21 Comments
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Hopehappens's avatar

Spare me opining about Melania Trump. Our country is under siege. There is nothing that she is saying or doing that matters.

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bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

I completely agree. Melania Trump married her meal ticket and had an anchor baby.

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patricia's avatar

she saved her family with her looks...definitely a hustler

I'm sorry she couldn't find a nicer american guy to marry....would've been more romantic and made a better movie....

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Hopehappens's avatar

Exactly!

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Nan Burris's avatar

Why aren’t our previous leaders, Obama, Bush, Clintons, Pelosi, etc., speaking out and tapping powerful allies to counter the coup that is going on in DC?

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David Becker's avatar

I’m getting many requests for $ from the same people who “humbly” asked” before. The rhetoric is the same : Trump will cause the end of the Republic. I (or we or this group) will fight every day to prevent it . We can’t do it without my money, so pony or the Republic dies. It’s all truly compelling except, (1) heard this before, and I gave, to no avail and (2) there isn’t the slightest inking of a plan, much less of an overarching strategy, to prevail. This is not confidence building and makes this lifelong Democrat reluctant to empty his wallet. What’s the plan?

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Kenneth Fabert's avatar

$ 1.6 billion of $ = speech during the Dem's Pres campaign. $3.2B for congressional candidates. > $12 B for PACs.......And the result? Nothing coherent then. And nothing coherent now. Leadership? Let's fundraise for the midterms, instead. That'll show 'em! Maybe leadership will emerge organically a la Lech Walesa, but that involved courage, willingness to get arrested, and organizing risky strikes. Throwing money at this will not change a thing. And until the "resistance" summons the courage to play hardball, this long slide into autocracy will continue.

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C.E. Spangler's avatar

I agree, David Becker and the "noise" from here is not a lot more beneficial then my subscription to WAPO and NYT. Everyone is running around saying we have a problem but no one is proposing a solution!!!!!! I am tired of the "hair on fire" tirades that get us nowhere. Where's the strategy, wheres the leadership. I have written to my congress person, to my senator, to the congress, to the lawyers... so far there is no strategy no goals!! Substack is not improving the situation. The steamroller keeps on rolling.

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Kathy R. Wuthrich's avatar

I agree completely. I gave and gave for Kamala, as did so many others, and what did that get us? Nothing that we hoped for.

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Jessica Green's avatar

This day was filled with wonderful protests. 50501!- 50 states, 50 protests, 1 message. If the felon is going to give the DOJ directives on who to jail and who to pardon (as he just did for the former mayor of NYC), then he's going to need something bigger than Guantanamo to contain us all.

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Mindy's avatar

Can’t we consider all of this treason??

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Shauna's avatar

YES ...it is treason - plane and simple. And Trump has not yet pulled the curtain back 100%, on the FULL alliance with Putin. Instead he is spoon feeding bits at a time UNTIL he has full control with his diabolical cabinet picks ....and full breakage of all accountability of Govt depts, is secured. As witnessed in Project 2025 - blueprint by Viktor Orban

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Cessna Bob's avatar

I prefer to read stories. I don't have the time to watch 10-15, 20 minute pod casts every day.

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Jane and Bill Cooper's avatar

Hardly think Michelle Obama is following Melania's example by not showing up.

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C.E. Spangler's avatar

To the Contrarian Founders and all who hold Democracy dear: please please please the loud scattered screaming in all directions is one primary reason why the independents and malleable republicans stopped listening to the "noise" coming from Democrats and the left!!!! Every day you are contributing to the scatter shot approach to dealing with the destruction of our country. A topic every day different from yesterday or even this morning or last night is not helping focus us on the key elements of the Trump/Musk agenda. They are counting on us scream to the heavens in all directions and coverning up the real threat to our democracy! Democrats, get it together, we need a strategy that isn't pulled every which way every day. Focus, Focus, focus on the real threat not the fluff and stuff that main stream media is preaching in search of the next outrage. YOU are becoming as bad as they are!!!

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JP's avatar

Wow! The interview with Susan Rice is stunning. I loved her explanation of why USAID and DEI initiatives are important. Clear, direct, and naming the issues!!

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Shauna's avatar

Hear hear ! Merit, intelligence, integrity , values ...ALL things missing in the. $$$ TRUMP $$$ Oligarchy....it is actually repulsive.

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ANN GLUCK's avatar

Where is content on the many protests that happened today?

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Richard France, Ph.D.'s avatar

DONALD TRUMP IS A RUSSIAN ASSET, AMERICA -- AND HAS BEEN FOR DECADES. WE FAIL TO REALIZE THAT AT OUR PERIL. Dr. Richard France

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Robert G Rains's avatar

I just read the following short item:

Elon Musk’s D.O.G.E discovers $4.7T Treasury payment code hidden in budget

By Jai Hamid
Updated: February 18 2025 6:10 AM UTC

https://www.cryptopolitan.com/elon-musk-doge-treasury-payment-code-budget/

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Also, I saw the following posted on X:

“Department of Government Efficiency

@DOGE

The Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item (standard financial process).

In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for ~$4.7 Trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible. As of Saturday, this is now a required field, increasing insight into where money is actually going. Thanks to

@USTreasury

for the great work.

https://tfx.treasury.gov/taxonomy/term/10257”

Is this true?

Robert Rains

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Dean Schultz's avatar

Farmers in Kansas (and Arkansas) thrilled by the imminent arrival of three to four million Palestinians. Now they won’t have to deliver their products to USAID. They can just drive wagonloads of beans and corn right down the road to the new Palestine, right in their back yard. Brilliant plan, Executive Branch!! Old Palestine now a resort, new Palestine: western Kansas and most of Arkansas. Can’t wait!

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