So far this month, Popular Information revealed the 7 corporations that have pledged not to support GOP objectors in 2022, exposed how Red Lobster is forcing their employees to work sick, and documented the hypocrisy of politicians who embrace MLK Jr. while opposing all the policies King supported.
Today, however, I want to hear from you. What are your hopes and fears for 2022? What topics would you like to see Popular Information take on in the months ahead?
You can leave your thoughts in the discussion thread linked below, starting now. I’ll be dropping by to participate in the discussion and answer your questions at 1 PM Eastern, for about an hour.
I would like to know more about the consistent Biden-bashing that goes on in liberalish major papers, NYT and WAPO mostly. I believe his administration has done many excellent things and why aren’t the papers focusing on some of those or at least focus on some of the rocks you have turned over that are “intensive” journalism. Thanks for all you do!
The papers have reporters assigned to cover the president and nearly every reporter (myself included) is inclined toward negative coverage. It may or may not be warranted. Not defending what's happening but that's the basic explanation.
I get a strong feeling from much of the coverage of Democrats in general that the focus on the negative is in part a response to accusations from the right. That has me wondering if there isn't also some sense (conscious or not) that they need to show their accusers they aren't "liberal" media?
As a retired journalist I applaud your unique research, important results, and the so, so difficult “grunt” work you do to expose the underbelly of respectability that is dividing the country, profiting from the chaos, and damaging the Democrats’ (and the country’s) future. I want to know who else is behind it—Is it just mainstream media-outlets on the left and right megaphoning the usual suspects—i.e., the Koch (or similar) machinery?
I also want to know who and what kind of nefarious goings-on keeps the Biden-bashing narrative on the front burner, killing his prospects. And what we can do about it?
ALSO, thank you, Judd, for bringing to light the Corporate backsliding—the resuming of contributions to the Sedition Squad and Republican enablers. AS A RESULT, two of us have put together a grassroots (that would be all of us) CAMPAIGN TO WRITE LETTERS and EMAILS to executives at the companies Judd exposed that reneged on their pledge not to donate to the Sedition Squad and Republican leadership PACs. Every one of you Frustrated and Furious can join in: contact me at LASWNYC@gmail.com. Louise.
I agree with Louise. These survey's that the news repeats, who designs them, answers them and how do we expose them. The constant negative rhetoric is exhausting.
Can we expose the grifters profiting from attacking public education? We need a through line from the wealthy elites to the political operatives on the ground. Then we need to educate every school community in the nation on how to spot a right wing attack on public education and share tactics to protect their schools. The bad guys get a lot of airtime, the grass roots volunteers successfully beating them, not so much. Just sayin'. The manufacture controversy complex has unlimited resources and expertise, we only have each other. We need an actual resource for the many school communities under fire.
I've done a bit of this but will be a continued focus in 2022. The issue is that it's not easy to uncover. The funding sources and how the money is spent is very opaque.
I just want to comment about yesterday, the MLK holiday, which GOP used as an occasion to feign support for King’s legacy while simultaneously moving to tear it to shreds by denying citizens their right to vote, and making it nearly impossible to teach the history of MLK’s civil rights struggle in K-12 classrooms. I was repeatedly harassed for responding to GOP’s tweet “honoring” MLK by responding that GOP legislatures across the country are passing laws that would prevent students from learning the history of civil rights under MLK. I was called a liar, a Marxist, cursed, etc. This is the state of affairs. I’m making this my own call to action to step up my ability to educate, to provide a true narrative, as Judd has done so well.
Thanks Glenn. There is a lot of harassment and name-calling on Twitter. I'm not sure what to do about it. My own approach is to just ignore it but that's not always possible.
I fear voting rights will never pass. I fear many minorities and young people will not be allowed to vote. I fear Trump Republicans will win n 2022. I fear Trump will win in 2024. I fear the spread of Trump's lies. I fear the US will become an authoritarian fascist country. I fear climate change. I fear most politicians represent money interest not the needs of the people. I hope young people, minorities, progressives, environmentalists, Democrats and Republicans who don't believe Trump's lies and are not afraid to stand up and speak out will all come together to save this country from Trump's corrupt and cancerous influence.
I share each of Gloria’s fears except the one about “most politicians represent money interest,” which is less a fear than a conclusion (that I don’t share).
I tend to agree, and it crosses party lines. Nancy Pelosi for instance, has a wealth of $120 million dollars. She will not support or sign onto a bill that forbids politicians who hold office from trading in directly into the stock market. Pelosi and her husband have been cited for trading on inside information.
I'd like to hear more about the corporate support of supposedly liberal news sources like NPR, and why they are not covering stories such as the false elector documents and the extensive corporate support of insurrectionist Congress members.
I like a lot of stuff on NPR but the combination of government funding and corporate underwriting provides a lot of incentives for a cautious approach to reporting.
Cautious is one thing. Not covering it at all is something else. My local paper (Tampa Bay Times) hasn't had one single story on the forged elector documents.
DK that newspaper, but if it's like my local paper it's basically covering crime and recipes (and obituaries). Maybe look for another paper - or send TBT an oped, see if they'll print it?
Been there, done that.....multiple times. Can't tell you how many oped/letters I have written. I even wrote to the CEO/Chairman. Years ago, there were two local papers in Tampa, but then the Times bought the Tribune, so they are now the only game in town.
I heartily second this question. I believe the linchpin to preventing us from going down the conservative rabbit hole is a strong press. Right now they are just bothsiding and normalizing and failing to challenge to the extent that the American public does not fully understand that one party has become the anti-democratic, authoritarian party. Do the parent corporations who own these MSM entities donate to politicians or organizations, and, if so, to whom/which?
Good morning Judd, First off, thank you for the excellent reportage you provide. One of the few trusted sources left out here. Keep it up. As to the topic I'd like to see covered, I'd like to know more of the financial motivations that precede the posturings and inform the decisions of many of our representatives on what bills/policies they will introduce/support, be it from the production and sale of small arms to large arms - weapons systems, medical services and supplies, educational services and supplies, insurance, et al. I think more of our reps than we are aware of are selling themselves to the highest bidder and they need to be exposed and shamed if not ejected and prosecuted.
It's entirely possible! One of the limitations in my reporting is what data is available. So my ability to make progress on issues like this will be contingent on the data.
You are a hero in these troubled times my man. I do not say this lightly. As your readers know, access to information is all important especially now with so many bad actors out there looking for a chance to leverage ignorance into advantage for themselves and their cohorts. There are reasons why the liars continue to lie and factual information in all of it's myriad forms helps to blunt their power and lessen their influnce. Keep it up man. You're doing excellent and essential work worthy praise indeed!
Church money, where does it come from and where does it go. It seems like a great opportunity to launder illicit cash. How much goes to charitable work, how much of it goes to political influence, how much goes into compensation and "investments." Why is there a curtain behind which religious financials hide.
Heather Cox Richardson made the point today that voter fraud differs from election fraud. It got me thinking. Voter fraud is an individual act of dishonesty and rare. Election fraud is today a multi-state Republican project intended to nullify the votes of honest citizens. What has happened to the Republicans? Dishonesty and destruction of the rule of law is the fast lane to third world membership. Get a grip people.
This might require coordination from a lot of media sources, but here in Mesa County Colorado we are best with new Qers on our school board (now a majority) and the ongoing scandal and saga of our Elections Clerk Tina Peters (lots of info to google). There are so many dire warnings about this happening all over the country - warnings are great, but how about specifics? Reports on SPECIFIC take-overs or attempted take-overs in cities, counties, state legislature. Coupled with the fact that so many areas do not have local newspapers anymore, these people know they can get away with anything, and they will.
Amazing job calling out the callous hypocrisy of corporate and Republican MLK Day. Never seen anything like it. So detailed and thorough. Outstanding work!
Good morning Judd. Reading your column daily helps me keep my sanity in this troubled time we live in. I am struggling with the realization that there is NO SHAME in the Republican Party. The lies keep getting larger and more frequent. But the Democrats as NO saints either, We desperately NEED TERM LIMITS on politicians. And take away ALL there free perks when they leave office. They can pay for their health care like the rest of us do !!!!!!!!
I am interested to see similar accountability journalism that tells us what prosecutors can and must do. The discretion they wield in deciding not to prosecute executives and white collar criminals vs their treadmill of caging low income folks. I want to get a clearer picture of these departments that spent 6% of their time on violent crime while seizing millions in assets from their targets.
Judd, have you touched on the Ethics of the SEO (Search Engine Operators) Industry? What liability do they have? How do their keyword based, algorithmically-oriented searches, mutate repetitive user's language-related thought patterns?
I am one who believes that our mainstream imperialist, neoliberal establishment - the ones who determined that neoliberal is not in the spelling dictionary of apps! - continues to be more dangerous than Trump and his followers. He has his unquenchable thirst for power and attention and a genius for telling lies that many people believe.
The establishment, on the other hand, has a financial behemoth that has armies of sophisticated math geniuses and lawyers designed to bilk the working person and their own customers. They have a military-industral-"intelligence" complex that lies and subverts all over the world to the tune of tens of billions of dollars annually. They have a fossil fuel industry that drives wars and subverts sustainable policy. They have a health care complex that wastes $1 trillion or more every year on profits and inflated salaries. They have an anti-union sector (e.g., Chamber of Commerce) that keeps workers on the edge of or deep into poverty. All of these industries buy influence with politicians using campaign $ and get a return rate in the thousands of percentage points.
Almost 400,000 civilians have died in U.S. wars in Asia and Africa since 2001, with the U.S. killing most of them. In my youth, the evil and counterproductive war in Southeast Asia killed 3-4,000,000 in an effort to impose a neo-colonial regime.
The Olive Garden and Kroger cases are something Judd can be exceedingly proud of. I hope he will continue to expose these ongoing types of threats to the peace and prosperity of the world.
Thanks Charlie! I'm particularly interested in the continued influence of the fossil fuel industry in light of the urgent need to address climate change. (Along with many of the other issues you raise.)
Statista says women have been 51% of the population since 2013. My fear is the overturning of Roe, which will eliminate a right half the population has had since 1973 (and let’s not kid ourselves about whether the other half benefits). It’s bone chilling to think of the implications. This isn’t just about Roe nor is it any longer about voting. It’s about the option to challenge any right all the way to the lifetime appointed SCOTUS, the SCOTUS choice to hear or pass on a case, and a court that already shows precedent may not weigh heavily in rulings. I don’t know what can be done about this. The Ds have a slim margin in Congress, and infighting, retirements, negative media coverage, etc., suggest loss of the margin this year, which kills any possibility of SCOTUS reform. You asked about fears so I’m sharing even though I don’t have a reporting suggestion with this issue
Lets not forget those democratic senators who are shamelessly using Dr King's words to enhance their tweets, while ensuring the voting rights acts do not pass in the senate.
Trend: See feedbackloopsclimate.com for alarming climate developments. Global Warming is intensifying for reasons beyond our immediate control. Trend. The Republican Party used to engage in cause-and-effect reasoning, just as any normal political party would. But for the past 40 years, it has been led away from reason and into the Wonderland of Propaganda. It no longer has the cause-and-effect reasoning capabilities that are essential in the midst of our climate crisis. Trend: The CEO elites still look at Republicans as worthy of their dollars. And the Trend We Need? It's time for CEOs to (a) acknowledge the severity of the climate challenge, and (b) cut off all giving to the Republicans because the GOP has ceased to be a party that's guided by cause-and-effect reasoning. You can't halt climate change by subsidizing propagandists. Capitalists that subsidize our civilization's downfall are plainly on the wrong track. It's a whistle-blowing moment but they're still arguing over how to line up the deck chairs.
An in-depth review of the company hired to conduct the PA election audit and why Republicans wanted personal voter identity information turned over to a private entity.
I am curious to hear more about the statehood progress of DC, Puerto Rico, etc. How far away are they from becoming states? And what can we little "sheeple" do to help them get there? Having those two as the US states they deserve to be would go a LONG way toward balancing out the extreme white, rural, elderly slant of the majority of people represented by US Senators. (I know, "Senate" comes from the Latin word for "old", same root as our "senile", but it would be nice if they weren't all so...). (Edited to add "sheeple" comment because why not).
As a resident of DC, this is of considerable interest to me. As far as I know, this again is a filibuster issue. You would need Manchin and Sinema to change the filibuster rules to make this happen, and that so far seems unlikely.
I just read my comment again. I do not see any demonizing of anyone due to age. I was simply pointing out that the folks who make up most of the Senate aren't even close to representing the majority of the country's citizens. Age is only one factor in that mix but it's a big one considering generational divides on things like climate change that very few of our representatives will be around to see really take place...yet they're standing in the way of a better future for literally every human being. For generations down the line.
Shaking up that mix of demographic factors seems like it would really help with real world problem-solving.
To follow up from Wendy's comment and others, some info on how to directly help remotely across the country would be great. Currently from The Guardian, this is now occuring in Texas:
"The voter identification rules have led to the rejection of about half of the 700 mail-in ballots requested in Travis county for primary elections in March, according to the county’s clerk."
Details about who locally may be addressing this, what info is needed for voters to check and correct this, and how that info is or can be directed to voters who have requested ballots and then been rejected.
The above will be repeated across Texas and other states where laws are passed to restrict voting. Info/outreach is needed now and continuously for specifics instructing individuals how to validate their registration and ballot requests.
Love your reporting and the many ideas posted here. Don’t know if this fits into your reporting but I would be interested in having someone look at what autocracy might look like for big business here in the US. I’m not sure the big guys have thought this through. Thank you for your continued efforts.
Anne Applebaum provides a fairly comprehensive analysis in her unflinching Atlantic article: "Autocracy is Winning". The largest US companies are already inextricably intertwined with autocracies around the globe. They've overlooked horrific human rights abuses in their insatiable quest for money and growth. Under US autocracy, they'll benefit from deregulation and union busting. Under a Trump autocracy, they'll be ruthlessly extorted (ala Putin). At best, they'll continue to ally with other authoritarian regimes, at worst they'll be cratered by a economic collapse of the US.
Why has the talk of 'record profits' died off when they're responsible for a significant chunk of inflation. (My math, not read anything official)* In era where inflation expectations are getting locked in.... This is criminal.
Your information about corporate giving is illuminating. My group, Seniors Taking Action, believes that a deeply divided country is bad for business. And we believe that the Business Council and the Business Roundtable – which represent more than 200 major corporations with 20 million employees – must lead the way in persuading their members that democracy is at a dangerous tipping point. We are discussing how to convince these two umbrella organizations to persuade their members that siding with democracy is good for business, and contributing to election objectors and vote suppressors is a bad idea. We welcome input. seniorstakingaction.org.
First, I want to commend you for all the fine work yo've done to pull the curtain back on so many of the problems that plague our country. If the MSM tackled the subjects you do on a weekly basis, we would be in a much better place.
There are so many stories that need attention in the coming months, but if I have to narrow this down to one, it would come down to two words: Rupert Murdoch.
It is blatantly obvious that Fox News is a right-wing propaganda operation that traffics heavily is disinformation and outright lies. It is the single largest media source that pits Americans against each other, and does so while turning a profit. As a fellow journalist, I live and die with the First Amendment, but replacing facts with lies and stoking hatred and fear—not to mention acting a Kitchen Cabinet for the Former Guy—seems outside the lines of protected free speech.
Nothing—absolutely nothing—goes on air at Fox without the approval of Rupert Murdoch, who thus far has escaped scrutiny for his role in the Jan. 6 attack and the continued assault on our democracy, The Jan. 6 Committee's work will not be done until/unless they hold those at the top accountable. Rupert Murdoch is part of that inner circle.
A couple of subjects to add to the growing list below...An ongoing examination of conservative/right wing talk media initiation, ownership, and funding and the effort to build an alternative media structure including pay methods. (beside the New Yorker article). A second and occasional column on how to do research, sites for info, and other org doing similar to what you do. That is in addition to columns on the people that are structuring the Trump efforts at a comeback. Thanks for your work, I use it in my own local economic newsletter
please keep up the research and reporting. if possible, please consider, where information can be obtained, to list congress-people's interactions with stock buy/sells - - - and if that can be made 'to-work', top federal judges as well...there remains far too much darkness in places and spaces that should be either halted entirely or at least have bright sunshine applied.
Two things would be interesting to follow leading up to midterms. First, you’ve done a great finding the money for those who voted to decertify electors. Where’s the money coming from for new candidates on either side? Second, what are real issues in campaigns, not smokescreens and bogeymen like CRT in Virginia gubernatorial race?
yeah, it just occurred to me recently to ask more questions about campaign finance - I've given to numerous candidates that say they won't take any PAC or dark (...) money - but once they're in office, do they stay that way? Also, what's with all the fundraising "deadlines" - who sets those (Party? national/local? FEC?) and how if at all are they enforced?
Gibson Dunn. They are the law firm that persecuted Steven Donsiger for going after Chevron, are actively trying to overturn the Indian Welfare Act (as "pro bono" attorneys), defended the Dakota Pipeline, have turned the NY Times into a paper I don't recognize anymore, and represent a whole laundry list of corporations who despoil the planet and engage in forms of slavery. And I'm not exaggerating.
I'd like to know more about whose money is influencing legislators like Manchin and Sinema. And focus on the Executive Branch regulatory agencies and the massive distortion of the notice and comment rulemaking process by K Street lobbyists, astro-turf "public interest" groups, and fake "expert" sock puppets.
As ever, I want laser-like focus on the attempted coup of 1/6/21; as much specific detail as there is about the traitors involved. Keep. The. Pressure. On.
I'd love to see a piece on stock ownership by members of the house and senate, and how that likely influences their voting. And what we should do to fix it: would the Ossoff / Kelly be sufficient? A good start? Supposedly lots of people (citizens, not politicians!) already support restrictions here, but I suspect many people don't realize quite how serious a problem it is, and your reporting could really help here.
54 members of Congress were caught violating the Stock Trades rule. Why is Nancy Pelosi fighting a Bill that prohibits members of the House from buying and selling stock while in office? Pelosi is disappointing and insulting all of us non-politicians that aren’t privy to insider information.
Her husband runs a venture capital & investment firm, Financial Leasing Services, & he buys & sells individual stocks which are held in his name only. While there is nothing to show that the Pelosis have traded using insider information, their portfolio frequently outperforms the S&P 500. It gives the wrong appearance, no matter the actual facts.
Unfortunately I think we’ll have to paint a wide swathe, because there are a lot of politicians using insider information to buy stock. If Pelosi doesn’t like it, then she’ll have to rework it… but there needs to be one in place.
I know not much has happened yet, but I cannot wait until Matt Gaetz gets dragged off in handcuffs. The fact that anyone in the world could support what the GOP is doing is beyond me. Al Franken resigned his seat for a photo where he wasn't even touching a woman, just pretending for a photo. Is it in poor taste? Probably, but it was simply a photo. And it was from how many years ago? Matt Gaetz is credibly accused of sex with minors and sex trafficking but not only does he not resign, he still sits on the committee charged with investigating him. How is this happening and how is he not forced off that committee?
We can never let up on the need for #MedicareForAll if we want the benefits most of the world has. MOST US citizens do not yet know that we would save $$$ with M4A, that tens of thousands of people die annually because they can’t afford health care, that medical debt is the #1 cause of bankruptcy, or that insurance company executives are paid multimillion dollar salaries.
And most politicians don’t seem to understand that a majority of Democratic, Republican, & Independent voters support Medicare For All.
I think mental health is going to become an increasingly relevant subtext as COVID trauma continues taking its toll, especially in an election year. There are also a lot of grim truths about how Americans process severe mental illness that get exploited by the powerful in order to avoid accountability (for example, pleading insanity/"it's my religious belief to [X]" vs. Free Britney). Those truths are certainly a source of financial profit for some to break other people down, as well as a means of gaining political power.
Thank you for your valiant reporting on what is happening and what is at stake as well as your commitment to change!
Due to the reporting and the clarion call, I have decided to do something! I believe what is necessary is that regular, every-day citizens/voters choose to rebuild our country based on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." This country is OUR country, the country of ALL of the citizens, not the relatively few that seem to have all of the power. We can decide, stand, re-envision, and change whatever is necessary to have a country that aligns with our deepest longings for what is possible for ourselves, our families, others and earth. It is up to us, each one of us. There are millions of citizens that can come together, decide what we want and make the appropriate changes. And, WE have to do it. No one else can or will. I am not ready to lose the freedoms and possibilities that we have here in the United States.
I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about what I'm doing, currently at the beginning stage, deciding first steps. But, within 2-3 weeks I will make an "official" announcement about this invitation to Stand for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Thank you in advance for reading this and considering my request for a conversation. Peggy
Organizations charitable & political are multiplying faster than I can verify their bona fides and true affiliations. The demands for money are overwhelming! Is there a list somewhere that successfully finds the backers?
My only question is on a psychological level, what does it take to sway hard core MAGAts or "hard core republicans" to stop supporting lies (which they think is truth) and for the general population to have a modicum of understanding about what our reality as a Country is i.e. What the Republican Party has done to decimate our Country as a whole.
From a political strategy perspective, only a small number of people are "hard core." (Maybe 20%). So it's probably better to focus energy on people who are slightly more persuadable. Some people make it their business not to be persuaded no matter what.
If Biden only won the Presidency by 40,000 in combined electoral college numbers, how do we increase that number? I'm still stunned that 70 Million people voted for Trump, it's incomprehensible to me that the Country as a whole looks at the likes of the next Hitler and thinks "all good". Politicians are still running on a lie, and people are VOTING for it? I can't get my head around it. How do you reach those people?
I’m recently realizing it’s not just the R Party - the chicago FOP folks who stuck to their story that Jason van dyke shot laquan mcdonald one time in self defense followed a similar path. It took massive community effort to uncover the truth (that this kid was shot 16 times by one cop with a dozen prior complaints on his record), bring the perp to justice and secure a $5mm settlement from the city of chicago in the family’s wrongful death action. And it wasn’t through the medical examiners report (medical examiner = sworn public servant), but through the funeral director’s counting the bullet holes in the body. Something is terribly wrong.
Hope: Dems actually begin to adopt prudent, adaptive policies and shed intransigent thinking, i.e. provide N95s for all and expedite trials on an open source (for the world!) pancovid vaccine platform
Fear: Dems will be unprepared for the vast consequences of perpetuating public abandonment, namely the trend toward fascism
Thanks for all the excellent detailed reporting, i wish the mainstream media would report more on these topics. Its great when they do sometimes pick up your reporting. For 2022, i hope the evil crimes of the GOP & tRUMP are more widely known, and people finally see how they're trying to destroy american Democracy. I fear we're heading into a Fascist Theocratic Dictatorship if theyre not stopped.
As has been stated in prior comments in various ways, I would like to see more reporting on the patterns, on the State or Federal scale, of the election officials and school boards actions that appear to follow a common rulebook.
Living in NOLA, LA’s Sen. Cassidy stated we don’t need VRA because Americans won’t vote for Cheaters….. that’s really rich.
I’d like to hear more about inflation…. how much? which biz sectors are experiencing/producing meaningful inflation? why/why not? how can it be reversed, if possible.
I would like a side by side comparison of the comments made by republicans in favor of the JL voting rights act 10 years ago with the hypocritical statements made in opposition now.
I would also like to know who drives the Republican narrative and what the representatives get as compensation for megaphoning the narrative. It's very very clear that the representatives are given the talking points but what's in it for them to repeat it and who is behind it.
I would like to know more about the consistent Biden-bashing that goes on in liberalish major papers, NYT and WAPO mostly. I believe his administration has done many excellent things and why aren’t the papers focusing on some of those or at least focus on some of the rocks you have turned over that are “intensive” journalism. Thanks for all you do!
The papers have reporters assigned to cover the president and nearly every reporter (myself included) is inclined toward negative coverage. It may or may not be warranted. Not defending what's happening but that's the basic explanation.
Right? WTAF?
I get a strong feeling from much of the coverage of Democrats in general that the focus on the negative is in part a response to accusations from the right. That has me wondering if there isn't also some sense (conscious or not) that they need to show their accusers they aren't "liberal" media?
I agree Nick. I think it Goes to subscription in circulation numbers and wanting to not just appealed to liberals or appear to appeal to liberals
As a retired journalist I applaud your unique research, important results, and the so, so difficult “grunt” work you do to expose the underbelly of respectability that is dividing the country, profiting from the chaos, and damaging the Democrats’ (and the country’s) future. I want to know who else is behind it—Is it just mainstream media-outlets on the left and right megaphoning the usual suspects—i.e., the Koch (or similar) machinery?
I also want to know who and what kind of nefarious goings-on keeps the Biden-bashing narrative on the front burner, killing his prospects. And what we can do about it?
ALSO, thank you, Judd, for bringing to light the Corporate backsliding—the resuming of contributions to the Sedition Squad and Republican enablers. AS A RESULT, two of us have put together a grassroots (that would be all of us) CAMPAIGN TO WRITE LETTERS and EMAILS to executives at the companies Judd exposed that reneged on their pledge not to donate to the Sedition Squad and Republican leadership PACs. Every one of you Frustrated and Furious can join in: contact me at LASWNYC@gmail.com. Louise.
I agree with Louise. These survey's that the news repeats, who designs them, answers them and how do we expose them. The constant negative rhetoric is exhausting.
Could it be a feedback loop, with the negative surveys being a response to almost universally-negative reporting?
Thank you Louise. I will keep digging.
I second everything in this from Louise.
Louise, please read Wendy Jones comment. I will email you soon. I also want people to find ways to put pressure on these CEOs. All ideas welcome.
Can we expose the grifters profiting from attacking public education? We need a through line from the wealthy elites to the political operatives on the ground. Then we need to educate every school community in the nation on how to spot a right wing attack on public education and share tactics to protect their schools. The bad guys get a lot of airtime, the grass roots volunteers successfully beating them, not so much. Just sayin'. The manufacture controversy complex has unlimited resources and expertise, we only have each other. We need an actual resource for the many school communities under fire.
I've done a bit of this but will be a continued focus in 2022. The issue is that it's not easy to uncover. The funding sources and how the money is spent is very opaque.
I just want to comment about yesterday, the MLK holiday, which GOP used as an occasion to feign support for King’s legacy while simultaneously moving to tear it to shreds by denying citizens their right to vote, and making it nearly impossible to teach the history of MLK’s civil rights struggle in K-12 classrooms. I was repeatedly harassed for responding to GOP’s tweet “honoring” MLK by responding that GOP legislatures across the country are passing laws that would prevent students from learning the history of civil rights under MLK. I was called a liar, a Marxist, cursed, etc. This is the state of affairs. I’m making this my own call to action to step up my ability to educate, to provide a true narrative, as Judd has done so well.
Thanks Glenn. There is a lot of harassment and name-calling on Twitter. I'm not sure what to do about it. My own approach is to just ignore it but that's not always possible.
Good for you Glenn! Lots more abuse coming for good people who take a stand —MLK of all people knew that.
I fear voting rights will never pass. I fear many minorities and young people will not be allowed to vote. I fear Trump Republicans will win n 2022. I fear Trump will win in 2024. I fear the spread of Trump's lies. I fear the US will become an authoritarian fascist country. I fear climate change. I fear most politicians represent money interest not the needs of the people. I hope young people, minorities, progressives, environmentalists, Democrats and Republicans who don't believe Trump's lies and are not afraid to stand up and speak out will all come together to save this country from Trump's corrupt and cancerous influence.
All very reasonable fears!
I share each of Gloria’s fears except the one about “most politicians represent money interest,” which is less a fear than a conclusion (that I don’t share).
I don't think all are motivated by power and many just too many.
I tend to agree, and it crosses party lines. Nancy Pelosi for instance, has a wealth of $120 million dollars. She will not support or sign onto a bill that forbids politicians who hold office from trading in directly into the stock market. Pelosi and her husband have been cited for trading on inside information.
hoo boy. I didn't know that. Who cited them? when?
IMO, most people who want to make a lot of money don't run for office. neither campaigning nor serving is a lot of fun
I'd like to hear more about the corporate support of supposedly liberal news sources like NPR, and why they are not covering stories such as the false elector documents and the extensive corporate support of insurrectionist Congress members.
I like a lot of stuff on NPR but the combination of government funding and corporate underwriting provides a lot of incentives for a cautious approach to reporting.
Cautious is one thing. Not covering it at all is something else. My local paper (Tampa Bay Times) hasn't had one single story on the forged elector documents.
DK that newspaper, but if it's like my local paper it's basically covering crime and recipes (and obituaries). Maybe look for another paper - or send TBT an oped, see if they'll print it?
Been there, done that.....multiple times. Can't tell you how many oped/letters I have written. I even wrote to the CEO/Chairman. Years ago, there were two local papers in Tampa, but then the Times bought the Tribune, so they are now the only game in town.
sensible answer - "cautious" doesn't mean false or bought off
I heartily second this question. I believe the linchpin to preventing us from going down the conservative rabbit hole is a strong press. Right now they are just bothsiding and normalizing and failing to challenge to the extent that the American public does not fully understand that one party has become the anti-democratic, authoritarian party. Do the parent corporations who own these MSM entities donate to politicians or organizations, and, if so, to whom/which?
Seeing this reply reminds me of the fact that Hitler actively solicited the support of leading industrialists in Germany on 20 Feb 1933, less than a month after he took over the reins. See this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Meeting_of_20_February_1933#:~:text=The%20Secret%20Meeting%20of%2020,campaign%20of%20the%20Nazi%20Party.
Wow not my experience of NPR at all.
Good morning Judd, First off, thank you for the excellent reportage you provide. One of the few trusted sources left out here. Keep it up. As to the topic I'd like to see covered, I'd like to know more of the financial motivations that precede the posturings and inform the decisions of many of our representatives on what bills/policies they will introduce/support, be it from the production and sale of small arms to large arms - weapons systems, medical services and supplies, educational services and supplies, insurance, et al. I think more of our reps than we are aware of are selling themselves to the highest bidder and they need to be exposed and shamed if not ejected and prosecuted.
It's entirely possible! One of the limitations in my reporting is what data is available. So my ability to make progress on issues like this will be contingent on the data.
That’s your invitation, folks. Anyone with data, get it to Judd!
how do we do that Lucy? other than waiting for a "Fire away" column?
You are a hero in these troubled times my man. I do not say this lightly. As your readers know, access to information is all important especially now with so many bad actors out there looking for a chance to leverage ignorance into advantage for themselves and their cohorts. There are reasons why the liars continue to lie and factual information in all of it's myriad forms helps to blunt their power and lessen their influnce. Keep it up man. You're doing excellent and essential work worthy praise indeed!
I'd love to hear more about Russian oligarch money coming to American politicians. We're on the verge of yet another war driven by corruption and oil.
Also Russian investments in land and real estate, with names and $$.
Church money, where does it come from and where does it go. It seems like a great opportunity to launder illicit cash. How much goes to charitable work, how much of it goes to political influence, how much goes into compensation and "investments." Why is there a curtain behind which religious financials hide.
A very interesting topic but also extremely difficult to uncover. I'm always open to tips!
Heather Cox Richardson made the point today that voter fraud differs from election fraud. It got me thinking. Voter fraud is an individual act of dishonesty and rare. Election fraud is today a multi-state Republican project intended to nullify the votes of honest citizens. What has happened to the Republicans? Dishonesty and destruction of the rule of law is the fast lane to third world membership. Get a grip people.
This might require coordination from a lot of media sources, but here in Mesa County Colorado we are best with new Qers on our school board (now a majority) and the ongoing scandal and saga of our Elections Clerk Tina Peters (lots of info to google). There are so many dire warnings about this happening all over the country - warnings are great, but how about specifics? Reports on SPECIFIC take-overs or attempted take-overs in cities, counties, state legislature. Coupled with the fact that so many areas do not have local newspapers anymore, these people know they can get away with anything, and they will.
i think you meant "beset with new Qers" right?
Yes! I can blame it on auto spell check or myself for bad editing before posting. It's Tuesday, so I'll blame it on spell check.
Amazing job calling out the callous hypocrisy of corporate and Republican MLK Day. Never seen anything like it. So detailed and thorough. Outstanding work!
Thanks Rick!
Agree!!
Good morning Judd. Reading your column daily helps me keep my sanity in this troubled time we live in. I am struggling with the realization that there is NO SHAME in the Republican Party. The lies keep getting larger and more frequent. But the Democrats as NO saints either, We desperately NEED TERM LIMITS on politicians. And take away ALL there free perks when they leave office. They can pay for their health care like the rest of us do !!!!!!!!
I am interested to see similar accountability journalism that tells us what prosecutors can and must do. The discretion they wield in deciding not to prosecute executives and white collar criminals vs their treadmill of caging low income folks. I want to get a clearer picture of these departments that spent 6% of their time on violent crime while seizing millions in assets from their targets.
Thanks Andrea. I very much want to do more criminal justice reporting going forward. I have a few ideas in the works.
Judd, have you touched on the Ethics of the SEO (Search Engine Operators) Industry? What liability do they have? How do their keyword based, algorithmically-oriented searches, mutate repetitive user's language-related thought patterns?
I am one who believes that our mainstream imperialist, neoliberal establishment - the ones who determined that neoliberal is not in the spelling dictionary of apps! - continues to be more dangerous than Trump and his followers. He has his unquenchable thirst for power and attention and a genius for telling lies that many people believe.
The establishment, on the other hand, has a financial behemoth that has armies of sophisticated math geniuses and lawyers designed to bilk the working person and their own customers. They have a military-industral-"intelligence" complex that lies and subverts all over the world to the tune of tens of billions of dollars annually. They have a fossil fuel industry that drives wars and subverts sustainable policy. They have a health care complex that wastes $1 trillion or more every year on profits and inflated salaries. They have an anti-union sector (e.g., Chamber of Commerce) that keeps workers on the edge of or deep into poverty. All of these industries buy influence with politicians using campaign $ and get a return rate in the thousands of percentage points.
Almost 400,000 civilians have died in U.S. wars in Asia and Africa since 2001, with the U.S. killing most of them. In my youth, the evil and counterproductive war in Southeast Asia killed 3-4,000,000 in an effort to impose a neo-colonial regime.
The Olive Garden and Kroger cases are something Judd can be exceedingly proud of. I hope he will continue to expose these ongoing types of threats to the peace and prosperity of the world.
Thanks Charlie! I'm particularly interested in the continued influence of the fossil fuel industry in light of the urgent need to address climate change. (Along with many of the other issues you raise.)
Statista says women have been 51% of the population since 2013. My fear is the overturning of Roe, which will eliminate a right half the population has had since 1973 (and let’s not kid ourselves about whether the other half benefits). It’s bone chilling to think of the implications. This isn’t just about Roe nor is it any longer about voting. It’s about the option to challenge any right all the way to the lifetime appointed SCOTUS, the SCOTUS choice to hear or pass on a case, and a court that already shows precedent may not weigh heavily in rulings. I don’t know what can be done about this. The Ds have a slim margin in Congress, and infighting, retirements, negative media coverage, etc., suggest loss of the margin this year, which kills any possibility of SCOTUS reform. You asked about fears so I’m sharing even though I don’t have a reporting suggestion with this issue
Lets not forget those democratic senators who are shamelessly using Dr King's words to enhance their tweets, while ensuring the voting rights acts do not pass in the senate.
Trend: See feedbackloopsclimate.com for alarming climate developments. Global Warming is intensifying for reasons beyond our immediate control. Trend. The Republican Party used to engage in cause-and-effect reasoning, just as any normal political party would. But for the past 40 years, it has been led away from reason and into the Wonderland of Propaganda. It no longer has the cause-and-effect reasoning capabilities that are essential in the midst of our climate crisis. Trend: The CEO elites still look at Republicans as worthy of their dollars. And the Trend We Need? It's time for CEOs to (a) acknowledge the severity of the climate challenge, and (b) cut off all giving to the Republicans because the GOP has ceased to be a party that's guided by cause-and-effect reasoning. You can't halt climate change by subsidizing propagandists. Capitalists that subsidize our civilization's downfall are plainly on the wrong track. It's a whistle-blowing moment but they're still arguing over how to line up the deck chairs.
An in-depth review of the company hired to conduct the PA election audit and why Republicans wanted personal voter identity information turned over to a private entity.
I am curious to hear more about the statehood progress of DC, Puerto Rico, etc. How far away are they from becoming states? And what can we little "sheeple" do to help them get there? Having those two as the US states they deserve to be would go a LONG way toward balancing out the extreme white, rural, elderly slant of the majority of people represented by US Senators. (I know, "Senate" comes from the Latin word for "old", same root as our "senile", but it would be nice if they weren't all so...). (Edited to add "sheeple" comment because why not).
As a resident of DC, this is of considerable interest to me. As far as I know, this again is a filibuster issue. You would need Manchin and Sinema to change the filibuster rules to make this happen, and that so far seems unlikely.
Why not? Same reason as you don’t need to demonize all people older than yourself.
I just read my comment again. I do not see any demonizing of anyone due to age. I was simply pointing out that the folks who make up most of the Senate aren't even close to representing the majority of the country's citizens. Age is only one factor in that mix but it's a big one considering generational divides on things like climate change that very few of our representatives will be around to see really take place...yet they're standing in the way of a better future for literally every human being. For generations down the line.
Shaking up that mix of demographic factors seems like it would really help with real world problem-solving.
To follow up from Wendy's comment and others, some info on how to directly help remotely across the country would be great. Currently from The Guardian, this is now occuring in Texas:
"The voter identification rules have led to the rejection of about half of the 700 mail-in ballots requested in Travis county for primary elections in March, according to the county’s clerk."
Details about who locally may be addressing this, what info is needed for voters to check and correct this, and how that info is or can be directed to voters who have requested ballots and then been rejected.
The above will be repeated across Texas and other states where laws are passed to restrict voting. Info/outreach is needed now and continuously for specifics instructing individuals how to validate their registration and ballot requests.
Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for your great work. Let's follow the money in 2022 and look at who is thwarting efforts to hold climate change in check.
Thanks!
Love your reporting and the many ideas posted here. Don’t know if this fits into your reporting but I would be interested in having someone look at what autocracy might look like for big business here in the US. I’m not sure the big guys have thought this through. Thank you for your continued efforts.
Anne Applebaum provides a fairly comprehensive analysis in her unflinching Atlantic article: "Autocracy is Winning". The largest US companies are already inextricably intertwined with autocracies around the globe. They've overlooked horrific human rights abuses in their insatiable quest for money and growth. Under US autocracy, they'll benefit from deregulation and union busting. Under a Trump autocracy, they'll be ruthlessly extorted (ala Putin). At best, they'll continue to ally with other authoritarian regimes, at worst they'll be cratered by a economic collapse of the US.
Thanks for this reference!
Thank you
Not sure but my feeling is that autocracy would be bad for business.
Interesting article in the Atlantic
Why has the talk of 'record profits' died off when they're responsible for a significant chunk of inflation. (My math, not read anything official)* In era where inflation expectations are getting locked in.... This is criminal.
*https://twitter.com/ccarter84/status/1461830536293335040
Your information about corporate giving is illuminating. My group, Seniors Taking Action, believes that a deeply divided country is bad for business. And we believe that the Business Council and the Business Roundtable – which represent more than 200 major corporations with 20 million employees – must lead the way in persuading their members that democracy is at a dangerous tipping point. We are discussing how to convince these two umbrella organizations to persuade their members that siding with democracy is good for business, and contributing to election objectors and vote suppressors is a bad idea. We welcome input. seniorstakingaction.org.
Thanks Barbara.
you're also hosting speakers and fostering activism among seniors. Yay you!
First, I want to commend you for all the fine work yo've done to pull the curtain back on so many of the problems that plague our country. If the MSM tackled the subjects you do on a weekly basis, we would be in a much better place.
There are so many stories that need attention in the coming months, but if I have to narrow this down to one, it would come down to two words: Rupert Murdoch.
It is blatantly obvious that Fox News is a right-wing propaganda operation that traffics heavily is disinformation and outright lies. It is the single largest media source that pits Americans against each other, and does so while turning a profit. As a fellow journalist, I live and die with the First Amendment, but replacing facts with lies and stoking hatred and fear—not to mention acting a Kitchen Cabinet for the Former Guy—seems outside the lines of protected free speech.
Nothing—absolutely nothing—goes on air at Fox without the approval of Rupert Murdoch, who thus far has escaped scrutiny for his role in the Jan. 6 attack and the continued assault on our democracy, The Jan. 6 Committee's work will not be done until/unless they hold those at the top accountable. Rupert Murdoch is part of that inner circle.
A couple of subjects to add to the growing list below...An ongoing examination of conservative/right wing talk media initiation, ownership, and funding and the effort to build an alternative media structure including pay methods. (beside the New Yorker article). A second and occasional column on how to do research, sites for info, and other org doing similar to what you do. That is in addition to columns on the people that are structuring the Trump efforts at a comeback. Thanks for your work, I use it in my own local economic newsletter
Thanks Fred.
please keep up the research and reporting. if possible, please consider, where information can be obtained, to list congress-people's interactions with stock buy/sells - - - and if that can be made 'to-work', top federal judges as well...there remains far too much darkness in places and spaces that should be either halted entirely or at least have bright sunshine applied.
thank you.
Nothing is more important than investigations sinema and Manchin.
Two things would be interesting to follow leading up to midterms. First, you’ve done a great finding the money for those who voted to decertify electors. Where’s the money coming from for new candidates on either side? Second, what are real issues in campaigns, not smokescreens and bogeymen like CRT in Virginia gubernatorial race?
Looking into campaign finance of new (and returning) candidates is something I want to do as things heat up.
yeah, it just occurred to me recently to ask more questions about campaign finance - I've given to numerous candidates that say they won't take any PAC or dark (...) money - but once they're in office, do they stay that way? Also, what's with all the fundraising "deadlines" - who sets those (Party? national/local? FEC?) and how if at all are they enforced?
Gibson Dunn. They are the law firm that persecuted Steven Donsiger for going after Chevron, are actively trying to overturn the Indian Welfare Act (as "pro bono" attorneys), defended the Dakota Pipeline, have turned the NY Times into a paper I don't recognize anymore, and represent a whole laundry list of corporations who despoil the planet and engage in forms of slavery. And I'm not exaggerating.
I'm interested in this story but haven't had a chance to dive into it deeply.
The Lakota Law Project can help with the perspective of the Water Protectors, and sundry other attacks against Native people.
Excellent post on MlK Jr.
Please write about patent issues on the Covid Vaccines and Big Pharmacy Greed
And yes, I too appreciate your work. I'm sure you take a lot of flack for telling the truth!
I'd like to know ow more about the fraudulent electors and what punishment they're getting!
I'd like to know more about whose money is influencing legislators like Manchin and Sinema. And focus on the Executive Branch regulatory agencies and the massive distortion of the notice and comment rulemaking process by K Street lobbyists, astro-turf "public interest" groups, and fake "expert" sock puppets.
As ever, I want laser-like focus on the attempted coup of 1/6/21; as much specific detail as there is about the traitors involved. Keep. The. Pressure. On.
I'd love to see a piece on stock ownership by members of the house and senate, and how that likely influences their voting. And what we should do to fix it: would the Ossoff / Kelly be sufficient? A good start? Supposedly lots of people (citizens, not politicians!) already support restrictions here, but I suspect many people don't realize quite how serious a problem it is, and your reporting could really help here.
Thanks for all the great work in 2021!
Jane, I have good news: you'll like tomorrow's edition of Popular Information!
54 members of Congress were caught violating the Stock Trades rule. Why is Nancy Pelosi fighting a Bill that prohibits members of the House from buying and selling stock while in office? Pelosi is disappointing and insulting all of us non-politicians that aren’t privy to insider information.
Her husband runs a venture capital & investment firm, Financial Leasing Services, & he buys & sells individual stocks which are held in his name only. While there is nothing to show that the Pelosis have traded using insider information, their portfolio frequently outperforms the S&P 500. It gives the wrong appearance, no matter the actual facts.
Unfortunately I think we’ll have to paint a wide swathe, because there are a lot of politicians using insider information to buy stock. If Pelosi doesn’t like it, then she’ll have to rework it… but there needs to be one in place.
I know not much has happened yet, but I cannot wait until Matt Gaetz gets dragged off in handcuffs. The fact that anyone in the world could support what the GOP is doing is beyond me. Al Franken resigned his seat for a photo where he wasn't even touching a woman, just pretending for a photo. Is it in poor taste? Probably, but it was simply a photo. And it was from how many years ago? Matt Gaetz is credibly accused of sex with minors and sex trafficking but not only does he not resign, he still sits on the committee charged with investigating him. How is this happening and how is he not forced off that committee?
This hasn't been an area I've done any reporting on but from what I've read the investigation is picking up steam so we should know more soon.
I would love to know more about who funds Axios, please.
We can never let up on the need for #MedicareForAll if we want the benefits most of the world has. MOST US citizens do not yet know that we would save $$$ with M4A, that tens of thousands of people die annually because they can’t afford health care, that medical debt is the #1 cause of bankruptcy, or that insurance company executives are paid multimillion dollar salaries.
And most politicians don’t seem to understand that a majority of Democratic, Republican, & Independent voters support Medicare For All.
I think mental health is going to become an increasingly relevant subtext as COVID trauma continues taking its toll, especially in an election year. There are also a lot of grim truths about how Americans process severe mental illness that get exploited by the powerful in order to avoid accountability (for example, pleading insanity/"it's my religious belief to [X]" vs. Free Britney). Those truths are certainly a source of financial profit for some to break other people down, as well as a means of gaining political power.
Hello Judd,
Thank you for your valiant reporting on what is happening and what is at stake as well as your commitment to change!
Due to the reporting and the clarion call, I have decided to do something! I believe what is necessary is that regular, every-day citizens/voters choose to rebuild our country based on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." This country is OUR country, the country of ALL of the citizens, not the relatively few that seem to have all of the power. We can decide, stand, re-envision, and change whatever is necessary to have a country that aligns with our deepest longings for what is possible for ourselves, our families, others and earth. It is up to us, each one of us. There are millions of citizens that can come together, decide what we want and make the appropriate changes. And, WE have to do it. No one else can or will. I am not ready to lose the freedoms and possibilities that we have here in the United States.
I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about what I'm doing, currently at the beginning stage, deciding first steps. But, within 2-3 weeks I will make an "official" announcement about this invitation to Stand for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Thank you in advance for reading this and considering my request for a conversation. Peggy
Organizations charitable & political are multiplying faster than I can verify their bona fides and true affiliations. The demands for money are overwhelming! Is there a list somewhere that successfully finds the backers?
My only question is on a psychological level, what does it take to sway hard core MAGAts or "hard core republicans" to stop supporting lies (which they think is truth) and for the general population to have a modicum of understanding about what our reality as a Country is i.e. What the Republican Party has done to decimate our Country as a whole.
From a political strategy perspective, only a small number of people are "hard core." (Maybe 20%). So it's probably better to focus energy on people who are slightly more persuadable. Some people make it their business not to be persuaded no matter what.
If Biden only won the Presidency by 40,000 in combined electoral college numbers, how do we increase that number? I'm still stunned that 70 Million people voted for Trump, it's incomprehensible to me that the Country as a whole looks at the likes of the next Hitler and thinks "all good". Politicians are still running on a lie, and people are VOTING for it? I can't get my head around it. How do you reach those people?
I’m recently realizing it’s not just the R Party - the chicago FOP folks who stuck to their story that Jason van dyke shot laquan mcdonald one time in self defense followed a similar path. It took massive community effort to uncover the truth (that this kid was shot 16 times by one cop with a dozen prior complaints on his record), bring the perp to justice and secure a $5mm settlement from the city of chicago in the family’s wrongful death action. And it wasn’t through the medical examiners report (medical examiner = sworn public servant), but through the funeral director’s counting the bullet holes in the body. Something is terribly wrong.
Hope: Dems actually begin to adopt prudent, adaptive policies and shed intransigent thinking, i.e. provide N95s for all and expedite trials on an open source (for the world!) pancovid vaccine platform
Fear: Dems will be unprepared for the vast consequences of perpetuating public abandonment, namely the trend toward fascism
Thanks for all the excellent detailed reporting, i wish the mainstream media would report more on these topics. Its great when they do sometimes pick up your reporting. For 2022, i hope the evil crimes of the GOP & tRUMP are more widely known, and people finally see how they're trying to destroy american Democracy. I fear we're heading into a Fascist Theocratic Dictatorship if theyre not stopped.
As has been stated in prior comments in various ways, I would like to see more reporting on the patterns, on the State or Federal scale, of the election officials and school boards actions that appear to follow a common rulebook.
Appreciate your work.
Living in NOLA, LA’s Sen. Cassidy stated we don’t need VRA because Americans won’t vote for Cheaters….. that’s really rich.
I’d like to hear more about inflation…. how much? which biz sectors are experiencing/producing meaningful inflation? why/why not? how can it be reversed, if possible.
VRA?
voting rights act
I would like a side by side comparison of the comments made by republicans in favor of the JL voting rights act 10 years ago with the hypocritical statements made in opposition now.
I would also like to know who drives the Republican narrative and what the representatives get as compensation for megaphoning the narrative. It's very very clear that the representatives are given the talking points but what's in it for them to repeat it and who is behind it.