In Iran, citizens used social media to share information and organize protests during the 2009 Green Movement4.
Samizdat (self-published, clandestine literature) played a role in challenging Soviet control in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Building Alternative Institutions
Creating parallel social and political structures can undermine the dictator's authority and provide alternatives for citizens.
Examples:
The Solidarity movement in Poland established independent trade unions and other civil society organizations, eventually leading to the fall of the communist regime1.
In some Latin American countries, community organizations have provided services and governance structures outside of corrupt or authoritarian state control.
International Pressure
External pressure from other countries or international organizations can help weaken dictatorial regimes.
Examples:
International sanctions and diplomatic isolation contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa.
The Helsinki Accords of 1975 provided a framework for human rights advocacy that helped erode Soviet control in Eastern Europe.
Education and Civic Engagement
Fostering an informed and engaged citizenry can prevent dictatorships from taking root.
Examples:
In many established democracies, civic education programs aim to create a responsible electorate that can resist authoritarian tendencies5.
Grassroots organizations in various countries work to educate citizens about their rights and democratic processes.
By employing these methods, often in combination, people have successfully challenged and overthrown dictatorial regimes throughout history. However, it's important to note that the process is often long and complex, requiring sustained effort and strategic planning.
So, Happy...I have hopefully answered your question in part and given you some ideas. Now it's up to you. Also read Gandhi He was the master at peaceful but constant resistance. I hope this is helpful.
I just read your title and had to comment (before even reading the article). Of course the knee will bend!! No question about it! We’d be stupid to think otherwise. He started with a few “normal” picks and directed the senate to go on recess (if they do, then our democracy is pretty much over). Then, the zingers came. He’s not even in office yet. Doomed. And let’s not dress it up for something it’s not.
I completely agree that senators will bend the knee to Trump. If they don't, their careers are over, at least for now. However, I am not at all thinking we are "doomed". I am not falling into a pit of despair. I withdrew from the chatter of my friends, most of whom, like myself, did work for this election by either writing letters and postcards, knocking on doors, phone banking, going to meetings, etc. I withdrew not because I don't care about my friends, I certainly do, but to protect my own sanity. I'm abroad so not watching TV and when I return to the states, I still won't be watching TV. I'm staying tuned to my intelligence gurus on Substack like Joyce, Heather Cox Richardson, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Timothy Snyder, Anne Applebaum, Marc Elias and Marci Shore. I'm tuning out as much bs as I can. As for these nominations, yes they are sickening, but I think they will implode. I think there are too many huge egos here, Trump, Musk, Vance, and others, who will be eating their young before long. Take heart!
I've tuned out except for Lawrence O'Donnell, Nicolle Wallace, and some Ali Velshi, all of whom tell it like it is. The chaos trump causes has already affected my life in a negative way. I seemingly have no ability to keep up with good habits in some areas of my life. It will definitely be interesting to see the huge egos get what they deserve.
Joanna, I’ve also tuned out (except for selected substacks and Lawrence O’Donnell). My guess is that selections of the Fox host, Gaetz, and Noem spell trouble for him.
Funny but not funny. As Joyce says, "We're all in this together." I see that as an extension of support to each other, as I do on Ruth Ben-Ghiat's Lucid. We are a community all trying to make sense of the mess we find ourselves in. I am particularly fond of Ali Velshi, I don't think he gets enough credit. When Ruth Ben-Ghiat was not often seen on Cable news, Velshi had her on on Saturday mornings. She gained more traction on MSNBC which was good for the listening public.
I see hopeful headlines in the legacy media about how somehow this administration isnʻt going to be as insane as we all know it will be. The usual "boiling frog" problem but this time the heat was turned up to High right out of the gate.
The latter. They have already caved. I was not and will never be hopeful that we wonʻt be in grave danger as a country as long as Trump and his MAGAs are in charge.
None of these people really wants to govern.All that's really focused on is the misguided loyalty bullshit,and revenge.Tfg hasn't thought past his own nose,and the inept puppets he has chosen reflect this.He don't want to do the work that's required to actually run our government,none of it matters to him or the people he will choose to surround himself with.Most of them will bail out the nearest door or window when they discover how much WORK will be involved,and by chasing out competent people who aren't loyalists,no one will have a clue what to actually do.Yeah,this will turn out well,or not.
I said elsewhere that either the plan is to allow a foreign entity to waltz in and take us over,or else these inept excuses for leadership will be too busy posing to notice a potential hostile attack on our country until the bombs are dropping on their heads, likely on purpose.Think"Red Dawn".
There will be no semblance of a government,these idiots have no plans of actually working to accomplish anything but posing as someone who knows what they're doing.Spoiler alert:none of them do.And they also want to eliminate the people who are actually qualified and do all the work behind the scenes.If a foreign enemy doesn't collapse our government on their heads,they will do it all by themselves.
Nice job to all the empty headed yutzes who voted this clown show in.Y'all think you hate the government now?Just wait until we don't have ours anymore,and some bunch of corrupt foreigners come in and take us over.Who was it y'all wanted to take us over?China?Russia?North Korea?
I said before that one should be careful what you wish for,you might just get it.And y'all gonna get it in Spades.Unfortunately,so are the rest of us.
I think there is a plan: Project 2025. And there are people (if oligarchs can be considered people) who are and will be doing everything possible to enhance their bottom lines. F- the planet: drill baby drill. F- the workers: no unions, no overtime, no benefits. F- the consumers: more monopolies, more price gouging, false advertising. F- the health of the masses: convert nonprofit Medicare to for-profit Medicare Advantage, jack up the price of drugs, sell quack medical products, take the handcuffs off the insurance companies to deny coverage, deny treatments, deny drugs. There is extremely focused method behind the madness. Meanwhile the demented President can be the distraction. And Lordy Lordy he does do that job very well.
Based on the analogy of Prof. Snyder of the White House Office to a 60s sitcom, which he calls Oligarchs' Island, I am getting that there is going to be a lot of turnover in the Trump administration. I saw that in the Project 2025 Document too, as my book club has been reading it. They want turnover and to stir it up, leading me to see Trump as working as an agent for Putin. An enemy agent as it were.
Lots of turnover will destabilize our military and Intelligence Community and make us ripe for attack by others. We will go from being the safest we have been to being the least safe.
Marlene, I totally agree. It also framed the relationships nicely for me. In the background we have Xi Jin Ping. I pictured it like an album cover I used to have of My Fair Lady. Put Jin Ping in for Bernard Shaw, who wrote the play it was based on, put Putin in for Prof. Higgins, and put Trump in for 'Liza Doolittle. (The name is so telling)
You could almost hear it as lazy, do little. Here is the cover.
He had a lot of turnover in his first "administration", but the difference this time is that it will most likely be deliberate since he is all about chaos and keeping the country unbalanced.
I agree he plans to generate chaos, particularly since his new best bud Musk is all about chaos, which comes naturally to DT. Still, I think that a lot of people will get fed up because they are all like Jr. High emotionally, and just quit. The saner ones will too. However, I have been thinking, perhaps naively, that the DOD and the Intelligence Community will not just let him endanger our nation like that. The fact that he is trying to humiliate them just as Putin has been humiliating him is not going to fly with everyone. It is not a group I would be purposely antagonizing. Still, I am thinking about Prof. Timothy Snyder's analogies yesterday and today, as he points out the craziness of it all. First an analogy about who is coming into the White House Office based on a 60s sitcom.
I would hope that the military would not cave, although I don't know, since a lot of the military tend toward the republican side. I read the Timothy Snyder essay about Oligarch Island, and it was very good. (I was bothered by the fact that many years ago, I was cast as Ginger in a skit my church singles group put on…) I will have to read your other link later.
I hand't thought about Flynn for DOD. Scary. Actually, it's all scary. I have a hard time understanding how so many voters have no idea of what trump did the first time around. And have no idea of what he's planning for this go-round, even though he's said it out loud. How do people choose whom to vote for when they have no idea what the candidates are about?
It seems like collective amnesia. Or, as someone else recently wrote - we each can live in our own manufactured reality now, lots of curated “likes” and fancys but few or no shared facts. So we float apart, like balloons whose strings are no longer tied together or tethered to any anchor point.
Susan, the military has stood up to Trump on numerous occasions. I have to believe until proven otherwise that the good women and men in the military will be more like Kinsinger and Cheney than like the MAGA slime filling the Congress and SCOTUS, and actually take to heart that they represent the constitution.
The military hasn't. The military brass like Gen Milley have. They will be gone. And the military did turn its guns on students at Kent State many years ago. (Natl Guard, I think)
Well, we do not know each individual in the military, but I hope that we see many rise to the occasion. Also, if I were a NATO nation or Ukraine, I would be offering US military and Intelligence Community members invitations to consult.
I hesitate to predict the future, since my fiction writer's imagination has so far proven over eight years to not be able to get ahead of the next insane move, but my non-fiction political/military writer's stick-to-the-facts sense shows that every worst thing that you can come up with that he'd try, he's tried.
So I think he is actually pushing to get the Senate to oppose Gaetz, Hegseth and Gabbard, and he will then use his Article II power to shut them down. He tells them to come back in six months, during which he appoints any and all loons he can come up with and governs by decree (Executive Order) to set up the deportapalooza, work his way past the "woke" generals down to the ones (mostly in the Air Force and the Special Operations Forces) who will be happy to click their heels, snap a salute and should "Jawohl Mein Fuhrer!!"
This recess appointments business could be our Reichstag Fire.
Joyce, Thanks for this forest view look at the trees. Speaking of the trees, I have been thinking about all the US Attorneys country-wide and how this nomination must land with the majority of these public servants. I was definitely no fan of William Barr (or Sessions or Ashcroft) but this must be a real gut punch.
They are no doubt appalled. And they may resign en masse if he is installed as AG. But it really doesn’t matter because Gaetz would fire them anyway and start over from scratch.
Trump is poking the bear to see if anything happens. That will tell him just how far he can go. If no opposition to this occurs he will make the next move even worse. The Dems need to stop acting like this is the usual transition and get to battle stations fast. Appoint judges before the end of term and raise the roof over Trump's incompetence. We need to get ready too as it is obvious it will hit the fan the moment that fool steps behind the resolute desk.
This is all smart thinking, Joyce, but I think you missed a step.
To be able to exercise its power and duty to advise and consent, the appointments must not be recess appointments, which Trump screamed for as you noted.
The Senate will not be in recess when Trump assumes the Presidency on Jan 20, but a small provision in Article II, Section 3 gives the President the power to adjourn Congress if the houses cannot agree when to do so. And he can keep them adjourned until the next session. It appears that Trump and Johnson’s “little secret” may be that shortly after the inauguration, Johnson will put a measure before the House to immediately adjourn the session. And if he has the votes to pass it, and the Senate disagrees, Trump can exercise this power under Article II and adjourn Congress by his lonesome.
This plot was no doubt crafted by Johnson, one of the architects of the Jan 6 fiasco. He is one cynical bastard.
Are there a handful of Republican representatives who would step forward to foil this plot by voting with the Dems against this measure? That’s a question for someone else to answer.
Will Johnson still be the Speaker? I know Jordan is vying for the position. I am surprised to see Johnson has not been given a higher position in the cabinet.
The Tulsi Gabbard nomination for director of national intelligence is more than non-serious; she is a real threat to national security. Not only has she befriended and defended the indefensible Bashar Assad, but there has been speculation that she is a Russian asset. In the outrage over the Gaetz and Hegspeth nominations, i hope the danger she poses is not minimized or overlooked.
Meanwhile, don't let the drama wear you out, my friends, as that's what they hope for.
What could possibly go wrong when you have a narcissistic sociopath, pathological liar, dementing idiot, convicted felon, rapist who is now President elect? You pick a pedophile sex trafficker right wing idiot for Attorney General, a weekend Fox host for Secretary of Defense, a Putin stooge for National Security Adviser and a dog killer with borderline intelligence for Secretary of Homeland Security
and likely, high school dropout, Lauren Boebart for Secretary of Education and MTG for Secretary of Space Lasers. What possibly could go wrong?
Darkness is falling my friends. Before the Gaetz confirmation hearings begin, he and Trump will probably hold a press conference and reveal the detailed plans for sedition trials. They will identify groups of enemies of the state- there will be elected official enemies like Pelosi, Schiff and Raskin, and media enemies like Nicole Wallace and the MSNBC hosts and Bulwark enemies targeted. I believe you, Weismann, Katyal, Kirschner and other legal enemies will be targeted for being taken into custody too Joyce. Senators will not risk themselves being targeted by blocking Gaetz or anything Trump wants.
I think it's utterly appalling that Biden met with Trump as if "everything is normal", in the same way that it was appalling that Schumer sat in the same room and laughed along with Trump at a charity dinner. The man is scum - utter scum - there is absolutely no moral and political reason why the Democrats should cave and give that man the slightest respect.
And every time a bigwig (Biden, Schumer, whoever) gives Trump any deference, it's a kick in the guts to the thousands of grassroots Democrats who thought they were fighting for something real over the last 12 months of really hard slog.
Biden should have said, "I will meet with President-Elect Trump if and only if he totally declares that the 2020 election of me and Kamala Harris was totally fair and accurate. Until we have that declaration, there is no meeting and no cooperation on a transition." This is the sort of mongrel that Democrats crave ... they have put up with Trump being a bully for nine years.
Joyce - you simply don't have enough serious decent outrage in your posts, and you go back under the lawyerly cover of somehow it's a functioning political state that just needs "fixing". I can't stand it.
Ian, perhaps Joyce is as upset as we are but for the purpose of informing the lot of us, it doesn’t behoove her to rile us up. She is our teacher, our “informant” of the good, the bad, and the ugly. We are all reeling from the election and trump’s (won’t capitalize his name) picks for his cabinet. He is a clown. The people who voted for him again are ignorant and couldn’t care less about their fellow man. We are here to come out of a fog, regroup, and reenergize. We will do this together, as one, to fight back again and again.
Marlene, I read Civil Discourse because Joyce reliably and regularly provides expert commentary and detailed explanation of important legal and political issues. Outrage is not edifying. It is unproductive discourse.
Your point is valid...to a point. Dems have to realize that our politics is no longer "normal." Republicans seem willing to ignore or subvert the Constitutions, rules, norms, ideas about comity, etc. in order to seize and maintain absolute (i.e. unshared) power. The country and its values are under attack. I think a little bit of outrage may be necessary to get us to the battlements or into the streets. Michelle Obama's admonition "...then we go high" sounds tepid when the rule of law is being waterboarded. These are dire times, and if we are not outraged by the plans that Musk, Miller, Thiel, Vance, Patel, Cheung, and Vought have for us then we will never be able to formulate plans adequate to mounting a vigorous defense.
Yeah well ... there is a still a strong vibe around here that the Dems are the good guys - I am not convinced because they don't care enough - it's just a very lucrative job for them, not a passion.
Whoa, Ian. Dems "...don't care enough"? I suggest they "care enough" to provide some semblance of what a constitutioal republic should look like. That might not be sufficiently outrageous enough to win elections in this day and age, but someone has to keep the model alive. Even if that model is currently on life-support.
No one knows what was said behind closed doors. I think it is appropriate for the president to meet with the president-elect, no matter how awful he is. As for more outrage here, I wouldn't be able to continue to read and/or participate. Outrage is gut-wrenching and exhausting but for myself, it is also not good for my health, so I would just have to withdraw as I have from my friends. I'm not ready to do work again, but I will in time. In two years we will hopefully have our midterm elections. For all I know, Trump may cancel those. Hopefully, we will have those elections and make a bid to get rid of the awful majorities in the House and Senate.
I can just picture it. Two mentally failing old guys who hate each other, one a decent human being, one a demented sociopath, meeting to discuss the fate of the formerly strongest country in the world. What could possibly go wrong. There was no honesty nor agreement on transition happening there. It was for photos only. What a farce.
I don’t believe we can out-outrage the MAGAs. Nor should we try. We would fail. THEY work on emotion which overrides their prefrontal cortex, leaving them with a deficit of actual thinking. Perhaps we need to use this moment in time to out-think them? Strategize out of the limelight? Though with our side obsessing with their circular firing squad, it may take awhile to herd the cats. And they will have to actually see the real - not hypothetical - dangers unleashed by the trump oligarchs.
Joyce, I have serious concerns for the future of the United States.
You have good reason, trump has every intention of burning the whole house down, it's crystal clear, he intends to dismantle the law and governance … and I have NO doubt that once in the chair he will set about abolishing two-term limits so that he can hand on total control to his children, unfettered by such trivialities as elections. Someone, not trump (he's too f stupid), has done the homework and groundwork on what steps are needed to unpick America's democratic institutions and constitution. He's not even in the job yet and he's displaying his cards to the world. The hubris is nauseating.
I agree that it’s the men behind the curtain who are running the game. Trump is too far gone into dementia to be the Chess Master. You can easily see that any posting with good grammar, focus and complete sentences was not written by this illiterate, ADD psychopath. There is evil, pure evil behind the throne.
Agree that Trump is too far gone into dementia to write complete sentences. My guess is that it’s Stephen Miller. He was one of the first announcements and is sneaky enough to take over behind the scenes.
Bonnie, and Stevie has a lot of help. He has all the Trump lawyers, and the many thugs he has "employed" to do his dirty work over the years. He bragged that he could take over a political party, and he did just what he said he did and our Supreme Court went right along with it. They think there is some kind of religious significance or something, all of the 6 being essentially Catholic. How can anyone respect a group of 5 men and a token woman to give a darn about the American people and our nation. They are too wrapped up in their own self-righteousness and the wealth that has been showered upon them for doing Trump's bidding, often enough to give the toddler-man pretty much whatever he wants, and Stevie will be right there to see that Toddler-Trump uses it.
Yes it’s all a smoke screen
A bit like Lord of the Flies comes to life but with adult men.
Marge, yep, the powers behind the throne are evil and the American people were told what to expect, but their racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homo/transphobia, and classism that are so strong among them got them to ignore the truth and vote for the whole evil crowd anyway. Then Democrats, unable to get someone who would be with them on every single issue, either stayed home or voted for one of the 3rd party candidates who had nothing to offer, giving the election to evil. That is nuts, but is what America has become. Shame on us!
Heritage Foundation. Republicans. Plenty of candidates. Vance and Peter Thiel. Every writer of Project 2025. They have their puppet. They have planned for decades.
OK with sycophants like Lindsey Graham. Headline: Chicken wants Foxes to take charge of charge of henhouse.
What are the odds that his 2028 campaign for president will be announced by 3 pm on Jan 20, 2025? Might be worth checking in with Las Vegas odds-makers.
It's getting to that point that is the concern. I truly do not expect DJT to live another two years.
Wednesday, Trump rallied House Republicans at a Capitol Hill hotel saying "I suspect I won't be running again unless you say 'He's good, we got to figure something else.'" He has also said electing him meant you would not have to vote ever again.
Well, the really amazing thing is that he displayed his cards throughout his time campaigning. There is no surprise here for those of us who were paying attention and recognized that he has, at every turn, told us in advance and kept his word while people kept saying “Oh! That’s only Trump being Trump.” Damn fools!
I think that someone is Steve Bannon
Marcia, yep, the Steves are appalling and are pulling at least some of Trump's strings. I keep thinking Trump is wearing an earpiece through which Trump is given instructions. I have wondered that since hearing some of his rally speeches when he would suddenly get back on some kind of track after a crazy rant. He accused Kamala Harris of wearing a wire, but knowing that Trump nearly always accuses others of doing what he is doing, no media that I heard ever asked that question. I wonder why. Hmmm!
It is an unpublished update to the infamous Lewis Powell memorandum. Remember him - the tobacco lawyer.
I have had these concerns all along while reading Project 2025 with my Democrats Abroad book club. We have read 20 of the 30 chapters so far and will be going in the direction of reading about Democracy.
At the same time just because Congress bends the knee to Trump, as he does to Putin, which means they are all bending the knee to Putin and Musk who bought Trump his presidency, does not mean the military or the intelligence community will do so. We shall see. They can refuse him by claiming constitution. Wonder how the military will handle being run by an enemy agent.
I am making several appointments in my feline house community of 7 damn cats who don’t listen to any of my commands. Wild Man, the most recent entry into this cat-astrophy of a community, will become defacto leader. He has no leadership abilities other than pilfering food off Babe’s food plate every early morning feeding. If I pull him by his tail away from Babe’s plate, well, he goes wild on me and wants to claw my hand and bite me. I only took this recent addition in after a neighbor hit his close sibling. You see, Wild Man was born in my back yard just a few short years ago. And now I’ve given him control of the house above more senior cats. Ringo has been made aware of this appointment and is wondering why he wasn’t recognized for his leadership role after his alpha status several years ago after whipping Big Willie’s butt. And a sorrowful-looking Big Willie remains aloof after losing his mother. Babe will likely continue his food grab off Wild Man’s plate in spite of Wild Man’s new leadership role.
More appointments to follow. Elenor is the purring house groomer and now has a following of Muffin and Wild Man, the two feral as well as myself, another feral, as I patiently wait for Elenor to lick my hand in the middle of the night.
I have to ask Bill - why would you "pull him by his tail" for any reason?
Doing that to any of the cats I've had (over the years) would likely get the same response.
Not that this is the current topic here.
Love it!
Timothy Snyder just wrote about that, relative to Trump voters bending to Putin.
Reply, yes, he wrote 2 articles that relate to this. The first was Oligarchs' Island, which lays out the incoming White House Office and the roles of the people in it.
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/oligarchs-island?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Then he lays out the hierarchy of leadership and Trump's place in it in The Submission Chain.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-submission-chain
I have been sharing these posts a lot to people who seem bewildered by the Gaetz and Gabbard appointments, as well as Christian Nationalist Pete Hegseth. I am going to assume the other 2 are CN's. We know they are Russia Hawks. So, they are witting or unwitting assets of Putin, and thus of Jinping.
Furthermore, unless our DOD leadership has some non CN people who want to uphold the Constitution and do not want to see us go down the tank as a nation after centuries of fighting for increasing freedoms, then I am hoping they step up and stand down.
Right now if I were a NATO country (I live in one and am a dual citizen) or Ukraine, I would be looking to the US Military and the US Intelligence Community and offering them a home and a consulting position.
Well yes but Trump and people who have planned this out for him are now proposing a board to review military leadership and submit their names for forced retirement. S former military leaders suggested he would put a bogus test to the military leaders - yes or no, do you support Donald Trump and his agenda?
Linda, I am guessing it will depend on how the whole business is presented to the military underlings. They are trained to do whatever they are told and not provided care when what they have done is against their personal beliefs. I am hoping those in charge in the military now are teaching soldiers what their oath to the Constitution means; it is not an oath to Donald Trump or any of Trump's sycophants.
I am so depressed.
Stay away from the news. Always listen to Joyce. Skim the headlines if you must, but don’t read. Stay away from Facebook and not-twitter. Watch The West Wing if you have Max/HBO. Peek at instagram, but just for messages and maybe animal reels. This is what I’m doing. And I have severe suicidal ideation with my bipolar. It’s helping. Or scrub the kitchen if that will help, but try and keep your heart rate down. No wild dancing to songs you love, it’s a jungle out there. Good luck. And if reading, rotate heavy and light. ✌🏻🤞🏻
I started doing this during the first Trump stuff. I have set firm rules for myself and those who interact with me that I will avoid political things after 5pm, sometimes 6pm. That includes friendly phone calls where politics might still come up. I still know that to be an effective participant in the resistance, I need to stay on top of what's going on. So allow mornings for reading my faves, like Joyce, and alternate even that with watching Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell the mornings after they aired. We need to stay healthy, get enough sleep.
We must stay healthy, but I even got rid of Hulu live which carried msnbc. I can’t go there and listen to how we messed up. And we did because we can’t combat the online presence of idiots.
We didn't mess up. We as citizens have only so much power. And we are not offered many options. But very many people including us "left it all on the table" and didn't quite pull it off. No doubt in a while the Russian Republican machinations and voter suppression will once again be confirmed and once again it will be too late. But I will not accept responsibility for this nightmare and neither should you! Sometimes the bad guys win. Sometimes the arc of justice doesn't. So: stay healthy first! (I'm watching cooking shows....)
I was so incensed by Buffoon 1.0 that I ranted about it constantly. Although he would NEVER vote for him, my husband said I could only have 10 minutes to rant. It was much healthier. We are continuing that tradition with Buffoon 2.0
Ignoring it won't make it go away :(
Nope, it’s still here and awful. My son is gay. I’m terrified. But the blaming, shifting blame and trying to rationalize 11/5 doesn’t make shit better. So I’m gonna stay out of the shit for a few weeks, then reevaluate.
I politely disagree on avoiding Facebook. I can sit for hours watching their "REELS" of dogs gone wild, cats astray, building mud huts & many more wild adventures. The occasional political post by a trusted friend is just fine. "X" on the other hand is going to have to go away. I'm trying out bsky.social (Blue Sky) so far the whackos are leaving us alone.
Cat and dog videos
yep
If you don't know this already, BlueSky is an alternative to X-itter, and good folks are changing the latter for the former.
Me too. I can't even watch MSNBC anymore. I only read Joyce's post to stay updated. We are now in a Fascist Regime and no courts or Democrats or Republicans to protect us. Its very real, that it is over.
I agree, however, there are glimmers of hope. For instance, tffg didn't get Scott. So I am - stupidly perhaps - refusing to give up hope, at least not totally. It's not that I'm not scared, upset, pissed off, etc., etc. ...
I too was reveling in that shout to r.scott.
You are NOT alone. The cynic in me is waiting to see what position he gives MTG.
Director of NASA, she's an expert on Jewish space lasers.
And NASA and NOAA have their own sections in P-2025.
Great comment!
Does MAGA think this is a joke?
I'm listening to podcasts re how Dems didn't message correctly to struggling people, that we're elitists, while Trump's shadow prez is the richest man on earth, while they offer up Matt Gaetz as AG and a Fox News host as Secretary of Defense.
Maybe "elite" is synonymous with "competent" and "reality-based."
Sigh. But I do appreciate you, Joyce Vance.
No. The cognitive dissonance is real. It's one reason to titrate your doses of it. It will make you crazy.
Cognitive dissonance is a perfect term. Thanks.
So, why does Trump nominate all these unqualified people? Because he can.
To shock and awe (the world and the libs) and, well, the more chaos, the less people look behind that curtain. Matinee at the burlesque show.
Steve Bannon: Flood the channel with shit.
He’s testing the loyalty of Republican senators. Or he may think he and Mike Johnson can pull an end run around the Senate altogether. See my other comment here about his power to adjourn Congress in certain situations.
Yesterday Republican senators demonstrated that they are not all Trump’s stooges. First, they rejected Trump’s pick for Senate Majority leader. Second, they retained the filibuster in the Senate. The House and its plotter Mike Johnson, architect of the 2020 fiasco, may be where the danger lies.
I was surprised there was not a higher position for Mike Johnson after he did everything he could to stop any legislation, especially at the border.
Being second in line to the presidency is high enough.
He was needed as the House leader. After all, there aren’t many who tell us “we only have to read the Bible to know his worldview.” Yikes!!!
As I mention above, much smarter people than I announced several days ago that we will now enter a period of testing by the GOP to see how far they can go without bringing protesters out into the street.
Can't do that, Bruce, until what's-his-name is installed in the Department of Defense. Too many generals who take their oath seriously to chance protests taking place without a way to put them down. A test of the Insurrection Act??
ps. I think "not" should be read as "now".
right corrected
There won't be any protesters out in the street. Americans are too lazy to stand up for Democracy. Most have no idea what Democracy is anymore thanks to our idiotic education system.
So, dear Rhonda...Give up. or follow some ideas that have worked in the past. See my comment to Happy Valley no more. Up to you
A long list Bruce. One that is of no interest to me at 70 years old.
I have no energy to fight any longer. I did all that in my younger years, and I now see that all those days of marching for women's rights, all those years of being a PP escort, all the money and work donated to campaigns was for naught. Evil will always be waiting to rear it's ugly head.
I will sit back and watch others do the heavy lifting now. I wish you the best in your fight Bruce.
Sorry to hear that, Rhonda. I’ve been an activist since I was about 12, and I see no reason to stop now at 72.
Rest up. Take care of yourself. Lean into your community. There are others ready to carry on the fight while you recover. Then, we hope to have you back with us.
Dear Rhonda, I am older than you 72 and I have RA and other shit gnawing at me. So, I understand what you are saying, and I am in the same boat. But some-one has to get the younger folk up and into the street. So I am writing to those who have lead so far...maybe several of them will and is already picking up the protest sign you and I have had to put in the attic. Love and Peace to you.
besides I can't help thinking that God is around somewhere laughing her head off. Let's see what they do with this ass hole. Every swing of a butterfly's wing makes change happen. You did your part don't forget or write that off.
Rhonda, I’m 81 and don’t have the energy but recognize the moment. Do what you can. As I have posted previously every generation has stepped up to make sacrifices- WW I & II, Depression Era, Korean & Vietnam, 9/11. We each care. You are no different. We’ll find or make our way through this evil bastard’s terror for generations to come. Rest your weary bones and join in.
It wasn't for naught. We were free for a long time. Thank you.
A slap in the face: I’m the president and you’re not!
Those Republicans who oppose will be primaried in 2026.
By then the electorate should be smarter.
In our dreams. REPUBLICAN primaries.
Well, we need to push them to recognize their choice is a false choice. They need to step up and be Americans.
Potter, What, you have an app for that ??
Yeah - sure - I was hopeful they were THIS time! Kind of a far reach.
See above.
Potter, not smarter, but rather having to choose who to fear most
Or having the pain reach home.
It's okay. They don't need the money...
He is nominating these for two reasons:1. to check Senate fealty and perhaps threaten those who dare to stand up to him ( though he will need them) This is more of his power play, consolidating his power, checking it 2. If they do stand up to him in enough numbers, he will have given his thanks to those nominated who supported him and move on to others. He's got a load of them. A process.
I think he's also telegraphing that HIS nominations THIS time around will take years because that's how he wants this to play out.
This can possibly take quite awhile. Appointments can be made during Senate recess, without the Senate:
https://www.vox.com/politics/384356/trump-recess-appointments-explained-senate-confirmation-thune-scott-cornyn-cabinet
The president can keep this up and wear out Senate resistance or the national security may pressure giving in to Trump. Hardball.
We really need to be actively pushing them to stand up. Their time is now.
You give him too much credit for an ability to think through anything.
He does it because he likes to destroy things.
Republicans do it to destroy the federal govt.
Both are stupid.
Makes no sense to destroy the ground you stand on so yes not thinking.. pretty stupid and evil.
That's exactly right!
I was taught as a child that you do not destroy something without having first put in a foundation for the rebuilding.
I haven't figured out why GOP thinks it will work not to have a federal govt in today's complex and dangerous world but their claim is "give it all to the states" (which is of course also unconstitutional). If that played out, there would be regional alliances and disunited states but I'm not sure that helps anyone. In practice, it is more likely to be tear it all down and give it to us but, like Putin burning Ukraine to the ground and killing every human there, that looks like winning is still losing...
Basically stupid. Selfish but Stupid.
And if/when Putin DOES decide to send in troops, the first people lined up will be the Republicans willing to sell out their own country.
Please .. Putin does not have the troops and it will never happen.
As it is N.Korea is helping Putin out sending their troops to Russia. That's how desperate Putin is. He cannot use more Russians.
Oh yeah...I had already forgotten that.... But the point is relevant. If a bigger better tyrant were to walk in, once the US military and security agencies are gutted, the most untrustworthy would be shot first and those would be those politicians who sold out their own country, because they can never be trusted.
Chaos
It's more than just "because he can"; it's clearly quite calculated. The orange criminal's demand for recess appointments and roster of spectacularly unqualified and awful nominees does three things for him:
1. Intimidate Republican senators, to see how far backwards he can get them to bend and flush out any who might be disloyal (and who will be viciously targeted).
2. Take the shortest, straightest line to his stated goals of mass deportations and persecution of anyone perceived to be a non-citizen (read, in the near future: anyone who is not white), using law enforcement as his instrument for vengeance, and securing the military as his personal palace guard and storm troopers, to be deployed against any dissent or domestic enemy.
3. Maybe get some of the current nominees, all extreme in their individual ways, through and into their posts. If one or two don't make it, oh well, more's the pity but there are replacements out there equally or nearly as extreme and more politically palatable who, given the success of 1. above, will get through the system.
Creating never-ending buzz and outrage, "owning the libs" in the parlance of the foaming-at-the-mouth crowd, are also benefits, to be sure, but secondary. Right now it's all about cementing complete, unchecked, unassailable, permanent power.
All Trump cares about us staying out of jail. Steve Miller, Stephen Bannon, and their Heritage Foundation friends will do his thinking and bidding.
Exactly!
He does it for payback.
Republicans and Heritage are doing it because they have wanted to destroy the federal govt for 40 years or more and this is their grand opportunity. Put people at each agency who are the ANTITHESIS of the agency mission and watch them implode the agency. That IS the plot...uh...plan. And trump's promise.
Matt G. practiced law for 2 years, from 2008 to 2010 when he first ran for Congress. And he is being presented the opportunity to supervise the entire Department of Justice. Laughably absurd. But it will happen, unless some Senators grow balls and support the Constitution. We are 95% of the way to becoming a banana republic, laughingstock of the world. America is dissolving before our eyes.
Interesting one voice is Lisa Murkowski who wonʻt grow balls but is tougher than most of her male colleagues.
When Murkowski made it public she would not vote for Harris, she took her seat at Trump's table. She did not say she would NOT vote for Trump's choices. She simply said she was surprised. That says a great deal about dear Lisa!
Yeah good point. Sheʻs not reliable.
We all have a tipping point when balls spring forth. The comments are weird and cut off words.
Wow!! Two whole years? Did not know that. That changes everything. (Sarcasm intended.)
Two years of “practicing” law barely gives someone an opportunity to learn how to use the correct terminology and forms, much less appear in court and adequately address a legal issue. It means nothing. And all of us who spent decades in court roll our eyes at the arrogance of rude newbies who come into court with their demands of staff. We show them pretty quickly who’s not the boss of us and it’s not them.
Take a deep breath, don't give in...passive resistance is now called for against anything they float at us.
And just how does that happen Bruce? We, the people, are not in control and no number of letters or phone calls will work when no one reads them or cares and the GOP critters have no spine or balls. They will bend the knee and kiss the ring of their god and savior.
Passive resistance is what we all do together. Here are some ideas for you!
Historically, people have employed various methods to prevent dictators from assuming and maintaining control. Here are some key approaches with examples:
Nonviolent Resistance
Nonviolent resistance has been one of the most effective methods for challenging dictatorships. This approach focuses on undermining the dictator's power through civil disobedience, strikes, and other peaceful actions.
Examples:
In Serbia, the Otpor! student movement used creative, nonviolent tactics to help overthrow Slobodan Milosevic in 20001.
The People Power Revolution in the Philippines in 1986 used mass demonstrations and civil disobedience to oust Ferdinand Marcos1.
Economic Pressure
Economic actions can significantly weaken a dictator's grip on power by disrupting the financial support that sustains the regime.
Examples:
Boycotts and strikes, such as the merchants' "general strike" or withdrawal of bank deposits, can put pressure on the regime1.
International trade embargoes, like those imposed on apartheid-era South Africa, can isolate dictatorial regimes1.
Information Dissemination
Spreading accurate information and countering propaganda is crucial in challenging dictatorships.
Examples:
In Iran, citizens used social media to share information and organize protests during the 2009 Green Movement4.
Samizdat (self-published, clandestine literature) played a role in challenging Soviet control in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Building Alternative Institutions
Creating parallel social and political structures can undermine the dictator's authority and provide alternatives for citizens.
Examples:
The Solidarity movement in Poland established independent trade unions and other civil society organizations, eventually leading to the fall of the communist regime1.
In some Latin American countries, community organizations have provided services and governance structures outside of corrupt or authoritarian state control.
International Pressure
External pressure from other countries or international organizations can help weaken dictatorial regimes.
Examples:
International sanctions and diplomatic isolation contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa.
The Helsinki Accords of 1975 provided a framework for human rights advocacy that helped erode Soviet control in Eastern Europe.
Education and Civic Engagement
Fostering an informed and engaged citizenry can prevent dictatorships from taking root.
Examples:
In many established democracies, civic education programs aim to create a responsible electorate that can resist authoritarian tendencies5.
Grassroots organizations in various countries work to educate citizens about their rights and democratic processes.
By employing these methods, often in combination, people have successfully challenged and overthrown dictatorial regimes throughout history. However, it's important to note that the process is often long and complex, requiring sustained effort and strategic planning.
So, Happy...I have hopefully answered your question in part and given you some ideas. Now it's up to you. Also read Gandhi He was the master at peaceful but constant resistance. I hope this is helpful.
People may also get great ideas from
Indivisible.org
They have been successful in the past.
Trump considers him to be his lawyer in that position. And he would work on Trump’s behalf and for him.
Right, indictments will fly if he is approved. Otherwise, he will be WH counsel, even if that position now is taken.
Side note, speaking of economic actions, my laptop just told me that TSLA is -5.17%. Because the darling of the fossil fuelers is in office?
There's an old adage in the legal profession: The person who acts as his own attorney has a fool for a client.
I just read your title and had to comment (before even reading the article). Of course the knee will bend!! No question about it! We’d be stupid to think otherwise. He started with a few “normal” picks and directed the senate to go on recess (if they do, then our democracy is pretty much over). Then, the zingers came. He’s not even in office yet. Doomed. And let’s not dress it up for something it’s not.
I completely agree that senators will bend the knee to Trump. If they don't, their careers are over, at least for now. However, I am not at all thinking we are "doomed". I am not falling into a pit of despair. I withdrew from the chatter of my friends, most of whom, like myself, did work for this election by either writing letters and postcards, knocking on doors, phone banking, going to meetings, etc. I withdrew not because I don't care about my friends, I certainly do, but to protect my own sanity. I'm abroad so not watching TV and when I return to the states, I still won't be watching TV. I'm staying tuned to my intelligence gurus on Substack like Joyce, Heather Cox Richardson, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Timothy Snyder, Anne Applebaum, Marc Elias and Marci Shore. I'm tuning out as much bs as I can. As for these nominations, yes they are sickening, but I think they will implode. I think there are too many huge egos here, Trump, Musk, Vance, and others, who will be eating their young before long. Take heart!
I've tuned out except for Lawrence O'Donnell, Nicolle Wallace, and some Ali Velshi, all of whom tell it like it is. The chaos trump causes has already affected my life in a negative way. I seemingly have no ability to keep up with good habits in some areas of my life. It will definitely be interesting to see the huge egos get what they deserve.
Joanna, I’ve also tuned out (except for selected substacks and Lawrence O’Donnell). My guess is that selections of the Fox host, Gaetz, and Noem spell trouble for him.
Agree especially about musk. How long can those two egos coexist before there is an implosion in that bromance
Joanna, its the “Leopards Eating My Face” party
Change the My to A and we could call it the LEAF Party...
Funny but not funny. As Joyce says, "We're all in this together." I see that as an extension of support to each other, as I do on Ruth Ben-Ghiat's Lucid. We are a community all trying to make sense of the mess we find ourselves in. I am particularly fond of Ali Velshi, I don't think he gets enough credit. When Ruth Ben-Ghiat was not often seen on Cable news, Velshi had her on on Saturday mornings. She gained more traction on MSNBC which was good for the listening public.
I see hopeful headlines in the legacy media about how somehow this administration isnʻt going to be as insane as we all know it will be. The usual "boiling frog" problem but this time the heat was turned up to High right out of the gate.
Hopeful? Or just a precursor that the legacy media is obeying in advance?
The latter. They have already caved. I was not and will never be hopeful that we wonʻt be in grave danger as a country as long as Trump and his MAGAs are in charge.
None of these people really wants to govern.All that's really focused on is the misguided loyalty bullshit,and revenge.Tfg hasn't thought past his own nose,and the inept puppets he has chosen reflect this.He don't want to do the work that's required to actually run our government,none of it matters to him or the people he will choose to surround himself with.Most of them will bail out the nearest door or window when they discover how much WORK will be involved,and by chasing out competent people who aren't loyalists,no one will have a clue what to actually do.Yeah,this will turn out well,or not.
I said elsewhere that either the plan is to allow a foreign entity to waltz in and take us over,or else these inept excuses for leadership will be too busy posing to notice a potential hostile attack on our country until the bombs are dropping on their heads, likely on purpose.Think"Red Dawn".
There will be no semblance of a government,these idiots have no plans of actually working to accomplish anything but posing as someone who knows what they're doing.Spoiler alert:none of them do.And they also want to eliminate the people who are actually qualified and do all the work behind the scenes.If a foreign enemy doesn't collapse our government on their heads,they will do it all by themselves.
Nice job to all the empty headed yutzes who voted this clown show in.Y'all think you hate the government now?Just wait until we don't have ours anymore,and some bunch of corrupt foreigners come in and take us over.Who was it y'all wanted to take us over?China?Russia?North Korea?
I said before that one should be careful what you wish for,you might just get it.And y'all gonna get it in Spades.Unfortunately,so are the rest of us.
I think there is a plan: Project 2025. And there are people (if oligarchs can be considered people) who are and will be doing everything possible to enhance their bottom lines. F- the planet: drill baby drill. F- the workers: no unions, no overtime, no benefits. F- the consumers: more monopolies, more price gouging, false advertising. F- the health of the masses: convert nonprofit Medicare to for-profit Medicare Advantage, jack up the price of drugs, sell quack medical products, take the handcuffs off the insurance companies to deny coverage, deny treatments, deny drugs. There is extremely focused method behind the madness. Meanwhile the demented President can be the distraction. And Lordy Lordy he does do that job very well.
I too have been thinking of Red Dawn.
Of course, with Putin in charge of Republicans he doesn't have to actually invade.
He just wants to rule. And destroy. And Trumpists are doing that for him here.
Based on the analogy of Prof. Snyder of the White House Office to a 60s sitcom, which he calls Oligarchs' Island, I am getting that there is going to be a lot of turnover in the Trump administration. I saw that in the Project 2025 Document too, as my book club has been reading it. They want turnover and to stir it up, leading me to see Trump as working as an agent for Putin. An enemy agent as it were.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/oligarchs-island
Lots of turnover will destabilize our military and Intelligence Community and make us ripe for attack by others. We will go from being the safest we have been to being the least safe.
Wasn’t that fabulous, Linda? He usually never shows this side of himself but the analogy was spot on!
Marlene, I totally agree. It also framed the relationships nicely for me. In the background we have Xi Jin Ping. I pictured it like an album cover I used to have of My Fair Lady. Put Jin Ping in for Bernard Shaw, who wrote the play it was based on, put Putin in for Prof. Higgins, and put Trump in for 'Liza Doolittle. (The name is so telling)
You could almost hear it as lazy, do little. Here is the cover.
https://fontsinuse.com/uses/38855/rex-harrison-julie-andrews-et-al-my-fair-lady#zoom-1
He had a lot of turnover in his first "administration", but the difference this time is that it will most likely be deliberate since he is all about chaos and keeping the country unbalanced.
I agree he plans to generate chaos, particularly since his new best bud Musk is all about chaos, which comes naturally to DT. Still, I think that a lot of people will get fed up because they are all like Jr. High emotionally, and just quit. The saner ones will too. However, I have been thinking, perhaps naively, that the DOD and the Intelligence Community will not just let him endanger our nation like that. The fact that he is trying to humiliate them just as Putin has been humiliating him is not going to fly with everyone. It is not a group I would be purposely antagonizing. Still, I am thinking about Prof. Timothy Snyder's analogies yesterday and today, as he points out the craziness of it all. First an analogy about who is coming into the White House Office based on a 60s sitcom.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/oligarchs-island
Then, a less than math analogy to explain the connections globally with Trump, Putin and Jinping and or course Tulsi
https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-submission-chain
I would hope that the military would not cave, although I don't know, since a lot of the military tend toward the republican side. I read the Timothy Snyder essay about Oligarch Island, and it was very good. (I was bothered by the fact that many years ago, I was cast as Ginger in a skit my church singles group put on…) I will have to read your other link later.
Do you suppose Trump will bring in Michael Flynn to run defense? (After Gaetz)
Shudder. And Steve Bannon’s (likely) cabinet appointment has yet to be announced.
Flynn will literally invite hostile nations in through the front door.
Prior conviction a problem? No problem. In T45 admin startup there were people who failed security background who were waived in under T45’s order.
I hand't thought about Flynn for DOD. Scary. Actually, it's all scary. I have a hard time understanding how so many voters have no idea of what trump did the first time around. And have no idea of what he's planning for this go-round, even though he's said it out loud. How do people choose whom to vote for when they have no idea what the candidates are about?
It seems like collective amnesia. Or, as someone else recently wrote - we each can live in our own manufactured reality now, lots of curated “likes” and fancys but few or no shared facts. So we float apart, like balloons whose strings are no longer tied together or tethered to any anchor point.
Susan, the military has stood up to Trump on numerous occasions. I have to believe until proven otherwise that the good women and men in the military will be more like Kinsinger and Cheney than like the MAGA slime filling the Congress and SCOTUS, and actually take to heart that they represent the constitution.
I hope you are right, Linda. I just don't know any more.
The military hasn't. The military brass like Gen Milley have. They will be gone. And the military did turn its guns on students at Kent State many years ago. (Natl Guard, I think)
Well, we do not know each individual in the military, but I hope that we see many rise to the occasion. Also, if I were a NATO nation or Ukraine, I would be offering US military and Intelligence Community members invitations to consult.
I hesitate to predict the future, since my fiction writer's imagination has so far proven over eight years to not be able to get ahead of the next insane move, but my non-fiction political/military writer's stick-to-the-facts sense shows that every worst thing that you can come up with that he'd try, he's tried.
So I think he is actually pushing to get the Senate to oppose Gaetz, Hegseth and Gabbard, and he will then use his Article II power to shut them down. He tells them to come back in six months, during which he appoints any and all loons he can come up with and governs by decree (Executive Order) to set up the deportapalooza, work his way past the "woke" generals down to the ones (mostly in the Air Force and the Special Operations Forces) who will be happy to click their heels, snap a salute and should "Jawohl Mein Fuhrer!!"
This recess appointments business could be our Reichstag Fire.
I would love to be wrong, bu I fear I am not.
I hope you are wrong, TC. I really do.
So do I!
I'm scared to death you are prolly right. And I'm scared to death for necessary Federal Government services and benefits...
Here’s a write-up of how to dismiss congress, I think a similar link posted also here to Vox.
Why Trump is demanding recess appointments for his Cabinet. 11/14
https://www.axios.com/2024/11/14/trump-recess-appointments-cabinet-senate
Nailed it again.
Thanks.
He doesn't get to shut down the Senate.
And if he tries, the Senate can Just Say No.
Which is what the military will have to do.
And the intelligence community.
And the rest of us.
JUST.SAY.NO.
Joyce, Thanks for this forest view look at the trees. Speaking of the trees, I have been thinking about all the US Attorneys country-wide and how this nomination must land with the majority of these public servants. I was definitely no fan of William Barr (or Sessions or Ashcroft) but this must be a real gut punch.
They are no doubt appalled. And they may resign en masse if he is installed as AG. But it really doesn’t matter because Gaetz would fire them anyway and start over from scratch.
But from where will all these lawyers …willing to swear a loyalty oath…come?
Lots of 2-year lawyers out there looking to make a living. Gaetz will feel right at home.
from those who helped GOP steal FL and hand the WH to W via Scalia
Typically all sitting US Attorneys hand in their resignations when a new president is sworn in.
I cannot say that Barr, Sessions or Ashcroft don't deserve the gut punch, but the rest of us will get it, tool.
Typically all 94 US Attorneys hand in their resignations when a new president takes office. That is what’s frightening to me.
But that is the leadership…I mean the no political rank and file
Trump is poking the bear to see if anything happens. That will tell him just how far he can go. If no opposition to this occurs he will make the next move even worse. The Dems need to stop acting like this is the usual transition and get to battle stations fast. Appoint judges before the end of term and raise the roof over Trump's incompetence. We need to get ready too as it is obvious it will hit the fan the moment that fool steps behind the resolute desk.
This is all smart thinking, Joyce, but I think you missed a step.
To be able to exercise its power and duty to advise and consent, the appointments must not be recess appointments, which Trump screamed for as you noted.
The Senate will not be in recess when Trump assumes the Presidency on Jan 20, but a small provision in Article II, Section 3 gives the President the power to adjourn Congress if the houses cannot agree when to do so. And he can keep them adjourned until the next session. It appears that Trump and Johnson’s “little secret” may be that shortly after the inauguration, Johnson will put a measure before the House to immediately adjourn the session. And if he has the votes to pass it, and the Senate disagrees, Trump can exercise this power under Article II and adjourn Congress by his lonesome.
This plot was no doubt crafted by Johnson, one of the architects of the Jan 6 fiasco. He is one cynical bastard.
Are there a handful of Republican representatives who would step forward to foil this plot by voting with the Dems against this measure? That’s a question for someone else to answer.
Will Johnson still be the Speaker? I know Jordan is vying for the position. I am surprised to see Johnson has not been given a higher position in the cabinet.
No idea. But you can bet they will find someone who will be Trump’s whore.
Well then Democrats will simply have to refuse to adjourn and take to the capitol steps to explain why they will be the ones making the laws now...
I'm telling you, you have to fight fire with fire.
They just have to NOT do as they're TOLD.
The Tulsi Gabbard nomination for director of national intelligence is more than non-serious; she is a real threat to national security. Not only has she befriended and defended the indefensible Bashar Assad, but there has been speculation that she is a Russian asset. In the outrage over the Gaetz and Hegspeth nominations, i hope the danger she poses is not minimized or overlooked.
Meanwhile, don't let the drama wear you out, my friends, as that's what they hope for.
I fully believe Gabbard has the Putin compromat directive and she’s there to watch his every step.
I am always impressed by Joyce’s comments. She presents accurate analysis of DJT, and his conspiracy to alter facts.
I believe he is lying to you and his followers.
Joyce tries to make and identify when Trump lies and gives false information and tries to make you aware of these statements.
What could possibly go wrong when you have a narcissistic sociopath, pathological liar, dementing idiot, convicted felon, rapist who is now President elect? You pick a pedophile sex trafficker right wing idiot for Attorney General, a weekend Fox host for Secretary of Defense, a Putin stooge for National Security Adviser and a dog killer with borderline intelligence for Secretary of Homeland Security
and likely, high school dropout, Lauren Boebart for Secretary of Education and MTG for Secretary of Space Lasers. What possibly could go wrong?
Darkness is falling my friends. Before the Gaetz confirmation hearings begin, he and Trump will probably hold a press conference and reveal the detailed plans for sedition trials. They will identify groups of enemies of the state- there will be elected official enemies like Pelosi, Schiff and Raskin, and media enemies like Nicole Wallace and the MSNBC hosts and Bulwark enemies targeted. I believe you, Weismann, Katyal, Kirschner and other legal enemies will be targeted for being taken into custody too Joyce. Senators will not risk themselves being targeted by blocking Gaetz or anything Trump wants.
I hope there’s a plan for Jack Smith and his family and staff to get away to someplace safe because you can bet on their extreme danger.
Yes, Smith, Bragg, James, Willis and Merchan are all on his enemy list.
I think it's utterly appalling that Biden met with Trump as if "everything is normal", in the same way that it was appalling that Schumer sat in the same room and laughed along with Trump at a charity dinner. The man is scum - utter scum - there is absolutely no moral and political reason why the Democrats should cave and give that man the slightest respect.
And every time a bigwig (Biden, Schumer, whoever) gives Trump any deference, it's a kick in the guts to the thousands of grassroots Democrats who thought they were fighting for something real over the last 12 months of really hard slog.
Biden should have said, "I will meet with President-Elect Trump if and only if he totally declares that the 2020 election of me and Kamala Harris was totally fair and accurate. Until we have that declaration, there is no meeting and no cooperation on a transition." This is the sort of mongrel that Democrats crave ... they have put up with Trump being a bully for nine years.
Joyce - you simply don't have enough serious decent outrage in your posts, and you go back under the lawyerly cover of somehow it's a functioning political state that just needs "fixing". I can't stand it.
Ian, perhaps Joyce is as upset as we are but for the purpose of informing the lot of us, it doesn’t behoove her to rile us up. She is our teacher, our “informant” of the good, the bad, and the ugly. We are all reeling from the election and trump’s (won’t capitalize his name) picks for his cabinet. He is a clown. The people who voted for him again are ignorant and couldn’t care less about their fellow man. We are here to come out of a fog, regroup, and reenergize. We will do this together, as one, to fight back again and again.
Marlene, I read Civil Discourse because Joyce reliably and regularly provides expert commentary and detailed explanation of important legal and political issues. Outrage is not edifying. It is unproductive discourse.
Your point is valid...to a point. Dems have to realize that our politics is no longer "normal." Republicans seem willing to ignore or subvert the Constitutions, rules, norms, ideas about comity, etc. in order to seize and maintain absolute (i.e. unshared) power. The country and its values are under attack. I think a little bit of outrage may be necessary to get us to the battlements or into the streets. Michelle Obama's admonition "...then we go high" sounds tepid when the rule of law is being waterboarded. These are dire times, and if we are not outraged by the plans that Musk, Miller, Thiel, Vance, Patel, Cheung, and Vought have for us then we will never be able to formulate plans adequate to mounting a vigorous defense.
Yeah well ... there is a still a strong vibe around here that the Dems are the good guys - I am not convinced because they don't care enough - it's just a very lucrative job for them, not a passion.
Whoa, Ian. Dems "...don't care enough"? I suggest they "care enough" to provide some semblance of what a constitutioal republic should look like. That might not be sufficiently outrageous enough to win elections in this day and age, but someone has to keep the model alive. Even if that model is currently on life-support.
No one knows what was said behind closed doors. I think it is appropriate for the president to meet with the president-elect, no matter how awful he is. As for more outrage here, I wouldn't be able to continue to read and/or participate. Outrage is gut-wrenching and exhausting but for myself, it is also not good for my health, so I would just have to withdraw as I have from my friends. I'm not ready to do work again, but I will in time. In two years we will hopefully have our midterm elections. For all I know, Trump may cancel those. Hopefully, we will have those elections and make a bid to get rid of the awful majorities in the House and Senate.
I can just picture it. Two mentally failing old guys who hate each other, one a decent human being, one a demented sociopath, meeting to discuss the fate of the formerly strongest country in the world. What could possibly go wrong. There was no honesty nor agreement on transition happening there. It was for photos only. What a farce.
I don’t believe we can out-outrage the MAGAs. Nor should we try. We would fail. THEY work on emotion which overrides their prefrontal cortex, leaving them with a deficit of actual thinking. Perhaps we need to use this moment in time to out-think them? Strategize out of the limelight? Though with our side obsessing with their circular firing squad, it may take awhile to herd the cats. And they will have to actually see the real - not hypothetical - dangers unleashed by the trump oligarchs.