Too borrow an image from John Oliver, we are locked in a room with an excitable monkey holding a loaded pistol. We can discuss means of disarming the monkey all we like, but he still has the pistol and is becoming more agitated by the minute.
And he’s not bonkers, he’s a malignant narcissistic pseudo-authoritarian Putin-controlled racist rapist — which is not a diagnosis but a description, not hyperbole but a clinical inventory of documented behavior — a man whose entire existence has been a sustained exercise in extracting value from institutions, people, and countries without ever once contributing anything that couldn’t be reduced to self-promotion, whose cruelty is not incidental but structural, whose racism is not a lapse but a methodology, whose corruption is not a side effect of power but the reason he sought it, and who now sits atop the most powerful government on earth having successfully convinced roughly half a country that a man who has never sacrificed anything for anyone is somehow their champion.
Well stated! I recommend Marie Brenner’s September 1999 Vanity Fair profile of Donald and Ivana Trump, “After the Gold Rush”, which confirms Johan’s appraisal of who Trump is, was and always will be.
Trump embodies every attribute of manipulative, seductive, deceitful, vengeful “evil” humans across continents and time have represented in religions, myths, philosophies and the arts.
He is declining, and he also remains at the peak of power and rabid in his pursuit of retribution and destruction of anyone and anything that reminds him of those who once looked down on him or outshone him.
Trump retains sufficient capacities to pose lethal danger to all of us, because his enablers are corrupt, steadfast and still committed to the ongoing coup.
I agree that this fits many Trump supporters. Many are reacting to Trump's being mercilessly booed at the NBA finals by denying their own eyes and ears, saying that the crowd was actually chanting "USA! USA". This is the true Trump Derangement Syndrome in full display.
It’s a cult. And cult members can never accept that their leader is weak -and will continue to follow in lockstep. Jim Jones and his followers come to mind.
Thete's another kind of Trump supporter - the Elon Musks, Jeff Bezoses, the Murdochs, the ultrawealthy schmucks who stood around him and got jobs in his cabinet. The ones he's insider trading with, buying and selling crypto, etc. Follow the money and it will show you where the power really is.
Kit, I submit they have very limited analytical skills and are incredibly gullible. They do not recognize Trump's inability to govern, his delight in chaos, his propensity to lie, his greed and his refusal to willingly transfer power to his successor. To me these are characteristics that should have made him unelectable. Half of the country has cast their votes for the worst president in history.
Yes JL, voter turn out was low due to unpopular candidates. I worked the poll that day and heard the results before leaving. A stunned hush filled the room. We need to never let that happen again .VOTE no matter what!!!
They're not. They're the militia groups, the racist underbelly, the perpetually angry white people who believe they've been cheated out of some mystical legacy of money and success that is going to minorities and women. They were just low hanging fruit for a grifter like Trump.
Well said! And as he sits atop the most powerful government on earth, it includes control of nuclear arms. We all should be so frightened, as should our allies. Well, I think they may be.
I agree, but I still think there is also dementia and serious delusions in the mix. A very powerful man who has slowly been losing the ability to think and have self control, the narcissism has spilled over into psychopathy.
"Republican House and Senate candidates need to be put on the spot in every public encounter: Do they think the president is of sound mind? What do they intend to do to, for example, protect nuclear codes? Why shouldn’t the public have full visibility into the health of a president whose conduct has been so obviously aberrant?"
If Dems would put Jennifer Rubin in charge of their communications strategy, we would win all of the elections this fall.
How are you, Jen? We are all concerned. Great piece as always. I fear the extraordinary actions needed to address the issue of Trump's instability may require us to take up arms. Republicans will never act in the interests of the country or what we the people demand--see the recent passage of more funds for ICE without a promise to block slush fund legislation. They are at best cowards but frankly I think they relish what is going on right now. Any means to get power. They are so blinded by the need for power, they refuse to see the danger we are in.
The Republicans want to rule not govern. That is their one goal. They do not have any interest in what their actions result in. They only want the power to do what they and Trump are doing. We are in trouble.
Glad we have Substack, telling it like it is without fear of reprisal! But does the general public know about Substack? The mainstream media is still fixated on Biden's deterioration in 2024 but gives Grandpa Trump a pass every time. This has got to stop. When a Democrat is interviewed by the Washington Post or Meet The Press or any other mainstream outlet, they should bring up the issue of Trump's health, even if the interviewer does not.
“When a Democrat is interviewed by the Washington Post or Meet The Press or any other mainstream outlet, they should bring up the issue of Trump's health, even if the interviewer does not.”
You’ve just answered your own question. The Democrats DON’T bring it up, and they should have years ago. The corporate lapdog mainstream media will never do it on its own, too afraid of reprisals and damage to its precious bottom line.
Yes. The trouble with the MSM owners is trump is one of them. Especially now that the big players are all run by Right Wing Billionaires. They love the constant chaos because it’s clickbait that drives ad revenue. They don’t care what it does to the mental well being of ordinary Americans. I’m thankful for the clear-eyed courage Substacks like The Contrarian. The MSM does not, and never had, a “Liberal Bias”. It was just an excuse to push Right Wing talking points.
You know what would happen if they did. The interviewer would hector them about making contentions without proof and then pivot to talking about Biden. It would be a waste of time.
We cannot forget that this man has the nuclear codes, and that he deals in death. This is not hyperbole. He's a man who cares nothing for us, and he's told us repeatedly. He needs to be impeached, removed and convicted for his crimes. Period.
Indeed we cannot forget, and look at who Trump has installed (with the help of a compliant senate) as the head of the Department of Defense - ahem - War. None of this instills any level of confidence, stability, or security.
and it is harder to successfully invoke the 25th Amendment than it is to impeach and convict ... which probably makes sense in an ideal world, but I don't think anyone foresaw the possibility of someone as grotesque, dangerous and lawless as Trump, and of that person having a rabid and heavily-armed following.
JD Vance will be much worse. He will present a stable responsible man while continuing to execute the Project 2025. Stephen Millet will still be there, the buffoons Trump put in place will still be there and if Vance is able to improve anything, a republican winning in 2028 will be a very strong possibility. I hope the Democrats run on more than just trump. They need to point out the Project 2025 effect and on the republicans in congress that have helped cause such trauma. Hope springs eternal.
No, no one would be worse. A demented egomaniac is far worse than an evil psychopath. Vance, Johnson or any other you might name simply would not treat the position like a spoiled eight year old. Just as an example…could you even have imagined so much of what Trump has done? Yes, they would have agendas we would find heinous. But rationally heinous. Really…the ballroom or the arch de Trump?
And let's not forget that he BULLDOZED a part of the historic White House (where he sometimes lives) in a fit of pique when so many of us turned out for No Kings Day.
That was so weird. It was like a turning point for him that released ALL his inhibitions. He just keeps getting worse. I wish I could live long enough to read the history books, but that takes 60 years or so. I don't have anywhere near that long, But I sure hope I live long enough to see him out of office and somebody competent (at the minimum) in office surrounded by true public servants as advisors. In the meantme, I'm just going to keep doing what I can to help move us in that direction.
The tRump regime is lawless in ways I think most people never considered. Was cancelling research into children’s cancer on your radar? Or firing the people who protect agriculture from things like screw worm? The ways this corrupt regime has damaged this country and its institutions is unfathomable. The tRump loyalists are like termites, and they are chewing through our government and social institutions like crazy. They will damage things so drastically that we might not know until they completely collapse.
There should be no amnesty or forgiveness for any tRump enablers including congressional Republicans.
It always baffles me why people talk about what they Democrats should do, and at the same time refer to the Dems as "they". Political parties are made up of people at the local level, who organize around local districts, send delegates to state committees, who gather information to inform their outreach and pass on to the national committee (DNC). Granted, our current DNC leaves a lot to be desired, but on the other hand, they are not getting the kind of support from local and state committees, or the donations they need from indiffiduals to do the work we expect them to do. This is a form of hypocracy I see over and over, and frankly, I'm disgusted by it.
One thing I have noted with Democrats is their willingness to fight each other in order to win the party nomination. We destroy our own in the desire to win. Sorry to say that. But Annie you are so correct the Democratic party is us and we have to support it better than we have. My one caveat is the number of requests for donations is overwhelming. They come from candidates in states all over the country. I should add it includes all the nonprofits and museums and good causes. One would need a second job to satisfy the requests. They self-defeat themselves with the overload. BUT I did get one of interest: from Charlie Kirk's foundation. I shredded the pieces of mail and sent them back in three envelopes, as confetti. Now that was fun.
I got the Charlie Kirk thing too! I sent their donation form back with “ take my name off your mailing list I never have supported your cause and never will” overlaid with red ink.
Wonderful. It was so awful when he was shot and immediately became a martyr without people looking at what he said. It was one of those impossible moments when you're damed if you do and damed if you don't. Am I correct, The Contrarian is defending a journalist from the Washington Post who said something truthful about Kirk and was fired.
It's a tough world, and although I complained about donating money to the Democrats, I have and will donate again. Currently I am buying rolls of postcard stamps that cost around $90 for 100. Then I buy the blank postcards and write them out. I will be ordering, I think my third round of stamps, so my current contribution is that and my time. This time around I also made phone calls to the Republican senators. All in all, that makes me feel good. Like Sinatra, I'm Doing It My Way. The hardest thing is deciding what to write about. One of my comments is: Trump has made "Republican" a dirty word. I hope that gets under the skin of some of them. I think one of the best things is that we have each other. We are in this together and God willing we will be celebrating in November. I do think that all the Jerrymandering the Republicans are doing will hit them in the face when they see that their own party members are aware of what is happening and will be joining the flow toward healing America and voting Blue. Hopefully...
Unsubscribe. I love getting those emails because it gives me a chance to see what candidates across the country are promoting and how they present themselves. I love opening Mary Peltola's emails and seeing her holding up her fish. I've never set foot in Alaska or even gotten as close as the Pacific Northwest. No one has to donate.
I DO get annoyed when my own Democratic senate candidate (Sherrod Brown) sends out 5 or 6 emails every day and they are ALL about money, how much his opponent has raised or is spending and how much he needs to run TV ads. He almost never mentions a policy or issue he supports. it's like some consultant told him to be nothing so people can project what they want on him. Yet he's stood up in the past for things that are wildly popular and wouldn't cost him a single vote, such as that everyone should have access to health care they can afford. It's on my last nerve.
So true. Im giving to Sherrod every month and the daily asks just keep on comin’. The crooked Husted is not an option! Can Brown make it? I sure hope so.
Brown is consistently leading the polls. Another thing I get tired of is ON THE SAME DAY he sends an email saying that he is comfortably head and let's help him maintain his lead, and that his lead is in jeopardy and he's tied with Jon Useless. He'll share three different polls with three different results the same day. I wish he'd talk about jobs, healthcare, housing etc at least in passing. His positions on those issues are POPULAR.
I agree with everything you say, dagmar, and I'm just as distressed about it. I've stepped back both out of frustration and for my health and sanity, We are a strongly blue state, but my town is fairly dysfunctional, Though we have an R gov, that is largely because of inertia. The Repub party barely exists. Last election, an outside PAC skirted the law to elect a few magas to our legislature, including our town. All were duds. I tried to warn our town Dem committee, but they wouldn't listen, so for almost 2 years we've had essentially NO representation. Guy didn't even come to town meeting,. That cooked him. We have a good Dem/Prog candidate for rep this year. I think he will win, hands down. (His opponent is the wife of the maga dud who decided not to run again. She's more visible, but no more respected.)
There are good people trying to rebuild the state Dem party, but lack of resources means they are almost invisible, like DNC, from whom I have never heard. I do hear from Cory Booker and write him back, strongly urged him to talk about WHAT the Dems need the money for instead of just begging. To his credit, within days, he started doing that. I disagree with the people who dismiss him. He's been willing to stick his neck out over and over again to try to get people involved and informed. He's holding the spaces open for the new Senators to step into if they are elected and I hope to heck they are.
Love how you handled the Charlie Kirk thing. I've never got anything related to him, and only one from maga (Our soon to be former rep (yay). I keep the number of requests down by unsubscribing from random email pleas. Repeats get reported and blocked as spam. Also, I do not want texts from anyone except friends, family, and my dr, period, so all those get a STOP without exception, I get hardly any of those now., I've decided to support candidates directly until DNC straightens out.
The DNC has limited reach but has been used as an all-purpose villain to represent "Democrats" since the Bernie campaign glommed onto this in 2016. You are so right. Everyone loves to pontificate about what Democrats "should" do, and I saw an example above. DON'T talk about Trump. Come on, he's the biggest threat to this country and the enemy of everything ordinary people support. In 2024, I saw this advice to Harris constantly, coupled with "She needs to talk about Trump more." It was lose/lose all the way. (The joke was she WAS balancing both perfectly, but the media was trying to tug her away from everything she wanted to focus on and never amplified her campaign messages.)
JD Vance was the only advisor who took the position that we should not bomb Iran. Also, he was the only advisor who took the position that the administration should come clean on the Epstein files. He is connected to political reality. He is an opportunist, for sure. Is he truly wedded to Project 2025? I’m not sure he’s an extremist like Miller and the guy in charge of OBM. MAGA doesn’t like him, so that might force him to be reasonable to get political support from elsewhere.
Vance is a puppet of Peter Thiel, who is certifiably evil and a crackpot. But Vance has the personality of wet blotting paper and will not control the MAGA cult. So some rational discourse may be possible.
I agree. He also is pretty disgusted with Trump's "cabinet" so if Trump goes out and JV comes in, he probably will replace most if not all of them. But as John pointed out, he's tight with Theil, JV has always adjusted his personality to adapt to whoever is his current mentor, and unless Theil has somehow magically modified his views (not likely) I think he is likely to have a large influence on how that goes. The chaos would not be like the Trump admin, but Theil is sneakier and for the timre remaining we will need Congress to ride herd on them. Why the midterms are so very critical.
We (partially) ran on project 2025 in the last election, but there was no clear reporting on it from the (billionaire-dependent) media. And there’s still no coverage except by independents. Keeping Trump in office and blocking his extreme corruption in the courts may well work in Democrats’ favor this year and in 2028. A Vance administration would only be preferable UNLESS Vance’s lack of decency and charisma turns off MAGA diehards. (Unlikely?)
We have another point or two here. One is the essence of newspapers. I think it has to do with today's news and tomorrow's news. Years ago the story of the pedifile priests came out. It was a scandal and then other things took over. It took about 10 years before it came back in full force and society had to deal with it.
There's always the next story to get into and onto.
The story I keep thinking about is the cost of Trump's doings in our future.The Iran War is now a month old and at one time the news was a week of war cost... was it $11 million. Now that has been said, we don't see it in every story about that war, but the millions keep piling on. Added to that the war isn't coming out of our budget, we are borrowing money for the fight. That means we are paying interest on those funds. The longer the war lasts the greater the interest. The longer it takes us to pay it the more it will cost us in terms of health care and education and just everything. Some of my postcards sayd "America can't afford Trump". Another comment is that "Trump is doing what he does best... going bankrupt". I think those statements tell the story fast and to the point.
But it is Wack-a-mole game...
He keeps us on our toes with a new crisis every day and a new fire to put out. It's hard to keep up.
Personally, I don't think there are enough maga diehards left to make a difference. They are seeing through the curtain and T's ratings are down, down, down.
I live in a very blue state, and I go to weekly town protests (standouts). Still plenty of MAGA drivers being foul to us—some of them won’t let go, tho they may note vote in forthcoming elections. Hopefully.
No, he would not be worse. Policywise he'd be the same — Miller and Project 2025 are running everything NOW. But he wouldn't be erratic and reckless, and lacks that "charm" that MAGAs find in Trump — he's awkward, doughy, unappealing and HAS A BROWN WIFE. He'd be an instant lame duck. MAGAs would lose interest.
We're betweenthe proverbial rock and a hard place. There is absolutely a risk that Trump will trigger a nuclear war. It could start with an almost equally struggling Putin resorting to tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine for example, but Vance, by seeming to be a more reasonable choice, would drive harder and more effectively on Project 2025's destruction of government and push in the direction of a Christian nation that would rival Islam exremism. Our best bet is to accept the risk of Trump doing something lierally insane while we push hard on the midterms and support organizations like the Contrarian, ACLU and Democracy Docket that are winning in court.
My view of the nuclear issue is that if I were Iran there is no way I would give up any nuclear material. That is because, I hope that I am correct --- everyone now knows how truly dangerous a nuclear war would be. There would be a chain reaction and that would be that.
But Trump's insistance on their giving up their nuclear material is over the top. It would be suicide for Iran to let their country not have the deterrent other countries have. Remember the concept of Zero Sum War... that we do not intend to crush the enemy so that they are unable to recover. We did that in Germany after WWI and we asked them to pay reparations. That hurt the country enough for them to accept Hitler.
It all comes down to the fact that we have an illiterate, uncaring, egotist who is like a child doing anything it wants to without ever considering the consequences.
We are a truly baby country. We're only 350 years old. We have a lot to learn.
Some thoughts from a retired Internist: I watched the video of the interview and I was seriously concerned that he might actually assault her. I was assaulted by a psychiatric patient during my training and know the signs. Because of HIPAA rules, it is likely illegal for his doctors to reveal his worsening instability. As part of a broad restructuring on The Executive Branch, we need to impose a slew of Constitutional requirements for and regulation of the Executive... or, I think, a wholesale rethink of the Executive function of our Government. We have vested far too much power in one individual and we are seeing now some of the consequences.
It didn't help that Congress (wanting to avoid responsibility and conflict, no doubt) basically handed much of its authority to the office of the president. The supreme court acted similarly with their favorable interpretation of the law. Two of the legs of the government literally sawed themselves off, resulting in an unbalanced power in the executive.
While I agree with you that HIPPA rules prevent his physicians from releasing anything other than platitudes that are meaningless, removing the current resident of the White House because of the appearance of mental illness would require the initiation of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. That would require: (1) the VP and a majority of executive officers, at least 15 Cabinet members, to communicate to the Senate president pro tempore and the speaker of the House that they are removing the current president because he can no longer perform the duties of the office of the president; or (2) that another governmental body chosen by Congress communicates in writing to the Senate president pro tempore and the speaker of the House to say that the president is unable perform the duties of the office of the president. In the current environment, the first option will never happen as all the existing Cabinet members are the leading sycophants of the current WH resident. And unless the Republicans in both the Senate and House all suddenly have a miraculous vision of the truth, the second option will not happen unless the Democrats control both the Senate and the House after January 1, 2027. And I also agree with you that changes do need to be made to the Executive Branch to prevent another wannabe authoritarian/dictator/emperor taking so much direct control of the entire executive operation of the running of the country and I would very much like to know how. you would propose that those requirements and regulations be accomplished so that we do not relive this type of presidency.
I would like to do several things: 1. Make the DOJ and Inspectors General free standing branches of the government with no lines of appointment from or responsibility to the Executive. If either found a President indictable for a felony offense they would obtain the indictment from a group of senior-status federal judges sitting as the grand jury. Then the President would be required to step aside until adjudicated. 2. Predefined a medical board of inquiry which can be called into action if a significant plurality of Congress invokes a 25th Amendment investigation.
I’m still thinking about that, but I’m thinking about the appropriate Congressional Committee nominating that person and the Senate voting to confirm. With adequate statutory experience required.
It would have to be bipartisan nomination and vote - more than a simple majority but not two thirds - say 60 votes? Then the Attorney General could appoint the Inspectors General with a simple majority approval. Maybe the term(s) could be similar to the that of the Fed a 10 year term that would span elections?
Actually, Putin is not doing very well, either in Russia or abroad, He lives isolated, afraid to appear in public. Russian economy is deteriorating, and there is an active resistance, He can't hold onto military personnel, partly because they aren't being adequately trained and partly because they are finding ways to not be involved.
Superb suggestions for any reporter to ask of Republicans,especially for the Vice President. The ability for reality to be pushed aside by all the Cabinet members has to be challenged as well.
Every encounter with or interview of any lawmaker should start with a basic question. Do you believe the president is mentally competent to handle the job? Play with wording but expect more than dismissal, talking points, and empty rhetoric.
As I have noted for decades, the single most powerful political weapon is credible ridicule. It is the soft underbelly of partisan politics. Chevy Chase on SNL did more damage to Gerald Ford than an entire army of Democrats.
Ford was an easy target, and good-natured about much of the criticism. I disagreed with him on policy and his decision to pardon Nixon. But he deserved better than he got, No excuse for the acquiescence of most of the MSM where Trump is concerned, It must take a lot of energy to ignore or downplay his deterioration.
Trump’s tame Republicans are still with him, ready to destroy our country to keep themselves in power. Destroy social security, Medicare, Medicaid and food programs? No problem! Gut our intelligence agencies to make Putin happy? No problem! Disrupt voting? No problem! More tax breaks for the oligarchs? No problem!
Destroying the social safety net has been on the GOP agenda for decades. I don’t think Trump cares one way or another. He recently admitted he does not even think of the plight of the American people.
And….never could! His sheer stupidity, and concomitant incompetence in every walk of life, is what compelled him to create his false persona, as his defense mechanism. He was Born broken!
And yet……1 in 3 voters STILL want him as their President! Incomprehensible! That’s like saying that they approve of putting their hand on an open-flame stove burner….even after burning themselves previously by doing the same! One can only conclude….as the rest of the world must…..that Americans are hopelessly stupid! Sad to say. Very sad.
On the other hand, it’s encouraging to see that 2 out of 3 American voters DISapprove of this Kakistocracy. So, maybe there’s Hope, yet, to “right this ship”, and get it back on course.
And we are too apathetic, the NO KINGS rallies notwithstanding. People who don't vote, I find to be more contemptible than the brainwashed Trump supporters. How does that song go, you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything? We must ALL ALL ALL of us vote this November to save our country. And if you're not registered yet, do it NOW, the sooner the better.
While we are talking about being smart. Do any of you remember the first intellectual TV show that brought us all a cultural education. Alistair Cook was the host. Was it called Omnibus.. that sounds wrong. BUT the import thing is today we have these awful reality shows that are just gossip and floss and no substance. I watch MHZ2 with more adult themes. Most of our TV programs in my opinion are background to the commercials.
I agree. What I hear from my European friends is that, at their most generous, they wonder at the brainpower required to elect DJT twice! They feel sorry for us, but they are busy figuring out how to protect their countries in the face of what has become our international destruction! One of three is very discouraging, so people around the world wonder about our collective commitments to anything good or helpful to themselves and to the world. Their concerns make sense to me, as I wonder about that myself.
can't blame them...America has been running around saying follow me for decades and screaming freedom this way and all of a sudden says forget it we're not doing that anymore
Except in the case of our last election when people voted for the candidate and not the party. We have to face America's racism. None of us want to admit it, but, again, in my view, we need a presidential candidate that doesn't immediately make us lose votes by their very difference from the norm. But even while I am saying that Obama made the cut twice. Maybe there is hope. It is just so scary and there is so much to lose.
Why would a rural farmer vote for a selfish city guy from NYC who changed party affiliation 7 times? Rural farmers value stability, predictability and low risk decision making. tRump violates all of the fundamentals they value.
They are not stupid, but they have intense brand loyalty. Many of them including half of my family have been Lincoln Republicans since the 1870s. At this point they are loyal to the label without realizing the values switched to the Democratic party and the anti-Lincoln/Confederate values have taken over the Republican party via Nixon's Southern Strategy.
Out of respect to their parents, grandparents, and religious leaders, they don't question what they are taught. It is strong brand label loyalty, and it is nearly immune from challenge from anyone other than a grandparent or religious leader.
I have seen this in my family. To implement change the two most important change leaders are the religious leaders and the grandparents. They are the pillars supporting the edifice. Kids, of course, are now immersed in social media. That is the other opportunity. That is where tRump and Muck have focused their propaganda campaign. That was not an accident.
Attention Jen, Norm & all Contrarains: science & research will be bludgeoned if the OMB has its new proposal passed!
We must submit our ‘public comments’ to the OMB now-July 13, 2026. Read the article I have attached and pleeeeease consider sharing and submitting your comments! This article is by ‘Your Local Epidemiologist’ on Substack.
Always glad to hear your thoughts and ideas. I'm calling my reps, all Dems, today, and will suggest they read your piece. They seem to need some outside help.
Too borrow an image from John Oliver, we are locked in a room with an excitable monkey holding a loaded pistol. We can discuss means of disarming the monkey all we like, but he still has the pistol and is becoming more agitated by the minute.
Exactly!
And he’s not bonkers, he’s a malignant narcissistic pseudo-authoritarian Putin-controlled racist rapist — which is not a diagnosis but a description, not hyperbole but a clinical inventory of documented behavior — a man whose entire existence has been a sustained exercise in extracting value from institutions, people, and countries without ever once contributing anything that couldn’t be reduced to self-promotion, whose cruelty is not incidental but structural, whose racism is not a lapse but a methodology, whose corruption is not a side effect of power but the reason he sought it, and who now sits atop the most powerful government on earth having successfully convinced roughly half a country that a man who has never sacrificed anything for anyone is somehow their champion.
Well stated! I recommend Marie Brenner’s September 1999 Vanity Fair profile of Donald and Ivana Trump, “After the Gold Rush”, which confirms Johan’s appraisal of who Trump is, was and always will be.
Trump embodies every attribute of manipulative, seductive, deceitful, vengeful “evil” humans across continents and time have represented in religions, myths, philosophies and the arts.
He is declining, and he also remains at the peak of power and rabid in his pursuit of retribution and destruction of anyone and anything that reminds him of those who once looked down on him or outshone him.
Trump retains sufficient capacities to pose lethal danger to all of us, because his enablers are corrupt, steadfast and still committed to the ongoing coup.
Correction: September 1990 Vanity Fair - not 1999. It’s accessible via archives on the VF website.
And he has been supported, maintained, and propped up by Republicans and the Tech Bros. He could not do this much damage without them.
They are worse because they are not all stupid, just cowardly and looking out for their own self-interest and nothing more.
Not to mention Project 2025, which is behind a lot of the racism and the bogus Christianity embedded in the regime's attitudes and policies.
And Vought is the author of Project 2025.
Johan, the last line is the most important describing Trump supporters. I call them naive and uneducated.
That's being kind. They are racist and willfully stupid. I also believe in PT Barnum's famous saying--there's a sucker born every minute.
I agree that this fits many Trump supporters. Many are reacting to Trump's being mercilessly booed at the NBA finals by denying their own eyes and ears, saying that the crowd was actually chanting "USA! USA". This is the true Trump Derangement Syndrome in full display.
It’s a cult. And cult members can never accept that their leader is weak -and will continue to follow in lockstep. Jim Jones and his followers come to mind.
Now, if they would only just drink the juice, dammit!
I might also add DEFIANTLY stupid. Like stupidity is a badge of honor because at least you are bereft of "liberal and woke" education.
Exactly what I was thinking. You beat me to it. And more eloquently than I could have written.
Thete's another kind of Trump supporter - the Elon Musks, Jeff Bezoses, the Murdochs, the ultrawealthy schmucks who stood around him and got jobs in his cabinet. The ones he's insider trading with, buying and selling crypto, etc. Follow the money and it will show you where the power really is.
I call them stupid and racist
Yeah, I don't believe in being polite when describing MAGATS.
Kit, I submit they have very limited analytical skills and are incredibly gullible. They do not recognize Trump's inability to govern, his delight in chaos, his propensity to lie, his greed and his refusal to willingly transfer power to his successor. To me these are characteristics that should have made him unelectable. Half of the country has cast their votes for the worst president in history.
Slight correction: Half of the voters who bothered to vote. Who knows how the nonvoters would have voted?
Yes JL, voter turn out was low due to unpopular candidates. I worked the poll that day and heard the results before leaving. A stunned hush filled the room. We need to never let that happen again .VOTE no matter what!!!
They're not. They're the militia groups, the racist underbelly, the perpetually angry white people who believe they've been cheated out of some mystical legacy of money and success that is going to minorities and women. They were just low hanging fruit for a grifter like Trump.
Well said! And as he sits atop the most powerful government on earth, it includes control of nuclear arms. We all should be so frightened, as should our allies. Well, I think they may be.
He convinced about a quarter of the country and t hat is not peeling away so it's likely under 20% now. he never had "half the country."
and some of them blindly put party over country.
He’s also dement.
I agree, but I still think there is also dementia and serious delusions in the mix. A very powerful man who has slowly been losing the ability to think and have self control, the narcissism has spilled over into psychopathy.
"Republican House and Senate candidates need to be put on the spot in every public encounter: Do they think the president is of sound mind? What do they intend to do to, for example, protect nuclear codes? Why shouldn’t the public have full visibility into the health of a president whose conduct has been so obviously aberrant?"
If Dems would put Jennifer Rubin in charge of their communications strategy, we would win all of the elections this fall.
These boobs must get voted out!
And the pistol is the Nuclear Codes!
Like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxYmm5yCJBg
How are you, Jen? We are all concerned. Great piece as always. I fear the extraordinary actions needed to address the issue of Trump's instability may require us to take up arms. Republicans will never act in the interests of the country or what we the people demand--see the recent passage of more funds for ICE without a promise to block slush fund legislation. They are at best cowards but frankly I think they relish what is going on right now. Any means to get power. They are so blinded by the need for power, they refuse to see the danger we are in.
The Republicans want to rule not govern. That is their one goal. They do not have any interest in what their actions result in. They only want the power to do what they and Trump are doing. We are in trouble.
Glad we have Substack, telling it like it is without fear of reprisal! But does the general public know about Substack? The mainstream media is still fixated on Biden's deterioration in 2024 but gives Grandpa Trump a pass every time. This has got to stop. When a Democrat is interviewed by the Washington Post or Meet The Press or any other mainstream outlet, they should bring up the issue of Trump's health, even if the interviewer does not.
“When a Democrat is interviewed by the Washington Post or Meet The Press or any other mainstream outlet, they should bring up the issue of Trump's health, even if the interviewer does not.”
You’ve just answered your own question. The Democrats DON’T bring it up, and they should have years ago. The corporate lapdog mainstream media will never do it on its own, too afraid of reprisals and damage to its precious bottom line.
He is a party to numerous frivolous nutsy koo personal retribution cases where a court could demand an evaluation.
Yes. The trouble with the MSM owners is trump is one of them. Especially now that the big players are all run by Right Wing Billionaires. They love the constant chaos because it’s clickbait that drives ad revenue. They don’t care what it does to the mental well being of ordinary Americans. I’m thankful for the clear-eyed courage Substacks like The Contrarian. The MSM does not, and never had, a “Liberal Bias”. It was just an excuse to push Right Wing talking points.
You know what would happen if they did. The interviewer would hector them about making contentions without proof and then pivot to talking about Biden. It would be a waste of time.
How can we get Substack available easily to all? Or is it easier to overthrow the oligarch-right-wing monopoly out of broadcast media?
We cannot forget that this man has the nuclear codes, and that he deals in death. This is not hyperbole. He's a man who cares nothing for us, and he's told us repeatedly. He needs to be impeached, removed and convicted for his crimes. Period.
Indeed we cannot forget, and look at who Trump has installed (with the help of a compliant senate) as the head of the Department of Defense - ahem - War. None of this instills any level of confidence, stability, or security.
and it is harder to successfully invoke the 25th Amendment than it is to impeach and convict ... which probably makes sense in an ideal world, but I don't think anyone foresaw the possibility of someone as grotesque, dangerous and lawless as Trump, and of that person having a rabid and heavily-armed following.
JD Vance will be much worse. He will present a stable responsible man while continuing to execute the Project 2025. Stephen Millet will still be there, the buffoons Trump put in place will still be there and if Vance is able to improve anything, a republican winning in 2028 will be a very strong possibility. I hope the Democrats run on more than just trump. They need to point out the Project 2025 effect and on the republicans in congress that have helped cause such trauma. Hope springs eternal.
No, no one would be worse. A demented egomaniac is far worse than an evil psychopath. Vance, Johnson or any other you might name simply would not treat the position like a spoiled eight year old. Just as an example…could you even have imagined so much of what Trump has done? Yes, they would have agendas we would find heinous. But rationally heinous. Really…the ballroom or the arch de Trump?
And let's not forget that he BULLDOZED a part of the historic White House (where he sometimes lives) in a fit of pique when so many of us turned out for No Kings Day.
That was so weird. It was like a turning point for him that released ALL his inhibitions. He just keeps getting worse. I wish I could live long enough to read the history books, but that takes 60 years or so. I don't have anywhere near that long, But I sure hope I live long enough to see him out of office and somebody competent (at the minimum) in office surrounded by true public servants as advisors. In the meantme, I'm just going to keep doing what I can to help move us in that direction.
The tRump regime is lawless in ways I think most people never considered. Was cancelling research into children’s cancer on your radar? Or firing the people who protect agriculture from things like screw worm? The ways this corrupt regime has damaged this country and its institutions is unfathomable. The tRump loyalists are like termites, and they are chewing through our government and social institutions like crazy. They will damage things so drastically that we might not know until they completely collapse.
There should be no amnesty or forgiveness for any tRump enablers including congressional Republicans.
It always baffles me why people talk about what they Democrats should do, and at the same time refer to the Dems as "they". Political parties are made up of people at the local level, who organize around local districts, send delegates to state committees, who gather information to inform their outreach and pass on to the national committee (DNC). Granted, our current DNC leaves a lot to be desired, but on the other hand, they are not getting the kind of support from local and state committees, or the donations they need from indiffiduals to do the work we expect them to do. This is a form of hypocracy I see over and over, and frankly, I'm disgusted by it.
One thing I have noted with Democrats is their willingness to fight each other in order to win the party nomination. We destroy our own in the desire to win. Sorry to say that. But Annie you are so correct the Democratic party is us and we have to support it better than we have. My one caveat is the number of requests for donations is overwhelming. They come from candidates in states all over the country. I should add it includes all the nonprofits and museums and good causes. One would need a second job to satisfy the requests. They self-defeat themselves with the overload. BUT I did get one of interest: from Charlie Kirk's foundation. I shredded the pieces of mail and sent them back in three envelopes, as confetti. Now that was fun.
I got the Charlie Kirk thing too! I sent their donation form back with “ take my name off your mailing list I never have supported your cause and never will” overlaid with red ink.
Wonderful. It was so awful when he was shot and immediately became a martyr without people looking at what he said. It was one of those impossible moments when you're damed if you do and damed if you don't. Am I correct, The Contrarian is defending a journalist from the Washington Post who said something truthful about Kirk and was fired.
It's a tough world, and although I complained about donating money to the Democrats, I have and will donate again. Currently I am buying rolls of postcard stamps that cost around $90 for 100. Then I buy the blank postcards and write them out. I will be ordering, I think my third round of stamps, so my current contribution is that and my time. This time around I also made phone calls to the Republican senators. All in all, that makes me feel good. Like Sinatra, I'm Doing It My Way. The hardest thing is deciding what to write about. One of my comments is: Trump has made "Republican" a dirty word. I hope that gets under the skin of some of them. I think one of the best things is that we have each other. We are in this together and God willing we will be celebrating in November. I do think that all the Jerrymandering the Republicans are doing will hit them in the face when they see that their own party members are aware of what is happening and will be joining the flow toward healing America and voting Blue. Hopefully...
Unsubscribe. I love getting those emails because it gives me a chance to see what candidates across the country are promoting and how they present themselves. I love opening Mary Peltola's emails and seeing her holding up her fish. I've never set foot in Alaska or even gotten as close as the Pacific Northwest. No one has to donate.
I DO get annoyed when my own Democratic senate candidate (Sherrod Brown) sends out 5 or 6 emails every day and they are ALL about money, how much his opponent has raised or is spending and how much he needs to run TV ads. He almost never mentions a policy or issue he supports. it's like some consultant told him to be nothing so people can project what they want on him. Yet he's stood up in the past for things that are wildly popular and wouldn't cost him a single vote, such as that everyone should have access to health care they can afford. It's on my last nerve.
So true. Im giving to Sherrod every month and the daily asks just keep on comin’. The crooked Husted is not an option! Can Brown make it? I sure hope so.
Brown is consistently leading the polls. Another thing I get tired of is ON THE SAME DAY he sends an email saying that he is comfortably head and let's help him maintain his lead, and that his lead is in jeopardy and he's tied with Jon Useless. He'll share three different polls with three different results the same day. I wish he'd talk about jobs, healthcare, housing etc at least in passing. His positions on those issues are POPULAR.
Yes they are and he should stick to them. The voters want the meat and potatoes simplicity.
I agree with everything you say, dagmar, and I'm just as distressed about it. I've stepped back both out of frustration and for my health and sanity, We are a strongly blue state, but my town is fairly dysfunctional, Though we have an R gov, that is largely because of inertia. The Repub party barely exists. Last election, an outside PAC skirted the law to elect a few magas to our legislature, including our town. All were duds. I tried to warn our town Dem committee, but they wouldn't listen, so for almost 2 years we've had essentially NO representation. Guy didn't even come to town meeting,. That cooked him. We have a good Dem/Prog candidate for rep this year. I think he will win, hands down. (His opponent is the wife of the maga dud who decided not to run again. She's more visible, but no more respected.)
There are good people trying to rebuild the state Dem party, but lack of resources means they are almost invisible, like DNC, from whom I have never heard. I do hear from Cory Booker and write him back, strongly urged him to talk about WHAT the Dems need the money for instead of just begging. To his credit, within days, he started doing that. I disagree with the people who dismiss him. He's been willing to stick his neck out over and over again to try to get people involved and informed. He's holding the spaces open for the new Senators to step into if they are elected and I hope to heck they are.
Love how you handled the Charlie Kirk thing. I've never got anything related to him, and only one from maga (Our soon to be former rep (yay). I keep the number of requests down by unsubscribing from random email pleas. Repeats get reported and blocked as spam. Also, I do not want texts from anyone except friends, family, and my dr, period, so all those get a STOP without exception, I get hardly any of those now., I've decided to support candidates directly until DNC straightens out.
Love it!!
The DNC has limited reach but has been used as an all-purpose villain to represent "Democrats" since the Bernie campaign glommed onto this in 2016. You are so right. Everyone loves to pontificate about what Democrats "should" do, and I saw an example above. DON'T talk about Trump. Come on, he's the biggest threat to this country and the enemy of everything ordinary people support. In 2024, I saw this advice to Harris constantly, coupled with "She needs to talk about Trump more." It was lose/lose all the way. (The joke was she WAS balancing both perfectly, but the media was trying to tug her away from everything she wanted to focus on and never amplified her campaign messages.)
JD Vance was the only advisor who took the position that we should not bomb Iran. Also, he was the only advisor who took the position that the administration should come clean on the Epstein files. He is connected to political reality. He is an opportunist, for sure. Is he truly wedded to Project 2025? I’m not sure he’s an extremist like Miller and the guy in charge of OBM. MAGA doesn’t like him, so that might force him to be reasonable to get political support from elsewhere.
Vance is a puppet of Peter Thiel, who is certifiably evil and a crackpot. But Vance has the personality of wet blotting paper and will not control the MAGA cult. So some rational discourse may be possible.
That's the key: he has no appeal to the MAGA cult which is a cult of personality. They worship Trump; they don't worship Vance.
I agree. He also is pretty disgusted with Trump's "cabinet" so if Trump goes out and JV comes in, he probably will replace most if not all of them. But as John pointed out, he's tight with Theil, JV has always adjusted his personality to adapt to whoever is his current mentor, and unless Theil has somehow magically modified his views (not likely) I think he is likely to have a large influence on how that goes. The chaos would not be like the Trump admin, but Theil is sneakier and for the timre remaining we will need Congress to ride herd on them. Why the midterms are so very critical.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed --- that you are correct. He did come out
against Trump before he was offered the seat next to him. We can only hope.
We (partially) ran on project 2025 in the last election, but there was no clear reporting on it from the (billionaire-dependent) media. And there’s still no coverage except by independents. Keeping Trump in office and blocking his extreme corruption in the courts may well work in Democrats’ favor this year and in 2028. A Vance administration would only be preferable UNLESS Vance’s lack of decency and charisma turns off MAGA diehards. (Unlikely?)
The media refused to report on Harris' campaign, instead trying to drag her into what THEY wanted to talk about (mostly her response to Trump).
Good point.
We have another point or two here. One is the essence of newspapers. I think it has to do with today's news and tomorrow's news. Years ago the story of the pedifile priests came out. It was a scandal and then other things took over. It took about 10 years before it came back in full force and society had to deal with it.
There's always the next story to get into and onto.
The story I keep thinking about is the cost of Trump's doings in our future.The Iran War is now a month old and at one time the news was a week of war cost... was it $11 million. Now that has been said, we don't see it in every story about that war, but the millions keep piling on. Added to that the war isn't coming out of our budget, we are borrowing money for the fight. That means we are paying interest on those funds. The longer the war lasts the greater the interest. The longer it takes us to pay it the more it will cost us in terms of health care and education and just everything. Some of my postcards sayd "America can't afford Trump". Another comment is that "Trump is doing what he does best... going bankrupt". I think those statements tell the story fast and to the point.
But it is Wack-a-mole game...
He keeps us on our toes with a new crisis every day and a new fire to put out. It's hard to keep up.
Personally, I don't think there are enough maga diehards left to make a difference. They are seeing through the curtain and T's ratings are down, down, down.
I live in a very blue state, and I go to weekly town protests (standouts). Still plenty of MAGA drivers being foul to us—some of them won’t let go, tho they may note vote in forthcoming elections. Hopefully.
but no one fears vance, that's the difference
True, but I bet they fear - and want - Thiel's money.
No, he would not be worse. Policywise he'd be the same — Miller and Project 2025 are running everything NOW. But he wouldn't be erratic and reckless, and lacks that "charm" that MAGAs find in Trump — he's awkward, doughy, unappealing and HAS A BROWN WIFE. He'd be an instant lame duck. MAGAs would lose interest.
We're betweenthe proverbial rock and a hard place. There is absolutely a risk that Trump will trigger a nuclear war. It could start with an almost equally struggling Putin resorting to tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine for example, but Vance, by seeming to be a more reasonable choice, would drive harder and more effectively on Project 2025's destruction of government and push in the direction of a Christian nation that would rival Islam exremism. Our best bet is to accept the risk of Trump doing something lierally insane while we push hard on the midterms and support organizations like the Contrarian, ACLU and Democracy Docket that are winning in court.
vance is stupid. he's the one who once stated that he doesn't care about ukraine. he has absolutely no grasp on how the world works.
I suspect that the nuclear option has had constraints put on it already.
Dear Annie,
My view of the nuclear issue is that if I were Iran there is no way I would give up any nuclear material. That is because, I hope that I am correct --- everyone now knows how truly dangerous a nuclear war would be. There would be a chain reaction and that would be that.
But Trump's insistance on their giving up their nuclear material is over the top. It would be suicide for Iran to let their country not have the deterrent other countries have. Remember the concept of Zero Sum War... that we do not intend to crush the enemy so that they are unable to recover. We did that in Germany after WWI and we asked them to pay reparations. That hurt the country enough for them to accept Hitler.
It all comes down to the fact that we have an illiterate, uncaring, egotist who is like a child doing anything it wants to without ever considering the consequences.
We are a truly baby country. We're only 350 years old. We have a lot to learn.
No one likes Vance. He might end up finishing Trump's term, but he will never be elected president on his own.
Some thoughts from a retired Internist: I watched the video of the interview and I was seriously concerned that he might actually assault her. I was assaulted by a psychiatric patient during my training and know the signs. Because of HIPAA rules, it is likely illegal for his doctors to reveal his worsening instability. As part of a broad restructuring on The Executive Branch, we need to impose a slew of Constitutional requirements for and regulation of the Executive... or, I think, a wholesale rethink of the Executive function of our Government. We have vested far too much power in one individual and we are seeing now some of the consequences.
It didn't help that Congress (wanting to avoid responsibility and conflict, no doubt) basically handed much of its authority to the office of the president. The supreme court acted similarly with their favorable interpretation of the law. Two of the legs of the government literally sawed themselves off, resulting in an unbalanced power in the executive.
While I agree with you that HIPPA rules prevent his physicians from releasing anything other than platitudes that are meaningless, removing the current resident of the White House because of the appearance of mental illness would require the initiation of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. That would require: (1) the VP and a majority of executive officers, at least 15 Cabinet members, to communicate to the Senate president pro tempore and the speaker of the House that they are removing the current president because he can no longer perform the duties of the office of the president; or (2) that another governmental body chosen by Congress communicates in writing to the Senate president pro tempore and the speaker of the House to say that the president is unable perform the duties of the office of the president. In the current environment, the first option will never happen as all the existing Cabinet members are the leading sycophants of the current WH resident. And unless the Republicans in both the Senate and House all suddenly have a miraculous vision of the truth, the second option will not happen unless the Democrats control both the Senate and the House after January 1, 2027. And I also agree with you that changes do need to be made to the Executive Branch to prevent another wannabe authoritarian/dictator/emperor taking so much direct control of the entire executive operation of the running of the country and I would very much like to know how. you would propose that those requirements and regulations be accomplished so that we do not relive this type of presidency.
I would like to do several things: 1. Make the DOJ and Inspectors General free standing branches of the government with no lines of appointment from or responsibility to the Executive. If either found a President indictable for a felony offense they would obtain the indictment from a group of senior-status federal judges sitting as the grand jury. Then the President would be required to step aside until adjudicated. 2. Predefined a medical board of inquiry which can be called into action if a significant plurality of Congress invokes a 25th Amendment investigation.
Question: who would do the appointing of the Attorney General and the Inspectors General?
I’m still thinking about that, but I’m thinking about the appropriate Congressional Committee nominating that person and the Senate voting to confirm. With adequate statutory experience required.
It would have to be bipartisan nomination and vote - more than a simple majority but not two thirds - say 60 votes? Then the Attorney General could appoint the Inspectors General with a simple majority approval. Maybe the term(s) could be similar to the that of the Fed a 10 year term that would span elections?
Stop Trump’s
Unlawful
Fascist
Corruption
25 47
86 47 ? oh I get it, 25th amendment
Putin’s investment in our 2016 presidential election has certainly paid off well for him. For us, not so much.
Actually, Putin is not doing very well, either in Russia or abroad, He lives isolated, afraid to appear in public. Russian economy is deteriorating, and there is an active resistance, He can't hold onto military personnel, partly because they aren't being adequately trained and partly because they are finding ways to not be involved.
and partly because they keep getting killed.
Superb suggestions for any reporter to ask of Republicans,especially for the Vice President. The ability for reality to be pushed aside by all the Cabinet members has to be challenged as well.
Every encounter with or interview of any lawmaker should start with a basic question. Do you believe the president is mentally competent to handle the job? Play with wording but expect more than dismissal, talking points, and empty rhetoric.
I hope you’re feeling better, Jen. We miss you!🥰
As I have noted for decades, the single most powerful political weapon is credible ridicule. It is the soft underbelly of partisan politics. Chevy Chase on SNL did more damage to Gerald Ford than an entire army of Democrats.
Ford was an easy target, and good-natured about much of the criticism. I disagreed with him on policy and his decision to pardon Nixon. But he deserved better than he got, No excuse for the acquiescence of most of the MSM where Trump is concerned, It must take a lot of energy to ignore or downplay his deterioration.
I am grateful to Jimmy Kimmel for giving us a way to let off steam about
what the Orange Menace is doing. The same is true of SNL with their opening piece, usually about Tumpism.
“Sit Liberty, good dog” haha
Love it!
Trump’s tame Republicans are still with him, ready to destroy our country to keep themselves in power. Destroy social security, Medicare, Medicaid and food programs? No problem! Gut our intelligence agencies to make Putin happy? No problem! Disrupt voting? No problem! More tax breaks for the oligarchs? No problem!
Not mentioned but also important is the constant push to privatize the U.S. Postal Service, and support prisons for profit.
Thank you.
Destroying the social safety net has been on the GOP agenda for decades. I don’t think Trump cares one way or another. He recently admitted he does not even think of the plight of the American people.
“Trump cannot cope with reality”
And….never could! His sheer stupidity, and concomitant incompetence in every walk of life, is what compelled him to create his false persona, as his defense mechanism. He was Born broken!
And yet……1 in 3 voters STILL want him as their President! Incomprehensible! That’s like saying that they approve of putting their hand on an open-flame stove burner….even after burning themselves previously by doing the same! One can only conclude….as the rest of the world must…..that Americans are hopelessly stupid! Sad to say. Very sad.
On the other hand, it’s encouraging to see that 2 out of 3 American voters DISapprove of this Kakistocracy. So, maybe there’s Hope, yet, to “right this ship”, and get it back on course.
Vote Blue!
we are not a smart country
And we are too apathetic, the NO KINGS rallies notwithstanding. People who don't vote, I find to be more contemptible than the brainwashed Trump supporters. How does that song go, you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything? We must ALL ALL ALL of us vote this November to save our country. And if you're not registered yet, do it NOW, the sooner the better.
john mellencamp surely didn't know how that song would be a motto for so many.
While we are talking about being smart. Do any of you remember the first intellectual TV show that brought us all a cultural education. Alistair Cook was the host. Was it called Omnibus.. that sounds wrong. BUT the import thing is today we have these awful reality shows that are just gossip and floss and no substance. I watch MHZ2 with more adult themes. Most of our TV programs in my opinion are background to the commercials.
yes ! the commercials are reallyyyy longgg... I switch between 2 shows to avoid commercials
I agree. What I hear from my European friends is that, at their most generous, they wonder at the brainpower required to elect DJT twice! They feel sorry for us, but they are busy figuring out how to protect their countries in the face of what has become our international destruction! One of three is very discouraging, so people around the world wonder about our collective commitments to anything good or helpful to themselves and to the world. Their concerns make sense to me, as I wonder about that myself.
can't blame them...America has been running around saying follow me for decades and screaming freedom this way and all of a sudden says forget it we're not doing that anymore
Perfectly stated Justin. Let's all actively work to GET OUT THE VOTE and chide those habitually vote the party and not the candidate.
Except in the case of our last election when people voted for the candidate and not the party. We have to face America's racism. None of us want to admit it, but, again, in my view, we need a presidential candidate that doesn't immediately make us lose votes by their very difference from the norm. But even while I am saying that Obama made the cut twice. Maybe there is hope. It is just so scary and there is so much to lose.
Why would a rural farmer vote for a selfish city guy from NYC who changed party affiliation 7 times? Rural farmers value stability, predictability and low risk decision making. tRump violates all of the fundamentals they value.
The scientific and engineering communities should be strongly opposed to tRump. He is about to replace scientific peer review of funding proposals with policy review and not fund any research that is likely to produce results the undermine policy: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/09/opinion/science-federal-government-funding.html?smid=url-share
To summarize: The quality of ideas is the foundation of true authority.
I just never thought farmers were stupid, now...
But many farmers are Christian white supremacists.
so they can perish with the unholy
They are not stupid, but they have intense brand loyalty. Many of them including half of my family have been Lincoln Republicans since the 1870s. At this point they are loyal to the label without realizing the values switched to the Democratic party and the anti-Lincoln/Confederate values have taken over the Republican party via Nixon's Southern Strategy.
so they didn't notice the repub party has changed ?
Out of respect to their parents, grandparents, and religious leaders, they don't question what they are taught. It is strong brand label loyalty, and it is nearly immune from challenge from anyone other than a grandparent or religious leader.
it does help me understand how good religious people can vote for such a horrible as trump.
wow, that is a powerful situation that maintains the status quo and ensures nothing changes. what state ?
I have seen this in my family. To implement change the two most important change leaders are the religious leaders and the grandparents. They are the pillars supporting the edifice. Kids, of course, are now immersed in social media. That is the other opportunity. That is where tRump and Muck have focused their propaganda campaign. That was not an accident.
Attention Jen, Norm & all Contrarains: science & research will be bludgeoned if the OMB has its new proposal passed!
We must submit our ‘public comments’ to the OMB now-July 13, 2026. Read the article I have attached and pleeeeease consider sharing and submitting your comments! This article is by ‘Your Local Epidemiologist’ on Substack.
https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/new-omb-rule-could-break-science?r=4cuj6f&utm_medium=ios
Always glad to hear your thoughts and ideas. I'm calling my reps, all Dems, today, and will suggest they read your piece. They seem to need some outside help.