Donald Trump is riding high, but soon he will be weighed down by the one thing he has shown over and over again in his life that he does not do well with: responsibility.
I think this is an excellent piece and would like to offer my two cents. Do not allow the hard days ahead to rob you of your health and well-being. Be concerned, but do not be consumed.
I’ve known this demented buffoon for 45 years now. I’m still here. MAGA cannot outlast me and will not win.
I still hold the over 10,000,000 2020 Biden voters who did not show up to say thank you for his accomplishments and to ensure the continuation of his direction. Damn all of them
Apathy, or Cowardness...which was it? Take your pick. I choose Apathy. People are too distracted by their DAMN CELL PHONES! X, Facebook and all the rest are time-sucking Plagues on our National Consciousness. Even my wife and my grown kids have succumbed. <sigh>
I believe that anyone who has observed what has happened prior and through this election cycle beginning with the GW Bush Administration and the 9/11 attacks has to acknowledge that major faults began there and have been compounded since then.
Unfortunately, beyond Biden's legislative accomplishments, his failings, especially during this campaign season exceed such accomplishments and ultimately tarnish his legacy.
Brief summary of failings: 1) Afghanistan exit with limited liberation of Afghan allies. 2) Arrogant assumption of political power to run unopposed for presidency.
Those two “failings” were enough to let a convicted felon, a subversive who tries to overthrow a legitimate election , six time bankrupt business owner, just to catch the surface of his inadequacies… get elected ?!! Sorry, makes no sense or comparison. Don’t forget thousands od Covid deaths because of his narcissistic concern for his own image over the lives of our citizens. No, does not compute for logic.
You are totally correct, it makes no sense and there is no comparison between the gross failings of Trump in comparison to Biden's. Trump was able to take advantage of the overall situation. I voted for Harris and donated to Congressional and Senate campaigns across the country. I think if another talented Democratic candidate from a state could have been fielded the outcome could have been substantially different at either one, two or three levels of this election (House, Senate, Presidential).
No, don't damn them. Get them to vote in 2026 and 2028 when the results of the disaster have been felt. They are our fellow Americans, and most of them were conned and outright led down that path. We really must stand together, even though we are pissed at their poor judgement.
Yes, there was fear, but he still has his unelected buddies who are trying to push him around and whisper in his ears about what he should and shouldn’t do do. Elmo Musk and Viv Ratmanswamy are now leading the way against Johnson’s attempts to push through funding to keep the Gov running. Things can’t get any worse when unelected billionaires start meddling in the public domain and tell elected officials what their job is. At some point, trump better boot them out or he’ll lose the confidence of his GOP led Congress and his fear will be real once again.
I'll go out on a limb here and predict he's already working on a plan to offload these 2 chumps, Elmo Musk and Viv Ratmanswamy. They are both really rich and entitled but TFG wrote the book on diabolical.
I hope you’re correct, it usually takes him a few days to clue into what other peeps are trying to do. Remember, the last person T talks to is his course of action. Elmo tonight, Viv tomorrow, Johnson on the weekend, JR on Monday, Ivanka on Xmas Eve, and on and on.
I thought I read a few weeks ago Muskrat and Ramadani will only have their special assignment for 18 months. At that time my thought was he is planning for their demise already. I wouldnt be surprised if he does not implement many if their recommendations. I think he just needed Musk's greenbacks.
Great piece here Steve. Spot on. Trump’s ineptitude, incompetence and, frankly, disinterest in actually leading anything, tied to the spectacular incompetence and unfitness of his cabinet selections will quickly manifest into failures, inaction and confusion.
That ineffectiveness does not make the scene any less dangerous, and calls on all of us to maintain vigilance and to deliver resistance.
But chase not every bauble and trinket of outrage. Let’s focus on concrete actions (or inactions) that the creature cantina actually takes, actually attempts, or
He will surely fail in the arenas of foreign and economic policy. I believe the fear he uses so well to manipulate others will become his own personal experience.
Trump thinks that as president of the country with the most powerful economy, he can be as brash and insulting as he wants. Prime Minister Trudeau went on bended knee to Mar a Lago. But, of course this gained the prime minister nothing. Trump referred to him as the governor of the state of Canada. After Trudeau’s humiliating trip to Trump’s lair, Trump abused him further:
“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. “Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”
Finance Minister Freeland resigned over how best to deal with Trump’s tariff threats. She wants to be more aggressive, strengthening Canada’s economy and cutting spending so that Canada can retaliate with tariffs against the U.S. As a result Trudeau’s government is likely to fall.
Trump has been claiming that the U.S. subsidizes Canada in the amount of $1,000,000,000 annually. Of course, his economic illiteracy is on public display. He seems to be referencing our trade deficit with Canada, which simply means Americans are buying one billion dollars more from Canada than they are from us, which is a sign of the American appetite for foreign goods and an indication of how prosperous we are.
Trump thinks high tariffs against our allies and trading partners will end our “subsidies” to them. More economic ignorance on display. Canada and other traditional allies and unfriendly countries will retaliate, strangling international trade, shrinking markets, and raising prices.
His second administration will be a calamitous failure. He will leave office in disgrace' to face sentence on his felony convictions in NYS. He knows this is lkely and it is beginning to show.
Finding the actual trade deficit with Canada is not easy. But in the interests of being as accurate as possible I post the following:
U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totaled an estimated $908.9 billion in 2022. Exports were $427.7 billion; imports were $481.2 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with Canada was $53.5 billion in 2022.
The trade relationship of the United States with Canada is the largest in the world. In 2023, the goods and services trade between the two countries totalled $923 billion. U.S. exports were $441 billion, while imports were $482 billion, for a United States $41 billion trade deficit with Canada.
Canada is 10% of the US population, does he think we consume at the same rate as the US population. what a dumbass. He wants to take over my country, well you ain’t seen anything like a pissed off Canadian. In the meantime can someone please educate him about his neighbor and best friend.
I would like to recommend the latest article here on Substack by Malcolm Nance. Title "Forming the New American Resistance". He has experience in intelligence, Ukraine war, etc.
Step one: He is calling for a total media blackout by us viewers for 100 hours starting 8 am Jan 20, 2025 inauguration day. No one should have cnn, msnbc, fox, abc, nbc, cbs, corp playing on their TV's. Give no attention at all to TFG ir the GOP.
Let me know if you agree with his article. I think it is a good idea.
Great, the start of the quiet revolution. Boycott the gazillionaires who support him, and if then own a business, don’t buy their products. Get off FB, Amazon, Tesla and anything else his acolytes have to sell and don’t watch ABC. As a Canadian, I am now buying not made in the USA clothings and we will boycott your wines. I understand what you’re thinking, but it’s the only voice we have against this demonic fool. We can’t vote, so we’re voting with our wallet. I hope we can all stand together in the face of this outrageous behavior being perpetuated on our American friends and allies
Thank you, Sandra, for this. We plan to either start the DVDs of the West Wing from the start or stream British shows. It’s an excellent suggestion. I’ll get his Substack.
I have learned so much from Malcolm Nance. He has been on the front lies in Ukraine for a year or so. He is in the know. His history is storied and he is forthright.
I have been saying this exact thing on here, Threads, TikTok, FB, BlueSky.
No tv channel at all that could possibly even air a tiny clip of the inauguration.
Many people have said they plan to go hiking in the woods, binge watch a series, or watch movies that day. I hope it will be rated as the lowest watched tv event ever in history. He will hate that since he places so much value on ratings & crowd size.
I have been waiting for the right time to write this. Trump is a coward. His only strength is the support he gets from those under him who want power and money more than he does. I said to a friend of mine some time ago as I watched what was happening, "welcome to the RPC (Republican Communist Party)". They kept telling their undereducated base that the socialists were the communist while they formed their Prolitariat of power sycophants and oligarchs. I am waiting for someone to call Trump's bluff (and that is what it is). I saw a glimmer of it with the female Mexican president and recently I was glad to see, at least for now, the Des Moines Register saying bring it on. Steve is right, if we all just say NO he and his regime will topple faster than the house of cards they are.
"If we all say no" means what? I asked my CPA if I could put tax payments in Escrow and it was strongly recommended "no" - tho I guess if the IRS is eliminated, I can put the money under the mattress.
My friend and I today discussed what "saying no" looks like, will be. What actions do we take to say no? Indivisible released a new paper I've not read. Will it, I wonder, tell me how to say no? I want ways to do so - I'm not clear how except the Midterms where my vote (and all of DC) won't matter.
Joan, I have this same discussion with my wife. She wanted us to look at moving out of the country for 4 years. That wouldn't solve the problem unless you could move everything to that other country and most have at least 3 year residency requirements before you could get citizenship, and this hyper-populist autocracy movement we found is pretty much a global issue so where would you go.
I say stay and support those that are fighting like Marc Elias and Liz Cheney. Organizations like the ACLU should be supported. One voice is quiet, but if it is backed by a mass of voters and real patriots it will make a difference. Saying "NO" means to not acquiesce and just hide out in fear. I'm an Independent but I go with my wife to the local Democratic Party meetings and support them (and we are in a very red district). It's also paying attention to the local politics and not just the national ones. The Republicans got to where they are today by playing small ball and worked from the bottom up.
This is our country too and we can't let this plutocracy take it from us.
Thank you, Patrick. We will stay. The tough part is that we live in DC where more of our limited rights may be taken and our laws overturned because they can be by "them". I'll donate what I can and join with others to do all we can to not allow this to as many as we can. One of those we support and I hope others will is https://www.thedream.us/ - they support DACA recipients. Gaby Pacheco (Pres and CEO), who I met years ago when she spoke on a panel, is an amazing human who, a Dreamer once and now a citizen, continues to fight for so many. I will not let those who contribute so much to this country be deported if I can do something.
Joan, I’d like to suggest that you read a few of Andra Watkins’ Substacks where she is recommending “purposeful disengagement” from the economy. Don’t buy anything that you don’t absolutely have to have, grow some food ourselves, trade/barter for goods & services with family, friends, & neighbors. Get to know your neighbors, get involved in your community face to face, local politics, etc. People in the comments to her articles have some good additional ideas.
This is a great piece Steve; it is chilling to the bone. You named your Substack perfectly, and you manage to flesh out your warnings with a will to resist and determination to overcome.
I just want to offer one additional thought.
It's completely fair to hold to account any and all Americans who are lining up to capitulate down there at Mar a Lago-- Scarborough, the media moguls, etc. They are responsible only to other profiteers.
But Justin Trudeau has a different responsibility, and to me it is fully understandable that he tries, in whatever way possible, to protect Canadian citizens against whatever might be coming. There are MAGA-types lurking in the wings up north across the 49th parallel. A US withdrawal from NATO might be imminent. Trumpian tariffs could ruin the Canadian economy.
Having recently lived in Canada for six years, I became more aware of our neighbor's political situation and ultimate dependency (military, as well as economic) relative to the US. And I developed a deep respect for Trudeau's moderation, coupled with his personal commitment to moral and ethical standards. He's in a truly tough place right now, as is Zelenskyy, and so many of our allies' heads-of-state across the Atlantic.
He preys on the weak because that is what bullies do. He does not have what is necessary to fight with intellect because he is lacking. He cannot fight with facts because the facts are never on his side. He cannot fight on moral grounds because he has no morals. Any fight with him is winnable. We need to want it enough and work together. He will falter. He always does.
Steve, as always your perspective is on target. And I also agree with James T for his perfect take on voters who failed to make any effort. It's a discouraging time, but keep the faith. The pendulum will swing back.
How then do we do that? I've asked others who posted here how we not engage him (does writing a Substack that is about him mean not writing? or responding?) How do we defend our Constitution and agencies? How do we oppose deportations? Should "the media" not cover the Inauguration? Should those of us in DC or who want to join us go to the jail when he pardons the J6ers there in their special wing block their departures? I don't want to be afraid but when I think of what I could lose - what friends could lose - it is difficult to not be afraid and to know how we do all that is mentioned. I ask, here, again, how?
Oh, the media WILL cover the inauguration, but we the people absolutely do not have to watch it. I sincerely hope that not one of us who voted for Kamala will watch even one second of that shit show. Preferably, we should show our displeasure of it by not having our tvs on any channel that will even show clips of it.
The media is responsible for a sexual predator, felon, wannabe despot being sane washed, and then elected. They knew who he was, and they obscured those derogatory facts to make their own cash registers ring—at the peril of this country and our democracy. It is unforgivable! Now is the time to boycott them.
So very true - he will eventually shoot himself in the foot or elsewhere and it won't be pretty - to say nothing of those evil egos that he is nominating to start fighting among themselves for the top of the heap......
So now, pro forma, Nancy Pelosi, from the hospital in Luxembourg, sabotaged AOC’s rise to the Oversight Committee in favor of Nancy’s BFF Gerry Connolly, age 74 and struggling with cancer.
Way to turn the page!! Way to NOT put a fighter in a position of power! What the fuck, Nancy??
Two things over the years that Steve has said have stuck with me hard. The first is what he said on election night 2020 when he told Nicolle Wallace that he trusted the American people. His trust was well-founded. And, for a brief time, the US had a bright and hopeful future. The American people really shit the bed this time.
The second was when Steve said if the shaky Biden pursued a second term, he would lose to Trump and Trump would be Biden’s legacy. At the time, I took umbrage at this comment.
No more. Steve was exactly right. Donald Trump will be the memorable legacy of Joe Biden. Who, despite the best intentions, ultimately lost his fight for the soul of this country.
I agree, Nancy’s sabotage of AOC was a really dumb move. She & some others of the DNC “old guard” just refused to get the message being sent by the younger generations that “we aren’t inspired by you guys, we want our generation to speak & be heard.”
What they did was just like spitting in the face of our youth.
Get in the fight in whatever way you can, from whatever direction you can, as often as you can. All across America that has already started and will grow as the damage grows. It is for our country, our future, and the you and your family and friends and neighbors and community. (And yes take time to protect your health and the health of those you care about - if you can and that is not threatened by Trump and his gang.) Trump, his corrupt family (don't forget them) and his gang of thugs and goons do not care about anyone or anything but themselves. Never have, never will. He and they are bullies. And bullies come down when you deal with them and by not caving to them. Sometimes you take them on face to face and sometimes you deal with them piece by piece in subtle ways..... People who threaten and try to silence others are really afraid of them. Everything he and they do next will be mostly in the open for everyone to see and experience. They will have to wear it and own it and make them own it and wear it. Then (1) Keep the Receipts, (2) Make them Own it, (3) Show and Tell the damage, and (4) Show a better way.
I think this is an excellent piece and would like to offer my two cents. Do not allow the hard days ahead to rob you of your health and well-being. Be concerned, but do not be consumed.
I’ve known this demented buffoon for 45 years now. I’m still here. MAGA cannot outlast me and will not win.
I still hold the over 10,000,000 2020 Biden voters who did not show up to say thank you for his accomplishments and to ensure the continuation of his direction. Damn all of them
Apathy, or Cowardness...which was it? Take your pick. I choose Apathy. People are too distracted by their DAMN CELL PHONES! X, Facebook and all the rest are time-sucking Plagues on our National Consciousness. Even my wife and my grown kids have succumbed. <sigh>
Brain rot! It's actually a thing!
Same.
I believe that anyone who has observed what has happened prior and through this election cycle beginning with the GW Bush Administration and the 9/11 attacks has to acknowledge that major faults began there and have been compounded since then.
Unfortunately, beyond Biden's legislative accomplishments, his failings, especially during this campaign season exceed such accomplishments and ultimately tarnish his legacy.
Brief summary of failings: 1) Afghanistan exit with limited liberation of Afghan allies. 2) Arrogant assumption of political power to run unopposed for presidency.
Those two “failings” were enough to let a convicted felon, a subversive who tries to overthrow a legitimate election , six time bankrupt business owner, just to catch the surface of his inadequacies… get elected ?!! Sorry, makes no sense or comparison. Don’t forget thousands od Covid deaths because of his narcissistic concern for his own image over the lives of our citizens. No, does not compute for logic.
You are totally correct, it makes no sense and there is no comparison between the gross failings of Trump in comparison to Biden's. Trump was able to take advantage of the overall situation. I voted for Harris and donated to Congressional and Senate campaigns across the country. I think if another talented Democratic candidate from a state could have been fielded the outcome could have been substantially different at either one, two or three levels of this election (House, Senate, Presidential).
Yep. We let this happen.
10,000,000 lazy or foolish Americans
No, don't damn them. Get them to vote in 2026 and 2028 when the results of the disaster have been felt. They are our fellow Americans, and most of them were conned and outright led down that path. We really must stand together, even though we are pissed at their poor judgement.
I saw a glimmer of fear in trump’s face for the first time ever. Thank you Judge Merchant 🇺🇸
You got that right! Though it’s not the first time ever — it’s certainly the first time since Nov. 5.
Yes, there was fear, but he still has his unelected buddies who are trying to push him around and whisper in his ears about what he should and shouldn’t do do. Elmo Musk and Viv Ratmanswamy are now leading the way against Johnson’s attempts to push through funding to keep the Gov running. Things can’t get any worse when unelected billionaires start meddling in the public domain and tell elected officials what their job is. At some point, trump better boot them out or he’ll lose the confidence of his GOP led Congress and his fear will be real once again.
I'll go out on a limb here and predict he's already working on a plan to offload these 2 chumps, Elmo Musk and Viv Ratmanswamy. They are both really rich and entitled but TFG wrote the book on diabolical.
I hope you’re correct, it usually takes him a few days to clue into what other peeps are trying to do. Remember, the last person T talks to is his course of action. Elmo tonight, Viv tomorrow, Johnson on the weekend, JR on Monday, Ivanka on Xmas Eve, and on and on.
I thought I read a few weeks ago Muskrat and Ramadani will only have their special assignment for 18 months. At that time my thought was he is planning for their demise already. I wouldnt be surprised if he does not implement many if their recommendations. I think he just needed Musk's greenbacks.
"I think he just needed Musk's greenbacks."
Bingo. He's a totally traditional and transactional kind of guy.
Great piece here Steve. Spot on. Trump’s ineptitude, incompetence and, frankly, disinterest in actually leading anything, tied to the spectacular incompetence and unfitness of his cabinet selections will quickly manifest into failures, inaction and confusion.
That ineffectiveness does not make the scene any less dangerous, and calls on all of us to maintain vigilance and to deliver resistance.
But chase not every bauble and trinket of outrage. Let’s focus on concrete actions (or inactions) that the creature cantina actually takes, actually attempts, or
actually actively ignores.
He will surely fail in the arenas of foreign and economic policy. I believe the fear he uses so well to manipulate others will become his own personal experience.
Trump thinks that as president of the country with the most powerful economy, he can be as brash and insulting as he wants. Prime Minister Trudeau went on bended knee to Mar a Lago. But, of course this gained the prime minister nothing. Trump referred to him as the governor of the state of Canada. After Trudeau’s humiliating trip to Trump’s lair, Trump abused him further:
“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. “Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”
Finance Minister Freeland resigned over how best to deal with Trump’s tariff threats. She wants to be more aggressive, strengthening Canada’s economy and cutting spending so that Canada can retaliate with tariffs against the U.S. As a result Trudeau’s government is likely to fall.
Trump has been claiming that the U.S. subsidizes Canada in the amount of $1,000,000,000 annually. Of course, his economic illiteracy is on public display. He seems to be referencing our trade deficit with Canada, which simply means Americans are buying one billion dollars more from Canada than they are from us, which is a sign of the American appetite for foreign goods and an indication of how prosperous we are.
Trump thinks high tariffs against our allies and trading partners will end our “subsidies” to them. More economic ignorance on display. Canada and other traditional allies and unfriendly countries will retaliate, strangling international trade, shrinking markets, and raising prices.
His second administration will be a calamitous failure. He will leave office in disgrace' to face sentence on his felony convictions in NYS. He knows this is lkely and it is beginning to show.
Yes, it may be a failure and we must live with the failures while they happen.
Amen!
Finding the actual trade deficit with Canada is not easy. But in the interests of being as accurate as possible I post the following:
U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totaled an estimated $908.9 billion in 2022. Exports were $427.7 billion; imports were $481.2 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with Canada was $53.5 billion in 2022.
Canada | United States Trade Representative
United States Trade Representative
https://ustr.gov › countries-regions › americas › canada
The trade relationship of the United States with Canada is the largest in the world. In 2023, the goods and services trade between the two countries totalled $923 billion. U.S. exports were $441 billion, while imports were $482 billion, for a United States $41 billion trade deficit with Canada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada%E2%80%93United_States_trade_relations
Canada is 10% of the US population, does he think we consume at the same rate as the US population. what a dumbass. He wants to take over my country, well you ain’t seen anything like a pissed off Canadian. In the meantime can someone please educate him about his neighbor and best friend.
He does have Congress - both houses - more on his side. The horror of how Judge Adeel Mang was treated - the questions asked of him - the words said to him. An article among many tell me that Steve may think it's all gonna be relatively ok and I'm not convinced for this and other reasons I wrote to the topic. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/combating-islamophobia/honor-no-prejudice-will-deny/
I would like to recommend the latest article here on Substack by Malcolm Nance. Title "Forming the New American Resistance". He has experience in intelligence, Ukraine war, etc.
Step one: He is calling for a total media blackout by us viewers for 100 hours starting 8 am Jan 20, 2025 inauguration day. No one should have cnn, msnbc, fox, abc, nbc, cbs, corp playing on their TV's. Give no attention at all to TFG ir the GOP.
Let me know if you agree with his article. I think it is a good idea.
Great, the start of the quiet revolution. Boycott the gazillionaires who support him, and if then own a business, don’t buy their products. Get off FB, Amazon, Tesla and anything else his acolytes have to sell and don’t watch ABC. As a Canadian, I am now buying not made in the USA clothings and we will boycott your wines. I understand what you’re thinking, but it’s the only voice we have against this demonic fool. We can’t vote, so we’re voting with our wallet. I hope we can all stand together in the face of this outrageous behavior being perpetuated on our American friends and allies
Thank you, Sandra, for this. We plan to either start the DVDs of the West Wing from the start or stream British shows. It’s an excellent suggestion. I’ll get his Substack.
I have learned so much from Malcolm Nance. He has been on the front lies in Ukraine for a year or so. He is in the know. His history is storied and he is forthright.
Agree. It’s that I subscribe to soooo many and need more time to read. This I will. Grateful.
Ps, I have not watched corporate access media (cnn, msnbc, et al) since The election. My TV stays on TV land most of the day.
We are back to PBSNewsHour a few night. Nothing else.
I have been saying this exact thing on here, Threads, TikTok, FB, BlueSky.
No tv channel at all that could possibly even air a tiny clip of the inauguration.
Many people have said they plan to go hiking in the woods, binge watch a series, or watch movies that day. I hope it will be rated as the lowest watched tv event ever in history. He will hate that since he places so much value on ratings & crowd size.
I have been waiting for the right time to write this. Trump is a coward. His only strength is the support he gets from those under him who want power and money more than he does. I said to a friend of mine some time ago as I watched what was happening, "welcome to the RPC (Republican Communist Party)". They kept telling their undereducated base that the socialists were the communist while they formed their Prolitariat of power sycophants and oligarchs. I am waiting for someone to call Trump's bluff (and that is what it is). I saw a glimmer of it with the female Mexican president and recently I was glad to see, at least for now, the Des Moines Register saying bring it on. Steve is right, if we all just say NO he and his regime will topple faster than the house of cards they are.
"If we all say no" means what? I asked my CPA if I could put tax payments in Escrow and it was strongly recommended "no" - tho I guess if the IRS is eliminated, I can put the money under the mattress.
My friend and I today discussed what "saying no" looks like, will be. What actions do we take to say no? Indivisible released a new paper I've not read. Will it, I wonder, tell me how to say no? I want ways to do so - I'm not clear how except the Midterms where my vote (and all of DC) won't matter.
Joan, I have this same discussion with my wife. She wanted us to look at moving out of the country for 4 years. That wouldn't solve the problem unless you could move everything to that other country and most have at least 3 year residency requirements before you could get citizenship, and this hyper-populist autocracy movement we found is pretty much a global issue so where would you go.
I say stay and support those that are fighting like Marc Elias and Liz Cheney. Organizations like the ACLU should be supported. One voice is quiet, but if it is backed by a mass of voters and real patriots it will make a difference. Saying "NO" means to not acquiesce and just hide out in fear. I'm an Independent but I go with my wife to the local Democratic Party meetings and support them (and we are in a very red district). It's also paying attention to the local politics and not just the national ones. The Republicans got to where they are today by playing small ball and worked from the bottom up.
This is our country too and we can't let this plutocracy take it from us.
Thank you, Patrick. We will stay. The tough part is that we live in DC where more of our limited rights may be taken and our laws overturned because they can be by "them". I'll donate what I can and join with others to do all we can to not allow this to as many as we can. One of those we support and I hope others will is https://www.thedream.us/ - they support DACA recipients. Gaby Pacheco (Pres and CEO), who I met years ago when she spoke on a panel, is an amazing human who, a Dreamer once and now a citizen, continues to fight for so many. I will not let those who contribute so much to this country be deported if I can do something.
Joan, I’d like to suggest that you read a few of Andra Watkins’ Substacks where she is recommending “purposeful disengagement” from the economy. Don’t buy anything that you don’t absolutely have to have, grow some food ourselves, trade/barter for goods & services with family, friends, & neighbors. Get to know your neighbors, get involved in your community face to face, local politics, etc. People in the comments to her articles have some good additional ideas.
This is a great piece Steve; it is chilling to the bone. You named your Substack perfectly, and you manage to flesh out your warnings with a will to resist and determination to overcome.
I just want to offer one additional thought.
It's completely fair to hold to account any and all Americans who are lining up to capitulate down there at Mar a Lago-- Scarborough, the media moguls, etc. They are responsible only to other profiteers.
But Justin Trudeau has a different responsibility, and to me it is fully understandable that he tries, in whatever way possible, to protect Canadian citizens against whatever might be coming. There are MAGA-types lurking in the wings up north across the 49th parallel. A US withdrawal from NATO might be imminent. Trumpian tariffs could ruin the Canadian economy.
Having recently lived in Canada for six years, I became more aware of our neighbor's political situation and ultimate dependency (military, as well as economic) relative to the US. And I developed a deep respect for Trudeau's moderation, coupled with his personal commitment to moral and ethical standards. He's in a truly tough place right now, as is Zelenskyy, and so many of our allies' heads-of-state across the Atlantic.
He preys on the weak because that is what bullies do. He does not have what is necessary to fight with intellect because he is lacking. He cannot fight with facts because the facts are never on his side. He cannot fight on moral grounds because he has no morals. Any fight with him is winnable. We need to want it enough and work together. He will falter. He always does.
Steve, as always your perspective is on target. And I also agree with James T for his perfect take on voters who failed to make any effort. It's a discouraging time, but keep the faith. The pendulum will swing back.
This is a great piece Steve. Boy do we need to hear this. You are 100% on target.
It is generally accepted that Trump is a malignant narcissist.
As such, ‘we the people,’ our free press and our allied freinds worldwide, should and must cut off his narcissistic supply.
No one of sound mind should attend the upcoming inauguration and the like.
The incoming narcissist will invariably do his deconstruction thing with or without our audience, blessing or concurrence.
We should not engage him.
We should instead defend our Constitution, agencies and liberties against him and without him.
How then do we do that? I've asked others who posted here how we not engage him (does writing a Substack that is about him mean not writing? or responding?) How do we defend our Constitution and agencies? How do we oppose deportations? Should "the media" not cover the Inauguration? Should those of us in DC or who want to join us go to the jail when he pardons the J6ers there in their special wing block their departures? I don't want to be afraid but when I think of what I could lose - what friends could lose - it is difficult to not be afraid and to know how we do all that is mentioned. I ask, here, again, how?
We take away his proverbial microphone and decline to show up, entertain him or allow him to transmit his threats, ultimatums or bullshit.
Take a page out of our founding fathers playbook and ignore him; irritate him and disobey him.
There are plenty of materials on the subject: Narcissistic disorders.
The country belongs to “We the people.”
Our government is not a corporation as Musk would have us believe. We are a republic.
When we speak in one voice, we are the final arbitrators of what’s right and what’s wrong.
A duel nature I’m aware; it’s an easy task to do, it’s a difficult task to do.
Oh, the media WILL cover the inauguration, but we the people absolutely do not have to watch it. I sincerely hope that not one of us who voted for Kamala will watch even one second of that shit show. Preferably, we should show our displeasure of it by not having our tvs on any channel that will even show clips of it.
Thank you to Steve and to all of you. Stand and fight. Trumplicans are not worried by those who cower. Let’s find the way out of this together.
The media is responsible for a sexual predator, felon, wannabe despot being sane washed, and then elected. They knew who he was, and they obscured those derogatory facts to make their own cash registers ring—at the peril of this country and our democracy. It is unforgivable! Now is the time to boycott them.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/predator-felon-despot?r=3m1bs
I would love to read the piece, but I cancelled WP when they began sanewashing DJT actions. Hopefully this will be available via another medium.
So very true - he will eventually shoot himself in the foot or elsewhere and it won't be pretty - to say nothing of those evil egos that he is nominating to start fighting among themselves for the top of the heap......
So now, pro forma, Nancy Pelosi, from the hospital in Luxembourg, sabotaged AOC’s rise to the Oversight Committee in favor of Nancy’s BFF Gerry Connolly, age 74 and struggling with cancer.
Way to turn the page!! Way to NOT put a fighter in a position of power! What the fuck, Nancy??
Two things over the years that Steve has said have stuck with me hard. The first is what he said on election night 2020 when he told Nicolle Wallace that he trusted the American people. His trust was well-founded. And, for a brief time, the US had a bright and hopeful future. The American people really shit the bed this time.
The second was when Steve said if the shaky Biden pursued a second term, he would lose to Trump and Trump would be Biden’s legacy. At the time, I took umbrage at this comment.
No more. Steve was exactly right. Donald Trump will be the memorable legacy of Joe Biden. Who, despite the best intentions, ultimately lost his fight for the soul of this country.
Listen to Steve. He knows what’s up.
I agree, Nancy’s sabotage of AOC was a really dumb move. She & some others of the DNC “old guard” just refused to get the message being sent by the younger generations that “we aren’t inspired by you guys, we want our generation to speak & be heard.”
What they did was just like spitting in the face of our youth.
Get in the fight in whatever way you can, from whatever direction you can, as often as you can. All across America that has already started and will grow as the damage grows. It is for our country, our future, and the you and your family and friends and neighbors and community. (And yes take time to protect your health and the health of those you care about - if you can and that is not threatened by Trump and his gang.) Trump, his corrupt family (don't forget them) and his gang of thugs and goons do not care about anyone or anything but themselves. Never have, never will. He and they are bullies. And bullies come down when you deal with them and by not caving to them. Sometimes you take them on face to face and sometimes you deal with them piece by piece in subtle ways..... People who threaten and try to silence others are really afraid of them. Everything he and they do next will be mostly in the open for everyone to see and experience. They will have to wear it and own it and make them own it and wear it. Then (1) Keep the Receipts, (2) Make them Own it, (3) Show and Tell the damage, and (4) Show a better way.
awesomely put! Love the last line especially!!
KEEP THE RECEIPT. MAKE THEM OWN IT. SHOW AND TELL THE DAMAGE. SHOW A BETTER WAY.
I crave and appreciate pared down strategies like this, that we can all remember, pass forward, and use.