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Why/how did it take 3 years for the story of Alito's insurrectionist flag to be public? It was documented 11 days after the bloody assault on our Capital that took the lives and health of police officers. What every story I have consumed has not addressed was the fact that during this period republicans were walking away from toxic trump. If realized in real time, this would have been a much bigger problem for Alito. So how was it kept quiet? You and others have shown that We should put NOTHING past this Captured Court. It is corrupted to the core. I'd love someone to dig into this! Thank you thank you for all your work.
The Oath that is taken by various politicians must be adhered to. Can the violations of oath be exposed as fact? The scoreboard count on the scoreboard would be frightening.
Hospitals near us are being taken over by "religious" corporations that restrict legally allowed (in our state) healthcare such as death with dignity and any abortion related care. I am interested in who is behind these corporate groups.
Private equity is buying up veterinary clinics as well...many vets retiring, prices soaring, care going down in many cases or just getting more generic, not like your neighborhood vet anymore.
I agree--maybe the story is how private equity is destsroying everything. Hospitals, vetrinary clinics, utilities, real estate rentals, and drove up home prices too. The list is probably even greater than this, pricing ordinary Americans out of everything.
It could include nursing homes, as I believe the root problem is the same: given fixed federal reimbursements, the only way to maximize profits is to cut services and salaries.
3 companies own 80% of the market which gives them a lot of control over what drugs can be prescribed / approved and how much consumers & insurers pay. For instance through my retirement benefits I can only choose Humana or Medicare. Humana offers a discount if you purchase a 3 month supply of an on-going prescription. This year they began only honoring the discount if you use their pharmacy (which in my area is only available online).
This is SO important. I live in Massachusetts, and NINE of our Steward hospitals, which serve 160,000+ patients and employ 15,000+ people, just declared bankruptcy.
Aileen Cannon and why it’s OK for a judge to either do nothing or slow down a case. Who’s coaching her on how to manage the case to stay just this side of bringing down the wrath of the Eleventh Circuit?
I’m still not totally clear on why the 11th Circuit hasn’t stepped in, when it’s clear to even the most casual observer that she’s intentionally dragging her feet on this case.
I am very concerned about the attempt by the radical right to criminalize protests. Peaceful protests have always been helpful to democracy and are sanctioned in the constitution, but have been hurt by outsiders who are violent. How can we keep protests legal?
HA-This is a big concern of mine also. Why aren’t our LAWS and CONSTITUTION applied to trump et al? Is it because we CAN’T depend on the military/National Guard to act????
It would be daunting, but invaluable service to democracy to wrap up the numerous symptoms of Maga, the constant fire hose of same, and the reactive symptoms —to the disease into context.
we need a fact based message concerning the point of all the symptoms. For example, the numerous lawmakers who have gone to New York dressed like Trump. They go in front of the cameras say what they say.—
What’s the point of it? Pretending it’s normal? Trying out for VP?
The lead story isn’t they are shouted at /shout down, by the crowd with gem of comments like,” you’re shilling for a rapist” or “ nobody cares, bro”.
Mark Jacobs and Dan Froomkin seem to be the only two individuals who keep discussing how poor the media is doing as the main point /and then providing the main point.
I just read a story of someone who had to leave Florida with his family so that his wife could safely deliver because she couldn’t get treatment from the OB’s because she was high-risk. As horrific as their experience has been simply telling that story isn’t enough. It’s not just a war on women. It’s a war to enslave women with real casualties, and the enslavement is derived from a mentality that views a woman’s worth solely as her ability to have a child. Like a brood mare. It seems to me that’s the main point of the story that needs to be told again and again. The Republicans don’t want just power and control for greed— they want power over people /their lives to keep them miserable so they can’t object to their corruption.
There’s no other sensible explanation for their actions.
Remember the old adage "barefoot & pregnant"? It would appear that is exactly what these mainly white (old & young) men are pushing for. Broodmares? Yeah sounds like it.
I think we need to shine a huge spotlight on the GOP efforts to destroy public education, starting with NC and TX and including Project 2025’s plan to close the Department of Education.
With Gov Abbott unwilling to give raises to teachers and other budgeted items these public schools deserve until his gets his "vouchers" voted in, we're beginning to see our schools close. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/03/21/richardson-trustees-to-vote-on-closing-schools/ ... he is viscous and the Republicans who did fight against these vouchers are in run-off elections in the next week, all due to Paxton and Abbott pushing and funding their own candidates. It's so worrisome. Teachers have bailed and rightly so. (I'm not a Republican, I'm for any way to fight these vouchers).
My mind and heart are still reflecting on the threats to our justice system and the rule of law that governs all we are proud of in our country--Referencing Rachel Maddow's show last night on how rich and powerful groups are doing everything in their power to attack all of the people bringing suits against Donald Trump: Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Special Council Jack Smith, and her guest last night, DA Fanni Willis. This anti truth group intent on taking down all who would make Trump accountable includes the Federalist Society (who helped engineer our Supreme Court, and the Koch Industry. Rachel drew the analogy between what is going on now and the Nazi controlled (yes, led by Hitler directly) that influenced many in the Senate and House in the 1930's. Today, we know that Putin has a stronghold on Trump and all of his ardent supporters. Rachel's message is that we must protect those who are out there on their own. They are having their ives threatened repeatedly, and have had to engage layers of security [or, I'm guessing they might have been dead by now]. So, these courageous and brilliant legal peope who are serving us require more support from us, all of the people they are serving. Judd and team serve us by revealing more truth. Media seems to not be doing an even adequate job here. What more can we all do?
Yes! Her show was right on target about all the attacks on Fani Willis. What's up with our attorney general being so quiet about a lot of this? He has been a major disappointment.
Why aren't Democrats protesting in the streets about especially Alito, Thomas, and Roberts and the loss of justicevand honor in the SCOTUS? Or perhaps you could look into why Dems constantly roll over and let the GOP do horrible things and make bigoted, inhumane laws. Why Dems don't stand up against the insanity we've been living in for years. Why does Trump get away with threatening judges and The President of the United States? The Secret Service and the FBI would immediately show up at our door if any of us did the same.
Is the implementation of Project 2025 the threat I fear? Someone on Instagram reads some of the terrifying details that would wake people up with some sunlight. Thanks always, Judd.
What's the real story on undocumented immigration (we hear about millions of "crossings" but what does it really mean?). How would the legislation going through the Senate (again) change this? How could the Biden administration improves the situation without new legislation? I feel this will be important to know in the run up to the election where it will be a hot topic and we need facts not fear mongering.
Excellent. They've driven worldwide antisemitism to new heights, even as they have somehow convinced so many that their murder, beheading, raping of civilians is justified.
I am a resident in GA Congressional District 10 with Rep Mike Collins un-representing me. Thanks for calling out Rep Collins's racist tweets and non-apology after the Ole Miss protest. Please keep bird-dogging Rep Collins. Another thread: follow how Hamas has co-opted the youth protest movement away from their atrocities and disregard for the Gazans existence to the over-reach by Israel's war. Hamas & Putin have won this one, not to America's betterment. J C Elsner, GA
I always ask about Louis Dejoy but today I want to also ask about the Electoral College. Of course I want to see it gone since most lawsuits right now are because of its exisistence.. I get sooooo many daily emails I'm beginning to feel like it's a grifter set up... Please explain just how difficult it is to get rid of this...and if there is anything we can actually do to get this ball rolling..your work is priceless thank you again
Ginger, there is an ongoing effort to get Blue states to form a pact giving the winner ALL electoral votes. There are almost enough states joining now to override the ability of the electoral college. (Robert Reich has talked about this- spread the word). Wouldn’t it be great to see the Dems get around a corrupt system for once?
There are reports of a crack down on the free speech rights of students and professors that express views that counter the dominant narrative regarding Israel and Palestine. Are these reports true? If so, please take a look at this situation. If not, please do the same. We need to know if there really is a wide-spread, bipartisan view that there is an acceptable exception to free speech.
Attorney general Garland’s ineptitude needs exposure. He has not written new policies about how sitting presidents and federal judges could be indicted for committing crimes. He had not appointed special prosecutors so investigations can continue if Biden loses. No special task forces pursuing people who make vicious threats to people a chronic plague. No special prosecutors investigating voter suppression. No special prosecutors investigating out of bounds judges. He failed to address why so few politicians have been indicted for supporting the Jan 6 insurrection conspiracies. There is no excuse for silence when so many questionable actions by politicians have been so public. It is failed legacy of inaction.
Reports of Russia being very involved again in disinformation ahead of election, why don't Dems push back more fiercely. In 2016 I knew very educated, intelligent ppl who completely bought in to every anti Hillary story on FB.
Ongoing bias in media - DT sleeps in court, barely covered, if it were Biden it'd be 20 stories nonstop.
How is Biden not getting credit for any accomplishment but IS getting blamed for post-Roe consequences in red states? Who is pushing that false information and where?
Michael Cohen mentioned in testimony he had been "buying polls" ahead of 2016 - is that happening now to make DT seem inevitable and support what he already is laying out as refusal to accept a loss??
I'd like to see someone explain how people under stress make bad political decisions, like voting for someone like Trump, or Hitler. Most people don't understand the psychological connection between the two and just brush it off like it's nothing. Also, how the ultra-rich cabal behind the Republican party are actively working to make people feel like nothing is working, by of course, throwing so many obstacles in the way of making government work. No, it's not the Jewish people doing it, those are just convenient scapegoats. I think they want to bring back an age of Kings and Serfs so they can do what they want.
The role (or egregious lack thereof) of professional medical societies in the fight over women's health care. Particularly, their obvious conflict of interest as lobbying/law-writing organizations for their doctor members?
"There’s always an Arizona angle: The Council for National Policy, a secretive far-right group pushing Christian nationalism, has deep ties to Arizona, the Arizona Mirror’s MacDonald-Evoy reports. Members include the CEO of the anti-LGBTQ law firm Alliance Defending Freedom and state Sen. Jake Hoffman. The organization controls a dark money group tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and started claiming Democrats were planning to steal the election as early as February 2020."
I think you are doing an excellent job. I want to know where that tape of P Diddy was for the last 7 years. Obviously someone had it! I want to know where the video of Alito's flag has been for the last few years. Where was all of this stuff?
It would be great if you could figure out, once convicted doesn't the 14th amendment kick in? And is there some way to control the supreme court and stop them from being able to whore out the constitution to the 1%.
Polls can be manipulated. Everyone needs to vote. We are the majority. Biden will win. But everyone must vote. In every election. From president to coroner. Every election matters.
Ha. He’s pretty much a good ol’ boy nincompoop. Republican Victor Ashe, former mayor of Knoxville and ambassador to Poland under W, says he knew Burchett when he started his political career and he was an affable, pleasant even funny fellow. Ashe wants to know what happened to Burchett after he left for DC. My theory is brain cells dying off due to his hanging out with Gaetz, MTG, Boebert, etc. He’s Tea Party adjacent.
Maddow's "A" block last night needs to be amplified over & over & if MSM will not do it? Then We the people must demand DOJ start prosecuting GOP Traitors & all who threaten the lives of Justice officials just trying to do their jobs
Tell DOJ to stop protecting Republicans & SC Justices committing crimes "in plain sight"
When I signed on I thought this blog might have picked up some of the slack we lost when the Press Run founder tragically died. He really held the media's feet to the fire. And the media is definitely AWOL with this presidential election. They are the primary reason the majority of Americans do not know the accomplishments of the Biden Administration. Polls say Trump would be better for the economy than Biden, and both are tied on infrastructure. Seriously?
i'd like to see in depth investigation & coverage of the Racist Bigoted Religious Right Wing Wackos & White Supremacist Repukkkelikkkans who seem to be actively trying to implement their Theofascist Republic of Gilead in America. It's like they got the idea from Margaret Atwoods excellent book, unfortunately. Theyre relentlessly attacking women, abortion, gay & trans people, immigrants, anyone non-white/non-rich/non-conservative, trying to create anarchy so people live in fear, buy more guns, and vote for their Authoritarian puppets. The Billionaires are using their MAGAT puppets, who are clearly & mostly ignorant, uneducated, and agree with their racism & bigotry, to foment division, maybe even another Civil War, and distract people from their corruption, greed and destruction of the environment & Democracy, to weaken or destroy the Federal Govt, so they can increase their theft and exploitation. No one in the media seems to be looking at the Big Picture.
Would like the mainstream media to be invetigated as to why they spread lies and fear and not report on facts instead of hyperbole. investigate the reason trump is in the news every day, sometimes to the extent he's the only news we see. he gets more coverage than he deserves and knows how to manipulate the msm. investigate those that used to be investigators we could trust.
Given the intense focus on undocumented workers, it might be an excellent opportunity to explore the widespread use of the Independent Contractor work status to avoid most employment laws and regulations.
The propaganda war, and the war on truth, I’d dismantling the Rule of Law in this nation.
Rachel Maddow discussed this recently, and talked about how this has happened before!
The lies being repeated over and over to an ignorant citizenry is the most crucial issue in America today.
The Atlantic article “The MAGA Memory Hole “ says: The cognitive dissonance produced by this self-knowing resentment encourages extremism, not moderation. The shame of signing on with Trump again means that any memento of an earlier political life must be shoved into the memory hole. The only way to prove loyalty is to take the new line, and to repeat Big Brother’s new Order for the Day more energetically than all of the other comrades. Each time, they will shout louder—to rise above the din of the mob, and to silence the fading voice of conscience that tells them that this self-abasement is terribly, inexcusably wrong.”
We NEED a story on what exactly is the Democrat game plan to counter the Heritage Foundation’s et al well-organized democracy overthrow?
Who are Democrat “leaders” rallying a rattled middle across the nation? Perhaps they could rally all but the extreme right, but NO politician is doing that or even calling for it ! I can’t name you one whose voice of reassurance or game plan I’ve heard.
The right’s perpetual roar dominates the news cycle. Is mainstream media in cahoots with other US industries and business owner oligarchs?
Why absolutely zero about Biden’s GREAT economic scorecard and the renewal of economic prosperity he’s bringing to abandoned communities?
What is the plan for non-MAGAs should guardsmen and militia flood our streets in Nov and all jailed insurrectionists be freed?
There’s more to ask, but suffice it to say were it not for several substack writers and their followers, I would feel overtaken already and in fear for my life and country.
Is the left on Capitol Hill as afraid as I am? As election workers and jurors are? As women and young teens oppressed into birthing babies are? As the middle class being priced out of SF homes are?
Yes, yes, yes!!! I have posed this question on several sites and called my Senators as well to ask, "what is the plan, during and following the elections, to keep the rule of law in place and keep our nation safe from the clearly stated and planned insurrection following the election should Republicans not win!"
Every day another article, another news story about Trump. It got him elected the first time. Why are there so few articles and news stories about the good things happening in the economy? Why so few articles about President Biden managing to finally get compromise from a small group of Republicans who have the courage to vote for Americans instead of Trump? Why are there so few views of Trump faltering in speech and confusing the names of people he denigrates?
I'd like to see a report on the delcine of rural hospitals and a related key provision of Obama Care that Republicans voted to remove from the Bill before it finally passed.
Another question I have, which may appear obvious to everyone but me: why do internet companies get to hold a quasi-monopoly on lucrative service areas while completely ignoring non-lucrative areas? I have no choice while Comcast continues to raise my rates, yet my rural friends have no option at all for service in some cases. I am thrilled with President Biden's initiatives on this, that's not an issue at all for me. But I just don't understand how companies are handed money-making areas to pillage while others are left high and dry, and the government has to step in to fix the situation.
Currently reading "The Road to Freedom" by Joseph Stieglitz, a wide-ranging commentary on the illiberal attempts by conservatives and Republicans to roll back freedom in America by promoting, in my understanding, ideas, theories, and practices that are either fallacious or specious. There is so much conversation in mass media about "inflation" and the "economy" that seems, at best, superficial and, at worst, just plain wrong, that highlighting mega-media misinformation- that really does have a trickle down effect to smaller news markets- on the economy or disinformation efforts by "the wealthy" might be worth investigating. Seems to me that Professor Stieglitz is amplifying McLuhan's warning and forecasting the potentially catastrophic effects propaganda messaging is having and will have on American's freedom if neoliberalism and autocratic-loving Republicans are not subject to regulation or simply stopped.
Thank you for suggesting this book. Stieglitz is always clear and concise about this Country’ ideals historically and currently. I’m reading Eric Larson’s Demon of Unrest which shows current politics frightening similarities to the lead up to the Civil War.
exactly. facts and platforms. not name calling, false hyperbole, we are no longer allowed to compromise, politicians must win or lose so nothing gets done except by the party in power
How did the Democratic Party read the room so wrong as to put Joe Biden for President (yes I’m voting for him)….. ALL of the non-democrats I know wish they could vote for someone other than Trump,,, but they believe they don’t have a good choice because of his age. It really isn’t about policy for the majority of people — it’s about who reflects them. Why are the Democratic decision makers at the high levels so blind?
He’s certainly the best one to win THIS election. There’s absolutely no reason to throw Biden overboard right now. Fwiw, Warren was my first choice for in the 2020 primary, but I’ve been impressed by how good of a job Biden’s administration has done for the most part. He needs to stop support of Netanyahu immediately though.
I think younger candidates will be on the ballot in 2028.
Agreed. He’s been a good president, and his experience and connections have been valuable; but his views don’t reflect the much younger general populace, and I have concerns about his age no matter how competent I think his VP would be in the Oval Office.
Our local hospital, KSB in Dixon Illinois, has just merged with the Order of Sisters of St Francis Hospital chain. We are concerned that we will have restricted access to reproductive heath care under this new agreement.
Judd- A big concern…can we trust our police, military, national guard? Or are there too many white supremacists that were allowed in, to be trusted? The judges let trump get away with every violation…a deadly coup…unpunished while numerous side show crimes are tried first.
Yes! Can data show correlations between business sectors/companies that have persistent higher prices, and levels of corporate profits (& stock buy-backs, etc). (I listen to Marketplace on NPR and they keep talking about the role of the Fed with inflation - but never any mention about the huge levels of corporate profits.)
I’d love to see wider coverage of the takeover of Houston ISD. This takeover is the blueprint for every other “blue dot in a red state,” and it’s not getting nearly the coverage outside of Texas that it should be.
Here in gerrymandered/non-voting Indiana, vouchers are taking over and we need ammo to show voters, especially rural voters, that they will be left with few if any options for their "school choice" once public education is fully defunded. Is there data on just how many parents have a private school within driving distance of their homes? And conversely just how many parents don't have a private school within driving distance of their homes? And what's the standard income level of those two groups? Sorry if you've covered this somewhere and I missed it!
"One Year In, Arizona’s Universal School Vouchers Are a Cautionary Tale
They’re a costly form of welfare for the wealthy that hurts rural and low-income students. They provide no educational accountability and lead to state-funded discrimination."
I think we’re talking about the wrong issues, because it all boils down to one extremely frightening possibility—that trump wins the election. If he were to drop dead today, I know the MAGAts would still be there, but he is the root of them all.
My question is how the fxck can we sit around waiting for November like it’s a regular election? The electoral college already allows losers to win, and our “democracy” is hanging by a thread.
I’m an old woman who is retired, don’t have a lot of money. But I donate to Democratic candidates every day because our lives depend on it! I care about the world after I’m gone and want my children and grandchildren to inherit a real democracy without the fear of reprisals if they demonstrate against the status quo. This might be the last election we ever have. We need to protect ourselves from a narcissistic psychopath and his legions of cultists.
What can we do to insure that he doesn’t win the election?
As a main focus point (tagging onto my earlier comment) we need to be speaking about his dementia and his personality disorder how they combine and manifest.
This is the driving cause behind much of the orange guy’s behavior -yeah, truly, the other category of sycophants who have attached themselves to him for their own personal power or gain(so they think)
Folks should make this podcast number one consistently to get newspapers to start reporting because unless they can monetize it and feel like there’s interest they’ll keep ignoring what is so critical to democracy and all of us !
Whatever happened to Kamala Harris? I’d like to know what she’s been doing and how her media coverage and work schedule stacks up to Pence and Biden’s (as VP)
At least two “conservativa”and very troubling OpEd’s have appeared in the past few weeks in the NYT’s, remaking Trump to sound like a normal and even democratic candidate. One of them actually positioned him as a skilled international negotiator and diplomat. The writing is calm and sounds intelligent and reasonable - - until you stop and recall who they’re writing about and all his extreme behavior to the exact opposite. This goes beyond presenting a selection of OpEds from many voices (Times policy) to publishing non-factual and propagandist writing.
But I also heard a report on NPR about the right wing in European politics having success in many countries by remaking itself — wearing suits and dressing well, and sounding “normal” and sane. Are we seeing a new strategy here as well by extremely wealthy, extremely conservative right wingers with international connections trying to remake their candidates by altering their image contrary to the truth? A kind of “Kellyanne Conway 2.0”? T
Why/how did it take 3 years for the story of Alito's insurrectionist flag to be public? It was documented 11 days after the bloody assault on our Capital that took the lives and health of police officers. What every story I have consumed has not addressed was the fact that during this period republicans were walking away from toxic trump. If realized in real time, this would have been a much bigger problem for Alito. So how was it kept quiet? You and others have shown that We should put NOTHING past this Captured Court. It is corrupted to the core. I'd love someone to dig into this! Thank you thank you for all your work.
Do a deep investigation of Alito’s background
Also C. Thomas's.
aka Stephen, from Django Unchained.
I’d like to hear more about the recent bunch of politicians saying they won’t support election results in 2024. How is this okay?!
The Oath that is taken by various politicians must be adhered to. Can the violations of oath be exposed as fact? The scoreboard count on the scoreboard would be frightening.
Good one!
How about a dive into hospital closures (especially rural hospitals) and any role the private equity may have had in these events.
Thanks!
Hospitals near us are being taken over by "religious" corporations that restrict legally allowed (in our state) healthcare such as death with dignity and any abortion related care. I am interested in who is behind these corporate groups.
I used to work for one of these. You can also include vasectomy, tubal ligation, as well as all other forms of contraception.
Private equity is buying up veterinary clinics as well...many vets retiring, prices soaring, care going down in many cases or just getting more generic, not like your neighborhood vet anymore.
I agree--maybe the story is how private equity is destsroying everything. Hospitals, vetrinary clinics, utilities, real estate rentals, and drove up home prices too. The list is probably even greater than this, pricing ordinary Americans out of everything.
They Are buying up EVERYTHING, firing employees, taking out loans on the businesses, and then driving them into bankrupcy.
Hospice companies as well, it’s a disgrace!
It could include nursing homes, as I believe the root problem is the same: given fixed federal reimbursements, the only way to maximize profits is to cut services and salaries.
And how short staffed health care is...and the reasons why
Don’t forget “PBMs”. This is a real money maker for major insurers.
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/explainer/2019/apr/pharmacy-benefit-managers-and-their-role-drug-spending
3 companies own 80% of the market which gives them a lot of control over what drugs can be prescribed / approved and how much consumers & insurers pay. For instance through my retirement benefits I can only choose Humana or Medicare. Humana offers a discount if you purchase a 3 month supply of an on-going prescription. This year they began only honoring the discount if you use their pharmacy (which in my area is only available online).
https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pbms-are-driving-drug-prices-through-fees-phrma-report-claims
And concierge doctors
This is SO important. I live in Massachusetts, and NINE of our Steward hospitals, which serve 160,000+ patients and employ 15,000+ people, just declared bankruptcy.
Aileen Cannon and why it’s OK for a judge to either do nothing or slow down a case. Who’s coaching her on how to manage the case to stay just this side of bringing down the wrath of the Eleventh Circuit?
I’m still not totally clear on why the 11th Circuit hasn’t stepped in, when it’s clear to even the most casual observer that she’s intentionally dragging her feet on this case.
Agree...can't we follow the money or correspondence or something with her?
Clarence Thomas oversees the 11th Circuit and Cannon.
I am very concerned about the attempt by the radical right to criminalize protests. Peaceful protests have always been helpful to democracy and are sanctioned in the constitution, but have been hurt by outsiders who are violent. How can we keep protests legal?
A look into the state of white supremacy groups in the military. Can we trust the military won't join MAGA in the next coup attempt?
HA-This is a big concern of mine also. Why aren’t our LAWS and CONSTITUTION applied to trump et al? Is it because we CAN’T depend on the military/National Guard to act????
For years I've been dreading the day we see news stories that begin with "Troops loyal to Donald Trump today captured a ...".
It would be daunting, but invaluable service to democracy to wrap up the numerous symptoms of Maga, the constant fire hose of same, and the reactive symptoms —to the disease into context.
we need a fact based message concerning the point of all the symptoms. For example, the numerous lawmakers who have gone to New York dressed like Trump. They go in front of the cameras say what they say.—
What’s the point of it? Pretending it’s normal? Trying out for VP?
The lead story isn’t they are shouted at /shout down, by the crowd with gem of comments like,” you’re shilling for a rapist” or “ nobody cares, bro”.
Mark Jacobs and Dan Froomkin seem to be the only two individuals who keep discussing how poor the media is doing as the main point /and then providing the main point.
I just read a story of someone who had to leave Florida with his family so that his wife could safely deliver because she couldn’t get treatment from the OB’s because she was high-risk. As horrific as their experience has been simply telling that story isn’t enough. It’s not just a war on women. It’s a war to enslave women with real casualties, and the enslavement is derived from a mentality that views a woman’s worth solely as her ability to have a child. Like a brood mare. It seems to me that’s the main point of the story that needs to be told again and again. The Republicans don’t want just power and control for greed— they want power over people /their lives to keep them miserable so they can’t object to their corruption.
There’s no other sensible explanation for their actions.
Republicans tend to do/say extreme things like that because each time gets them a stuffed envelope from some billionaire or another.
'Follow the money.'
They do.
Remember the old adage "barefoot & pregnant"? It would appear that is exactly what these mainly white (old & young) men are pushing for. Broodmares? Yeah sounds like it.
Handmaid's Tale
Very well said.
I hope everyone listens to this podcast! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shrinking-trump/id1745797271?i=1000655224744
What's it about?
Give it a little sales pitch....
See my post below.
short description on the page - Trump and "shrink" as in psychiatrist.
I think we need to shine a huge spotlight on the GOP efforts to destroy public education, starting with NC and TX and including Project 2025’s plan to close the Department of Education.
With Gov Abbott unwilling to give raises to teachers and other budgeted items these public schools deserve until his gets his "vouchers" voted in, we're beginning to see our schools close. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/03/21/richardson-trustees-to-vote-on-closing-schools/ ... he is viscous and the Republicans who did fight against these vouchers are in run-off elections in the next week, all due to Paxton and Abbott pushing and funding their own candidates. It's so worrisome. Teachers have bailed and rightly so. (I'm not a Republican, I'm for any way to fight these vouchers).
https://cardinalpine.com/opinion/opinion-rural-communities-would-suffer-the-most-if-nc-republicans-expand-their-school-voucher-program/?utm_campaign=cdl&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=facebook
My mind and heart are still reflecting on the threats to our justice system and the rule of law that governs all we are proud of in our country--Referencing Rachel Maddow's show last night on how rich and powerful groups are doing everything in their power to attack all of the people bringing suits against Donald Trump: Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Special Council Jack Smith, and her guest last night, DA Fanni Willis. This anti truth group intent on taking down all who would make Trump accountable includes the Federalist Society (who helped engineer our Supreme Court, and the Koch Industry. Rachel drew the analogy between what is going on now and the Nazi controlled (yes, led by Hitler directly) that influenced many in the Senate and House in the 1930's. Today, we know that Putin has a stronghold on Trump and all of his ardent supporters. Rachel's message is that we must protect those who are out there on their own. They are having their ives threatened repeatedly, and have had to engage layers of security [or, I'm guessing they might have been dead by now]. So, these courageous and brilliant legal peope who are serving us require more support from us, all of the people they are serving. Judd and team serve us by revealing more truth. Media seems to not be doing an even adequate job here. What more can we all do?
Yes! Her show was right on target about all the attacks on Fani Willis. What's up with our attorney general being so quiet about a lot of this? He has been a major disappointment.
How we citizens are helpless in the face of Alito’s and Thomas’s partisanship.
Why aren't Democrats protesting in the streets about especially Alito, Thomas, and Roberts and the loss of justicevand honor in the SCOTUS? Or perhaps you could look into why Dems constantly roll over and let the GOP do horrible things and make bigoted, inhumane laws. Why Dems don't stand up against the insanity we've been living in for years. Why does Trump get away with threatening judges and The President of the United States? The Secret Service and the FBI would immediately show up at our door if any of us did the same.
was wondering the same. there should be protesters outside scotus every day, demanding resignations.
Is the implementation of Project 2025 the threat I fear? Someone on Instagram reads some of the terrifying details that would wake people up with some sunlight. Thanks always, Judd.
What's the real story on undocumented immigration (we hear about millions of "crossings" but what does it really mean?). How would the legislation going through the Senate (again) change this? How could the Biden administration improves the situation without new legislation? I feel this will be important to know in the run up to the election where it will be a hot topic and we need facts not fear mongering.
Hamas, their influence and their reach.
Excellent. They've driven worldwide antisemitism to new heights, even as they have somehow convinced so many that their murder, beheading, raping of civilians is justified.
I am a resident in GA Congressional District 10 with Rep Mike Collins un-representing me. Thanks for calling out Rep Collins's racist tweets and non-apology after the Ole Miss protest. Please keep bird-dogging Rep Collins. Another thread: follow how Hamas has co-opted the youth protest movement away from their atrocities and disregard for the Gazans existence to the over-reach by Israel's war. Hamas & Putin have won this one, not to America's betterment. J C Elsner, GA
I always ask about Louis Dejoy but today I want to also ask about the Electoral College. Of course I want to see it gone since most lawsuits right now are because of its exisistence.. I get sooooo many daily emails I'm beginning to feel like it's a grifter set up... Please explain just how difficult it is to get rid of this...and if there is anything we can actually do to get this ball rolling..your work is priceless thank you again
Ginger, there is an ongoing effort to get Blue states to form a pact giving the winner ALL electoral votes. There are almost enough states joining now to override the ability of the electoral college. (Robert Reich has talked about this- spread the word). Wouldn’t it be great to see the Dems get around a corrupt system for once?
There are reports of a crack down on the free speech rights of students and professors that express views that counter the dominant narrative regarding Israel and Palestine. Are these reports true? If so, please take a look at this situation. If not, please do the same. We need to know if there really is a wide-spread, bipartisan view that there is an acceptable exception to free speech.
Attorney general Garland’s ineptitude needs exposure. He has not written new policies about how sitting presidents and federal judges could be indicted for committing crimes. He had not appointed special prosecutors so investigations can continue if Biden loses. No special task forces pursuing people who make vicious threats to people a chronic plague. No special prosecutors investigating voter suppression. No special prosecutors investigating out of bounds judges. He failed to address why so few politicians have been indicted for supporting the Jan 6 insurrection conspiracies. There is no excuse for silence when so many questionable actions by politicians have been so public. It is failed legacy of inaction.
Project 2025: the people in charge, the policy agenda it threatens, how realistic are their goals?
Jay Kuo has an excellent piece about this!! https://thinkbigpicture.substack.com/p/project-2025-thomas-zimmer-trump
Reports of Russia being very involved again in disinformation ahead of election, why don't Dems push back more fiercely. In 2016 I knew very educated, intelligent ppl who completely bought in to every anti Hillary story on FB.
Ongoing bias in media - DT sleeps in court, barely covered, if it were Biden it'd be 20 stories nonstop.
How is Biden not getting credit for any accomplishment but IS getting blamed for post-Roe consequences in red states? Who is pushing that false information and where?
Michael Cohen mentioned in testimony he had been "buying polls" ahead of 2016 - is that happening now to make DT seem inevitable and support what he already is laying out as refusal to accept a loss??
I'd like to see someone explain how people under stress make bad political decisions, like voting for someone like Trump, or Hitler. Most people don't understand the psychological connection between the two and just brush it off like it's nothing. Also, how the ultra-rich cabal behind the Republican party are actively working to make people feel like nothing is working, by of course, throwing so many obstacles in the way of making government work. No, it's not the Jewish people doing it, those are just convenient scapegoats. I think they want to bring back an age of Kings and Serfs so they can do what they want.
The role (or egregious lack thereof) of professional medical societies in the fight over women's health care. Particularly, their obvious conflict of interest as lobbying/law-writing organizations for their doctor members?
A deep dive into Alliance Defending Freedom.
https://adflegal.org/
"There’s always an Arizona angle: The Council for National Policy, a secretive far-right group pushing Christian nationalism, has deep ties to Arizona, the Arizona Mirror’s MacDonald-Evoy reports. Members include the CEO of the anti-LGBTQ law firm Alliance Defending Freedom and state Sen. Jake Hoffman. The organization controls a dark money group tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and started claiming Democrats were planning to steal the election as early as February 2020."
https://azmirror.com/2024/05/20/arizona-ties-council-for-national-policy
Oh, the CNP definitely needs scrutinized thoroughly.
I think you are doing an excellent job. I want to know where that tape of P Diddy was for the last 7 years. Obviously someone had it! I want to know where the video of Alito's flag has been for the last few years. Where was all of this stuff?
It would be great if you could figure out, once convicted doesn't the 14th amendment kick in? And is there some way to control the supreme court and stop them from being able to whore out the constitution to the 1%.
I like this one.
Polls can be manipulated. Everyone needs to vote. We are the majority. Biden will win. But everyone must vote. In every election. From president to coroner. Every election matters.
why is Rodger Stone allowed to roam free?
why does Tim Burchett (R) TN hang out with MTG?
And Steve Bannon who just lost his appeal?? Whose side is Merrick Garland on?
The whole gang including all the lawyers like Powell. etal, need to be arrested by US Marshals and taken to jail forthwith
Ha. He’s pretty much a good ol’ boy nincompoop. Republican Victor Ashe, former mayor of Knoxville and ambassador to Poland under W, says he knew Burchett when he started his political career and he was an affable, pleasant even funny fellow. Ashe wants to know what happened to Burchett after he left for DC. My theory is brain cells dying off due to his hanging out with Gaetz, MTG, Boebert, etc. He’s Tea Party adjacent.
Maddow's "A" block last night needs to be amplified over & over & if MSM will not do it? Then We the people must demand DOJ start prosecuting GOP Traitors & all who threaten the lives of Justice officials just trying to do their jobs
Tell DOJ to stop protecting Republicans & SC Justices committing crimes "in plain sight"
https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
Our democracy is under attack
Watch:
https://x.com/maddowblog/status/1792796478404022463?s=61&t=maV2AKOf2ugi2j8OZ513Pg
When I signed on I thought this blog might have picked up some of the slack we lost when the Press Run founder tragically died. He really held the media's feet to the fire. And the media is definitely AWOL with this presidential election. They are the primary reason the majority of Americans do not know the accomplishments of the Biden Administration. Polls say Trump would be better for the economy than Biden, and both are tied on infrastructure. Seriously?
i'd like to see in depth investigation & coverage of the Racist Bigoted Religious Right Wing Wackos & White Supremacist Repukkkelikkkans who seem to be actively trying to implement their Theofascist Republic of Gilead in America. It's like they got the idea from Margaret Atwoods excellent book, unfortunately. Theyre relentlessly attacking women, abortion, gay & trans people, immigrants, anyone non-white/non-rich/non-conservative, trying to create anarchy so people live in fear, buy more guns, and vote for their Authoritarian puppets. The Billionaires are using their MAGAT puppets, who are clearly & mostly ignorant, uneducated, and agree with their racism & bigotry, to foment division, maybe even another Civil War, and distract people from their corruption, greed and destruction of the environment & Democracy, to weaken or destroy the Federal Govt, so they can increase their theft and exploitation. No one in the media seems to be looking at the Big Picture.
That refers back to the comment asking Judd to look into the Alliance Defending Freedom. The two are attached at the hip.
Would like the mainstream media to be invetigated as to why they spread lies and fear and not report on facts instead of hyperbole. investigate the reason trump is in the news every day, sometimes to the extent he's the only news we see. he gets more coverage than he deserves and knows how to manipulate the msm. investigate those that used to be investigators we could trust.
It sells and the media are mouthpieces for the system/CIA.
Given the intense focus on undocumented workers, it might be an excellent opportunity to explore the widespread use of the Independent Contractor work status to avoid most employment laws and regulations.
The propaganda war, and the war on truth, I’d dismantling the Rule of Law in this nation.
Rachel Maddow discussed this recently, and talked about how this has happened before!
The lies being repeated over and over to an ignorant citizenry is the most crucial issue in America today.
The Atlantic article “The MAGA Memory Hole “ says: The cognitive dissonance produced by this self-knowing resentment encourages extremism, not moderation. The shame of signing on with Trump again means that any memento of an earlier political life must be shoved into the memory hole. The only way to prove loyalty is to take the new line, and to repeat Big Brother’s new Order for the Day more energetically than all of the other comrades. Each time, they will shout louder—to rise above the din of the mob, and to silence the fading voice of conscience that tells them that this self-abasement is terribly, inexcusably wrong.”
We NEED a story on what exactly is the Democrat game plan to counter the Heritage Foundation’s et al well-organized democracy overthrow?
Who are Democrat “leaders” rallying a rattled middle across the nation? Perhaps they could rally all but the extreme right, but NO politician is doing that or even calling for it ! I can’t name you one whose voice of reassurance or game plan I’ve heard.
The right’s perpetual roar dominates the news cycle. Is mainstream media in cahoots with other US industries and business owner oligarchs?
Why absolutely zero about Biden’s GREAT economic scorecard and the renewal of economic prosperity he’s bringing to abandoned communities?
What is the plan for non-MAGAs should guardsmen and militia flood our streets in Nov and all jailed insurrectionists be freed?
There’s more to ask, but suffice it to say were it not for several substack writers and their followers, I would feel overtaken already and in fear for my life and country.
Is the left on Capitol Hill as afraid as I am? As election workers and jurors are? As women and young teens oppressed into birthing babies are? As the middle class being priced out of SF homes are?
Yes, yes, yes!!! I have posed this question on several sites and called my Senators as well to ask, "what is the plan, during and following the elections, to keep the rule of law in place and keep our nation safe from the clearly stated and planned insurrection following the election should Republicans not win!"
Every day another article, another news story about Trump. It got him elected the first time. Why are there so few articles and news stories about the good things happening in the economy? Why so few articles about President Biden managing to finally get compromise from a small group of Republicans who have the courage to vote for Americans instead of Trump? Why are there so few views of Trump faltering in speech and confusing the names of people he denigrates?
I’m concerned about coordinated attacks on citizens initiative rights by legislatures in red and purple states
I'd like to see a report on the delcine of rural hospitals and a related key provision of Obama Care that Republicans voted to remove from the Bill before it finally passed.
Another question I have, which may appear obvious to everyone but me: why do internet companies get to hold a quasi-monopoly on lucrative service areas while completely ignoring non-lucrative areas? I have no choice while Comcast continues to raise my rates, yet my rural friends have no option at all for service in some cases. I am thrilled with President Biden's initiatives on this, that's not an issue at all for me. But I just don't understand how companies are handed money-making areas to pillage while others are left high and dry, and the government has to step in to fix the situation.
Plus, numerous people have demanded Faux News be removed from their option list….we need to have choice!
Currently reading "The Road to Freedom" by Joseph Stieglitz, a wide-ranging commentary on the illiberal attempts by conservatives and Republicans to roll back freedom in America by promoting, in my understanding, ideas, theories, and practices that are either fallacious or specious. There is so much conversation in mass media about "inflation" and the "economy" that seems, at best, superficial and, at worst, just plain wrong, that highlighting mega-media misinformation- that really does have a trickle down effect to smaller news markets- on the economy or disinformation efforts by "the wealthy" might be worth investigating. Seems to me that Professor Stieglitz is amplifying McLuhan's warning and forecasting the potentially catastrophic effects propaganda messaging is having and will have on American's freedom if neoliberalism and autocratic-loving Republicans are not subject to regulation or simply stopped.
Thank you for suggesting this book. Stieglitz is always clear and concise about this Country’ ideals historically and currently. I’m reading Eric Larson’s Demon of Unrest which shows current politics frightening similarities to the lead up to the Civil War.
I would really like to know about how to make sense of the reporting happening about the upcoming election. I want to get past the drama to substance.
exactly. facts and platforms. not name calling, false hyperbole, we are no longer allowed to compromise, politicians must win or lose so nothing gets done except by the party in power
What can we do about the rogue right-wing SCOTUS justices?
term limits. expand the court.
How did the Democratic Party read the room so wrong as to put Joe Biden for President (yes I’m voting for him)….. ALL of the non-democrats I know wish they could vote for someone other than Trump,,, but they believe they don’t have a good choice because of his age. It really isn’t about policy for the majority of people — it’s about who reflects them. Why are the Democratic decision makers at the high levels so blind?
Why are so many people ageists? Joe’s done a better job than I ever would’ve believed.
I blame the pollsters… they ask,, Do you support Joe Biden? Of course I do, but that doesn’t mean he is the best one to win the election.
He’s certainly the best one to win THIS election. There’s absolutely no reason to throw Biden overboard right now. Fwiw, Warren was my first choice for in the 2020 primary, but I’ve been impressed by how good of a job Biden’s administration has done for the most part. He needs to stop support of Netanyahu immediately though.
I think younger candidates will be on the ballot in 2028.
Agreed. He’s been a good president, and his experience and connections have been valuable; but his views don’t reflect the much younger general populace, and I have concerns about his age no matter how competent I think his VP would be in the Oval Office.
So what would you like to see happen? Another Dem primary against a successful incumbent at this late date?
Our local hospital, KSB in Dixon Illinois, has just merged with the Order of Sisters of St Francis Hospital chain. We are concerned that we will have restricted access to reproductive heath care under this new agreement.
Massive hospital systems have taken over and obliterated the virtue of charity in medicine.
Judd- A big concern…can we trust our police, military, national guard? Or are there too many white supremacists that were allowed in, to be trusted? The judges let trump get away with every violation…a deadly coup…unpunished while numerous side show crimes are tried first.
The connection between price gauging and or fixing post Covid, private equity, and inflation
Yes! Can data show correlations between business sectors/companies that have persistent higher prices, and levels of corporate profits (& stock buy-backs, etc). (I listen to Marketplace on NPR and they keep talking about the role of the Fed with inflation - but never any mention about the huge levels of corporate profits.)
I’d love to see wider coverage of the takeover of Houston ISD. This takeover is the blueprint for every other “blue dot in a red state,” and it’s not getting nearly the coverage outside of Texas that it should be.
Here in gerrymandered/non-voting Indiana, vouchers are taking over and we need ammo to show voters, especially rural voters, that they will be left with few if any options for their "school choice" once public education is fully defunded. Is there data on just how many parents have a private school within driving distance of their homes? And conversely just how many parents don't have a private school within driving distance of their homes? And what's the standard income level of those two groups? Sorry if you've covered this somewhere and I missed it!
Check out what vouchers have done in AZ.
"One Year In, Arizona’s Universal School Vouchers Are a Cautionary Tale
They’re a costly form of welfare for the wealthy that hurts rural and low-income students. They provide no educational accountability and lead to state-funded discrimination."
https://www.governing.com/education/one-year-in-arizonas-universal-school-vouchers-are-a-cautionary-tale
This ties directly into my comment about Houston’s public schools.
I think we’re talking about the wrong issues, because it all boils down to one extremely frightening possibility—that trump wins the election. If he were to drop dead today, I know the MAGAts would still be there, but he is the root of them all.
My question is how the fxck can we sit around waiting for November like it’s a regular election? The electoral college already allows losers to win, and our “democracy” is hanging by a thread.
I’m an old woman who is retired, don’t have a lot of money. But I donate to Democratic candidates every day because our lives depend on it! I care about the world after I’m gone and want my children and grandchildren to inherit a real democracy without the fear of reprisals if they demonstrate against the status quo. This might be the last election we ever have. We need to protect ourselves from a narcissistic psychopath and his legions of cultists.
What can we do to insure that he doesn’t win the election?
As a main focus point (tagging onto my earlier comment) we need to be speaking about his dementia and his personality disorder how they combine and manifest.
This is the driving cause behind much of the orange guy’s behavior -yeah, truly, the other category of sycophants who have attached themselves to him for their own personal power or gain(so they think)
Everything else is a symptom .
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shrinking-trump/id1745797271?i=1000655224744
Folks should make this podcast number one consistently to get newspapers to start reporting because unless they can monetize it and feel like there’s interest they’ll keep ignoring what is so critical to democracy and all of us !
Whatever happened to Kamala Harris? I’d like to know what she’s been doing and how her media coverage and work schedule stacks up to Pence and Biden’s (as VP)
At least two “conservativa”and very troubling OpEd’s have appeared in the past few weeks in the NYT’s, remaking Trump to sound like a normal and even democratic candidate. One of them actually positioned him as a skilled international negotiator and diplomat. The writing is calm and sounds intelligent and reasonable - - until you stop and recall who they’re writing about and all his extreme behavior to the exact opposite. This goes beyond presenting a selection of OpEds from many voices (Times policy) to publishing non-factual and propagandist writing.
But I also heard a report on NPR about the right wing in European politics having success in many countries by remaking itself — wearing suits and dressing well, and sounding “normal” and sane. Are we seeing a new strategy here as well by extremely wealthy, extremely conservative right wingers with international connections trying to remake their candidates by altering their image contrary to the truth? A kind of “Kellyanne Conway 2.0”? T