Just overnight I got a dozen posts in my newsfeed and in my email inbox suggesting that I shouldn't be doom scrolling through the horror show in Washington.
All of that list is clearly unconstitutional or illegal. What do we do about it? Shut it down. Yes shut down the government except for Defense. No budget no debt curling relief an nothing . The finance markets will crash and the Oligarchs who did not invest in gold are at in great pain. .
Americans are more comfortable with American Idol and "reality" tv than with reality. They don't want to face up to their rotten decisions and want to see posts of puppies and sunsets...and NASCAR and beer. Your voice disturbs. Good. I've been a rabbi for 50 years and learned my mission: comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable!
I desperately need to manage my own doomscrolling, but with the heavy bombardment of chaos and illegality it’s extremely hard to do so. That said, I very much appreciate your rundown of what’s been going on. It’s nearly impossible to track of all it. I’ve been focused on Musk’s blitzkrieg on our democracy as his attempted coup against the Federal government continues. DOGE’s takeover of Treasury’s payment system is a violation of myriad laws, and puts not only our government’s functioning at risk, but also exposes our bank accounts to potential theft if DOGE is hacked.
Meanwhile, the Mad Would-Be King doubles down on his crazy with wanting to take over Gaza, and adding it to his dreams of conquest. There’s so much more to cover
Thank you for fighting the good fight and keeping us informed. Never give up, never surrender!
Worse yet, Netanyahu was right there smiling and nodding. Sure; why not have the US spend the money to clean up Israel's horrifying mess and put our own sons and daughters in the Hamas target zone. Hamas officers must be high-fiving each other for the perfect new recruiting tool that Trump just generously handed them.
All the while Kayleigh McNinny--and why is she pronouncing and the media listening???-- said that Trump had some complex scheme in mind that he isn't telling anyone...but that 'obviously' (according to her) he's playing three-dimensional chess while all the rest of us "less far-sighted" people are merely playing checkers. I thought I was going to fall off my chair laughing. I doubt Trump can play checkers any more than he understands and plays chess. And as for Trump playing three dimensional chess--the mental image of Trump attempting to play 3-D chess is so ludicrous, yet hysterically funny at the same time that I couldn't help but laugh.
McNinny must be hoping that Trump will hire her again for Press Secretary after Leavitt trips & falls on her face another time or two.
Thank you for what you are writing. We need you more than ever, but do try to decompress. I am editor at The Times, and there have been days when I thought I could not take the firehose of frightening news for another hour.
Nightmares they are. I cannot believe the rightwing nitwits being confirmed. That this unfit lunatic was voted in TWICE, and now has brought in an unelected madman to tinker with whatever he pleases boggles the mind AND NO ONE IS STOPPING HIM! This has to be a time for Jesus to drink gin from the cat dish.
It is indeed, from Annie Lamott's "Travelling Mercies"...but she may have gotten it from Victorian references to the poorest people in London being so addicted to gin that they gave it to their children. How that got the gin into the kitty's dish, I do not know.
We seem unable to believe that so many MILLIONS of Americans are truly evil: vicious, cruel, sadistic bigots who cheer the suffering of people who are anything other than white, Christian heterosexual Americans. Even if this chaos eventually upends their lives, they will NEVER admit it. Seeing the people they hate suffer even more is balm to their wounds.
Thank you for doing your best to keep us apprised of the barrage of illegal, dangerous and dehumanizing acts being rolled out at an alarming pace. We cannot look away. We need to let our voices be heard. There is a free app named 5 CALLS that makes it simple to reach legislators and provides scripts for various issues. I make several calls a day. I also give myself time off every day to let my blood pressure return to normal!
I didn't go to West Point, but to a smaller academy further north. We would take pistol team trips to the Military Academy in the winter, and I promise what with the gray buildings, gray uniforms, gray snow on the ground and gray trees it could be a depresingly gloomy place, even for the short time we were there. The idea of a club to escape the class system sounds like a great idea, and I guarantee Pete Hegseth has NO idea of what the cadets go through. As tough as the National Guard isn't, he has no similiar experience.
You’ve found the 60’s nickname that we,the girlfriends, called West Point (I loved my cadet, and we married shortly after graduation…married nearly 54 years before he died). From November through March it was “Moscow on the Hudson!” And now…it is becoming the “Gulag on the Hudson!”
Why is diversity so frightening to men with infinitesimal private parts who declare that they are following Christ’s leadership? I can no longer try to be forgiving to or accepting of the Donnie Darko followers. They are cruel and inhumane . Repugnicans are worse than I ever imagined.
Indeed you win, my husband was the year after! But…for the wonderful gift of going home for Christmas, they received an extra year of service. Is there parity?
Heather Cox Richardson used the metaphor of being in a car accident to our predicament. She said most people when they see another car coming at them will tend to close their eyes and take their hands off the wheel which is most likely to be fatal. So doing my best to keep my hands on the wheel and eyes wide open.
And then there’s these little gems: to establish a presidential commission on religious liberty and set up a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias. Which I guess means if you’re not THAT kind of Christian…ya know, if you’re Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, a non-believer, Catholic…Well…you get the picture.
When George Conway sees the dismantling of the rule of law in progress, and the only possible way forward is protest, we need to listen. Sarah & George are credible, intelligent folks who are literally as scared shitless as the rest of us.
Everyone, we are NOT helpless. Call your Members of Congress. Tell senators to use all Senate procedures to slow and delay this Trump-Musk coup. Tell them to oppose each and every Trump nominee. They need to know we are watching what they do. They must take action, not just make flowery speeches. Stay polite. Thank those who deserve thanks.
Share your outrage on social media and in letters to the editor. Tell people how Trump's corruption and lawlessness is affecting you and your community. Not everyone is following the news. Check out www.indivisible.org for other suggested actions.
Not ultimately, but it has already slowed them. If we've learned one thing from djt it's that delay delay delay is a demoralizing as well as effective tactic.
Never stop doing what you’re doing. You were born to do this.
Now more than ever we need his clear sighted and incisive reporting and commentary.
Born to be wild.
Sorry guys, it’s been that kinda week.
Unless it's killing you. You've done your bit for humanity. I'm so sorry you and we have to see the fall of our Republic.
All of that list is clearly unconstitutional or illegal. What do we do about it? Shut it down. Yes shut down the government except for Defense. No budget no debt curling relief an nothing . The finance markets will crash and the Oligarchs who did not invest in gold are at in great pain. .
Yaaaaaay Terry!
Satyagraha. Massive civil disobedience is the key. Gandhi laid out the mission and the pattern.
Americans are more comfortable with American Idol and "reality" tv than with reality. They don't want to face up to their rotten decisions and want to see posts of puppies and sunsets...and NASCAR and beer. Your voice disturbs. Good. I've been a rabbi for 50 years and learned my mission: comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable!
Let the comforting begin because we're all getting extremely disturbed
Ooh I love that!! "Comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable" That's my new Motto too. Thank you!! ♥️
I prefer "This has to be a time for Jesus to drink gin from the cat dish", but Brooks is clearly a nicer person than I am.
Thank you for that wry chuckle! A laugh is still a laugh even if it's an ironic one.
Love that!
The DOJ has banned 2 task forces, one on election interference and one on investigating Russian oligarchs.
I don’t see how this can end without political violence
AG Bondi also just disbanded the Foreign Influence unit at the FBI. Basically, Trump & his leeches are turning over our government to Putin.
https://open.substack.com/pub/olgalautman/p/trumps-attack-on-americas-national?r=flasu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Yes. That's coming. It's inevitable now.
I desperately need to manage my own doomscrolling, but with the heavy bombardment of chaos and illegality it’s extremely hard to do so. That said, I very much appreciate your rundown of what’s been going on. It’s nearly impossible to track of all it. I’ve been focused on Musk’s blitzkrieg on our democracy as his attempted coup against the Federal government continues. DOGE’s takeover of Treasury’s payment system is a violation of myriad laws, and puts not only our government’s functioning at risk, but also exposes our bank accounts to potential theft if DOGE is hacked.
Meanwhile, the Mad Would-Be King doubles down on his crazy with wanting to take over Gaza, and adding it to his dreams of conquest. There’s so much more to cover
Thank you for fighting the good fight and keeping us informed. Never give up, never surrender!
😻- l seldom resort to emoji but I’ll make an exception for you.
Sure hope I don’t live to regret it.
Worse yet, Netanyahu was right there smiling and nodding. Sure; why not have the US spend the money to clean up Israel's horrifying mess and put our own sons and daughters in the Hamas target zone. Hamas officers must be high-fiving each other for the perfect new recruiting tool that Trump just generously handed them.
All the while Kayleigh McNinny--and why is she pronouncing and the media listening???-- said that Trump had some complex scheme in mind that he isn't telling anyone...but that 'obviously' (according to her) he's playing three-dimensional chess while all the rest of us "less far-sighted" people are merely playing checkers. I thought I was going to fall off my chair laughing. I doubt Trump can play checkers any more than he understands and plays chess. And as for Trump playing three dimensional chess--the mental image of Trump attempting to play 3-D chess is so ludicrous, yet hysterically funny at the same time that I couldn't help but laugh.
McNinny must be hoping that Trump will hire her again for Press Secretary after Leavitt trips & falls on her face another time or two.
Thank you for what you are writing. We need you more than ever, but do try to decompress. I am editor at The Times, and there have been days when I thought I could not take the firehose of frightening news for another hour.
I get my naps in, but not today.
Nightmares they are. I cannot believe the rightwing nitwits being confirmed. That this unfit lunatic was voted in TWICE, and now has brought in an unelected madman to tinker with whatever he pleases boggles the mind AND NO ONE IS STOPPING HIM! This has to be a time for Jesus to drink gin from the cat dish.
"This has to be a time for Jesus to drink gin from the cat dish" - at 73, I have learned a new, appropriate expression! Thank you!
De nada. (It may be Annie Lamott's; I am not sure.)
It is indeed, from Annie Lamott's "Travelling Mercies"...but she may have gotten it from Victorian references to the poorest people in London being so addicted to gin that they gave it to their children. How that got the gin into the kitty's dish, I do not know.
How wonderful to know the source for certain. I have adopted it. It really says it, no?
Thank you!
I, as well! And…I’m older.
Me too, also older!
We seem unable to believe that so many MILLIONS of Americans are truly evil: vicious, cruel, sadistic bigots who cheer the suffering of people who are anything other than white, Christian heterosexual Americans. Even if this chaos eventually upends their lives, they will NEVER admit it. Seeing the people they hate suffer even more is balm to their wounds.
I would add to your list "dumb." Just flat out, fucking dumb. And I guess we should add "gullible."
But her emails!
Thank you for doing your best to keep us apprised of the barrage of illegal, dangerous and dehumanizing acts being rolled out at an alarming pace. We cannot look away. We need to let our voices be heard. There is a free app named 5 CALLS that makes it simple to reach legislators and provides scripts for various issues. I make several calls a day. I also give myself time off every day to let my blood pressure return to normal!
I didn't go to West Point, but to a smaller academy further north. We would take pistol team trips to the Military Academy in the winter, and I promise what with the gray buildings, gray uniforms, gray snow on the ground and gray trees it could be a depresingly gloomy place, even for the short time we were there. The idea of a club to escape the class system sounds like a great idea, and I guarantee Pete Hegseth has NO idea of what the cadets go through. As tough as the National Guard isn't, he has no similiar experience.
You’ve found the 60’s nickname that we,the girlfriends, called West Point (I loved my cadet, and we married shortly after graduation…married nearly 54 years before he died). From November through March it was “Moscow on the Hudson!” And now…it is becoming the “Gulag on the Hudson!”
Why is diversity so frightening to men with infinitesimal private parts who declare that they are following Christ’s leadership? I can no longer try to be forgiving to or accepting of the Donnie Darko followers. They are cruel and inhumane . Repugnicans are worse than I ever imagined.
Every class thinks it had the last really gloomy Gloom Period, but it happens to be true for mine.
We were the last class not to be allowed to enjoy home, family and friends for a week or so dead smack in the middle of Gloom Period.
We were the last Plebe class to stay for Christmas.
Indeed you win, my husband was the year after! But…for the wonderful gift of going home for Christmas, they received an extra year of service. Is there parity?
Good point.
Heather Cox Richardson used the metaphor of being in a car accident to our predicament. She said most people when they see another car coming at them will tend to close their eyes and take their hands off the wheel which is most likely to be fatal. So doing my best to keep my hands on the wheel and eyes wide open.
I'll take 'doom scrolling' to looking the other way as the freight train comes hurtling down the track.
And it is. Paying attention is part of counter maneuvers.
And then there’s these little gems: to establish a presidential commission on religious liberty and set up a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias. Which I guess means if you’re not THAT kind of Christian…ya know, if you’re Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, a non-believer, Catholic…Well…you get the picture.
ye must be born again as a white male
Quite
If they could, they would put all non-Christians to death. And reinstitute slavery. Dream on, MAGA!
When George Conway sees the dismantling of the rule of law in progress, and the only possible way forward is protest, we need to listen. Sarah & George are credible, intelligent folks who are literally as scared shitless as the rest of us.
https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/how-to-stop-the-dismantling-of-us-government
The West Point announcement broke my heart - it said so many very bad things.
Everyone, we are NOT helpless. Call your Members of Congress. Tell senators to use all Senate procedures to slow and delay this Trump-Musk coup. Tell them to oppose each and every Trump nominee. They need to know we are watching what they do. They must take action, not just make flowery speeches. Stay polite. Thank those who deserve thanks.
Share your outrage on social media and in letters to the editor. Tell people how Trump's corruption and lawlessness is affecting you and your community. Not everyone is following the news. Check out www.indivisible.org for other suggested actions.
Polite doesn't work with these scoundrels.
Not ultimately, but it has already slowed them. If we've learned one thing from djt it's that delay delay delay is a demoralizing as well as effective tactic.