In effect, what California, Washington state, and Oregon have done in the health arena is declare independence from the federal government. In our upside-down world it is the Northern states that must begin to assert and act on the doctrine of "states' rights" whenever the federal government's corruption and incompetence threaten the well-being of their populations. The next step would be to refuse to pay a portion of federal taxes (divert a % of federal taxes paid by residents to state treasuries) to fund the programs necessary to protect the state from a failing federal government.
They should also use their state National Guards to keep ICE and federalized troops out of their states since they have no constitutional right to be there.
I agree wholeheartedly. The taxes we pay were enacted in an agreement with Congress to pay for programs such as food assistance, subsidies for healthcare (which should be universal at a minimal cost), etc. If trump takes that money and uses it for something else, such as a private police force called ICE or other such expense, we need to hold back that money...he is in essence breaking the "contract" we have with Congress for those expenditures. And the Governor in MD has a state force that can be utilized to protect it's residents. I would think every state has it's own National Guard. ICE is breaking the law, so refuse their entry.
Time to get on the offensive. Personally, it angers me that all the money we pay in taxes isn't going to where it is supposed to. I don't want any of my money to pay for ICE, a ballroom or any stupid project of his that isn't in our best interests. Enough already.
Thank you for this. It gave me a boost when I really need it, as the indignities and crimes and deplorable acts continue to pile up, with no end in sight, with no discernible check on the rampant evil. Once in a while we get a tiny semi-win, like the Kimmel thing, but they are few and far between and seem to be not even a small bump in the road to these thugs and crooks.
But words like yours do more good than you think, they put a little starch in our spines when we badly need it. We may yet lose this battle, but I for one will go down swinging, and I will take as many of the bastards with me as I can. (Your piece made such an impression on me that I upgraded to a paid sub!)
We got the win with Kimmel because there was money involved. EVERYTHING boils down to money… who gets more (our oligarchs and the Trump Org); who is on the take (probably Republican Congressmen and Chuck Schumer); who can be extorted to funnel Money to Dear Leader.
The Mad Potter has it right, “there is no end in sight and no discernible check on the rampant evil.” When are we going to take action and stop moaning with “no end in sight.”
“No rational person in these United States could conceivably watch Donald Trump standing before the United Nations, conceived by Franklin Roosevelt, and not feel the deepest shame and humiliation.
Everything crude and ugly in America was perfectly represented by the rotten First Couple — a menacing buffoon and a plastic Slovenian, who debase the nation with each breath, each word, each step. They are as appalling as they are corrupt and skeevy.”
Steve seems to be moving his gifts, knowledge, experience, emotions and sheer grit into powerful writing and speech; this kind of writing is an art form. Twain would be proud.
What an excellent piece, Steve. I fear, however, that recovering from the fascism Donald Trump has birthed in our country will take decades. He has made every ugliness legitimate, a celebration of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, greed, hatred, violence, pedophilia…He doesn’t intend to leave the Presidency because, for him, nothing will ever be enough to fill the void that is his soul. His death will stop him but I fear it will not obliterate what he has unleashed in the country.
I feel such shame and embarrassment for our country each time I watch him speak, and this time to the United Nations who are probably wondering how they can separate even more from him and the U.S. It harkened me back to the speech he gave to the Boy Scouts a few years ago--I thought it couldn't get any worse than that, but of course it can and has.
Oh how quickly they forget the security needed for Fauci and his family for doing his 🤬 job, unlike that slobbering fool Homan. Can’t even listen to his backwards 🫏 mush mouth!!
Mr. SCHMIDT: As one of your Canadian subscribers, and if you are not already aware, the exchanges we were having in this country among the peasant class regarding your President's U.N. presentation appeared unanimous. At its politest, it was agreed. Your President is mentally ill. To be politically incorrect but to the point. Certifiable Nuts! But we hear the price of your eggs have gone down and tips aren't being taxed.
It appears we are going to continue to ignore, for the most part, Donald's descent into dementia until, maybe, he start drooling on himself. The man is closer to needing a care facility every day. When I am feeling charitable I hope he gets a private wing. The staff could pretend to be press corp and nod their heads vigorously at everything he says, and he could watch Fox reruns featuring himself for entertainment.
The entire UN General Assembly should have gotten up an walked out when Trump told them what he thought of their countries. There was not one speck of truth in anything he said.
He is so delusional. He should have been escorted off the stage and driven to Bellevue in a straight-jacket.
I'm not laughing,
I agree with Newsome that there will not be 2028 election and maybe not even a 2026 midterms.
People need to wake up!!!!!
The % of people who choose to pay for independent reporting like this is so small. We'll see what happens on NO KINGS DAY. It should be called NO TRUMP DAY
Agree Christine. I repeatedly pose this question: what evidence do we have that we will have anything resembling “free and fair” elections in 2026 or 2028? Are we living in total denial of the lawlessness, violence (ICE) and intentionality of this regime — as far as elections go??
I started watching that UN speech by accident and had to turn it off 3 minutes in. Nothing but bitching and complaining and lying. Another embarrassment in front of the world. The world wondering how the hell the shining city on a hill voting this MF in for a SECOND time. The USA is certifiable - or at least the ones who voted this Mango nut case into the presidency a 2nd time. If you sit and think about where this all started, it's disorienting.
The other thing that was so sickening about that speech was the demented psychotically grandiose level of boasting. Can he stop boasting for one minute? It’s disgusting!!!
P.S: I just wanted to add, Cindy, that I am deeply sorry for Trump’s outrageous and shameful betrayal of your country – – your wonderful country. I have total leader envy! So grateful to Canada for being a beacon of freedom and decency.
I seem to notice something about the President. In all of the years that I heard about him(1986- present) is that he has NEVER been a man about anything. Not responsible for his kids, business, anything. It is always someone else’s fault. Never said I’m sorry, nothing.
I've known of Trump since the 1970s while living CT and even then he was roundly made fun of and scorned by the press due to his rank stupidity and arrogance and immense ability to lose his fathers money. I've never understood how otherwise intelligent people could have fallen for his dog and pony show and I have dear friends who love him!! Yuk and multiple yuks!
The normally unspoken -- and often unrecognized -- raison d’etre of free speech is not just its indispensability for communicating one’s thoughts and viewpoint, etc. but its necessity for the preservation of objective reality and hence the sanity of human beings. Absent freedom of expression, state power controls the nature and meaning of the real for the population, a la North Korea in extremis. And for Americans, incurable malignant narcissist Trump is hellbent on projecting his own dissociated, psychotic subjective reality and truth as the one and only palpable reality for the rest of us, which can end only in convulsive suicidality.
In effect, what California, Washington state, and Oregon have done in the health arena is declare independence from the federal government. In our upside-down world it is the Northern states that must begin to assert and act on the doctrine of "states' rights" whenever the federal government's corruption and incompetence threaten the well-being of their populations. The next step would be to refuse to pay a portion of federal taxes (divert a % of federal taxes paid by residents to state treasuries) to fund the programs necessary to protect the state from a failing federal government.
They should also use their state National Guards to keep ICE and federalized troops out of their states since they have no constitutional right to be there.
I agree wholeheartedly. The taxes we pay were enacted in an agreement with Congress to pay for programs such as food assistance, subsidies for healthcare (which should be universal at a minimal cost), etc. If trump takes that money and uses it for something else, such as a private police force called ICE or other such expense, we need to hold back that money...he is in essence breaking the "contract" we have with Congress for those expenditures. And the Governor in MD has a state force that can be utilized to protect it's residents. I would think every state has it's own National Guard. ICE is breaking the law, so refuse their entry.
Time to get on the offensive. Personally, it angers me that all the money we pay in taxes isn't going to where it is supposed to. I don't want any of my money to pay for ICE, a ballroom or any stupid project of his that isn't in our best interests. Enough already.
Every state has a NG commanded by an Adjutant-General appointed by the governor.
Massachusetts governor is doing the same. She instructed all insurance companies to continue to pay for covid, flu and children's vaccines.
I would love for the states to divert a % federal taxes to the states to make up the deficit caused by Trump's termper tantrums.
🎯👍👍
Thank you for this. It gave me a boost when I really need it, as the indignities and crimes and deplorable acts continue to pile up, with no end in sight, with no discernible check on the rampant evil. Once in a while we get a tiny semi-win, like the Kimmel thing, but they are few and far between and seem to be not even a small bump in the road to these thugs and crooks.
But words like yours do more good than you think, they put a little starch in our spines when we badly need it. We may yet lose this battle, but I for one will go down swinging, and I will take as many of the bastards with me as I can. (Your piece made such an impression on me that I upgraded to a paid sub!)
Whatever I can do to help :-)
Thanks for your support. Much appreciated.
Steve
actually, we are going to win in eradicating this regime. And they'll be helping with their own demise.
We got the win with Kimmel because there was money involved. EVERYTHING boils down to money… who gets more (our oligarchs and the Trump Org); who is on the take (probably Republican Congressmen and Chuck Schumer); who can be extorted to funnel Money to Dear Leader.
The Mad Potter has it right, “there is no end in sight and no discernible check on the rampant evil.” When are we going to take action and stop moaning with “no end in sight.”
Damn this is good!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
“No rational person in these United States could conceivably watch Donald Trump standing before the United Nations, conceived by Franklin Roosevelt, and not feel the deepest shame and humiliation.
Everything crude and ugly in America was perfectly represented by the rotten First Couple — a menacing buffoon and a plastic Slovenian, who debase the nation with each breath, each word, each step. They are as appalling as they are corrupt and skeevy.”
Steve seems to be moving his gifts, knowledge, experience, emotions and sheer grit into powerful writing and speech; this kind of writing is an art form. Twain would be proud.
Thanks for calling out two superb sentences. Flawless and on target. The entire post was stirring and for once, optimistic.
What an excellent piece, Steve. I fear, however, that recovering from the fascism Donald Trump has birthed in our country will take decades. He has made every ugliness legitimate, a celebration of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, greed, hatred, violence, pedophilia…He doesn’t intend to leave the Presidency because, for him, nothing will ever be enough to fill the void that is his soul. His death will stop him but I fear it will not obliterate what he has unleashed in the country.
I feel such shame and embarrassment for our country each time I watch him speak, and this time to the United Nations who are probably wondering how they can separate even more from him and the U.S. It harkened me back to the speech he gave to the Boy Scouts a few years ago--I thought it couldn't get any worse than that, but of course it can and has.
In reference to having a security team around him, Homan said, "My wife don't (have one)."
I guess Trump isn't kidding when he says he likes "uneducated people."
He probably misspoke and really meant a functional brain.
Oh how quickly they forget the security needed for Fauci and his family for doing his 🤬 job, unlike that slobbering fool Homan. Can’t even listen to his backwards 🫏 mush mouth!!
Mr. SCHMIDT: As one of your Canadian subscribers, and if you are not already aware, the exchanges we were having in this country among the peasant class regarding your President's U.N. presentation appeared unanimous. At its politest, it was agreed. Your President is mentally ill. To be politically incorrect but to the point. Certifiable Nuts! But we hear the price of your eggs have gone down and tips aren't being taxed.
It appears we are going to continue to ignore, for the most part, Donald's descent into dementia until, maybe, he start drooling on himself. The man is closer to needing a care facility every day. When I am feeling charitable I hope he gets a private wing. The staff could pretend to be press corp and nod their heads vigorously at everything he says, and he could watch Fox reruns featuring himself for entertainment.
The entire UN General Assembly should have gotten up an walked out when Trump told them what he thought of their countries. There was not one speck of truth in anything he said.
He is so delusional. He should have been escorted off the stage and driven to Bellevue in a straight-jacket.
I'm not laughing,
I agree with Newsome that there will not be 2028 election and maybe not even a 2026 midterms.
People need to wake up!!!!!
The % of people who choose to pay for independent reporting like this is so small. We'll see what happens on NO KINGS DAY. It should be called NO TRUMP DAY
Agree Christine. I repeatedly pose this question: what evidence do we have that we will have anything resembling “free and fair” elections in 2026 or 2028? Are we living in total denial of the lawlessness, violence (ICE) and intentionality of this regime — as far as elections go??
I started watching that UN speech by accident and had to turn it off 3 minutes in. Nothing but bitching and complaining and lying. Another embarrassment in front of the world. The world wondering how the hell the shining city on a hill voting this MF in for a SECOND time. The USA is certifiable - or at least the ones who voted this Mango nut case into the presidency a 2nd time. If you sit and think about where this all started, it's disorienting.
The other thing that was so sickening about that speech was the demented psychotically grandiose level of boasting. Can he stop boasting for one minute? It’s disgusting!!!
P.S: I just wanted to add, Cindy, that I am deeply sorry for Trump’s outrageous and shameful betrayal of your country – – your wonderful country. I have total leader envy! So grateful to Canada for being a beacon of freedom and decency.
He cannot stop boasting and lying. Two features of his mental disorders.
I seem to notice something about the President. In all of the years that I heard about him(1986- present) is that he has NEVER been a man about anything. Not responsible for his kids, business, anything. It is always someone else’s fault. Never said I’m sorry, nothing.
Do you agree ?
L
I've known of Trump since the 1970s while living CT and even then he was roundly made fun of and scorned by the press due to his rank stupidity and arrogance and immense ability to lose his fathers money. I've never understood how otherwise intelligent people could have fallen for his dog and pony show and I have dear friends who love him!! Yuk and multiple yuks!
I love your honesty and directness. We will prevail
Laughter is the best medicine and thanks to Trump & RFK Jr. it’s the only one left for us to use.
Old FART (Felon Authoritarian Rapist Traitor) The Horror KKKlown
👍👍
The normally unspoken -- and often unrecognized -- raison d’etre of free speech is not just its indispensability for communicating one’s thoughts and viewpoint, etc. but its necessity for the preservation of objective reality and hence the sanity of human beings. Absent freedom of expression, state power controls the nature and meaning of the real for the population, a la North Korea in extremis. And for Americans, incurable malignant narcissist Trump is hellbent on projecting his own dissociated, psychotic subjective reality and truth as the one and only palpable reality for the rest of us, which can end only in convulsive suicidality.
Thanks Steve for sharing your strength and making it harder for us to give up.
Thank you Steve; well put.