The choice NOT to vote, for whatever reason, is incomprehensible.
We need to follow Australia's model. Voting there is MANDATORY in every election. There are few acceptable reasons for not voting. You have to fill out a form explaining why you didn't vote. If the reason is not good enough you can be fined...in increasing amounts.
And there's legislation pending to restrict political contributions to $20,000 by EVERYONE.
Oh, and FYI Australia banned most guns in 1996 after 1 mass shooting.
No. And immigrating is not easy, either. Rich people might manage it, but I know some well-off people with visitor visas who split time between AU and NZ to meet the 3 month limits.
If it's incomprehensible to you, it might be because you lack enough imagination to realize that for many, many people, voting makes no difference in their lives. Politicians promise to do this, that, and the other thing but after the election nothing happens. A slogan from my younger days: DON'T VOTE--IT ONLY ENCOURAGES THEM. Gerrymandering is a factor. Lack of civics education is a factor. Godawful "news" media is a factor. Don't guilt-trip people for not voting. The chances are good that they've assessed the situation more accurately than you have.
I don't she approves. I certainly do not but I understand it. People don't understand how government works so quickly get disillusioned when the president can't fulfill his promises because of Congress. Gerrymandering is a crime against democracy which has been sanctioned by the supreme court and allows most representatives to ignore a large part of their district. Nothing changes from year to year.
But this is all the fault of voters and non-voters alike. We allow it to continue. Demand little of your elected officials and that is exactly what you get in return.
I think you misinterpreted her post, because I didn't get that sense at all. Susanna is explaining (very clearly and well) why some people don't see voting as effecting their lives. And in some places they are right. Not about not voting, but about it not making a difference in their lives. She gave several reasons why they might feel that way. I know people who experience those conditions and in their lives, the idea of voting for change is non-existant, because for them it doesn't work that way. Please reread what Susannah wrote and think a little more carefully about what she actually is saying.
The lack of obedience and respect you show towards our billionaire rulers is simply SHOCKING. And elections? Seriously!? Why in the world should we go through all that trouble to vote, when our billionaire betters can and will make far better decisions than we or our elected representatives ever could? And billionaires have feeling too, y'know. They feel even *more* intensely than us ordinary folks. Which is why it's ESSENTIAL that they get some big new tax breaks, to ease their pain.
We pay attention to every single local election...especially the school boards who usually fly under the radar. We work to get Civics back in the classroom. We replace our Maga Legislators, judges, etc. It will be a long battle, not for the faint of heart. But it can be done. We have no other choice!
And our own, because we failed to see and address the underlying causes. It's so easy to feel smug, but it really doesn't take a lot of effort to try to understand why other people may have experiences that impact their decisions that you can't see and can't understand.
then we GET them to vote in 2026! When the consequences of the 2024 election become evident, it is up to us to get those who sat out the last one to get off their asses and do something to foster a change! Point out that they have to use their voice to make a change, not just to holler and shout and complain!
If they holler and shout and complain, at least their brains are engaged. I suspect there's a cohort of eligible voters who are just tuning out. Getting them to engage will require some real artistry.
Yes! We can keep them engaged by constantly reminding them that we are in this together, that the changes we seek are possible if we work together. Possible if we continue to point to the truth and as you said, engage in some real artistry! Using humor and reminding them that we are on the same team, and not to let anyone divide us anymore.
The ugliest posts I saw during the last two campaigns were from supposed "liberals" who looked down their noses at the "deplorables". It was a constant effort for those of us who wanted to reach through the ugly language and get these arrogant people who thought their performative liberalism made them better than the people drawn to Trump to stop demeaning them. That's how we lost so many voters. That just bound the Magas more tightly to Trump, and turned off a lot of people who were unsure, or just trying to get through their lives and jobs and responsibilities.
There were an awful lot of us (many thousands) working to reach through the noise, and it was frustrating to have our efforts undermined, not just by Trump et al's lies, but by people supposedly our allies on democracy's side who felt more power by demeaning people on the other side, or people who were just trying to figure things out.
Sometimes I wondered who the enemy was. And I sure as hell don't want to go through that ugly blame game again. I've had enough of it. What I want to do is work with people to rebuild our coalition for protecting democracy and helping people understand how politics can work for them so we can emerge with enough intact to get back on track. Those groups still exist and are regrouping and forming coalitions. Want to make a difference? Join in. Reach out without judgement. Listen, and really *hear*.
If we could just ask hospital waiting rooms, police stations, airport lounges, barber shops to stop letting FOX be the default station, I think it would have a tremendously beneficial impact on our country and individuals' equanimity. You just don't need to be riled up all the time.
When I suggested to my local Democratic group that we needed to focus on the people who do not vote if we hope to win elections, I was ignored. Until we speak to those voters who are sitting it out as to how voting Democratic will affect their everyday lives positively, Democrats will continue to lose elections.
Marliss, I had the same experience in my town. I knew that the rightwing was organizing, training both local candidates, and providing them with campaign funding. I tried to organize our local committee to reach out beyond the usual, but they didn't seem to think there was a need. So they did the same things they have always done. There were more people willing to go to the local ale brewery for a meet-and-greet than there were people willing to go to a meeting to strategize and train to canvas, talk to people.
The Dems didn't catch on until it was too late, and the results were ugly. We lost a sharp, effective, dedicated state legislator to a right wing "cut taxes/no new taxes" newcomer with no experience, and not even any knowledge about how legislatures work. His answer to everything was to cut taxes. He won.
Yet I knew the votes were out there because I talk to people, and very few of them had been contacted by the Dems and thought their vote didn't matter. The townies own businesses or commute, and the country folks work the land or cut wood or work 2 or 3 jobs. By that time, I had resigned out of frustration, and working my own GOTV gig as my health allowed. I am still frustrated, because now the right wingers are out of the woodwork and really messing up my town's ability to work together on problem solving. People pointing fingers both ways.
If there is some way to mandate voting by mail as we have here in Colorado, that in itself would increase voter participation. There are those who are restricted by physical limitations, who literally cannot stand in line for any length of time; those who live in dangerous neighborhoods and risk physical violence and intimidation (voting while black/brown, etc); those who cannot find the time or energy to vote because they are single parents and/or work more than one job; those who are not inclined to drive to their polling place in severe weather conditions to avoid damage and/or injury; and many other reasons that most of us can't imagine.
Vote by mail would solve many of the issues listed above. It allows people the luxury of time to research every candidate and issue on a ballot, and to deposit their ballot safely and securely into 24/7 monitored ballot boxes (to be able to bypass the USPS for delivery, which unfortunately is far less reliable lately because of DeJoy). Voting by mail is a trackable system via email which sends notifications regarding when ballots have been mailed out to voters, and also verifies that the voter's completed ballot has been received.
Yes Yes Yes! They want us to believe we are the minority. We are NOT! 74,981,321 voted for Harris/Walz! Add in those who voted for others and that comes to 77,548,251 which is 281,395 MORE than the 🍊💩 got! NO Mandate! Plenty of us knew better!!! We need to be loud and proud and encourage people to vote and we WILL win!
History shows that when the top 1% gets too overbearing, ugly things happen. Waiting for Melania to say, "let them eat cake". Yes, I know that isn't what Marie Antoinette said, but it works.
Yes, but what are those billions worth, really? Being born into wealth isolates you from the reality most people live in. It does not make you smart, or competent, or a "good business man", or popular. Look at lengths that Trump and Musk go to make themselves popular - they bought social media platforms, filled them with versions of their reality, and created fake alter egos to praise themselves. It is pathetic. Sure, they have sycophants, but those people don't really like them. If I may quote, "Sad."
I'd like to suggest that we quit focussing on T/M/Z/et al. It saps our energy and takes our attention off the point here: what can WE do to hold our democracy in place long enough for us to elect some replacements to congress, to our state legislatues, to our school boards, to our county commissions. And in the meantime, figure out how to get those people elected. What will need doing once we get enough people in to shift the power imbalance toward the needs of the American people?
It makes them powerful. That's the new reality and that's what felon 34 offered them and that's why they sold the little soul they had. After having obscene among of money they carved for power and that's what they are having. They bought this power
This is a bit philosophical, I realize, but they cannot own the power that belongs to the people. Some people fell for their fear-filled rhetoric so they could fashion themselves as our saviors, but there are still many more of us who are not willing to let them "own" what is not theirs to buy.
I used to marvel at the Gilded Age and how the uber wealthy took control of everything (read The Octopus by Frank Norris for a good example). I don't marvel anymore, and I am trying to find inspiration in the progress against the "robber barons" during that time.
Please read Timothy Snyder's book "On Tyranny". The main points are all over the internet. You can go to his substack for the list- in fact, I recommend his substack and the book for all of you who have allowed yourselves to be sucked into this pointless back and forth. Snyder's point one: DO NOT OBEY IN ADVANCE. It makes the opposition's job easy by doing it for them.
Ask Putin about the "poor" people rising up. The Russian oligarchs continue to get richer and the non voters continue to follow because of Putin's control of the media.
Actually, Nick, I know a little about what is going on in Russia, and while what you say is true in a historical sense, Russia has a lot of problems right now. Things aren't going well for Putin, and I figure one of two things will happen (or both).
Russian resources are stretched thin. There are fractures in Putin's control. There is a possibility of fractures either along lines of power within the country or simple disintegration along former national lines (as happened to a limited degree in the early 90s). I was there, and watched it happen. Things could have gone either way, but the capitalist mode (the oligarchs) took over and, without the guardrails that capitalism requires, they threw the baby out with the bathwater as they systematically garnered resources from the state and too them over.
Putin was a nonentity at the time, but within a few years his astonishingly rapid rise put him in position to insinuate himself into the highest Russion leadership. (Do read about this, it is fascinating.) Rapid rises are difficult to manage over the long term, and Putin's ego got the best of him. He has overextended Russia and there is resistance of many sorts in many places. Stress fractures are starting to emerge. To people who only read western popular media, this is still largely invisible. It's hard to say which direction it will go- there are many fault lines. Like many leaders who create their own silos, Putin himself may not know where all the fault lines are. But somebody will find them. The best possible outcome would be if Putin were able to gradually release the strain from some of the demands he's made on Russia, let go of the Ukraine war, and make room for a more flexible leadership going forward. Not holding my breath.
I came to respect and admire the Russian people a great deal. I wondered if Americans had the capacity to go through what they went through in the 20th century and come out with their humanity intact, as the Russians did. I watched as the economy fell apart, yet people who were no longer getting paid kept going to work- even bus drivers stayed on the job so that working people could get to work. Bakeries stayed open. Groceries were dispensed as they became available. People shared and traded goods and food with each other to maintain a very active informal market system, which I learned had formed decades ago, underneath and alongside the state system.
During the pandemic in America, I saw some of this level of cooperation. But I also saw the underbelly of the selfishness that seems to permeate every part of our history.
In Russia, when the oligarch's took over, suddenly Russia had homeless people, and people hawking wares on the streets, and elderly people struggling to survive on guaranteed state pensions that did not adjust in a time of rapid spirally inflation. in a matter of months Russia had changed. The small level graft that had begun when I was there (as people tried to augment their diminishing incomes) grew to massive proportions. And Putin had begun his careful climb to power, and like so many autocrats, crated the fractures that will eventually undo him.
Now ask this question: where are we in this process? We started at a different place and took a different path, but the dynamics of power-lust don't really vary much. Are we entering our own version of Perestroika?
This message gives hope. Today is the start of grass roots resistance. The difference with the Gilded Age is the control of media. Musk’s purchase of Twitter was not a business decision for the platform. It was a business decision to control the messaging. Watch very closely, and follow the money, on what happens with TikTok…
You are scared with a good reason. We never were confronted with such a concentration of money and power.
I can't offer a solution yet Colleen but if I found one, I'll get back to you. 😁
In the meantime hope helps and pressuring our leaders and legislators to counteract and don't let deflect responsibility for the consequences of their policies. After all ,they are there already, they are our first responders.
I cannot tell you how many MAGA have told me how pro- democracy Trump is - the disinformation has no filter and the info is guzzled by the gullible. This X and soon, tic-tok will be major issues to overcome (and Meta will also join)
I was THINKING I might watch the inauguration farce today but then I remembered I've run out of the heavy duty antiemetics I took during chemo, and since I don't drink I think I'll find something more calming to do ... like walk through a mine field.
😂😝 I know the feeling! I did not watch but I know we are back in the Alt Facts universe: up is down, black is white and the Jan 6 rampaging thugs are “hostages” being freed by a grateful president. Strong antiemetics are the order of the day for those of us still exercising critical thinking! 🥴🤢
Ms. Rubin leaves the millions of US against the Felon and his billionaire buddies Hope. Hope is all we need to stimulate the Faith of a massive movement. Thank you. Thank you for Hope.
For better or worse, even in dictatorships the people get the government they deserve. After all, the Russian people support Putin, and always have.
But that statement is especially true in a democracy. Mencken put it best:
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
Well, for the next 4 years we're gonna get it-- good and hard!
I can only hope that in 2 years the voters will have had enough and will return control of at least one House of Congress to the Democrats. But I'm not betting on it
Only if we have elections in two or four years. They been planning long and investing billions to get to this situation. They are not going to give it up just because there's an election scheduled. Pls Mark, be aware and if you agree, spread the word. Thank for your comment.
Within 3 months, April 20, there will be massive buyer’s remorse and we will need to take advantage of that to retake part of government in 2 years. The 2026 campaign will soon be underway.
"People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR, women are protesting right now in Iran and people there are writing poetry. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it's sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed.” https://the.ink/p/hope-going-into-the-dark?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share
"Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose....."
We start today, from the ground up. The gargoyles now in power will prove exactly who they are. (Factoid: years ago, gargoyles were conceived to be fancy gutters on the homes of the rich and powerful.) It's our job to shine a bright light on the dirty gutters of their sinister plans.
JR: "We did not simply elect an autocrat; we chose, as a nation, to usher in an oligarchy—the likes of which we have not seen since the Gilded Age." But during our Gilded Age, the US was by far not the world's greatest power. I wish we had a more mature and sophisticated and moral Administration to interact with a world that looks to us for leadership and enforcement.
The US had immense influence in thinking and in development during the 18th century. Power is not the only influence- this was a time of the exchange of ideas and philosophies and values. The US wasted a lot of energy, money, lives fighting a petty war over ownership of human beings, and more petty wars to steal land from the people to whom it belonged (and largely still does), and more petty wars about pretty much nothing.
WW2 is the war that put us in the leadership role, and FDR and others, including two dynamic women Eleanor and Frances Perkins), helped jumpstart our economy and social welfare. Unfortunately Reagan systematically underminded that. What kept us from doing down the drain economically was the resources we laid claim to in the previous 3 centuries.
I wish we had a more mature and sophisticated and moral Administration to interact with the world, too. But kind of doubt that much of the world looks to us for leadership. Or enforcement, for that matter, given the number of times we've screwed up on that.
I’m relying on good reporting that I’ll view in 3-4 days. Not going to give the orange man any attention or viewership today through Wednesday. Will put TV on a non news station so Nielsen records viewership, just not of him.
2026 is right around the corner. Change the House, change the country. As JR notes: "Social scientist and author Bob Putnam has pointed out that the Gilded Age ended only when a spirit of progressive reform “began in ordinary small towns in the middle of America and then spread from there." I'm looking for some grass-roots change in the farms across the midwest and South as essential workers are deported and tariffs make their school clothes more expensive.
I watched the sunset from a plane yesterday, as I returned home, and thought it was the last sunset this nation would see as a democracy. Such a profoundly sad time. I just don’t understand, nor will I ever, how so many people voted for this monster.
Never forget, there are more of us "poor" people than there are billionaires. There is power in our numbers.
And roughly a third of our eligible (not registered) voters didn't vote. Can you imagine?
The choice NOT to vote, for whatever reason, is incomprehensible.
We need to follow Australia's model. Voting there is MANDATORY in every election. There are few acceptable reasons for not voting. You have to fill out a form explaining why you didn't vote. If the reason is not good enough you can be fined...in increasing amounts.
And there's legislation pending to restrict political contributions to $20,000 by EVERYONE.
Oh, and FYI Australia banned most guns in 1996 after 1 mass shooting.
Can Americans seek asylum in Australia?
No. And immigrating is not easy, either. Rich people might manage it, but I know some well-off people with visitor visas who split time between AU and NZ to meet the 3 month limits.
If it's incomprehensible to you, it might be because you lack enough imagination to realize that for many, many people, voting makes no difference in their lives. Politicians promise to do this, that, and the other thing but after the election nothing happens. A slogan from my younger days: DON'T VOTE--IT ONLY ENCOURAGES THEM. Gerrymandering is a factor. Lack of civics education is a factor. Godawful "news" media is a factor. Don't guilt-trip people for not voting. The chances are good that they've assessed the situation more accurately than you have.
I hope I didn't misinterpret your post, but it sounds like you approve of nonvoters.
I don't she approves. I certainly do not but I understand it. People don't understand how government works so quickly get disillusioned when the president can't fulfill his promises because of Congress. Gerrymandering is a crime against democracy which has been sanctioned by the supreme court and allows most representatives to ignore a large part of their district. Nothing changes from year to year.
But this is all the fault of voters and non-voters alike. We allow it to continue. Demand little of your elected officials and that is exactly what you get in return.
I think you misinterpreted her post, because I didn't get that sense at all. Susanna is explaining (very clearly and well) why some people don't see voting as effecting their lives. And in some places they are right. Not about not voting, but about it not making a difference in their lives. She gave several reasons why they might feel that way. I know people who experience those conditions and in their lives, the idea of voting for change is non-existant, because for them it doesn't work that way. Please reread what Susannah wrote and think a little more carefully about what she actually is saying.
The lack of obedience and respect you show towards our billionaire rulers is simply SHOCKING. And elections? Seriously!? Why in the world should we go through all that trouble to vote, when our billionaire betters can and will make far better decisions than we or our elected representatives ever could? And billionaires have feeling too, y'know. They feel even *more* intensely than us ordinary folks. Which is why it's ESSENTIAL that they get some big new tax breaks, to ease their pain.
It's the least we can do, don't 'cha think?
I have made that argument countless times. Agree.
AVery good suggestion Louise. how can we make that happen? I can suggest we write to our congress people anybody else have any suggestions?
We pay attention to every single local election...especially the school boards who usually fly under the radar. We work to get Civics back in the classroom. We replace our Maga Legislators, judges, etc. It will be a long battle, not for the faint of heart. But it can be done. We have no other choice!
Sad, isn't it? And now we're going to pay for their apathy.
And our own, because we failed to see and address the underlying causes. It's so easy to feel smug, but it really doesn't take a lot of effort to try to understand why other people may have experiences that impact their decisions that you can't see and can't understand.
then we GET them to vote in 2026! When the consequences of the 2024 election become evident, it is up to us to get those who sat out the last one to get off their asses and do something to foster a change! Point out that they have to use their voice to make a change, not just to holler and shout and complain!
If they holler and shout and complain, at least their brains are engaged. I suspect there's a cohort of eligible voters who are just tuning out. Getting them to engage will require some real artistry.
Yes! We can keep them engaged by constantly reminding them that we are in this together, that the changes we seek are possible if we work together. Possible if we continue to point to the truth and as you said, engage in some real artistry! Using humor and reminding them that we are on the same team, and not to let anyone divide us anymore.
The ugliest posts I saw during the last two campaigns were from supposed "liberals" who looked down their noses at the "deplorables". It was a constant effort for those of us who wanted to reach through the ugly language and get these arrogant people who thought their performative liberalism made them better than the people drawn to Trump to stop demeaning them. That's how we lost so many voters. That just bound the Magas more tightly to Trump, and turned off a lot of people who were unsure, or just trying to get through their lives and jobs and responsibilities.
There were an awful lot of us (many thousands) working to reach through the noise, and it was frustrating to have our efforts undermined, not just by Trump et al's lies, but by people supposedly our allies on democracy's side who felt more power by demeaning people on the other side, or people who were just trying to figure things out.
Sometimes I wondered who the enemy was. And I sure as hell don't want to go through that ugly blame game again. I've had enough of it. What I want to do is work with people to rebuild our coalition for protecting democracy and helping people understand how politics can work for them so we can emerge with enough intact to get back on track. Those groups still exist and are regrouping and forming coalitions. Want to make a difference? Join in. Reach out without judgement. Listen, and really *hear*.
Real artistry or perhaps talking their favorite TV show off the air might work as well!
If we could just ask hospital waiting rooms, police stations, airport lounges, barber shops to stop letting FOX be the default station, I think it would have a tremendously beneficial impact on our country and individuals' equanimity. You just don't need to be riled up all the time.
Both my dentist and optometrist replace Faux News with HGTV. Complaints make a difference!
And military bases
I should have added..... and lied to
When I suggested to my local Democratic group that we needed to focus on the people who do not vote if we hope to win elections, I was ignored. Until we speak to those voters who are sitting it out as to how voting Democratic will affect their everyday lives positively, Democrats will continue to lose elections.
Marliss, I had the same experience in my town. I knew that the rightwing was organizing, training both local candidates, and providing them with campaign funding. I tried to organize our local committee to reach out beyond the usual, but they didn't seem to think there was a need. So they did the same things they have always done. There were more people willing to go to the local ale brewery for a meet-and-greet than there were people willing to go to a meeting to strategize and train to canvas, talk to people.
The Dems didn't catch on until it was too late, and the results were ugly. We lost a sharp, effective, dedicated state legislator to a right wing "cut taxes/no new taxes" newcomer with no experience, and not even any knowledge about how legislatures work. His answer to everything was to cut taxes. He won.
Yet I knew the votes were out there because I talk to people, and very few of them had been contacted by the Dems and thought their vote didn't matter. The townies own businesses or commute, and the country folks work the land or cut wood or work 2 or 3 jobs. By that time, I had resigned out of frustration, and working my own GOTV gig as my health allowed. I am still frustrated, because now the right wingers are out of the woodwork and really messing up my town's ability to work together on problem solving. People pointing fingers both ways.
It's on Joe. He never should have even imagined a second term. That delivered the keys directly into Trump's hands.
no it's on the idiot american people
It's on Joe.
Joe is only one vote get it ?
His decision-making got us the where we are now. Joe Biden lead us directly to this spot. That's not a failure?
Stop the blame game. It is not going to help. It is not only one thing that is the problem.
Thank you, Gloriann. The blame game needs to stop. It actually is the problem.
Oh, yeah, it's always somebody else's fault. Let's see, who does that remind me of?
If there is some way to mandate voting by mail as we have here in Colorado, that in itself would increase voter participation. There are those who are restricted by physical limitations, who literally cannot stand in line for any length of time; those who live in dangerous neighborhoods and risk physical violence and intimidation (voting while black/brown, etc); those who cannot find the time or energy to vote because they are single parents and/or work more than one job; those who are not inclined to drive to their polling place in severe weather conditions to avoid damage and/or injury; and many other reasons that most of us can't imagine.
Vote by mail would solve many of the issues listed above. It allows people the luxury of time to research every candidate and issue on a ballot, and to deposit their ballot safely and securely into 24/7 monitored ballot boxes (to be able to bypass the USPS for delivery, which unfortunately is far less reliable lately because of DeJoy). Voting by mail is a trackable system via email which sends notifications regarding when ballots have been mailed out to voters, and also verifies that the voter's completed ballot has been received.
And 10% of that is 18 to 24 year olds
Sara Leigh just what I was thinking. Power in numbers.
And the oligarchs were thinking, power in number of billions
Guess who won the race to the White House?
Yes Yes Yes! They want us to believe we are the minority. We are NOT! 74,981,321 voted for Harris/Walz! Add in those who voted for others and that comes to 77,548,251 which is 281,395 MORE than the 🍊💩 got! NO Mandate! Plenty of us knew better!!! We need to be loud and proud and encourage people to vote and we WILL win!
History shows that when the top 1% gets too overbearing, ugly things happen. Waiting for Melania to say, "let them eat cake". Yes, I know that isn't what Marie Antoinette said, but it works.
that's what the serfs said....
Sarah, Elon Musk have billions of" numbers"greater than all of us together.
Yes, but what are those billions worth, really? Being born into wealth isolates you from the reality most people live in. It does not make you smart, or competent, or a "good business man", or popular. Look at lengths that Trump and Musk go to make themselves popular - they bought social media platforms, filled them with versions of their reality, and created fake alter egos to praise themselves. It is pathetic. Sure, they have sycophants, but those people don't really like them. If I may quote, "Sad."
I'd like to suggest that we quit focussing on T/M/Z/et al. It saps our energy and takes our attention off the point here: what can WE do to hold our democracy in place long enough for us to elect some replacements to congress, to our state legislatues, to our school boards, to our county commissions. And in the meantime, figure out how to get those people elected. What will need doing once we get enough people in to shift the power imbalance toward the needs of the American people?
It makes them powerful. That's the new reality and that's what felon 34 offered them and that's why they sold the little soul they had. After having obscene among of money they carved for power and that's what they are having. They bought this power
This is a bit philosophical, I realize, but they cannot own the power that belongs to the people. Some people fell for their fear-filled rhetoric so they could fashion themselves as our saviors, but there are still many more of us who are not willing to let them "own" what is not theirs to buy.
I used to marvel at the Gilded Age and how the uber wealthy took control of everything (read The Octopus by Frank Norris for a good example). I don't marvel anymore, and I am trying to find inspiration in the progress against the "robber barons" during that time.
What they can't buy Sara is our will, specially yours that I respect very much.
The rest, is on sale. Sorry to say.
Please read Timothy Snyder's book "On Tyranny". The main points are all over the internet. You can go to his substack for the list- in fact, I recommend his substack and the book for all of you who have allowed yourselves to be sucked into this pointless back and forth. Snyder's point one: DO NOT OBEY IN ADVANCE. It makes the opposition's job easy by doing it for them.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-lessons-on-tyranny?publication_id=310897&post_id=155209838&isFreemail=false&r=2xvjl&triedRedirect=true
Ask Putin about the "poor" people rising up. The Russian oligarchs continue to get richer and the non voters continue to follow because of Putin's control of the media.
Actually, Nick, I know a little about what is going on in Russia, and while what you say is true in a historical sense, Russia has a lot of problems right now. Things aren't going well for Putin, and I figure one of two things will happen (or both).
Russian resources are stretched thin. There are fractures in Putin's control. There is a possibility of fractures either along lines of power within the country or simple disintegration along former national lines (as happened to a limited degree in the early 90s). I was there, and watched it happen. Things could have gone either way, but the capitalist mode (the oligarchs) took over and, without the guardrails that capitalism requires, they threw the baby out with the bathwater as they systematically garnered resources from the state and too them over.
Putin was a nonentity at the time, but within a few years his astonishingly rapid rise put him in position to insinuate himself into the highest Russion leadership. (Do read about this, it is fascinating.) Rapid rises are difficult to manage over the long term, and Putin's ego got the best of him. He has overextended Russia and there is resistance of many sorts in many places. Stress fractures are starting to emerge. To people who only read western popular media, this is still largely invisible. It's hard to say which direction it will go- there are many fault lines. Like many leaders who create their own silos, Putin himself may not know where all the fault lines are. But somebody will find them. The best possible outcome would be if Putin were able to gradually release the strain from some of the demands he's made on Russia, let go of the Ukraine war, and make room for a more flexible leadership going forward. Not holding my breath.
I came to respect and admire the Russian people a great deal. I wondered if Americans had the capacity to go through what they went through in the 20th century and come out with their humanity intact, as the Russians did. I watched as the economy fell apart, yet people who were no longer getting paid kept going to work- even bus drivers stayed on the job so that working people could get to work. Bakeries stayed open. Groceries were dispensed as they became available. People shared and traded goods and food with each other to maintain a very active informal market system, which I learned had formed decades ago, underneath and alongside the state system.
During the pandemic in America, I saw some of this level of cooperation. But I also saw the underbelly of the selfishness that seems to permeate every part of our history.
In Russia, when the oligarch's took over, suddenly Russia had homeless people, and people hawking wares on the streets, and elderly people struggling to survive on guaranteed state pensions that did not adjust in a time of rapid spirally inflation. in a matter of months Russia had changed. The small level graft that had begun when I was there (as people tried to augment their diminishing incomes) grew to massive proportions. And Putin had begun his careful climb to power, and like so many autocrats, crated the fractures that will eventually undo him.
Now ask this question: where are we in this process? We started at a different place and took a different path, but the dynamics of power-lust don't really vary much. Are we entering our own version of Perestroika?
Thank you for the education. Greatly appreciated.
Amen, Sarah!
Today is starting out so much HARDER than I expected.
Later, on Mixtape on the Titanic: Mourning in America (A Nation Lost in the Sauce)
Verse 1:
Well, the ballots came down like a funeral toll,
And they crowned the king of the rigged loophole.
Felonies, scandals—swept away,
Wrapped in a flag like a cheap display.
They traded their souls for a red-hat lie,
And left the dream of a nation to die.
(And the eulogy's written in ALL CAPS...)
Chorus:
It’s mourning in America, the stars look dim,
A grifter’s back, and they worship him.
They burn it all, they cheer, they pray,
For a fraud who can't spell "USA."
(But hey, the merch sales are strong!)
Verse 2:
Science packed its bags and left the room,
While QAnon whispers spin their doom.
Truth’s out back with a for-sale sign,
Justice took a bribe and joined the line.
They chant “Lock him up!” at the wrong damn guy,
While autocracy waves as democracy dies.
(Freedom’s just another word… till it’s gone.)
Bridge:
A kingdom built on grievance and spin,
Where facts don’t matter if you yell and grin.
Three branches bow to one man’s thirst,
Turns out the Constitution’s not bulletproof—
Just paper, and it burns the worst.
(Smells like patriotism… or maybe just smoke.)
Verse 3:
But we’re not gonna bow, sit down, or kneel,
This ain’t a damn episode of “The Art of the Deal.”
Hope’s not dead, it’s just reloading,
Our love’s still real, and it’s overflowing.
We’ll fight with joy, with laughter, with grit,
While they choke on their tantrums, we’ll never quit.
(And we don't need a golden toilet to feel rich.)
Final Chorus:
It’s mourning in America, but hope ain't gone,
We're singing loud, and we’re singing strong.
They’ll burn it down, they’ll laugh, they’ll cheer,
But we’re the ones who persevere.
(And we won’t let them write our epitaph.)
Outro (spoken, sarcastic):
"Breaking news! America’s officially been sold
To the highest bidder with the biggest bankroll!
Act now and get your ‘Democracy NFT’—
For just $19.99 plus your dignity!"
(Cue the tiny violin... and a tax break for billionaires.)
Absolutely wonderful!! Thank you
This message gives hope. Today is the start of grass roots resistance. The difference with the Gilded Age is the control of media. Musk’s purchase of Twitter was not a business decision for the platform. It was a business decision to control the messaging. Watch very closely, and follow the money, on what happens with TikTok…
Teresa you are right on target, it's another time. There was no mass manipulation on the Guided Age.
Now we have all this oligarchs brain washing the whole US population every second of 24/7.
And that's what scares me.
You are scared with a good reason. We never were confronted with such a concentration of money and power.
I can't offer a solution yet Colleen but if I found one, I'll get back to you. 😁
In the meantime hope helps and pressuring our leaders and legislators to counteract and don't let deflect responsibility for the consequences of their policies. After all ,they are there already, they are our first responders.
You are not alone. Keep posting pls.
I cannot tell you how many MAGA have told me how pro- democracy Trump is - the disinformation has no filter and the info is guzzled by the gullible. This X and soon, tic-tok will be major issues to overcome (and Meta will also join)
Uh
I was THINKING I might watch the inauguration farce today but then I remembered I've run out of the heavy duty antiemetics I took during chemo, and since I don't drink I think I'll find something more calming to do ... like walk through a mine field.
Good luck with your recovery, hopefully full remission!
😂😝 I know the feeling! I did not watch but I know we are back in the Alt Facts universe: up is down, black is white and the Jan 6 rampaging thugs are “hostages” being freed by a grateful president. Strong antiemetics are the order of the day for those of us still exercising critical thinking! 🥴🤢
Thank you!! I subscribed because I need to hear this. We are not helpless.
Ms. Rubin leaves the millions of US against the Felon and his billionaire buddies Hope. Hope is all we need to stimulate the Faith of a massive movement. Thank you. Thank you for Hope.
Hope should be followed by action Karen. 😄
Hope stimulates Faith and Faith stimulates Action. Without Hope there can be no Action.
Right Karen 😄
For better or worse, even in dictatorships the people get the government they deserve. After all, the Russian people support Putin, and always have.
But that statement is especially true in a democracy. Mencken put it best:
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
Well, for the next 4 years we're gonna get it-- good and hard!
I can only hope that in 2 years the voters will have had enough and will return control of at least one House of Congress to the Democrats. But I'm not betting on it
We don't deserve it. We lost in part because Russia attacked our national soveereignity and we didn't stop them.
If we didn't stop them, and didn't even try, then maybe we DO deserve it?
Rule 1: Don’t obey in advance.
Nyet, Tovarich.
Only if we have elections in two or four years. They been planning long and investing billions to get to this situation. They are not going to give it up just because there's an election scheduled. Pls Mark, be aware and if you agree, spread the word. Thank for your comment.
Within 3 months, April 20, there will be massive buyer’s remorse and we will need to take advantage of that to retake part of government in 2 years. The 2026 campaign will soon be underway.
Hope going into the dark
The wisdom of Rebecca Solnit:
"People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR, women are protesting right now in Iran and people there are writing poetry. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it's sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed.” https://the.ink/p/hope-going-into-the-dark?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share
Keep the hope alive…never, ever give up.
Thank you for the wise words of Rebecca Solnit.
I so love Rebecca Solnit's gift of showing that one part of our experience does not mean the exclusion of the entire richness of our lives.
I'm grateful for Jennifer Rubin.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction”. - Ronald Reagan
Yeah Peter ,but guess who started all this mess?
💯💯💯
"Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose....."
We start today, from the ground up. The gargoyles now in power will prove exactly who they are. (Factoid: years ago, gargoyles were conceived to be fancy gutters on the homes of the rich and powerful.) It's our job to shine a bright light on the dirty gutters of their sinister plans.
JR: "We did not simply elect an autocrat; we chose, as a nation, to usher in an oligarchy—the likes of which we have not seen since the Gilded Age." But during our Gilded Age, the US was by far not the world's greatest power. I wish we had a more mature and sophisticated and moral Administration to interact with a world that looks to us for leadership and enforcement.
The US had immense influence in thinking and in development during the 18th century. Power is not the only influence- this was a time of the exchange of ideas and philosophies and values. The US wasted a lot of energy, money, lives fighting a petty war over ownership of human beings, and more petty wars to steal land from the people to whom it belonged (and largely still does), and more petty wars about pretty much nothing.
WW2 is the war that put us in the leadership role, and FDR and others, including two dynamic women Eleanor and Frances Perkins), helped jumpstart our economy and social welfare. Unfortunately Reagan systematically underminded that. What kept us from doing down the drain economically was the resources we laid claim to in the previous 3 centuries.
I wish we had a more mature and sophisticated and moral Administration to interact with the world, too. But kind of doubt that much of the world looks to us for leadership. Or enforcement, for that matter, given the number of times we've screwed up on that.
I’m relying on good reporting that I’ll view in 3-4 days. Not going to give the orange man any attention or viewership today through Wednesday. Will put TV on a non news station so Nielsen records viewership, just not of him.
Good deserved break Julie 👏
2026 is right around the corner. Change the House, change the country. As JR notes: "Social scientist and author Bob Putnam has pointed out that the Gilded Age ended only when a spirit of progressive reform “began in ordinary small towns in the middle of America and then spread from there." I'm looking for some grass-roots change in the farms across the midwest and South as essential workers are deported and tariffs make their school clothes more expensive.
I watched the sunset from a plane yesterday, as I returned home, and thought it was the last sunset this nation would see as a democracy. Such a profoundly sad time. I just don’t understand, nor will I ever, how so many people voted for this monster.
I have been feeling the same. I have given up on my siblings that voted for this monstrosity.
Do you have any insight as to why they are so dim ?
Fox News is part of it.
“In a dark time the eye begins to see” - Theodore Roethke