Today, however, I want to hear from you. What's on your mind? What topics should be on Popular Information's radar? You can leave your thoughts in the discussion thread linked below, starting now. I’ll be dropping by later today to answer any questions.
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I'm not even sure how to state this but why does mainstream media report the news from a traditional Republican/traditional conservative viewpoint? Why do they report extensively on President Biden's low polling numbers for example, but ignore the growing danger of right-wing fascism? Why are the lead stories not about the danger to our democracy but about how Trump polls higher than President Biden? Why do they not counter right-wing misinformation? The media has a very important role to play in the next election. Are they up to it?
No they are not, the mainstream media is owned by super rich, far-right wing goons, they have worked for decades to have the government they want. Cheap labor, low wages, deregulated capitalism without diminishing their bottom line.
This is an article about Sir Matthew Hale, who Alito quoted in his decision paper ("abortion is murder") to overturn Roe.
Alito also wrote "According to the Constitution Women do not have the right to an abortion."
According to US Constitution, Article IX, "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Also Article XIII "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude...shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
What is FORCED BIRTH if not a form of slavery? MEN are making laws based on personal convictions without any medical knowledge of what it means to 167 MILLION girl's/women's life and safety.
Mis-named "abortion" is a life saving MEDICAL PROCEDURE
conducted by DOCTORS for various problems with pregnancy. How many girls/women have SUFFERED/DIED since June 2022 without legal access to an "abortion" MEDICAL PROCEDURE?
Heather Cox Richardson in her post quoted AMA Journal:
64,000 raped girls/ women have had forced pregnancies without access to Doctors.
There is a constant cry for "saving the unborn!" without supporting pregnancy, paying hospital bills, or help raising children for 18 YEARS.
13 YEAR OLDS, not having the ability to travel to a state where abortion is legal, are FORCED to BIRTH their FATHER'S, RAPIST'S, ABUSER'S BABY.
Rapists have no responsibility to the females they rape, and the greater majority of rapists are not prosecuted.
Worry and anger about Roe being overturned is with women 24/7. Women, their daughters and granddaughters are vulnerable to rape, violence, pregnancy because MEN impose motherhood on them WITHOUT the RIGHT to do so. Being responsible for THOUSANDS of women SUFFERING/DYING, without a cogent explanation,
Perhaps another question might be: Why in 2023 - do we listen to nine (9) justices (mostly male, I might add) to inform us of how we are to follow the "rules" set forth by white MEN hundreds of years ago in a different CENTURY? Putting it that way - doesnt it sound just a touch ridiculous? Add to that - all those very valid questions from NK!
I realize - we here or anywhere cant change this - but they sure are good questions, arent they?
Women raped who become pregnant; in some states rapists are allowed visitation rights the same as a divorced parent. This is truly punishment for the mother to endure for 18 years.
Why, why, why are we still being inundated with tRump's comments, opinions, point of view, etc? He is not our president. As a potential candidate, the election is still far off, but we're constantly hearing his take on everything. We really don't need to know. He could pass before he has a chance to run for president. He's already losing it. As one wouldn't ask any nursing home resident with dementia for their ideas and opinions, who cares about his?
Also, how does one reach a large portion of the public with a possible way to defeat Project 2025 (if it's not already too late)?
I actually want to hear from him. For example what would be his response to Iran etc. it doesn’t seem like anyone is asking him any hard questions at all.
Norie, imo, that's the problem. When the media does deign to ask him questions, he gets all of the easy ones, no push back. So nothing he says is helpful. And he lies. So this is one very big reason I can't listen to him and don't want to know what he says. Even on the rare occasion he says something that isn't total garbage, there will be no follow-through from him, nothing to assure us he means any of it, and no media entity will hold him accountable.
And going by the past, all he'll ever do is the very worst. But he won't say it most of the time. Probably the most honest he's been lately is saying that he'll be a "one day dictator," which of course will mean "lifetime dictator" if the worst happens and he gets fake elected again, shudder.
David, oh, yes, they certainly are. They love to hear from him, to report on the unimportant things he says and does. To them, this translates to clicks and ad revenue. And almost every media entity out there is a Faux Noise wannabe. They couldn't give a crap about anything more than their cash cow. Truth be damned, if it bleeds it leads. His base finds tRump "exciting." If the media did their jobs and reported the truth, we'd never hear about him again and he'd fade into obscurity, but they keep breathing life into every non-story about him, when there are many more important things we need to know, especially with an election coming up later this year.
Not to mention he's a media whore, loves to be in the spotlight, and the media obliges him every single time, pushing his crap on us incessantly. Ugh.
Excellent topic Sue...who indeed is profiting from the anti vaxxer movement and why? With measles and other diseases on the rise I hope they find it worth it.
How soon we forget as new disgraces flood the news media. Louis Dejoy's mandate was to destroy the USPS. Good question: wtf is he still doing in that post?
Any statistics on the ratio of national news media (ABC just last Sunday, NYTimes, etc.) group interviews/focus groups with Trump supporters (often with no fact correction or pushback) versus Biden supporters?
I am worried about the future of the country, especially the neo-secessionists who we've been increasingly hearing from since the Bush II era. The growth of the "states rights" claims of the Civil Rights era that have morphed into a cluster of theories revolving about ideas of state sovereignty, nullification of federal power, sovereign legislatures, and other pernicious notions that work toward de-federalizing and dis-uniting our country. There is a tendency developing toward people cabining themselves into like-minded communities, not wanting to live with others of differing political philosophies. When this tendency gets legal backing at the state level, a new Civil War becomes a possibility. Any attention this newsletter can give to this would be much appreciated
I know the civil war was supposed to put an end to states seceding but right now I wish Texas would. I'm tired of that state sucking up all the federal tax dollars to bail them out of disasters, both natural and man-made, then poking us all in the eye when it comes to behaving like they are part of this country.
I love the land that the political entity of "Texas" currently controls. But I don't love the political entity or its racism, corporatism, secessionist impulses. Or it's errant hypocrisy. But that's my general problem with humanity. We worship political entities and their silly banners; we go to war over them and millions die- all for ephemeral abstractions, these entities- mayflies in deep time. There are truly only the beautiful landscapes, more beautiful when we don't crowd them with our numbers and endless disputes. Just the Earth itself abides, ever patient.
"Texas""? In a twinkling, even the name will be forgotten.
I saw an article recently asking the question: What happens to Social Security benefits for people who reside in Texas if they secede - or Medicare/Medicaid? That appeared to put a "hitch in their gigalong" so to speak! Certainly the Federal government would no longer pay out those benefits! Perhaps that might incentivize a few Texas voters to think differently about their """representatives"""!
While we might wish this upon *some* of the residents of the State of Texas, there are a couple of problems: Social Security, pensions, Medicare/ Medicaid etc, come from sums of money that these residents have paid for. That's the first hitch in your giddy up.
The second is that by law, a person, after earning benefits in one State may choose to retire to another State, like Idaho, [which does not collect income taxes] and get their benefits there.
So, for these Federal Programs, I don't think it can be done, or done fairly.
Targeting their Banking system might be possible, but I don't know:
We could request that they stop using the American dollar as their currency, for example and from one day to the next, the assets in their banks might have to be devalued. That would really hurt their big donors [although it does not take long for rich people to transfer their assets in fiscal paradises, so there's that].
The Federal Government could refuse to send federal money there. As I said before, they are a moocher-State and would be in grave difficulty if we refused to send Federal help when they have floods, tornadoes or fires.
I think that is more possible and would hurt a great deal. But it might hurt the poor more.
Certainly, upon a decision to secede, we owe nothing to their federal legislators or employees, not even a pension [to federal employees only], since a state of War would exist.
I realize that, Cecile - but just causing the people who VOTE to perhaps sit back and realize there might be downsides to the "freedom" of seceding may have them question their "powers that be". I know there are a lot of great people who live in Texas - sometimes at this point, I would imagine to their dismay.
And yeah, the people that would be hurt by Abbot's politics would of course be the ones who arent financially able to survive them.
Since I dont have a paid subscription here (already have several) likely wont be commenting again - but just know I read every single post!!
Whats being done TO the Texas population by this bunch is truly "dismaying" (good word!) And this is so easy to say, but they must get up on their "high horses" (appropriate, right?) and vote these suckers out or even maybe have a few protests - if they dare.
I'd like to see more reporting about education subversion, and those funding Hillsdale College's push to establish charter schools across America. Today, I received a well-crafted direct mail piece promoting a 'drive through' petition signing for Valley Forge Classical Academy at several locations in Chester County, PA. The PA Dept of Education has repeatedly denied a charter for this school, so they are mounting a petition campaign under the seemingly innocuous banner of 'school choice' in an effort to override the will of the local school district and the Commonwealth. Shining a light on who is funding initiatives like this for the public to see would be a great service.
An ex-IRS contractor who leaked Donald Trump’s tax returns was sentenced.
The case: Charles Littlejohn leaked a slew of confidential tax records in 2019 and 2020. It led to reports showing how the richest Americans for years paid little or no federal taxes.
His sentence: Five years in prison. He received the maximum punishment because he had targeted a sitting president and thousands of others, the judge said yesterday'
Trump refused to submit his tax records which is just highly unethical but understandable since he's a financial mess. I think this guy is a hero and yet he got five years.
Everyone around trump gets court sentences, while he dances around with his delay tactics. Where's the damn ruling on his immunity? Dragging that out for an en banc review and then taking it to the Supremes just wastes precious time.
I'm from Texas and another big issue here is private school vouchers taking money from public education. Please investigate how Abbot is trying to oust GOP state reps from rural districts that voted against his voucher scam repeatedly. As we've seen from Arizona and Florida there is no oversight on how people spend the voucher money. It was noted in your newsletter that parents there used the money to buy TVs and Disney vacations. The passage of a school voucher bill would be a disaster for Texas public education especially in rural communities that do not have access to private schools.
Who keeps overthrowing democracies -- can you articulate the historical pattern now coming home to us?
The year I was born the CIA led its first post-WWII overthrow of a democratically elected government -- Iran. They installed the famous Shah, who set up SAVAK, the secret police, and turned the country into a veritable CIA research laboratory in torture. After the Shah's notorious son succeeded him, their dynasty was overthrown by the current religious repressive leadership. Thanks CIA.
The next year the CIA bombed Guatemala by air, overthrowing their second democratically elected government. To train this and future secret police in torture (becoming death squads), the U.S. set up in Georgia (where Cop City is now trying to be built) the "School of the Americas."
When the School of the Americas was tied to too many Central American massacres and atrocities it changed its name to the current "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation."
Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954 were the CIA's warm-up projects -- many to follow. Honduras is one of the latest, thanks in major part to Secretary of State Clinton's support. (Sorry Judd.)
My point is that we have been unwittingly funding the establishment of right-wing dictatorships for decades, such that the rich White guys who invest and profit in so many ways from these overthrows seem to have finally, successfully put the U.S. on their wishlist and in their sights.
Can we have a history -- not of all the weeds, details and names of individuals but of how wealth systemically, recurrently turns on democracy? So many massively funded candidates and media turned with increasing force on 'the richest country in the world' to get rid of regulatory oversight and get their hands on huge funds like Social Security. (They already privatized our health care.)
I know it sounds easy, but this big picture seems ripe for accessibility.
When we pass on a link as above, and we see a "?" partway through the link, that's a sign that the rest of the link is just a feedback lead for the link's source..
So for instance the above link can be cut at the "?" and it will work just fine and not look so overwhelming:
Michael Moore does a nice montage of CIA-backed Communist etc regimes in his documentary, "Bowling for Columbine," to the tune of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."
Goes back farther than that. This quote from Wikipedia:
"In 1931, Guatemalan dictator general Jorge Ubico came to power, backed by the United States, and initiated one of the most brutally repressive governments in Central American history. Democratic elections during the Guatemalan Revolution in 1944 and 1951 had brought popular leftist governments to power, who sought to ameliorate working conditions and implement land distribution. A United States-backed coup d'état in 1954 installed the military regime of Carlos Castillo Armas to prevent reform, who was followed by a series of right-wing military dictators. "
Passionate young progressives, who still believe in ideological purity, have decided that Joe Biden is personally and purposely responsible for Israel’s crimes in Gaza. They skip over Netanyahu, the Likud party, the IDF and Zionism to rage at an American politician, swearing they will refuse to vote for him.
These same voters represent a critical margin for federal elections this fall. What better means of vote suppression can you achieve than getting people to stay away “on principle”? The Internet Research Agency (Glavset) was supposedly dissolved last summer, but this looks exactly like their work.
It might be a domestic group, too—but as we saw in 2016, the Russians are better at it than the GOP.
Can you look into the possibility that outrage among sincere young Americans is being deliberately stoked to damage the Biden campaign?
The complete lack of understanding of a really complex situation has made it a perfect candidate for weaponizing misinformation and disinformation to divide the electorate. Russia perfected these psyop techniques but Iran and China have learned from them and built their own disinformation military structures.
People are driven to choose sides and then they hear what they want to hear.
Clayton, this isn't a conspiracy theory. People of all ages are not willing to vote for Biden because he is supporting and funding an active genocide - clear as day. See my comment below. We are certainly not skipping over the Israeli gov't, the IDF or zionism in who gets the blame, they are all responsible. Our outrage in part comes from our tax dollars being used to fund this genocide while over 60% of Americans support a ceasefire. Billions of dollars to support a genocidal occupation and scraps for the American public. I totally agree that we are sincere (and predominantly younger), and this is worth reporting on!
I admire the passion and energy of the young progressives, but are they going to vote for Trump instead?
Please understand that while Joe Biden is at least TRYING to calm the Middle East issues, don’t fool yourselves: if elected, Trump would pour on gas and toss a match in.
Not voting is a vote for Trump. A vote for Trump is a vote for chaos and disruptions that will enable our enemies to further insert themselves into US politics based on their own agendas. And! We already know how much Trump likes dictators. He will cozy up to Netanyahu and get right in bed with the hard right in Israel, which is threatening their democracy as much as the hard right authoritarian-loving Republicans are threatening OURS!
I am old (63) and I know that lecturing the young is a losing game, but c’mon folks - do you REALLY think a vote for Trump will HELP the situation?
Voting against the good of America in defense of Hamas?
Voting against the safety and support of Americans here at home because you are mad that Joe Biden can’t wave a wand and make a long-standing, extremely complex situation in the Middle East somehow go away?
I apologize to those I offend in saying: that’s dumb and unAmerican.
I hear you! Shit is scary right now and the two primary presidential options have certainly never looked worse in my lifetime. In my understanding, most people who do not want to vote for Biden are not turning to vote for Trump instead, they are absolutely not supporting Trump, nor do they want him re-elected. We've had democrat and republican presidents and marginalized people's rights continue to get shaved away year by year regardless of who is in charge. Look at police brutality, (lack of) trans health care, women's rights to bodily autonomy, education, migrants rights, book bans, all the things that Popular Information reports on. I understand the questioning but to say that things are working well for the average American would clearly not be true. I mentioned that in the reply to Maggie's comment. How is Biden doing anything to stop this genocide? Is Biden not already quite cozied up to Netanyahu? How is the forced occupation, blockade, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, well-documented enough for South Africa to take Israel to the ICJ over claims of genocide an extremely complex situation? When you look at the history and what has happened in the last hundred plus days, it becomes very simple. Real liberation cannot come at the expense of marginalized people.
Alex Papale, first things first. I agree with those passionate young progressives. They are right about Gaza and right to put pressure on Biden. I don't know why he hasn't spoken out forcefully against Israel's atrocities, and share your disappointment in him. Yet I believe we have a better chance moving him to do what's right than we do with anyone else, especially considering the most likely alternatives. If a Republican takes the presidency, we will have no leverage at all.
People may not immediately change their behavior if you tell them how their current choices harm others. But if you keep telling them while they depend on your support, they eventually have to listen. Issuing an ultimatum is less likely to succeed; no one likes to feel coerced. And simply condemning them and walking away will have no positive persuasive effect.
I'm discouraged by the Democratic party. I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. The Overton window keeps sliding to the right. And still the only force pushing back against authoritarianism is a core of principled representatives, all but two of whom were elected as Democrats. If I stop supporting them, I am passively letting the worst people in the country silence me.
My concern here, which might have sounded like a conspiracy theory in a more innocent time but is based on real and recent events, is that malicious agents are deliberately inflaming the genuine moral outrage of progressive Americans so that they will abandon the political process, silencing themselves and ceding their power.
You're right. The situation is wrong in every way that matters. That's why I hope you and other young voters will stay engaged and keep speaking up. Just don't give up.
Thank you for this response! I appreciate your comment. I would offer - does saying "You will have my vote no matter what, there are currently no consequences for the atrocities you are encouraging regarding re-election, but do you think after we make sure you're funded and re-elected you'd be up for rethinking your actions" generally work to change an elected officials stance vs "I am not voting for you, and in fact will organize my community to not vote for you - you will lose your job - if you continue to ignore the needs of your constituents who elected you". I think ultimatums are a shit way to communicate with people who are your peers, but is a very effective way to communicate with your elected officials, who's job it is to represent you. We will continue to stay very engaged and speak up! That is the opposite of giving up, and frankly we don't have many options.
This video, which has almost 3 million views, put a lot of the pieces together for me and I think would be useful when thinking about why so many young people are voicing their disillusionment with the lack of action around our outrage. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8nbQsDs/ I hope you can find some inspiration as well!
I get WHY they feel that way - but the question is: Do they really want another Trump presidency - one in which Trump "loves" Netanyahu - one in which there would be no attempt at getting aid to the Palestinian people - no attempt at a state for the Palestinian people - only encouragement to eliminate them from Gaza - AND Trump's assistance in keeping Netanyahu in power!
I remember in 2016 when the main reason Dumpty won was due in part to people refusing to vote for Hilary. I get not everyone liked her - but do you think she might possibly have been a better President for those four years - maybe?
Biden has done a lot of good - hes not perfect, but as far as I know, none of us are! I think he will work towards a better end of this Gaza war - I KNOWTrump wont.
I hear you Maggie, I also think four more years of Trump is a horrible option, and in your first paragraph if you replace "Trump" with "Biden" the sentence remains accurate. I'm curious what leads you to believe Biden would do better when thus far he has ignored the majority of Americans, and has continued to fund and arm this genocide from the beginning. Democrat or Republican, the United States would still support Israel in this genocide no matter what. That has been clear for decades.
I work in healthcare, so party politics isn't really my realm of expertise but since we're here, but I think a lot of people are seeing through the bullshit, finding that being pressured/shamed to vote for "the lesser of two evils" even though the candidate is not someone we want to be president, generally support, or who aligns with our values and needs as a society is getting very old and not particularly democratic. Is it our fault that liberal/democrat political leaders refuse to listen to the needs of their constituents, or shift any more left, losing more and more supporters? In fact dems are shifting more center if anything, as the right gets more and more extreme? Where is the representation? Simply voting the way we are told to has clearly not been it. It's 2024, we are facing multiple genocides, a climate crisis, a housing crisis, healthcare crisis to name a few things, and these scraps and incremental changes we get tossed to placate us every few years are not acceptable while police/military budgets are through the roof and the rich keep getting exponentially richer off our labor. I do genuinely hope that elected officials will take the threat of losing our vote very seriously and change their behavior. Isn't that the point? It is already working, there is more and more pressure for local and state officials to call for a ceasefire. Turns out threatening to and actually organizing around getting someone voted out of office does wonders.
Ultimately I think people - especially young people - are feeling less and less like we have anything to lose. We are the least likely to own homes, be able to financially support our families, have mountains of debt, and our future has never looked less certain. I also don't want this to sound like people are acting out of purely desperation and hopelessness. I am sure some are, but in my experience, people are organizing around care for each other, the planet and hope for a better future. It is possible! We don't really have other options!
Alex I agree more than not. However, not voting just wont work. I think if younger people become actively involved - possibly running for office - making their opinions known - working for representatives that they feel do represent them? Thats all good. I dont think protesting by itself will change anything unless there is involvement in making things better.
Yeah - I will vote for Biden - yes, there are many many problems & issues that need fixing but not voting? Pretending it wont make a difference? People - all ages - need to be involved with how their government (their LIVES) are being managed - not pay attention has likely put us in this position!
I get how easy it is for anyone with a family to just not have the time to spend looking at politics - I remember how it was as a single mother with 2 kids - did I pay attention? NOPE. It took being retired - time to read and listen. Being concerned what kind of life my grandchildren and great grandchildren are going to have - Mainly if there will be any kind of life - climate change, remember?
Have to stop here - my dog & cat need their supper! VERY important.
Glad we are at common ground. I will clarify that I never said the answer is to not vote, but to take our vote very seriously and try to ensure candidates actually *earn it* rather than it being given because the other guy sucks more. I think in fact young people get the rep of not paying attention but actually are paying more attention than ever, which is why there are daily protests all over the country calling for a ceasefire, to stop Cop City, etc. It's far easier to be plugged into topics you care about these days, even casually aware. The people I am talking about *are* getting involved in grassroots organizing, joining political parties we are actually aligned with, educating ourselves and our communities, voting in local politics, and protesting, we aren't just making a huff on social media and leaving it there.
Where Cop City is concerned - THAT needs to be protested! Cannot fathom how anyone with a brain thinks that removing a forested(green) area from a community to put in a military type "training center" is a good thing. Especially considering that its a minority community - although the truth is, if it were a well-to-do suburban area - it wouldnt have even come into fruition! There are a LOT of topics I care about - and I comment where I can - write emails to my "representatives" including the WH. There are so very many.
(1) How in the hell is Steve Bannon not in jail yet and attending events where he causes trouble and (2) any is there any progress on investigating the complicit congress critters who aided in the January 6th insurrection (like Laudermilk and others).
Hi Judd, I want people to know more about the horrible conditions on the border and the way the Republicans are using our broken immigration system to stoke xenophobia and nationalism. I fear that these are the forces that will catapult Trump into the White House. I live in Massachusetts (as far from the border as you can get) and yet people are talking about this issue as a threat and discussing it in really uninformed ways.
Lisa, It is interesting that you use the word, "uninformed" because all of these ignoramuses are informed, and informed, and informed by mis- and disinformation.
A woman posted on Next Door that she was for and now against Covid vaccines and she linked her source: Epoch Times.
As a retired social studies teacher with a masters in journalism, this stuff makes me fn crazy.
My sister gets the Epoch Times! We grew up in a science based household, were taught by our parents to respect the beliefs of others and be rational and kind to all. And my deeply religious sister reads the Epoch Times. I am boggled.
Health care... republican governors forbidding public health care workers from speaking up about the impact of inequality & discrimination on health care outcomes... I have heard this is going on big time in Florida...
There was a push for 'national' heath care in the early 1900's and of course members of the medical field took to the social media of their time, newspapers, to do a smear campaign and retain the status quo for profits, and congress backed down, probably also paid off.
What about the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza? So many younger people are getting their news from tiktok - as the commenter above mentioned, which is likely because there are no trustworthy American media sources on what’s happening - I want that statement to say “except for you” but I can’t say that yet, Judd. We get our info from brave Palestinian journalists, like Bisan Owda, Motaz Azaiza, Wael Al-Dahdouh, Hind Khoudary, to name a few. These reporters are often in their 20s, and have experienced their friends, families and colleagues targeted and murdered by the IDF. 120 journalists so far have been murdered by Israel. According to Al Jazeera “more journalists have been killed in Gaza in the first 10 weeks than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year” Is this not worthy news?
It feels noteworthy that so many of the initial stories reported on about Oct 7 and since (mass rape, beheaded babies, use of gazans as human shields) have been quietly retracted, including much of the recent NYT article being debunked! The Daily podcast episode on this piece has yet to come out because of how many reporters are calling out that it was bullshit! Younger people (and people of all generations) are talking about Palestine whether you are or not, we are getting organized, protesting, shutting down highways and airports, committing to not “voting blue no matter who” and ignoring us won’t make it go away. What about the quarter to half a million people who showed up to march in DC not once but TWICE now for Palestine? No coverage? Why not?
What about the ICJ hearing? South Africa taking Israel to the international court of justice over Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians - a deeply historical moment where South Africa came very prepared with evidence and an excellent argument that was entirely ignored by American media - we only heard about Israel’s defense which was basically them arguing semantics! How is this not covered, Judd? South Africa made a deeply compelling case, have you seen it?
Why are we continuing to jump through hoops trying to justify Israel murdering over 30,000 people, 2/3 women (2 mothers die every hour) and several thousand children, in their “search for hamas”? You’re telling me one of the most powerful militaries in the world can’t help but kill thousands of children seeking refuge in tents, in hospitals, IN LINE FOR FOOD AND AID, or their own hostages which they claim to be trying to rescue? The video evidence of the IDF targeting civilians waiving a white flag? We are still not talking about how this did not start on Oct 7, even though that’s what every political figure wants you to think - look at that recent interview with Harris and Couric. This started over 75 years before and continues with an occupation, mass death, air, land and sea blockade, crumbling health infrastructure (look at covid in Gaza vs Israel for example) never mind the fact that there are currently NO working hospitals in Gaza, doctors are and have been doing surgery on patients with no anesthesia on dirty floors for weeks). Israel is not letting aid into Gaza, despite their claims that they are - Look into it!
Remember when Israel vehemently denied bombing Al-Ahli hospital? When IDF soldiers pointed to a paper with arabic writing inside a different hospital saying this was shifts and names of Hamas militants but it was actually just a calendar? That was over 30 bombed hospitals ago at this point. Judd, you and your team are better than this, please cover this genocide. What about AIPAC, and how the politicians who are the biggest supporters Israel get the most money from them? We’re supposed to think that’s by chance? We are smarter than that. Tracing back the money trail to see the bigger picture is something you and your team do very thoroughly historically, what about now?
Even last week in the US - ex IDF soliders used chemical weapons made by Israel on a group of peaceful protesters at Columbia University and there has been no action taken against the attackers! Several people were hospitalized! Both the attackers have been identified and still nothing. You have so much content to choose from.
At this point it feels intentional that you’ve written only one piece back in October on the crisis in Gaza, and didn’t even call it what it was. I’ve been reading your articles for years and years, I know there is so much to cover but Gaza needs our attention - our most powerful currency as Americans.
I think anyone can see that this will dramatically impact the 2024 election, so if one of the most well documented instance of genocide CURRENTLY HAPPENING, FUNDED BY THE US isn’t motivating, I hope that the election would be. Please be better, you and your team have never shied away from telling the truth even when mainstream media hates you for it - can you show up for this now? if not, then I think we deserve an explanation.
See my post earlier this morning about Tik Tok and Gaza. My millenial and GenZ friends have shown me these. Those journalists are targeted by the IDF. THe death and distruction ovetwhelming. I am sure you know America doesn't trust Tik Tok because it is owned by China and has been target banned by some in business, government and educational arena because of China and it's attachment to Tik Tok. China has proven by data breaches in other areas they have earned the distrust. Therein is the problem.
The truth presented on Tik Tok looks very real to me, but honestly these videos aren't getting enough attention here because of the distrust of Tik Tok. MSM media here isn't trustworthy anymore,either because of billionaire owners in mho, but they have the microphone. Yes I hope Judd and PI will address this. Gaza breaks my heart. Great grandfather was a Rabbi so my bias leans toward all the family in Europe that died in the Holocaust. But wrong is wrong. The people and their children are suffering mightily in Gaza.
I appreciate you also bringing up Gaza! The videos are not getting enough attention because they directly contradict the popular narrative coming out of Israel and the US gov't. I did not mention that many of the organizing voices for Palestinians and Gaza are Jewish - check out https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/ and https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ for more information. Never again means never again for anyone.
Good morning Judd. Thanks again for the excellent reportage that you and your extremely capable staff provide.
I wonder where the money that Texas is spending to send unwary migrants all over the country actually comes from. It would also be of interest to know if there are "favored" contractors that benefit financially from the arrangement.
Political theater with an attached grift sounds par fpr the course doesbn't it?
I'd love to see you do a story on how the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts won't allow certain registered voters to cure their provisional ballots unless they can do it by the close of polls on election day. That defeats the purpose of provisional ballots! And he's made up his policy out of thin air. And his policy affects over 10,000 voters. See my just-drafted petition: https://chng.it/PHJD9BV7DT
Please explore the sudden huge increase in the number of people attempting to cross our southern border since Biden has been in office. Why? And why now? I suspect, but cannot prove, that 'social media' is being used by the Russians, and possibly the GOP, to encourage people from Central America, South American and elsewhere to flood to the US to intentionally make Biden look weak on immigration issues while the GOP refuses to help solve the problem expecting the chaos will lead to Trump's reelection. That would clearly be a "win" for Putin and Xi and Iran and...
It blew my mind when Thom Hartmann suggested that Republicans are using the term "Biden's Open Border Policies" to make immigrants believe that they can get right through the "Open Border". Thereby creating chaos at the border for the current administration. It made me think for a moment that there is no way that is true, but then I really thought about it.
I read that Russian trolls (and maybe GOP tolls?) are telling people in Central and South America that Biden is promoting an 'open border' policy. Not sure I would call it that when he has just promised to completely close the border if the GOP will pass a "bi-partisan" reform measure. Doesn't sound so "open" to me.
I would like to see a focus on unions and the communities that they serve. We (USA) have been stuck in this cycle of individualism, where the good of the individual is at the expense of the community or group. I would like to see that flipped, where the cornerstone of our democracy is the common good not the individual. Justice will prevail for the pendulum has swung too far and only has one way to go. I intend to make things better for the future generations that come after us, so please join us in making our communities vibrant and healthy again.
Patience. Be assured that your work over the few years has made an important difference in important issues. As I wrote many months ago: "This article is an example of a story that Popular Information comes up with to reveal what needs exposure if we are to clean up what can threaten our government's health."
After a cursory review of the Popular Information archive, we can be grateful that you have covered some important issues in many of our states: Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and...more. The readers familiar with the questionable issues in need of greater exposure in their states: please alert Judd and team to specifically what issues invite their scrutiny.
Meanwhile, you have covered important and misrepresented issues such as Retail Crime, the laws to help our children not face food insecurity, Boeing. And, then unknown ciminal issues such as the murder of Mika Westwood by a drunk and high driver, and "Police raid Kansas newspaper office and owner’s home, seize records and computers" to expose more of what motivated that travesty.
So, please, be confident about your discernment to select important topics!
How about the Tik Tok generation of millenials and Gen Z getting their news of Gaza from pro Palestinian reporters on the ground there. Brutal photos and harrowing reporting. I don't think most of us understand the impact it is having towards Biden's re-election with young voters. When the US and others immediate clapback of funding the UN after the revelation of UN workers allegedly being involved with Hamas really rang a bell with younger people I know. They think Netanyahu is a mobster/dictator causing genocide.Those photos and reports are damaging. Dead children never make a positive impression. Never dreamed Tik Tok would be a news source. I try my good side vsvbad side on this conflict to my young friends but they aren't having it. After being shown the devastation and death on these videos I can see why.
I am no fan of Tik Tok, not sure it is trustworthy, but the reporters of this hell are targeted by the IDF.
Seems to me that the conflicted middle east and these alleged Iran-backed groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi's and the one in Iraq claiming the drone that hit the Tower in Syria killing and wounding Americans are a powder keg in the midst of what is going on in Gaza. Help us understand. It seems more far reaching than what I hear elsewhere in news sources.
We are Kentuckians, and on a recent visit to Washington DC we visited the Congressional office buildings, as we have several times in the last couple of decades. ( WHAT A PRIVILEGE! )
We found the place abandoned for the most part, in recess, but what struck us most concerning was that in the Congressman Comer's office there was no greeting book. The staff there gave us a sheet of paper, at our request, to leave our contact information, but the visit was very unfriendly. The office of Congressman Massie was much more friendly, by comparison, at least they had a guest book. The staffer we spoke to was focused on a problem described as the ruination of the neighborhood where she had attended college, by illegal immigrants, the current Bullet ( point/phrase ).
What we don't want to see, is the Congressional office suites becoming a war zone. In reflection, we cant honestly say we witnessed normal business, as Congress was in recess, but what we hope to see, again, when we visit those halls, is a welcoming and friendly appeal, the one we remember, where at least in appearance there is an attempt to appear civil.
I've read some good insights from Heather Cox, this last year, that help me, through history lessons, see that Congress and the business of Politics hasn't ever been what in a Nationalist viewpoint might seem to be patriotic, but rather always churning away at themes to un-divide the Republic. What the Founders left out of the Constitution, as it seems, is a good method to sift out corruptive influences, like bribery. When Congress is behaving like leadership, through appeals to the mind instead of the passion, when we have models that inspire thought instead of emotion, when we receive concepts for improvement rather than rhetoric bent on destruction, then, Congress will have returned to the Founder's aspiration, a civic voice for the people, and an intelligent benchmark of civic responsibility.
Texans need to consider how difficult their prized security will be to defend once they have bordered their whole perimeter and are defending from all sides with no support form the union. Even in a North vs South scenario, history confirms, a handful of ruthless and self-centered individuals, in powerful roles, can bring families , friends, and neighbors into conflict they would normally not be in. Our cicvc leaders should be bound by their oaths, and at least appearing to be protecting the union.
Annual 'reviews' by the IRS would help them at least get creative with how they accept bribes. Offshore, until they leave office, or enter the private sector in highly overpaid positions.
How /Why is it possible for a potential convicted felon (very likely that he will be) to run for president, but they (felons) do not get the right to vote??? The double standard is beyond hypocritical... and speaking of hypocrisy... can you even imagine the rhetoric we'd be hearing if a Democrat with 91 indictments was running for office? In fealty to Trump, his base (which includes many in Congress apparently) will overlook things that would make them LIVID if a Democrat considered doing them. Do we no longer have a collective conscience? Do we no longer care about the "greater good"? Silence (the media choosing not to report something) is complicit...
Is Mike Johnson beholden to Russia/Putin through dark money? What about the radical rightwing loudmouths in the US House who are blocking military aid to Ukraine?
A stupid electorate is much easier to rule than an educated electorate. Stupid citizens are easier to influence and intimidate than well educated citizens. The destruction of a public education and the constitutional violation of religiously bastardized public education must be told and emphasized. Shouted from the proverbial rooftops.
The Constitutional bastardization by SCOTUS and the Republicans and each element of the coup plan of project 2025 needs to be explained on every media source possible and especially publicized by today’s influencers (Taylor swift comes to mind)
Biden and every Democrat running for office need to be shouting out how insulting the Republican Regime is and how they have taken and bastardized our
Our return to The Dark Ages and takeover of all media /educational sources is our demise.
PS. We need to utilize AM radio, Ham radio, public pamphlets, billboards and whatever advertising and broadcasting means possible.
Even if dRumph loses the 2024 election, flees to Russia, goes to prison, and/or dies, does anyone actually think that the threat to our country will be over?? I mean, the governor of FL has removed dictionaries from public schools!!! We are in the deep end and cannot be less than vigilant.
I donate to nearly 30 state and national democrat candidates most clearly and continuously stating they don’t use/ rely on PAC money like most of their GOP rivals (relying instead on grassroots donations) . Recently noted The Bidan super PAC has about $225 million to unleash. Since much of the electorate seems dulled to so many rational and irrational political issues, what gives with this “sinful” issue of PAC money use? Where in the heck are investigative reporters, other literary influencers and campaign directors on this issue?
Not using funds raised by a PAC sounds nice but today we have the "best government money can buy." A handful of billionaires and big corporations "own" the GOP and Dem's can't win with just "grassroots" donations. Wish that weren't the case but that is where we are.
Why is the Ohio legislature creating up roadblocks to legal marijuana and abortion access after voters passed constitutional amendments enshrining both?
Why haven't I seen anything about the genocide in Gaza, the over 3 billion dollars the US sends to 'Israel' every year (started under Obama) for all the social safety nets we don't get, the staggering corruption at basically every level of government bought out by AIPAC, the *textbook war crimes* our federal government unquestioningly supports, the climate impact of non-stop carpet bombing Palestine, the US pulling funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees on unfounded/uninvestigated claims? How is this not all wildly pertinent?? Why am I not seeing you address any of this? I'm baffled and disgusted to be honest.
Vote blue no matter who is failing spectacularly because those of us with even some level of awareness are seeing things for exactly what they are. .There. .is. .no. .justification. for the wholesale slaughter of civilians. Most democrats have already lost their precious "youth vote" for their silence and worse yet, their endless justification for killing children (closing in on 10 thousand precious little lives). The last ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DAYS have been a profound betrayal, fundamentally changing me and countless others. Over a month ago, premature babies were found dead and decomposing in Gaza's al-Nasr hospital after a lengthy bombardment. They died alone, terrified, and starving because nowhere is safe, not even hospitals. Israel has bombed and raided every one of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, recently executing patients in their hospital beds. I truly hope this haunts anyone who reads this as much as it will haunt me for the rest of my life because I will not bear this burden alone. Your taxes are funding all of this - billions of dollars to murder kids, not provide you with any basic needs like healthcare, housing , food...
I guess I was naive to expect fidelity in journalism from Popular Information and its readers.
The near-complete erasure of what is still an ongoing COVID pandemic is the kind of story a pre-2020 press would have prided itself on covering, but that 2024's press ignores with timid complicity.
Thousands of Americans still dying of COVID every week, dismissed with the heretofore unthinkable rationale of "they were vulnerable, not 'normal' people like us." Tens of millions of Americans have Long COVID, an as-yet untreatable disease, but somehow this isn't front-page news. The only way to prevent Long COVID is to not get COVID, but this inconvenient truth remains unspoken by those we depend on to be truthtellers. Wearing N95 masks, or opening windows, or plugging-in air purifiers, or taking a test that costs less than $1 to produce are all easy ways to reduce COVID's spread, but mentioning any of this is Kryptonite to a press newly fearful of "comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable."
I am concerned about the nation’s emotional health, and the impact it has on our perception of social responsibility and therefore national politics. More specifically, my concern is a perception too many of us are adolescent adults with undeveloped concern for others (lack of empathy), wedded, clan-like to others in cultish tropes of reality irrelevance (magical thinking).
Our apparent disinterest in the kinds of empirical truths that are fairly easily established, or the more complex truths of subject expertise suggest too many of us think “reality” springs fully formed from our brains or our group alone, rather than from rigorous conversation with dissimilar others (lack of emotional resilience). The fact that others might have a truth worthy of consideration, or that the capacity to negotiate truth is “reality itself” seem lost within individual and group emotional isolation that is the sine qua non of emotional pathology!
The blame game is alive, but hardly well in our atomized and fragile society. Where are the adults amidst the din of the MAGA cacophony? Perhaps occasionally authors should consider coverage of emotional health instead of what’s wrong with America!
Presumably there are a few adults in the room? People who talk with one another, try to control themselves, instead of the rest of us!
Conversations within the democratic party about how Biden is alienating young would-be democratic voters and if there is any pressure within the party to counter this (since without a decisive showing by young voters, Trump is more likely to take the presidency.)
Also, since Biden is in his 80s, what is the plan if he dies during the primaries or before the general election? Presumably Harris would serve the remainder of Biden's term. Would she likely be the de facto candidate, assuming she accepts, for a November general election or might it go to someone else?
Judd, I will continue to wonder about sincere people being manipulated by cynical ones—but that's not the most important part of this subject. Alex Papale makes a great case for challenging the current administration and Congress, forcefully and soon. Why have only a dozen senators spoken out against Israel's crimes? Does Anthony Blinken want to be complicit in genocide?
Whichever topics you cover next, thank you—Popular Information is a beacon of honesty.
Americans are astonishingly poorly educated or otherwise ignorant about the other, relatively liberal-minded, western countries and how they handle issues. News and information taught to Americans is very parochial, self-focused, and yet Americans assume western leadership. This is a topic worth pursuing and discussing to encourage a greater depth of cultural comparisons with how other countries handle domestic issues that trouble Americans today. In a sentence: What can be learned from others outside the American information corral?
As do they me, Bonita, anymore you just don’t know who you are talking with. I used to be pretty good at sizing people up, but I’m older now and not so confident.
People need a better understanding of the religious myths and prophecies that are driving so many people to support abominable people and behavior in politics and the broader public sphere.
@JasonKirk wrote a novel about growing up and coming of age in the evangelical bubble that helped me understand how the current generation of voters came to tolerate this madness, which may be a first step so we can try and bridge the divide and move forward to *whatever* comes after this election.
Why haven't the news media demanded of Trump to condemn death threats and violence committed on his behalf? "President Trump, do you condone the threats of violence directed at your political opponents (including fellow Republicans and their families)?"
Why hasn't anyone asked him, on the record "President Trump, should you be re-elected, do you commit to leaving office at the end of your second term?"
I think some of his supporters would expect clear answers to these questions, and might temper their support for him if he equivocated on either or both questions (and probably many other such questions).
Of the 1079 texts currently in my messages, about 1000 of them are from politicians or political organizations. The notifications are so thick I would never see any messages from people I know. Have you noticed? It is impossible to reply! Oh, you can respond to their poll (Do you approve of Judd Legum? Y N Donate here). But you can't say, "Yesterday's donation cleared my bank this morning." Or you can be treated to disdain--"You didn't respond to our emails, you are a Russian mole or probably a pedophile.". "Respond within 20 minutes!" It's money in politics. The longer I get this kind of "feedback", the less I care about responding. Could that be why grassroots donations are declining? Nobody really wants my opinion, just money. Thin-skinned, I guess. And broke.
Scroll to the very bottom of 99% of those requests for money and you'll find an underlined "unsubscribe" link. Use it! It will reduce your junk email considerably!
One more thought could someone please explain to all these politicians asking for money 10 times a day to relax... I had quartely payments Jan 15 and my taxes Aril 15th.... give us some breathing room... I vote blue no matter who but please it's insane can we wait til August? Geesh
One more thought could someone please explain to all these politicians asking for money 10 times a day to relax... I had quartely payments Jan 15 and my taxes Aril 15th.... give us some breathing room... I vote blue no matter who but please it's insane can we wait til August? Geesh
Scroll to the very bottom of 99% of those requests for money and you'll find an underlined "unsubscribe" link. Use it! Only donate when YOU want to! Not just because they ask.
I'm not even sure how to state this but why does mainstream media report the news from a traditional Republican/traditional conservative viewpoint? Why do they report extensively on President Biden's low polling numbers for example, but ignore the growing danger of right-wing fascism? Why are the lead stories not about the danger to our democracy but about how Trump polls higher than President Biden? Why do they not counter right-wing misinformation? The media has a very important role to play in the next election. Are they up to it?
yes! YES!!
2024 is NOT 'business as usual!"
No they are not, the mainstream media is owned by super rich, far-right wing goons, they have worked for decades to have the government they want. Cheap labor, low wages, deregulated capitalism without diminishing their bottom line.
Because they are betting REPUBLICANS will win & they want ratings & jobs. Seems They don’t care about democracy.
The corporate media is busy normalizing Trump instead of doing their proper job.
Hi Judd! I'm interested to learn of your thoughts on Project 2025 and how it informs and steers the Republican party's actions.
I would like to see Project 2025 picked apart in a viral social media video just as the election season really heats up.
Christian Nationalism impact on US Foreign and Domestic Policy: Importance of knowledge about this interplay ahead of the election.
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/the-scotus-draft-opinion-reversing-roe-quotes-a-witch-trial-judge-with-odious-ideas-on-rape-31578158
This is an article about Sir Matthew Hale, who Alito quoted in his decision paper ("abortion is murder") to overturn Roe.
Alito also wrote "According to the Constitution Women do not have the right to an abortion."
According to US Constitution, Article IX, "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Also Article XIII "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude...shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
What is FORCED BIRTH if not a form of slavery? MEN are making laws based on personal convictions without any medical knowledge of what it means to 167 MILLION girl's/women's life and safety.
Mis-named "abortion" is a life saving MEDICAL PROCEDURE
conducted by DOCTORS for various problems with pregnancy. How many girls/women have SUFFERED/DIED since June 2022 without legal access to an "abortion" MEDICAL PROCEDURE?
Heather Cox Richardson in her post quoted AMA Journal:
64,000 raped girls/ women have had forced pregnancies without access to Doctors.
There is a constant cry for "saving the unborn!" without supporting pregnancy, paying hospital bills, or help raising children for 18 YEARS.
13 YEAR OLDS, not having the ability to travel to a state where abortion is legal, are FORCED to BIRTH their FATHER'S, RAPIST'S, ABUSER'S BABY.
Rapists have no responsibility to the females they rape, and the greater majority of rapists are not prosecuted.
Worry and anger about Roe being overturned is with women 24/7. Women, their daughters and granddaughters are vulnerable to rape, violence, pregnancy because MEN impose motherhood on them WITHOUT the RIGHT to do so. Being responsible for THOUSANDS of women SUFFERING/DYING, without a cogent explanation,
SCOTUS 6 MUST RESTORE ROE AND RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.
Perhaps another question might be: Why in 2023 - do we listen to nine (9) justices (mostly male, I might add) to inform us of how we are to follow the "rules" set forth by white MEN hundreds of years ago in a different CENTURY? Putting it that way - doesnt it sound just a touch ridiculous? Add to that - all those very valid questions from NK!
I realize - we here or anywhere cant change this - but they sure are good questions, arent they?
Women raped who become pregnant; in some states rapists are allowed visitation rights the same as a divorced parent. This is truly punishment for the mother to endure for 18 years.
Why, why, why are we still being inundated with tRump's comments, opinions, point of view, etc? He is not our president. As a potential candidate, the election is still far off, but we're constantly hearing his take on everything. We really don't need to know. He could pass before he has a chance to run for president. He's already losing it. As one wouldn't ask any nursing home resident with dementia for their ideas and opinions, who cares about his?
Also, how does one reach a large portion of the public with a possible way to defeat Project 2025 (if it's not already too late)?
I actually want to hear from him. For example what would be his response to Iran etc. it doesn’t seem like anyone is asking him any hard questions at all.
Norie, imo, that's the problem. When the media does deign to ask him questions, he gets all of the easy ones, no push back. So nothing he says is helpful. And he lies. So this is one very big reason I can't listen to him and don't want to know what he says. Even on the rare occasion he says something that isn't total garbage, there will be no follow-through from him, nothing to assure us he means any of it, and no media entity will hold him accountable.
And going by the past, all he'll ever do is the very worst. But he won't say it most of the time. Probably the most honest he's been lately is saying that he'll be a "one day dictator," which of course will mean "lifetime dictator" if the worst happens and he gets fake elected again, shudder.
He is not the President, but he is the de-facto leader of the Republican party. As such, the media is on him like white on rice.
David, oh, yes, they certainly are. They love to hear from him, to report on the unimportant things he says and does. To them, this translates to clicks and ad revenue. And almost every media entity out there is a Faux Noise wannabe. They couldn't give a crap about anything more than their cash cow. Truth be damned, if it bleeds it leads. His base finds tRump "exciting." If the media did their jobs and reported the truth, we'd never hear about him again and he'd fade into obscurity, but they keep breathing life into every non-story about him, when there are many more important things we need to know, especially with an election coming up later this year.
Not to mention he's a media whore, loves to be in the spotlight, and the media obliges him every single time, pushing his crap on us incessantly. Ugh.
1. Why is the MSM totally ignoring the simmering constitutional crisis in Texas? (per your excellent thread yesterday)'
2. Why is the CDC continuing to understate the severity of covid risk, the need for masking (in hositals at least!) and the risk of long term effects?
3. Who is making money (and how) from the antivaxxer movement?
--And thanks for what you do!
Excellent topic Sue...who indeed is profiting from the anti vaxxer movement and why? With measles and other diseases on the rise I hope they find it worth it.
still focused on Louis Dejoy and why he is still running the postal department..I love what you do it is powerful...thank you
How soon we forget as new disgraces flood the news media. Louis Dejoy's mandate was to destroy the USPS. Good question: wtf is he still doing in that post?
Biden has, thus far, failed to appoint a majority on the Board of Governors who oppose DeJoy. I've no idea why.
Excellent question! The ineptness of the USPS is hurting so many small businesses, and we are left with no recourse. DeJoy needs to be replaced. ASAP
and vote by mail is in his venue to destroy as well
Has the Republican Party become a Russian fifth column in the USA?
I suspect it has: TFG keeps injecting himself in the affairs that are the domain of President Biden.
We can only have ONE President at a time.
Could Mr. Trump be arrested for obstruction of Presidential powers?
Any statistics on the ratio of national news media (ABC just last Sunday, NYTimes, etc.) group interviews/focus groups with Trump supporters (often with no fact correction or pushback) versus Biden supporters?
I am worried about the future of the country, especially the neo-secessionists who we've been increasingly hearing from since the Bush II era. The growth of the "states rights" claims of the Civil Rights era that have morphed into a cluster of theories revolving about ideas of state sovereignty, nullification of federal power, sovereign legislatures, and other pernicious notions that work toward de-federalizing and dis-uniting our country. There is a tendency developing toward people cabining themselves into like-minded communities, not wanting to live with others of differing political philosophies. When this tendency gets legal backing at the state level, a new Civil War becomes a possibility. Any attention this newsletter can give to this would be much appreciated
I know the civil war was supposed to put an end to states seceding but right now I wish Texas would. I'm tired of that state sucking up all the federal tax dollars to bail them out of disasters, both natural and man-made, then poking us all in the eye when it comes to behaving like they are part of this country.
I love the land that the political entity of "Texas" currently controls. But I don't love the political entity or its racism, corporatism, secessionist impulses. Or it's errant hypocrisy. But that's my general problem with humanity. We worship political entities and their silly banners; we go to war over them and millions die- all for ephemeral abstractions, these entities- mayflies in deep time. There are truly only the beautiful landscapes, more beautiful when we don't crowd them with our numbers and endless disputes. Just the Earth itself abides, ever patient.
"Texas""? In a twinkling, even the name will be forgotten.
I saw an article recently asking the question: What happens to Social Security benefits for people who reside in Texas if they secede - or Medicare/Medicaid? That appeared to put a "hitch in their gigalong" so to speak! Certainly the Federal government would no longer pay out those benefits! Perhaps that might incentivize a few Texas voters to think differently about their """representatives"""!
While we might wish this upon *some* of the residents of the State of Texas, there are a couple of problems: Social Security, pensions, Medicare/ Medicaid etc, come from sums of money that these residents have paid for. That's the first hitch in your giddy up.
The second is that by law, a person, after earning benefits in one State may choose to retire to another State, like Idaho, [which does not collect income taxes] and get their benefits there.
So, for these Federal Programs, I don't think it can be done, or done fairly.
Targeting their Banking system might be possible, but I don't know:
We could request that they stop using the American dollar as their currency, for example and from one day to the next, the assets in their banks might have to be devalued. That would really hurt their big donors [although it does not take long for rich people to transfer their assets in fiscal paradises, so there's that].
The Federal Government could refuse to send federal money there. As I said before, they are a moocher-State and would be in grave difficulty if we refused to send Federal help when they have floods, tornadoes or fires.
I think that is more possible and would hurt a great deal. But it might hurt the poor more.
Certainly, upon a decision to secede, we owe nothing to their federal legislators or employees, not even a pension [to federal employees only], since a state of War would exist.
I realize that, Cecile - but just causing the people who VOTE to perhaps sit back and realize there might be downsides to the "freedom" of seceding may have them question their "powers that be". I know there are a lot of great people who live in Texas - sometimes at this point, I would imagine to their dismay.
And yeah, the people that would be hurt by Abbot's politics would of course be the ones who arent financially able to survive them.
Point well taken. I am not sure they read Popular Info. Maybe we can take it from here to places they read...
Yeah - sounds like a good idea.
Definitely to their dismay for many of them, including myself, who escaped Texas after living there most of my life.
Since I dont have a paid subscription here (already have several) likely wont be commenting again - but just know I read every single post!!
Whats being done TO the Texas population by this bunch is truly "dismaying" (good word!) And this is so easy to say, but they must get up on their "high horses" (appropriate, right?) and vote these suckers out or even maybe have a few protests - if they dare.
And take Florida with them when they go.
Edited just now for.spelling and punctuation errors.
I'd like to see more reporting about education subversion, and those funding Hillsdale College's push to establish charter schools across America. Today, I received a well-crafted direct mail piece promoting a 'drive through' petition signing for Valley Forge Classical Academy at several locations in Chester County, PA. The PA Dept of Education has repeatedly denied a charter for this school, so they are mounting a petition campaign under the seemingly innocuous banner of 'school choice' in an effort to override the will of the local school district and the Commonwealth. Shining a light on who is funding initiatives like this for the public to see would be a great service.
From WaPo:
'
An ex-IRS contractor who leaked Donald Trump’s tax returns was sentenced.
The case: Charles Littlejohn leaked a slew of confidential tax records in 2019 and 2020. It led to reports showing how the richest Americans for years paid little or no federal taxes.
His sentence: Five years in prison. He received the maximum punishment because he had targeted a sitting president and thousands of others, the judge said yesterday'
Trump refused to submit his tax records which is just highly unethical but understandable since he's a financial mess. I think this guy is a hero and yet he got five years.
Everyone around trump gets court sentences, while he dances around with his delay tactics. Where's the damn ruling on his immunity? Dragging that out for an en banc review and then taking it to the Supremes just wastes precious time.
He revealed so much excrement. Please get his prisoner account number. I wanna buy him some toiletries! Let's Go Fund him some aid and comfort!
I also was thinking it would be wonderful to give him financial support or something.
I'm from Texas and another big issue here is private school vouchers taking money from public education. Please investigate how Abbot is trying to oust GOP state reps from rural districts that voted against his voucher scam repeatedly. As we've seen from Arizona and Florida there is no oversight on how people spend the voucher money. It was noted in your newsletter that parents there used the money to buy TVs and Disney vacations. The passage of a school voucher bill would be a disaster for Texas public education especially in rural communities that do not have access to private schools.
That the entire GOP wants to dismantle public education everywhere has been greatly underreported.
Who keeps overthrowing democracies -- can you articulate the historical pattern now coming home to us?
The year I was born the CIA led its first post-WWII overthrow of a democratically elected government -- Iran. They installed the famous Shah, who set up SAVAK, the secret police, and turned the country into a veritable CIA research laboratory in torture. After the Shah's notorious son succeeded him, their dynasty was overthrown by the current religious repressive leadership. Thanks CIA.
The next year the CIA bombed Guatemala by air, overthrowing their second democratically elected government. To train this and future secret police in torture (becoming death squads), the U.S. set up in Georgia (where Cop City is now trying to be built) the "School of the Americas."
When the School of the Americas was tied to too many Central American massacres and atrocities it changed its name to the current "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation."
Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954 were the CIA's warm-up projects -- many to follow. Honduras is one of the latest, thanks in major part to Secretary of State Clinton's support. (Sorry Judd.)
My point is that we have been unwittingly funding the establishment of right-wing dictatorships for decades, such that the rich White guys who invest and profit in so many ways from these overthrows seem to have finally, successfully put the U.S. on their wishlist and in their sights.
Can we have a history -- not of all the weeds, details and names of individuals but of how wealth systemically, recurrently turns on democracy? So many massively funded candidates and media turned with increasing force on 'the richest country in the world' to get rid of regulatory oversight and get their hands on huge funds like Social Security. (They already privatized our health care.)
I know it sounds easy, but this big picture seems ripe for accessibility.
Please?
Thank you.
Robert in Vermont
Read: Fascism, A Warning by former Secretary of State Madelaine Allbright. Each chapter is a case history. None end well for Fascism.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fascism/18661486/item/30348562/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=high_vol_midlist_standard_shopping_customer_acquisition&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=666157863328&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkdyx6M6FhAMVrCWtBh3RaAVuEAQYAiABEgL5sPD_BwE#idiq=30348562&edition=20037998
A handy tip:
When we pass on a link as above, and we see a "?" partway through the link, that's a sign that the rest of the link is just a feedback lead for the link's source..
So for instance the above link can be cut at the "?" and it will work just fine and not look so overwhelming:
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fascism/18661486/item/30348562/
Robert
Thank you Robert. Very handy indeed. I learn so much here.
Michael Moore does a nice montage of CIA-backed Communist etc regimes in his documentary, "Bowling for Columbine," to the tune of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."
Goes back farther than that. This quote from Wikipedia:
"In 1931, Guatemalan dictator general Jorge Ubico came to power, backed by the United States, and initiated one of the most brutally repressive governments in Central American history. Democratic elections during the Guatemalan Revolution in 1944 and 1951 had brought popular leftist governments to power, who sought to ameliorate working conditions and implement land distribution. A United States-backed coup d'état in 1954 installed the military regime of Carlos Castillo Armas to prevent reform, who was followed by a series of right-wing military dictators. "
Passionate young progressives, who still believe in ideological purity, have decided that Joe Biden is personally and purposely responsible for Israel’s crimes in Gaza. They skip over Netanyahu, the Likud party, the IDF and Zionism to rage at an American politician, swearing they will refuse to vote for him.
These same voters represent a critical margin for federal elections this fall. What better means of vote suppression can you achieve than getting people to stay away “on principle”? The Internet Research Agency (Glavset) was supposedly dissolved last summer, but this looks exactly like their work.
It might be a domestic group, too—but as we saw in 2016, the Russians are better at it than the GOP.
Can you look into the possibility that outrage among sincere young Americans is being deliberately stoked to damage the Biden campaign?
The complete lack of understanding of a really complex situation has made it a perfect candidate for weaponizing misinformation and disinformation to divide the electorate. Russia perfected these psyop techniques but Iran and China have learned from them and built their own disinformation military structures.
People are driven to choose sides and then they hear what they want to hear.
Clayton, this isn't a conspiracy theory. People of all ages are not willing to vote for Biden because he is supporting and funding an active genocide - clear as day. See my comment below. We are certainly not skipping over the Israeli gov't, the IDF or zionism in who gets the blame, they are all responsible. Our outrage in part comes from our tax dollars being used to fund this genocide while over 60% of Americans support a ceasefire. Billions of dollars to support a genocidal occupation and scraps for the American public. I totally agree that we are sincere (and predominantly younger), and this is worth reporting on!
I admire the passion and energy of the young progressives, but are they going to vote for Trump instead?
Please understand that while Joe Biden is at least TRYING to calm the Middle East issues, don’t fool yourselves: if elected, Trump would pour on gas and toss a match in.
Not voting is a vote for Trump. A vote for Trump is a vote for chaos and disruptions that will enable our enemies to further insert themselves into US politics based on their own agendas. And! We already know how much Trump likes dictators. He will cozy up to Netanyahu and get right in bed with the hard right in Israel, which is threatening their democracy as much as the hard right authoritarian-loving Republicans are threatening OURS!
I am old (63) and I know that lecturing the young is a losing game, but c’mon folks - do you REALLY think a vote for Trump will HELP the situation?
Voting against the good of America in defense of Hamas?
Voting against the safety and support of Americans here at home because you are mad that Joe Biden can’t wave a wand and make a long-standing, extremely complex situation in the Middle East somehow go away?
I apologize to those I offend in saying: that’s dumb and unAmerican.
That’s not the koolaid I want to drink.
I hear you! Shit is scary right now and the two primary presidential options have certainly never looked worse in my lifetime. In my understanding, most people who do not want to vote for Biden are not turning to vote for Trump instead, they are absolutely not supporting Trump, nor do they want him re-elected. We've had democrat and republican presidents and marginalized people's rights continue to get shaved away year by year regardless of who is in charge. Look at police brutality, (lack of) trans health care, women's rights to bodily autonomy, education, migrants rights, book bans, all the things that Popular Information reports on. I understand the questioning but to say that things are working well for the average American would clearly not be true. I mentioned that in the reply to Maggie's comment. How is Biden doing anything to stop this genocide? Is Biden not already quite cozied up to Netanyahu? How is the forced occupation, blockade, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, well-documented enough for South Africa to take Israel to the ICJ over claims of genocide an extremely complex situation? When you look at the history and what has happened in the last hundred plus days, it becomes very simple. Real liberation cannot come at the expense of marginalized people.
Alex Papale, first things first. I agree with those passionate young progressives. They are right about Gaza and right to put pressure on Biden. I don't know why he hasn't spoken out forcefully against Israel's atrocities, and share your disappointment in him. Yet I believe we have a better chance moving him to do what's right than we do with anyone else, especially considering the most likely alternatives. If a Republican takes the presidency, we will have no leverage at all.
People may not immediately change their behavior if you tell them how their current choices harm others. But if you keep telling them while they depend on your support, they eventually have to listen. Issuing an ultimatum is less likely to succeed; no one likes to feel coerced. And simply condemning them and walking away will have no positive persuasive effect.
I'm discouraged by the Democratic party. I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. The Overton window keeps sliding to the right. And still the only force pushing back against authoritarianism is a core of principled representatives, all but two of whom were elected as Democrats. If I stop supporting them, I am passively letting the worst people in the country silence me.
My concern here, which might have sounded like a conspiracy theory in a more innocent time but is based on real and recent events, is that malicious agents are deliberately inflaming the genuine moral outrage of progressive Americans so that they will abandon the political process, silencing themselves and ceding their power.
You're right. The situation is wrong in every way that matters. That's why I hope you and other young voters will stay engaged and keep speaking up. Just don't give up.
Thank you for this response! I appreciate your comment. I would offer - does saying "You will have my vote no matter what, there are currently no consequences for the atrocities you are encouraging regarding re-election, but do you think after we make sure you're funded and re-elected you'd be up for rethinking your actions" generally work to change an elected officials stance vs "I am not voting for you, and in fact will organize my community to not vote for you - you will lose your job - if you continue to ignore the needs of your constituents who elected you". I think ultimatums are a shit way to communicate with people who are your peers, but is a very effective way to communicate with your elected officials, who's job it is to represent you. We will continue to stay very engaged and speak up! That is the opposite of giving up, and frankly we don't have many options.
This video, which has almost 3 million views, put a lot of the pieces together for me and I think would be useful when thinking about why so many young people are voicing their disillusionment with the lack of action around our outrage. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8nbQsDs/ I hope you can find some inspiration as well!
I get WHY they feel that way - but the question is: Do they really want another Trump presidency - one in which Trump "loves" Netanyahu - one in which there would be no attempt at getting aid to the Palestinian people - no attempt at a state for the Palestinian people - only encouragement to eliminate them from Gaza - AND Trump's assistance in keeping Netanyahu in power!
I remember in 2016 when the main reason Dumpty won was due in part to people refusing to vote for Hilary. I get not everyone liked her - but do you think she might possibly have been a better President for those four years - maybe?
Biden has done a lot of good - hes not perfect, but as far as I know, none of us are! I think he will work towards a better end of this Gaza war - I KNOWTrump wont.
I hear you Maggie, I also think four more years of Trump is a horrible option, and in your first paragraph if you replace "Trump" with "Biden" the sentence remains accurate. I'm curious what leads you to believe Biden would do better when thus far he has ignored the majority of Americans, and has continued to fund and arm this genocide from the beginning. Democrat or Republican, the United States would still support Israel in this genocide no matter what. That has been clear for decades.
I work in healthcare, so party politics isn't really my realm of expertise but since we're here, but I think a lot of people are seeing through the bullshit, finding that being pressured/shamed to vote for "the lesser of two evils" even though the candidate is not someone we want to be president, generally support, or who aligns with our values and needs as a society is getting very old and not particularly democratic. Is it our fault that liberal/democrat political leaders refuse to listen to the needs of their constituents, or shift any more left, losing more and more supporters? In fact dems are shifting more center if anything, as the right gets more and more extreme? Where is the representation? Simply voting the way we are told to has clearly not been it. It's 2024, we are facing multiple genocides, a climate crisis, a housing crisis, healthcare crisis to name a few things, and these scraps and incremental changes we get tossed to placate us every few years are not acceptable while police/military budgets are through the roof and the rich keep getting exponentially richer off our labor. I do genuinely hope that elected officials will take the threat of losing our vote very seriously and change their behavior. Isn't that the point? It is already working, there is more and more pressure for local and state officials to call for a ceasefire. Turns out threatening to and actually organizing around getting someone voted out of office does wonders.
Ultimately I think people - especially young people - are feeling less and less like we have anything to lose. We are the least likely to own homes, be able to financially support our families, have mountains of debt, and our future has never looked less certain. I also don't want this to sound like people are acting out of purely desperation and hopelessness. I am sure some are, but in my experience, people are organizing around care for each other, the planet and hope for a better future. It is possible! We don't really have other options!
Alex I agree more than not. However, not voting just wont work. I think if younger people become actively involved - possibly running for office - making their opinions known - working for representatives that they feel do represent them? Thats all good. I dont think protesting by itself will change anything unless there is involvement in making things better.
Yeah - I will vote for Biden - yes, there are many many problems & issues that need fixing but not voting? Pretending it wont make a difference? People - all ages - need to be involved with how their government (their LIVES) are being managed - not pay attention has likely put us in this position!
I get how easy it is for anyone with a family to just not have the time to spend looking at politics - I remember how it was as a single mother with 2 kids - did I pay attention? NOPE. It took being retired - time to read and listen. Being concerned what kind of life my grandchildren and great grandchildren are going to have - Mainly if there will be any kind of life - climate change, remember?
Have to stop here - my dog & cat need their supper! VERY important.
Glad we are at common ground. I will clarify that I never said the answer is to not vote, but to take our vote very seriously and try to ensure candidates actually *earn it* rather than it being given because the other guy sucks more. I think in fact young people get the rep of not paying attention but actually are paying more attention than ever, which is why there are daily protests all over the country calling for a ceasefire, to stop Cop City, etc. It's far easier to be plugged into topics you care about these days, even casually aware. The people I am talking about *are* getting involved in grassroots organizing, joining political parties we are actually aligned with, educating ourselves and our communities, voting in local politics, and protesting, we aren't just making a huff on social media and leaving it there.
Where Cop City is concerned - THAT needs to be protested! Cannot fathom how anyone with a brain thinks that removing a forested(green) area from a community to put in a military type "training center" is a good thing. Especially considering that its a minority community - although the truth is, if it were a well-to-do suburban area - it wouldnt have even come into fruition! There are a LOT of topics I care about - and I comment where I can - write emails to my "representatives" including the WH. There are so very many.
Keep up the good work, Alex!
(1) How in the hell is Steve Bannon not in jail yet and attending events where he causes trouble and (2) any is there any progress on investigating the complicit congress critters who aided in the January 6th insurrection (like Laudermilk and others).
Lock him up.
Hi Judd, I want people to know more about the horrible conditions on the border and the way the Republicans are using our broken immigration system to stoke xenophobia and nationalism. I fear that these are the forces that will catapult Trump into the White House. I live in Massachusetts (as far from the border as you can get) and yet people are talking about this issue as a threat and discussing it in really uninformed ways.
Lisa, It is interesting that you use the word, "uninformed" because all of these ignoramuses are informed, and informed, and informed by mis- and disinformation.
A woman posted on Next Door that she was for and now against Covid vaccines and she linked her source: Epoch Times.
As a retired social studies teacher with a masters in journalism, this stuff makes me fn crazy.
My sister gets the Epoch Times! We grew up in a science based household, were taught by our parents to respect the beliefs of others and be rational and kind to all. And my deeply religious sister reads the Epoch Times. I am boggled.
Health care... republican governors forbidding public health care workers from speaking up about the impact of inequality & discrimination on health care outcomes... I have heard this is going on big time in Florida...
There was a push for 'national' heath care in the early 1900's and of course members of the medical field took to the social media of their time, newspapers, to do a smear campaign and retain the status quo for profits, and congress backed down, probably also paid off.
What about the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza? So many younger people are getting their news from tiktok - as the commenter above mentioned, which is likely because there are no trustworthy American media sources on what’s happening - I want that statement to say “except for you” but I can’t say that yet, Judd. We get our info from brave Palestinian journalists, like Bisan Owda, Motaz Azaiza, Wael Al-Dahdouh, Hind Khoudary, to name a few. These reporters are often in their 20s, and have experienced their friends, families and colleagues targeted and murdered by the IDF. 120 journalists so far have been murdered by Israel. According to Al Jazeera “more journalists have been killed in Gaza in the first 10 weeks than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year” Is this not worthy news?
It feels noteworthy that so many of the initial stories reported on about Oct 7 and since (mass rape, beheaded babies, use of gazans as human shields) have been quietly retracted, including much of the recent NYT article being debunked! The Daily podcast episode on this piece has yet to come out because of how many reporters are calling out that it was bullshit! Younger people (and people of all generations) are talking about Palestine whether you are or not, we are getting organized, protesting, shutting down highways and airports, committing to not “voting blue no matter who” and ignoring us won’t make it go away. What about the quarter to half a million people who showed up to march in DC not once but TWICE now for Palestine? No coverage? Why not?
What about the ICJ hearing? South Africa taking Israel to the international court of justice over Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians - a deeply historical moment where South Africa came very prepared with evidence and an excellent argument that was entirely ignored by American media - we only heard about Israel’s defense which was basically them arguing semantics! How is this not covered, Judd? South Africa made a deeply compelling case, have you seen it?
Why are we continuing to jump through hoops trying to justify Israel murdering over 30,000 people, 2/3 women (2 mothers die every hour) and several thousand children, in their “search for hamas”? You’re telling me one of the most powerful militaries in the world can’t help but kill thousands of children seeking refuge in tents, in hospitals, IN LINE FOR FOOD AND AID, or their own hostages which they claim to be trying to rescue? The video evidence of the IDF targeting civilians waiving a white flag? We are still not talking about how this did not start on Oct 7, even though that’s what every political figure wants you to think - look at that recent interview with Harris and Couric. This started over 75 years before and continues with an occupation, mass death, air, land and sea blockade, crumbling health infrastructure (look at covid in Gaza vs Israel for example) never mind the fact that there are currently NO working hospitals in Gaza, doctors are and have been doing surgery on patients with no anesthesia on dirty floors for weeks). Israel is not letting aid into Gaza, despite their claims that they are - Look into it!
Remember when Israel vehemently denied bombing Al-Ahli hospital? When IDF soldiers pointed to a paper with arabic writing inside a different hospital saying this was shifts and names of Hamas militants but it was actually just a calendar? That was over 30 bombed hospitals ago at this point. Judd, you and your team are better than this, please cover this genocide. What about AIPAC, and how the politicians who are the biggest supporters Israel get the most money from them? We’re supposed to think that’s by chance? We are smarter than that. Tracing back the money trail to see the bigger picture is something you and your team do very thoroughly historically, what about now?
Even last week in the US - ex IDF soliders used chemical weapons made by Israel on a group of peaceful protesters at Columbia University and there has been no action taken against the attackers! Several people were hospitalized! Both the attackers have been identified and still nothing. You have so much content to choose from.
At this point it feels intentional that you’ve written only one piece back in October on the crisis in Gaza, and didn’t even call it what it was. I’ve been reading your articles for years and years, I know there is so much to cover but Gaza needs our attention - our most powerful currency as Americans.
I think anyone can see that this will dramatically impact the 2024 election, so if one of the most well documented instance of genocide CURRENTLY HAPPENING, FUNDED BY THE US isn’t motivating, I hope that the election would be. Please be better, you and your team have never shied away from telling the truth even when mainstream media hates you for it - can you show up for this now? if not, then I think we deserve an explanation.
See my post earlier this morning about Tik Tok and Gaza. My millenial and GenZ friends have shown me these. Those journalists are targeted by the IDF. THe death and distruction ovetwhelming. I am sure you know America doesn't trust Tik Tok because it is owned by China and has been target banned by some in business, government and educational arena because of China and it's attachment to Tik Tok. China has proven by data breaches in other areas they have earned the distrust. Therein is the problem.
The truth presented on Tik Tok looks very real to me, but honestly these videos aren't getting enough attention here because of the distrust of Tik Tok. MSM media here isn't trustworthy anymore,either because of billionaire owners in mho, but they have the microphone. Yes I hope Judd and PI will address this. Gaza breaks my heart. Great grandfather was a Rabbi so my bias leans toward all the family in Europe that died in the Holocaust. But wrong is wrong. The people and their children are suffering mightily in Gaza.
I appreciate you also bringing up Gaza! The videos are not getting enough attention because they directly contradict the popular narrative coming out of Israel and the US gov't. I did not mention that many of the organizing voices for Palestinians and Gaza are Jewish - check out https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/ and https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ for more information. Never again means never again for anyone.
Yes.
As someone pointed out, "We can't call ourselves free if we can't stop our country from aiding genocide."
Write more, Alex.
Good morning Judd. Thanks again for the excellent reportage that you and your extremely capable staff provide.
I wonder where the money that Texas is spending to send unwary migrants all over the country actually comes from. It would also be of interest to know if there are "favored" contractors that benefit financially from the arrangement.
Political theater with an attached grift sounds par fpr the course doesbn't it?
I'd love to see you do a story on how the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts won't allow certain registered voters to cure their provisional ballots unless they can do it by the close of polls on election day. That defeats the purpose of provisional ballots! And he's made up his policy out of thin air. And his policy affects over 10,000 voters. See my just-drafted petition: https://chng.it/PHJD9BV7DT
Please explore the sudden huge increase in the number of people attempting to cross our southern border since Biden has been in office. Why? And why now? I suspect, but cannot prove, that 'social media' is being used by the Russians, and possibly the GOP, to encourage people from Central America, South American and elsewhere to flood to the US to intentionally make Biden look weak on immigration issues while the GOP refuses to help solve the problem expecting the chaos will lead to Trump's reelection. That would clearly be a "win" for Putin and Xi and Iran and...
It blew my mind when Thom Hartmann suggested that Republicans are using the term "Biden's Open Border Policies" to make immigrants believe that they can get right through the "Open Border". Thereby creating chaos at the border for the current administration. It made me think for a moment that there is no way that is true, but then I really thought about it.
I read that Russian trolls (and maybe GOP tolls?) are telling people in Central and South America that Biden is promoting an 'open border' policy. Not sure I would call it that when he has just promised to completely close the border if the GOP will pass a "bi-partisan" reform measure. Doesn't sound so "open" to me.
I would like to see a focus on unions and the communities that they serve. We (USA) have been stuck in this cycle of individualism, where the good of the individual is at the expense of the community or group. I would like to see that flipped, where the cornerstone of our democracy is the common good not the individual. Justice will prevail for the pendulum has swung too far and only has one way to go. I intend to make things better for the future generations that come after us, so please join us in making our communities vibrant and healthy again.
I recommend you read everything by Wendall Berry. Everything.
Why do people not know about Leonard Leo, Charles Koch, The Federalist Society, Neoliberalism, etc.?
Here is a start: 4 year old article. gift article https://wapo.st/4bsVXFw
Patience. Be assured that your work over the few years has made an important difference in important issues. As I wrote many months ago: "This article is an example of a story that Popular Information comes up with to reveal what needs exposure if we are to clean up what can threaten our government's health."
After a cursory review of the Popular Information archive, we can be grateful that you have covered some important issues in many of our states: Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and...more. The readers familiar with the questionable issues in need of greater exposure in their states: please alert Judd and team to specifically what issues invite their scrutiny.
Meanwhile, you have covered important and misrepresented issues such as Retail Crime, the laws to help our children not face food insecurity, Boeing. And, then unknown ciminal issues such as the murder of Mika Westwood by a drunk and high driver, and "Police raid Kansas newspaper office and owner’s home, seize records and computers" to expose more of what motivated that travesty.
So, please, be confident about your discernment to select important topics!
General topic: how did “assault rifles” become unregulated? What might bring their regulation/prohibition back?
How about the Tik Tok generation of millenials and Gen Z getting their news of Gaza from pro Palestinian reporters on the ground there. Brutal photos and harrowing reporting. I don't think most of us understand the impact it is having towards Biden's re-election with young voters. When the US and others immediate clapback of funding the UN after the revelation of UN workers allegedly being involved with Hamas really rang a bell with younger people I know. They think Netanyahu is a mobster/dictator causing genocide.Those photos and reports are damaging. Dead children never make a positive impression. Never dreamed Tik Tok would be a news source. I try my good side vsvbad side on this conflict to my young friends but they aren't having it. After being shown the devastation and death on these videos I can see why.
I am no fan of Tik Tok, not sure it is trustworthy, but the reporters of this hell are targeted by the IDF.
Seems to me that the conflicted middle east and these alleged Iran-backed groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi's and the one in Iraq claiming the drone that hit the Tower in Syria killing and wounding Americans are a powder keg in the midst of what is going on in Gaza. Help us understand. It seems more far reaching than what I hear elsewhere in news sources.
PS I am no longer a fan of the reporting of most American MSM because of more familiarity, so is Tik Tok news any worse?
We are Kentuckians, and on a recent visit to Washington DC we visited the Congressional office buildings, as we have several times in the last couple of decades. ( WHAT A PRIVILEGE! )
We found the place abandoned for the most part, in recess, but what struck us most concerning was that in the Congressman Comer's office there was no greeting book. The staff there gave us a sheet of paper, at our request, to leave our contact information, but the visit was very unfriendly. The office of Congressman Massie was much more friendly, by comparison, at least they had a guest book. The staffer we spoke to was focused on a problem described as the ruination of the neighborhood where she had attended college, by illegal immigrants, the current Bullet ( point/phrase ).
What we don't want to see, is the Congressional office suites becoming a war zone. In reflection, we cant honestly say we witnessed normal business, as Congress was in recess, but what we hope to see, again, when we visit those halls, is a welcoming and friendly appeal, the one we remember, where at least in appearance there is an attempt to appear civil.
I've read some good insights from Heather Cox, this last year, that help me, through history lessons, see that Congress and the business of Politics hasn't ever been what in a Nationalist viewpoint might seem to be patriotic, but rather always churning away at themes to un-divide the Republic. What the Founders left out of the Constitution, as it seems, is a good method to sift out corruptive influences, like bribery. When Congress is behaving like leadership, through appeals to the mind instead of the passion, when we have models that inspire thought instead of emotion, when we receive concepts for improvement rather than rhetoric bent on destruction, then, Congress will have returned to the Founder's aspiration, a civic voice for the people, and an intelligent benchmark of civic responsibility.
Texans need to consider how difficult their prized security will be to defend once they have bordered their whole perimeter and are defending from all sides with no support form the union. Even in a North vs South scenario, history confirms, a handful of ruthless and self-centered individuals, in powerful roles, can bring families , friends, and neighbors into conflict they would normally not be in. Our cicvc leaders should be bound by their oaths, and at least appearing to be protecting the union.
Annual 'reviews' by the IRS would help them at least get creative with how they accept bribes. Offshore, until they leave office, or enter the private sector in highly overpaid positions.
The effort for an Article V constitutional convention to rewrite the Constitution that the right wing is actively getting states to sign on to.
How /Why is it possible for a potential convicted felon (very likely that he will be) to run for president, but they (felons) do not get the right to vote??? The double standard is beyond hypocritical... and speaking of hypocrisy... can you even imagine the rhetoric we'd be hearing if a Democrat with 91 indictments was running for office? In fealty to Trump, his base (which includes many in Congress apparently) will overlook things that would make them LIVID if a Democrat considered doing them. Do we no longer have a collective conscience? Do we no longer care about the "greater good"? Silence (the media choosing not to report something) is complicit...
Is Mike Johnson beholden to Russia/Putin through dark money? What about the radical rightwing loudmouths in the US House who are blocking military aid to Ukraine?
A stupid electorate is much easier to rule than an educated electorate. Stupid citizens are easier to influence and intimidate than well educated citizens. The destruction of a public education and the constitutional violation of religiously bastardized public education must be told and emphasized. Shouted from the proverbial rooftops.
The Constitutional bastardization by SCOTUS and the Republicans and each element of the coup plan of project 2025 needs to be explained on every media source possible and especially publicized by today’s influencers (Taylor swift comes to mind)
Biden and every Democrat running for office need to be shouting out how insulting the Republican Regime is and how they have taken and bastardized our
Our return to The Dark Ages and takeover of all media /educational sources is our demise.
PS. We need to utilize AM radio, Ham radio, public pamphlets, billboards and whatever advertising and broadcasting means possible.
Even if dRumph loses the 2024 election, flees to Russia, goes to prison, and/or dies, does anyone actually think that the threat to our country will be over?? I mean, the governor of FL has removed dictionaries from public schools!!! We are in the deep end and cannot be less than vigilant.
I donate to nearly 30 state and national democrat candidates most clearly and continuously stating they don’t use/ rely on PAC money like most of their GOP rivals (relying instead on grassroots donations) . Recently noted The Bidan super PAC has about $225 million to unleash. Since much of the electorate seems dulled to so many rational and irrational political issues, what gives with this “sinful” issue of PAC money use? Where in the heck are investigative reporters, other literary influencers and campaign directors on this issue?
Not using funds raised by a PAC sounds nice but today we have the "best government money can buy." A handful of billionaires and big corporations "own" the GOP and Dem's can't win with just "grassroots" donations. Wish that weren't the case but that is where we are.
Why is the Ohio legislature creating up roadblocks to legal marijuana and abortion access after voters passed constitutional amendments enshrining both?
Because they are scared of losing control of the population. They have put their trust in Trump, unfortunately.
Why haven't I seen anything about the genocide in Gaza, the over 3 billion dollars the US sends to 'Israel' every year (started under Obama) for all the social safety nets we don't get, the staggering corruption at basically every level of government bought out by AIPAC, the *textbook war crimes* our federal government unquestioningly supports, the climate impact of non-stop carpet bombing Palestine, the US pulling funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees on unfounded/uninvestigated claims? How is this not all wildly pertinent?? Why am I not seeing you address any of this? I'm baffled and disgusted to be honest.
Vote blue no matter who is failing spectacularly because those of us with even some level of awareness are seeing things for exactly what they are. .There. .is. .no. .justification. for the wholesale slaughter of civilians. Most democrats have already lost their precious "youth vote" for their silence and worse yet, their endless justification for killing children (closing in on 10 thousand precious little lives). The last ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DAYS have been a profound betrayal, fundamentally changing me and countless others. Over a month ago, premature babies were found dead and decomposing in Gaza's al-Nasr hospital after a lengthy bombardment. They died alone, terrified, and starving because nowhere is safe, not even hospitals. Israel has bombed and raided every one of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, recently executing patients in their hospital beds. I truly hope this haunts anyone who reads this as much as it will haunt me for the rest of my life because I will not bear this burden alone. Your taxes are funding all of this - billions of dollars to murder kids, not provide you with any basic needs like healthcare, housing , food...
I guess I was naive to expect fidelity in journalism from Popular Information and its readers.
100% <3
The near-complete erasure of what is still an ongoing COVID pandemic is the kind of story a pre-2020 press would have prided itself on covering, but that 2024's press ignores with timid complicity.
Thousands of Americans still dying of COVID every week, dismissed with the heretofore unthinkable rationale of "they were vulnerable, not 'normal' people like us." Tens of millions of Americans have Long COVID, an as-yet untreatable disease, but somehow this isn't front-page news. The only way to prevent Long COVID is to not get COVID, but this inconvenient truth remains unspoken by those we depend on to be truthtellers. Wearing N95 masks, or opening windows, or plugging-in air purifiers, or taking a test that costs less than $1 to produce are all easy ways to reduce COVID's spread, but mentioning any of this is Kryptonite to a press newly fearful of "comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable."
I want to know why Ken Paxton isn’t being prosecuted? Why is it taking so long? That man needs to go.
Hi Judd!
You do good work. Was happy to see you on MSNBC.
Please advise if you have some kind of contract with them.
Also, would you consider searching for income from advertisers over subscribers?
Lastly, Judd, I laughed out-loud when some guy on Twitter wrote something to the effect of,
“Ya, run that plan by a lawyer” when you suggested something. You replied,
“But I am a lawyer.”
Thanks for that!
I am concerned about the nation’s emotional health, and the impact it has on our perception of social responsibility and therefore national politics. More specifically, my concern is a perception too many of us are adolescent adults with undeveloped concern for others (lack of empathy), wedded, clan-like to others in cultish tropes of reality irrelevance (magical thinking).
Our apparent disinterest in the kinds of empirical truths that are fairly easily established, or the more complex truths of subject expertise suggest too many of us think “reality” springs fully formed from our brains or our group alone, rather than from rigorous conversation with dissimilar others (lack of emotional resilience). The fact that others might have a truth worthy of consideration, or that the capacity to negotiate truth is “reality itself” seem lost within individual and group emotional isolation that is the sine qua non of emotional pathology!
The blame game is alive, but hardly well in our atomized and fragile society. Where are the adults amidst the din of the MAGA cacophony? Perhaps occasionally authors should consider coverage of emotional health instead of what’s wrong with America!
Presumably there are a few adults in the room? People who talk with one another, try to control themselves, instead of the rest of us!
Conversations within the democratic party about how Biden is alienating young would-be democratic voters and if there is any pressure within the party to counter this (since without a decisive showing by young voters, Trump is more likely to take the presidency.)
Also, since Biden is in his 80s, what is the plan if he dies during the primaries or before the general election? Presumably Harris would serve the remainder of Biden's term. Would she likely be the de facto candidate, assuming she accepts, for a November general election or might it go to someone else?
Judd, I will continue to wonder about sincere people being manipulated by cynical ones—but that's not the most important part of this subject. Alex Papale makes a great case for challenging the current administration and Congress, forcefully and soon. Why have only a dozen senators spoken out against Israel's crimes? Does Anthony Blinken want to be complicit in genocide?
Whichever topics you cover next, thank you—Popular Information is a beacon of honesty.
Americans are astonishingly poorly educated or otherwise ignorant about the other, relatively liberal-minded, western countries and how they handle issues. News and information taught to Americans is very parochial, self-focused, and yet Americans assume western leadership. This is a topic worth pursuing and discussing to encourage a greater depth of cultural comparisons with how other countries handle domestic issues that trouble Americans today. In a sentence: What can be learned from others outside the American information corral?
Could you get some information on trumps “brown shirts”? Who they are, where they are, and why they are? They worry me.
As do they me, Bonita, anymore you just don’t know who you are talking with. I used to be pretty good at sizing people up, but I’m older now and not so confident.
People need a better understanding of the religious myths and prophecies that are driving so many people to support abominable people and behavior in politics and the broader public sphere.
@JasonKirk wrote a novel about growing up and coming of age in the evangelical bubble that helped me understand how the current generation of voters came to tolerate this madness, which may be a first step so we can try and bridge the divide and move forward to *whatever* comes after this election.
https://www.jasonkirk.fyi/p/jason-kirk-novel-real
Why haven't the news media demanded of Trump to condemn death threats and violence committed on his behalf? "President Trump, do you condone the threats of violence directed at your political opponents (including fellow Republicans and their families)?"
Why hasn't anyone asked him, on the record "President Trump, should you be re-elected, do you commit to leaving office at the end of your second term?"
I think some of his supporters would expect clear answers to these questions, and might temper their support for him if he equivocated on either or both questions (and probably many other such questions).
Of the 1079 texts currently in my messages, about 1000 of them are from politicians or political organizations. The notifications are so thick I would never see any messages from people I know. Have you noticed? It is impossible to reply! Oh, you can respond to their poll (Do you approve of Judd Legum? Y N Donate here). But you can't say, "Yesterday's donation cleared my bank this morning." Or you can be treated to disdain--"You didn't respond to our emails, you are a Russian mole or probably a pedophile.". "Respond within 20 minutes!" It's money in politics. The longer I get this kind of "feedback", the less I care about responding. Could that be why grassroots donations are declining? Nobody really wants my opinion, just money. Thin-skinned, I guess. And broke.
Scroll to the very bottom of 99% of those requests for money and you'll find an underlined "unsubscribe" link. Use it! It will reduce your junk email considerably!
Ginger
Popular Information
just now
One more thought could someone please explain to all these politicians asking for money 10 times a day to relax... I had quartely payments Jan 15 and my taxes Aril 15th.... give us some breathing room... I vote blue no matter who but please it's insane can we wait til August? Geesh
One more thought could someone please explain to all these politicians asking for money 10 times a day to relax... I had quartely payments Jan 15 and my taxes Aril 15th.... give us some breathing room... I vote blue no matter who but please it's insane can we wait til August? Geesh
Scroll to the very bottom of 99% of those requests for money and you'll find an underlined "unsubscribe" link. Use it! Only donate when YOU want to! Not just because they ask.
What’s happening to the defendant Trump - he appears to be mentally devolving- pls keep a spotlight on his unfit gif office he is too. TU