Three nights in August have unleashed a wave of idealism through a display of American excellence, character, patriotism, joy and strength that is awe-inspiring.
Agreed Steve, and everything is working perfectly so far. Harris has caught “lightning in a bottle,” while Trump is lighting himself on fire daily. I have no doubt Harris will knock her speech out of the park this evening, and next week will be the beginning of the end for MAGA Inc.
We all know it, the world knows it, and the only ones who haven’t gotten the memo are Trump and his minions. Not even Fox & Fiends has an answer to Harris’s highly charged and energetic campaign. And even if Fox and right-wing media did have answers, Trump can’t stay on message. So it’s a constant battle of Fox carrying water for the man, while the man continues to make them all look like the fools they are, and have always been.
It’s a perfect storm for Trump, and the perfect campaign lift-off for Harris/Welz. And so far, our future is looking bright!…:)
More on what freedom means to Americans, Democrats, and the Harris/Walz team:
“When Republicans use the word — freedom — they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office, corporations free to pollute your air and water, and banks free to take advantage of customers,” Walz said. “But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love, freedom to make your own health-care decisions and, yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall.”
It also means —thanks to citizens united—that mega wealthy secret donors can give unlimited amounts of hidden pac money to run horrendous attack ads defaming and spreading lies about Democrats every night for the next 2 months. Sickening.
Oprah’s speech was very powerful — and good. When I think of her book club and the selections through the years, it is a gift of knowledge and truth-seeking in the American Grain. A force for good.
Every day forward is a day of work to defeat the forces of hatred, nihilism, and ignorance. There will be bumps in the road, and nothing is a given, but there is spirit and light to sustain us.
“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.”
This is why I read and follow you. Yes, he is more full of it than any huckster who ever lived!! And I too am SICK of every single thing you so eloquently described. I pray people will rise up, even more than I dream, and especially many of my brainwashed and morally bankrupt fellow Christians, and rid us of the “scourge of Trump.” Lincoln talked about the “scourge of war” in his Second Inaugural address.
I believe that is the greatest speech in human history. It was delivered just two months and a few days before his assassination. It is certainly the most meaningful to me. I believe he was divinely inspired and what he said after 4 years of suffering, conflict on a scale unimaginable to us, and death on an epic scale, can speak to us today. Everyone, please go read it again. It will just take a few minutes.
I certainly do not equate the last nine years to the Civil War; however, I believe it has been the next most dangerous period in our history. In the sense of physical suffering on that scale we cannot compare, but in the shock and despair of watching him trash everything we all hold dear and take millions of our friends, loved ones, and fellow citizens along with him has been heart rending and earth shattering. As a serious evangelical Christian, I cannot tell you all how watching millions of people who claim to profess the same faith and same values I have tried to live by for my 71 years, support and now worship that vile and repulsive and evil person, has almost broken me. Go read Steve’s list of things we are all “sick of.” Trump should NEVER be able to get more than the hardcore racist crazy vote——not 45% of the country ever. People have been brainwashed before Trump by Fox “News” that Democrats are not just wrong, they are evil. Now much of the church agrees. It is madness………
Keep up the good work, Steve, and all the rest of us too. We still need a miracle to make it through and it will take everyone fighting to do it.
So beautifully said, Rick and so sad. It’s very good news that Christians are seeing the corruption and moral bankruptcy of Trump and his insane cult followers. They must have thought that any moral compromise is allowable in order to “win”. That is not true in life, governance, or even sport. Christ would fhrow these hateful people out of the temple.
Rick, I can't fathom the pain you have endured these past nine years as an evangelical Christian. And to think your peers have come to think of Democrats as "evil," as pedophiles, as pornographers, as liars and cheats, all the while not seeing the orange con man before them. Or worse, for them to think he was actually delivered by God!
I've been reading the book by Robert Greene, "The 48 Secrets of Power," and it's profoundly enlightening. Greene goes back millenia for stories of power and triumph, and the consistent theme is that when it comes to your enemy, it must be crushed. A single burning ember left means that another fire will ignite, perhaps larger than the first.
What this means for Democrats is that we must turn our in record numbers to defeat every GOP politician in every single race for however long it takes. And then we must take that power seriously by defeating corporate control of our elections and our lives. We can do it, and we will.
Hi Rick. Keep the faith buddy. Many, many in my area, family, and friends have the same philosophy you describe. It is hard to fathom, but my sister and I identified what we think contributed greatly. Im 72 y.o., and the biggest precursor I think was the amount of brainwashing prevalent in evangelical/Holiness//Baptist/etc churches. Many today have been hoodwinked by Faux News, their power hungry preachers, and their fellow evangelicals as well as TFG.
Thanks, Sandra. I am still a Baptist believe or not, and my local church is not crazy as many are now; HOWEVER, I bet the vast majority of my fellow church members will vote R every single time. It is insane.
I attribute this to 2 main things.
1. Over a 40 year period from Reagan to Limbaugh to Gingrich to Trump to Fox News (especially to the network of the past 10-15 years),we have been taught that R’s good, D’s bad. Now it is that the R’s (even Trump!!!!!) are all that can save us from the evil, Satanic, Communist pedophiles that are D’s. Of course, that’s crazy, but still….
2. Even more than that, over those same 40-50 years, evangelicals and Catholics of course have been taught everywhere that abortion is evil, despicable, that it is murder, and should be illegal on every level at all times. I have some sympathy that we should encourage “life” and restrictions-if any-should be approached in a nuanced and thoughtful discussion. Interestingly, my own Southern Baptist convention in the 1970’s passed several resolutions about abortion that were actually fairly reasonable and balanced; however, beginning with one of the worst things that ever happened to American Christianity (Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority and the merger with Reagan and Republican politics), abortion has been preached non stop as wrong——period. There are now many MILLIONS and MILLIONS of one issue voters. I mean that. Literally. One issue voters. R’s hate abortion, D’s love abortion. I vote R no matter what—-even Trump.
It is insane, but here we are in 2024, in an absolute mess in the country, and especially,in my view, an even worse mess in the church. Thanks for sympathizing with me……..
I agree. Add to this, some folks parents tol them, "If you ever vote for anyone who is not Republican, don't bother to come back to this house". My friend's Dad told every one of his children this.
I watched the brilliant documentary "Bad Faith" by Alex Gibney on Prime. (It's just a 99 cent rental, probably to encourage viewership.) It details how Falwell didn't give a crap about abortion. He only made it an issue YEARS after Roe v Wade passed because of the Right's horror over desegregated schools. But Falwell knew that was too hot of an issue to recruit new followers, so that's when he went back and found the abortion decision and made it a recruiting tool. Such hypocrisy.
I love you Steve. You are a true patriot with a deep understanding of our country and it's innate psyche. We really need to address education in this country.
A long-time educator of over 40 years and we must have a required civics class in every grade from K-12 grades. Our children must learn about their government and how it works! In Australia, you are required by law to vote in their national elections and perhaps we should as well.
As always, thank you 'big time' Steve. What a wonderful thing I am feeling now, it has been a while. That I again have faith in a large portion of my Countrymen and Countrywomen. It is going to be an awesome thing to experience the women of this country rise up and bury this "piece of shit' human being and his minions once and for all at the ballot box. I've been saying for many years (please ask my 4, very cool older sisters) that this country needs a woman in the Oval Office. It is the loving, mothering and nurturing spirit you all bring that will manifest the deep healing this country is in dire need of at this time in our history. I could not in anyway be more "GRATEFULL". Bring it on Girls!!!!!!!
"The American people have been fed a lie about who we are by Donald Trump for so long that he has convinced so many of us that he may have a point, when in fact he is more full of shit than any huckster who ever strode the Earth". Your best line YET!!!
I am so hyped up after the Convention the last 3 nights. Walz and his beautiful family had me in tears last night. There are no words for Oprah either. Just amazing all of it. Then reading this piece. Thank you Steve. Sending it to my last Maga family friend. Haven't given up on him yet. Fired UP and ready to go!!! 💙🇺🇸💙
Steve, you outdid yourself with this one! Brilliant - and thank you! You put my thoughts and emotions into words much better than I ever could. WE. WILL. NOT. GO. BACK.
Yes, yes and yes! You well put into words exactly how I am feeling after this week of inspiring and uplifting messages coming out of that conversation hall.
And I took am sick to death of Trump and the awful hold he's had over this country the past eight years. His whining, negativity, his outright lying, his malicious and mean insults; but the presses meak and pitiful coverage of him, has been so soul destroying, so depressing and relentless that it almost has destroyed our country.
So what a relief it's been this week to begin a whole new, more positive era. The joy and excitement is soothing to my soul. Thank you, Kamala!
I shed tears last night as Oprah spoke. This morning, I watched her speech again, thanks to Steve's invitation, and I shed tears again. I keep hoping that we will win every state, that the Democrat's campaign will touch the hearts of all Americans in all states, red and blue, because the MAGAmaniacs, including all the cowards who spoke against King Donald at some point in time (and there were many such points) but crawled back to him, should be thrown out on their butts. They've hurt so many people directly, and all Americans indirectly, that we need to awake to brighter days. The darkness they have brought to all of our lives cannot be permitted to be sustained. Oprah, and so many others who inspired us at this Convention, did a fantastic job. Now the ones she inspired must help us all to elect Kamala and Tim - in overwhelming numbers, so there is no mistake how Americans feel about their dark view of this wonderful masterpiece that is America.
"Pageant of Freedom!" Good one, Steve. Awesome! Where the DNC celebrates light and hope, the RNC celebrates darkness and despair. I will never understand the appeal, the draw, that holds so many Americans hostage to Trump/Vance. Trump has done his damnedest to work us raw to the born. "Ain't gonna happen!" There is LOTS of meat left on that bone.
The Democratic Party finally has found its mojo. A new era in America is awakening. Call it our "second coming", and move out of the way. The crescendo shaking the rafters in Chicago is spiraling across the land. "Give me liberty or give me death!" INDEED. Let no man put his boot on the neck of another.
Steve... Just when I think you've outdone yourself, you outdo yourself AGAIN. I've said it before, but I'll say it once more: These essays will go down in history. They capture the American heart and soul in a way that reminds us all of who we truly are and what we believe in. I get choked up every time.
Agreed Steve, and everything is working perfectly so far. Harris has caught “lightning in a bottle,” while Trump is lighting himself on fire daily. I have no doubt Harris will knock her speech out of the park this evening, and next week will be the beginning of the end for MAGA Inc.
We all know it, the world knows it, and the only ones who haven’t gotten the memo are Trump and his minions. Not even Fox & Fiends has an answer to Harris’s highly charged and energetic campaign. And even if Fox and right-wing media did have answers, Trump can’t stay on message. So it’s a constant battle of Fox carrying water for the man, while the man continues to make them all look like the fools they are, and have always been.
It’s a perfect storm for Trump, and the perfect campaign lift-off for Harris/Welz. And so far, our future is looking bright!…:)
“Freedom not to have our children shot in their school hallway”. - Tim Walz
More on what freedom means to Americans, Democrats, and the Harris/Walz team:
“When Republicans use the word — freedom — they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office, corporations free to pollute your air and water, and banks free to take advantage of customers,” Walz said. “But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love, freedom to make your own health-care decisions and, yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall.”
Analysis by Aaron Blake
August 22, 2024 at 1:02 a.m. EDT, Washington Post
It also means —thanks to citizens united—that mega wealthy secret donors can give unlimited amounts of hidden pac money to run horrendous attack ads defaming and spreading lies about Democrats every night for the next 2 months. Sickening.
Oprah’s speech was very powerful — and good. When I think of her book club and the selections through the years, it is a gift of knowledge and truth-seeking in the American Grain. A force for good.
Every day forward is a day of work to defeat the forces of hatred, nihilism, and ignorance. There will be bumps in the road, and nothing is a given, but there is spirit and light to sustain us.
“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.”
— Thomas Edison
This is why I read and follow you. Yes, he is more full of it than any huckster who ever lived!! And I too am SICK of every single thing you so eloquently described. I pray people will rise up, even more than I dream, and especially many of my brainwashed and morally bankrupt fellow Christians, and rid us of the “scourge of Trump.” Lincoln talked about the “scourge of war” in his Second Inaugural address.
I believe that is the greatest speech in human history. It was delivered just two months and a few days before his assassination. It is certainly the most meaningful to me. I believe he was divinely inspired and what he said after 4 years of suffering, conflict on a scale unimaginable to us, and death on an epic scale, can speak to us today. Everyone, please go read it again. It will just take a few minutes.
I certainly do not equate the last nine years to the Civil War; however, I believe it has been the next most dangerous period in our history. In the sense of physical suffering on that scale we cannot compare, but in the shock and despair of watching him trash everything we all hold dear and take millions of our friends, loved ones, and fellow citizens along with him has been heart rending and earth shattering. As a serious evangelical Christian, I cannot tell you all how watching millions of people who claim to profess the same faith and same values I have tried to live by for my 71 years, support and now worship that vile and repulsive and evil person, has almost broken me. Go read Steve’s list of things we are all “sick of.” Trump should NEVER be able to get more than the hardcore racist crazy vote——not 45% of the country ever. People have been brainwashed before Trump by Fox “News” that Democrats are not just wrong, they are evil. Now much of the church agrees. It is madness………
Keep up the good work, Steve, and all the rest of us too. We still need a miracle to make it through and it will take everyone fighting to do it.
So beautifully said, Rick and so sad. It’s very good news that Christians are seeing the corruption and moral bankruptcy of Trump and his insane cult followers. They must have thought that any moral compromise is allowable in order to “win”. That is not true in life, governance, or even sport. Christ would fhrow these hateful people out of the temple.
Rick, I can't fathom the pain you have endured these past nine years as an evangelical Christian. And to think your peers have come to think of Democrats as "evil," as pedophiles, as pornographers, as liars and cheats, all the while not seeing the orange con man before them. Or worse, for them to think he was actually delivered by God!
I've been reading the book by Robert Greene, "The 48 Secrets of Power," and it's profoundly enlightening. Greene goes back millenia for stories of power and triumph, and the consistent theme is that when it comes to your enemy, it must be crushed. A single burning ember left means that another fire will ignite, perhaps larger than the first.
What this means for Democrats is that we must turn our in record numbers to defeat every GOP politician in every single race for however long it takes. And then we must take that power seriously by defeating corporate control of our elections and our lives. We can do it, and we will.
Hi Rick. Keep the faith buddy. Many, many in my area, family, and friends have the same philosophy you describe. It is hard to fathom, but my sister and I identified what we think contributed greatly. Im 72 y.o., and the biggest precursor I think was the amount of brainwashing prevalent in evangelical/Holiness//Baptist/etc churches. Many today have been hoodwinked by Faux News, their power hungry preachers, and their fellow evangelicals as well as TFG.
Peace and love to all.
Thanks, Sandra. I am still a Baptist believe or not, and my local church is not crazy as many are now; HOWEVER, I bet the vast majority of my fellow church members will vote R every single time. It is insane.
I attribute this to 2 main things.
1. Over a 40 year period from Reagan to Limbaugh to Gingrich to Trump to Fox News (especially to the network of the past 10-15 years),we have been taught that R’s good, D’s bad. Now it is that the R’s (even Trump!!!!!) are all that can save us from the evil, Satanic, Communist pedophiles that are D’s. Of course, that’s crazy, but still….
2. Even more than that, over those same 40-50 years, evangelicals and Catholics of course have been taught everywhere that abortion is evil, despicable, that it is murder, and should be illegal on every level at all times. I have some sympathy that we should encourage “life” and restrictions-if any-should be approached in a nuanced and thoughtful discussion. Interestingly, my own Southern Baptist convention in the 1970’s passed several resolutions about abortion that were actually fairly reasonable and balanced; however, beginning with one of the worst things that ever happened to American Christianity (Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority and the merger with Reagan and Republican politics), abortion has been preached non stop as wrong——period. There are now many MILLIONS and MILLIONS of one issue voters. I mean that. Literally. One issue voters. R’s hate abortion, D’s love abortion. I vote R no matter what—-even Trump.
It is insane, but here we are in 2024, in an absolute mess in the country, and especially,in my view, an even worse mess in the church. Thanks for sympathizing with me……..
I agree. Add to this, some folks parents tol them, "If you ever vote for anyone who is not Republican, don't bother to come back to this house". My friend's Dad told every one of his children this.
I watched the brilliant documentary "Bad Faith" by Alex Gibney on Prime. (It's just a 99 cent rental, probably to encourage viewership.) It details how Falwell didn't give a crap about abortion. He only made it an issue YEARS after Roe v Wade passed because of the Right's horror over desegregated schools. But Falwell knew that was too hot of an issue to recruit new followers, so that's when he went back and found the abortion decision and made it a recruiting tool. Such hypocrisy.
I love you Steve. You are a true patriot with a deep understanding of our country and it's innate psyche. We really need to address education in this country.
A long-time educator of over 40 years and we must have a required civics class in every grade from K-12 grades. Our children must learn about their government and how it works! In Australia, you are required by law to vote in their national elections and perhaps we should as well.
Here is a little lesson I learned from my community of pettiness (a blue dot senior living in a deep Red Sea ….);
Every good movement begins with a Sign.
Do you have your sign out how about your American flag?
#KamalaHarrisforPresident #voteblue
As always, thank you 'big time' Steve. What a wonderful thing I am feeling now, it has been a while. That I again have faith in a large portion of my Countrymen and Countrywomen. It is going to be an awesome thing to experience the women of this country rise up and bury this "piece of shit' human being and his minions once and for all at the ballot box. I've been saying for many years (please ask my 4, very cool older sisters) that this country needs a woman in the Oval Office. It is the loving, mothering and nurturing spirit you all bring that will manifest the deep healing this country is in dire need of at this time in our history. I could not in anyway be more "GRATEFULL". Bring it on Girls!!!!!!!
I’m sick of his childish name calling.
I am so sick of him period! When will he retire to Mar a Lago and leave us alone. It can’t come too soon.
Go Kamala/Walz
Donald craves the constant attention. And grift.
"The American people have been fed a lie about who we are by Donald Trump for so long that he has convinced so many of us that he may have a point, when in fact he is more full of shit than any huckster who ever strode the Earth". Your best line YET!!!
I am so hyped up after the Convention the last 3 nights. Walz and his beautiful family had me in tears last night. There are no words for Oprah either. Just amazing all of it. Then reading this piece. Thank you Steve. Sending it to my last Maga family friend. Haven't given up on him yet. Fired UP and ready to go!!! 💙🇺🇸💙
Steve: Right on. Great piece. Thank you.
You write the words we all wish we had. Thank you.
Steve, you outdid yourself with this one! Brilliant - and thank you! You put my thoughts and emotions into words much better than I ever could. WE. WILL. NOT. GO. BACK.
Yes, yes and yes! You well put into words exactly how I am feeling after this week of inspiring and uplifting messages coming out of that conversation hall.
And I took am sick to death of Trump and the awful hold he's had over this country the past eight years. His whining, negativity, his outright lying, his malicious and mean insults; but the presses meak and pitiful coverage of him, has been so soul destroying, so depressing and relentless that it almost has destroyed our country.
So what a relief it's been this week to begin a whole new, more positive era. The joy and excitement is soothing to my soul. Thank you, Kamala!
I shed tears last night as Oprah spoke. This morning, I watched her speech again, thanks to Steve's invitation, and I shed tears again. I keep hoping that we will win every state, that the Democrat's campaign will touch the hearts of all Americans in all states, red and blue, because the MAGAmaniacs, including all the cowards who spoke against King Donald at some point in time (and there were many such points) but crawled back to him, should be thrown out on their butts. They've hurt so many people directly, and all Americans indirectly, that we need to awake to brighter days. The darkness they have brought to all of our lives cannot be permitted to be sustained. Oprah, and so many others who inspired us at this Convention, did a fantastic job. Now the ones she inspired must help us all to elect Kamala and Tim - in overwhelming numbers, so there is no mistake how Americans feel about their dark view of this wonderful masterpiece that is America.
"Pageant of Freedom!" Good one, Steve. Awesome! Where the DNC celebrates light and hope, the RNC celebrates darkness and despair. I will never understand the appeal, the draw, that holds so many Americans hostage to Trump/Vance. Trump has done his damnedest to work us raw to the born. "Ain't gonna happen!" There is LOTS of meat left on that bone.
The Democratic Party finally has found its mojo. A new era in America is awakening. Call it our "second coming", and move out of the way. The crescendo shaking the rafters in Chicago is spiraling across the land. "Give me liberty or give me death!" INDEED. Let no man put his boot on the neck of another.
Steve... Just when I think you've outdone yourself, you outdo yourself AGAIN. I've said it before, but I'll say it once more: These essays will go down in history. They capture the American heart and soul in a way that reminds us all of who we truly are and what we believe in. I get choked up every time.
Thank you, Mary Ann!
Steve