Trump is now the biggest fountain of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal government. Not only is he wasting the time of the judiciary with nonsense suits but he's forcing civil society to shoulder the burden of paying to defend itself against his unConstitutional actions. Also in the news, a former DoJ lawyer estimated that Trump's pardons have cost the nation a billion dollars that these criminals had been obligated by the courts to pay in restitution for their crimes.
Exactly. This is how he outran his own indictments.
He has perfected throwing sand into the gears of the judiciary and society to “sell” his fantasies and usurp all power towards himself. He is truly a delusional megalomaniac with a hand at the levers of power - plus, encouraged by his coterie.
Thankfully, the judiciary is performing its co-equal branch check on his dictatorial wants.
Yes, but the DOJ is working against the judicial system, which is one of the most unconstitutional actions of this administration. There is a lot of competition for that spot.
His excuse may be his multilayered mental illnesses. That excuse doesn't apply to any of his enablers...that's you congress, and the ridiculous " lunacy cabinet"
It is not Trump, it is the GOP itself, a far greater threat. Trump may go away, but the problem will stay - the fascism has arrived at the US door. Focusing on just Trump is a serious error of underestimating the gravity of the situation.
I absolutely agree with you Goran. Trump is the clown show obscuring a much more disciplined malignant team of oligarchs and right wing theorists who want to destroy democracy so they can further empower and enrich themselves at our expense.
The ignorance, cowardice, greed, selfishness and willingness to lie and subvert the truth of things -- reflective of the Republican Senate, House and Party -- is staggering. It's the crux, enabling the administration as well as right wing haters, white supremacists, fascists and the selfish.
Flashback to his own four criminal cases, including his 34 count felony conviction - when judges asked his attorneys to control him, threatened to throw him out of court, warned him he could be jailed. Guess that convinced enough Americans to say, Yep. that's the guy I'm voting for. Grrr....
Don't get me wrong. I adore Rubin and commend her for detailing the absurdities, illegalities and blatantly unconstitutional actions of this depraved government, fantasizing about taking Greenland, humiliating Canada, re-opening Alcatraz, dressing up like a 19th-century Pope....the list goes on ad nauseam.
But we're in MUCH more serious hot water than any of us think. Has he carried out a single ruling from a single federal judge? Has he obeyed the Supreme Court, which won't even back up its own "orders"? What federal bailiff is going to march into the Department of Justice and drag Pam Bondi out in handcuffs? Did Abrego Garcia get returned to the US, and I somehow missed that?
Trump has already committed at least a dozen impeachable offenses. Is there a single Republican out there who's called for hearings, let alone demanded the Speaker form a committee to investigate these crimes? Is there anybody in his rotten administration willing to do what Article 25 already allows --- to remove a clearly mentally defective and incapacitated executive from his post?
Enough with praising this or that judge. The Constitution is being fed into a paper shredder. How do we stop that?
The legal system works more slowly than the fire hose of atrocities coming from the Oval Office. We must support our legal system and all that are defending it.
Maine sued USDA for defunding school lunches and won. Republicans are waiting and watching to see which way the wind is blowing until closer to the 2026 elections. They are despicable cowards. It will be an agonizing two years. Then he will be impeached.
While I would LOVE to see the end of Trump, the thought of JD Vance in the White House is just as terrifying. When it comes to impeachment, we need to be careful what we wish for!
Karen, I am totally with you!!! And you voiced/wrote my exact same thoughts!
The legal system *is* working and people just need to realize & understand that it will take time...."little by little, bit by bit". Y'all just gotta have faith!!! And, yes, in 2026 there is going to be a giant Blue Tsunami!!!
And, for crissakes, people, stop the drama-rama of: "Oh my god, if trump is impeached, Vance will be even scarier & way worse!" Please. Just. Stop!!!
First of all: NO. ONE. IS. WORSE. THAN. BATS*** CRAZEE. tRUMP!!! NO. ONE!!!
Secondly: Vance. Is. A. Nobody!!! He has No. Real. Following!!! He has No. Power!!! He is, and always will be a Wannabe!!! Even now, he is a VP in "name only"!!! He's like the Gerald Ford VP. ....as in "Who?" We all remember Betty Ford far more than Gerald, because she made public her alcohol dependency and started the Betty Ford Clinic. What did Gerald do? Oh, yeah, he effin pardoned Nixon.
[By the way....I still believe that the Repubs (Mitch McConnell & the other old buzzards) and now the Maga-Repubs are hell bent on getting revenge because the Dems nearly impeached Nixon ( and would have, if he had not resigned first). They've been hell bent vengeful all thru the Clinton administration & Obama administration, where unfortunately racism was thrown into the mix, as well. With Clinton they just kept at it, (white water, blah, blah, blah) and at it, until they nailed him on his weakness/achilles heel (OK, well, maybe his heel wasn't exactly the weak part of his anatomy, but you get my drift). ]
The Democratic Party is far larger and has far deeper pockets than any of the numerous protest groups. A well funded and well thought out campaign, using all sorts of media from flyers, billboards, and various electronic media could break through the wall of propaganda from right wing media. The campaign should have simple but aggressive statements. For example, THE EXTREMIST TRUMP/GOP PROJECT 2025 VIOLATES EVERY IDEAL ON WHICH OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED, or TRUMP JUST SAID THAT “HE DOESN’T KNOW” IF HE IS REQUIRED TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION (And The GOP Seems Fine With That), or TRUMP IS CORRUPTLY USING THE PRESIDENCY TO MAKE MILLIONS, or THE TRUMP/GOP POLICIES OF CRUELTY ARE NOT AMERICAN VALUES…
Me too. He is galloping on faster than many can absorb or to the point where many become inured to this... as some are already and have been : "oh that's Trump". Still we need loud opposition, the lists of lies published, the billboards..ALOT, more than you have ever seen....
WE ARE - But, he has so much dark money flowing to keep his messages front and center.
Notice how he attacks every slight hint of negativity or questioning his crap with "Who are you with? Oh, really bad XXX, you're going down, blah, blah blah." It is full frontal assault now.
I was shocked to hear the Speaker of the House (the SOTH) say they had gotten our ads cancelled. Like what the hell? He said he stated they were lies and got them canceled. I can't think of anything more deceitful than the gop right now. They are ALL demented liars - for the cause of power to rule vs. govern.
They are full on into propaganda mode and have bight all the outlets through fear, extortion, or loyalty.
This just blew me away that the gop are able to get our ads cancelled. Pissed is not even polite of how incensed I am.
At some time in the future, voters will replace congress. I suppose it's possible they could be democrats? Since I'm several years older than Trump, I don't expect to live that long. Maybe you will...
I keep on emailing my senators, who are democrats, about how angry I am about democratic leadership, or lack thereof. I don't believe they are ever going to change, and I'm done with them and the DNC. I only will support candidates.
Two days ago, after Schumer screwed up on the tariff bill, Schumer let everyone blame Whitehouse, who had told him weeks earlier, that he would be at a conference. With Whitehouse gone, we needed all four Republican votes that we had, and Schumer should have told Whitehouse earlier to remain in Washington in case there was a problem. That morning, McConnell said he was sick and couldn't vote.
And, Schumer was to blame because, earlier in the week, he could have scheduled the vote after Whitehouse returned, and he didn't." You don't depend upon Republicans to be there.
As Schumer wrote on Facebook, "I forced the vote. Now Republicans have to 'own' it." And, that was the same strategy he used with the CR bill.
He continues to think that voters will somehow vote Democratic if Republicans are to blame. But, all it does is make people hate democrats for their lack of leadership.
Great points. The problem has become far deeper than Trump or whatever other individual - the GOP itself has turned over the years into a fascist movement, as people like Krugman have been predicting. Refusal to accept that is becoming the central problem in the fight for democracy and the rule of law.
I don't like my answer (coming up), but it's better than the answer I like; which is When the constitutional impasse continues, the Court rescinds its decision that the sitting President is above the law, and orders his immediate arrest (indictment whatever). THAT WON'T HAPPEN THOUGH, so back to the answer I don't like, but is still better than another option (the so called "justified Military coup) because that is an Oxymoron.
We the people must resist and scream louder and louder (Republican voters and Democrats and especially those that did not vote) and create a bi-partisan snowball of discontent (remember not all Republican voters are MAGAts). We must strike and use legal means to shut down Trump's enablers. We must be terribly loud in the process so that even intimidated Republican Members of congress hear the "sabers rattling". We the people must carry on with this unrelentingly, so that when Trump tries to suspend the Constitution and the 2026 vote (which I predict he will try), he will be stopped by the courts, the 2026 Midterms will proceed, and we the people will throw out the Republicans (remember only 27 Million or so are hardcore MAGAts) when elections are held under guard (if need be). If Trump choses to remain in his position (which he likely will) then the new house needs to FINALLY do its Job and impeach and convict Trump of High crimes and misdemeanors, and then put him in jail for his past felonies, and in waiting for his next trials.
This is not an easy road, and it depends on Americans coming together to save the constitutional republic. This is better than the military stepping in, because then we join a proliferation of lesser countries after a Military coup. Such a coup would not get rid of Trump and his own as we have seen in other parts of the world. We are a democracy for the people and by the people, so we must now go down that path. And given the judiciaries support, we will do so, and we will convict Trump and his enablers AND we will ensure that our Legislature starts making laws that make sense and eliminating laws that brought us to this horrible place. OR we aren't worth the freedom so many have died for. BASTA!
Bruce, yes, we are established as a government of, by and for the people. "By the people" is a critical concept here. We are responsible for our own governance. That requires that we inform ourselves and take action to ensure we maintain control of those whom we elect to govern us. It will require strong, legal, non-violent action by a majority of the electorate to rid ourselves of this political cancer. You are correct, it won't be easy, but it can and must be done if our nation is to survive.
So, what I call for above is a counter revolution, Now, by the people - us. That is not an easy task and historically such endeavors have only been successful 22% of the time, once the Revolutionaries (MAGA) have solidified their revolution. But it sure is possible:
Based on comprehensive empirical research covering the period from 1900 to 2015, counterrevolutions have been successful roughly 18-20% of the time. Specifically, data from a global dataset of 123 revolutions show that there were 98 counterrevolutionary challenges, of which only 22 succeeded in overthrowing the new revolutionary regime, indicating a success rate of about 22.4% for counterrevolutions.
Key insights from my research include
• Counterrevolutions tend to start from a position of weakness because the old regime actors have just been ousted by revolution, which reduces their capacity to mount a successful return.
• Counterrevolutions succeed at a lower rate than both revolutions and coups, reflecting the difficulty of reversing revolutionary changes once established.
• The success of counterrevolutions is strongly influenced by the nature of the preceding revolution. Violent revolutions tend to produce regimes with stronger coercive resources, making counterrevolution less likely to succeed. In contrast, nonviolent revolutions often result in more fragile regimes that are more vulnerable to being overthrown by counterrevolutions.
• The probability of counterrevolutionary success drops from about 50% following nonviolent revolutions to around 10% following very violent revolutions, highlighting how revolutionary violence consolidates new regimes against counterrevolutionary threats.
In summary, counterrevolutions have historically succeeded in roughly one-fifth of cases, with their success strongly conditioned by the strength and nature of the revolutionary regime they seek to overturn. Violent revolutions tend to be more resilient to counterrevolution, while nonviolent revolutions face a higher risk of reversal by counterrevolutionaries.
So, we Revolt against Trump legally, non-violently, and with the re-establishment of our Democratic ideals, not some mayhem, but together as Americans who abhor Kings and Oligarchs.
You are asking the wrong people, and expecting other people to do your work for you. There are people tracking this. Maybe read more? BTW, what are YOU doing to raise awareness?
The commenter's distinction between a "lawyer's post" and a "citizen's post" strikes at an essential dilemma in well-intentioned coverage of what is actually going on as Trump's assault on the Constitution, laws, norms and the rule of law continues. Citizens are accustomed to being spoon-fed media soundbites that traditionally are aimed at a 6th grade level of schooling/book-learning, but the focus of the news -- the circumstances where challenges to Trump's actions are happening -- has moved increasingly into the courts and can't really be understood without some attention to civil and criminal procedure and the law itself. I give Jen Rubin a lot of credit for trying to provide an education for citizens who didn't go to law school but want to be well-informed. She isn't writing for lawyers; she is trying to give non-lawyers a foundation for understanding the context of decisions being made within and outside courtrooms. She and other reliable and diligent Substack writers are trying to give readers more from "the media" than, for example, repetitive discussions of a purported "a-ha moment" when Trump says, "I don't know" in response to Kristen Welker's question as to whether he thinks a president needs to uphold the Constitution (as if "IDK" isn't the oldest excuse in the book for not providing an honest answer). Traditional media will always gravitate to the sensational or give more credence to a story than it merits simply because it's relatively easy to report. There are plenty of opportunities for superficial coverage that increasingly misses the larger significance of Trump's outrageousness. A citizen who wants to be fully engaged and able to recognize what's important in the news would be well-advised to take the time to learn from Jen and others where and how unfamiliar battles are being fought.
This is shooting the messenger. We are fortunate to have, in the absence of a traditional 4th estate, journalists like Rubin and the others who keep us informed. Take a look at what is going on in Russia. How do we stop our own pathway to that? Not by writing cynical letters, that's for sure. It is OUR job to follow through, show up, write letters, donate to the legal organizations who are the ones who are taking these cases to court, march in the streets if we can. We need to keep feeding the fire, not lobbing coals at those who are an intrinsic part of the resistance. Get off your butt.
Please go lecture somebody else. I've probably been in more demonstrations than you can count. And figure out the definition of "cynical letter" before you post.
Sorry to offend you bro. Not really but if you are, put your anger at me in the right place. How do you know how many demonstrations I've been at...are you watching me? Huh?
Many thoughtful and meaningful thoughts. But...Enough with praising??? I appreciate and praise anyone who is pushing back and making (or even trying their best to make) a difference. Nothing is going to make this nightmare disappear any time soon.
Trump has the home court advantage, so to speak. He can just sit there and do nothing, and he 'gets his way." He's turned the government into a monster.
Infuriating, yes, but that's where we are now until the people of this country rise up, as I have to believe they will. Instead of fear, let them see our conviction and resolve to stop the immoral and illegal inhumanity of this Mt. Rushmore of crooks and philanderers, and that we will fight, first with the help of the courts, not just for our rights, but for those who cannot help themselves. Strength is the only language a bully understands.
We are not swimming in the same old pond. The old play book was thrown out. Who can force the law-makers to obey the old laws? Who can force the new sherif in town to play by the old rules? I don’t know this tango, but hoping for reason and old laws to prevail seems uber naive… or hopeful as someone said above.
“Coughs up one of these executive furballs”. Ha! Perfect description. Next time I’m outraged by his latest proclamation, I’ll remember that this is all they are.
Ms. Rubin is right. Every news article about a Trump executive order MUST state that an EO has no force in law. This has been true for any president, including Biden. A president cannot make laws. That is Congress' responsibility, and they have been failing big time. They are too scared to push back. That's why it is up to lawyers to file suits so that the judiciary can set things straight.
It's decidedly weird that people with the most plentiful means of resisting him [billionaires with their legions of lawyers] have been the first to knuckle under, bend the knee and then pay him millions of dollars for the privilege. This is why billionaire ownership of media is such a danger. They're the weakest people on earth.
Again, the bilionis wanted dereg and tax cuts....not the deval of the $ and crash of the stock market. They failed to notice how crazy trump is let alone his zero knowledge of money.
That’s why I no longer subscribe to WAPO or the NYT — the lack of truthful and objective reporting. I now subscribe to the Guardian , they aren’t afraid to report the truth and to call out Trump’s lies.
I dropped the Guardian when their people (not Robert Reich) all came out against Biden after THAT debate where Trump never stopped lying. I was furious. I might have to reconsider, but I get a lot of Substack news. It's pretty great, though I'm fairly ignorant about the murder rate. I was amazed to see recently that one state had already enjoyed 85 mass shootings this year.
I also think, however, that everyone, even the press, is overwhelmed--which is the point.
Also, 60 Minutes had a good piece on the rule of law--but they should have put Sheldon Whitehouse on to say just why all those "bad people" keep going after Trump.
I have stopped all of my financial support for US News Media. Strike against them where it hurts! in their damned wallets. Put them out of business if thae will not present the News Objectively and in a politically balanced way.
Yes, yes, yes! I have continually been shocked by the media's lack of framing and explanation when covering the regime. All they have to do is state, "This EO is unconstituonal because..." How hard is this?? Stop giving him 'respect due to the office.' He is a madman, elected or not, and *everyone* should be calling him on it.
Thank God we are all in the same book and on the same page!! I hope and pray that most of those who still think they need to respect him, wake up and see just how low their bank balance is due to the egregious antics he's been performing. I also pray that someone in the whole of Congress grows some balls and begins impeachment proceedings soon. The middle class is losing tons of money from their life savings while he plays golf on our dimes. Impeach this SOB and deport him to El Salvador!!!
It was an excellent ruling: forceful, clear, constitutional, the product of centuries of human progress.
What concerns me now is that the Republicans, having reached their Khmer Rouge moment, are impervious to court rulings and sanctions. Under the ghastly inspiration of a handful of little Pol Pots (Stephen Miller, Russ Vought, Curtis Yarvin, Elon, Trump himself) the Republicans are determined to start us at a kind of authoritarian Year Zero in which court rulings and legal constraints are a matter of complete indifference.
What the Republicans are doing to our country may not lead inevitably to the Killing Fields, but they are already leading to lawlessness, the war on science, the war on free speech: they are already producing suffering, the eruption of old diseases, humiliation, repression, needless death.
They could well lead to the death of our democracy itself, and all its institutions. Either way, it's becoming clear that under Republican rule there are no precedents, no guiding principles, no rule of law--only their will and their fanatic vision.
The first hundred days were a nightmare of accelerationism and contempt for law and precedent. The next hundred will tell the real story. It's up to all of us---tens of millions of us; judges, journalists, citizens, artists, human beings--to fight back against a handful of men driven by unimaginable wealth, fanaticism, and a genuine hatred for all the best that we are or ever were.
So much of what DJT attempts to do by signing executive orders is based on his mistaken belief that he has been anointed with superior intellect and celestial powers; neither is true. This tired act should convince even the most avid supporters that DJT is and has always been a flim-flam man selling fake products. The constant spewing of executive orders that are not worth the paper he signs so proudly. He has a parody for a press secretary, a cabinet of sycophants, and a Congress on permanent recess. Fortunately, none of the powers that hate this nation have taken advantage of our position of weakness, with the possible exception of Putin, who knows DJT is an emperor without "clothes" and is a coward at heart.
It's also based on his belief that by posturing, bloviating, and threatening, he can cow potential opponents into silence and complaisance. Unfortunately, most of his targets have validated this belief.
Part of the problem is that the media does not cover most of the opposition party that is making noise. Yes, they pick out a few who manage to break through the Trump noise, but coverage of Congress itself has been poor for some time. I'm not sure that most people in America have a sense of what Congress does and how it does it. A good start is the book "A Hill to Die On," which deals with Congress during the first two years of Trump's presidency.
“First thing…kill all the lawyers.“ Makes you recall Marc Elias on 60 minutes yesterday; he’s not going anywhere. And Alan Garber isn’t backing down on Harvard’s tax exempt status. When will the media finally publish properly that FF47’s Orders don’t override our Constitution for legislative laws and regulations. If TV news could be truthful about Reps in Congress, maybe we could make better headway against him. (imho)
Donny 2 Dolls keeps coughing up executive fur balls. The analogy is hilarious, Jen, and so apt. Thank you, as always, for the incisive legal analysis, call-out of the wimpy media, and vivid vocabulary which encapsulate the daily corruption and lies of this regime.
Now, who can turn Jen's phrase into a catchy meme?
"Executive furballs"! Having had to wake myself at 2 am to the sound of a real hairball being ejected, I have to say I appreciate the comparison. It drives me nuts when folks get all strung out over his latest creative writing edicts and seem not to understand he isn't changing law, just giving us another opportunity to slap him over the head. He's being handled by a handful of fascists and doing the grandiose signing to massage his ego. He's right, he doesn't know if he is suppose to protect and defend the Constitution. He would need to read and attempt to understand. which is hard with an IQ in the 70s. Bless his heart, he don't know what he don't know.
Than you, Ms. Rubin. Congress will pursue its sole agenda , reelection at any cost, leaving only the judiciary to protect what remains of the Republic and a once-free people. May the judiciary embrace its essential role in America’s hour of need …
The "re-election at any cost" attitude may hit a brick wall this time around. Not the payoffs of Elon Musk, and not primaried by Trump: The results of tariff induced higher prices and loss of government services that voters depend upon may get them (finally) voted out of office. Angry voters do have an effect.
Don't forget the hundreds of thousands of people who are standing up and showing up. We ARE being covered by media now, because we keep doing it, everywhere, big cities and small towns and rural crossroads. We become more each time, and we are right now planning the next one. We will not stop. Those of you who have not noticed are in your own silo. Please come out and join us in any way you can. It adds up, and it beats the heck out of hand-wringing.
The first things they continue to embrace is themselves. The wisdom of the Constitution has been relocated from the backburners to the full on high frontburners. The savings of grace is not intellectual Republican property.
Trump is now the biggest fountain of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal government. Not only is he wasting the time of the judiciary with nonsense suits but he's forcing civil society to shoulder the burden of paying to defend itself against his unConstitutional actions. Also in the news, a former DoJ lawyer estimated that Trump's pardons have cost the nation a billion dollars that these criminals had been obligated by the courts to pay in restitution for their crimes.
And that doesn't even count his golf outings, which cost millions each week, or his upcoming Kim Jong Un-style birthday parade.
Exactly. This is how he outran his own indictments.
He has perfected throwing sand into the gears of the judiciary and society to “sell” his fantasies and usurp all power towards himself. He is truly a delusional megalomaniac with a hand at the levers of power - plus, encouraged by his coterie.
Thankfully, the judiciary is performing its co-equal branch check on his dictatorial wants.
Yes, but the DOJ is working against the judicial system, which is one of the most unconstitutional actions of this administration. There is a lot of competition for that spot.
His excuse may be his multilayered mental illnesses. That excuse doesn't apply to any of his enablers...that's you congress, and the ridiculous " lunacy cabinet"
Yes, principled astute judges - courageous defenders of the Constitution are the nation's bulwark right now, keeping Fascism at bay.
It is not Trump, it is the GOP itself, a far greater threat. Trump may go away, but the problem will stay - the fascism has arrived at the US door. Focusing on just Trump is a serious error of underestimating the gravity of the situation.
I absolutely agree with you Goran. Trump is the clown show obscuring a much more disciplined malignant team of oligarchs and right wing theorists who want to destroy democracy so they can further empower and enrich themselves at our expense.
The ignorance, cowardice, greed, selfishness and willingness to lie and subvert the truth of things -- reflective of the Republican Senate, House and Party -- is staggering. It's the crux, enabling the administration as well as right wing haters, white supremacists, fascists and the selfish.
Forgive me Thomas Moore, but I always liked "Fountain of Ignorance"
And "Fountain of Sorrow"
Flashback to his own four criminal cases, including his 34 count felony conviction - when judges asked his attorneys to control him, threatened to throw him out of court, warned him he could be jailed. Guess that convinced enough Americans to say, Yep. that's the guy I'm voting for. Grrr....
This is a lawyer's post, not a citizen's.
Don't get me wrong. I adore Rubin and commend her for detailing the absurdities, illegalities and blatantly unconstitutional actions of this depraved government, fantasizing about taking Greenland, humiliating Canada, re-opening Alcatraz, dressing up like a 19th-century Pope....the list goes on ad nauseam.
But we're in MUCH more serious hot water than any of us think. Has he carried out a single ruling from a single federal judge? Has he obeyed the Supreme Court, which won't even back up its own "orders"? What federal bailiff is going to march into the Department of Justice and drag Pam Bondi out in handcuffs? Did Abrego Garcia get returned to the US, and I somehow missed that?
Trump has already committed at least a dozen impeachable offenses. Is there a single Republican out there who's called for hearings, let alone demanded the Speaker form a committee to investigate these crimes? Is there anybody in his rotten administration willing to do what Article 25 already allows --- to remove a clearly mentally defective and incapacitated executive from his post?
Enough with praising this or that judge. The Constitution is being fed into a paper shredder. How do we stop that?
The legal system works more slowly than the fire hose of atrocities coming from the Oval Office. We must support our legal system and all that are defending it.
Maine sued USDA for defunding school lunches and won. Republicans are waiting and watching to see which way the wind is blowing until closer to the 2026 elections. They are despicable cowards. It will be an agonizing two years. Then he will be impeached.
From your keyboard to God's ears, Karen....
While I would LOVE to see the end of Trump, the thought of JD Vance in the White House is just as terrifying. When it comes to impeachment, we need to be careful what we wish for!
No charisma, no following, he will be eaten alive.
Karen, I am totally with you!!! And you voiced/wrote my exact same thoughts!
The legal system *is* working and people just need to realize & understand that it will take time...."little by little, bit by bit". Y'all just gotta have faith!!! And, yes, in 2026 there is going to be a giant Blue Tsunami!!!
And, for crissakes, people, stop the drama-rama of: "Oh my god, if trump is impeached, Vance will be even scarier & way worse!" Please. Just. Stop!!!
First of all: NO. ONE. IS. WORSE. THAN. BATS*** CRAZEE. tRUMP!!! NO. ONE!!!
Secondly: Vance. Is. A. Nobody!!! He has No. Real. Following!!! He has No. Power!!! He is, and always will be a Wannabe!!! Even now, he is a VP in "name only"!!! He's like the Gerald Ford VP. ....as in "Who?" We all remember Betty Ford far more than Gerald, because she made public her alcohol dependency and started the Betty Ford Clinic. What did Gerald do? Oh, yeah, he effin pardoned Nixon.
[By the way....I still believe that the Repubs (Mitch McConnell & the other old buzzards) and now the Maga-Repubs are hell bent on getting revenge because the Dems nearly impeached Nixon ( and would have, if he had not resigned first). They've been hell bent vengeful all thru the Clinton administration & Obama administration, where unfortunately racism was thrown into the mix, as well. With Clinton they just kept at it, (white water, blah, blah, blah) and at it, until they nailed him on his weakness/achilles heel (OK, well, maybe his heel wasn't exactly the weak part of his anatomy, but you get my drift). ]
That gives him lotsa time to commit more impeachable offences.
INDEED, EH!?
Amen.
Ask every Congressional Republican whether Trump and they are bound by the Constitution.
https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
They won't answer.
When they don't it's a tacit admission of guilt.
It would be real nice if we had an opposition party.
Sure, but what do you expect them to do?
The Democratic Party is far larger and has far deeper pockets than any of the numerous protest groups. A well funded and well thought out campaign, using all sorts of media from flyers, billboards, and various electronic media could break through the wall of propaganda from right wing media. The campaign should have simple but aggressive statements. For example, THE EXTREMIST TRUMP/GOP PROJECT 2025 VIOLATES EVERY IDEAL ON WHICH OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED, or TRUMP JUST SAID THAT “HE DOESN’T KNOW” IF HE IS REQUIRED TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION (And The GOP Seems Fine With That), or TRUMP IS CORRUPTLY USING THE PRESIDENCY TO MAKE MILLIONS, or THE TRUMP/GOP POLICIES OF CRUELTY ARE NOT AMERICAN VALUES…
I agree. Keep it snappy.
I'd like an opposition party to OPPOSE. To resist, contradict, point out each and every lie out of the man's mouth.
Me too. He is galloping on faster than many can absorb or to the point where many become inured to this... as some are already and have been : "oh that's Trump". Still we need loud opposition, the lists of lies published, the billboards..ALOT, more than you have ever seen....
WE ARE - But, he has so much dark money flowing to keep his messages front and center.
Notice how he attacks every slight hint of negativity or questioning his crap with "Who are you with? Oh, really bad XXX, you're going down, blah, blah blah." It is full frontal assault now.
I was shocked to hear the Speaker of the House (the SOTH) say they had gotten our ads cancelled. Like what the hell? He said he stated they were lies and got them canceled. I can't think of anything more deceitful than the gop right now. They are ALL demented liars - for the cause of power to rule vs. govern.
They are full on into propaganda mode and have bight all the outlets through fear, extortion, or loyalty.
This just blew me away that the gop are able to get our ads cancelled. Pissed is not even polite of how incensed I am.
Reverse MAGAs 100-days of lawlessness.
And how? Your statement has a magic wand aspect as it stands.
At some time in the future, voters will replace congress. I suppose it's possible they could be democrats? Since I'm several years older than Trump, I don't expect to live that long. Maybe you will...
I keep on emailing my senators, who are democrats, about how angry I am about democratic leadership, or lack thereof. I don't believe they are ever going to change, and I'm done with them and the DNC. I only will support candidates.
Two days ago, after Schumer screwed up on the tariff bill, Schumer let everyone blame Whitehouse, who had told him weeks earlier, that he would be at a conference. With Whitehouse gone, we needed all four Republican votes that we had, and Schumer should have told Whitehouse earlier to remain in Washington in case there was a problem. That morning, McConnell said he was sick and couldn't vote.
And, Schumer was to blame because, earlier in the week, he could have scheduled the vote after Whitehouse returned, and he didn't." You don't depend upon Republicans to be there.
As Schumer wrote on Facebook, "I forced the vote. Now Republicans have to 'own' it." And, that was the same strategy he used with the CR bill.
He continues to think that voters will somehow vote Democratic if Republicans are to blame. But, all it does is make people hate democrats for their lack of leadership.
We may not have faith, but there is hope.
https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Great points. The problem has become far deeper than Trump or whatever other individual - the GOP itself has turned over the years into a fascist movement, as people like Krugman have been predicting. Refusal to accept that is becoming the central problem in the fight for democracy and the rule of law.
I don't like my answer (coming up), but it's better than the answer I like; which is When the constitutional impasse continues, the Court rescinds its decision that the sitting President is above the law, and orders his immediate arrest (indictment whatever). THAT WON'T HAPPEN THOUGH, so back to the answer I don't like, but is still better than another option (the so called "justified Military coup) because that is an Oxymoron.
We the people must resist and scream louder and louder (Republican voters and Democrats and especially those that did not vote) and create a bi-partisan snowball of discontent (remember not all Republican voters are MAGAts). We must strike and use legal means to shut down Trump's enablers. We must be terribly loud in the process so that even intimidated Republican Members of congress hear the "sabers rattling". We the people must carry on with this unrelentingly, so that when Trump tries to suspend the Constitution and the 2026 vote (which I predict he will try), he will be stopped by the courts, the 2026 Midterms will proceed, and we the people will throw out the Republicans (remember only 27 Million or so are hardcore MAGAts) when elections are held under guard (if need be). If Trump choses to remain in his position (which he likely will) then the new house needs to FINALLY do its Job and impeach and convict Trump of High crimes and misdemeanors, and then put him in jail for his past felonies, and in waiting for his next trials.
This is not an easy road, and it depends on Americans coming together to save the constitutional republic. This is better than the military stepping in, because then we join a proliferation of lesser countries after a Military coup. Such a coup would not get rid of Trump and his own as we have seen in other parts of the world. We are a democracy for the people and by the people, so we must now go down that path. And given the judiciaries support, we will do so, and we will convict Trump and his enablers AND we will ensure that our Legislature starts making laws that make sense and eliminating laws that brought us to this horrible place. OR we aren't worth the freedom so many have died for. BASTA!
Bruce, yes, we are established as a government of, by and for the people. "By the people" is a critical concept here. We are responsible for our own governance. That requires that we inform ourselves and take action to ensure we maintain control of those whom we elect to govern us. It will require strong, legal, non-violent action by a majority of the electorate to rid ourselves of this political cancer. You are correct, it won't be easy, but it can and must be done if our nation is to survive.
So, what I call for above is a counter revolution, Now, by the people - us. That is not an easy task and historically such endeavors have only been successful 22% of the time, once the Revolutionaries (MAGA) have solidified their revolution. But it sure is possible:
Based on comprehensive empirical research covering the period from 1900 to 2015, counterrevolutions have been successful roughly 18-20% of the time. Specifically, data from a global dataset of 123 revolutions show that there were 98 counterrevolutionary challenges, of which only 22 succeeded in overthrowing the new revolutionary regime, indicating a success rate of about 22.4% for counterrevolutions.
Key insights from my research include
• Counterrevolutions tend to start from a position of weakness because the old regime actors have just been ousted by revolution, which reduces their capacity to mount a successful return.
• Counterrevolutions succeed at a lower rate than both revolutions and coups, reflecting the difficulty of reversing revolutionary changes once established.
• The success of counterrevolutions is strongly influenced by the nature of the preceding revolution. Violent revolutions tend to produce regimes with stronger coercive resources, making counterrevolution less likely to succeed. In contrast, nonviolent revolutions often result in more fragile regimes that are more vulnerable to being overthrown by counterrevolutions.
• The probability of counterrevolutionary success drops from about 50% following nonviolent revolutions to around 10% following very violent revolutions, highlighting how revolutionary violence consolidates new regimes against counterrevolutionary threats.
In summary, counterrevolutions have historically succeeded in roughly one-fifth of cases, with their success strongly conditioned by the strength and nature of the revolutionary regime they seek to overturn. Violent revolutions tend to be more resilient to counterrevolution, while nonviolent revolutions face a higher risk of reversal by counterrevolutionaries.
So, we Revolt against Trump legally, non-violently, and with the re-establishment of our Democratic ideals, not some mayhem, but together as Americans who abhor Kings and Oligarchs.
".....and with the re-establishment of our democratic ideals...."
So glad you included that phrase. I think we already have the beginnings of a "renaissance" of democratic ideals. It's energizing!
Great plan. Vance will pardon him. I don’t know if it’s possible to impeach them both at once. 👹
like I said...not easy to get to that point.
I've been asking Ms. Rubin and Mr. Eisen for weeks now to provide examples of legal orders that have been followed. Still waiting.
You are asking the wrong people, and expecting other people to do your work for you. There are people tracking this. Maybe read more? BTW, what are YOU doing to raise awareness?
and you?
The commenter's distinction between a "lawyer's post" and a "citizen's post" strikes at an essential dilemma in well-intentioned coverage of what is actually going on as Trump's assault on the Constitution, laws, norms and the rule of law continues. Citizens are accustomed to being spoon-fed media soundbites that traditionally are aimed at a 6th grade level of schooling/book-learning, but the focus of the news -- the circumstances where challenges to Trump's actions are happening -- has moved increasingly into the courts and can't really be understood without some attention to civil and criminal procedure and the law itself. I give Jen Rubin a lot of credit for trying to provide an education for citizens who didn't go to law school but want to be well-informed. She isn't writing for lawyers; she is trying to give non-lawyers a foundation for understanding the context of decisions being made within and outside courtrooms. She and other reliable and diligent Substack writers are trying to give readers more from "the media" than, for example, repetitive discussions of a purported "a-ha moment" when Trump says, "I don't know" in response to Kristen Welker's question as to whether he thinks a president needs to uphold the Constitution (as if "IDK" isn't the oldest excuse in the book for not providing an honest answer). Traditional media will always gravitate to the sensational or give more credence to a story than it merits simply because it's relatively easy to report. There are plenty of opportunities for superficial coverage that increasingly misses the larger significance of Trump's outrageousness. A citizen who wants to be fully engaged and able to recognize what's important in the news would be well-advised to take the time to learn from Jen and others where and how unfamiliar battles are being fought.
This is shooting the messenger. We are fortunate to have, in the absence of a traditional 4th estate, journalists like Rubin and the others who keep us informed. Take a look at what is going on in Russia. How do we stop our own pathway to that? Not by writing cynical letters, that's for sure. It is OUR job to follow through, show up, write letters, donate to the legal organizations who are the ones who are taking these cases to court, march in the streets if we can. We need to keep feeding the fire, not lobbing coals at those who are an intrinsic part of the resistance. Get off your butt.
Please go lecture somebody else. I've probably been in more demonstrations than you can count. And figure out the definition of "cynical letter" before you post.
Sorry to offend you bro. Not really but if you are, put your anger at me in the right place. How do you know how many demonstrations I've been at...are you watching me? Huh?
My comment wasn't directed to you.
That is what it is: Our JOB right now for the next 1 1/2 years. Louder and louder. We together feed the fire und Trump's fat ass. ACLU donate.
Many thoughtful and meaningful thoughts. But...Enough with praising??? I appreciate and praise anyone who is pushing back and making (or even trying their best to make) a difference. Nothing is going to make this nightmare disappear any time soon.
Trump has the home court advantage, so to speak. He can just sit there and do nothing, and he 'gets his way." He's turned the government into a monster.
true, but if he acts with violence against legal passive resistance our fight is on the right track. People will die.
From a Corbin, direct lineage, thank you. It could be more than an order; a contract too?
nice
Infuriating, yes, but that's where we are now until the people of this country rise up, as I have to believe they will. Instead of fear, let them see our conviction and resolve to stop the immoral and illegal inhumanity of this Mt. Rushmore of crooks and philanderers, and that we will fight, first with the help of the courts, not just for our rights, but for those who cannot help themselves. Strength is the only language a bully understands.
You hit the nail on the head, Corbin. How do we ensure our rights and save the Constitution from the shredder.
No.
Waiting for a (fair?!) election?
Waiting for Republicans?
We are not swimming in the same old pond. The old play book was thrown out. Who can force the law-makers to obey the old laws? Who can force the new sherif in town to play by the old rules? I don’t know this tango, but hoping for reason and old laws to prevail seems uber naive… or hopeful as someone said above.
If you said wait, then you misunderstood completely what I was saying.
I am saying no waiting... no leadership... no good. I'm not 100% responding to what you wrote.
ok
It doesn’t make this less important.
Thank you Jen for this astute analysis that helps us stay grounded in reality instead of the regime’s reliance on fantasy and fantastical diversion!
“Coughs up one of these executive furballs”. Ha! Perfect description. Next time I’m outraged by his latest proclamation, I’ll remember that this is all they are.
Ms. Rubin is right. Every news article about a Trump executive order MUST state that an EO has no force in law. This has been true for any president, including Biden. A president cannot make laws. That is Congress' responsibility, and they have been failing big time. They are too scared to push back. That's why it is up to lawyers to file suits so that the judiciary can set things straight.
Since Trump showed up, the press has generally refused to write pointedly and clearly about his egregious lies. It is infuriating.
It's decidedly weird that people with the most plentiful means of resisting him [billionaires with their legions of lawyers] have been the first to knuckle under, bend the knee and then pay him millions of dollars for the privilege. This is why billionaire ownership of media is such a danger. They're the weakest people on earth.
Again, the bilionis wanted dereg and tax cuts....not the deval of the $ and crash of the stock market. They failed to notice how crazy trump is let alone his zero knowledge of money.
They overlooked A LOT in their pursuit of tax and regulation cuts. It bothers me not at all that they're taking a hit now.
They have sane washed and enabled Trump. It's disgusting.
That’s why I no longer subscribe to WAPO or the NYT — the lack of truthful and objective reporting. I now subscribe to the Guardian , they aren’t afraid to report the truth and to call out Trump’s lies.
I dropped the Guardian when their people (not Robert Reich) all came out against Biden after THAT debate where Trump never stopped lying. I was furious. I might have to reconsider, but I get a lot of Substack news. It's pretty great, though I'm fairly ignorant about the murder rate. I was amazed to see recently that one state had already enjoyed 85 mass shootings this year.
I also think, however, that everyone, even the press, is overwhelmed--which is the point.
Also, 60 Minutes had a good piece on the rule of law--but they should have put Sheldon Whitehouse on to say just why all those "bad people" keep going after Trump.
I have stopped all of my financial support for US News Media. Strike against them where it hurts! in their damned wallets. Put them out of business if thae will not present the News Objectively and in a politically balanced way.
Yes, yes, yes! I have continually been shocked by the media's lack of framing and explanation when covering the regime. All they have to do is state, "This EO is unconstituonal because..." How hard is this?? Stop giving him 'respect due to the office.' He is a madman, elected or not, and *everyone* should be calling him on it.
Thank God we are all in the same book and on the same page!! I hope and pray that most of those who still think they need to respect him, wake up and see just how low their bank balance is due to the egregious antics he's been performing. I also pray that someone in the whole of Congress grows some balls and begins impeachment proceedings soon. The middle class is losing tons of money from their life savings while he plays golf on our dimes. Impeach this SOB and deport him to El Salvador!!!
They must be willing to endure short term losses for long term gains. Trump and his sharpie will retaliate.
If ican only have " 2 dolls" ,they will both be voodoo dolls of trump.
I’ll send you the pins. . .
It was an excellent ruling: forceful, clear, constitutional, the product of centuries of human progress.
What concerns me now is that the Republicans, having reached their Khmer Rouge moment, are impervious to court rulings and sanctions. Under the ghastly inspiration of a handful of little Pol Pots (Stephen Miller, Russ Vought, Curtis Yarvin, Elon, Trump himself) the Republicans are determined to start us at a kind of authoritarian Year Zero in which court rulings and legal constraints are a matter of complete indifference.
What the Republicans are doing to our country may not lead inevitably to the Killing Fields, but they are already leading to lawlessness, the war on science, the war on free speech: they are already producing suffering, the eruption of old diseases, humiliation, repression, needless death.
They could well lead to the death of our democracy itself, and all its institutions. Either way, it's becoming clear that under Republican rule there are no precedents, no guiding principles, no rule of law--only their will and their fanatic vision.
The first hundred days were a nightmare of accelerationism and contempt for law and precedent. The next hundred will tell the real story. It's up to all of us---tens of millions of us; judges, journalists, citizens, artists, human beings--to fight back against a handful of men driven by unimaginable wealth, fanaticism, and a genuine hatred for all the best that we are or ever were.
Well said, and thank you for the reminder of yet another dangerous dictator.
So much of what DJT attempts to do by signing executive orders is based on his mistaken belief that he has been anointed with superior intellect and celestial powers; neither is true. This tired act should convince even the most avid supporters that DJT is and has always been a flim-flam man selling fake products. The constant spewing of executive orders that are not worth the paper he signs so proudly. He has a parody for a press secretary, a cabinet of sycophants, and a Congress on permanent recess. Fortunately, none of the powers that hate this nation have taken advantage of our position of weakness, with the possible exception of Putin, who knows DJT is an emperor without "clothes" and is a coward at heart.
Thr EO's are also part of the Heritage Foundation 's power grab.
I prefer the term, "Heresy Foundation" myself.
It's also based on his belief that by posturing, bloviating, and threatening, he can cow potential opponents into silence and complaisance. Unfortunately, most of his targets have validated this belief.
But they put the Executive "Orders" in nice leather binders! :)
Instead of labeling Congress as do-nothing, state that we have a do-nothing majority party in Congress.
Barbara, I don't see a lot of members of the opposition party making noise. I think that qualifies all of Congress as largely do-nothing.
Part of the problem is that the media does not cover most of the opposition party that is making noise. Yes, they pick out a few who manage to break through the Trump noise, but coverage of Congress itself has been poor for some time. I'm not sure that most people in America have a sense of what Congress does and how it does it. A good start is the book "A Hill to Die On," which deals with Congress during the first two years of Trump's presidency.
“First thing…kill all the lawyers.“ Makes you recall Marc Elias on 60 minutes yesterday; he’s not going anywhere. And Alan Garber isn’t backing down on Harvard’s tax exempt status. When will the media finally publish properly that FF47’s Orders don’t override our Constitution for legislative laws and regulations. If TV news could be truthful about Reps in Congress, maybe we could make better headway against him. (imho)
Donny 2 Dolls keeps coughing up executive fur balls. The analogy is hilarious, Jen, and so apt. Thank you, as always, for the incisive legal analysis, call-out of the wimpy media, and vivid vocabulary which encapsulate the daily corruption and lies of this regime.
Now, who can turn Jen's phrase into a catchy meme?
Yes, thank you Jen for all you do. Love the statement: Donny 2 Dolls ....fur balls. Perfect;
Thank you Jen. Keep up the good work!
I especially appreciate the fact that Jen pointed out that Congress is responsible for letting this destructive nonsense go on.
"Executive furballs"! Having had to wake myself at 2 am to the sound of a real hairball being ejected, I have to say I appreciate the comparison. It drives me nuts when folks get all strung out over his latest creative writing edicts and seem not to understand he isn't changing law, just giving us another opportunity to slap him over the head. He's being handled by a handful of fascists and doing the grandiose signing to massage his ego. He's right, he doesn't know if he is suppose to protect and defend the Constitution. He would need to read and attempt to understand. which is hard with an IQ in the 70s. Bless his heart, he don't know what he don't know.
Than you, Ms. Rubin. Congress will pursue its sole agenda , reelection at any cost, leaving only the judiciary to protect what remains of the Republic and a once-free people. May the judiciary embrace its essential role in America’s hour of need …
The "re-election at any cost" attitude may hit a brick wall this time around. Not the payoffs of Elon Musk, and not primaried by Trump: The results of tariff induced higher prices and loss of government services that voters depend upon may get them (finally) voted out of office. Angry voters do have an effect.
Don't forget the hundreds of thousands of people who are standing up and showing up. We ARE being covered by media now, because we keep doing it, everywhere, big cities and small towns and rural crossroads. We become more each time, and we are right now planning the next one. We will not stop. Those of you who have not noticed are in your own silo. Please come out and join us in any way you can. It adds up, and it beats the heck out of hand-wringing.
The first things they continue to embrace is themselves. The wisdom of the Constitution has been relocated from the backburners to the full on high frontburners. The savings of grace is not intellectual Republican property.