In the latest edition of "The Schmidt Storm", I answer your questions about Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill", CBS settling the "60 Minutes" lawsuit, and Elon Musk's new political party:The Warning with Steve Schmidt is a reader-supported publication.
Congressman Jamie Raskin emphasized the need to use all constitutional tools to combat Trump’s policies, including legal challenges and enforcing the War Powers Act. He warned about threats to judicial independence and described a culture of fear within the GOP that enforces loyalty to Trump.
A new birth of freedom for this remarkable and inspiring nation. “Judges are finding workarounds to Trump’s big Supreme Court win”
If the Supreme Court’s near ban on nationwide injunctions was the earth-shattering victory President Donald Trump claimed, no one seems to have told his courtroom opponents.
While the absence of that tool is clearly a sea change for the judiciary, early results indicate that judges see other paths to impose sweeping restrictions on government actions they deem unlawful. And those options remain viable in many major pending lawsuits against the administration.
In the meantime. Get The Military Off Our Streets, Fight Trump’s Inhumane Immigration Escalation.
WE Believe that the basic truth is that Donald Trump just really, really hates America. He has never been able to get the ‘respect’ he thinks he deserves. He’s not out to make America great again. He’s out to make America grovel at his feet.
Everything, Trump touches Just dies on its own, and with our help faster. Elon is dying with his tesla, it's happening now, Stocks are diving, the world hates him! We all like Schmidt.
Steve Schmidt, Lawrence O'Donnell, Nicole Wallace and others on MSNBC are truly the muckrakers of today exposing the corruption and cruelty of Maga just as people like Sinclair Lewis and Jacob Riis did during the Gilded Age; and, I appreciate their work beyond words.
I think so too. We have to fight for immediate change on as many fronts as possible. Steve does identify effective strategies to fight back that can help us in the midterms. They can also help land ICE in hot water before the midterms. I saw a great idea on substack that could marshal people's outrage against the pointless cuts to medicaid and the ACA, a constitutional amendment to guarantee universal healthcare akin to birthright citizenship and the ERA.
Steve, I live in a MAGA state and one of the hospitals that will be one of the first ones to close in 2027 when the medical takes affect is in the town that I live in. I have told my parents that they need to think about moving when it happens because an ambulance ride to Joplin is in the neighborhood of 20 thousand dollars and they are in their late 80’s, and a hospital close by is a must have. They are not and never have been for Nero. I know many of the Trump voters that live within my town that will be devastated by loosing the hospital, some have health issues, and some work at the hospital and don’t believe it will happen because they believe their Orange Savior would never betray them.
The kids that go to school in my town of I remember right 60% depended on the free or reduced school lunch and breakfast program that is no more. Oklahoma public schools have been decimated by the MAGA ideology and is now ranked 49 out of the 50 States. The sad part about this is that Oklahoma used to be ranked in the middle in the 20’s, I was fortunate to get the higher ranked education, what happened one would ask, well truthfully it is the fact that Oklahoma as a State quit investing in education and defunding it starting in the 90’s to give the wealthy tax cuts under the premise that the schools needed privatized because they were failing when they were not. Then came the MAGA politicians and we zoomed to the bottom of the pack.
There is so much damage that has been done over this last six months that it will probably takes decades to repair, but if we do not figure out how to take the levers of power the damage will be unrecoverable.
Yes, Joannie, I'm with Sandra here. I'm hoping the best for you and your parents. I'm also glad to see education concerns in a thread here -it is a crisis. Education matters!
Lisa, even with everything going on Education is my number one issue. The way I see it politicians have been allowed to decimate education on the premise that kids don’t vote so they found away to cut the one area that should be funded, also in my humble opinion this rampant testing is a waste of time and money. When OK under Fallon decided that teachers were to teach the test and went to the ACT in 6th grade as a measure I witnesses kids coming home in tears during the long test prep. Putting them thru the stress and fear did nothing for them and they learned nothing but how to possibly pass the test. I believe kids learn best with the tried and true Curriculums like McGraw, Hartcourt, and Pierson. Teach the material, encourage curiosity, and just make sure each child can read.
We are in this mess because people have quit being curious and forgot how to ask questions.
Trump’s minions must realize that when it comes to his loyalty they are all, each and every one of them, subject to his wrathful whims. Narcissistic pathology doesn’t allow for reciprocal love and loyalty, it is not capable of that. Thank you Steve for your direct, true and courageous commentary. 🙀👏🪬🌀
I appreciate these Schmidt storms for a dose of sanity in these surreal times...
I don't remember the exact details, but watching Trump and his Republican lickspittles this week was like living inside a reality show remake of a TV drama I saw many years ago. It was an episode of the Twilight Zone which revolved around a little kid that that could telekinetically banish citizens of a small town to a living hell. The adults bend to this child's every impulse and whim to avoid his ruinous temper tantrums.
In this 2025 remake, Donald Trump replaces Billy Mumy as the child-tyrant, and the Republican congress are the enslaved and terrified townsfolk. The rest of us would change the channel if we could, but we're bolted to our seats.
A couple I had dinner with on Thursday brought it up in conversation. I have not looked for it again yet, but I remember the episode scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. Little did we know...
The Wiki on the episode called "It's a Good Life" probably gives away too much but these two sentences are a good descriptor: "The people live in fear of Anthony, constantly telling him how everything he does is "good", since he banishes anyone thinking unhappy thoughts forever to a place that he calls "the cornfield." Having never experienced any form of discipline, he does not understand that his actions are harmful." Sound familiar? (Trump likely knows better though, but doesn't care). I have to watch it again myself.
Evidently, a remake was part of the Twilight Zone anthology movie in 1983. I've never seen the movie though.
Today, on The Warning comments, Anthony posted some information about a Twilight Zone episode called "He's Alive". It is also a good one for our times. It is about 23 min. long. I had to be patient to get the video to load, but it was worth it: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7y3z51
Thanks, Lisa! It didn't occur to me to check Daily Motion. I find DM too cluttered and clumsy to navigate generally speaking but the link worked fine. I downloaded it using the 4k video downloader application (it's free) to avoid loading and playback issues. I'll watch it this evening.
The 5 minute clip of It's a Good Life was a good teaser and reminded me why the episode gave me the creeps so many years ago. My friends had watched it recently as part of some Twilight Zone TV marathon, but I'll see if I can find it without waiting for that to show up again. I didn't know there was a remake until I read the Wiki article. As Douglas said in a comment, the episode is a great allegory for these frightening times.
I looked the episode up. Actually, my description is too sweeping. This is the episode I was referring to:
"He's Alive" is episode four of the fourth season of The Twilight Zone. It tells of an American neo-Nazi who is visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. This episode is notable for Dennis Hopper's breakout performance as Peter Vollmer.
Opening Narration: "Portrait of a bush-league Führer named Peter Vollmer, a sparse little man who feeds off his self-delusions and finds himself perpetually hungry for want of greatness in his diet. And like some goose-stepping predecessors he searches for something to explain his hunger, and to rationalize why a world passes him by without saluting. That something he looks for and finds is in a sewer. In his own twisted and distorted lexicon he calls it faith, strength, truth. But in just a moment Peter Vollmer will ply his trade on another kind of corner, a strange intersection in a shadowland called the Twilight Zone.
Closing Narration: Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare – Chicago? Los Angeles? Miami, Florida? Vincennes, Indiana? Syracuse, New York? Any place, every place where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry – he's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist. Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because through these things we keep him alive." Wikipedia
As I read the Closing Narration, I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him.
"...I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him."
Yes. I went to Alfred University with his daughter, Anne Serling, although I barely knew her. (I vaguely remember one quick conversation with her in a student lounge). I did see her with her visiting dad on campus one day, but I don't think he lived long enough to see her graduate, very sad to say.
In any case, she has been writing memoirs about her dad, and they're on my "to do" reading list. There are more expansive interviews about her dad, but this one offers some interesting nuggets:
Knowing that the budget bill is highly unpopular with the American electorate(only 17% felt the bill was acceptable), one can only surmise one of two things
1 The MAGA/Christian Nationalist movement is willing to take the risk that they will lose the midterm elections and that in a short period of time they will gain the electorate's confidence back again
2 With the successful 2024 election subversion behind them the Nazis are now emboldened that they can subvert the 2026 midterms since they have the program to make them unafraid of manipulating another election Remember the Orange Cheeto saying that if he's elected in 2024 "my beautiful Christians won't have to vote again" Armed with his Palantir software Peter Thiel along with Musk have the AI generative ability to cull out registered voters and Musk has the capability to alter voting machines with his Starlink network The already vigilante challenges that eliminated 3.5m registered voters from the rolls promoted by 40,000 volunteers will also be on the table
The arrogance that the Nazi party has is supported by their above corrupt voter suppression and voter elimination tactics Make it harder to vote and we'll win
So America are we going to let them get away with this?? If there was ever a time for WE the People to stand up for the government we want to see it is NOW
Meanwhile PROTEST PROTEST PROTEST to keep the pressure on this Nazi regime and show other more timid Americans that it's time to VOTE November 2026 Also contact Secty of States in your states and let them know our concerns
A lot of people think it will take general strikes in addition to protests over an extended time to eliminate the trouble we are in. Somehow how the wallets of ciros and elite. Other countries have done this to oust their authoritarian regime.
You are correct. We are under attack from within by Musk, Thiel, the Trump regime, the Billionaire Tech bros. They all have their own agendas though. We have done a lot of damage to Musk. Tesla takedown protests. How can we keep that up and target the others?. And Fox News, their propaganda network spreads lies.
Thanks for the comment Sometimes it seems insurmountable but every day one step in front of the other They're banking on us WE the People from getting tired out NEVER SUCCUMB!!
Steve I need this addressed: how do we move forward as a party when our own Democratic Party is so splintered. The far left have become too radical like the far right. The last election showed many refused to vote because of the issues in Israel, we cannot have that again. Or we will need a party that is for moderates on the left and the right. Both extremes - far left and far right are destroying us from within.
What the hell are you talking about--‐the farfetched too radical???? Who? What did they do??? Every European nation and Canada have a democratic socialist bent that has a strong health care/education, gun safety and many other societal strengths.
You can respectfully agree to disagree but don’t come at me like this it’s disgusting. Like I said so many far left did not vote because they disagreed with Biden’s policy on Israel Gaza situation. That is a fact. We got Trump because of it. I’m very resentful of anyone who didn’t vote. If you come at me again in a disrespectful way I’ll block you. It’s inappropriate.
I really am curious, because in my view it is the antidote to Maga/Trumpism and will address the most serious long-term threat to our democracy, wealth inequality
and is supportive of what I see as important American values, tolerance, diversity, mutual respect, and economic and social justice.
Thank you Anthony for your respectful message. What I’m referring mostly to when I say radical on the far left was mostly the threat to not vote over a single issue being Gaza and all the protests that took focus away from what was going on in our own country. It diluted any message of cohesion in the party. It destroyed us from within. It’s great to stand on principle for what you believe but this was a time like no other time to build a wall of unity not break down and have infighting within.
I agree with most all progressives are trying to accomplish I just think we have to take some baby steps so we don’t get 100% shot down. We can’t expect an all or nothing it’s got to be a compromise between the parties so everyone gets a win win. I still do believe that hard work pays off and you should be able to keep what you earn not have it taken away to support someone who doesn’t work. But I also believe we have to help those who literally cannot help themselves. We must give opportunities to those who were born into circumstances they didn’t ask for. But mostly I guess what I was getting at and was most angry about were those people who didn’t vote, didn’t respect the process to move us where we needed to be and because of what was horrendously happening on other soil. Not to diminish it in any way but we had to save our own Democracy so we could in fact stop the crimes happening in Gaza.
In my view the most important point you make is, "I still do believe that hard work pays off and you should be able to keep what you earn not have it taken away to support someone who doesn’t work."
And I think you will agree that those taking from people doing the hard work are the scamevangelists, Bezos's, Trumps, Zuckerberbergs and Musks of the world. I argue that we are in such imminent danger that "baby-steps" are not sufficient. We need to convince Americans that the Magats of the world are exploiting them and that democratic socialism will come closer than any other political and economic system to creating a just and happy society.
I also believe the suffering of people around the globe should concern us as much as suffering in our own country. We need a just international system as well as a just American government and society. Irrational hatred, petty national and religious difference, and territorial disputes must be set aside in favor of a world as described in John Lennon's "Imagine":
I agree that we have been taken over and enslaved by the most corrupt human trash that’s ever walked this earth and I too refer to Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, Trump who have literally gotten billions in corporate welfare and who now use our own money they’ve received from us to use it against us. I also don’t believe in an all or nothing sum game. There has to be a win on both sides or we won’t ever get anywhere unless we have a huge majority but we aren’t there at this point. Lastly, I am with you on the suffering going on around the globe that we are Americans and as such we give a damn and mostly always have tried to help any way we can but we can’t even help ourselves now. That is why the entire focus at this moment in time has got to be to save ourselves, to come together in a bold way to destroy the MAGA movement and focus on one thing and one thing only - UNITY! The only way we are going to destroy that faction is to be one massive united party. If we can do that then we can vote in every damn person regardless of party that moves us away from corporate greed, lifts up the impoverished, brings back a strong middle class and then, and only then can we bring peace to places that have had their voices destroyed and their people ravaged. Otherwise we can’t do anything anywhere including on our own soil.
Campaigning against the horrible bill. Well I would start now with very simple bullet point information this is what was passed and this is how it will benefit others and this is what YOU should expect after 2026 when the cuts kick in. I'd hit every Red state, county and rural area with bullet point simple facts.
I'd follow up with very simple follow up in the same areas regular follow up. Then once thing's start taking affect point it out. Maybe some sort of similar national bullet point campaign for reinforcement.
Maybe if we cdn get Dem leadership to get their act together and at least mention the same bullet point anytime they're asked anything.
That's what we should do. Keep it simple stupid and repeat. Repeat, repeat.
Since they have the majority, what else?
By the way, WHY so many detention centers if people are being deported?
"He's Alive" is episode four of the fourth season of The Twilight Zone. It tells of an American neo-Nazi who is visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. This episode is notable for Dennis Hopper's breakout performance as Peter Vollmer.
Opening Narration: "Portrait of a bush-league Führer named Peter Vollmer, a sparse little man who feeds off his self-delusions and finds himself perpetually hungry for want of greatness in his diet. And like some goose-stepping predecessors he searches for something to explain his hunger, and to rationalize why a world passes him by without saluting. That something he looks for and finds is in a sewer. In his own twisted and distorted lexicon he calls it faith, strength, truth. But in just a moment Peter Vollmer will ply his trade on another kind of corner, a strange intersection in a shadowland called the Twilight Zone.
Closing Narration: Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare – Chicago? Los Angeles? Miami, Florida? Vincennes, Indiana? Syracuse, New York? Any place, every place where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry – he's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist. Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because through these things we keep him alive." Wikipedia
As I read the Closing Narration, I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him.
Hi Anthony, I looked up this Twilight Zone episode, "He's Alive". Here is a link to a video (23 min):https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7y3z51 Dennis Hopper is superb! I had to be patient to get this video to load. It was worth it! It is way too close to way we're seeing now!!
Congressman Jamie Raskin emphasized the need to use all constitutional tools to combat Trump’s policies, including legal challenges and enforcing the War Powers Act. He warned about threats to judicial independence and described a culture of fear within the GOP that enforces loyalty to Trump.
A new birth of freedom for this remarkable and inspiring nation. “Judges are finding workarounds to Trump’s big Supreme Court win”
If the Supreme Court’s near ban on nationwide injunctions was the earth-shattering victory President Donald Trump claimed, no one seems to have told his courtroom opponents.
While the absence of that tool is clearly a sea change for the judiciary, early results indicate that judges see other paths to impose sweeping restrictions on government actions they deem unlawful. And those options remain viable in many major pending lawsuits against the administration.
In the meantime. Get The Military Off Our Streets, Fight Trump’s Inhumane Immigration Escalation.
WE Believe that the basic truth is that Donald Trump just really, really hates America. He has never been able to get the ‘respect’ he thinks he deserves. He’s not out to make America great again. He’s out to make America grovel at his feet.
Everything, Trump touches Just dies on its own, and with our help faster. Elon is dying with his tesla, it's happening now, Stocks are diving, the world hates him! We all like Schmidt.
everything trump has done has gone bankrupt.
I watched the Schmidtstorm this afternoon on YouTube. It is my favorite show.
Thanks, John!
Steve
Maybe a "Schmidt Storm" coffee cup would be a hit. People love it! Pow!💥🥊
Good thinking, Lisa!
Steve Schmidt, Lawrence O'Donnell, Nicole Wallace and others on MSNBC are truly the muckrakers of today exposing the corruption and cruelty of Maga just as people like Sinclair Lewis and Jacob Riis did during the Gilded Age; and, I appreciate their work beyond words.
I read every word he publishes.
Midterms will NOT be the answer to our problems.
Trump is anticipating this, and with his SS ICE goons, it won't be easy to either vote or even know if your vote was counted.
Eighteen months is lightyears of damage Trump can deploy to frighten off or eliminate any legitimate midterm results in anyone's favor except his own.
I have to disagree with Steve on this one, I am afraid.
A very interesting point.
I think so too. We have to fight for immediate change on as many fronts as possible. Steve does identify effective strategies to fight back that can help us in the midterms. They can also help land ICE in hot water before the midterms. I saw a great idea on substack that could marshal people's outrage against the pointless cuts to medicaid and the ACA, a constitutional amendment to guarantee universal healthcare akin to birthright citizenship and the ERA.
Check out the July 5 "Dissent in Bloom" podcast for info about a 2024 messing with the processing of counting the votes that might extend forward.
Steve, I live in a MAGA state and one of the hospitals that will be one of the first ones to close in 2027 when the medical takes affect is in the town that I live in. I have told my parents that they need to think about moving when it happens because an ambulance ride to Joplin is in the neighborhood of 20 thousand dollars and they are in their late 80’s, and a hospital close by is a must have. They are not and never have been for Nero. I know many of the Trump voters that live within my town that will be devastated by loosing the hospital, some have health issues, and some work at the hospital and don’t believe it will happen because they believe their Orange Savior would never betray them.
The kids that go to school in my town of I remember right 60% depended on the free or reduced school lunch and breakfast program that is no more. Oklahoma public schools have been decimated by the MAGA ideology and is now ranked 49 out of the 50 States. The sad part about this is that Oklahoma used to be ranked in the middle in the 20’s, I was fortunate to get the higher ranked education, what happened one would ask, well truthfully it is the fact that Oklahoma as a State quit investing in education and defunding it starting in the 90’s to give the wealthy tax cuts under the premise that the schools needed privatized because they were failing when they were not. Then came the MAGA politicians and we zoomed to the bottom of the pack.
There is so much damage that has been done over this last six months that it will probably takes decades to repair, but if we do not figure out how to take the levers of power the damage will be unrecoverable.
Yes, Joannie, I'm with Sandra here. I'm hoping the best for you and your parents. I'm also glad to see education concerns in a thread here -it is a crisis. Education matters!
Lisa, even with everything going on Education is my number one issue. The way I see it politicians have been allowed to decimate education on the premise that kids don’t vote so they found away to cut the one area that should be funded, also in my humble opinion this rampant testing is a waste of time and money. When OK under Fallon decided that teachers were to teach the test and went to the ACT in 6th grade as a measure I witnesses kids coming home in tears during the long test prep. Putting them thru the stress and fear did nothing for them and they learned nothing but how to possibly pass the test. I believe kids learn best with the tried and true Curriculums like McGraw, Hartcourt, and Pierson. Teach the material, encourage curiosity, and just make sure each child can read.
We are in this mess because people have quit being curious and forgot how to ask questions.
I care and I see you. And your parents.
Trump’s minions must realize that when it comes to his loyalty they are all, each and every one of them, subject to his wrathful whims. Narcissistic pathology doesn’t allow for reciprocal love and loyalty, it is not capable of that. Thank you Steve for your direct, true and courageous commentary. 🙀👏🪬🌀
I appreciate these Schmidt storms for a dose of sanity in these surreal times...
I don't remember the exact details, but watching Trump and his Republican lickspittles this week was like living inside a reality show remake of a TV drama I saw many years ago. It was an episode of the Twilight Zone which revolved around a little kid that that could telekinetically banish citizens of a small town to a living hell. The adults bend to this child's every impulse and whim to avoid his ruinous temper tantrums.
In this 2025 remake, Donald Trump replaces Billy Mumy as the child-tyrant, and the Republican congress are the enslaved and terrified townsfolk. The rest of us would change the channel if we could, but we're bolted to our seats.
Yes! That episode was a great allegory.
A couple I had dinner with on Thursday brought it up in conversation. I have not looked for it again yet, but I remember the episode scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. Little did we know...
I would like to see that episode :-)
Me too....no thoughts private..and the kid was ruthless!
Yes, The Twilight Zone! This is dystopian.
The Wiki on the episode called "It's a Good Life" probably gives away too much but these two sentences are a good descriptor: "The people live in fear of Anthony, constantly telling him how everything he does is "good", since he banishes anyone thinking unhappy thoughts forever to a place that he calls "the cornfield." Having never experienced any form of discipline, he does not understand that his actions are harmful." Sound familiar? (Trump likely knows better though, but doesn't care). I have to watch it again myself.
Evidently, a remake was part of the Twilight Zone anthology movie in 1983. I've never seen the movie though.
Hi Gar, I watched some short YouTubes (the original and the remake) of "It's a Good Life". These are spooky and just great for our times!
Here's a link to a 5 min youtube of the original "It's a Good Life.":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxTMbIxEj-E
Today, on The Warning comments, Anthony posted some information about a Twilight Zone episode called "He's Alive". It is also a good one for our times. It is about 23 min. long. I had to be patient to get the video to load, but it was worth it: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7y3z51
Thanks, Lisa! It didn't occur to me to check Daily Motion. I find DM too cluttered and clumsy to navigate generally speaking but the link worked fine. I downloaded it using the 4k video downloader application (it's free) to avoid loading and playback issues. I'll watch it this evening.
The 5 minute clip of It's a Good Life was a good teaser and reminded me why the episode gave me the creeps so many years ago. My friends had watched it recently as part of some Twilight Zone TV marathon, but I'll see if I can find it without waiting for that to show up again. I didn't know there was a remake until I read the Wiki article. As Douglas said in a comment, the episode is a great allegory for these frightening times.
Yes, "a great allegory for these frightening times! I'm really enjoying and benefiting from revisiting The Twilight Zone! Thanks :-)
There was also an episode that depicted an American-style "Third Reich" but I can't remember any of the details.
I don't remember that one, but I'd like to see it too.
I looked the episode up. Actually, my description is too sweeping. This is the episode I was referring to:
"He's Alive" is episode four of the fourth season of The Twilight Zone. It tells of an American neo-Nazi who is visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. This episode is notable for Dennis Hopper's breakout performance as Peter Vollmer.
Opening Narration: "Portrait of a bush-league Führer named Peter Vollmer, a sparse little man who feeds off his self-delusions and finds himself perpetually hungry for want of greatness in his diet. And like some goose-stepping predecessors he searches for something to explain his hunger, and to rationalize why a world passes him by without saluting. That something he looks for and finds is in a sewer. In his own twisted and distorted lexicon he calls it faith, strength, truth. But in just a moment Peter Vollmer will ply his trade on another kind of corner, a strange intersection in a shadowland called the Twilight Zone.
Closing Narration: Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare – Chicago? Los Angeles? Miami, Florida? Vincennes, Indiana? Syracuse, New York? Any place, every place where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry – he's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist. Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because through these things we keep him alive." Wikipedia
As I read the Closing Narration, I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him.
"...I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him."
Yes. I went to Alfred University with his daughter, Anne Serling, although I barely knew her. (I vaguely remember one quick conversation with her in a student lounge). I did see her with her visiting dad on campus one day, but I don't think he lived long enough to see her graduate, very sad to say.
In any case, she has been writing memoirs about her dad, and they're on my "to do" reading list. There are more expansive interviews about her dad, but this one offers some interesting nuggets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJwf_rZfF0
Thanks for the link.
TRUMP LOST
MAGA Arrogance And 2026 Election Subversion
Knowing that the budget bill is highly unpopular with the American electorate(only 17% felt the bill was acceptable), one can only surmise one of two things
1 The MAGA/Christian Nationalist movement is willing to take the risk that they will lose the midterm elections and that in a short period of time they will gain the electorate's confidence back again
2 With the successful 2024 election subversion behind them the Nazis are now emboldened that they can subvert the 2026 midterms since they have the program to make them unafraid of manipulating another election Remember the Orange Cheeto saying that if he's elected in 2024 "my beautiful Christians won't have to vote again" Armed with his Palantir software Peter Thiel along with Musk have the AI generative ability to cull out registered voters and Musk has the capability to alter voting machines with his Starlink network The already vigilante challenges that eliminated 3.5m registered voters from the rolls promoted by 40,000 volunteers will also be on the table
The arrogance that the Nazi party has is supported by their above corrupt voter suppression and voter elimination tactics Make it harder to vote and we'll win
So America are we going to let them get away with this?? If there was ever a time for WE the People to stand up for the government we want to see it is NOW
Meanwhile PROTEST PROTEST PROTEST to keep the pressure on this Nazi regime and show other more timid Americans that it's time to VOTE November 2026 Also contact Secty of States in your states and let them know our concerns
A lot of people think it will take general strikes in addition to protests over an extended time to eliminate the trouble we are in. Somehow how the wallets of ciros and elite. Other countries have done this to oust their authoritarian regime.
You are correct. We are under attack from within by Musk, Thiel, the Trump regime, the Billionaire Tech bros. They all have their own agendas though. We have done a lot of damage to Musk. Tesla takedown protests. How can we keep that up and target the others?. And Fox News, their propaganda network spreads lies.
Thanks for the comment Sometimes it seems insurmountable but every day one step in front of the other They're banking on us WE the People from getting tired out NEVER SUCCUMB!!
Steve I need this addressed: how do we move forward as a party when our own Democratic Party is so splintered. The far left have become too radical like the far right. The last election showed many refused to vote because of the issues in Israel, we cannot have that again. Or we will need a party that is for moderates on the left and the right. Both extremes - far left and far right are destroying us from within.
What the hell are you talking about--‐the farfetched too radical???? Who? What did they do??? Every European nation and Canada have a democratic socialist bent that has a strong health care/education, gun safety and many other societal strengths.
You can respectfully agree to disagree but don’t come at me like this it’s disgusting. Like I said so many far left did not vote because they disagreed with Biden’s policy on Israel Gaza situation. That is a fact. We got Trump because of it. I’m very resentful of anyone who didn’t vote. If you come at me again in a disrespectful way I’ll block you. It’s inappropriate.
I apologize to you....I was harsh.
Thank you I appreciate that
Ms. H, please explain what you consider radical about the agenda of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the "far left" faction of the Democratic Party: https://progressives.house.gov/2024/4/congressional-progressive-caucus-unveils-new-legislative-agenda-to-deliver-equality-justice-and-economic-security-for-working-people).
I really am curious, because in my view it is the antidote to Maga/Trumpism and will address the most serious long-term threat to our democracy, wealth inequality
and is supportive of what I see as important American values, tolerance, diversity, mutual respect, and economic and social justice.
Thank you Anthony for your respectful message. What I’m referring mostly to when I say radical on the far left was mostly the threat to not vote over a single issue being Gaza and all the protests that took focus away from what was going on in our own country. It diluted any message of cohesion in the party. It destroyed us from within. It’s great to stand on principle for what you believe but this was a time like no other time to build a wall of unity not break down and have infighting within.
I agree with most all progressives are trying to accomplish I just think we have to take some baby steps so we don’t get 100% shot down. We can’t expect an all or nothing it’s got to be a compromise between the parties so everyone gets a win win. I still do believe that hard work pays off and you should be able to keep what you earn not have it taken away to support someone who doesn’t work. But I also believe we have to help those who literally cannot help themselves. We must give opportunities to those who were born into circumstances they didn’t ask for. But mostly I guess what I was getting at and was most angry about were those people who didn’t vote, didn’t respect the process to move us where we needed to be and because of what was horrendously happening on other soil. Not to diminish it in any way but we had to save our own Democracy so we could in fact stop the crimes happening in Gaza.
In my view the most important point you make is, "I still do believe that hard work pays off and you should be able to keep what you earn not have it taken away to support someone who doesn’t work."
And I think you will agree that those taking from people doing the hard work are the scamevangelists, Bezos's, Trumps, Zuckerberbergs and Musks of the world. I argue that we are in such imminent danger that "baby-steps" are not sufficient. We need to convince Americans that the Magats of the world are exploiting them and that democratic socialism will come closer than any other political and economic system to creating a just and happy society.
I also believe the suffering of people around the globe should concern us as much as suffering in our own country. We need a just international system as well as a just American government and society. Irrational hatred, petty national and religious difference, and territorial disputes must be set aside in favor of a world as described in John Lennon's "Imagine":
"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace"
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And thank you for this back and forth I love when we can express our views in civil ways. Much appreciated!
I agree that we have been taken over and enslaved by the most corrupt human trash that’s ever walked this earth and I too refer to Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, Trump who have literally gotten billions in corporate welfare and who now use our own money they’ve received from us to use it against us. I also don’t believe in an all or nothing sum game. There has to be a win on both sides or we won’t ever get anywhere unless we have a huge majority but we aren’t there at this point. Lastly, I am with you on the suffering going on around the globe that we are Americans and as such we give a damn and mostly always have tried to help any way we can but we can’t even help ourselves now. That is why the entire focus at this moment in time has got to be to save ourselves, to come together in a bold way to destroy the MAGA movement and focus on one thing and one thing only - UNITY! The only way we are going to destroy that faction is to be one massive united party. If we can do that then we can vote in every damn person regardless of party that moves us away from corporate greed, lifts up the impoverished, brings back a strong middle class and then, and only then can we bring peace to places that have had their voices destroyed and their people ravaged. Otherwise we can’t do anything anywhere including on our own soil.
Yes, this is a community here. We need to have respectful conversations.🌹
"Trump voters will pay"? I can't wait!
Campaigning against the horrible bill. Well I would start now with very simple bullet point information this is what was passed and this is how it will benefit others and this is what YOU should expect after 2026 when the cuts kick in. I'd hit every Red state, county and rural area with bullet point simple facts.
I'd follow up with very simple follow up in the same areas regular follow up. Then once thing's start taking affect point it out. Maybe some sort of similar national bullet point campaign for reinforcement.
Maybe if we cdn get Dem leadership to get their act together and at least mention the same bullet point anytime they're asked anything.
That's what we should do. Keep it simple stupid and repeat. Repeat, repeat.
Since they have the majority, what else?
By the way, WHY so many detention centers if people are being deported?
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"He's Alive" is episode four of the fourth season of The Twilight Zone. It tells of an American neo-Nazi who is visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. This episode is notable for Dennis Hopper's breakout performance as Peter Vollmer.
Opening Narration: "Portrait of a bush-league Führer named Peter Vollmer, a sparse little man who feeds off his self-delusions and finds himself perpetually hungry for want of greatness in his diet. And like some goose-stepping predecessors he searches for something to explain his hunger, and to rationalize why a world passes him by without saluting. That something he looks for and finds is in a sewer. In his own twisted and distorted lexicon he calls it faith, strength, truth. But in just a moment Peter Vollmer will ply his trade on another kind of corner, a strange intersection in a shadowland called the Twilight Zone.
Closing Narration: Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare – Chicago? Los Angeles? Miami, Florida? Vincennes, Indiana? Syracuse, New York? Any place, every place where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry – he's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist. Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because through these things we keep him alive." Wikipedia
As I read the Closing Narration, I can't help but believe Rod Serling was a genius who warned us about Maga, Trump, and the cowardly, bigoted bullies who surround and support him.
Hi Anthony, I looked up this Twilight Zone episode, "He's Alive". Here is a link to a video (23 min):https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7y3z51 Dennis Hopper is superb! I had to be patient to get this video to load. It was worth it! It is way too close to way we're seeing now!!
You nailed it with your take on Elon Musk. Musk is bad, bad news. I would love to see Musk Crash and Burn.
I think you are going to get your wish.
There must be an entity that can/will put abject fear into THEM! Put them on the defensive.
The Schmidt Storm HaaHaa 🤣 that's a Good One, Steve!!! and will reStack ASAP 💯👍‼️