Robert Jackson was solicitor general of the United States, attorney general of the United States, associate justice of the United States Supreme Court and the chief prosecutor of the United States of America at the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal.
I attended a protest today in my local city. There were several hundred people there. Lots of supportive horn beeps from cars. It felt good to have a little agency. Glad to see that happening all over the country. We are going to have to wage a years-long struggle against the forces of evil in this country. We will do so peacefully, but they will not. It will require bravery on our part. It will require sacrifice that now we cannot imagine. Surrender is not an option, and it is not in our vocabulary. We are literally staring dictatorship in the face, and we must not flinch or look away. These evil people will have tools at their disposal Hitler could only have dreamed of: AI, nukes, a high tech surveillance state. Unless, of course, we stop them. This is existential.
Alexei Navalny had this kind of courage. And look what happened to him. One year ago, yesterday, February 16, 2024, he was killed. He spoke of conviction and never capitulating to fear. This is the kind of courage we need to fight this regime.
“The authorities…who were repugnant then and are even more so now, are afraid not of honest people but of those who are not afraid of them...those who may be afraid but overcome their fear.
Lies and nothing but lies. It will crumble and collapse. The Putinist state [fill in maga regime] is not sustainable. One day, we will look at it, and it won’t be there. Victory is inevitable. But for now, we must not give up, and we must stand by our beliefs.”
A galaxy good on you and good for you and your fellow resistance protestors, and those across this American experiment, a 250-year experiment that is being polluted, diluted and chemically changed by the enzymes of authoritarian fascism, corporate/business greed, and the absolute imbecility/stupidity that Republicans baked into their voting supporters over the past 70-80 years. And we can't forget to mention the greatest propaganda machine in human history: Fox News and its fellow TV travelers and 1500 radio stations across the midwest spewing solid electromagnetic waste of misinformation, disinformation, outright lies and brainwash scripts since the 1990's. It is bigger, better, more successful than any propaganda machine built and maintained by the Russians, Chinese, Koreans, Latin Americans. The Republicans of the US built it. Where were the Democrats? Didn't they see this? So incredibly blind, deaf and dumb.
The question for all of us resistance in this opening chess game against the Trump plan: are you willing to stand up, to go to prison under the tyrannical powers of Trump/Musk, Bondi, Bove, Kash, Giffords, Miller, and all the petty tyrants who are already noted as black hearts of history. Are we willing to make sacrifices? Is Steve Schmidt or Nicole Wallace or Rachel Maddow or Jamie Raskin or Elizabeth Warren or AOC and so many others willing to be arrested, handcuffed and frogmarched into cells, then fight like hell in the courts and public opinion? What a spectacle in courage that would be. And it would make Trump and all his Nazi quislings cower, cower and cower with shivers of fear.
Bondi got a pass because she is not as obviously murderous as most of the other T choices like Bobby and Tulsi. But the record shows she is as corrupt as any of them. Lord help us, while we make war to help ourselves.
The MAGA side would twist Jacksons argument, saying the DOJ/AG was using bogus, made up charges to go after Trump.
The threat of activity that Trump doesn't like being flagged as "subversive" is very concerning and is likely to happen. Let's hope there is enough integrity left in the foundation of America's legal system to keep the MAGA corruptuon from turning truly ugly.
Thank you for showing me great speeches that I would have never been exposed to without your prodding. What a time for these United States. An administration of grotesques from the orange painted figurehead to the hair implanted DOGE disruptor to every single one of the cabinet choices. How grotesque are all of the senators themselves to approve of these misfits and miscreants? Fully, it seems. Deliberative body, my ass. Debilitated body flushing its own power down the toilet for fear of, what? Primaries? I’m looking for the competitors, looking for the just.
If there is a God, we will start here in North Carolina by defeating Thom Tillis next year. And we will work our way back to what we once had, one day at a time.
Yes, I feel the same way. When I look at the people around me, in my neighborhood, who I know voted for Trump, all I see is bad intentions and simmering hatreds.
In my neighborhood there's this old white couple who have all kinds of Trump paraphernalia in their front yard. At Christmas it was a life-sized blow up of Trump as Santa Claus. It's awful to have to drive past it every day. Multiple signs, flags, the whole nine yards. It's soooo obnoxious, but what do you expect?
My father, an Army captain stationed in Germany in 1945-46 as part of reconstruction, attended some of the Nuremberg trials. He often spoke of witnessing the process of true justice.
I thank God that he is not here to witness what happened last week in Munich.
Steve, you often speak of the dying of the noble generation that fought to save the world. That perhaps explains why what is happening, is happening just now.
The protest today in my city was very well attended. There were veterans, federal workers, families, seniors, students, workers from all kinds of jobs and retired folks, and all were united in the purpose of protesting the TrumpMusk assault on our democracy. I felt uplifted and hopeful, and proud of my fellow citizens.!
There is now a new axis of power, direct line between Putin, Trump and China. Eric Adams is a piece of the puzzle. The rest of the globe is being played by this Axis. With X boss Elon, they feel the power, the force they control in the palms of their hands. They no longer feel there is any limit to their ambitions and aspirations to control the world. Zelenskyy is right. The rest of the world will lose fighting them individually or we can win fighting them together. Hoping we find a leader who will rise up to the occasion, tough, brilliant but with a human heart.
Without law, we are back in a jungle. Literally. With law, we have, guaranteed, the highest social construct imaginable. It is the torch held high above our harbored statue. It is in THIS battle in the war against this fascism that will determine the outcome. Support in any way possible the rule of law. This is where the determining battle will be fought.
Eventually, DJT will feel threatened by the justice system and the protests. When he does he'll call out his MAGA militia, which could lead to street violence and perhaps even murders of prominent judges and opposing politicians.
Let them come. And for those who say violence doesn't solve anything I call bull$hit. Violence has solved nearly every important matter in the history of this Earth.
We need to brace ourselves for the increasing likelihood that the Trump-packed SCOTUS is going to completely remove any constraints on the clearly illegal actions of Trump and Musk. At that point, this country will be officially dead as a democratic republic. The idea of a "Constitutional crisis" is a misdirection. What we're looking at is national extinction. Our most private, personal information: SSNs, bank accounts, health records, tax details - is being turned over - without our permission - to Musk and his band of careless, ignorant, barely-20-something plunderers. There is no possible benign motive for this intrusion. We need to separate ourselves from this. The fight now, I've concluded, is not to try to stop this assault, which appears to be an exercise in futility. Congress can't or won't save us. Lawsuits will not stop this despotic takeover. The entire executive branch is now a weaponized army against the country that was. I'm not sure we'll be able to salvage our Social Security & Medicare entitlements. We may not even be able to save our personal savings & property. This will be chaotic, brutal, perhaps violent. The fight we need to engage is against the plutocrats, oligarchs, kleptocrats, outright criminals, for our survival as free people. This is nothing less than a call to revoluton, necessitated by those currently usurping all power, removing our incentives to preserve the old order.
John Rawls, whose Theory of Justice continues to be the most substantive description and explanation of what justice is and how it should and can work for all of us, and Theodore Parker, who posited that the arc of history bends toward justice, both must be turning in their graves. But no! They are both on the front line, along with Steve Schmidt and so many others, saying to these knaves, vandals and thieves, "Thou shalt not pass!"
I attended a protest today in my local city. There were several hundred people there. Lots of supportive horn beeps from cars. It felt good to have a little agency. Glad to see that happening all over the country. We are going to have to wage a years-long struggle against the forces of evil in this country. We will do so peacefully, but they will not. It will require bravery on our part. It will require sacrifice that now we cannot imagine. Surrender is not an option, and it is not in our vocabulary. We are literally staring dictatorship in the face, and we must not flinch or look away. These evil people will have tools at their disposal Hitler could only have dreamed of: AI, nukes, a high tech surveillance state. Unless, of course, we stop them. This is existential.
Alexei Navalny had this kind of courage. And look what happened to him. One year ago, yesterday, February 16, 2024, he was killed. He spoke of conviction and never capitulating to fear. This is the kind of courage we need to fight this regime.
“The authorities…who were repugnant then and are even more so now, are afraid not of honest people but of those who are not afraid of them...those who may be afraid but overcome their fear.
Lies and nothing but lies. It will crumble and collapse. The Putinist state [fill in maga regime] is not sustainable. One day, we will look at it, and it won’t be there. Victory is inevitable. But for now, we must not give up, and we must stand by our beliefs.”
—Alexei Navalny
A galaxy good on you and good for you and your fellow resistance protestors, and those across this American experiment, a 250-year experiment that is being polluted, diluted and chemically changed by the enzymes of authoritarian fascism, corporate/business greed, and the absolute imbecility/stupidity that Republicans baked into their voting supporters over the past 70-80 years. And we can't forget to mention the greatest propaganda machine in human history: Fox News and its fellow TV travelers and 1500 radio stations across the midwest spewing solid electromagnetic waste of misinformation, disinformation, outright lies and brainwash scripts since the 1990's. It is bigger, better, more successful than any propaganda machine built and maintained by the Russians, Chinese, Koreans, Latin Americans. The Republicans of the US built it. Where were the Democrats? Didn't they see this? So incredibly blind, deaf and dumb.
The question for all of us resistance in this opening chess game against the Trump plan: are you willing to stand up, to go to prison under the tyrannical powers of Trump/Musk, Bondi, Bove, Kash, Giffords, Miller, and all the petty tyrants who are already noted as black hearts of history. Are we willing to make sacrifices? Is Steve Schmidt or Nicole Wallace or Rachel Maddow or Jamie Raskin or Elizabeth Warren or AOC and so many others willing to be arrested, handcuffed and frogmarched into cells, then fight like hell in the courts and public opinion? What a spectacle in courage that would be. And it would make Trump and all his Nazi quislings cower, cower and cower with shivers of fear.
Beautifully said. Thank you.
Me too John. I was in GSO. Nicely written post!
John, thank you for spelling out clearly what is happening and what we must do.
Bondi got a pass because she is not as obviously murderous as most of the other T choices like Bobby and Tulsi. But the record shows she is as corrupt as any of them. Lord help us, while we make war to help ourselves.
The MAGA side would twist Jacksons argument, saying the DOJ/AG was using bogus, made up charges to go after Trump.
The threat of activity that Trump doesn't like being flagged as "subversive" is very concerning and is likely to happen. Let's hope there is enough integrity left in the foundation of America's legal system to keep the MAGA corruptuon from turning truly ugly.
Thank you for showing me great speeches that I would have never been exposed to without your prodding. What a time for these United States. An administration of grotesques from the orange painted figurehead to the hair implanted DOGE disruptor to every single one of the cabinet choices. How grotesque are all of the senators themselves to approve of these misfits and miscreants? Fully, it seems. Deliberative body, my ass. Debilitated body flushing its own power down the toilet for fear of, what? Primaries? I’m looking for the competitors, looking for the just.
"Looking for the competitors, looking for the just."
Looking for monumental courage too. It's going to take all these things.
If there is a God, we will start here in North Carolina by defeating Thom Tillis next year. And we will work our way back to what we once had, one day at a time.
Write to NY Governor Kathy Hochul and ask her to do her duty and dismiss Eric Adams: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
I think you don’t even need to be a NYS resident, either.
I just emailed her. Thanks.
Maybe I'm being naive, but where do all these evil people come from who do Trump's bidding?
Bove, Stephen Miller, Elon Musk, JD Vance...have you ever seen uglier, mean looking people?
And the women...Karoline Leavitt, Pam Bondi, Susie Wiles. How do live with themselves?
I'll never understand the allure of Trump for as long as I live.
Yes, I feel the same way. When I look at the people around me, in my neighborhood, who I know voted for Trump, all I see is bad intentions and simmering hatreds.
In my neighborhood there's this old white couple who have all kinds of Trump paraphernalia in their front yard. At Christmas it was a life-sized blow up of Trump as Santa Claus. It's awful to have to drive past it every day. Multiple signs, flags, the whole nine yards. It's soooo obnoxious, but what do you expect?
I ask myself these questions every day Elaine.
Stockholm syndrome
My father, an Army captain stationed in Germany in 1945-46 as part of reconstruction, attended some of the Nuremberg trials. He often spoke of witnessing the process of true justice.
I thank God that he is not here to witness what happened last week in Munich.
Steve, you often speak of the dying of the noble generation that fought to save the world. That perhaps explains why what is happening, is happening just now.
The protest today in my city was very well attended. There were veterans, federal workers, families, seniors, students, workers from all kinds of jobs and retired folks, and all were united in the purpose of protesting the TrumpMusk assault on our democracy. I felt uplifted and hopeful, and proud of my fellow citizens.!
There is now a new axis of power, direct line between Putin, Trump and China. Eric Adams is a piece of the puzzle. The rest of the globe is being played by this Axis. With X boss Elon, they feel the power, the force they control in the palms of their hands. They no longer feel there is any limit to their ambitions and aspirations to control the world. Zelenskyy is right. The rest of the world will lose fighting them individually or we can win fighting them together. Hoping we find a leader who will rise up to the occasion, tough, brilliant but with a human heart.
I never noticed before how much Emil Bove looks like Roy Cohn.
Without law, we are back in a jungle. Literally. With law, we have, guaranteed, the highest social construct imaginable. It is the torch held high above our harbored statue. It is in THIS battle in the war against this fascism that will determine the outcome. Support in any way possible the rule of law. This is where the determining battle will be fought.
Eventually, DJT will feel threatened by the justice system and the protests. When he does he'll call out his MAGA militia, which could lead to street violence and perhaps even murders of prominent judges and opposing politicians.
Let them come. And for those who say violence doesn't solve anything I call bull$hit. Violence has solved nearly every important matter in the history of this Earth.
Alexei Navalny named the party of opposition to Putin the “Russia of the Future” party. We should have an “America of the Future” party in kind.
We need to brace ourselves for the increasing likelihood that the Trump-packed SCOTUS is going to completely remove any constraints on the clearly illegal actions of Trump and Musk. At that point, this country will be officially dead as a democratic republic. The idea of a "Constitutional crisis" is a misdirection. What we're looking at is national extinction. Our most private, personal information: SSNs, bank accounts, health records, tax details - is being turned over - without our permission - to Musk and his band of careless, ignorant, barely-20-something plunderers. There is no possible benign motive for this intrusion. We need to separate ourselves from this. The fight now, I've concluded, is not to try to stop this assault, which appears to be an exercise in futility. Congress can't or won't save us. Lawsuits will not stop this despotic takeover. The entire executive branch is now a weaponized army against the country that was. I'm not sure we'll be able to salvage our Social Security & Medicare entitlements. We may not even be able to save our personal savings & property. This will be chaotic, brutal, perhaps violent. The fight we need to engage is against the plutocrats, oligarchs, kleptocrats, outright criminals, for our survival as free people. This is nothing less than a call to revoluton, necessitated by those currently usurping all power, removing our incentives to preserve the old order.
John Rawls, whose Theory of Justice continues to be the most substantive description and explanation of what justice is and how it should and can work for all of us, and Theodore Parker, who posited that the arc of history bends toward justice, both must be turning in their graves. But no! They are both on the front line, along with Steve Schmidt and so many others, saying to these knaves, vandals and thieves, "Thou shalt not pass!"