We're quickly coming up on the primary elections for many states - it's in May 19 for us here in Oregon. As an election worker I urge everyone to check their voter registrations now, and to vote as soon as possible before Election Day. If you are a mail-in or absentee voter, it's even more crucial to get your vote in early.
Hi Joyce - yes indeed you are right, in OR we are all mail-in voters. I just want to remind folks to mail in or drop off their completed sealed signed ballots as early as possible, before Election Day if they can do so.
The bills that the Democrats have in place to solve the Republicans issues should slide right through and do just that. No the Republicans are trying to get the Democrats to vote on getting TSA, DHS and some other group funded so they can go back to their lousy normal of doing their job. The kicker to the Republican bill is after that they won't need any Democratic votes to pass the save Act or to fund ice. Listen to what they're saying this is extremely dangerous. It should be a hard no all the way down the line on anything that Republicans put up for a bill because they're going to hide something and it just like they did the big ugly destructive bill
Power is absolute already in this regime. No one should be surprised come November mid terms. All anyone needs to do if any doubt still exists-just look to Russia for the blueprint. Although warnings are out all over the place here. Join the NoKings march this Saturday, we will always need each other & while our voices can still prepare others. #FascismIsHere
Bannon said it was good that people could see ice in the airports. Maybe not what he wants. People won't be afraid of them when it comes to voting. Of course some will be scared but if they go in numbers or with neighbors then it will be harder to intimidate. Ice can't act like they do in the airports because they realize they are way outnumbered. There are millions of eyes on them now and I hope they feel it.
We're concerned about so much as their thuggish actions and their role as trump's personal gestapo. Seeing them at airports standing around leering at people, especially young girls and young boys, just inflames our anger and disgust with them and this regime. I'm just glad I'm not going to an airport anytime soon since I now take the train to where I want to go. I'm at the point that I'll just have to meet friends and family in areas that have passenger trains because they're cheaper and less stressful than a plane. Now, with the trump personal gestapo thumping around in jackets that lie about who and what they are and their thuggish, moblike behavior, I'm afraid I'd get in trouble because I wouldn't be able to refrain from telling them just what kind of cuntasaurus twatwaffles they are.
The unhappiness in that waiting line photo is unacceptable. There is no reason for this to happen.
I'm pissed off and sick of the waste, fraud and abuse that these Republicans commit. Our lives could be great, with clear skies, clean water, no congestion, decent housing, health care, solid education and reliable utilities. But no, our money has to go to the top 1% of pigs who care nothing for anything but what they can swill.
How galling it must be to stand in line watching ICE pigs (the other kind of pigs) do nothing, knowing our tax dollars pay them to be bullies, to make our lives miserable.
Why would the taxpayers want to pay ICE thugs to stand around polling places, doing nothing?
Republicans are terrified of losing. They know they can't win the people's hearts so they force themselves on everyone. And Trump is their cudgel.
I was starting to say essentially the same thing when I read what you wrote. You said in much better than I was going to! Rape is all about power and the power to torture.
If Bondi perjured herself, why isn’t she facing prosecution right now? Are we so powerless that this scummy administration can simply do whatever they want with no consequences? Does the law mean nothing any more? If so, why bother with legal proceedings when we know they will have no real effect? It is SO frustrating because it feels like we have capitulated already, and are just going though the motions at this point.
Hoping for a huge turn out this Saturday for the PROTESTS. trump won't be swayed but ordinary Americans will see this, people on the fence will see it. News outlets are starting to report upcoming protests, and the ones that have been going on. Not all but way more now than before. We do not have many ways to fight what is going on but we do have ourselves and MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD. Besides, protests are a good way to channel some of the angst we are feeling.
Brian, I agree 1000%. The only problem here is, you’re preaching to the choir. This message needs to reach the people that need to hear it rather than the ones who already know it. How do you get this to happen? 🤔
This Saturday is NO KINGS DAY. I believe it should be called “No Republicans Day.” The would-be king wouldn't exist if we didn't have half the country being Republican. The Republicans are the reason we had to endure a crazy, mentally deranged man in the White House; their party is the party of Trump, but they have supported a government that serves only themselves; they have been the 'me-me' party — me, and no one else.
Historically and factually, the Republicans today have been the party of self-serving individuals, tracing back to the Southern slave owners who protected their financial interests by using slaves. Their slaves were a means to profit from their labor and were never seen as anything more than tools for making money. Slaves were considered subhuman, replaceable, and nothing but machinery for their success.
Republicans in Congress have no trouble lying; they are constantly deceiving and distorting reality to support Trump's craziness. They can stand in front of a camera and lie without hesitation or remorse. They are a dangerous, mindless group of Trump followers.
A country without Republicans would be better because they have opposed efforts to care for others. Their negativity has repeatedly polluted Congress; they have undermined ideas centered on caring for or serving the general population. Without them, we would have a different country; they contribute nothing to improving our way of life. In Congress, they have worked to undo progress made by the caring party. Remember that Senator McConnell said he would ensure none of Obama's programs would pass the Senate, and basically, none did. The record of Republicans in Congress includes efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, cut Medicaid, and privatize Medicare.
My message to Republicans is that we don't want or need you. I, for one, would love to be living in a country without Republicans.
Elitism is the belief or practice that a select minority—possessing superior intellect, wealth, power, or specialized skills—should rule or disproportionately influence society.
Elitism has long been the foundation of our country, taking many forms over time. It still exists today through our oligarchs, ultra-wealthy billionaires, corrupt politicians, elite athletes earning millions, and mega-rich corporations. We’ve been conditioned to believe that an elite class is necessary in society—someone who rightfully earns the profits from their endeavors. You might wonder where this belief originated, and I say it began in 1779, when we drafted the Constitution.
The 50 or 60 men (not women) who drafted our Constitution were elitists; they represented the elite of their states—wealthy, successful, and well-educated. Many delegates from the southern states were prosperous businesspeople who owned slaves. It was a common belief among them that Black slaves were slow, lesser beings meant to serve as slaves. The inclusion of the Electoral College as a method of electing the president came from this elitist belief that only members of their group should choose the president and that ordinary citizens were not qualified for the task.
The belief that social categories should not be integrated was held by the elite. There is no true integration; there are workers and owners who live apart, and they are fundamentally different. The elite do not want to understand or experience the lives of the other members of society; they see themselves as special and deserving of luxury.
My thinking started with the observation that, in our country, we have never been truly homogeneous; our identity has never been just a blend of different parts. We do not simply mix black and white to produce gray. We haven't combined our elements into a new identity; we've never done that. I wondered if this was good or bad. To my knowledge, even during World War II, our troops were segregated, with Black soldiers separated from white soldiers and officers from enlisted men. I thought about other countries—do they have a unified identity? Will we eventually all be assimilated through intermarriage, becoming homogeneous? If that happens, I believe we will lose something special—we will lose or destroy the unique qualities of each part that we’ve brought together. I love tasting foods from different cultures—French, Italian, Greek—and I enjoy their distinct qualities. For me, vacations are about visiting places where I can experience these cultural differences.
I do not want to lose our country’s unique and special ingredients. I do not know how or when we will overcome our elitist beliefs, our “I am better than you,” our “I deserve to live in abnormal luxury,” and “it is OK for you to be worried about your healthcare” attitudes.
My message is that we cannot live in harmony because we are too disconnected and conflicted as a nation. I won't be around when we, as a country, realize that we are like a dinosaur—too large to survive. We could better control our elitist tendencies if we were smaller states, with more direct control over ourselves, corruption, and elitism.litism.
Yes, we are paying at the pump, in our stores, in our utility bills, in our health insurance payments, etc., all in an unprecedented era of economic inequality. But what worries me most is having to pay/having our rights taken away at the voting polls. Once that is taken it will take an uprising revolution to get voting rights back.
Let me tell you that proving who you are can indeed be complicated and even when you do government makes mistakes. I've been married twice and changed my name to share my husbands both times. Here in Ontario you have to prove that you are a citizen and resident in order to get healthcare. When I went to change my healthcard into my new name I had to provide a copy of my birth certificate, my first marriage certificate, my divorce decree and my second marriage certificate. Okay, I was able to get those together although it was a bit of work AND THEN they spelled my new last name incorrectly on my card! Kill the Save Act.
Americans are like the frogs in a pot of boiling water. Donald Trump is normalizing a military police state on the streets of America. This is what fascist Authoritarians do. He is trying to get Americans to accept the loss of Democracy and the acceptance of Dictatorship in the name of "security" and safety. If we accept untrained ICE agents supposedly keeping us safe on the streets of America, then we will easily accepts the Marines. Trump mentioned previously he thought that the streets of America would be the perfect "training grounds" for the military. And guess who controls the military? Donald Trump.
Guess what! the US military is currently hiding from Iranian drones they moved operation from military bases to hotels. We needed some defensive drones, like yesterday. 💥💥💥
We need to do whatever we can to protect our military that have been forced into this war. I think Baron the orange Mussolini's son should be made to join the military forces and join these true heroes on the front line.
There are hoping we don't see Trump and Netanyahu are doing in the middle east what Putin is doing to Ukraine? Or that we don't see the degrading the US economy and dollar to shift people's trust over to a crypto economy? Or see Trump sacking countries to steal their natural resources making him richer than he has ever been? The main stream media owned by Trump oligarchs, are lieing about pole number on his polling numbers or we have approximately 36 % of the country with their heads up their cult asses or they are lieing about the poll numbers. I am more hopefull, but we have to get him out now. It won't get better in any way.
We're quickly coming up on the primary elections for many states - it's in May 19 for us here in Oregon. As an election worker I urge everyone to check their voter registrations now, and to vote as soon as possible before Election Day. If you are a mail-in or absentee voter, it's even more crucial to get your vote in early.
In NJ we have ballot drop boxes that are emptied every day, so as long as the ballot is deposited by Election Day, it’s sure to be counted.
I'm glad to hear this. Thank you, New Jersey.
I’ll be mailing in my vote again. 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
You would know, Mary, but aren’t we ALL MAIL-IN VOTERS here in Oregon?
You’ve made your point and I will check with my County again.
Hi Joyce - yes indeed you are right, in OR we are all mail-in voters. I just want to remind folks to mail in or drop off their completed sealed signed ballots as early as possible, before Election Day if they can do so.
The bills that the Democrats have in place to solve the Republicans issues should slide right through and do just that. No the Republicans are trying to get the Democrats to vote on getting TSA, DHS and some other group funded so they can go back to their lousy normal of doing their job. The kicker to the Republican bill is after that they won't need any Democratic votes to pass the save Act or to fund ice. Listen to what they're saying this is extremely dangerous. It should be a hard no all the way down the line on anything that Republicans put up for a bill because they're going to hide something and it just like they did the big ugly destructive bill
Power is absolute already in this regime. No one should be surprised come November mid terms. All anyone needs to do if any doubt still exists-just look to Russia for the blueprint. Although warnings are out all over the place here. Join the NoKings march this Saturday, we will always need each other & while our voices can still prepare others. #FascismIsHere
Not absolute but on the way.
Bannon said it was good that people could see ice in the airports. Maybe not what he wants. People won't be afraid of them when it comes to voting. Of course some will be scared but if they go in numbers or with neighbors then it will be harder to intimidate. Ice can't act like they do in the airports because they realize they are way outnumbered. There are millions of eyes on them now and I hope they feel it.
We're concerned about so much as their thuggish actions and their role as trump's personal gestapo. Seeing them at airports standing around leering at people, especially young girls and young boys, just inflames our anger and disgust with them and this regime. I'm just glad I'm not going to an airport anytime soon since I now take the train to where I want to go. I'm at the point that I'll just have to meet friends and family in areas that have passenger trains because they're cheaper and less stressful than a plane. Now, with the trump personal gestapo thumping around in jackets that lie about who and what they are and their thuggish, moblike behavior, I'm afraid I'd get in trouble because I wouldn't be able to refrain from telling them just what kind of cuntasaurus twatwaffles they are.
Thank you Brian for reporting on what’s really happening “behind the scenes”. This is exactly what we need.
The unhappiness in that waiting line photo is unacceptable. There is no reason for this to happen.
I'm pissed off and sick of the waste, fraud and abuse that these Republicans commit. Our lives could be great, with clear skies, clean water, no congestion, decent housing, health care, solid education and reliable utilities. But no, our money has to go to the top 1% of pigs who care nothing for anything but what they can swill.
How galling it must be to stand in line watching ICE pigs (the other kind of pigs) do nothing, knowing our tax dollars pay them to be bullies, to make our lives miserable.
Why would the taxpayers want to pay ICE thugs to stand around polling places, doing nothing?
Republicans are terrified of losing. They know they can't win the people's hearts so they force themselves on everyone. And Trump is their cudgel.
Once a rapist, always a rapist. He’s treating the country exactly how he treats women and most likely underage girls…. It’s unconscionable.
I was starting to say essentially the same thing when I read what you wrote. You said in much better than I was going to! Rape is all about power and the power to torture.
You're right, Carolea. But this truth continues to hurt...
If Bondi perjured herself, why isn’t she facing prosecution right now? Are we so powerless that this scummy administration can simply do whatever they want with no consequences? Does the law mean nothing any more? If so, why bother with legal proceedings when we know they will have no real effect? It is SO frustrating because it feels like we have capitulated already, and are just going though the motions at this point.
Hoping for a huge turn out this Saturday for the PROTESTS. trump won't be swayed but ordinary Americans will see this, people on the fence will see it. News outlets are starting to report upcoming protests, and the ones that have been going on. Not all but way more now than before. We do not have many ways to fight what is going on but we do have ourselves and MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD. Besides, protests are a good way to channel some of the angst we are feeling.
Brian, I agree 1000%. The only problem here is, you’re preaching to the choir. This message needs to reach the people that need to hear it rather than the ones who already know it. How do you get this to happen? 🤔
NO REPUBLICANS DAY
This Saturday is NO KINGS DAY. I believe it should be called “No Republicans Day.” The would-be king wouldn't exist if we didn't have half the country being Republican. The Republicans are the reason we had to endure a crazy, mentally deranged man in the White House; their party is the party of Trump, but they have supported a government that serves only themselves; they have been the 'me-me' party — me, and no one else.
Historically and factually, the Republicans today have been the party of self-serving individuals, tracing back to the Southern slave owners who protected their financial interests by using slaves. Their slaves were a means to profit from their labor and were never seen as anything more than tools for making money. Slaves were considered subhuman, replaceable, and nothing but machinery for their success.
Republicans in Congress have no trouble lying; they are constantly deceiving and distorting reality to support Trump's craziness. They can stand in front of a camera and lie without hesitation or remorse. They are a dangerous, mindless group of Trump followers.
A country without Republicans would be better because they have opposed efforts to care for others. Their negativity has repeatedly polluted Congress; they have undermined ideas centered on caring for or serving the general population. Without them, we would have a different country; they contribute nothing to improving our way of life. In Congress, they have worked to undo progress made by the caring party. Remember that Senator McConnell said he would ensure none of Obama's programs would pass the Senate, and basically, none did. The record of Republicans in Congress includes efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, cut Medicaid, and privatize Medicare.
My message to Republicans is that we don't want or need you. I, for one, would love to be living in a country without Republicans.
We must remember who they are because they will change parties. Wolves in sheep clothing.
The Curse of Elitism
Elitism is the belief or practice that a select minority—possessing superior intellect, wealth, power, or specialized skills—should rule or disproportionately influence society.
Elitism has long been the foundation of our country, taking many forms over time. It still exists today through our oligarchs, ultra-wealthy billionaires, corrupt politicians, elite athletes earning millions, and mega-rich corporations. We’ve been conditioned to believe that an elite class is necessary in society—someone who rightfully earns the profits from their endeavors. You might wonder where this belief originated, and I say it began in 1779, when we drafted the Constitution.
The 50 or 60 men (not women) who drafted our Constitution were elitists; they represented the elite of their states—wealthy, successful, and well-educated. Many delegates from the southern states were prosperous businesspeople who owned slaves. It was a common belief among them that Black slaves were slow, lesser beings meant to serve as slaves. The inclusion of the Electoral College as a method of electing the president came from this elitist belief that only members of their group should choose the president and that ordinary citizens were not qualified for the task.
The belief that social categories should not be integrated was held by the elite. There is no true integration; there are workers and owners who live apart, and they are fundamentally different. The elite do not want to understand or experience the lives of the other members of society; they see themselves as special and deserving of luxury.
My thinking started with the observation that, in our country, we have never been truly homogeneous; our identity has never been just a blend of different parts. We do not simply mix black and white to produce gray. We haven't combined our elements into a new identity; we've never done that. I wondered if this was good or bad. To my knowledge, even during World War II, our troops were segregated, with Black soldiers separated from white soldiers and officers from enlisted men. I thought about other countries—do they have a unified identity? Will we eventually all be assimilated through intermarriage, becoming homogeneous? If that happens, I believe we will lose something special—we will lose or destroy the unique qualities of each part that we’ve brought together. I love tasting foods from different cultures—French, Italian, Greek—and I enjoy their distinct qualities. For me, vacations are about visiting places where I can experience these cultural differences.
I do not want to lose our country’s unique and special ingredients. I do not know how or when we will overcome our elitist beliefs, our “I am better than you,” our “I deserve to live in abnormal luxury,” and “it is OK for you to be worried about your healthcare” attitudes.
My message is that we cannot live in harmony because we are too disconnected and conflicted as a nation. I won't be around when we, as a country, realize that we are like a dinosaur—too large to survive. We could better control our elitist tendencies if we were smaller states, with more direct control over ourselves, corruption, and elitism.litism.
Yes, we are paying at the pump, in our stores, in our utility bills, in our health insurance payments, etc., all in an unprecedented era of economic inequality. But what worries me most is having to pay/having our rights taken away at the voting polls. Once that is taken it will take an uprising revolution to get voting rights back.
Let me tell you that proving who you are can indeed be complicated and even when you do government makes mistakes. I've been married twice and changed my name to share my husbands both times. Here in Ontario you have to prove that you are a citizen and resident in order to get healthcare. When I went to change my healthcard into my new name I had to provide a copy of my birth certificate, my first marriage certificate, my divorce decree and my second marriage certificate. Okay, I was able to get those together although it was a bit of work AND THEN they spelled my new last name incorrectly on my card! Kill the Save Act.
Americans are like the frogs in a pot of boiling water. Donald Trump is normalizing a military police state on the streets of America. This is what fascist Authoritarians do. He is trying to get Americans to accept the loss of Democracy and the acceptance of Dictatorship in the name of "security" and safety. If we accept untrained ICE agents supposedly keeping us safe on the streets of America, then we will easily accepts the Marines. Trump mentioned previously he thought that the streets of America would be the perfect "training grounds" for the military. And guess who controls the military? Donald Trump.
Guess what! the US military is currently hiding from Iranian drones they moved operation from military bases to hotels. We needed some defensive drones, like yesterday. 💥💥💥
https://kathleenweber.substack.com/p/us-military-hides-from-iranian-drones
We need to do whatever we can to protect our military that have been forced into this war. I think Baron the orange Mussolini's son should be made to join the military forces and join these true heroes on the front line.
There are hoping we don't see Trump and Netanyahu are doing in the middle east what Putin is doing to Ukraine? Or that we don't see the degrading the US economy and dollar to shift people's trust over to a crypto economy? Or see Trump sacking countries to steal their natural resources making him richer than he has ever been? The main stream media owned by Trump oligarchs, are lieing about pole number on his polling numbers or we have approximately 36 % of the country with their heads up their cult asses or they are lieing about the poll numbers. I am more hopefull, but we have to get him out now. It won't get better in any way.
Great analysis here Brian, thank you.