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Nancy (South NJ coast)'s avatar

This is an absolutely amazing roster of outstanding contributors doing great writing and commentary. You and Jen are doing herculean work for democracy. Thank you!

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Danielle's avatar

Thanks, Norm! I like the comparison to baseball. You made a good pitch for our team!

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Linda McDonough's avatar

I am posting this on FB and anywhere else I can think of...too.. I think we should start labeling those legislators who fit the definition MUSK TOADIE wherever possible:

New 2025 OED entry:

MUSK TOADIE: A Congressman or woman who utters not a peep of protest as an unelected South African BILLIONAIRE and his troupe of geeky ruffians on work-release slash and burn the federal budget and workforce with no apparent logic, input from department heads or iota of concern for the health and safety of the American public.*

See also: coward, yellow-belly, namby- pamby

It is rumored Mr. Trump trembles when Elon Musk unleashes a ketamine-induced temper tantrum throwing eloquent insults such as RETARD at lesser educated, lower IQ individuals such as ASTRONAUTS. He is the epitome of the bully on the playground, except the playground is now social media… which he owns… because he is a South African Billionaire!

*Musk Toadies are threatened with being “primaried” if they try to fulfill their Constitutional role. However, American voters will be in no mood to replace one Musk Toadie with another.

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Rachel C's avatar

Unfortunately, some of them have had credible threats against their lives and their families.

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Linda McDonough's avatar

So we should forgive them for caving and continue to elect them so that MAGA can dictate their ethics, morals & beliefs because they’ve been threatened? If they are scared they need to resign & let someone with more courage take over… this is how Russia ( which apparently we are best buddies with) rules! We need to be better than that!

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Shannon Starks's avatar

To forgive or not to forgive is not the issue. Becoming effective is our goal, and we are NOT there yet. Anat Shenker-Osorio has the best advice I've heard yet for getting there. Wish everyone would read/watch/listen.

https://the.ink/p/transcript-anat-shenker-osorios-actual-plan-beat-fascism?r=1z08hw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&timestamp=3591.7&showWelcomeOnShare=false

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Rachel C's avatar

All I meant is that on some level I can understand. They should move their families and hire their own bodyguards.

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Carol Fletez's avatar

Their inaction is hurting a lot of families. Even those they are getting paid well to represent. Stand down and let us elect people who have a conscience and a backbone!!!

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Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Thanks very much for all this work you do. On another note, I went on Facebook today which I don’t do very often, but I did it because today is my late husband‘s birthday, and that of George Washington. I always post for the benefit of his friends and mine a little birthday greeting. Both of them would be appalled at what’s going on right now. But I was appalled at Facebook. Musk’s face was everywhere along with all the lies he spews. Thanks Zuckerberg for ruining something that was nice and family oriented. He’s probably getting paid for those ads. Every other thing I did was to block some of those ads and then I just gave up. I’m afraid my husband’s memory will have to live on in some other form on some other venue. Maybe I’ll start a blue sky tribute to him.

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Edward Jeremy Hutton's avatar

Every time I start to feel hopeless, I return to you and Jen and the many fine on the Substack for reinforcement and hope. Keep it for us all and democracy. I am proud to be a subscriber and spread the word to others!

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Edward Jeremy Hutton's avatar

Left our “writers” after “fine.”

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R Keith Raney's avatar

Keep at it, and congratulations! Twrecks and his Musketeers will fall on own swords :~)

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Irving Schloss's avatar

As another Dodger loony, I liked your analogy. But there is another difference between baseball and Trump-Musk World. In baseball, there are rules every team follows, and you can expect rational decision-making from the opponents in terms of how they plan to win. But there is no rationale that explains the DOGE chainsaw (why just downsizing the government workforce will achieve broader policy goals without examining impact) or many of the policies now being pursued in foreign affairs or the military. It is Crazy Town, and therein lies hope. And you cite the pushback that is mounting.

Thank you and your colleagues, no matter for which team they root or whether baseball flutters their pulses.

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Wayne Shaw's avatar

Agreed, from one baseball lover and resister to another. Also agreed that the baseball analogy only goes but so far, like any other comparison. I really think those who should be in leadership but are not acting like it (read=congressional Democrats, the mainstream media, and others) are being beat more easily than that, though. A comparison I saw written was the msm is playing three dimensional chess and being beaten by Trump playing checkers. I'm not trying to oversimplify it, but it isn't that complicated, either. I'm not convinced. They/we are making it out to be rocket science when it isn't.

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Faith Raiguel's avatar

Love the baseball (Dodgers) metaphor! Has anyone discussed the Democrats creating a “shadow cabinet” as they do in England? It would allow Dems to have a reliable, consistent spokesperson focused on each area of the executive branch. The Democrats’ response is fragmented, with rotating members of Congress expressing alarm and opinion. For example, an official Dem response from the shadow Secretary are HHS responding to RFK Jr.’s positions. This is unprecedented time requiring and unprecedented response.

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C C's avatar
Feb 23Edited

Yes, Faith. Professor Timothy Snyder wrote a Substack column on it which I read somewhere, but since I don't pay for his newsletter, I can't find and offer here.

However, the Daily Kos wrote about it last December.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/22/2293316/-Timothy-Snyder-and-Shadow-Government

As an additional note on a Shadow or Opposition Cabinet, Robert Hubbell, another very good Substack author (Today's Edition Newsletter) offered a suggestion just this morning.

He said since our Democratic politicians are not moving as quickly as we'd hoped, that we should organize the cabinet ourselves and Democratic lawmakers will gravitate towards it.

In keeping with the baseball metaphor that Norm Eisen started, Robert's idea was a "Build it and they will come" plan.

Robert suggested a solid, well-established, reputable group like "Indivisible" (led by Ezra Levin) might start the cabinet rolling.

Considering the huge push that it seems our Senators and Congresspeople need to wake up to the outrage, fear, disgust, and did I mention OUTRAGE that their constituents feel about the Musk-Trump playbook, I think Robert has a really good idea.

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Faith Raiguel's avatar

Good to know! Better minds are already getting this rolling.

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Alexandra R.'s avatar

Timothy Snyder (Substack) was the first person I heard bring up the shadow cabinet. Robert Hubbell (Substack) mentioned it also and then followed up (when it didn't seem to be getting traction) with a list of who should be on it. I called those on his list and left messages (mostly) suggesting they step up. I'm not seeing Dem leaders responding. There are some compelling reasons to think having a shadow cabinet might make the Dem response stronger, more timely etc. But I was reminded in another discussion that most of the folks on the list (or who might be good at it) are already doing that as their job and to call it something else, to organize it as another 'entity' might just be more than they can do right now. I think as you do that the response has been tragically weak so far but -- as Norm points out, it may be that they're just still in spring training and meanwhile we can see the need 24/7 for a full fledged team - - and the damage being done because we don't have one. And, we have no identified leader the equivalent of trump either, though some have been stepping up admirably (Sanders, Warren, AOC, Crockett, Swalwell, Raskin, some govs etc). The important thing we can do is thank every Dem who is stepping up and encourage/demand the others do too. An all hands on deck time.

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Faith Raiguel's avatar

I am so glad to hear all this! I do believe this idea would give more power to those voices already speaking.

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Lark Leonard's avatar

Faith - I really like this suggestion! I heard it explored a little earlier this week on Substack. I hope someone picks up on it - this would do alot to reassure the public that indeed our party in the minority position is keeping track, working hard on alternate strategies, and ready to challenge when the moment is right. So far, Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren are doing the most communicating in this way - I really appreciate it.

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Wayne Shaw's avatar

I think that's a great idea, and Democrats have to stop being so afraid of confronting the opposition-turned- enemy. I say to them, you magatears are afraid of the Deep State? GOOD! Here's something to *really* be afraid of, an *actual* Deep State that is going to trounce you and put your sorry behinds in prison! However, I think Democrats have largely been complicit with Republicans, not all, but far too many, and it will be up to us in the grassroots to launch it. A lot of us working openly and behind the scenes, both.

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RollyTG's avatar

The problem with a Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet is that it would take us 2 years to assemble it because we would gave to have at least one person of each ethnicity and one of each gender category, one from each state etc., etc.. Having said that, somewhat lightly, I think it is a fantastic idea. Some toes would have to be trodden on and egos bruised to make it happen though. Maybe President Obama could work some magic on it.

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Irene Carlyle's avatar

thanks! a great and very useful summary! I save allthe Contrarian issues on my computer, but am printing this one out---helps me feel hopeful. Thanks, Norm!!! BTW--enjoyed the video--but would be happier if Musk was REALLY sent to Mars (on a one-way ticket)

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Carol Patton's avatar

Thank you ever so much for the review of the weeks events. You are doing a terrific job of keeping us informed and as updated as possible. I imagine it is an over-full time job for both of you.

It is really excellent, helpful, informative, and provides grist that I am using in my emails and phone calls to Republican and Democratic senators. I am learning more about how our government works and doesn't or won't work now or in the near future. A million thank yous for your world class reporting. It makes such a difference!

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bonnie j biddison's avatar

Brilliant essay Norm - Have to be inspired after that!!!

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Marina Oshana's avatar

So thankful you are pitching batting, and hitting the bases for our team. (I'll forgive your regrettable decision decision to support the Dodgers-- staunch Giants fan that I am.)

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Joan (CA)'s avatar

Giants’ fan here too! And I loved the game last year which honored the players from the Negro League. We really need to do more for those players. Maybe after we save our democracy…?

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Joseph McPhillips's avatar

#Resist

The way Musk’s DOGE is going about agency personnel cuts is the equivalent of thinking we all need to lose 30 pounds & deciding to saw off legs arbitrarily. What Trump & Musk are doing will hurt millions of people in ways that we’re only beginning to see.

https://www.commoncause.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FireMuskPoster_8.5x11.pdf

Asked whether it was trained on data from the federal government obtained by DOGE, Musk’s Grok 3 AI responded that “it’s plausible that data DOGE accessed could have flowed to xAI projects like Grok 3.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/musk-data-ai-00205259utm_campaign=wp_power_up&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

Couldn't say it better than Anat Shenker-Osorio 2/21/25: "Trump & the billionaires who bought him, Musk...are coming for your life & your livelihood...your freedom...your privacy...your information. And he is conducting a hostile takeover of our government so he can take our money.” https://youtube.com/shorts/iZuYdpmjpKU?si=Mmm_1Vtd7AE5sHV7

Trumpism must die.

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Coffee Envy's avatar

I get it. But as a Giants fan, I think I could relate better if you left out the Dodgers references. You almost lost me when I saw that picture of you with the LA logo. 😬

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Kim Sherwood's avatar

Wow--what an unbelievably and outstanding summary of shared information and accomplishments--let alone all done within a week's time!

Thanks to you, Norm--for your role in bringing those lawsuits and not letting up on the rule of law. Thanks to all of you at The Contrarian for the work you're doing to synthesize and explain the flurry of criminality and exponential pain coming for the Country from the current regime. It's a lot to take in, but the understanding you provide is very helpful in deciding where to focus energy on any given day. Hearty thanks, again!

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JoEllen Zumberge's avatar

Thank you for keeping hope alive and for giving us single citizens things we can do other than despair.

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