308 Comments

Can’t wait (rhetorically speaking) to see who has the complete lack of self-respect to sign on as his chief economic advisors, a job whose only qualification is to sit there and say “Yes sir tariffs are paid by foreign countries you are totally right and literally everyone else in the world is wrong.”

Expand full comment
Nov 12Liked by Jay Kuo

Our best hope is for them to overplay their hand, gridlock ensues, and the midterms sweep away their advantage in the House and possibly the Senate. Assuming they don’t “turbocharge” voter suppression, gerrymandering, and all the other f*ckery that brought us to this pitiable state

Expand full comment

trump. paraphrased: You only have to vote this time. After that, you never have to vote again.

Why are so many ignoring that statement?

Expand full comment

We're not ignoring it. We're just not going to let that happen.

Expand full comment

Oh, that was just trump being trump! Right. The problem is how to fight against it. He did get that "one vote."

Expand full comment

Not ignoring it at all.

Expand full comment

We have faith in not only the Constitution, but the American public who, when he executes all of his plans, will finally understand what we have been telling them all along.

Expand full comment

That’s what I think will happen, if we are allowed to have free and fair elections. The arrogance of the MAGA-ites is going to be their downfall, I believe. And I share your fear about all the voter suppression tricks that will continue to go on in GOP states.

Expand full comment

Trump will declare martial law stop elections and protests with the military.

Expand full comment

Well Rick, I liked this take on things by Prof. Timothy Snyder today. He has likened the incoming White House to a 60s sitcom called Gilligan's Island, only he calls his sitcom Oligarchs' Island. If you have never seen the show, I will post a link to the movie. It has the same case.

https://snyder.substack.com/p/oligarchs-island?utm_source=substack&publication_id=310897&post_id=151527054&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=f0qfn&triedRedirect=true

It leaves me with a vision of Xi Jin ping, as Putin's puppetmaster, and Putin as Trump's Puppetmaster. I am envisioning the album cover I had of My Fair Lady when I was a child.

https://fontsinuse.com/uses/38855/rex-harrison-julie-andrews-et-al-my-fair-lady

I too had predicted to my family that there would be a lot of infighting amongst the MAGAs, but now I will say Oligarchs, because the rest of the MAGAs no longer count. I mainly reside in Germany and today my contractor said to me that Musk paid 500 mil, to earn many billions of dollars from the access he bought. He said, so he is getting a big return on his investment. I had been saying that too, to my daughter who was wondering if what he was doing was illegal. I said it was, and he would never suffer the consequences. At least not directly.

Here is Gilligan's Island if you can stand watching so many stupid people in one place.

https://youtu.be/DtPnUOO-5UU?si=JZYMbIgfhEJiJ2oe

Also, here is a link to an interesting discussion on anticipated economic consequences of Trump's tariffs, or US's trade policy.

https://pardot.csis.org/webmail/906722/3155136382/7fb3790e127db1fea8017946c5ab47fd41a1bf3a700f6568ba7dba887d14a0e4

Expand full comment

Surely Stephen Moore and Larry Kudlow are ready to slither back out from under their rocks to again pollute the economic air.

Expand full comment

Some of these "only the best people" are set up for failure, viz. Li'l Marco at State. Here's someone who's shown near-zero qualifications for higher office, yet here he is as SecState nominee, placed there for reasons you mentioned, but prolly one of the first to get the chop after tRump 2.0 gets rolling. It's the tRump way: prove oneself not so much on policy but how one excels in intra-office combat, how well one can shank an opponent, which tRump really gets off on. Noem as Homeland Security head? Be serious, as she will be undercut by Stephen "Himmler" Miller at every turn, bank it.

No matter how much the media proclaims that tRump 2.0 will be more insidiously dangerous than his first pass, the one constant remains tRump, a "manager" of bottomless incompetence and rapidly failing mind, the combination of which will soon enough be reflected in colossal administration fuck-ups, it's just baked-in. Question always is: how much damage can this crew achieve before it all goes south?

Expand full comment

The entire plan is to oust him and implement P2025. His job is to get the worst of the worst appointees, once all the feet are in the door he's just a pawn. He's just an addled old man spewing dangerous rhetoric to keep his base fired up and distract from what's really going on. We can't let our guard down, we need to not be distracted by the smoke and mirrors.

Expand full comment

I agree 100%. The plan was to get him elected--then as soon as possible, shunt him aside. That's why the tech bros were so adamant about Vance being VP, who they are certain they can control and push P2025 ahead.

Expand full comment

Vance was definitely placed there. They will shuffle trumpo off to the southern compound, then give him a fancy sharpie and make all the pomp and circumstance of signing “executive orders”…

Expand full comment

That was my thought too. If DJ T continues to show any senility there is possibility they can declare him unfit through amendment 25 and put Vance in his place. That would be way worse.

Expand full comment

Yep. I’ve posted that they will pat him on his thin-haired head and park him on golf courses every day. Then bring him back when he needs to sign something.

Expand full comment

Ch-ch-ch-Chia Miller needs to go ahead and get that swastika tattooed onto his forehead.

Expand full comment

He's got that black Magic Marker he previously used for "touching up" rapidly encroaching baldness, before giving up and going close-buzz, so time to bust it out and do some decorating!

Expand full comment

Ha Ha! I also have been referring to Rubio as Lil Marco, as have others. He’s never going to outrun it. As for unqualified - how about Noem at Homeland security? I mean, really???

Expand full comment

Did we expect him to select anyone who was qualified? His sole qualification for any position is loyalty to him. How about Hegseth for Secretary of Defense???? He's going to put someone completely unqualified in that position? God help us

Expand full comment

The only qualification to serve in this administration goes like this. Remove one's brain, so no logical or critical thinking can occur, insert implant that is programmed to say yes to everything their mob boss wants. The desire to serve Lord Voltamort has me scratching my bald head. Why? Power, grievance, etc. When will those who voted for him wake up and realize what so many were trying to warn them about the evil of Project 2025. We really need to educate our children with critical thinking skills so they don't rely on disinformation on social media.

Expand full comment

So, let me get this straight... On one hand, the GOP fueled antisemitism in the US, but on the other hand they support Netanyahu, who is TERRIBLE for Israel and is despised by his own people? And they are doing the latter under the pretense of trying to help Israel? And didn't many Trump voters cite VP Harris's position on Israel as one of primary reasons for not voting for her?

How is that supposed to even compute?

Expand full comment

Yes. Aided by many leftists who didn't support Harris because of Gaza. It was clear that Trump would be a worse outcome for Palestinians. So many leopards will be eating so many faces. When these things happened in the past, I was empathetic. I have no sympathy now. None. It was clear what Trump intended to do yet Arabs, Latino men, so, even Asians voted for him. OK then.

Expand full comment

I have come to a very simple conclusion: those who voted for Trump (who include some of my close relatives) are either stupid or cruel. Or both.

Expand full comment

The stupid is VERY STRONG in the cult members . . . (but so is the cruelty . .).

Expand full comment

I would add individually lazy and privileged (as in I'm a wealthy white male who doesn't have to worry about anything but my bank account.).

Expand full comment

And misogynistic to a fault.

Expand full comment

I'd go with STUPID.

Expand full comment

Also includes some of my close relatives. Still trying to sort that out in my head, disown or forgive. Eventually I know it will pass but right now it's still a no go for me

Expand full comment
Nov 12·edited Nov 12

Just like the women voting for drump, voted against their own best interests. When the large Middle Eastern communities in Mi decided to push us in the wrong direction all I could think was "how in the hell do they think he's better for Gaza?" I knew he wasn't, how could they not see it? I mean honestly he doesn't care about anything except how he looks. If the war ends because an entire population is wiped out then it's a win for him- "Look I ended the war that Biden couldn't". I mean they're all dead but who cares right?

Expand full comment

100%. But it's even worse. There's no real ideology at play here. Trump's son in law wants to develop Gaza as beachfront property.

Expand full comment

And the best way for them to do that is to just leave enough Gazans to be servants for the wealthy people at the resorts. Somebody has to make their drinks.

Expand full comment

Really? It's always about how they can benefit. F humanity, I want to build luxury condos! It's going to be worse this time around.

Expand full comment

Disgusting. He's not only abetting murder, he's tarring all Jews with his dirty brush. I just want to keep screaming, "Not in my name!"

Expand full comment

Bless you. ((( )))

Expand full comment

And rich folk won't think twice about staying there, on a bloody cemetery of senseless murders.

Expand full comment

🏆

Expand full comment

Sadly I think they were victims of Russian propaganda, aimed at the left. It sucks all the killing that's going on. There needs to be stop to it, but there never will be with that madman at the helm.

Expand full comment

Not all of them.

Expand full comment

Yeah we do get a few who still get a hard-on over him.

Expand full comment

Darn! I can't put my emoji puke on here! (Still have to figure that out.)

Expand full comment

Totally agree! Whoever thinks trump will be better for Palestinians (looking at you dumb a$$ 3rd party voters) is about to find out how wrong they are and they’ll be complicit in those deaths.

Wonder how their “conscious” will feel then?

Expand full comment

I posted some screenshots the other day of comments by a woman who feels she is “easy in her conscience” because she “voted against genocide” by not voting. When I pointed out that not voting was a vote for trump, she insisted that she didn’t vote for him. And it’s the “DNC’s fault” for its ongoing crimes.

Expand full comment
Nov 12·edited Nov 12

Yeah, when Gaza is levelled, I want to ask all those people 'so how did that vote work out for you and your dead relatives" And that twerp Rubio has just given them all a big FU

Expand full comment

🎯

Expand full comment

Yep...I feel the exact same way.

Expand full comment

Jews went for Harris by a huge margin of over 70%...apparently we are more concerned about Trump's potential to make life uncomfortable for us here than we are about what the election holds for those in the Middle East.

Expand full comment

Thank you for the correction. I will edit my post. Social media sometimes distorts perceptions.

Expand full comment

Harris would have been better for Jews and Muslims here, and for Jews and Muslims there.

Only the Israeli extreme right will get what they want in the short term with Trump - but at a long-term cost to Israel.

Expand full comment

They deserve what they clearly will be getting; although the Gazans and the West Bank Palestinians don't.

Expand full comment

Gaza, the Palestinians, the Ukrainians, the list goes on...

Expand full comment

During my phone banking for Kamala one night we were talking to Muslims in Michigan and had the tough task to try to convince them to vote for her instead of Trump. They were really pissed at the Administration's support of Israel. I mentioned the Muslim bans. It did not make an impression. I said that Trump was supporting Nethanyahu and they didn't care. They were all about sticking it to the Biden Administration because they tried so many times to get more support. That night I had a feeling that the campaign was in trouble in Michigan.

Expand full comment

Tried so many times to get more support? That sounds wrong. Anyway, good luck with the support they will get from Trump, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem and the author of Project 2025. They will be in charge of Homeland Security.

Expand full comment

As expected so far his appointees are unfit for the positions he gave them. I'm very worried about this announcement for the position he wants to give Muskrat. There goes social security and all social programs :(

Expand full comment

Stupid. What a shame.

Expand full comment

And lots of white men, don't forget....

Expand full comment

Agree 100% on the zero sympathy for any of his voters when they wake up and smell the coffee. My sympathies lie with the innocents they are dragging down with them.

Expand full comment

I am an American Jew. I believe the State of Israel has the right to exist and to defend itself. That said the action in Gaza is no longer about defending Israel (if it ever was) or bringing the hostages home (again, if it ever was). I do fear that Netanyahu will push it so far that the surrounding Arab countries, who so far have at least publicly tried to stay out of it, will be forced to once again join the Palestinians and attack Israel causing a full-scale war in the Mideast.

Expand full comment

I don't think the Arab states care about the Palestinians; they were always only a political tool, used to rhetorically satisfy the "street," and distract from their own abuses.

Expand full comment

They decidedly do not and are annoyed that they are being dragged in once again.

Expand full comment

You're right, but if it gets to the point where "the street" is so outraged that they even think about going after their governments for not interfering (which they have in the past and could again) then the Arab countries will attack Israel.

Expand full comment

I am also Jewish. I think that's exactly his intention.

Expand full comment

Do you think that bibi's ultimate goal to force the U.S. into a war with the Arab nations, so that Israel can "win"?

Expand full comment

I dunno about the rest of the Arab nations, but Iran? Yeah, I do believe Netanyahu would kinda love to get us into a war with them. Especially if we removed all possibility of them getting The Bomb, and as a side effect destroying Hamas and Hezbollah utterly.

Expand full comment

I have friends and family in Israel, and I am with you - this is going to be hideous for the region in general. ALL involved.

Expand full comment

Maybe supporting bibi is a form of antisemitism? Just a thought.

Expand full comment

It is, as I just mentioned. Netanyahu himself is antisemitic in that he doesn't recognize any Jews other than the Orthodox as Jewish. Like me, for instance. We're not considered "one of them" and we're treated like dirt. My own brothers, who became Orthodox many years ago, won't touch me because I'm a woman.

Expand full comment

WOW!!! I am SO SORRY!!!

Expand full comment

Thank you. Here's another tidbit for you. My brother takes the light out of the refrigerator on the Sabbath because you're not supposed to work on the Sabbath. To him, opening the refrigerator is work. I kid you not. This is why Orthodox Jews won't drive on the Sabbath and you see them walking to temple on Saturdays.

Expand full comment

Sigh... A friend of mine, and of his Orthodox Jewish neighbor (though his family all moved to Israel a couple of years ago) would have my friend be "on call" for him and his family on the Sabbath: "turn on the TV", "turn on the stove", etc., etc., etc. My friend, who doesn't judge people (I try not to, as well, but sometimes...) always did what he was asked. I always that that the Jewish man was being hypocritical. Your thoughts about his behavior?

Expand full comment

This is what's known as a shabbos goy. It's a non-Jew (gentile) who does the things the Jew isn't allowed to do. And yes, I think it's hypocritical.

Expand full comment

Yes, Orthodox Jews don't use electric lights or drive on Sabbath; that's their choice and unless you live with them it has no impact on you and should not be looked down upon -- we all follow the rules as we perceive them. And FYI: it's not that opening a refrigerator door is work, it's that the lightbulb going on could potentially cause a spark and that's the equivalent of lighting a fire. I would suggest you find out why people do what they do before you start making fun of them. And as far as not touching you that's not halacha (Jewish law), that's their choice. Men are allowed to touch women they're related to like mothers, sisters, children.

Expand full comment

I don't know about the touching. These are half-brothers. Whether to them that means they shouldn't touch me I don't know.

I'm not making fun of them. I'm saying that I think they're acting in an irrational manner. But it does affect me because they set the terms of the relationship. There's no compromise. When my half-sister got married she had to do everything according to *their* specifications. (She is not Orthodox.) People who are that rule-bound make other people's lives difficult.

Expand full comment

I don't think that Paula is making fun of anybody. She has been left out of her family because of her brothers' beliefs, which are different from the ones in which they were raised. If you read her posts, you will see that she is sad.

Expand full comment

That's awful. Your own family. I am so sorry. ❤️

Expand full comment

This is what happens when people become fanatics.

Expand full comment

Fundamentalism is the problem in all organized religion, because of the fanatical rigidity required, in a world where most just want to be left alone and not be bothered.

Expand full comment

Indeed. I've got one of those in my family, my older brother: white supremacist, anti-Jews. My other brother is married to a conservative Jewish woman, and they have three beautiful Jewish children. They haven't spoken in 43 years, after the older brother unforgivably insulted the younger brother for his marriage.

Expand full comment

Oh kdsherpa, how sad. I am sorry ❤️

Expand full comment

Wow. That's tragic.

Expand full comment

Is it antisemitism or just another form of sectarianism?

Do Orthodox Jews attack non Orthodox Jews? Bomb their synagogues? Claim they own the world and have space lasers?

I think it's just the equivalent of how evangelicals feel about other Christians.

Expand full comment

Orthodox Jews consider every Jewish soul (Neshumah) to be sacred, even if the owner has fallen into error. I know, because I am an errant (not in my atheist opinion!) example, and my ultra-orthodox family still love me and welcome me when I visit them in Israel.

Expand full comment

It is sectarianism but I was responding to a comment about Netanyahu possibly being antisemitic. In other contexts I wouldn't have used that word.

Expand full comment

There's antisemitism and antisemitism. Orthodox Jews believe that all other people who call themselves Jews are not Jewish. That includes Netanyahu and his thugs: the political right supports the Orthodox, not the rest of us. (I am a reform Jew.) From my perspective, Orthodox Jews and Trumpists are antisemitic in that they hate non-Orthodox Jews. I don't know if I'm clarifying anything. It's crazy stuff.

Expand full comment

Actually it helps. Explaining the reality of Israel and it's various factions is a good thing for us. Americans are fed a simplistic party line.

Expand full comment

Hannah, this might be helpful as well: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-733096

Expand full comment

Thanks Paula B.

Expand full comment

That is simply not true of the Orthodox movement. I'm Conservative. Orthodox Jews do recognize Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, etc. as Jews as long as they have a Jewish mother or have converted. They do, however, think we are not "as Jewish" but I know many, many Orthodox Jews, including some in my own family, and they don't hate non-Orthodox, they just think we should be more like them.

Expand full comment

From Google: "Orthodox Judaism views Reform Judaism as a major break with traditional Judaism and does not recognize it as a valid expression of Judaism. Orthodox Jews believe that Reform Judaism rejects halakha (Jewish law) and the verbal revelation of the Written and Oral Torah. However, Orthodox Jews generally recognize most people affiliated with Reform Judaism as full Jews, with some exceptions."

I may have overstated my position a bit but it is true that they see us as heretics.

Expand full comment

Re Reformed Judaism: Orthodox Judaism "does not recognize it as a valid expression of Judaism", however they recognize Jews who practice Reformed Judaism as full Jews". That's interesting. (Just thinking... That's the way I think about "Christian Nationalists": those who call themselves "Evangelical Christians" are not actually Christians because they do not follow any of Jesus's teachings. That's similar to the Orthodox view of the Reformed. The big difference is that I don't recognize most -- not all -- "Evangelicals" as Christian.)

Expand full comment

I think another difference between you and Orthodox Jews in Israel is that you don't discriminate against evangelicals.

Expand full comment

True. In fact, it's the other way around here in the U.S.: It's the Evangelical christians" who are discriminating against everyone else in the U.S. After all, it's they who got the orange sadist back into office -- of course, with a lot of help from his bud, pukin.

Expand full comment

Mimi, here's another article. This one is about Reform and Conservative Jews in Israel feeling discriminated against: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-733096

Expand full comment

I don't think that anyone said that Orthodox Jews hate anybody. If I missed that, please correct me. Thanks.

Expand full comment

It seems that I did say that. Poor choice of words. It does feel like that though. When someone tells you your identity isn't legitimate, that feels like hate.

Expand full comment

Yes, it absolutely does.

Expand full comment

I didn't know any of this. I think we all need to be educated. (Where do conservative Jews fit on this spectrum?)

Expand full comment

Here's another article: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-733096

Expand full comment

"[I]n the US there may be antisemitism, but they do not feel discrimination [in the US] like they do here in Israel." WHOA!!!

Expand full comment

America is, or at least has been (!) welcoming to Jews beyond the wildest imaginings of my ancestors in Russia and the Ottoman empire. In America being Jewish is an identity, not a commitment to live according to the Torah and its rabbinical traditions. Even in Israel, the rabbis wield less authority than the Christian nationalists want to do here. In Israel, there is a large swath of society who are viewed as fully Jewish, but do not obsessively hew to the Orthodox way of life, and are not forced to do so.

Expand full comment

"Even in Israel, the rabbis wield less authority than the Christian nationalists want to do here." God, Yahweh, Allah! Save and protect us from "christian" nationalists!!

Expand full comment

That is all true. However there is discrimination. I do worry that if the evangelicals get their way we will all be forced to convert, or at least they'll attempt that. If the government can track women's menstrual cycles they can track whether you go to church.

Expand full comment

I have been wondering that myself.

Expand full comment

None of this makes sense from a policy perspective.

As usual, Trump's actually going to make things worse because Stefanik's going to clash with Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya, and Rubio's going to clash with Foreign Minister Lvrov.

Nebenzya's stated that Israel doesn't have a right to self defense in Gaza because it's an occupying power. Lvrov's said Israel "cannot" carry out collective punishment on Gaza because of Hamas's actions. He's also condemned the invasion of Lebanon.

Trump's pro-Israel neocons are going to have a serious problem with the Russians, which will exacerbate tensions elsewhere like Ukraine.

Expand full comment

Um, trump's going to make things worse? Ya think? Since he's proud know-nothing, what else can we expect?

Expand full comment

Because he has already given Netanyahu permission to “do whatever you need to”. They hate Palestinians even more than they hate Jews. But when Israel bombs Gaza completely to ashes and annexes the West Bank, then what? Go in and bomb Israel back to the days of Moses? I still haven’t figured out the end game.

Expand full comment

I would dispute that Bibi is "despised by his own people"...that is no more true than the assertion that Hamas is despised by theirs...each enjoys broad but not universal support. Each would likely win re-election, whether we outsiders agree or not. My reading suggests that since Oct. 7, 2023, the formerly robust protests against Netanyahu's judicial "reform" effort has collapsed into "circle the wagons" mentality across the board among Israelis. And on US anti-semitism, the idea that the GOP "fueled" it (because they welcome Nazis, Skinheads, etc. into their coalition), is at least blunted by the anti-Zionist panic on the Democratic left flank. There's more than enough anti-semitism on both extremes for me!

Expand full comment

Guess it's sorta like, "drumpf is despised by his own people". True for some people, not true at all for others. So sad... All the way around.

Expand full comment

Stephen Miller's pronouns are he/Himmler

Expand full comment

I left a voicemail for John McCain (my senator) the day before the Obamacare vote, pointing out that I and millions of his constituents would lose all health care insurance if the Republicans torpedoed Obamacare and demanding that he vote to preserve it. And the next day, much to my surprise and pleasure, he prevented it from being trashed. I like to think my voicemail had some effect.

Expand full comment

Yeah, get rid of Obamacare but hand off my Affordable Care Act benefits!

Wait! You mean they're one and the same?

Don't need a leopard to eat one's face when one can eat one's own face.

Expand full comment

That people still don't know the ACA and Obamacare are the same thing 14 YEARS after it was passed is a big part of the reason we're in this mess. The stupidity and willful ignorance is off the charts.

Expand full comment

Hell, I remember when Newt was stirring up all the Tea Party shit, and the yahoos were all, "Keep your government hands off my Medicare!"

Stupid is as stupid does. And the elite on the right want to kill the DOE so as to keep the base fat, happy, and ignorant AF.

Expand full comment

I was on jury duty once and a man went up to one of the clerks and said something nasty about her not having a real job because she worked for the government. We can blame Saint Reagan for this.

Expand full comment
Nov 12Liked by Jay Kuo

Especially important to note that they will start the mass deportations in blue areas. And it will not be criminals, it'll be the easy pick ups with no threat to ICE.

Expand full comment
author

I foresee clashes with blue state authorities

Expand full comment

The red states are the ones who wanted this the most. Why not start there?

Expand full comment

Because they will sow the most mayhem in the blue states that don't want to go along with them. They'll have fodder to fuel their base. They'll be "owning the libs" like they've never been owned before. You know, that's what most important!

Expand full comment

Plus most of the red states' economies depend more on agriculture than the blues - and there are crops to get in.

Expand full comment

I shudder to think what will happen here in California though. There's a lot of agriculture here.

Expand full comment

Yes there is. It produces the vast majority of fruits and vegetables that the rest of the nation consumes. Wait'll ya see grocery prices after say, a year of The Convict's mass deportations. They'll find a way to blame the libs, though. It's not like they will take the blame.

Expand full comment

It’s turning the knife in the stab wound.

Expand full comment

MA Gov. Maura Healey has said she will not allow our state police to participate in ICE raids or round-ups of undocumented. But I wonder how MA will be punished in return, as well as the other blue states.

Expand full comment

Hey, Abbott refused to take the razor wire out of the Rio Grande after being ordered to do so by a fed judge, and nothing happened to him. And those Heat of the Night Sheriffs who have said they won't enforce laws they don't like

Expand full comment

We can only hope

Expand full comment

The state police will obey who they fear most.

Expand full comment

No federal disaster funding, for one thing. Trump has already said he won't give any to California.

Expand full comment

ICE is already going after immigrants that are criminals. I don't know the numbers, but that is obviously a very small percentage of them unless you simply define them as all criminals since they may, or may not, have crossed the border illegally.

Expand full comment

don't underestimate the power of Blue!

Expand full comment

And the ACLU.

Expand full comment

that's who I'm talking about plus the AG of CT is also a democrat

Expand full comment

Stop using weasel words. They aren’t Fascists. They are Nazis. Evil must be called by its true name.

Expand full comment

Totally agree. The word ‘fascist’ doesn’t fully convey the level of psychopathy necessary to be a Trump appointee.

Expand full comment

or a Trump supporter for that matter.... MAGA = Nazi

Expand full comment

MAGA is the name for American fascists. Side by side with “Nazi.”

Expand full comment

Yes - but unfortunately MAGA meatheads aren’t smart enough to understand the meaning of the word “Fascist”. Most of them would think that it’s some kind of compliment…. On the other hand, EVERYONE - even MAGA meatheads - knows that the label “Nazi” is bad, and definitely not a positive term to be associated with.

This is why I ALWAYS use the word “Nazi” when describing Trump or his followers.

Expand full comment

They think communism and fascism are the same thing even though they are pretty much as opposite as you can get. I get what you're saying, these are extremely dumb people who refuse to learn the basic meaning of the words they toss around. PAB calls those of us on the left fascist and communist in the same sentence all the damn time.

Expand full comment

MAGANazis? 🙂

Expand full comment

I think most of us already know about the malevolent storm of confusion within the addled brains of Trump and MAGA.

What are we going to do about it?

RESIST RESIST RESIST RESIST

For those still using Twitter, PayPal, Amazon, buying fast food chicken, or so many things, are you really resisting or just talking the talk?

Expand full comment

No X for me, no Tesla...EVER. Still trying to figure out the Amazon thing but I did cancel my WAPO subscription.

Expand full comment

Just checking on Amazon and stopped. Wicked will be screening this month and I love that musical. Am I selling out to watch a musical? Going back and forth on that. I think it is called rationalizing and if that is what I'm doing, I will hold myself accountable.

However, I'm leaving the Democratic Party as it seems they have caved. I'll watch MSNBC for a few more days--started again today and I get "cave" vibes" so not acting while still filled with hurt and anger.

Probably will leave Substack as I see liberals eating each other. I have no stomach seeing posts here and other places positing what Kamala did wrong. The hell with that. The people let her down not the other way around. Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I do not have to be around these opinions I find offensive, as I'm sure mine are to many.

So here is what I believe:

I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doin' here?

I don't belong here.

Damn I love Haily Rhinehardt singing that with Post Modern Jukebox.

Expand full comment

Don't leave us, Jim. It won't change anything except that we'll miss your insights.

Expand full comment

Wow, thank you. However, I'm not sure I'm a person of insights but only a person with a lot of questions that cannot be answered in a way that satisfies me. I do consider myself very lucky to finally understand that I know nothing.

Expand full comment

Then you're way ahead of most people.

Expand full comment

Or engaging with corporate media.

Expand full comment

I'm always going to help people, I want to make that clear; especially those in physical danger. However I'm at the little known "you broke it you bought it" stage of grief. I think some pain needs to be felt, and I hate feeling that way.

Sarah Longwell at The Bulwark had a great analogy: "If a person keeps trying to touch a hot stove, because they've been repeatedly told it's safe, and they disregard your repeated warnings. It no longer becomes your responsibility to tell them not to touch it; you may have to let them touch it so they learn not to."

Expand full comment

It is a conundrum, Chris. Because unfortunately there will be a ton of collateral damage from the pain of "you broke it, you bought it." But there's going to be a lot of pain no matter what. So perhaps we just have to let it unfold and hope we can contain it before it spirals out of control.

Expand full comment
Nov 12·edited Nov 12

I got a message the other day from someone I had been going back and forth with about the election. He told me (basically) "well Chris, now is the time to let go of your trump hate and be a part of healing the divisions of this country." I told him to fuck off. His reply was to, once again, blame me for everything. I finally blocked him. I have zero fucks left to give these people, they lack the capacity for self reflection.

Expand full comment

Yeah, just like they did in 2020 with their "Let's Go Brandon" bullshit Fuck you is the ONLY appropriate response

Expand full comment

They tried to overthrow the election in 2020 — that's way beyond Let's Go Brandon (though I take your point).

The MAGAs now whining about unity can fuck off forever.

Expand full comment

Good for you. No tolerance for idiots.

Expand full comment

Yah...what to say. Blocking is sometimes the only answer.

Expand full comment

I'm right there with you, including hating feeling that way.

Expand full comment

Noem demonstrated her "qualifications" by cheerfully hosting the Trump 30-minute dance party and leading the audience at the rally in a rendition of "YMCA".

Expand full comment

Whatta dipshit!

Expand full comment

That was such an amazing sycophantic performance.

Expand full comment

I think that was the first time she realized how crazy, and stupid, he was, her face said it all.

Expand full comment

While things do look dark, we have to remember that these people are clownfuckers, from Clownfucker-in-Chief Donnie Dumbfuck on down.

For instance, Adolf Eichmann cosplayer Tom Homan has been appointed "Border Czar." That's a position that does not legislatively exist. It has no legislatively-granted power to decide whether or not to order Chinese takeout for the staff lunch - or anything else. No. Power. So, every single thing he tries to do will end up in court. Where because Heinrich Himmler cosplayer Mike Davis will have driven the capable and competent attorneys out of the DOJ, their decisions will be defended by "Trump lawyers" - we've seen fover the past four years what they're incapable of. They only have 18 months from Inauguration Day to the beginning of the 2026 mid-terms. Suing them on Every. Single. Thing. (and aggressively "judge shopping" among he 268 Biden Judges out there), then using the Trump Legal Playbook of slow walk appearances before the judge, appeal every decision and then appeal the appeal, the clock gets run out.

And if Donnie Dickwad decides to play Immune President and go ahead anyway, that can be sued on.

Remember, they are all clownfuckers. You have to flunk the IQ test to become a MAGAt.

Expand full comment

I'm loving this comment. Great job!!

Expand full comment

Get off of X. Don’t buy a Tesla.

Expand full comment

May the ghost of John McCain (and an ever-growing number of young women) haunt Susan Collins forever.

Expand full comment

I won't lie here i feel powerless and I am just do enraged that it has come to this. Every blow to our very freedoms and safety just seems to keep getting more and more dangerous. How is this being allowed? How? Iam sick here with grief for all of us. I see the darkest posts all over of what's to come deportation camps, total abortion bans the whole project 2025 that this rapist insurrectionist felon who is so unbelievably guilty of treason gets off scot free. The SCOTUS the gop the j6 insurrectionists are gonna be released? Being called Hostages? Our government having an alliance with putin ? Covid who killed a million Americans? And ....nothing?

What is going on here? I mean pretty much let's say it out loud what trump and his minions are going to have full reign to

murder us with our own military

rape and pillage our women and children the disabled the LGBTQ+ anyone vulnerable

I am so angry and the media who betrayed us so so badly and all the others in government are just being allowed to yell Fire in the movie theater over and over again

So if they say let's decapitate anyone we want us in the name of Power. And they have immunity to do it?

When I hear well there will be lawsuits there will be people fighting. Ok then why are we here ? Why are we not being protected?

Iam scared to death because there seems to be no recourse. No defense.

I apologize for my negative rant here. I feel safe to say it here. I Mean this has to be stopped now!! And fast!!! And I don't think postcards are gonna do it!!!

Thank you for reading my post

Expand full comment

Your feelings are valid and many people share them ❤

Expand full comment

Ema thank you. I reread my post and I sound crazy but that's how I really feel. I feel just as hearing the traumatic and horrifying stories from holocaust survivors I have met and known starting from when I was 5 years old. A doctor I worked with had said to me. " Everyone always asks 'why did you stay why did you stay" and he said the answer is that no one ever thought that they would be put in camps and murdered"

This is what i feel now. That we are all in denial that these sick people that are now going to be running our government won't destroy our lives and murder arbitrarily.

Whatever ever has been done and not done so far has failed miserably. Our government has failed us in protecting usbfrom these monsters who haven't even started yet.

I feel we must fight fire with fire. The law is the law and they ( scotus cannon etc) are all treasonous. They allowed trump and the rest walk as well as they themselves being sexual assaulters and insurrectionists themselves.

I pray that the military refuses to submit and that there is an entire national revolt to stop these criminals and betrayers from getting back in the WH.

Expand full comment

And that iscwhy I said that your feelings are valid. Because they truly are.

Expand full comment

Janine, rebellion is the way to go. Your anger, disbelief and fear are warranted.

Expand full comment

Sorry about tbe typos

Expand full comment

"The building of militarized detention centers, the dehumanization of migrants, and the loss of basic civil rights and due process are all paths to fascism on American soil."

Prison Profiteers Push For Mass Deportations: Follow the money

https://thedemlabs.org/2024/11/07/prison-profiteers-push-for-mass-deportations-follow-the-money/

Expand full comment

Follow the money always.

Expand full comment

As a Jew myself, I am entitled to point out that Miller is a (renegade) Jew; disowned by members of his family and a descendant of poverty-stricken, Yiddish speaking Jews from Ukraine.

Expand full comment

Yep. The self-loathing is gigantic.

Expand full comment

Thank you I didn't know all of this about that creepy despicable >hate-to-call-him-human< being.

Expand full comment