Evening Roundup, October 2
Featuring Jen Rubin, "The Tea" with April Ryan, Tom Malinowski, Meredith Blake, The Democracy Movement, Azza Cohen, Carron J. Phillips, and Linda Burstyn with Gloria Steinem
Self-Reflection Allows us to Do Better
At sundown Wednesday, Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, began. It provides an opportunity for reflection, repentance, and change. For defenders of democracy and the Democratic Party specifically (which is the only major national pro-democracy party), this is as good a time as any to take stock.
The Tea w/ April Ryan ft. Rep. Alma Adams & Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Host April Ryan is joined by guests Rep. Alma Adams, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Rep. LaMonica McIver to discuss the serious effects of the GOP government shutdown on everyday Americans.
Two issues at stake in the shutdown have profound consequences
What’s really at stake in the government shutdown fight?
Their Lips are Sealed
Abdulaziz al-Muzaini is a Saudi Arabian writer and producer who founded the animation studio, Myrkott, known for the satirical YouTube series Masameer, which took a humorous look at social changes in the conservative kingdom and tackled once-taboo subjects
The Contrarian covers the Democracy Movement
Every day (Monday-Friday), we’ll update this space with protests, signs and other public demonstrations against the actions of the administration. Keep checking to see how Americans all across the country are protecting and defending democracy. Get help organizing from
Split Screen: Tilly Norwood brings the AI dystopia to Hollywood
The seismic devaluing of human creativity across the entertainment industry has reached a tipping point and crystallized in the form of Tilly Norwood: Hollywood’s first “AI actor.” Created by Dutch producer Eline Van der Velden’s company Xicoia, which “aims to shape the future of entertainment by featuring hyper-realistic digital stars,” this artificial…
In Conversation with Gloria Steinem
By Linda Burstyn
While legal work is crucial, the public needs a philosophical framework to give us the hope we need to move forward. Who better to provide that than women who’ve already gone to war in the political trenches and emerged victorious? This series, The Way Forward, is about those conversations.
From Paul Krugman:
“Many innocent people — above all, federal employees — will be hurt by the government shutdown. But Democrats needed to take a stand, to show that they will try to hold Republicans accountable for their assault on the welfare of Americans, and Republican incompetence gave them good ground for doing so.
In a perverse way, we can be grateful that Trump and his minions are so incompetent, because that is forcing the dormant parts of our country to push back. Let’s just hope that the pushback is strong enough and fast enough to save us all.”
From The Peaceful Solution:
How much do you want to stop His Royal Heinous and the fascist takeover of the country?
Enough that you’re willing to make a small sacrifice? Like altering your spending habits for a month or two or three? That could be all it would take to get the attention of the oligarchs (formerly known as The Robber Barons in the first Gilded Age, also The Fat Cats, The Greedy Bastards).
A brief demonstration of We, the People’s, power of the purse could persuade them to quit supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
We quit spending, except on essentials, businesses lose money, stock market goes down, Greedy Bastards pay attention to our demands.
Greedy Bastards own most of the politicians of both major parties. GBs start losing money, tell politicians to change course and do what We, the People want.
We are running out of peaceful options. The legislature and Supreme Court are controlled by HRH. He controls the executive branch, including the Military, Justice Department, FBI, ICE, the IRS. He controls all levers of power.
We, the people, still have the power of the purse. No one can control our spending, or lack of spending. When all else fails we can go on a spending strike until the business community stops supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
Economic warfare is the only thing the oligarchs, the business community will understand and act on. Call it a Surreptitious General Strike (Quiet Quitting). Go to work, do as little as possible. Stop spending money except on essentials. Quit feeding the corporate beast that supports HRH.
Stop participating. Nearly 70% of the U.S. economy is driven by consumer spending. All of us. Hobble the economy and the stock market. Mahatma Gandhi drove the British from India by peaceful civil disobedience. We can stop the fascist takeover in the same way.
We can keep rehashing past and present atrocities until our access to the internet is taken away by the regime, or we can DO something!
Now is the time for this Peaceful Solution.
More excellence, Contrarian. Thank you!