Certainly Chuck Schumer should not be the voice of Democrats in the nation at this critical moment in time. He “could” be a true, gutsy leader, standing up for the Constitution, and leading the Senate Democrats into the stance of truly trying to make a difference in the fight against the oligarchy and fascism instead of the usual mealy mouthed nonsense he speaks.
It would be amazing to have VP Harris’ voice again. I believe she would give an extraordinary voice and and experiential leadership for this time that is so needed. I also believe she or anyone else for that matter stepping into this role, needs to do so carefully. Very carefully. It will put a very clear target on her back and make her enemy #1. It will put her and her family in a very dangerous position.
That said, I would so love to hear her, and yes, I consider her the leader of all those of us who voted for her..
I think that Harris deserves to step back into private life for the immediate future.
Can any of us imagine the danger she will be in if she places herself in open opposition to Trump?
Americans made this mess and I don't understand why some expect/demand Harris or any Democrat to volunteer to be a deer on the headlights for Trusk and their mob.
States and organizations with expertise (ACLU) are akeeady filing suit against the sloppy and possibly illegal executive orders. Put Trump on the defensive.
If everyone in a position to take up leadership steps back because of a possible "danger," then Trump and the right has already won and our democracy is lost. Those that can need to step forward now, and we need to support them every step of the way. We need mass protests. We need to keep Trump's and his corrupt and evil administration's feet to the fire every step of the way until 20 January 2029.
The most important thing is that masses of Americans need to be prepared to stand up and protect those who speak up for our democracy. We can't sit at home on our couches and watch what's going on as if it was a reality tv show. I agree - we need mass protests and a leader to help organize them. Kamala would be perfect.
A fearful public is the goal of the authoritarian.
Kamala was very vocal about not being afraid. She specifically addressed this when asked about how she dealt with the potential threats from the cartels back when she was a prosecutor.
She ran to be president, when duty calls the president has to respond to whatever situation arises. She's made of the right stuff and can respond at this time of crisis.
I agree. And I think it would be perceived or received by many as a continuation of the campaign which her MAGA detractors would quickly mock or denounce.
Separately, something that's not gotten/getting much if any attention is work that;s been done by nonpartisan, expert, volunteer data analysts on voting anomalies in swing states in the 2024 election. It seems characteristic that the Dems did not call for forensic audits of swing states and a hand recount of at least one swing state within the timeline permitted by law. They were focused on leaning way into norms; well, these types of audits are within democratic norms.
Jessica Denson @LightsOn (Youtube) reviewed this in a couple shows pre-Jan 6. Forensic audiits would have been a) extremely revelatory, b) banished real questions about anomalies in the vote outcomes of swing state @LightsOn
(The volunteer data analysts could use support - they're still on this, to my understanding. I'm not part of the project, but an interested view - this isn't an ad.)
She will not be effective. If it did not work in the election, it won't going forward either in my view. She could step in after he tanks and burns though.
PLUS we cannot overlook the way in which she ended up in the campaign.. too many built in challenges with no time to rectify. I was impressed by what she did accomplish in little time and while continuing to uphold vice presidential duties. Not enough people out in the real world (excluding CA, pretty much everyone west of the Mississippi River?) got a chance to learn about her and see what she can do
First of all, not only was the polling close but the trend has that her numbers were moving downward.
So there really is not a lot to go on to assume she might have won.
Second, although she lost by more than expected, like I said, her numbers had been trending down.
The Walz debate was bad and she kept focusing on her weakness which was interviews, bad idea.
She needed someone to help boost her numbers, not sink them, and then, there was all the false nonsense about inflation being Biden's fault, and Biden's garbage gaff (yes Trump said it first, but FOX viewers are not going to know this) all stuff people bought into.
Then lie after lie from Trump and right-wing media about Trump's once great economy (which was only average) and Biden having a bad one (Biden's was actually better).
This makes sense. Right now, Trumps waves of edicts will overwhelm anyone brave enough to wade into the surf. Let the tide come fully in and when more and more Republican senators and representatives hear reactions from their constituents, then will be the time to step forward and press him.
Well said, Joni…if Schumer cannot be the bulwark in the Senate against the destructive force of the majority, then Kamala Harris, a true leader should stand up!
Schumer showed himself to be a fucking doormat, a quivering little pooch rolling over and showing its soft belly. Comity and bipartisanship? When the other side wants to roll over the top of all that is decent and small-d democratic and get rid of everyone who isn't white and who doesn't immediately kowtow to them? Are you frickin' kidding me? We know from history that appeasement and handwringing DO NOT WORK.
Dems need to grow some balls or ovaries, whichever is appropriate, stand strong and stand tall, every damn day. Loudly and plainly call out how the orange criminal's administration's tactics are supporting its larger fascist and racist goals. Harris would be a good one to start the hit parade. She needs to bring her sharp-tongued ready-to-kick-ass prosecutorial self to the fight, not the nice-lady-you'd-love-to-have-over-for-dinner self.
Oh -- the mainstream media won't cooperate? THEN USE OTHER OUTLETS. Don't know how? Ask AOC, Maxwell Frost, and some folks younger than 40 years old -- they know!
And be ready to start gouging the other side's eyes and kicking them in the groin in the political arena. I am sick and fucking tired of the "Be nice, let's all get back to the status quo" bullshit. We are in a fucking war against the criminals, oligarchs, and christo-fascists for our country.
I agree with you. Harris demonstrated her extraordinary voice during the campaign, and it's only because of the quarter billion dollars plus Musk poured into the campaign and some underhanded ads against her that she did not win. I'd love to hear her too!
We need to hear from her and many other Democrats all the time. I mean exactly that. Flood the networks,cable shows, substacks, radio, Bluesky, anywhere and everywhere. Push back.
I sincerely hope Governor Tim Walz steps up as a loud anti-Trumpian voice. We need him and it would further raise his profile. Right now Democrats have far too many soft or silent voices, and few that speak to rural America.
NB. What we don’t need is the political consultants that made Tim Walz less than fully-effective for the Harris Presidential Campaign.
I agree. Ms. Harris may be *one* voice, but not *the* voice. The Democrat actually don't lack younger, articulate, assertive voices. Let them step forward, give people an opportunity to hear from them, and begin to think about who is best to lead going forward.
It would be great to hear from Harris despite the flax and dismissal from the Trumpists as for the 75 million voters and the media it probably would not register.
Hey Jack. Who are you. Another Republican posing as a democrat. I grew up in Democratic poor Maine. The blue collared men. They beat their wives and raped their children. We uneducated. Sure. Let’s reach out to them in plain speak. Donald Trump did just that and got elected by white male supremacy America. By talking about grabbing women, unlawful behavior, corruption speak and plain speak. He got elected on that platform. By men I were surrounded with in my childhood. The so called blue collared boys. No thanks. It was an awful childhood of blue collared men.
Part 2 Jack. Faux religiosity. Was another Trump platform. Rich male evangelists bought him. And all the women who needed a way to justify white male supremacy, poor male behavior and religion. And all the male religious leadership that exploits everyone and gets off Scot free. . Just watch Trumps family at the fake religious ceremony at his inauguration , where he was called out on sermon for LBGT and immigrants. What a joke.
I get that she needs a breather but if she had been elected she wouldn't be getting one - we don't need an out and out all day campaign from her - BUT she could educate, prosecute and inspire us to keep going. I miss her reasoned voice, her hopeful voice.
That is, I miss the hope and joy, the expertise and to the point knowledge and commitment, the dedication, and genuine caring of Vice President Kamala Harris, all based on her character, wide range of experiences, and the strength of her character as she spoke from the heart.
Working. Where is she? Volunteering. Helping to feed the people of Los Angeles, you know, the city that has been engulfed in wild fires? Where is she in deed.
The last report I saw showed her on the frontlines in L.A. working with volunteers helping feed the fire victims. She flew directly to L.A. and began helping immediately.
Why are black women continually expected to save the day? Why are elderly gasbags like Chuck Schumer still "leading" the Democratic Party? Why is there no fiercely organized Democratic opposition? Why are the Democrats willing to lose a wide swath of the younger generation who are _desperate_ to see some fight, fierce determination, true opposition, and media-savvy and bold leadership?
What I am waiting for — although distressed that I will be disappointed — is a coordinated messaging machine from the Dems, across all media platforms (including old-school and digital billboards everywhere, but especially news deserts), that pound and pounce on all the lies and that show the harm. If there is strategy being concocted, quietly, within the party, I can deal with that, but I fear the quiet is more about learned helplessness (although the wave of lawsuits we’re hearing about is fabulous and a good sign).
It's up to all of us to form that "coordinated messaging machine." When it comes to messaging, Republicans have soldiers (who carry the message faithfully), while Democrats have analysts and critics (to paraphrase Jon Lovett of Pod Save America). Let's all get on the same page!
We can look to sources like The Contrarian for inspiration - for example, don't say tariffs, say consumer taxes. @JenRubinContrarian - please help start/amplify a messaging toolkit for the Opposition, working with folks like Anat Shenker-Osorio, George Lakoff and Antonia Scatton.
I agree, Marla (and also heard the Pod Save American piece). “We the People” need to rise up and message in a coordinated way, AND Party leaders need to model that same behavior, but they are not — not yet, anyway. Closest I’ve seen come to it is Gov. Gavin Newsom’s messaging about the CA fires. It appears he has a “machine” specifically in place to respond immediately and powerfully to all Trump and MAGA lies about the disaster and how it is being handled. His emails and social media have been spot on.
While I agree that we need better and coordinated messaging, I fear the Democrats have forgotten that organization works better than just the messages. We need to remember Howard Dean (when have you heard anyone talking about when he was DNC chair?) and how aggressively he build a true grass roots organization, right down to the voting precinct level, that got so many people engaged we were able to take back our country by electing our first black president. The message was important, but the organizing was the key. Local party committees just don't get it. Howard Dean and DFA did!
Exactly! And more to the point, the organizing needs to include the ENTIRE country. I live in Kansas and it frustrates me to no end that the Democratic Party basically writes us off as a "red state" and gives us zero resources when it comes to elections. However, our "red state" currently has a Democratic governor and might be able to elect other Democrats too if we could promise possible candidates that they would be backed by the DNC.
I used to believe the two shouting megaphones gets nothing done.
President Biden and VP Kamala Harris got the business of Government done. This has been shouted from the treetops.
The tRump campaign and MAGA are all the Anti-federalists of the past yearning to "drown it in a bathtub" to kill taxes/Gov't - but never seem understand the citizenry, in their own arrogance beholden to shiny objects, to help those truly served by Gov't and are NOT handouts.
The corruption is massive for exploitation, and I am now a believer that "proof in the pudding" isn't working as too many are not even interested in tasting. The sneered yelling and nose turning to good Gov't lets the corruption run amok without checks.
I don't know how to get away from two megaphones yelling - but somewhere the cacophony of noise from the extreme RW is drowning out the good messaging and allowing the deep under-current of their illicit wants to rule carry onwards.
We must address the under current - not the frothy noise at the top. I'm just not sure it won't turn into the crashing sound onto the rocks that are deafening.
We all see the problem. Steve Schmidt's "The Warning" is just more preaching to the choir. We've all known this from the Dem's side. The strategy and TACTICS needed to effectively countermand is the problem.
Yet, the Contrarian seems a good place to come out from under the "appeaser paper of record" and lots of good words here. For me its trying to find clarity of where to spend resources and effort to achieve results like the newly submitted lawsuits may do.
I think my point is education alone isn't enough - it's the actions we need to take that seem elusive or keep coming up short due to the gop billionaire machine or the heavy handed lean right of the main media centers run by the billionaire owners to getting to fixing what ails us.
You are absolutely right that we need strategies that really work. Jess Craven's Chop Wood, Carry Water offers daily pro-democracy acts, but we need strategists who analyze the big picture and what is effective now. The libertarian policy planning network is a leviathan if there ever was one. Their marriage of convenience with the GOP and Christian Nationalist movement has normalized much that most Americans would otherwise eschew. They control the narrative, and we have to win it back. How do we do that?
Thanks Diane! I agree that the Dems need to get over their self-pity or whatever funk they are in and get the prosecutor, Kamala, to speak regularly, strongly, and clearly to counteract the firehose of BS.
I'm not waiting. We can write letters to the editor, we can talk to our neighbors, post and repost message that hit (price of gas up 7 cents today)...WE CAN'T WAIT. Too many are looking for a Savior to bring us out of the wilderness. WE CAN'T WAIT. We are the solution.
We can follow policy updates and submit public comments. We need TONS of people to do this. Write your AG now and ask them to join the lawsuit challenging the executive order to end birthright citizenship for some people.
Agree! It would be nice to have some COORDINATED anything from the left, and solidarity to the masses. This is how maga won. They had a plan of attack and executed it. About the only thing they are good at, attack.
I don’t think this is learned helplessness. It is more learned idealism which needs a reality check.
Noble but fruitless now.
Trump used mass flooding of disinformation, media whitewashing and fear tactics that Americans have not experienced to this level since before the 60s. My children, although very intelligent, have never had their freedoms challenged this way.
However, I grew up though, when a woman could not have an abortion and no power over her money. No cc, no property ownership, no bank account without male permission. Low paying jobs with little status. Men ruled. And the ads and marketing of the 50s were sexist and degraded women. It was 1920 for women to vote and not until the early 70s for women body autonomy and some financial liberation. Especially for the less of the class women. So. I believe Democrats underestimated the dissemination of white male supremacy, it’s power and the religions that supports it. It’s just my opinion of course. But my childhood included Trump like strong men who believed in supremacy over all. It’s very embedded in the culture.
I agree with this entirely, and believe we need strong statements and guidance about resisting the Trump project from Ms. Harris and other prominent Democratic leaders. Until Trump was sworn in, it was only speculation what he would do. It is now completely obvious, and the resistance must be immediate and involve both traditional leaders like Ms. Harris, as well as grassroots efforts.
Agree completely. If she finds the right balance between the prosecutor who wiped the floor with him in the only debate and the visionary for a better fairer America she could lead the country out of this chasm. I want to hear more of the prosecutor right now. To paraphrase AOC, no deference to the rapist.
I do not know if you noticed, but after being given only 100 days to run, Vice President Harris garnered nearly as many votes as the Felon, yet still 53% of white women and 75% of white men decided she was not better than a rapist, felon, and thief. Those numbers indicate that this madness we are now witnessing is a white problem. And white people need to fix it.
White people chose white supremacy over competence and integrity. Don’t expect Black women, even a leader such as our VP, to rescue you from your own racism. No one is coming to your rescue. You have to do it yourself. We, as Black women and men voted 92% and 78% for the right candidate. We cannot save America from itself and by ourselves. Let VP Harris have her rest. We are all tired of trying to save this country from its worst impulses. Do it yourselves.
I'm a white woman who voted for Harris. The white Trump voters in my life were not interested in my opinions of who they should vote for, or my assertions that the Democrats are our best hope for implementing the policies that support regular people that Trump voters agree with.
Right wingers have not been interested or listened to me/respected my thoughts since I was a teenager in the 80s but I still keep trying.
I did have a couple of successes- in the late 90s a coworker changed her mind to support adoption by gay people after we talked about it off and on for two years within regular social conversation. And a mentor in the early 2000's apologized to me around 2009 for not listening to me in 2003 when I was vocally opposing the US invasion of Iraq and inviting coworkers to join me at protests. He was almost crying and also told me he still felt shame for not serving in Vietnam- he had received a deferment that he recognized as unfair special treatment.
But in general, in my experience as a vocal and visible progressive white woman, my right wing family and friends do not respect my political opinion and often dismiss me as overly privileged.
47% of white women voted for Kamala. We weren't the majority in our demographic, but we are out here trying too, and there are a lot of us.
I am so grateful for the work and leadership of black women individually and collectively.
This is one white woman among many other white women and men I know who voted for Harris. I didn’t ask you to save our country alone. It is the responsibility of each eligible person to vote and support our democracy.
Sherry, I'm an older white man who voted for Harris (and in fact every democrat since I started voting in 1976.) But I'm not sure where you got your numbers as to white voters vs Black. According to Navigator
Donald Trump improved his standing with voters across racial demographics, including white voters (from net +13 in 2020 to net +16; 40 percent Harris – 56 percent Trump), Hispanic voters (from net +38 in 2020 to net +11; 53 percent Harris – 42 percent Trump), Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (from net +31 in 2020 to net +20; 58 percent Harris – 38 percent Trump), and Black Americans (from net +84 in 2020 to net +67; 81 percent Harris – 14 percent Trump).
The largest shifts in support were seen among men, particularly men of color. Donald Trump won the vote of Hispanic men by one point (49 percent Harris – 50 percent Trump), a 35-point difference from 2020, when Joe Biden won the vote of Hispanic men by a 34-point margin. Similarly, there was a 35-point difference in how Black men voted in 2024 compared to 2020. While Black men voted for Harris in 2024 by a 47-point margin (71 percent Harris – 24 percent Trump), it was significantly less than Biden who won the vote of Black men by an 82-point margin over Trump in 2020. White men also moved toward Trump by 5 points (net +23; 37 percent Harris – 60 percent Trump), compared to his margin of 18 points in 2020 (40 percent Harris – 58 percent Trump).
Black women and white women both remained consistent in their votes from 2020, with Black women voting for Harris by an 83-point margin (90 percent Harris – 7 percent Trump, Biden net +85 in 2020), and white women voting for Trump by 10-points (43 percent Harris – 53 percent Trump, Trump net +8 in 2020). (End of paste)
I find these difficult to read, but the gist is the felon won white voters overall by 56% to 40%, and he increased his support by people of color.
My point is that we ALL must recognize the fact that there is a voting problem in the US, and a big part of it has to do with the 90 million eligible voters who chose not to participate. Perhaps they were busy, or disinterested/discouraged/disgusted. Maybe they were removed from the rolls. Maybe they lived in heavily gerrymandered districts. Whatever the reason, 90 million is more than either candidate received, and that is a big problem.
My comment was specifically about someone asking a Black woman who had given her all to somehow rescue this country from its racism. Only white people can do that.
So I guess we also need men to rescue America from its misogyny. Glad you’re willing to help.
We Black women are frankly tired and we are done. It’s someone else’s turn.
Unless I missed it, and please correct me if I'm wrong, I didn't see anyone comment about Kamala needing to rescue the country from it's racism. I also did not get the impression that her race had anything to do with commentors' desire to hear her voice, a voice with a long history of understanding, enforcing, and explaining law and order issues to the public.
Perhaps you were speaking more broadly about racism...the fact that a black woman would have to address the lawlessness of racists who love Trump because they see him as one of them. For those folks, I'm afraid many white people stand little chance of making significant inroads with them. That kind of work requires a good psychiatrist.
I think we're all tired. I was tired of having to help undo the damage that Jim Clyburn (who had a lot of sway) did by continuing to support Biden despite what he saw on the debate stage and must have previously witnessed in other settings. I'm tired of fighting against the fire hose of nonsensical messaging that white folks won't vote for a Black candidate.
I can't speak for others, but I don't expect Black women to rescue us. In fact I found myself having to challenge Black women (and men) to believe that we would vote for a Black president (we did twice), and in more recent times, asking them to dump the old white guy and make noise for Harris to become our nominee.
Look, the reality is that we still live in a society with a lot of "isms." POC, Jews, women, LGBTQ+ are going to face headwinds and it's up to ALL of us to ensure we fight for their seat at the table, especially when that seat wields some power.
I don't know how to stop the thinking that the AG was the problem. The AG prosecuted in the court of law as must. DJT defended in the court of public opinion and hammered for the AG to go public in efforts to yield a mistrial. AG stated, "read the motions and pleadings". They were all hard hitting and factual. Only lost in the lawyering of court due process. Maybe his judgeship carried to much process, but otherwise - clean to law.
The Article III - Judicial branch owns 90% of the problem by not allowing for real due process - but giving deferential process because of fear of tarnish to the POTUS symbology/Name and that exploit went straight from Cannon to SCOTUS.
We had hope in U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that was a legal straight shooter unafraid of the consequences to hold accountable by fair trial the crimes indicted. SCOTUS delayed her court case by a year before remanding back to her for the segregation of official acts versus campaign illegal acts.
Going up the food chain was a mistake. Chasing the evidence was started March 2021 with significant legal maneuvers done by those investigated (Guliani, etc.) to block the evidence from getting into the GJ. Giving ex-POTUS generous room to come clean at Mar-a-largo was a mistake in 2022.
But, everyone was saying - "When you swing for the King" you better have it right which drove behaviors abnormal to normal DOJ investigation and prosecutions, i.e. super careful and deliberate to law. Having internal blockers early needing to be removed was another challenge.
A reorganization of the DNC would be a start. Current leadership there has been behind the curve, both in formulating programs that address the needs of the voter, and in getting that message out on all forms of the media. We need to work to get the vote out in the midterm elections, which are going to be here sooner than we think.
Leadership needs to stop navel gazing and start thinking about the common person of MAGA that are anti-government from the get-go. Explaining what government will do is the problem. The people needing gov't most don't viscerally feel it. Thank Reagan, "I'm from the gubmint" hate that is a core thick thread amongst the gop.
The gop/RNC win by saying how they'll neuter gov't. Yet - they never actually do, just reform to deliver to the top from the bottom and their benefactors over the common good. The want to rule and exploit power is their game. Many hawks like that.
"the common person of MAGA" is kind of dense and will be hard to reach. interviews w/the pardoned J6 criminals produced statements like I would die for that man and I would have died for him that day.
The DNC needs to be run not by a politician but by someone who knows how to organize and strategize to reach the nonvoters. I would like to see Ben Wickler of Wisconsin as DNC chair. He has experience working in a divided state and can bring that experience to the national fight. I also want to see David Hogg in the leadership team. He is a proven spokesman and raiser of money for the party. He brings insights into young voters and can reach out to them and teach us how to do so.
It is now becoming clear that something was very wrong with the election. We know that from what Trump said when he thanked Musk for changing the votes for him.
Open concerned about the results of the election, but was willing to accept UNTIL pieces of information filtered in suggesting that Trump did not win. And that came from Trump.
In his inaugural address, Trump thanked Musk for handing him the win in Pennsylvania. Trump is such an old man. He didn’t even know what he was saying in public.
On Monday, I was browsing the MLK remarks when one caught my attention. A very powerful Democratic campaign manager in Michigan mentioned how all of her Democratic candidates, elected, but not Harris. This is very odd. It says there was lots and lots of support for Harris and she should have won.
Now people who worked the elections in other states are saying they were told to send the results of their elections up to Starlink, which belongs to Elon Musk. Bingo, suddenly Trump wins. People mentioned that they remembered seeing a sudden change across the nation that everything was going to Trump when it looked like it was going for Harris.
It’s time for us to shake the trees and find out what happened. Trump stole the election because of Musk. He is now Musk’s puppet.
Please don’t start this. You sound like Trump and Rudy in 2020. States didn’t “send their votes to Starlink”. As painful as it is, Trump legitimately won more votes. Kamala didn’t do as well in some states as down-ballot Democrats did. That could be because she started her campaign late, it could be because she’s a Black woman, or maybe her campaign message didn’t connect. But let’s not spread “stolen election” conspiracies - we’re better than they are.
If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But there are things that need to be looked at. Trump blatantly acknowledged that Musk did it for him. You tell me that’s a lie. it’s not, it’s on tape.
Trump said, “He (Musk) journeyed to Pennsylvania, where he spent a month and a half campaigning for me in Pennsylvania, and he’s a popular guy. He was very effective. And he knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers. And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide. So it was pretty good, pretty good. So thank you to Elon.”
Trump is either just blabbing incoherently, or trolling us. If we believe that Musk manipulated voting machines, then the jokes on us.
The above quote was in Heather Cox Richardsons's Substack, Letters From An American, January 20th. It is a chilling read regarding Trump's launching his cryptocurrency......."a financial asset that didn't exist on Friday afternoon now accounts for about 89% of Donald Trumps wealth" was also quoted from Felix Salmon's reporting in Axios.
Trump always projects and tells us what he is doing or has done. We need to listen. It’s not just blabbering or a joke. If Starlink was involved with the votes it needs investigation!
I would be interested in knowing more facts about it. Maybe I am the only person who has never heard of it. There is so much to read, but I cannot read it all. There is not time to research everything myself. As with any research, there is much to be considered about how it is done, the sources, tests, and more.
Lynn, he spoke of Pennsylvania only. That doesn't account for the other swing states or the rest of the so-called Blue Wall which went red. I'm not saying there wasn't nefarious activity -- only that I'm a disbeliever of conspiracy theories until they are shown conclusively to be true; spreading unverified information like this doesn't help anything, especially if proven incorrect.
Do you happen to recall Trump’s exact words when he said that or implied that Musk did it for him? Trump is not known for being articulate. I would like to know. I might have heard on a news clip, but I cannot recall what Trump said regarding winning with the help of Musk.
Could his reference have been merely to Musk’s spreading of information or misinformation through use of technology? Or did he believe it was the monetary contribution or the backing of him by using the Elon Musk name?
There were several comments Trump made that made me especially suspicious, but I would like to know the exact truth with details. Thank you for sharing.
Nonetheless, we have what we have. We must go on from here.
Please look at the comment above by John Ranta where Trump praised Musk:
"...And he knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers."
That's all Trump was interested in. THAT is what caught my attention. Somewhere on here, I found a link to a woman who examines elections and reads up on them by independent researchers.
I am not so ready to dismiss the idea. If in fact results were sent to Starlink, Musk would have an opportunity to do something. I don’t think we should make a lot of noise about the idea, but someone really should be researching it. Jay Kuo thinks exit polling supports the idea that Trump won.
Putting out false narratives does not help to rebuild the Democratic Party. Assessing the failures of it communications and making corrections to them, building it’s grassroots support system, addressing gerrymandering at the state and local levels will help to develop the stronger base needed to right our country’s course. The systemic failures highlighted in the last election and the press’ continued failure to plainly call out Trump’s authoritarian actions need fixing.
Results were not sent to Starlink! See links below. Musk helped Trump much more directly. He spent $275 million running ads and building get out the vote operations in swing states like Pennsylvania. Musk turned Twitter, with its 350 million users, into a Trump campaign media feed. Musk led the push to get low information 20-something white males who seldom vote, to get out and vote for Trump. Those are the things Musk did to elect Trump. Hacking voting machines was not part of it. We need to address the fact that Trump got more votes than he did in 2020 - across the board. We got fewer votes than we did in 2020. That’s what we should focus on, not silly conspiracy theories.
Thank you. Knowing the truth and maintaining our best behavior matter, including peaceful ways. I appreciate being able to look back at various information and check on various pieces of information, context, and details as well as sources. It is not always easy to do. Sharing helps, and I find that many details deserve scrutiny. I believe that people share in good faith, but I also like to continue examining information.
The day after the election and days that followed it were additionally difficult because I had to be away from news most of the time. It was especially hard being surrounded by crowds and not knowing how people around me felt. Even searching on my phone was nearly impossible with people around. I was grateful for quiet crowds and did not have the opportunity or privacy to check on news sources as I would have ordinarily. Knowing more is helpful. The topic that was so important to me at that time was not one I could mention to anyone.
I clearly do not think this is far fetch thinking. I firmly believe that FOTUS did not win FL in 2016. I spent long hours working I. That campaign and it was a far rosier outlook that either 2008 or 2012.
I could not believe there was not something illegal happening with the election results.
Separately, I saw Trump being interviewed and cannot remember who the interviewer was. It might have been Bob Woodward,,but I cannot say that for sure. What I do remember for sure is D. J. Trump’s admission of his loss of the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. Regarding the 2020 election, he said softly, “I lost by a whisker.”
I was watching the returns starting at 7pm. Almost every early call went to tRump. Every Harris leaning result was too early to call. Then by 10 a flood of tRump and lots of Dem counting missing.
Too many involved in the deceit in my opinion and not sure if it's just Pavlov dog conditioning from the thuggery or big money owners at MSNBC, CNN, that were threatened last time. i./e. tRump threatened CNN FCC license for - as he says - false reporting. A classic dictator move. Or, just want access to the money corruption?
We were all watching the returns. Trump got more votes. MSNBC and CNN are not corrupt. Neither is PBS or NPR. Neither is The Guardian, or the NYT. Or dozens more I could name. The election was legitimate. Stop sounding like MTG and Rudy Giuliani in 2021. We’ve got work to do.
You are sure those words were just words. If I didn’t read people seeing the whole election turn around from blue to red AND read a comment from a very capable Democrat see her candidates win but Harris lose, I wouldn’t be trying to take a better look at this. Trump doesn’t care how he was elected. I do. I’m trying to find the comment by an independent election researcher who pointed out that SEVERAL election watchers said Trump hacked the election after looking at results from several states. AND they published their findings. I’ll get back to you when I find them again.
You don’t think for a minute that, if there was evidence of election fraud, Kamala wouldn’t have a pack of lawyers filing court cases? You think some “independent election watcher” knows something that hundreds of Democratic politicians, staffers and researchers don’t? To quote Biden, “C’mon man!”
Somebody better start speaking up! The old guard has got to go. Talking about bipartisanship in the age of Trump is a form of capitulation. The Republicans waged all-out war against Obama and Biden. Time for the Democrats to stop playing nice and start making noise.
Speaking of the “old guard”, That’s a frequent criticism when candidates don’t win. I agree that some in the old guard should have gone. People also forget that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, should have stepped down when b/c of her health and age. People who felt that at the time were drowned out by her supporters . Obama would have been able to get a SCOTUS appointment. She didn’t. And the corruption with McConnell and unsurprisingly Trump set this forever Supreme Court in motion. I think RGB should be admired for her role on the court, but b/c these people aren’t gods to me, she played a huge part in the court we have today. Whether it was ego or reckless, we have to not be gaslit perpetually by the experts. We all have a role to play as well.
Meh. She wasn't well received, even by Democrats (who failed to show up to vote for her), so I don't want to hear from HER specifically. I want to hear from Democrats pushing back loudly-- the way every Republican did about Hunter Biden-- all day, every day. I am far more angry at the Democrats' silence and capitulation than I am about Trump being absolutely awful.
It makes complete sense. She is not at all inspirational. I never would have voted for her in an open primary. She did very poorly in an actual primary. She was part of the cover up of Biden's cognitive decline. I go further than "meh," and say heck no.
Your opinion. Many others, including me disagree with your opinion. Protests votes for Trump and those abstaining from voting over the Gaza war gave Trump the 1.5% lead that propelled him to the presidency. 75,000,000 votes for Harris don’t support your statement.
Many of us loved Kamala, and remember how excited we were when she took Biden’s place. She got 75,000,000 votes, but fell short of Biden’s 81,000,000. Some voters stayed home. Some switched to Trump.
I will always be grateful for Kamala Harris. I do think we forget that all politicians are also human. If a politician that we support doesn’t succeed or doesn’t check all the boxes, then people tend to flip the script. Kamala did what no one else could have done. I will always hold the deepest respect and admiration for what she did. I was at rallies and know others who attended other rallies. The joy and enthusiasm that her supporters had was otherworldly.
Nevertheless, she was a really strong candidate who really did not have a long enough time to become better known. Elon Musk really bought the election for Trump through X and paying $1M to unenrolled voters. X was an overwhelming amount of free advertising. Kamala can come out swinging about the billionaires and Trump’s dishonesty. I hope she plans to run again. She can win. She should start her campaign now.
Please examine your metric and pre assumptions. Fund raising ✔️ votes ✔️ organization ✔️. No incumbent won at national level in a Western democracy in this election, worldwide. But she did the best. Don't buy the racism and sexisim so many spout. She's not perfect, who is? She did a solid job and replacing her w nameless Dems doesn't help.
Why would we want only one leader to step forward? Several should. If Harris can attract enough support for 2028, fine. But there should be several voices going forward.
I’m in this camp. The R(fascist) party has been very strategic in its lockstep messaging over the years while the Democrats have often been fractured and/or fractious. If ever there was a time for Dems, like Kamala and OTHERS with big platforms, to come forward in a unified strategy, with unified messaging (not “tariff,” but “consumer tax,” etc.) and hammer constantly in all media, on billboards, on the current administration’s many dangerous, transgressive, illegal actions. “Others” might be future or current governors, possible Presidential contenders, current legislators (AOC comes to mind)—people who are already known and influential. I don’t actually care whether Kamala herself is involved, though I think she has tremendous value here. We just need some heavy hitters to commit. I’ve heard talk of a “shadow” government that would publicly counter every illegal or dangerous action taken by Trumplandia, and that, too, is an excellent idea.
We cannot count on one person. Educate yourself, get involved, find like-thinkers and do what YOU can now. We can bring leadership along after we all get aligned!
People forget the aggressive voter suppression efforts in play. They forget the intimidation that was non stop. For instance, in Indian country, many midwestern red state governors and politicians made it extremely difficult if not impossible with outrageous tactics preventing Native Americans to vote. That happened elsewhere, as well. And, what I really saw up front while canvassing was the impact of FOX, Sinclair and rightwing social media on people who leaned towards Trump and sat out of the election. (The tolerance of straight up lying is a huge problem and a giant influence on the dysfunctional aspect of how people vote in America). Finally, I’d love to know, that with the constant focus on swing states - ‘EVERYTHING boils down to swing states’, how many Democrats didn’t vote in comfortably blue states. I never hear anything about the electoral college impact on non voters.
I am torn. Of course I'd love to hear from VP Harris (to the extent she wishes to speak), but at the same time I think it's important (maybe even necessary) that a large number of Americans see Trump and his administration for what it is. The second Harris or any other Dem surrogate comes out there the focus is less about what Trump is saying/doing and more about what Harris may have said. Part of me feels very strongly that we as a nation need to see/feel some of the painful consequences of the decision to re-elect Donald Trump in order to move past him. I wish we didn't and part of me feels awful saying that (especially knowing that I am in a position to avoid much of that pain in a way that less fortunate folks are not) but I truly don't know if there's any way to move past Trumpism until the majority of voting Americans see and feel the painful results of it.
I do not recognize drumpf as the legitimate president of the U.S. No, I won't storm the Capitol, injure and murder Capitol police, and I won't engage in violent actions. But I will follow Vice-President Harris when she leads us into resistance, and in the meantime I am practicing my own. You can find me on Substack.
I wonder if sadly we may have to resort to violence. We can't go along anymore with the "they go low we go high" crap . If they want a gun fight, it is useless to bring a knife. We need constant messages yes. We need loud verbal defenders but I think action will have to happen too.
I agree. We need a "shadow" president. Some people are already demanding impeacment -- not that it would work -- but it would gum up the works. Could flip Congress in 2026.
But we want our country to suceed. We don't need to hurt ourselves. Hopefully, stuff like the infrastructure bill, CHIPS, etc will keep the economy sound..... We need to document that Democratic success.
With Elon Musk, it looks as if we already have a shadow president. Due to the condition of his citizenship, he couldn't be one, but it's clear that he could buy one.
Impeachment in a GOP majority House is a dream. They won't put it forward, and you can bet that Mike Johnson wouldn't allow a vote if Democrats proposed it.
How do you figure that? I only posited what appears to be the ugly reality; I definitely didn't say that I supported or approved of this 'shadow' president in Musk. Same is true for how the GOP House is being run these days.
No Daniel, I was raised to be a Democrat and still am after 76 years. We do need a greater voice and better messaging to inspire our voters.
That analogy shows you buy the psy ops version. The psy fi version of reality. But for psy ops, Harris would be president. We need to compare and contrast so that even you can understand what the difference SHOULD BE.
Absolutely. She is the titular leader of the only sane political party, and got 75 million votes
Jack, you are absolutely correct, as is Ms. Rubin for coming out with this piece.
Kamala Harris should be the face and voice of the opposition, and I look forward to hearing from her soon.
Certainly Chuck Schumer should not be the voice of Democrats in the nation at this critical moment in time. He “could” be a true, gutsy leader, standing up for the Constitution, and leading the Senate Democrats into the stance of truly trying to make a difference in the fight against the oligarchy and fascism instead of the usual mealy mouthed nonsense he speaks.
It would be amazing to have VP Harris’ voice again. I believe she would give an extraordinary voice and and experiential leadership for this time that is so needed. I also believe she or anyone else for that matter stepping into this role, needs to do so carefully. Very carefully. It will put a very clear target on her back and make her enemy #1. It will put her and her family in a very dangerous position.
That said, I would so love to hear her, and yes, I consider her the leader of all those of us who voted for her..
I think that Harris deserves to step back into private life for the immediate future.
Can any of us imagine the danger she will be in if she places herself in open opposition to Trump?
Americans made this mess and I don't understand why some expect/demand Harris or any Democrat to volunteer to be a deer on the headlights for Trusk and their mob.
States and organizations with expertise (ACLU) are akeeady filing suit against the sloppy and possibly illegal executive orders. Put Trump on the defensive.
If everyone in a position to take up leadership steps back because of a possible "danger," then Trump and the right has already won and our democracy is lost. Those that can need to step forward now, and we need to support them every step of the way. We need mass protests. We need to keep Trump's and his corrupt and evil administration's feet to the fire every step of the way until 20 January 2029.
The most important thing is that masses of Americans need to be prepared to stand up and protect those who speak up for our democracy. We can't sit at home on our couches and watch what's going on as if it was a reality tv show. I agree - we need mass protests and a leader to help organize them. Kamala would be perfect.
A fearful public is the goal of the authoritarian.
Kamala was very vocal about not being afraid. She specifically addressed this when asked about how she dealt with the potential threats from the cartels back when she was a prosecutor.
My bet: She's not even remotely afraid.
Agree! She deserves a rest. America voted this dictator in. It’s up to the rest of us to get us out of this mess.
She ran to be president, when duty calls the president has to respond to whatever situation arises. She's made of the right stuff and can respond at this time of crisis.
I would edit this statement to say that "part of America voted this dictator in..." Millions did not give this sociopath their vote.
I agree. And I think it would be perceived or received by many as a continuation of the campaign which her MAGA detractors would quickly mock or denounce.
Separately, something that's not gotten/getting much if any attention is work that;s been done by nonpartisan, expert, volunteer data analysts on voting anomalies in swing states in the 2024 election. It seems characteristic that the Dems did not call for forensic audits of swing states and a hand recount of at least one swing state within the timeline permitted by law. They were focused on leaning way into norms; well, these types of audits are within democratic norms.
Jessica Denson @LightsOn (Youtube) reviewed this in a couple shows pre-Jan 6. Forensic audiits would have been a) extremely revelatory, b) banished real questions about anomalies in the vote outcomes of swing state @LightsOn
(The volunteer data analysts could use support - they're still on this, to my understanding. I'm not part of the project, but an interested view - this isn't an ad.)
She will not be effective. If it did not work in the election, it won't going forward either in my view. She could step in after he tanks and burns though.
Hello Pipandjoe. Let us address the elephant in the room: How can
we be sure Harris/Walz didn't win?
PLUS we cannot overlook the way in which she ended up in the campaign.. too many built in challenges with no time to rectify. I was impressed by what she did accomplish in little time and while continuing to uphold vice presidential duties. Not enough people out in the real world (excluding CA, pretty much everyone west of the Mississippi River?) got a chance to learn about her and see what she can do
First of all, not only was the polling close but the trend has that her numbers were moving downward.
So there really is not a lot to go on to assume she might have won.
Second, although she lost by more than expected, like I said, her numbers had been trending down.
The Walz debate was bad and she kept focusing on her weakness which was interviews, bad idea.
She needed someone to help boost her numbers, not sink them, and then, there was all the false nonsense about inflation being Biden's fault, and Biden's garbage gaff (yes Trump said it first, but FOX viewers are not going to know this) all stuff people bought into.
Then lie after lie from Trump and right-wing media about Trump's once great economy (which was only average) and Biden having a bad one (Biden's was actually better).
Musk poured a quarter of a billion dollars into Trump's campaign, some of which his people used to attack her with phony claims.
This makes sense. Right now, Trumps waves of edicts will overwhelm anyone brave enough to wade into the surf. Let the tide come fully in and when more and more Republican senators and representatives hear reactions from their constituents, then will be the time to step forward and press him.
Well said, Joni…if Schumer cannot be the bulwark in the Senate against the destructive force of the majority, then Kamala Harris, a true leader should stand up!
Agree. Schumer is useless and way past his shelf life.
Schumer showed himself to be a fucking doormat, a quivering little pooch rolling over and showing its soft belly. Comity and bipartisanship? When the other side wants to roll over the top of all that is decent and small-d democratic and get rid of everyone who isn't white and who doesn't immediately kowtow to them? Are you frickin' kidding me? We know from history that appeasement and handwringing DO NOT WORK.
Dems need to grow some balls or ovaries, whichever is appropriate, stand strong and stand tall, every damn day. Loudly and plainly call out how the orange criminal's administration's tactics are supporting its larger fascist and racist goals. Harris would be a good one to start the hit parade. She needs to bring her sharp-tongued ready-to-kick-ass prosecutorial self to the fight, not the nice-lady-you'd-love-to-have-over-for-dinner self.
Oh -- the mainstream media won't cooperate? THEN USE OTHER OUTLETS. Don't know how? Ask AOC, Maxwell Frost, and some folks younger than 40 years old -- they know!
And be ready to start gouging the other side's eyes and kicking them in the groin in the political arena. I am sick and fucking tired of the "Be nice, let's all get back to the status quo" bullshit. We are in a fucking war against the criminals, oligarchs, and christo-fascists for our country.
I wish I could give you 100 likes.
Great ideas!
I agree with you. Harris demonstrated her extraordinary voice during the campaign, and it's only because of the quarter billion dollars plus Musk poured into the campaign and some underhanded ads against her that she did not win. I'd love to hear her too!
We need to hear from her and many other Democrats all the time. I mean exactly that. Flood the networks,cable shows, substacks, radio, Bluesky, anywhere and everywhere. Push back.
I sincerely hope Governor Tim Walz steps up as a loud anti-Trumpian voice. We need him and it would further raise his profile. Right now Democrats have far too many soft or silent voices, and few that speak to rural America.
NB. What we don’t need is the political consultants that made Tim Walz less than fully-effective for the Harris Presidential Campaign.
Absolutely agree with this. We need their voices loud and strong.
I agree. Ms. Harris may be *one* voice, but not *the* voice. The Democrat actually don't lack younger, articulate, assertive voices. Let them step forward, give people an opportunity to hear from them, and begin to think about who is best to lead going forward.
We’re only 2 days into this s__tshow and I can’t wait to hear from her. I hope other Democrats speak truth loudly too.
It’s not all hers to do. All the democrat leadership should be applauded. They are not. So something more is the underbelly
Appauld
Appalled
A spell check problem Jenn. Thanks for fixing that.
I totally agree Kamala Harris is the titular leader of the Democratic Party!
It would be great to hear from Harris despite the flax and dismissal from the Trumpists as for the 75 million voters and the media it probably would not register.
It would be great to hear from ALL the Democrat leadership.
Indeed!
Hey Jack. Who are you. Another Republican posing as a democrat. I grew up in Democratic poor Maine. The blue collared men. They beat their wives and raped their children. We uneducated. Sure. Let’s reach out to them in plain speak. Donald Trump did just that and got elected by white male supremacy America. By talking about grabbing women, unlawful behavior, corruption speak and plain speak. He got elected on that platform. By men I were surrounded with in my childhood. The so called blue collared boys. No thanks. It was an awful childhood of blue collared men.
Part 2 Jack. Faux religiosity. Was another Trump platform. Rich male evangelists bought him. And all the women who needed a way to justify white male supremacy, poor male behavior and religion. And all the male religious leadership that exploits everyone and gets off Scot free. . Just watch Trumps family at the fake religious ceremony at his inauguration , where he was called out on sermon for LBGT and immigrants. What a joke.
I get that she needs a breather but if she had been elected she wouldn't be getting one - we don't need an out and out all day campaign from her - BUT she could educate, prosecute and inspire us to keep going. I miss her reasoned voice, her hopeful voice.
The breather is over. She knows. So many of my friends say they are tired. Damn so am I. But believe me so were our justice fighting ancestors. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFBiOF8PoFg/?igsh=bHNwNXo1ZWQ3b24x
Pamela, and her angry voice (although that risks her being labeled as hysterical or crazy.) But she should be angry.
She is unusually good at being "respectably" angry.
In 'Merica, she's been forced to hone that skill that she has perfected.
So do I!
That is, I miss the hope and joy, the expertise and to the point knowledge and commitment, the dedication, and genuine caring of Vice President Kamala Harris, all based on her character, wide range of experiences, and the strength of her character as she spoke from the heart.
Working. Where is she? Volunteering. Helping to feed the people of Los Angeles, you know, the city that has been engulfed in wild fires? Where is she in deed.
As do I…where is she?!!!
The last report I saw showed her on the frontlines in L.A. working with volunteers helping feed the fire victims. She flew directly to L.A. and began helping immediately.
https://www.wck.org/news/kamala-harris-la
Why are black women continually expected to save the day? Why are elderly gasbags like Chuck Schumer still "leading" the Democratic Party? Why is there no fiercely organized Democratic opposition? Why are the Democrats willing to lose a wide swath of the younger generation who are _desperate_ to see some fight, fierce determination, true opposition, and media-savvy and bold leadership?
What I am waiting for — although distressed that I will be disappointed — is a coordinated messaging machine from the Dems, across all media platforms (including old-school and digital billboards everywhere, but especially news deserts), that pound and pounce on all the lies and that show the harm. If there is strategy being concocted, quietly, within the party, I can deal with that, but I fear the quiet is more about learned helplessness (although the wave of lawsuits we’re hearing about is fabulous and a good sign).
It's up to all of us to form that "coordinated messaging machine." When it comes to messaging, Republicans have soldiers (who carry the message faithfully), while Democrats have analysts and critics (to paraphrase Jon Lovett of Pod Save America). Let's all get on the same page!
We can look to sources like The Contrarian for inspiration - for example, don't say tariffs, say consumer taxes. @JenRubinContrarian - please help start/amplify a messaging toolkit for the Opposition, working with folks like Anat Shenker-Osorio, George Lakoff and Antonia Scatton.
I agree, Marla (and also heard the Pod Save American piece). “We the People” need to rise up and message in a coordinated way, AND Party leaders need to model that same behavior, but they are not — not yet, anyway. Closest I’ve seen come to it is Gov. Gavin Newsom’s messaging about the CA fires. It appears he has a “machine” specifically in place to respond immediately and powerfully to all Trump and MAGA lies about the disaster and how it is being handled. His emails and social media have been spot on.
Newsom has a talent for messaging that the Democratic Party should emulate.
Wouldn't it be great if he and Harris joined forces? I love them both!!
not him,never win a general election
I wasn’t suggesting him as the candidate. Reread my comment
OK I see . I was confused because of the way he talked to that woman at the fire and pretended to be on the phone with Biden....
While I agree that we need better and coordinated messaging, I fear the Democrats have forgotten that organization works better than just the messages. We need to remember Howard Dean (when have you heard anyone talking about when he was DNC chair?) and how aggressively he build a true grass roots organization, right down to the voting precinct level, that got so many people engaged we were able to take back our country by electing our first black president. The message was important, but the organizing was the key. Local party committees just don't get it. Howard Dean and DFA did!
Exactly! And more to the point, the organizing needs to include the ENTIRE country. I live in Kansas and it frustrates me to no end that the Democratic Party basically writes us off as a "red state" and gives us zero resources when it comes to elections. However, our "red state" currently has a Democratic governor and might be able to elect other Democrats too if we could promise possible candidates that they would be backed by the DNC.
I was raised in Kansas and have many liberal cousins living there. You are right! Kansas is winnable! Where is our new 50 state strategy?
Kamala should lead it. She needs to step into the void.
I used to believe the two shouting megaphones gets nothing done.
President Biden and VP Kamala Harris got the business of Government done. This has been shouted from the treetops.
The tRump campaign and MAGA are all the Anti-federalists of the past yearning to "drown it in a bathtub" to kill taxes/Gov't - but never seem understand the citizenry, in their own arrogance beholden to shiny objects, to help those truly served by Gov't and are NOT handouts.
The corruption is massive for exploitation, and I am now a believer that "proof in the pudding" isn't working as too many are not even interested in tasting. The sneered yelling and nose turning to good Gov't lets the corruption run amok without checks.
I don't know how to get away from two megaphones yelling - but somewhere the cacophony of noise from the extreme RW is drowning out the good messaging and allowing the deep under-current of their illicit wants to rule carry onwards.
We must address the under current - not the frothy noise at the top. I'm just not sure it won't turn into the crashing sound onto the rocks that are deafening.
We all see the problem. Steve Schmidt's "The Warning" is just more preaching to the choir. We've all known this from the Dem's side. The strategy and TACTICS needed to effectively countermand is the problem.
Yet, the Contrarian seems a good place to come out from under the "appeaser paper of record" and lots of good words here. For me its trying to find clarity of where to spend resources and effort to achieve results like the newly submitted lawsuits may do.
You’re wrong about Steve Schmidt’s The Warning; Steve’s built a powerful community enlightening and educating us!
I think my point is education alone isn't enough - it's the actions we need to take that seem elusive or keep coming up short due to the gop billionaire machine or the heavy handed lean right of the main media centers run by the billionaire owners to getting to fixing what ails us.
Not meant to critique - bad example.
You are absolutely right that we need strategies that really work. Jess Craven's Chop Wood, Carry Water offers daily pro-democracy acts, but we need strategists who analyze the big picture and what is effective now. The libertarian policy planning network is a leviathan if there ever was one. Their marriage of convenience with the GOP and Christian Nationalist movement has normalized much that most Americans would otherwise eschew. They control the narrative, and we have to win it back. How do we do that?
Thanks Diane! I agree that the Dems need to get over their self-pity or whatever funk they are in and get the prosecutor, Kamala, to speak regularly, strongly, and clearly to counteract the firehose of BS.
Hoping it has to do with the wait for the DNC chair? Hoping the DNC chair has both cojones and savvy. Hoping for some YOUNG DEMS on the Committee!
I'm not waiting. We can write letters to the editor, we can talk to our neighbors, post and repost message that hit (price of gas up 7 cents today)...WE CAN'T WAIT. Too many are looking for a Savior to bring us out of the wilderness. WE CAN'T WAIT. We are the solution.
We can follow policy updates and submit public comments. We need TONS of people to do this. Write your AG now and ask them to join the lawsuit challenging the executive order to end birthright citizenship for some people.
Agree! It would be nice to have some COORDINATED anything from the left, and solidarity to the masses. This is how maga won. They had a plan of attack and executed it. About the only thing they are good at, attack.
🎯
I agree. This will not be led by a bunch of septuagenarians - or older! The opposition needs to be driven by new blood.
I don’t think this is learned helplessness. It is more learned idealism which needs a reality check.
Noble but fruitless now.
Trump used mass flooding of disinformation, media whitewashing and fear tactics that Americans have not experienced to this level since before the 60s. My children, although very intelligent, have never had their freedoms challenged this way.
However, I grew up though, when a woman could not have an abortion and no power over her money. No cc, no property ownership, no bank account without male permission. Low paying jobs with little status. Men ruled. And the ads and marketing of the 50s were sexist and degraded women. It was 1920 for women to vote and not until the early 70s for women body autonomy and some financial liberation. Especially for the less of the class women. So. I believe Democrats underestimated the dissemination of white male supremacy, it’s power and the religions that supports it. It’s just my opinion of course. But my childhood included Trump like strong men who believed in supremacy over all. It’s very embedded in the culture.
I agree with this entirely, and believe we need strong statements and guidance about resisting the Trump project from Ms. Harris and other prominent Democratic leaders. Until Trump was sworn in, it was only speculation what he would do. It is now completely obvious, and the resistance must be immediate and involve both traditional leaders like Ms. Harris, as well as grassroots efforts.
Agree completely. If she finds the right balance between the prosecutor who wiped the floor with him in the only debate and the visionary for a better fairer America she could lead the country out of this chasm. I want to hear more of the prosecutor right now. To paraphrase AOC, no deference to the rapist.
I do not know if you noticed, but after being given only 100 days to run, Vice President Harris garnered nearly as many votes as the Felon, yet still 53% of white women and 75% of white men decided she was not better than a rapist, felon, and thief. Those numbers indicate that this madness we are now witnessing is a white problem. And white people need to fix it.
White people chose white supremacy over competence and integrity. Don’t expect Black women, even a leader such as our VP, to rescue you from your own racism. No one is coming to your rescue. You have to do it yourself. We, as Black women and men voted 92% and 78% for the right candidate. We cannot save America from itself and by ourselves. Let VP Harris have her rest. We are all tired of trying to save this country from its worst impulses. Do it yourselves.
I'm a white woman who voted for Harris. The white Trump voters in my life were not interested in my opinions of who they should vote for, or my assertions that the Democrats are our best hope for implementing the policies that support regular people that Trump voters agree with.
Right wingers have not been interested or listened to me/respected my thoughts since I was a teenager in the 80s but I still keep trying.
I did have a couple of successes- in the late 90s a coworker changed her mind to support adoption by gay people after we talked about it off and on for two years within regular social conversation. And a mentor in the early 2000's apologized to me around 2009 for not listening to me in 2003 when I was vocally opposing the US invasion of Iraq and inviting coworkers to join me at protests. He was almost crying and also told me he still felt shame for not serving in Vietnam- he had received a deferment that he recognized as unfair special treatment.
But in general, in my experience as a vocal and visible progressive white woman, my right wing family and friends do not respect my political opinion and often dismiss me as overly privileged.
47% of white women voted for Kamala. We weren't the majority in our demographic, but we are out here trying too, and there are a lot of us.
I am so grateful for the work and leadership of black women individually and collectively.
This is one white woman among many other white women and men I know who voted for Harris. I didn’t ask you to save our country alone. It is the responsibility of each eligible person to vote and support our democracy.
And of course the first response is “not all white people” which clearly misses the point. Racism is a white American problem.
Only white Americans can cure yourselves, your families, your communities. We on the other side of the divide are tired of trying.
Sherry, I'm an older white man who voted for Harris (and in fact every democrat since I started voting in 1976.) But I'm not sure where you got your numbers as to white voters vs Black. According to Navigator
https://navigatorresearch.org/2024-post-election-survey-racial-analysis-of-2024-election-results/
(Beginning of paste):
Donald Trump improved his standing with voters across racial demographics, including white voters (from net +13 in 2020 to net +16; 40 percent Harris – 56 percent Trump), Hispanic voters (from net +38 in 2020 to net +11; 53 percent Harris – 42 percent Trump), Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (from net +31 in 2020 to net +20; 58 percent Harris – 38 percent Trump), and Black Americans (from net +84 in 2020 to net +67; 81 percent Harris – 14 percent Trump).
The largest shifts in support were seen among men, particularly men of color. Donald Trump won the vote of Hispanic men by one point (49 percent Harris – 50 percent Trump), a 35-point difference from 2020, when Joe Biden won the vote of Hispanic men by a 34-point margin. Similarly, there was a 35-point difference in how Black men voted in 2024 compared to 2020. While Black men voted for Harris in 2024 by a 47-point margin (71 percent Harris – 24 percent Trump), it was significantly less than Biden who won the vote of Black men by an 82-point margin over Trump in 2020. White men also moved toward Trump by 5 points (net +23; 37 percent Harris – 60 percent Trump), compared to his margin of 18 points in 2020 (40 percent Harris – 58 percent Trump).
Black women and white women both remained consistent in their votes from 2020, with Black women voting for Harris by an 83-point margin (90 percent Harris – 7 percent Trump, Biden net +85 in 2020), and white women voting for Trump by 10-points (43 percent Harris – 53 percent Trump, Trump net +8 in 2020). (End of paste)
I find these difficult to read, but the gist is the felon won white voters overall by 56% to 40%, and he increased his support by people of color.
My point is that we ALL must recognize the fact that there is a voting problem in the US, and a big part of it has to do with the 90 million eligible voters who chose not to participate. Perhaps they were busy, or disinterested/discouraged/disgusted. Maybe they were removed from the rolls. Maybe they lived in heavily gerrymandered districts. Whatever the reason, 90 million is more than either candidate received, and that is a big problem.
My comment was specifically about someone asking a Black woman who had given her all to somehow rescue this country from its racism. Only white people can do that.
So I guess we also need men to rescue America from its misogyny. Glad you’re willing to help.
We Black women are frankly tired and we are done. It’s someone else’s turn.
(BTW I find your numbers difficult to decipher. )
Sherry,
Unless I missed it, and please correct me if I'm wrong, I didn't see anyone comment about Kamala needing to rescue the country from it's racism. I also did not get the impression that her race had anything to do with commentors' desire to hear her voice, a voice with a long history of understanding, enforcing, and explaining law and order issues to the public.
Perhaps you were speaking more broadly about racism...the fact that a black woman would have to address the lawlessness of racists who love Trump because they see him as one of them. For those folks, I'm afraid many white people stand little chance of making significant inroads with them. That kind of work requires a good psychiatrist.
Thank you for this comment. Kamala Harris has given enough.
Amen!
Sherry,
I think we're all tired. I was tired of having to help undo the damage that Jim Clyburn (who had a lot of sway) did by continuing to support Biden despite what he saw on the debate stage and must have previously witnessed in other settings. I'm tired of fighting against the fire hose of nonsensical messaging that white folks won't vote for a Black candidate.
I can't speak for others, but I don't expect Black women to rescue us. In fact I found myself having to challenge Black women (and men) to believe that we would vote for a Black president (we did twice), and in more recent times, asking them to dump the old white guy and make noise for Harris to become our nominee.
Look, the reality is that we still live in a society with a lot of "isms." POC, Jews, women, LGBTQ+ are going to face headwinds and it's up to ALL of us to ensure we fight for their seat at the table, especially when that seat wields some power.
Kamala Harris should have been appointed AG instead of VP. We’d be in a very different place.
I don't know how to stop the thinking that the AG was the problem. The AG prosecuted in the court of law as must. DJT defended in the court of public opinion and hammered for the AG to go public in efforts to yield a mistrial. AG stated, "read the motions and pleadings". They were all hard hitting and factual. Only lost in the lawyering of court due process. Maybe his judgeship carried to much process, but otherwise - clean to law.
The Article III - Judicial branch owns 90% of the problem by not allowing for real due process - but giving deferential process because of fear of tarnish to the POTUS symbology/Name and that exploit went straight from Cannon to SCOTUS.
We had hope in U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that was a legal straight shooter unafraid of the consequences to hold accountable by fair trial the crimes indicted. SCOTUS delayed her court case by a year before remanding back to her for the segregation of official acts versus campaign illegal acts.
Merrick Garland should have appointed Jack Smith,six months to a year,before he did. He
David, YES.
Going up the food chain was a mistake. Chasing the evidence was started March 2021 with significant legal maneuvers done by those investigated (Guliani, etc.) to block the evidence from getting into the GJ. Giving ex-POTUS generous room to come clean at Mar-a-largo was a mistake in 2022.
But, everyone was saying - "When you swing for the King" you better have it right which drove behaviors abnormal to normal DOJ investigation and prosecutions, i.e. super careful and deliberate to law. Having internal blockers early needing to be removed was another challenge.
She would be an outstanding Attorney General!
Wonder Woman compared to Invisible Man
The Democrats need someone to articulate a counter-narrative who won’t mince words. Harris is a good possibility.
A reorganization of the DNC would be a start. Current leadership there has been behind the curve, both in formulating programs that address the needs of the voter, and in getting that message out on all forms of the media. We need to work to get the vote out in the midterm elections, which are going to be here sooner than we think.
Leadership needs to stop navel gazing and start thinking about the common person of MAGA that are anti-government from the get-go. Explaining what government will do is the problem. The people needing gov't most don't viscerally feel it. Thank Reagan, "I'm from the gubmint" hate that is a core thick thread amongst the gop.
The gop/RNC win by saying how they'll neuter gov't. Yet - they never actually do, just reform to deliver to the top from the bottom and their benefactors over the common good. The want to rule and exploit power is their game. Many hawks like that.
Hear hear.
"the common person of MAGA" is kind of dense and will be hard to reach. interviews w/the pardoned J6 criminals produced statements like I would die for that man and I would have died for him that day.
AND there it is. We truly have a cult no better than Johnstown and Jones.
it absolutely is
I hope the young man from Florida, David Hogge, gets co-chair
That will happen
The DNC needs to be run not by a politician but by someone who knows how to organize and strategize to reach the nonvoters. I would like to see Ben Wickler of Wisconsin as DNC chair. He has experience working in a divided state and can bring that experience to the national fight. I also want to see David Hogg in the leadership team. He is a proven spokesman and raiser of money for the party. He brings insights into young voters and can reach out to them and teach us how to do so.
Agree with both of your suggestions.
I think we need someone fresh. Who isn't directly associated with Biden.
Wickler could fill this role well.
As would David Hogg in the #2 slot.
It is now becoming clear that something was very wrong with the election. We know that from what Trump said when he thanked Musk for changing the votes for him.
Open concerned about the results of the election, but was willing to accept UNTIL pieces of information filtered in suggesting that Trump did not win. And that came from Trump.
In his inaugural address, Trump thanked Musk for handing him the win in Pennsylvania. Trump is such an old man. He didn’t even know what he was saying in public.
On Monday, I was browsing the MLK remarks when one caught my attention. A very powerful Democratic campaign manager in Michigan mentioned how all of her Democratic candidates, elected, but not Harris. This is very odd. It says there was lots and lots of support for Harris and she should have won.
Now people who worked the elections in other states are saying they were told to send the results of their elections up to Starlink, which belongs to Elon Musk. Bingo, suddenly Trump wins. People mentioned that they remembered seeing a sudden change across the nation that everything was going to Trump when it looked like it was going for Harris.
It’s time for us to shake the trees and find out what happened. Trump stole the election because of Musk. He is now Musk’s puppet.
Please don’t start this. You sound like Trump and Rudy in 2020. States didn’t “send their votes to Starlink”. As painful as it is, Trump legitimately won more votes. Kamala didn’t do as well in some states as down-ballot Democrats did. That could be because she started her campaign late, it could be because she’s a Black woman, or maybe her campaign message didn’t connect. But let’s not spread “stolen election” conspiracies - we’re better than they are.
If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But there are things that need to be looked at. Trump blatantly acknowledged that Musk did it for him. You tell me that’s a lie. it’s not, it’s on tape.
Trump said, “He (Musk) journeyed to Pennsylvania, where he spent a month and a half campaigning for me in Pennsylvania, and he’s a popular guy. He was very effective. And he knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers. And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide. So it was pretty good, pretty good. So thank you to Elon.”
Trump is either just blabbing incoherently, or trolling us. If we believe that Musk manipulated voting machines, then the jokes on us.
The above quote was in Heather Cox Richardsons's Substack, Letters From An American, January 20th. It is a chilling read regarding Trump's launching his cryptocurrency......."a financial asset that didn't exist on Friday afternoon now accounts for about 89% of Donald Trumps wealth" was also quoted from Felix Salmon's reporting in Axios.
Thank you for the direct quotes.
Trump always projects and tells us what he is doing or has done. We need to listen. It’s not just blabbering or a joke. If Starlink was involved with the votes it needs investigation!
I would be interested in knowing more facts about it. Maybe I am the only person who has never heard of it. There is so much to read, but I cannot read it all. There is not time to research everything myself. As with any research, there is much to be considered about how it is done, the sources, tests, and more.
Sheila, for the 3rd time, Starlink was NOT involved with the votes. Not. Not. Not. Stop sharing conspiracy theories. Stop it. Focus on reality.
Lynn, he spoke of Pennsylvania only. That doesn't account for the other swing states or the rest of the so-called Blue Wall which went red. I'm not saying there wasn't nefarious activity -- only that I'm a disbeliever of conspiracy theories until they are shown conclusively to be true; spreading unverified information like this doesn't help anything, especially if proven incorrect.
Do you happen to recall Trump’s exact words when he said that or implied that Musk did it for him? Trump is not known for being articulate. I would like to know. I might have heard on a news clip, but I cannot recall what Trump said regarding winning with the help of Musk.
Could his reference have been merely to Musk’s spreading of information or misinformation through use of technology? Or did he believe it was the monetary contribution or the backing of him by using the Elon Musk name?
There were several comments Trump made that made me especially suspicious, but I would like to know the exact truth with details. Thank you for sharing.
Nonetheless, we have what we have. We must go on from here.
Please look at the comment above by John Ranta where Trump praised Musk:
"...And he knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers."
That's all Trump was interested in. THAT is what caught my attention. Somewhere on here, I found a link to a woman who examines elections and reads up on them by independent researchers.
Thank you for sharing that quote.
I am not so ready to dismiss the idea. If in fact results were sent to Starlink, Musk would have an opportunity to do something. I don’t think we should make a lot of noise about the idea, but someone really should be researching it. Jay Kuo thinks exit polling supports the idea that Trump won.
Putting out false narratives does not help to rebuild the Democratic Party. Assessing the failures of it communications and making corrections to them, building it’s grassroots support system, addressing gerrymandering at the state and local levels will help to develop the stronger base needed to right our country’s course. The systemic failures highlighted in the last election and the press’ continued failure to plainly call out Trump’s authoritarian actions need fixing.
Results were not sent to Starlink! See links below. Musk helped Trump much more directly. He spent $275 million running ads and building get out the vote operations in swing states like Pennsylvania. Musk turned Twitter, with its 350 million users, into a Trump campaign media feed. Musk led the push to get low information 20-something white males who seldom vote, to get out and vote for Trump. Those are the things Musk did to elect Trump. Hacking voting machines was not part of it. We need to address the fact that Trump got more votes than he did in 2020 - across the board. We got fewer votes than we did in 2020. That’s what we should focus on, not silly conspiracy theories.
https://www.factcheck.org/2024/11/musks-starlink-was-not-connected-to-vote-tabulation-contrary-to-online-claims/
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nevada/articles/2024-11-12/fact-focus-election-officials-knock-down-starlink-vote-rigging-conspiracy-theories
Stop it. Now.
Thank you. Knowing the truth and maintaining our best behavior matter, including peaceful ways. I appreciate being able to look back at various information and check on various pieces of information, context, and details as well as sources. It is not always easy to do. Sharing helps, and I find that many details deserve scrutiny. I believe that people share in good faith, but I also like to continue examining information.
The day after the election and days that followed it were additionally difficult because I had to be away from news most of the time. It was especially hard being surrounded by crowds and not knowing how people around me felt. Even searching on my phone was nearly impossible with people around. I was grateful for quiet crowds and did not have the opportunity or privacy to check on news sources as I would have ordinarily. Knowing more is helpful. The topic that was so important to me at that time was not one I could mention to anyone.
Thank you for clarifying.
Stop it. Just stop now.
I clearly do not think this is far fetch thinking. I firmly believe that FOTUS did not win FL in 2016. I spent long hours working I. That campaign and it was a far rosier outlook that either 2008 or 2012.
Thank you so much for these details!
I could not believe there was not something illegal happening with the election results.
Separately, I saw Trump being interviewed and cannot remember who the interviewer was. It might have been Bob Woodward,,but I cannot say that for sure. What I do remember for sure is D. J. Trump’s admission of his loss of the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. Regarding the 2020 election, he said softly, “I lost by a whisker.”
I was watching the returns starting at 7pm. Almost every early call went to tRump. Every Harris leaning result was too early to call. Then by 10 a flood of tRump and lots of Dem counting missing.
Too many involved in the deceit in my opinion and not sure if it's just Pavlov dog conditioning from the thuggery or big money owners at MSNBC, CNN, that were threatened last time. i./e. tRump threatened CNN FCC license for - as he says - false reporting. A classic dictator move. Or, just want access to the money corruption?
We were all watching the returns. Trump got more votes. MSNBC and CNN are not corrupt. Neither is PBS or NPR. Neither is The Guardian, or the NYT. Or dozens more I could name. The election was legitimate. Stop sounding like MTG and Rudy Giuliani in 2021. We’ve got work to do.
I understand what you were offering as evidence. Let me say that all of the national outlets were telling you what they received from the states.
You are sure those words were just words. If I didn’t read people seeing the whole election turn around from blue to red AND read a comment from a very capable Democrat see her candidates win but Harris lose, I wouldn’t be trying to take a better look at this. Trump doesn’t care how he was elected. I do. I’m trying to find the comment by an independent election researcher who pointed out that SEVERAL election watchers said Trump hacked the election after looking at results from several states. AND they published their findings. I’ll get back to you when I find them again.
You don’t think for a minute that, if there was evidence of election fraud, Kamala wouldn’t have a pack of lawyers filing court cases? You think some “independent election watcher” knows something that hundreds of Democratic politicians, staffers and researchers don’t? To quote Biden, “C’mon man!”
Somebody better start speaking up! The old guard has got to go. Talking about bipartisanship in the age of Trump is a form of capitulation. The Republicans waged all-out war against Obama and Biden. Time for the Democrats to stop playing nice and start making noise.
Speaking of the “old guard”, That’s a frequent criticism when candidates don’t win. I agree that some in the old guard should have gone. People also forget that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, should have stepped down when b/c of her health and age. People who felt that at the time were drowned out by her supporters . Obama would have been able to get a SCOTUS appointment. She didn’t. And the corruption with McConnell and unsurprisingly Trump set this forever Supreme Court in motion. I think RGB should be admired for her role on the court, but b/c these people aren’t gods to me, she played a huge part in the court we have today. Whether it was ego or reckless, we have to not be gaslit perpetually by the experts. We all have a role to play as well.
Meh. She wasn't well received, even by Democrats (who failed to show up to vote for her), so I don't want to hear from HER specifically. I want to hear from Democrats pushing back loudly-- the way every Republican did about Hunter Biden-- all day, every day. I am far more angry at the Democrats' silence and capitulation than I am about Trump being absolutely awful.
Megan;
You are saying you are angry about the Democrats silence about Trump, but you don’t want to hear from Kamala Harris, who is a Democratic leader?
That makes no sense.
It makes complete sense. She is not at all inspirational. I never would have voted for her in an open primary. She did very poorly in an actual primary. She was part of the cover up of Biden's cognitive decline. I go further than "meh," and say heck no.
Your opinion. Many others, including me disagree with your opinion. Protests votes for Trump and those abstaining from voting over the Gaza war gave Trump the 1.5% lead that propelled him to the presidency. 75,000,000 votes for Harris don’t support your statement.
Many of us loved Kamala, and remember how excited we were when she took Biden’s place. She got 75,000,000 votes, but fell short of Biden’s 81,000,000. Some voters stayed home. Some switched to Trump.
I will always be grateful for Kamala Harris. I do think we forget that all politicians are also human. If a politician that we support doesn’t succeed or doesn’t check all the boxes, then people tend to flip the script. Kamala did what no one else could have done. I will always hold the deepest respect and admiration for what she did. I was at rallies and know others who attended other rallies. The joy and enthusiasm that her supporters had was otherworldly.
Ophioukhos;
Your opinion ignores the fact that over 74 million people voted for her.
let's not equate physical decline with cognitive decline!
Maybe you were lukewarm about her, but no one I know was. All of us adored her.
Sure. And you and "all of those you know" were outvoted.
Nevertheless, she was a really strong candidate who really did not have a long enough time to become better known. Elon Musk really bought the election for Trump through X and paying $1M to unenrolled voters. X was an overwhelming amount of free advertising. Kamala can come out swinging about the billionaires and Trump’s dishonesty. I hope she plans to run again. She can win. She should start her campaign now.
more like we were not voted
(I refer to the voters who didn't)
Please examine your metric and pre assumptions. Fund raising ✔️ votes ✔️ organization ✔️. No incumbent won at national level in a Western democracy in this election, worldwide. But she did the best. Don't buy the racism and sexisim so many spout. She's not perfect, who is? She did a solid job and replacing her w nameless Dems doesn't help.
Why would we want only one leader to step forward? Several should. If Harris can attract enough support for 2028, fine. But there should be several voices going forward.
I’m in this camp. The R(fascist) party has been very strategic in its lockstep messaging over the years while the Democrats have often been fractured and/or fractious. If ever there was a time for Dems, like Kamala and OTHERS with big platforms, to come forward in a unified strategy, with unified messaging (not “tariff,” but “consumer tax,” etc.) and hammer constantly in all media, on billboards, on the current administration’s many dangerous, transgressive, illegal actions. “Others” might be future or current governors, possible Presidential contenders, current legislators (AOC comes to mind)—people who are already known and influential. I don’t actually care whether Kamala herself is involved, though I think she has tremendous value here. We just need some heavy hitters to commit. I’ve heard talk of a “shadow” government that would publicly counter every illegal or dangerous action taken by Trumplandia, and that, too, is an excellent idea.
I'm not saying not others just don't quash this leader. Do you see you are doing that?
Me? How so?
👍👍👍
We need to hear from her. Please tell us what we can do (my President) Harris!
We cannot count on one person. Educate yourself, get involved, find like-thinkers and do what YOU can now. We can bring leadership along after we all get aligned!
What a different January we'd be having if the 49% of voters who sat this one out had voted.
90 million of 'em
People forget the aggressive voter suppression efforts in play. They forget the intimidation that was non stop. For instance, in Indian country, many midwestern red state governors and politicians made it extremely difficult if not impossible with outrageous tactics preventing Native Americans to vote. That happened elsewhere, as well. And, what I really saw up front while canvassing was the impact of FOX, Sinclair and rightwing social media on people who leaned towards Trump and sat out of the election. (The tolerance of straight up lying is a huge problem and a giant influence on the dysfunctional aspect of how people vote in America). Finally, I’d love to know, that with the constant focus on swing states - ‘EVERYTHING boils down to swing states’, how many Democrats didn’t vote in comfortably blue states. I never hear anything about the electoral college impact on non voters.
I am torn. Of course I'd love to hear from VP Harris (to the extent she wishes to speak), but at the same time I think it's important (maybe even necessary) that a large number of Americans see Trump and his administration for what it is. The second Harris or any other Dem surrogate comes out there the focus is less about what Trump is saying/doing and more about what Harris may have said. Part of me feels very strongly that we as a nation need to see/feel some of the painful consequences of the decision to re-elect Donald Trump in order to move past him. I wish we didn't and part of me feels awful saying that (especially knowing that I am in a position to avoid much of that pain in a way that less fortunate folks are not) but I truly don't know if there's any way to move past Trumpism until the majority of voting Americans see and feel the painful results of it.
I do not recognize drumpf as the legitimate president of the U.S. No, I won't storm the Capitol, injure and murder Capitol police, and I won't engage in violent actions. But I will follow Vice-President Harris when she leads us into resistance, and in the meantime I am practicing my own. You can find me on Substack.
I wonder if sadly we may have to resort to violence. We can't go along anymore with the "they go low we go high" crap . If they want a gun fight, it is useless to bring a knife. We need constant messages yes. We need loud verbal defenders but I think action will have to happen too.
I hope not because in violent moments it's often impossible to distinguish friends from foes.
I agree. We need a "shadow" president. Some people are already demanding impeacment -- not that it would work -- but it would gum up the works. Could flip Congress in 2026.
But we want our country to suceed. We don't need to hurt ourselves. Hopefully, stuff like the infrastructure bill, CHIPS, etc will keep the economy sound..... We need to document that Democratic success.
With Elon Musk, it looks as if we already have a shadow president. Due to the condition of his citizenship, he couldn't be one, but it's clear that he could buy one.
Impeachment in a GOP majority House is a dream. They won't put it forward, and you can bet that Mike Johnson wouldn't allow a vote if Democrats proposed it.
2026:win house and senate, impeach, expand court, start amendment that say pres is not immune from law, that can prosecute sitting president
You must be a MAGAT.
How do you figure that? I only posited what appears to be the ugly reality; I definitely didn't say that I supported or approved of this 'shadow' president in Musk. Same is true for how the GOP House is being run these days.
No Daniel, I was raised to be a Democrat and still am after 76 years. We do need a greater voice and better messaging to inspire our voters.
That analogy shows you buy the psy ops version. The psy fi version of reality. But for psy ops, Harris would be president. We need to compare and contrast so that even you can understand what the difference SHOULD BE.
kind of judgey, Daniel
Check my CV