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.
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!!!!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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?
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.
This goes back a while. Maybe 2015. Maybe 2004. I'm an old guy, gone through a whole lot of evolving in my 77 years. Here's what has happened. Women have grabbed my attention. But not just women, the feminine has grabbed my attention. First, when Bush and company were crowing for invasion in Iraq after the 9/11 attacks in 2003/4 I was astounded that we were doing that for reasons beyond reason. They were crazy, and they had the American people in thrall. There were few influences on the internet that were helpful in understanding what the nature of the deception was. Of course, two women: Rachael Maddow and Stephenie Miller were making sense about the nonsense that the Bush people were spreading. Not Just women but guys, still I am making a point. Of course we now know that the invasion was more than unnecessary, it was madness and it bred the islamic movement ISIS which we are still trying to subdue. And our attempts to install a democracy in that country have been a failure...just like our attempts in Vietnam. There is a PBS American Experience video entitled "The Roosevelts". Of course Teddy and FDR were covered and they were remarkable but I became aware of Eleanor. She was more than remarkable. Her life was so impressive and I decided to anoint her as the first person I recognized as a "Hero". I never had one before. So as a guy entrenched in an acculturated patriarchy, I finally saw the light. I was WOKE! But there was more to that because I am married to the same woman now for 52 years. And I have come to my senses...my wife was the rock raising three children, making serious financial decisions that I never would have made because we were poor and I was something else, an asshole for half that 52 years.
So on to 2015, Facebook and the Me Too movement, I tried to declare my wokeness and tell women how awesome they were and insightful I was and that didn't work so well. So next...in 2016, the world's biggest male asshole announced his arrival, wanted to be president and I thought "this is a civil war against Patriarchy. (Or is it Matriarchy)" And I thought that I was fighting for and on the side of the feminine. It wasn't a cultural decision, It was a genetic decision. Women are better than men at running things. Hillary lost and I got spanked by outraged women and the cultural insistence that men know better. But now, women are explaining stuff, smart women and I respect them and have abandoned the idea that men do a better job of explaining. Just look at the MSNBCs crew, Two guys (Chris Hayes and Lawrence O'Donold)--Four Women Joy Reid, Jen Psaki, Alex Wagner and Rachael Maddow. So now, there is a mysogynist culture to overcome and women are doing the "splainin". I am good with that along with these two women and my wife. Joyce is sharp, doesn't miss a beat and is an example of the kind of clarity that you expect from smart lawyers and I am grateful.
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.
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.
Joyce Vance
There is an edit feature in the 3 dots above right above your comment when you need it - just a heads up..
Thanks. Next time. It won’t seem to let me change this late.
Well done. Yes, get Heather Cox Richardson involved. A geat team already.
Possibly adding Joanne Freeman?!?
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!!!!
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.
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!
Joyce explains like no other.
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.
Appreciate the interview. Very clear answers/discussion that enlightened me. Onward
I think Joy Vance's Democracy Project is brilliant. And I thank you deeply, Ms. Rubin, for creating the Contraian.
I can think of other national security risks besides Tik Tok that could be just as bad. Pete Hegeseth comes to mind.
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!
It is feeling like Dumbledore's army already.
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?
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.
This goes back a while. Maybe 2015. Maybe 2004. I'm an old guy, gone through a whole lot of evolving in my 77 years. Here's what has happened. Women have grabbed my attention. But not just women, the feminine has grabbed my attention. First, when Bush and company were crowing for invasion in Iraq after the 9/11 attacks in 2003/4 I was astounded that we were doing that for reasons beyond reason. They were crazy, and they had the American people in thrall. There were few influences on the internet that were helpful in understanding what the nature of the deception was. Of course, two women: Rachael Maddow and Stephenie Miller were making sense about the nonsense that the Bush people were spreading. Not Just women but guys, still I am making a point. Of course we now know that the invasion was more than unnecessary, it was madness and it bred the islamic movement ISIS which we are still trying to subdue. And our attempts to install a democracy in that country have been a failure...just like our attempts in Vietnam. There is a PBS American Experience video entitled "The Roosevelts". Of course Teddy and FDR were covered and they were remarkable but I became aware of Eleanor. She was more than remarkable. Her life was so impressive and I decided to anoint her as the first person I recognized as a "Hero". I never had one before. So as a guy entrenched in an acculturated patriarchy, I finally saw the light. I was WOKE! But there was more to that because I am married to the same woman now for 52 years. And I have come to my senses...my wife was the rock raising three children, making serious financial decisions that I never would have made because we were poor and I was something else, an asshole for half that 52 years.
So on to 2015, Facebook and the Me Too movement, I tried to declare my wokeness and tell women how awesome they were and insightful I was and that didn't work so well. So next...in 2016, the world's biggest male asshole announced his arrival, wanted to be president and I thought "this is a civil war against Patriarchy. (Or is it Matriarchy)" And I thought that I was fighting for and on the side of the feminine. It wasn't a cultural decision, It was a genetic decision. Women are better than men at running things. Hillary lost and I got spanked by outraged women and the cultural insistence that men know better. But now, women are explaining stuff, smart women and I respect them and have abandoned the idea that men do a better job of explaining. Just look at the MSNBCs crew, Two guys (Chris Hayes and Lawrence O'Donold)--Four Women Joy Reid, Jen Psaki, Alex Wagner and Rachael Maddow. So now, there is a mysogynist culture to overcome and women are doing the "splainin". I am good with that along with these two women and my wife. Joyce is sharp, doesn't miss a beat and is an example of the kind of clarity that you expect from smart lawyers and I am grateful.
Please showcase Joyce's chickens on the Pets of the Contrarian!
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.