Evening Roundup, October 16
Featuring Abigail Spanberger with Jen Rubin, Tom Malinowski, "The Tea" with April Ryan, Azza Cohen, Josh Levs, Meredith Blake, RJ Matson, and "The Democracy Movement"
The Devastation of DOGE: Abigail Spanberger on How Trump's Policies Make Virginians Suffer
In two weeks, Virginians have a crucial decision to make. As the state “most impacted” by the shutdown and rapid fire, careless DOGE cuts, the economic future of Virginia hangs in the balance. The Democratic nominee for governor, Abigail Spanberger, joins Jen from the campaign trail to discuss what Virginians care about the most: affordability…
The good, the bad, and the uncertain in the Middle East peace deal
Remember when Donald Trump, who ran for president promising to invest in infrastructure but failed to do so in his first term, graciously congratulated President Joe Biden for getting the biggest infrastructure bill in American history through Congress in 2022?
The Tea w/ April ft. Mary Frances Berry and Rep. Al Green
Host April Ryan is joined by guests Mary Frances Berry and Rep. Al Green to discuss the government shutdown and the need for consistent, peaceful protest.
Split Screen: Two women, one historic race
Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial race between Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is historic. If Earle-Sears wins, she would be the first Black woman elected governor of any state since Reconstruction. Either would be the commonwealth’s first female governor. In addition to its gravitas for aspiring women candidates, politicos se…
Trump’s CDC firings endanger lives and the economy
In recent days, while much of the country’s attention was focused on events in the Middle East, something big happened in Atlanta, where I live. Something that endangers the health of people across the United States and around the world. That’s no exaggeration.
Culture recs: Mr. Scorsese and a surreal tale of maternal anxiety
This week I’ll be checking out lots of movies at the Woodstock Film Festival, a cozy but well-curated event where you can soak up the Catskills foliage and stock up on edibles between screenings of world-class cinema.
TO KISS OR NOT TO KISS THE ROYAL RING
Saturday, in massive peaceful protests around the country, We The People will be exercising our Constitutionally protected freedom of speech to denounce the imperial presidency of Donald J. Trump and his co-conspirators, enablers, and court jesters in their efforts to dominate every aspect of our lives and to force us into the acceptance of their deep dark world of far right-wing ideology.
Our Leader (or "Fűhrer" in German) has put us on notice that those of us who resist or simply refuse to submit to his will, will be be dealt with harshly , such as through intimidation, blackmail, coercion, extortion, indictment and punishment.
BUT BEWARE: The Leader and his henchmen have an Ace up their sleeve. Thousands of uniformed and armed troops will be on immediate standby to pounce on and arrest demonstrators at the slightest provocation, which may very well be caused by a disguised undercover provocateur embedded by Trump's agents whose orders are to incite the protestors. Such an order might be "Wait for the first stone to be thrown at a window" so that Trump can then proclaim it to be an "Insurrection", so that he can then order a "Charge!" into the protestors, with an ensuing full-blown confrontation. Such a physical confrontation with Trump's goons will only play into Trump's hands.
We must not give our deranged imperial majesty any excuse or pretext to label our protests as an "insurrection", such as what Trump led on January 6.
The freedom loving people who have the courage and loyalty to our Constitution and democratic principles to march on Saturday in protest against Trump's oppressive tactics have already won each other over. It is the population of other freedom loving people who have an open mind who need to heed Trump's threats to our freedoms, but who will only be put off if the protests devolve into violence against people or property.
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote "These are the times that try men's souls", and it is this quote that was read to Washington's troops that led them to victory at the Battle of Trenton.
Besides the First Amendment, there is Article II/Section 3 which states that the executive "shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed . . . "
But Our Present Executive fires people for doing just that--faithfully following the U.S. Constitution and executing the Laws." WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?