65 Comments
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Mark Smucker's avatar

Thanks for this, Jen Rubin. I was considering that you ask for the participation of both Joy, Vance and Heather Cox Richardson. Their incredible expertise has been of great comfort in the last few months.

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Mark Smucker's avatar

Joyce Vance

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PipandJoe's avatar

There is an edit feature in the 3 dots above right above your comment when you need it - just a heads up..

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Mark Smucker's avatar

Thanks. Next time. It won’t seem to let me change this late.

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Ronny Wells's avatar

Well done. Yes, get Heather Cox Richardson involved. A geat team already.

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Mary Dougherty's avatar

Possibly adding Joanne Freeman?!?

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Barbara Carter's avatar

Very helpful and informative, thank you and Joyce so much for this, I will be following this “Democracy tracker” going forward. I am VERY interested in Biden’s proclamation regarding the ERA being lawful now (despite the Archivist not allowing it to be written into law). It is very confusing what may come from this so please consider a segment on the ERA. Thank you!!!!

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Sally Joy Rubin's avatar

I was just talking to another friend of mine this morning who is a subscriber. We saw your interview with Andy Borowitz. We were talking about how Zoom has made people in your positions accessible. And how lovely that is! We get to see what a wonderful people you are. Thank you for your strength of character and expertise. Been reading everything that you've published since you started.

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Judith Gaylord's avatar

Thanks very much to both Jen and Joyce - great discussion about issues all of us want to understand. The democracy tracker mentioned will be so helpful to parse the massive amount of nefarious activity that is predicted to occur over the coming years. Thanks in advance for all the work the team has done and will continue to do.

The straight to the heart tone of the Contrarian resonates with me. It's so refreshing to hear words that aren't trying to paint lipstick on a pig. You're all appreciated!

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Susan MacNeil, PhD's avatar

Joyce explains like no other.

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I Hate this Timeline's avatar

I'm trying to distinguish between what is threatened and what is really happening and as important as those 2 what might be useful to respond to. I hope those categories will be clear in the Democracy Tracker. I'm excited to see that evolve.

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Jay Moseley's avatar

Appreciate the interview. Very clear answers/discussion that enlightened me. Onward

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Chiara's avatar

I think Joy Vance's Democracy Project is brilliant. And I thank you deeply, Ms. Rubin, for creating the Contraian.

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Michelle Jordan's avatar

I can think of other national security risks besides Tik Tok that could be just as bad. Pete Hegeseth comes to mind.

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Julie Cochrane's avatar

No kidding. Have you seen the blunder Hegseth already made? He's got the South Koreans hopping mad by referring to North Korea as a nuclear power. Way to support non-proliferation. Pete!

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PipandJoe's avatar

It is feeling like Dumbledore's army already.

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Paul A. Brewer's avatar

My current internal discussion: Given that most if not all of the cabinet appointments (and others) are likely to be approved, and given DOGE's mission of firing federal employees and in some cases replacing them with his loyalists -- will this Administration be able to so alter and damage the election process that a fair election in the future (even 2026) will be impossible? Can we rely on the courts, or the Supreme Court, to provide any protection?

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Crazy Daisy's avatar

I’m wondering with a project such as Democracy Tracker if we can raise funds to buy ads to hammer TV and the Internet with this tracker. Something like displaying a spread sheet and highlight the latest act(ions) and their real life consequences. I.e. “President Trump signed a tax cut bill that will save on average the 1% $15million a year. Income earners making than $100,00 yearly will save on average $150 a year.

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Abbie's avatar

Please showcase Joyce's chickens on the Pets of the Contrarian!

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NubbyShober's avatar

Really great transcript! It would've been great if Joyce and Jen had addressed the mis-/dis-information aspects behind the Tik Tok ban, and how under Chinese Communist Party direction they suppress stories that embarrasses them--e..g., the ongoing persecution of the Uighurs--and promote feel-good puff pieces that makes China and the CCP look good. Because we already have waaaay too much made up fabulism in the US from FOX News and RW Media.

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Sandra Roggero's avatar

Excellent! Bravo! Looking forward to more of this!

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