How we as a people react to the assault on democracy that we as a country now experience, for the next 2 years, will surely determine the happiness and freedom of our children.
I don’t think they are stupid — just angry that the Democrats abandoned the working class and embraced neoliberalism (“Nearly $50 trillion - or around $2.5 trillion per year (in 2018 dollars), has been redistributed from the bottom 90% of income earners to the top 1% since the mid-1970s. …” Forbes
True, the Democrats have failed us -- Obama and Biden going back to Clinton and NAFTA -- but whoa, how could people channel their anger by voting for the guy who is out to destroy their lives?
when you wish to comment explicitly about another commenter's opinion, it is best practice to use the "REPLY" button directly under that opinion piece. That will minimize the risk of confusion about to who(m) you are replying. It also helps to actually put in the intended recipient's "handle" (or abbreviation thereof), as I did at the start of this reminder of normal protocol.
Best wishes at keeping the temperatures down amongst the good gals and guys,
Democrats didn't fail America. Americans failed America. My step father in the Carpenter's Union in the 60's. In the 70's Americans were against the unions because there was so much graft by union leaders, resulting in high costs to Americans. Americans bought cheap foreign cars, refused to buy American apparel because of cost. Today cheap labor, provided by immigrants, are building our homes; but Americans don't want the Carpenter's Union to come back because costs of homes will increase.
Clinton only won in 1992 because Ross Perot ran as an independent. The reason NAFTA was passed was to open markets to American products, increasing jobs and further reducing costs to American consumers. When Clinton left office there was a surplus budget.
The real reason jobs have left America and there is such a wealth gap between the very rich and the 90% of Americans, are the tax cuts to the wealthiest of Americans and large corporations by Reagan, the second Bush, and Trump.
So now Trump wants to eliminate the income tax and go to tariffs and a sales tax. You think there's a wealth gap between the rich and poor (there will be no Middle Class) now, just wait. America will become just like Putin's Russia.
Tariffs and sales taxes are always regressive, which means that the woman who (if she hasn't been replaced by robotics) takes your toll on a turnpike has to pay the same rate of taxation as Elon Musk. Oh, wait. He didn't pay ANY taxes last year.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that the Democrats were the only one at fault. Republican’s have been working at dismantling the “New Deal” since 1938 and getting back to the way it was before 1929. They may now have achieved that. We are now in a new “Gilded Age” with its materialistic excesses and widespread political corruption. Elon and Donald are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bill Clinton/Democrats may have had good intentions and high hopes when they went right of Regan but it certainly hasn’t worked out well for the bottom 80% of Americans.
The transfer of wealth went on steroids under the Reagan Administration and has been bolstered under every Republican Administration since. It's weird that you place no blame on the GOP. You also have selective memory when it comes to Democratic Administrations having to contend with Republican led House and Senate. President Obama had Mitch McConnell who stated his sole purpose was to make sure Obama was a one term President. McConnell also engineered the flooding of the courts with conservative Federalist Society judges who liberally blocked Democratic Presidents. You are telling a one sided story. What has been proven is that America gets hurt when certain factions accrue blame only to the Democratic Party leading some voters to vote 3rd Party or to stay home in protest. That is how we got Trump twice. The idea that not voting for Democrats because they don't match your ideology will make the country better is utterly disingenuous. And we're living with the consequences now.
I thought it was obvious that Republicans who cowered to Trump or played into his cray cray for their own "glory" are to blame. I mean, it is so obvious -- like saying, The sun exists even if it is dark out.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that the Democrats were the only one at fault. Republican’s have been working at dismantling the “New Deal” since 1938 and getting back to the way it was before 1929. They may now have achieved that. We are now in a new “Gilded Age” with its materialistic excesses and widespread political corruption. Elon and Donald are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bill Clinton/Democrats may have had good intentions and high hopes when they went right of Regan but it certainly hasn’t worked out well for the bottom 80% of Americans.
I'm well aware of the transfer of $50 trillion over the last ~50 years. Has electing Trump done anything to solve this problem or has it made the problem even worse? I think the answer is obvious.......
This is all lovely but they will confirm him anyway. They had every reason not to confirm every other person that they confirmed so what makes you think this time will be different?
These discussions are informative and give me a sliver of hope that the rule of law will prevail in America, so thank you for that. However, as a 66-year old female, mother, and grandmother, I am so fearful that Musk and the Trumplicans will succeed in circumventing the law as they do not love America, they do not abide by the same laws and rules that most Americans do, and they are not, nor will they ever be, public servants for the people of this country. I want to cry and scream every day!
"As we await Kash Patel’s official confirmation as FBI director", and "while waiting discuss what his leadership could mean for the agency." The question I have is why are you discussing that NOW. Why weren't you discussing this weeks ago? No is too late. It will not matter to know. The cow has already escaped the barn.
On Meidus Touch and other like platforms there have been issuing warnings and information ever since some of the candidates became known. The Republicans had cast their lot with the oncoming election and the Democrats have been slow to react with what is needed, but they are gearing up and showing up now more than ever.
While the courts and everyone else keeps fighting, the democrats and independents can start their campaign for 2026 which has to include how they will go about rescuing our government and making it stronger and more responsive to the common citizens. we can fight at the local level if we get involved in grass roots activities.
Our Jim Crow legal era was studied by the Nazis. We should not be so “shocked shocked” but we damn well have to fight for our better selves. This is all terrifying.
Appreciated listening to this conversation. Sometime, I would like to hear about the specific tactics being used to get GOP Senators to vote for unqualified people to very important positions within #47's administration. They know many of these nominees are not fit but choose to endorse anyway. I find it hard to believe these nominees would receive Senate confirmation if all Senators voted their conscience and what they know to be right.
Kash has been proven to be a liar on soooo many occasions…is anyone surprised he lied about this? He is a liar! But the Republicans not care…they will not stand up to Trump. That being said, of course Kash must be brought back for further questioning.
Andrew Weismann is an expert and his opinion is valuable in understanding what’s happening. So yes, more of these interviews.
How we as a people react to the assault on democracy that we as a country now experience, for the next 2 years, will surely determine the happiness and freedom of our children.
It is as simple as that.
Why did I ever think that there was no way 77 million voters could be dangerously stupid and voted for a deranged and mean mofo.
I don’t think they are stupid — just angry that the Democrats abandoned the working class and embraced neoliberalism (“Nearly $50 trillion - or around $2.5 trillion per year (in 2018 dollars), has been redistributed from the bottom 90% of income earners to the top 1% since the mid-1970s. …” Forbes
True, the Democrats have failed us -- Obama and Biden going back to Clinton and NAFTA -- but whoa, how could people channel their anger by voting for the guy who is out to destroy their lives?
What total bunk. The GOP has been screwing the “middle class”
for 45 years, and I used to be a R. Turn off Murdoch, get an education, and then state your opinion.
How about you keep you "excellent unsolicited advice" for me to yourself.
Ah Natalie, I was commenting on bebo. Jeeze
Deirdre --
when you wish to comment explicitly about another commenter's opinion, it is best practice to use the "REPLY" button directly under that opinion piece. That will minimize the risk of confusion about to who(m) you are replying. It also helps to actually put in the intended recipient's "handle" (or abbreviation thereof), as I did at the start of this reminder of normal protocol.
Best wishes at keeping the temperatures down amongst the good gals and guys,
Lee
Oh, Ok. Thanks for telling me
Democrats didn't fail America. Americans failed America. My step father in the Carpenter's Union in the 60's. In the 70's Americans were against the unions because there was so much graft by union leaders, resulting in high costs to Americans. Americans bought cheap foreign cars, refused to buy American apparel because of cost. Today cheap labor, provided by immigrants, are building our homes; but Americans don't want the Carpenter's Union to come back because costs of homes will increase.
Clinton only won in 1992 because Ross Perot ran as an independent. The reason NAFTA was passed was to open markets to American products, increasing jobs and further reducing costs to American consumers. When Clinton left office there was a surplus budget.
The real reason jobs have left America and there is such a wealth gap between the very rich and the 90% of Americans, are the tax cuts to the wealthiest of Americans and large corporations by Reagan, the second Bush, and Trump.
So now Trump wants to eliminate the income tax and go to tariffs and a sales tax. You think there's a wealth gap between the rich and poor (there will be no Middle Class) now, just wait. America will become just like Putin's Russia.
Tariffs and sales taxes are always regressive, which means that the woman who (if she hasn't been replaced by robotics) takes your toll on a turnpike has to pay the same rate of taxation as Elon Musk. Oh, wait. He didn't pay ANY taxes last year.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that the Democrats were the only one at fault. Republican’s have been working at dismantling the “New Deal” since 1938 and getting back to the way it was before 1929. They may now have achieved that. We are now in a new “Gilded Age” with its materialistic excesses and widespread political corruption. Elon and Donald are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bill Clinton/Democrats may have had good intentions and high hopes when they went right of Regan but it certainly hasn’t worked out well for the bottom 80% of Americans.
The transfer of wealth went on steroids under the Reagan Administration and has been bolstered under every Republican Administration since. It's weird that you place no blame on the GOP. You also have selective memory when it comes to Democratic Administrations having to contend with Republican led House and Senate. President Obama had Mitch McConnell who stated his sole purpose was to make sure Obama was a one term President. McConnell also engineered the flooding of the courts with conservative Federalist Society judges who liberally blocked Democratic Presidents. You are telling a one sided story. What has been proven is that America gets hurt when certain factions accrue blame only to the Democratic Party leading some voters to vote 3rd Party or to stay home in protest. That is how we got Trump twice. The idea that not voting for Democrats because they don't match your ideology will make the country better is utterly disingenuous. And we're living with the consequences now.
I thought it was obvious that Republicans who cowered to Trump or played into his cray cray for their own "glory" are to blame. I mean, it is so obvious -- like saying, The sun exists even if it is dark out.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that the Democrats were the only one at fault. Republican’s have been working at dismantling the “New Deal” since 1938 and getting back to the way it was before 1929. They may now have achieved that. We are now in a new “Gilded Age” with its materialistic excesses and widespread political corruption. Elon and Donald are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bill Clinton/Democrats may have had good intentions and high hopes when they went right of Regan but it certainly hasn’t worked out well for the bottom 80% of Americans.
Bullshit
Of course they're stupid. Do you really think that we're better off now than we would have been under the Democrats???
I'm well aware of the transfer of $50 trillion over the last ~50 years. Has electing Trump done anything to solve this problem or has it made the problem even worse? I think the answer is obvious.......
Congress IS abdicating its role. They have no self-respect and no honor.
Congress is as much under Trump’s thumb as Eric Adams now is.
The racial aspect of Andrew Weissmann’s description of white Trump now owning Mr. Adams, a black man, is particularly insideous and sickenng.
Let’s simplify this entire matter: the problem with Kash Patel is Kash Patel. But Republicans will approve him anyway.
This is all lovely but they will confirm him anyway. They had every reason not to confirm every other person that they confirmed so what makes you think this time will be different?
What about the lies that Pam Bondi told? Lying under oath apparently has no consequences. Roe v. Wade???
These discussions are informative and give me a sliver of hope that the rule of law will prevail in America, so thank you for that. However, as a 66-year old female, mother, and grandmother, I am so fearful that Musk and the Trumplicans will succeed in circumventing the law as they do not love America, they do not abide by the same laws and rules that most Americans do, and they are not, nor will they ever be, public servants for the people of this country. I want to cry and scream every day!
"As we await Kash Patel’s official confirmation as FBI director", and "while waiting discuss what his leadership could mean for the agency." The question I have is why are you discussing that NOW. Why weren't you discussing this weeks ago? No is too late. It will not matter to know. The cow has already escaped the barn.
On Meidus Touch and other like platforms there have been issuing warnings and information ever since some of the candidates became known. The Republicans had cast their lot with the oncoming election and the Democrats have been slow to react with what is needed, but they are gearing up and showing up now more than ever.
While the courts and everyone else keeps fighting, the democrats and independents can start their campaign for 2026 which has to include how they will go about rescuing our government and making it stronger and more responsive to the common citizens. we can fight at the local level if we get involved in grass roots activities.
This has been discussed rather extensively and has been ongoing, the problem is people just don’t see enough of it on main stream media.
Thank you, Jen, for the outstanding interview with Andrew Weissmann. Keep 'em coming!
Our Jim Crow legal era was studied by the Nazis. We should not be so “shocked shocked” but we damn well have to fight for our better selves. This is all terrifying.
Thank you thank you thank you for everything you are doing!
Appreciated listening to this conversation. Sometime, I would like to hear about the specific tactics being used to get GOP Senators to vote for unqualified people to very important positions within #47's administration. They know many of these nominees are not fit but choose to endorse anyway. I find it hard to believe these nominees would receive Senate confirmation if all Senators voted their conscience and what they know to be right.
Yes, yes, and yes, Jen! He will do all of these things and the Republican senators will stick their heads in the sand. I predict.
Insightful analysis from Andrew Weissmann and Jen Rubin
Kash has been proven to be a liar on soooo many occasions…is anyone surprised he lied about this? He is a liar! But the Republicans not care…they will not stand up to Trump. That being said, of course Kash must be brought back for further questioning.