OK, I agree with everything you say in here but, how much more “alarmed” are we supposed to be than we already are? My alarm level is already astronomical. But I still tried forward hoping that whatever small things I can do will help and I hope there are millions more people who are doing the same thing!
If you can, join one of the “No Kings” events on October 18th. If we can get to about 11 million active participants, that will cross an important threshold where there starts to be a domino effect. If you live in one of the key states with pivotal elections this year (VA, NJ, PA, and CA) make sure to vote. Keep up the pressure on your Members of Congress. Finally, keep recruiting your friends. The more people engaged in active resistance the better.
The Epstein petition is a mechanism to force every House member to vote on the record whether they support the victims. It is a test. Some Congressional Republicans privately oppose Trump but are living in fear to cross him. The Epstein issue could break the ice.
Pam, it is understandable in wishing they would resign, yet I wonder who would grasp the opportunity to fill the positions. Who would run and get into that side of the aisle, eagerly fling what the quitters avoid doing? I wish I knew answers and that only people with dedicated adherence to the Constitution and to their obligation to their position would fill those seats.
Well they’re not doing anything now anyway so they might as well quit. But I understand your point. There is a group out there promoting running for elections even if it’s in a district where you don’t have a much of a chance because if we don’t put somebody out there there’s no chance.
Thank you for that Sharon, it was very disturbing to me when it was thought it was a terrorism act. But I have a friend who has a business that makes fire extinguishers, and she has an electric car with a lithium battery and she won’t park her cars in the house garage
Bacon has publicly and repeatedly clashed with Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed as Secretary of Defense in January 2025. Bacon's criticism of Hegseth has been a running story throughout 2025, culminating with Bacon calling for his resignation in October. Not running for re election.
I signed up ages ago and I was at the first one, and plus I have been at some other ones too. Those are the small things I think I’m doing. Plus some other stuff. But thanks to you we all are reminded again, to sign up for that. Which I did at least three weeks ago.
If you want some ideas for “advanced” resistance techniques check out Christopher Armitage’s “Existential Republic” which is also on Substack. He is ex-law enforcement so he seems to know exactly where the line between legal and illegal runs. He has some very clever thoughts.
It's definitely important to practice self-care. My anxiety and alarm are also high. As others have noted, taking action--No Kings 2, calling your Congress people, reaching out to family and friends and discussing what's going on, it's all important. I practice deep breathing and do several short yoga sessions each week. Walks can be especially restorative , but even sitting outside if you have a yard and enjoying nature for a few minutes. Hang in there. We are all in this together.
DS, thank you for those valuable reminders. Also,it can help to be sure to sing, hum, have some songs in your heart, get some sunlight if possible, and find ways to laugh each day.
"The courts, Congress, the voters, and/or the military itself (which is obligated to refuse illegal orders) must be adamant that his dangerous charade will not work." At this time, we need the military leadership declaring their loyalty to the constituion.
I suggest reading Jack Hopkins substack. It tells much about how reactions can go and how people react to authority despite beliefs, training, and dedication. I hope 100% of the military will remain faithful to our Constitution, but there are concerns along with prayers.
"OK, I agree with everything you say in here but, how much more “alarmed” are we supposed to be than we already are?"
Because Jen doesn't know any level of fear-mongering other than "Trump is a dictator and we have to do SOMETHING or we're all going to die!!!" all day, every day.
Hal, I think Jen is wonderful, and she is the one whose substack has led me to finding still more substacks. I am forever grateful to her, and I do understand your concerns. As to helping, first, there is a spreadsheet of contact information for both houses of Congress to be found at times on the Robert Reich substack, kindly left by a commenter. If you want to contact members of Congress outside of your state, you can call after hours and leave a message without having to identify your state of residence, I believe. Even if you do not pay to join the other substacks, you can read or watch them.
Heather Cox Richardson, whom Jen has interviewed, has Letters from An American online. It gives up to date information and sources.
Jack Hopkins has a substack which might give you ideas about what to do.
Professor Robert Reich has a substack with many comments made in response. You might like to see what suggestions you find or like there.
Jen has interviewed the Individuble founder, I believe, and he is an organizer of the No Kings Day gatherings.
Aaron Parnas, if I spelled his last name correctly, gives oral news updates multiple times many days.
Scott Dworkin’s substack shares good news and gives us hope.
Possibly by adding some of these Substacks, or others, to your gathering of information, you might see what works for you. Not everyone agrees on the best steps to take, but I am grateful to Jen for this foundation and her dedication, for her having introduced me, through her work, to still more people’s works, works which let us know that we are not alone, that other people are trying to help, and that we are not giving up. Some days there is uplifting news such as Scott Dwarkin includes. Other times the outlook is bleak, yet over all, we know that we are not alone in caring and wanting to help. Robert Reich includes humor in a caption contest. You might like that. Contributions vary, and can be very clever. Each person brings a an angle I find valuable.
I hope you find what helps you and remain thankful for Jen’s dedicated work. Her interviews have helped me know of many people and their works, works which I would have missed if it were not for Jen. Everybody matters. Let’s keep the faith and do what we can.
Hi and thank you for the reply. You probably have not read my other posts in the comments section. I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either. But in this forum I will provide push back on Jen's message for the day. Thanks again for the reply and have a great day!
You are right, recently I have not kept up as well in reading the comments, and I am unfamiliar with yours. I do know that seeing Jen in interviews usually makes me feel happy. I have watched a wider variety of sites than I listed, but time does not permit that now. However your views, mine, or anyone else’s are categorized, I hope we all can care about people, truth, and preserving our freedoms, even if we differ on how that should or could be done. “This land is your land. This land is my land.” We must protect it, protect people, their freedoms, and ways to help meet their needs, and do so respectfully.
As I see it, God made us all. We must care. “What ye do for the least of thy brethren, ye do for me.” At least that is how I seem to remember the quotation, and I am sharing it because it came to mind, not trying to preach. I simply want everyone to care and to be kind. People are so much better when they are appreciated, and I expect that each person has some quality or aspects of character to be appreciated. We need to try to understand each other in kind ways. As one song goes, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love, not just for you and me, but for everyone.” Whether any of this makes any sense to you or to anyone, or whether it just makes me feel good, I am sharing it here because it came to mind, and I do not know how else to share. I do not carry animosity, but I do want to share good feelings and hope that everyone can feel better.
The wonderful thing in our country is that we can choose how we think, and we must maintain that freedom for everyone. I think of myself as a person who looks for the most good, and I try to weigh situations as right, meaning correct, and wrong. It is not always easy to tell what the best approaches are to helping our world, but I believe it starts with caring. I’ll share the beginning of one more song simply because it came to mind. “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be.”
I wish you and all of us peace and knowing that at some level, everyone surely must care. How could anyone not?
It appears that you have an opinion that may be completely unrelated to the articles that have been written. The articles discuss the issues we are facing that have led to an authoritarian State and have the military active in our cities! The list of demonstrable despotic methods now becoming official is now endless!
The question I think that you need to answer is not what you think of the author, but what is your position on our current state of democracy? Do you support the efforts specified in the Heritage Manifesto, and subsequently those who are currently in charge of the dismantling of our democracy? Or do you oppose it and believe that we need to fight against this authoritarian regime?
That seems to be the core of the issue, regardless of your assertion that it is the author of the opposition to the takeover, and never mentions the takeover at all. Is your comment that " I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either." the topic, or do you have some other agenda that you are attempting to cloak?
Bill, it is my opinion that we are here because we care about our Constitution, preserving our rights and our freedoms, and upholding America and its people and their rights. We do not want, do not need, and must not have an authoritarian government, by any means, as I feel certain you agree. That is not what we are about as Americans. It is up to our three branches of government to protect those rights, and it is not allowable for anyone in any position or branch of our government to abuse those rights or to over/reach and try to accuse oerceived enemies, of crimes. That is not and must not become part of the job. If it is or becomes an assumed job of a government official, and it is outside of the particular job description, it must be stopped by people in the other branches of government. As the news this morning alerts us, again, there is serious overstepping which must stop, and it is not based on fact as I understand it. I feel certain that you must realize these situations, otherwise, you would not be on this site. Thank you for caring about what matters and must be protected.
Definitely, we must preserve our democracy within our republic, and I believe that is the primary concern we all have. I hope so because without maintaining our rights as stated in our Constitution, and without resisting and stopping any and every threat to our Constitution, we would be unAmerican. We need respectful people in positions of our government, respectful people who stand up for our freedoms, are polite to all people, and who take their duties to protect our Constitution seriously. I believe in separation of church and state, but I also pray that we can come through the turmoil and destruction taking place this year, and that we can become, again, the nation We the People have defined. We must.
Thank you for your reply and opinion. Unlike you, I will not suggest how you should frame your responses on any particular topic the author cares to discuss.
"The articles discuss the issues we are facing that have led to an authoritarian State..."
I don't believe we are actually in an authoritarian State, but Jen and many of the posters here do.
"Do you support the efforts specified in the Heritage Manifesto, and subsequently those who are currently in charge of the dismantling of our democracy?"
I believe in the Constitution...how about you?
"Is your comment that "I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either." the topic, or do you have some other agenda that you are attempting to cloak?"
It was and has been my position with regards to our nation's main political parties. You may infer whatever you want from such.
Well, there you have it. That was all that was asked for, and you complied with my request. If you do NOT think our nation is now fully entrenched in authoritarianism, then, of course, regardless of what you claim to write thereafter, it has that as its foundation. Your doublespeak cover is now blown.
Also, keep calling your elected reps in Congress. Tell them to keep the government shut until Trump stops using the army as his domestic police force. Also, the money to pay for the healthcare subsidies should come from the money given to ICE. To save money, the entire Homeland Security Agency should be shut down. Keep FEMA as a separate agency.
Even if smuggling drugs met the standard for the international definition of armed conflict, the administration has offered no evidence that the boats in question were actually smuggling drugs.
Exactly, Kristopher. According to family members of the dead, the first small boat to be “vaporized” was on its way to Trinidad and Tobago, not the United States. Plus, I read that the vessel was more than 1,000 nautical miles away from America. It’s only a threat in Stephen Miller’s diseased brain.
This is exactly why we should not believe. The old 'trust but verify' that Reagan advocated can't even be done because the boats are gone and the people involved are dead. How thorough.
An interesting proverb - and Russian in origin, which makes it even more interesting. Odd to think that if Reagan came along today, the 2025 Gang would label him as "woke," especially with those "obamaphones" he came up with.
I live in downtown Chicago. The stated pretext from the trump regime for the middle of the night, military raid on a 5 story apartment building in the South Shore neighborhood is that Tren de Agaua (sp ?) gang members “frequented” the building. Let that sink in. There was no allegation that gang members lived in the building, just that they were sometimes there. After terrorizing an entire 5 story building full of residents (the majority of them are black US citizens) using a Blackhawk helicopter, military vehicles and hundreds of masked, armed camouflage wearing federal agents they ended up arresting 37 people. How many of them were Tren de Agaua gang members? The government won’t say!
Where is the ACLU who should be representing the US citizens who live in this apartment building and apparently were detained and even zip-tied by ICE agents? Hard to believe a child needs to be zip-tied. Those are illegal arrests and are against state as-well-as federal law. I doubt that the so-called federal agents had any search warrants or arrest warrants for any of the US citizens that they illegally detained and then were later released. Next time, people need to demand to see their warrants and get the agents names and agency.
There are the local police, local and state district attorneys, who can arrest even federal agents when they violate state and federal laws.
Maybe some of what you say will come to pass. There is a city investigation being done about the children being zip tied. I have not heard about a larger investigation into the entire raid. Our police department has been lax in protecting citizens against attacks from ICE and CBP.
Part of the problem is there are so many heinous acts being committed by federal agents. An immigrant was killed several weeks ago when he ran from federal agents. His “criminal history”? Several prior vehicular violations. That was enough for agents to summarily execute him. He was not a threat to the agents- he had no weapon and he was running from them, not trying to attack them.
A lawsuit was just filed on behalf of local journalists and protestors as they are being shot at with projectiles and gassed with chemical agents every single day. Last Friday federal agents were indiscriminately and without provocation throwing chemical canisters out of the window of their moving car as families with children were walking them home from daycare. The local elementary school went into a lockdown because of this. An agent walked up to a local minister who was just standing there praying and without provocation sprayed a chemical in the pastors face.
Over the weekend agents discharged 7 bullets fired at a woman they claimed was “boxing them in” while driving. The bullets hit the woman in the arm. Agents initially claimed she threatened them with a gun (which was in her purse as she has concealed/carry license). But, interestingly that was not mentioned in the charging documents. Local media has gotten ahold of a tape where the agent said- “Do something bitch” and then he shot her.
I hope you are right. The state and city have legal authority to arrest those who illegally attack a person. Even federal agents, FBI, ICE, state police, and local police officers can be arrested for illegal arrests and illegally attacking people. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and it doesn't matter if you are in law enforcement, a mayor, a governor, President, a legislator, or a judge.
A few years ago a friend from childhood, who is a self-proclaimed Trumper, told me not to be turned of by Trump’s personality and personal life, but to look at his policies.
I’m looking at his regime’s policies, both domestic and international, and the outcomes can only be death.
As always, Jennifer Rubin lays out clearly the path Trump is purposely taking us. But I believe we should start naming names along with Trump, including Stephen Miller, Mike Johnson, Russel Vought, JD Vance, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, and unbelievably Marc Rubio.
Their names should be mentioned often as unlawful, cruel, un-democratic liars that they are.
These people seem to be the ones willfully carrying out Project 2025 and if they fall, could the project fall as well.
Can we also hear from Norm - if these government workers are not faithful to their oath - what is the crime? What good is an oath if it can't be upheld.
We need a modern day Mme. LaFarge (of the French Revolution period) to be keeping a list of these people. There must be accountability, charges, and trials.
We are where we are today because of another phrase that must be stricken from our lexicon: presidential immunity. (Thank you, John Roberts.) That phrase has transformed our Commander-in-Chief from a president into a monarch.
The first law passed by any new Congress after Trump leaves office should be: No one under the jurisdiction of the United States of America is above the law. The second should be: no convicted felon, absent nullification of conviction, is eligible to run for any national office in the United States of America.
And don’t forget a pardon gets those felonies gone. Have to make sure convictions will also prevent any shyster from getting a leadership position. (imho)
"We are where we are today because of another phrase that must be stricken from our lexicon: presidential immunity."
Donna, we are here today because more people were dissatisfied with what Biden and Democrats had been doing the previous four years. The people spoke, and the Left has been acting like sore losers ever since because they are no longer in power. The people will have another chance in the mid-terms and in 2028 if they are not happy with the current leadership. And should Repubs lose everything and dare to oppose anything the Dems do, Jen and company will still rail against them as being obstructionists who are a threat to democracy.
I don't believe people were truly dissatisfied with Biden. We are here because of misinformation, disinformation, propaganda ala fox and other right wing stations, misogyny and racism. People are made to hate democrats by the propaganda they choose to watch.
"I don't believe people were truly dissatisfied with Biden."
An open border and the economy didn't help, along with the fact that Dems and the media tried to hide Biden's mental decline throughout his term. That house of cards came down during the June debate. I don't care to whatever political ideology one ascribes, no one likes being lied to.
"People are made to hate democrats by the propaganda they choose to watch."
People have been made to hate other groups over time for the exact same reason. As far as watching Biden's mental decline, the only media you needed to watch was C-SPAN.
The economy was the best in the world before Trump started wreaking it. I listened to many speeches during Biden's term. There was no mental decline "throughout his term". More propaganda. Yes, the June debate was bad. You may remember he wasn't running in the end. Harris was running and lost because of racism, misogyny, misinformation, disinformation from Fox and other right wing propagandists. Your comments are all so cynical. I wonder why you are here. A troll perhaps.
"The economy was the best in the world before Trump started wreaking it."
"Best in the world" for whom? One of the complaints was that the economy wasn't working for the average American, and why would it with an aggregate 20% inflation over four years? Wages were rising but not as fast as inflation. Yet the Biden administration was tone-deaf to it. Trump is doing the same thing with regards to tariffs.
"Yes, the June debate was bad."
It was a disaster, and even some of the faithful media said so. The same media that previously denied there was any problem with Biden's mental capacity. It was like the scene out of "Casablanca" - they were all "shocked" that Biden performed so badly. Give me a break. But if you read Jen's WaPo column...it was all about Trump lying.
"You may remember he wasn't running in the end."
You may remember he was forced out by donors, Pelosi, Obama, Schumer and Jeffries, after Biden had already received enough delegates to secure the nomination. How "democratic" of the party...not.
"Harris was running and lost because of racism, misogyny, misinformation, disinformation..."
Yes, the old "racism and misogyny" argument. How about Harris was simply incompetent? I watched her interviews (that is, once she agreed to do them).
"Your comments are all so cynical. I wonder why you are here. A troll perhaps."
My comments and observations are probably the only push back to Jen's daily "anti-Trump" narrative in this forum. The rest of the posters here are merely the choir to Jen's role as preacher. In effect, it's an echo chamber.
I am here because I choose to be here to offer my opinions (and paid for the privilege). You may agree or disagree, respond to my comments or not - that is your choice.
Yeah, Trump's economy is working so much better for the average American. And Trump and his fascists are so much more competent than Kamala. As I suspected after engaging with you, Trump regime troll. Goodbye. We will win.
Biden wasn't my first choice of candidates (that would have been Warren or Sanders)--except when he became the nominated alternative to you-know-who. I think what he did re Bibi/Gaza, and way back when he ushered Clarence Thomas to the SC: I think these things are a shameful legacy. But he had a basic humanity that is totally missing in our current Oval Office Occupant. When the current OOO first campaigned in 2015 I thought a few of his ideas seemed valid: reform immigration, reduce our military footprint overseas. Who knew what cruelty he'd inflict? Who knew that he'd bring the military home to terrorize our cities? Biden had his shortcomings, and these became more pronounced with his cognitive decline. At least he didn't start out with a truckload of emotional pathologies. There might have been a humane way to reign in uncontrolled immigration, to make international trade fairer, and to reign in our military force and budget. But instead this president has chosen to use threats, bullying and cruelty as his tools of choice. Instead of winning the Peace Prize on October 10th (which he won't), he should be named a war criminal by the ICC.
Trump is NOT doing the same thing Biden did with regards to tariffs. There was no on-again, off-again, on-again nonsense, and no tearing up of long-term trade agreements with Biden. Heck, Trump tore up the agreement HE negotiated with Canada and Mexico in his first term! You can't make it make sense.
Trump's dementia is worsening by the day. He doesn't know where he is half the time. He watches Fox replay old tapes of fires in Portland from the few actual riots that erupted during the George Floyd protests in 2020, and he believes that's what's happening now. Because that's all he knows: what Fox and Steven Miller tell him today.
Biden would still make a better president than Trump today, if only because he'd have a competent cabinet and doesn't hate half the nation.
It will not surprise me if Trump orders the military tp open fire on unarmed civilians. There will be another Kent State soon. Trump will celebrate it and raise money off it for himself. He is mentally unhinged and so are his wannabe followers.
He does indeed, along with a low-rent, feral cunning and a grifter's knack for b.s. At the same time, Miller is at least the catalyst for the stochastic terrorism, and certainly is the architect of the ICE atrocities.
Great article, Jen. The public needs to be informed, and I am thankful that you are supplying us with this information here.
Trump has declared war on Democrats and our states and cities. He is America's Enemy within. It is time to take legal action.
Here's where I stand, though: it is time to remove this, President. Either by impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment. It is time for action now. I know Republicans are the majority in both houses, but I feel we have closet Republicans who want Trump out. I do know Al Green, Texas, submitted articles of impeachment. It is time to impeach again. We can't just keep on discussing the issues at hand. Trump's getting worse by the day. Unhinged power is driving this administration. There must be something we can do legally to remove this, President. We have great legal minds in America. It's time to put those powerful minds to work. Figure out a way to remove the tyrant. I know Norman Eisen comes across as calm, sound of mind, and knowledgeable/experienced in political legal matters. It bears repeating.
It is time for action now. The Democrats should have discussions with the Republicans whom they feel would be agreeable for removal. Massie, MTG, I'm sure there are others.
Well, I've been waiting for it to happen. I've been trying to keep track of all the types of crimes Donald Trump has committed sometime in his life, and the only one that was left was first-degree murder.
Taking pot shots at speedboats traveling in international waters--morally equivalent to sitting at an overpass next to a busy highway with a scope-mounted hunting rifle and shooting at drivers of oncoming cars--seems to count as first-degree murder. I know that DT didn't pull the trigger himself, but he ordered his hired thugs to go out and do it. As far as I'm concerned, this has finally implicated him in commission of every crime known to humanity.
We knew it was only a matter of time. His 2016 comment, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters," indicated that he was at least thinking about it. Knowing what a master of impulse control he is, we understood it to be inevitable. Well, he's finally done it.
And yesterday came the proclamation to sailors on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the US Navy that half the population is the “enemy”. Does that mean that he is enabling himself to attack and kill us if we don’t fall in line with his bullshit? Tha makes me aand many others “contrarians” and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Would you?
I think that is what he means. Trump and hus handlers, especially Stephen Miller deliberately use dehumanizing, inflammatory language to describe everyone who disagrees with this administration.
Now Democrats are gnats. What do you do with pests? You exterminate them.
What could be more clear that Miller and Vought mean to establish a one party state in which no dissent is allowed?
Spot on. It's crystal clear they want a one-party state, subservient to supreme leader, a demagogic dictator, precisely what our nation's founders were concerned about and tried to ward against. Unfortunately too much of our system is based on perceived norms and leaders being "people of good character." Along with SCOTUS, we need major reforms of the Executive Branch and a re-empowerment of Congress.
There's a dangerous pattern here, isn't there? Objectify your enemies so you can exterminate them or in the US, invoke the Insurrection Act. I wonder how are far we are from that happening. . .
NOTE: This comment is slightly off-track. As usual, Jen said it all in her column. This is just a little sidebar to what's happening.
For nearly three years I've been a volunteer gardener at Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage, in Hyde Park. Once a week we gather to lovingly maintain her flowers, bushes, vegetables, and trees, to keep them as healthy as possible, and to welcome the many visitors who come to admire and tour. Our harvest of flowers and fruits is free to the public.
There never was a more busy and adored public person than Eleanor, who, despite a lifetime of obstacles, did a great deal for human rights in this country, the UN, and this world. Tending her plants is a meditative, healing experience and feels like a tiny part of her mission.
Now there no visitors, no tours, no volunteers. The whole place is closed, and no one is even permitted to put a shovel in the ground. Apparently this National Park - like all the others - is a threat to America and must be unfunded and shut down. Eleanor's cottage is small compared to the vast natural wonders of the other national parks, which people come from everywhere to enjoy. But the same cruel, stupid and twisted mentality applies.
This is just one more example of the ongoing corrosion of America, thanks to the ugly team in charge...
I think I've run out of adjectives!!! Except maybe childish. Like, I bet when he deploys the troops he says "vroom, vroom" to himself, as if it's all a big Tonka truck to him...
He's so far gone, and so laughable, it's the successors we have to worry about.
Trump is increasingly descending into a deep dark paranoia where he sees everyone around him as his enemy, whom he must forcibly put down before they go on the offensive to annihilate our country. Consequently, he has put our armed forces on high alert and has ordered his generals to send armed detachments into our cities to quell dissenters before they break out into open warfare that threatens his megalomania.
Sitting in the White House is a totally deranged psychopath who has mounted his white stallion ready to lead the charge against these hostile urban wind mills.
We all stand in fear that his loyalists on the Supreme Court will wave him on to attack.
I think it's not paranoia but vindictiveness and retribution. Anyone who dared to take him to court, to question him and charge him, or stand against him is in his crosshairs. So if at least 60% of Americans vote against him let's see how retribution works.
I think the "slippery slope" is even more slippery than you realize and much longer, if drug cartels and drug dealers and the folks that provide their logistics can be targeted as illegal enemy combatants, how long before someone in the T administration (say RFK jr) decides that a pharmaceutical company (that hasn't paid enough bribe money) that "kills people" with immunizations (or "turns children autistic") can be designated illegal enemy combatants?
Sue, you are thinking along the same lines I am, only I have a twist: If in fact the US is allowed to summarily execute people trying to get to the US to sell drugs that may kill people, considering that selling drugs that will kill people who use them is not "armed combat", then are not those guilty of providing the drugs (and the misinformation) that fueled the opioid crisis equally armed combatants? And if so (bear with me here) shouldn't the governement equally consider, say, Purdue Pharma as armed combatants. This is a question to be put to the billionaire owners and backers of the Right Wing project. Our biggest problem is that the decades long tilt of the US "free market" sliding so much wealth into such undeserving hands, means that the electorate does not decide elections. The billionaires do by propagating egregious lies meant to keep the grift flowing. If a few of those influencial rich folks saw the oligarchy/dictatorship as potentially harming themselves, more facts might slip through to voters. (Of course that ignores the fact that, three years from now, there may well be masked camo wearing soldiers with guns and pepper spray whose orders are prevent any Democrats from reaching the voting booth by any means up to including lethal force.)
OK, I agree with everything you say in here but, how much more “alarmed” are we supposed to be than we already are? My alarm level is already astronomical. But I still tried forward hoping that whatever small things I can do will help and I hope there are millions more people who are doing the same thing!
If you can, join one of the “No Kings” events on October 18th. If we can get to about 11 million active participants, that will cross an important threshold where there starts to be a domino effect. If you live in one of the key states with pivotal elections this year (VA, NJ, PA, and CA) make sure to vote. Keep up the pressure on your Members of Congress. Finally, keep recruiting your friends. The more people engaged in active resistance the better.
The Epstein petition is a mechanism to force every House member to vote on the record whether they support the victims. It is a test. Some Congressional Republicans privately oppose Trump but are living in fear to cross him. The Epstein issue could break the ice.
I don’t blame them for being afraid. After all one of their followers fire bombed a judges house. But I think if they’re afraid they should quit.
Pam, it is understandable in wishing they would resign, yet I wonder who would grasp the opportunity to fill the positions. Who would run and get into that side of the aisle, eagerly fling what the quitters avoid doing? I wish I knew answers and that only people with dedicated adherence to the Constitution and to their obligation to their position would fill those seats.
Well they’re not doing anything now anyway so they might as well quit. But I understand your point. There is a group out there promoting running for elections even if it’s in a district where you don’t have a much of a chance because if we don’t put somebody out there there’s no chance.
I understand, Pam. Thank you!
If you mean the judge in SC, that fire has been called an accident after they realized that their cars were parked under the house.
Thank you for that Sharon, it was very disturbing to me when it was thought it was a terrorism act. But I have a friend who has a business that makes fire extinguishers, and she has an electric car with a lithium battery and she won’t park her cars in the house garage
Some are. Check out Don Bacon.
I looked for Don Bacon and couldn’t find exactly what you might be referring to. Can you put a link in?
Bacon has publicly and repeatedly clashed with Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed as Secretary of Defense in January 2025. Bacon's criticism of Hegseth has been a running story throughout 2025, culminating with Bacon calling for his resignation in October. Not running for re election.
He has taken Trump on, but acquesced repeatedly. This stuff may be the last straw. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republican-turns-on-his-own-party-calls-for-hegseth-to-resign/ss-AA1DRJNA?ocid=socialshare#:~:text=Rep.,security%20and%20demands%20immediate%20change.
https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2709
I signed up ages ago and I was at the first one, and plus I have been at some other ones too. Those are the small things I think I’m doing. Plus some other stuff. But thanks to you we all are reminded again, to sign up for that. Which I did at least three weeks ago.
If you want some ideas for “advanced” resistance techniques check out Christopher Armitage’s “Existential Republic” which is also on Substack. He is ex-law enforcement so he seems to know exactly where the line between legal and illegal runs. He has some very clever thoughts.
It's definitely important to practice self-care. My anxiety and alarm are also high. As others have noted, taking action--No Kings 2, calling your Congress people, reaching out to family and friends and discussing what's going on, it's all important. I practice deep breathing and do several short yoga sessions each week. Walks can be especially restorative , but even sitting outside if you have a yard and enjoying nature for a few minutes. Hang in there. We are all in this together.
I have said repeatedly the antidote to despair is action!
DS, thank you for those valuable reminders. Also,it can help to be sure to sing, hum, have some songs in your heart, get some sunlight if possible, and find ways to laugh each day.
Thank you for that good advice!
Done all that and more!
I’m not new to this!
Ditto!
"The courts, Congress, the voters, and/or the military itself (which is obligated to refuse illegal orders) must be adamant that his dangerous charade will not work." At this time, we need the military leadership declaring their loyalty to the constituion.
I suggest reading Jack Hopkins substack. It tells much about how reactions can go and how people react to authority despite beliefs, training, and dedication. I hope 100% of the military will remain faithful to our Constitution, but there are concerns along with prayers.
"OK, I agree with everything you say in here but, how much more “alarmed” are we supposed to be than we already are?"
Because Jen doesn't know any level of fear-mongering other than "Trump is a dictator and we have to do SOMETHING or we're all going to die!!!" all day, every day.
Hal, I think Jen is wonderful, and she is the one whose substack has led me to finding still more substacks. I am forever grateful to her, and I do understand your concerns. As to helping, first, there is a spreadsheet of contact information for both houses of Congress to be found at times on the Robert Reich substack, kindly left by a commenter. If you want to contact members of Congress outside of your state, you can call after hours and leave a message without having to identify your state of residence, I believe. Even if you do not pay to join the other substacks, you can read or watch them.
Heather Cox Richardson, whom Jen has interviewed, has Letters from An American online. It gives up to date information and sources.
Jack Hopkins has a substack which might give you ideas about what to do.
Professor Robert Reich has a substack with many comments made in response. You might like to see what suggestions you find or like there.
Jen has interviewed the Individuble founder, I believe, and he is an organizer of the No Kings Day gatherings.
Aaron Parnas, if I spelled his last name correctly, gives oral news updates multiple times many days.
Scott Dworkin’s substack shares good news and gives us hope.
Possibly by adding some of these Substacks, or others, to your gathering of information, you might see what works for you. Not everyone agrees on the best steps to take, but I am grateful to Jen for this foundation and her dedication, for her having introduced me, through her work, to still more people’s works, works which let us know that we are not alone, that other people are trying to help, and that we are not giving up. Some days there is uplifting news such as Scott Dwarkin includes. Other times the outlook is bleak, yet over all, we know that we are not alone in caring and wanting to help. Robert Reich includes humor in a caption contest. You might like that. Contributions vary, and can be very clever. Each person brings a an angle I find valuable.
I hope you find what helps you and remain thankful for Jen’s dedicated work. Her interviews have helped me know of many people and their works, works which I would have missed if it were not for Jen. Everybody matters. Let’s keep the faith and do what we can.
Hi and thank you for the reply. You probably have not read my other posts in the comments section. I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either. But in this forum I will provide push back on Jen's message for the day. Thanks again for the reply and have a great day!
Hal, thanks for your reply.
You are right, recently I have not kept up as well in reading the comments, and I am unfamiliar with yours. I do know that seeing Jen in interviews usually makes me feel happy. I have watched a wider variety of sites than I listed, but time does not permit that now. However your views, mine, or anyone else’s are categorized, I hope we all can care about people, truth, and preserving our freedoms, even if we differ on how that should or could be done. “This land is your land. This land is my land.” We must protect it, protect people, their freedoms, and ways to help meet their needs, and do so respectfully.
As I see it, God made us all. We must care. “What ye do for the least of thy brethren, ye do for me.” At least that is how I seem to remember the quotation, and I am sharing it because it came to mind, not trying to preach. I simply want everyone to care and to be kind. People are so much better when they are appreciated, and I expect that each person has some quality or aspects of character to be appreciated. We need to try to understand each other in kind ways. As one song goes, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love, not just for you and me, but for everyone.” Whether any of this makes any sense to you or to anyone, or whether it just makes me feel good, I am sharing it here because it came to mind, and I do not know how else to share. I do not carry animosity, but I do want to share good feelings and hope that everyone can feel better.
The wonderful thing in our country is that we can choose how we think, and we must maintain that freedom for everyone. I think of myself as a person who looks for the most good, and I try to weigh situations as right, meaning correct, and wrong. It is not always easy to tell what the best approaches are to helping our world, but I believe it starts with caring. I’ll share the beginning of one more song simply because it came to mind. “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be.”
I wish you and all of us peace and knowing that at some level, everyone surely must care. How could anyone not?
JP4M, your articulate posts are much appreciated.
Nelljean, thank you so much!
It appears that you have an opinion that may be completely unrelated to the articles that have been written. The articles discuss the issues we are facing that have led to an authoritarian State and have the military active in our cities! The list of demonstrable despotic methods now becoming official is now endless!
The question I think that you need to answer is not what you think of the author, but what is your position on our current state of democracy? Do you support the efforts specified in the Heritage Manifesto, and subsequently those who are currently in charge of the dismantling of our democracy? Or do you oppose it and believe that we need to fight against this authoritarian regime?
That seems to be the core of the issue, regardless of your assertion that it is the author of the opposition to the takeover, and never mentions the takeover at all. Is your comment that " I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either." the topic, or do you have some other agenda that you are attempting to cloak?
Bill, it is my opinion that we are here because we care about our Constitution, preserving our rights and our freedoms, and upholding America and its people and their rights. We do not want, do not need, and must not have an authoritarian government, by any means, as I feel certain you agree. That is not what we are about as Americans. It is up to our three branches of government to protect those rights, and it is not allowable for anyone in any position or branch of our government to abuse those rights or to over/reach and try to accuse oerceived enemies, of crimes. That is not and must not become part of the job. If it is or becomes an assumed job of a government official, and it is outside of the particular job description, it must be stopped by people in the other branches of government. As the news this morning alerts us, again, there is serious overstepping which must stop, and it is not based on fact as I understand it. I feel certain that you must realize these situations, otherwise, you would not be on this site. Thank you for caring about what matters and must be protected.
Definitely, we must preserve our democracy within our republic, and I believe that is the primary concern we all have. I hope so because without maintaining our rights as stated in our Constitution, and without resisting and stopping any and every threat to our Constitution, we would be unAmerican. We need respectful people in positions of our government, respectful people who stand up for our freedoms, are polite to all people, and who take their duties to protect our Constitution seriously. I believe in separation of church and state, but I also pray that we can come through the turmoil and destruction taking place this year, and that we can become, again, the nation We the People have defined. We must.
Thank you for your reply and opinion. Unlike you, I will not suggest how you should frame your responses on any particular topic the author cares to discuss.
"The articles discuss the issues we are facing that have led to an authoritarian State..."
I don't believe we are actually in an authoritarian State, but Jen and many of the posters here do.
"Do you support the efforts specified in the Heritage Manifesto, and subsequently those who are currently in charge of the dismantling of our democracy?"
I believe in the Constitution...how about you?
"Is your comment that "I am definitely not a fan of Jen or the Left. I am not particularly fond of the Right, either." the topic, or do you have some other agenda that you are attempting to cloak?"
It was and has been my position with regards to our nation's main political parties. You may infer whatever you want from such.
Have a great day!
Well, there you have it. That was all that was asked for, and you complied with my request. If you do NOT think our nation is now fully entrenched in authoritarianism, then, of course, regardless of what you claim to write thereafter, it has that as its foundation. Your doublespeak cover is now blown.
There are!
Also, keep calling your elected reps in Congress. Tell them to keep the government shut until Trump stops using the army as his domestic police force. Also, the money to pay for the healthcare subsidies should come from the money given to ICE. To save money, the entire Homeland Security Agency should be shut down. Keep FEMA as a separate agency.
I’ve done that too.
Even if smuggling drugs met the standard for the international definition of armed conflict, the administration has offered no evidence that the boats in question were actually smuggling drugs.
Exactly, Kristopher. According to family members of the dead, the first small boat to be “vaporized” was on its way to Trinidad and Tobago, not the United States. Plus, I read that the vessel was more than 1,000 nautical miles away from America. It’s only a threat in Stephen Miller’s diseased brain.
And his master's. They are both diseased and deranged.
Nor are they likely to do so. If the short-fingered vulgarian said it, we just have to Believe....like Tinkerbelle.
This is exactly why we should not believe. The old 'trust but verify' that Reagan advocated can't even be done because the boats are gone and the people involved are dead. How thorough.
An interesting proverb - and Russian in origin, which makes it even more interesting. Odd to think that if Reagan came along today, the 2025 Gang would label him as "woke," especially with those "obamaphones" he came up with.
Or even if those on board were Venezuelan.
I live in downtown Chicago. The stated pretext from the trump regime for the middle of the night, military raid on a 5 story apartment building in the South Shore neighborhood is that Tren de Agaua (sp ?) gang members “frequented” the building. Let that sink in. There was no allegation that gang members lived in the building, just that they were sometimes there. After terrorizing an entire 5 story building full of residents (the majority of them are black US citizens) using a Blackhawk helicopter, military vehicles and hundreds of masked, armed camouflage wearing federal agents they ended up arresting 37 people. How many of them were Tren de Agaua gang members? The government won’t say!
Where is the ACLU who should be representing the US citizens who live in this apartment building and apparently were detained and even zip-tied by ICE agents? Hard to believe a child needs to be zip-tied. Those are illegal arrests and are against state as-well-as federal law. I doubt that the so-called federal agents had any search warrants or arrest warrants for any of the US citizens that they illegally detained and then were later released. Next time, people need to demand to see their warrants and get the agents names and agency.
There are the local police, local and state district attorneys, who can arrest even federal agents when they violate state and federal laws.
Maybe some of what you say will come to pass. There is a city investigation being done about the children being zip tied. I have not heard about a larger investigation into the entire raid. Our police department has been lax in protecting citizens against attacks from ICE and CBP.
Part of the problem is there are so many heinous acts being committed by federal agents. An immigrant was killed several weeks ago when he ran from federal agents. His “criminal history”? Several prior vehicular violations. That was enough for agents to summarily execute him. He was not a threat to the agents- he had no weapon and he was running from them, not trying to attack them.
A lawsuit was just filed on behalf of local journalists and protestors as they are being shot at with projectiles and gassed with chemical agents every single day. Last Friday federal agents were indiscriminately and without provocation throwing chemical canisters out of the window of their moving car as families with children were walking them home from daycare. The local elementary school went into a lockdown because of this. An agent walked up to a local minister who was just standing there praying and without provocation sprayed a chemical in the pastors face.
Over the weekend agents discharged 7 bullets fired at a woman they claimed was “boxing them in” while driving. The bullets hit the woman in the arm. Agents initially claimed she threatened them with a gun (which was in her purse as she has concealed/carry license). But, interestingly that was not mentioned in the charging documents. Local media has gotten ahold of a tape where the agent said- “Do something bitch” and then he shot her.
I hope you are right. The state and city have legal authority to arrest those who illegally attack a person. Even federal agents, FBI, ICE, state police, and local police officers can be arrested for illegal arrests and illegally attacking people. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and it doesn't matter if you are in law enforcement, a mayor, a governor, President, a legislator, or a judge.
A few years ago a friend from childhood, who is a self-proclaimed Trumper, told me not to be turned of by Trump’s personality and personal life, but to look at his policies.
I’m looking at his regime’s policies, both domestic and international, and the outcomes can only be death.
I look at Trump 's policies and I am appalled and disgusted.
As always, Jennifer Rubin lays out clearly the path Trump is purposely taking us. But I believe we should start naming names along with Trump, including Stephen Miller, Mike Johnson, Russel Vought, JD Vance, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, and unbelievably Marc Rubio.
Their names should be mentioned often as unlawful, cruel, un-democratic liars that they are.
These people seem to be the ones willfully carrying out Project 2025 and if they fall, could the project fall as well.
Can we also hear from Norm - if these government workers are not faithful to their oath - what is the crime? What good is an oath if it can't be upheld.
We need a modern day Mme. LaFarge (of the French Revolution period) to be keeping a list of these people. There must be accountability, charges, and trials.
yeah, we can borrow the gallows from the J6 crowd...
Unh-uh. Let us not fall to the temptation of lack of due process first. We gave up on capital punishment; let's not regress to it.
We are where we are today because of another phrase that must be stricken from our lexicon: presidential immunity. (Thank you, John Roberts.) That phrase has transformed our Commander-in-Chief from a president into a monarch.
The first law passed by any new Congress after Trump leaves office should be: No one under the jurisdiction of the United States of America is above the law. The second should be: no convicted felon, absent nullification of conviction, is eligible to run for any national office in the United States of America.
And don’t forget a pardon gets those felonies gone. Have to make sure convictions will also prevent any shyster from getting a leadership position. (imho)
A presidential pardon accepted by the pardoned involves admission of the commission of a crime, not an expungement.
From a president to a monster.
"We are where we are today because of another phrase that must be stricken from our lexicon: presidential immunity."
Donna, we are here today because more people were dissatisfied with what Biden and Democrats had been doing the previous four years. The people spoke, and the Left has been acting like sore losers ever since because they are no longer in power. The people will have another chance in the mid-terms and in 2028 if they are not happy with the current leadership. And should Repubs lose everything and dare to oppose anything the Dems do, Jen and company will still rail against them as being obstructionists who are a threat to democracy.
I don't believe people were truly dissatisfied with Biden. We are here because of misinformation, disinformation, propaganda ala fox and other right wing stations, misogyny and racism. People are made to hate democrats by the propaganda they choose to watch.
"I don't believe people were truly dissatisfied with Biden."
An open border and the economy didn't help, along with the fact that Dems and the media tried to hide Biden's mental decline throughout his term. That house of cards came down during the June debate. I don't care to whatever political ideology one ascribes, no one likes being lied to.
"People are made to hate democrats by the propaganda they choose to watch."
People have been made to hate other groups over time for the exact same reason. As far as watching Biden's mental decline, the only media you needed to watch was C-SPAN.
The economy was the best in the world before Trump started wreaking it. I listened to many speeches during Biden's term. There was no mental decline "throughout his term". More propaganda. Yes, the June debate was bad. You may remember he wasn't running in the end. Harris was running and lost because of racism, misogyny, misinformation, disinformation from Fox and other right wing propagandists. Your comments are all so cynical. I wonder why you are here. A troll perhaps.
"The economy was the best in the world before Trump started wreaking it."
"Best in the world" for whom? One of the complaints was that the economy wasn't working for the average American, and why would it with an aggregate 20% inflation over four years? Wages were rising but not as fast as inflation. Yet the Biden administration was tone-deaf to it. Trump is doing the same thing with regards to tariffs.
"Yes, the June debate was bad."
It was a disaster, and even some of the faithful media said so. The same media that previously denied there was any problem with Biden's mental capacity. It was like the scene out of "Casablanca" - they were all "shocked" that Biden performed so badly. Give me a break. But if you read Jen's WaPo column...it was all about Trump lying.
"You may remember he wasn't running in the end."
You may remember he was forced out by donors, Pelosi, Obama, Schumer and Jeffries, after Biden had already received enough delegates to secure the nomination. How "democratic" of the party...not.
"Harris was running and lost because of racism, misogyny, misinformation, disinformation..."
Yes, the old "racism and misogyny" argument. How about Harris was simply incompetent? I watched her interviews (that is, once she agreed to do them).
"Your comments are all so cynical. I wonder why you are here. A troll perhaps."
My comments and observations are probably the only push back to Jen's daily "anti-Trump" narrative in this forum. The rest of the posters here are merely the choir to Jen's role as preacher. In effect, it's an echo chamber.
I am here because I choose to be here to offer my opinions (and paid for the privilege). You may agree or disagree, respond to my comments or not - that is your choice.
Yeah, Trump's economy is working so much better for the average American. And Trump and his fascists are so much more competent than Kamala. As I suspected after engaging with you, Trump regime troll. Goodbye. We will win.
I think that Biden's aging became more important during his final year in office.
In his first years Biden did have accomplishments,thr American Rescue act, and he spearheaded investment in a number id states
Just as important was that Biden, unlike Trump, Miller and Vought, governed for all Americans.
Biden wasn't my first choice of candidates (that would have been Warren or Sanders)--except when he became the nominated alternative to you-know-who. I think what he did re Bibi/Gaza, and way back when he ushered Clarence Thomas to the SC: I think these things are a shameful legacy. But he had a basic humanity that is totally missing in our current Oval Office Occupant. When the current OOO first campaigned in 2015 I thought a few of his ideas seemed valid: reform immigration, reduce our military footprint overseas. Who knew what cruelty he'd inflict? Who knew that he'd bring the military home to terrorize our cities? Biden had his shortcomings, and these became more pronounced with his cognitive decline. At least he didn't start out with a truckload of emotional pathologies. There might have been a humane way to reign in uncontrolled immigration, to make international trade fairer, and to reign in our military force and budget. But instead this president has chosen to use threats, bullying and cruelty as his tools of choice. Instead of winning the Peace Prize on October 10th (which he won't), he should be named a war criminal by the ICC.
"I think that Biden's aging became more important during his final year in office."
It became more apparent, but the signs were there in the 2020 campaign.
Trump is NOT doing the same thing Biden did with regards to tariffs. There was no on-again, off-again, on-again nonsense, and no tearing up of long-term trade agreements with Biden. Heck, Trump tore up the agreement HE negotiated with Canada and Mexico in his first term! You can't make it make sense.
Trump's dementia is worsening by the day. He doesn't know where he is half the time. He watches Fox replay old tapes of fires in Portland from the few actual riots that erupted during the George Floyd protests in 2020, and he believes that's what's happening now. Because that's all he knows: what Fox and Steven Miller tell him today.
Biden would still make a better president than Trump today, if only because he'd have a competent cabinet and doesn't hate half the nation.
It will not surprise me if Trump orders the military tp open fire on unarmed civilians. There will be another Kent State soon. Trump will celebrate it and raise money off it for himself. He is mentally unhinged and so are his wannabe followers.
He does, though, have an unwitting knack for stochastic terrorism...
He does indeed, along with a low-rent, feral cunning and a grifter's knack for b.s. At the same time, Miller is at least the catalyst for the stochastic terrorism, and certainly is the architect of the ICE atrocities.
Great article, Jen. The public needs to be informed, and I am thankful that you are supplying us with this information here.
Trump has declared war on Democrats and our states and cities. He is America's Enemy within. It is time to take legal action.
Here's where I stand, though: it is time to remove this, President. Either by impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment. It is time for action now. I know Republicans are the majority in both houses, but I feel we have closet Republicans who want Trump out. I do know Al Green, Texas, submitted articles of impeachment. It is time to impeach again. We can't just keep on discussing the issues at hand. Trump's getting worse by the day. Unhinged power is driving this administration. There must be something we can do legally to remove this, President. We have great legal minds in America. It's time to put those powerful minds to work. Figure out a way to remove the tyrant. I know Norman Eisen comes across as calm, sound of mind, and knowledgeable/experienced in political legal matters. It bears repeating.
It is time for action now. The Democrats should have discussions with the Republicans whom they feel would be agreeable for removal. Massie, MTG, I'm sure there are others.
Well, I've been waiting for it to happen. I've been trying to keep track of all the types of crimes Donald Trump has committed sometime in his life, and the only one that was left was first-degree murder.
Taking pot shots at speedboats traveling in international waters--morally equivalent to sitting at an overpass next to a busy highway with a scope-mounted hunting rifle and shooting at drivers of oncoming cars--seems to count as first-degree murder. I know that DT didn't pull the trigger himself, but he ordered his hired thugs to go out and do it. As far as I'm concerned, this has finally implicated him in commission of every crime known to humanity.
We knew it was only a matter of time. His 2016 comment, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters," indicated that he was at least thinking about it. Knowing what a master of impulse control he is, we understood it to be inevitable. Well, he's finally done it.
Way to go DT!
And yesterday came the proclamation to sailors on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the US Navy that half the population is the “enemy”. Does that mean that he is enabling himself to attack and kill us if we don’t fall in line with his bullshit? Tha makes me aand many others “contrarians” and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Would you?
I think that is what he means. Trump and hus handlers, especially Stephen Miller deliberately use dehumanizing, inflammatory language to describe everyone who disagrees with this administration.
Now Democrats are gnats. What do you do with pests? You exterminate them.
What could be more clear that Miller and Vought mean to establish a one party state in which no dissent is allowed?
Spot on. It's crystal clear they want a one-party state, subservient to supreme leader, a demagogic dictator, precisely what our nation's founders were concerned about and tried to ward against. Unfortunately too much of our system is based on perceived norms and leaders being "people of good character." Along with SCOTUS, we need major reforms of the Executive Branch and a re-empowerment of Congress.
BBB, let's not forget that the Nazis called Jews rats which rhymes with gnats. Chilling.
The Hutu leadership in Rwanda referred to Tutsis as cockroaches.
There's a dangerous pattern here, isn't there? Objectify your enemies so you can exterminate them or in the US, invoke the Insurrection Act. I wonder how are far we are from that happening. . .
NOTE: This comment is slightly off-track. As usual, Jen said it all in her column. This is just a little sidebar to what's happening.
For nearly three years I've been a volunteer gardener at Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage, in Hyde Park. Once a week we gather to lovingly maintain her flowers, bushes, vegetables, and trees, to keep them as healthy as possible, and to welcome the many visitors who come to admire and tour. Our harvest of flowers and fruits is free to the public.
There never was a more busy and adored public person than Eleanor, who, despite a lifetime of obstacles, did a great deal for human rights in this country, the UN, and this world. Tending her plants is a meditative, healing experience and feels like a tiny part of her mission.
Now there no visitors, no tours, no volunteers. The whole place is closed, and no one is even permitted to put a shovel in the ground. Apparently this National Park - like all the others - is a threat to America and must be unfunded and shut down. Eleanor's cottage is small compared to the vast natural wonders of the other national parks, which people come from everywhere to enjoy. But the same cruel, stupid and twisted mentality applies.
This is just one more example of the ongoing corrosion of America, thanks to the ugly team in charge...
No to national parks but yes to self-aggrandizing military displays. How perverse is that??
I think I've run out of adjectives!!! Except maybe childish. Like, I bet when he deploys the troops he says "vroom, vroom" to himself, as if it's all a big Tonka truck to him...
He's so far gone, and so laughable, it's the successors we have to worry about.
"‘Armed Conflict’? Trump declares war on all of us"
Once again, It's the entire Republican party that has declared war on all of us"
We must hold them ALL accountable for every utterance and action taken by the Trump administration.
Trump is increasingly descending into a deep dark paranoia where he sees everyone around him as his enemy, whom he must forcibly put down before they go on the offensive to annihilate our country. Consequently, he has put our armed forces on high alert and has ordered his generals to send armed detachments into our cities to quell dissenters before they break out into open warfare that threatens his megalomania.
Sitting in the White House is a totally deranged psychopath who has mounted his white stallion ready to lead the charge against these hostile urban wind mills.
We all stand in fear that his loyalists on the Supreme Court will wave him on to attack.
I think it's not paranoia but vindictiveness and retribution. Anyone who dared to take him to court, to question him and charge him, or stand against him is in his crosshairs. So if at least 60% of Americans vote against him let's see how retribution works.
Your points are well taken. I think it's a combination of both.
“As many experts in the national security and international law would agree, the technical term for Trump’s notice is “garbage.”
Fixed it:
As many experts in the national security and international law would agree, the technical term for Trump is “garbage.”
You nailed it, Justin!
By the time the Supine Court rules on Trump's military attacks, the victims are already dead.
They aren't supine. They're complicit.
I think the "slippery slope" is even more slippery than you realize and much longer, if drug cartels and drug dealers and the folks that provide their logistics can be targeted as illegal enemy combatants, how long before someone in the T administration (say RFK jr) decides that a pharmaceutical company (that hasn't paid enough bribe money) that "kills people" with immunizations (or "turns children autistic") can be designated illegal enemy combatants?
Sue, you are thinking along the same lines I am, only I have a twist: If in fact the US is allowed to summarily execute people trying to get to the US to sell drugs that may kill people, considering that selling drugs that will kill people who use them is not "armed combat", then are not those guilty of providing the drugs (and the misinformation) that fueled the opioid crisis equally armed combatants? And if so (bear with me here) shouldn't the governement equally consider, say, Purdue Pharma as armed combatants. This is a question to be put to the billionaire owners and backers of the Right Wing project. Our biggest problem is that the decades long tilt of the US "free market" sliding so much wealth into such undeserving hands, means that the electorate does not decide elections. The billionaires do by propagating egregious lies meant to keep the grift flowing. If a few of those influencial rich folks saw the oligarchy/dictatorship as potentially harming themselves, more facts might slip through to voters. (Of course that ignores the fact that, three years from now, there may well be masked camo wearing soldiers with guns and pepper spray whose orders are prevent any Democrats from reaching the voting booth by any means up to including lethal force.)