Without having any first-hand knowledge about this, it seems to me that GOP elected officials could not consistently vote against efforts to strengthen our democracy and vote for efforts to undermine it if they were not being directed to do so by their funders. That MAGA exists as a movement because it’s supported by someone or someones who are invested in eliminating democracy in the United States. This is not unprecedented in our history, as we know from FDR’s era when there was a scheme to remove FDR from the scene and use the military against him. It seems to have been only because the man chosen to be the figurehead dictator, Marine General Smedley Butler, exposed those who had approached him. This event goes under the name “The Business Plot” and has largely been forgotten by Americans who seem largely to have lost interest in our history, or been induced to forget it. Here is the wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot
Kenrick, i have a webpage that tells a lot more about this, with the highly respected, richly decorated Gen. Butler's own words about what was going on in the USA up through the time of that Business Plot.....
Years ago you wrote a few lines describing your outrage at Trump admin. ripping babies from their mothers arms saying the policy had stained the Republican party and that was the reason that you left. (something to that affect) U have been beyond frustrated in my unsuccessful attempts to find your exact few lines. If not too ,much trouble I would greatly appreciate if you'd email the text to me. Thanks so much !!! Holly
Did Substack remove the ability to edit our comments shortly after posting? Answer (edited): it appears that one can edit from the web but not the app. I’ll be using the web from now on.
From the website, bottom right “...”, click and you’ll see one choice “edit comment”. From the app, clicking the same “...” yields a 3 item menu including delete but no edit.
I’m interested in our chances of keeping the house. I’ve heard from some that it’s a done deal we will lose it. I think that’s incompatible with our democracy and wonder if we have a realistic chance to retain.
From Canada we see the U.S. as if looking into a fish bowl. My start as a U.S. political junkie started before I wept in my schoolyard at the death of FDR. I have always enjoyed your commentary, often on MSNBC. I share one of mine.
HOW’S THAT SECOND AMENDMENT WORKING OUT FOR YOU?
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Half of this statement has to do with a well-regulated (what does that mean) militia, which would seem to set the framework in which the right of the individual to keep and bear arms exists. This was the point made by Justice Stevens in his dissent on Heller. But not according to the brilliant, everybody-looks-up-to-him genius, Antonin Scalia, who in my view is responsible for more gun deaths in the U.S. than any other person. He is responsible for this idiotic obsession with the right of every individual to carry a gun, like some kind of freaking cowboy. He can also take a tip of the cap for Citizens United, which once and forever has corrupted the U.S. government with secret money leading to even more gun deaths, because Republicans value money over lives.
It hardly matters that this amendment was the product of some quaint little old misogynist, slave-owners who were thinking muskets, not AR-15s. The Supreme Court, in the business of making law, (specifically not their task), has made the musket to AR transition, I guess, in the name of progress. The fact that the guns the founders anticipated were so innocuous explains why an 18-year-old can buy a “long gun” and now an AR 15 as opposed to the more dangerous pistol. Huh?
Two days ago, Senator Chris Murphy, CT revealed there had been 20 mass shootings in America since Uvalde, Texas, which seems like the latest one to us. We only hear about a few of these. President Zalensky has reported that up to 100 people a day are dying as a result of the unforgivable, massive assault from the Russians run amok. Well, that’s 24 short of Americans killed by Americans every day (figure, 2020) just for fun and they aren’t even at war!
There is a solution to this mayhem. They just need a bunch more Democrats in the Senate. They are already and regularly passing safety laws in the House. The first step is an absolute ban on assault weapons except for the military, the police and registered security organizations. No grandfathering, no collectors, no bullshit, just own one and you go to prison – period. Then start working on pistols that carry more than 8 rounds. Then start throwing the book at people who sell guns on the street or through interstate commerce by the carload. Nobody really needs these things and here’s the clincher.
Americans in their ignorance, apathy and unbridled stupidity have created a situation where an entire generation of young people are afraid to go to school, afraid that they will be shot to death at or under their desks, or at their lockers or in the gym or reading for the school play. They practice what to do if a berserk 18-year-old decides that life is not worth living and why not take a couple of dozen kids with him. Because the Republican party likes the money, this is not likely to improve and this apprehension, this fear of sudden death or the loss of a dearest friend will become baked into wonderful, beautiful, innocent children as a matter of course and will never be forgotten for the rest of their lives in a country gone completely off the rails. Have you looked at the pictures of the beautiful dead children of Uvalde? Tell me, what kind of country does this and keeps doing this to its children?
So sorry … I discovered that after I went back and checked. I’ve been so anxious with Rump still walking around a free man and spewing his BS. I am going to be out of the country next week, but if I can make it, I will be there. I have a question about Ronna and the RNC.
I want to know if you have divorced yourself from The Lincoln Project?
I miss your voice, but I still love and support everything LP does. I believe the country needs what they are doing, to help save our democracy.
Looking forward to your AMA event.
Without having any first-hand knowledge about this, it seems to me that GOP elected officials could not consistently vote against efforts to strengthen our democracy and vote for efforts to undermine it if they were not being directed to do so by their funders. That MAGA exists as a movement because it’s supported by someone or someones who are invested in eliminating democracy in the United States. This is not unprecedented in our history, as we know from FDR’s era when there was a scheme to remove FDR from the scene and use the military against him. It seems to have been only because the man chosen to be the figurehead dictator, Marine General Smedley Butler, exposed those who had approached him. This event goes under the name “The Business Plot” and has largely been forgotten by Americans who seem largely to have lost interest in our history, or been induced to forget it. Here is the wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot
Kenrick, i have a webpage that tells a lot more about this, with the highly respected, richly decorated Gen. Butler's own words about what was going on in the USA up through the time of that Business Plot.....
https://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/General_Butler_Revelations.html
Steve, will you be recording the season for playback here for subscribers or transcription?
Years ago you wrote a few lines describing your outrage at Trump admin. ripping babies from their mothers arms saying the policy had stained the Republican party and that was the reason that you left. (something to that affect) U have been beyond frustrated in my unsuccessful attempts to find your exact few lines. If not too ,much trouble I would greatly appreciate if you'd email the text to me. Thanks so much !!! Holly
I look forward to seeing everyone and assume as it gets closer to Sept. 29th you will send us a link ( ?) Forget how this works.
Yup, I was looking for a link also - will keep an eye on things and look for one to appear sometime before Thurs!
Did Substack remove the ability to edit our comments shortly after posting? Answer (edited): it appears that one can edit from the web but not the app. I’ll be using the web from now on.
hmm... I don't see the comments on the website. And I've found I cannot edit my comments until the following day on the newsletter.
From the website, bottom right “...”, click and you’ll see one choice “edit comment”. From the app, clicking the same “...” yields a 3 item menu including delete but no edit.
Thank you, John!!! 🙏🏽
I’m interested in our chances of keeping the house. I’ve heard from some that it’s a done deal we will lose it. I think that’s incompatible with our democracy and wonder if we have a realistic chance to retain.
This is who a winner is, https://youtu.be/YNRfkMjwK70. Donald Trump is a loser. The question is how to convince those who are being fooled.
Am I missing a link to register for the session? I'm subscribed already. . . . Thanks
The day after the Jan 6 hearing. Should be great.
From Canada we see the U.S. as if looking into a fish bowl. My start as a U.S. political junkie started before I wept in my schoolyard at the death of FDR. I have always enjoyed your commentary, often on MSNBC. I share one of mine.
HOW’S THAT SECOND AMENDMENT WORKING OUT FOR YOU?
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Half of this statement has to do with a well-regulated (what does that mean) militia, which would seem to set the framework in which the right of the individual to keep and bear arms exists. This was the point made by Justice Stevens in his dissent on Heller. But not according to the brilliant, everybody-looks-up-to-him genius, Antonin Scalia, who in my view is responsible for more gun deaths in the U.S. than any other person. He is responsible for this idiotic obsession with the right of every individual to carry a gun, like some kind of freaking cowboy. He can also take a tip of the cap for Citizens United, which once and forever has corrupted the U.S. government with secret money leading to even more gun deaths, because Republicans value money over lives.
It hardly matters that this amendment was the product of some quaint little old misogynist, slave-owners who were thinking muskets, not AR-15s. The Supreme Court, in the business of making law, (specifically not their task), has made the musket to AR transition, I guess, in the name of progress. The fact that the guns the founders anticipated were so innocuous explains why an 18-year-old can buy a “long gun” and now an AR 15 as opposed to the more dangerous pistol. Huh?
Two days ago, Senator Chris Murphy, CT revealed there had been 20 mass shootings in America since Uvalde, Texas, which seems like the latest one to us. We only hear about a few of these. President Zalensky has reported that up to 100 people a day are dying as a result of the unforgivable, massive assault from the Russians run amok. Well, that’s 24 short of Americans killed by Americans every day (figure, 2020) just for fun and they aren’t even at war!
There is a solution to this mayhem. They just need a bunch more Democrats in the Senate. They are already and regularly passing safety laws in the House. The first step is an absolute ban on assault weapons except for the military, the police and registered security organizations. No grandfathering, no collectors, no bullshit, just own one and you go to prison – period. Then start working on pistols that carry more than 8 rounds. Then start throwing the book at people who sell guns on the street or through interstate commerce by the carload. Nobody really needs these things and here’s the clincher.
Americans in their ignorance, apathy and unbridled stupidity have created a situation where an entire generation of young people are afraid to go to school, afraid that they will be shot to death at or under their desks, or at their lockers or in the gym or reading for the school play. They practice what to do if a berserk 18-year-old decides that life is not worth living and why not take a couple of dozen kids with him. Because the Republican party likes the money, this is not likely to improve and this apprehension, this fear of sudden death or the loss of a dearest friend will become baked into wonderful, beautiful, innocent children as a matter of course and will never be forgotten for the rest of their lives in a country gone completely off the rails. Have you looked at the pictures of the beautiful dead children of Uvalde? Tell me, what kind of country does this and keeps doing this to its children?
How do I access tonight’s call? I haven’t received a link or a sign up.
It’s on September 29th!
Is there a link to the AskMeAnything session on the 29th yet?
So sorry … I discovered that after I went back and checked. I’ve been so anxious with Rump still walking around a free man and spewing his BS. I am going to be out of the country next week, but if I can make it, I will be there. I have a question about Ronna and the RNC.
Love this initiative and the courage and transparency that comes with it. I will be overseas traveling and will unfortunately miss it.
On my Calendar! Looking forward to this.
It’s on September 29th!