235 Comments

POTUS now stands for Putin Of The United States.

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can we steal this under the 'fair use' doctrine?

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Absolutely! I stole it from a FB comment a couple days ago and have been spreading it like crazy.

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Stupid comments don't get smarter because they're shared on social media (or Substack). Pass it on. Turning Putin into a bogeyman is just a way to let "we the people" off the hook.

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But Putinism, путинизм, is the model for Trumpism, that social, political & economic system of Russia, established during the leadership of V. Putin.

Characterised by concentration of political, financial & fiscal powers in the hands of associates, family, friends and siloviki, силовики́.

Siloviki силовики́, work for any state organisation authorised to use force against citizens/others.

Current/former members of KGB, now the FSB as well as FSO, GRU, SVR & military.

Arnold Beichman , "Putinism in the 21st C. has become as significant a watchword as Stalinism was in the 20th C”.

A "Chekist takeover" of Russian state & economic assets accomplished by a clique of Putin's close associates, friends, family & siloviki who have become the leading group of Russian oligarchs.

Seizing control over Russian state administrative resources, financial resources & its media.

In actively restricting democratic freedoms, both human & political rights, Russia is now in fact an "FSB state”.

Mass de-politicisation, an important element of Putinism doctrine as mass social involvement is discouraged & actively suppressed,

Politics reduced to pure management, left to those who are in power, brooking no interference by the citizens of Russia

In exchange for non-involvement in politics, Putinism doctrine has its version of economic development & some amount of freedom in private life.

Close to being a Tsarist Regime, with Putin feigning to be a good Orthodox follower, in bringing back to power the Russian Orthodox Church.

Such with displays by the Church with Russia: My History, having such empire builders as Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great together with despots Nicholas I, Alexander III & V.Putin all exalted.

GOP having brought on board the Evangelicals, together with Trump feigning Christianity.

Trumpism purging RNC, installing Lara Trump as co-chair, to run The Trump Protection Racket ensuring cash keeps flowing to The Mango Mussolini.

The Purge of RNC akin to Stalin Purges, now followed by further & larger purges of US authorities and civil service according to The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025.

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I may have to steal this....

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I have been rebuked for calling desultory names for the evil republicans. They are s**t. I think evil is as bad as slant eyed. If you are a republican who pays attention to the orange man then you certainly deserve any name if not any action hurled at you. The pussy democrats who pc themselves around are as responsible for this f'ing administration as the evil repubs. Wake up you a'holes. Do something, say something. Jesus f'ing christ, get off your worthless knees an do something.

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Feel better now? This rant is something one would expect from 6th grade boys trying out their potty mouth and seeing how far they can get with it.

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They are only copying the kind of verbiage being spewed by your illustrious leader, Carol-Ann. Have you ever really listened to him speak? I'm not talking about when he's reading words in a monotone from a piece of paper or teleprompter, but when he actually tries telling someone how he's going to get even with them. Have you heard him at all??

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Excuse me????? How dare you! Take your nasty little projecting screed and follow it to the place where all the other MAGAt kiss and stay there. How dare you. You are as what you say and what you're saying is as repugnant as that I was responding to. You think it's all right for someone exhibit that kind of language, fine. But don't throw your bad taste on to other who think it's repugnant.

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I like "The Ink" Sub-stack, Carol-Ann, 6 Self care Lessons for "How to Survive the Abuser-in-Chief."

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what is your worthless a** doing, other than filling your comment with expletives?

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Hahaha. Just sayin’ my stinky ass is pussing you off. I bet I have more insurance than you to paraphrase Kathy bates.

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I stole it from a comment on FB a couple days ago. I thought it summed him up perfectly.

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How about Putin Owns The United States

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aka Dark Cheeto, TRANSlucent Muskratte, & their bootlicking sycophantic soldiers of sedition

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I've seen Musk's little squad referred to as Musk rats, though that slanders by association a fine aquatic rodent, and Muskenjugend -- I don't mind the association with Hitler Youth. Can't remember where I saw that but please feel free to spread it.

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I refer to Musk's posse as technobrats.

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Still a little tame; almost affectionate. "Muskenjugend" is much more apt, especially considering his Apartheid-loving origin story and love of Nazi salutes.

But sadly, Musk is just an expendable political cutout. Once Trump's poll numbers really sink, he'll blame it all on Musk. Then fire him, and raise the new China tariffs from 10% to 70%, gutting Tesla's China-centric manufacturing base, and sending Tesla stock into a long overdue freefall.

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If you wish djt to understand you, Dock..afraid you're going to have to " dumb down" your verbiage just a bit. The libraries , except in.Florida , I.believe, still carry the Dick & Jane primary.readers for beginners. Still in all...don't bet the farm on comprehension.

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Thank you for sharing this with us and letting us broadcast it to our fellow Americans.

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While periodically using putz or other of the many other words for said item that start with P. Not sure how it got to mean an insult, but it has.

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🤗🤗🤗

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So I'm guessing Thom Tillis has no backbone and ceded to the threats if he didn't vote to confirm Hegseth. Is there not a single Republican Senator (or House member even) who has a spine and can stand up against this? Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have spines... why not any men?

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McConnell voted against Hegseth and RFK jr, though it didn't help; maybe he didn't even try to persuade anybody else. I think Mitch is trying to get into Heaven, but after all the damage he's done, it won't work. In addition to blocking everything Obama tried to do, he's responsible for the right-wing Supreme Court, and he probably could have prevented Trump from being eligible to run again if he'd voted to convict at the second impeachment and carried some other votes with him. Too late now, Mitch, and I hope you burn in Hell for what you've done to our country.

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I wonder if in his final years he will speak out or write a memoir accepting some responsibility for what he helped unleash. Not holding my breath, mind you, but it would be fascinating to understand his thinking.

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Not a chance. If he was going to do anything good, he would have done it by now. He's an evil man, and in addition to what Tina Rhea wrote, McConnell is almost solely responsible for all the gun violence deaths because he only supported one gun safety bill in his 40-year career, and that's because it didn't ban assault rifles or high capacity magazines or include a universal background check.

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McConnell worships power and the ability to abuse power.

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I would never even touch a book of his. He is the devil incarnate full stop!

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Yes, I think that is key. Persuade others. Use the place you occupy in the Senate (or House) to try to convince others. Merely counting votes to assure that you don't actually have the numbers to stop a confirmation by voting against someone (as I suspect Susan Collins does) doesn't count for much in the long run. They need to use their influence to move others. Especially those with no backbone. As for receiving threats... I suppose it comes with the territory. As for Mitch McConnell, I blame him and only him for the state of today's politics. History will not treat him kindly.

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Spot On, Tina...SPOT ON!

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To Mitch: Sometimes it REALLY IS too late.

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I think McConnell is sort of the walking dead...almost out to pasture. When it's. your last term, you can show the middle finger to almost anyone you want. Particularly when your home is down in a haller somewhere.

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You may be correct that Tillis just has no backbone, i.e. is a coward. It's as if someone said to him

"You can either help to protect a democracy that we've worked on for 240 years, and literally millions of people have died for...or you can have your little cushy little job where you get to pretend you're important, and hope you stay out of Trump's way. Which will it be?' We all know how Tillis answered.

As for Collins, her vote was because she had covered. You can be absolutely certain that if she was the deciding vote she would have voted for confirmation. Murkowski would probably have resisted.

But I'm beginning to suspect there's something MUCH more sinister here - that most Republicans have secretly wanted this all along, but had to hide it until Trump came and let them express their true selves.

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I think that they are just scared to go against Trump and be subjected to his wrath.

I also think they are afraid they won't be reelected.

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Based upon the turn outs, at Republican town halls, of angry Republicans I think they have assured themselves of not having a job after the next election.

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I wouldn't read too much into that one Georgia town hall video. Still, when people start getting their SS delayed and their tax refunds delayed, even the thickest MAGAt might start having second thoughts.

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They shouldn't be reelected.I'm so disappointed in how lacking in basic integrity they all are.

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No one knows what will happen even between now and 2026 midterms. People can die in office, be impeached, etc. etc. I'll bet any amount of money that the Dems will control the House after 2026, and then they will be able to cause a lot of good trouble. Now that Howard Lutnick, Muskrat, likely DJT are threatening to axe SS anything is possible. GW Bush just wanted to privatize a small part, and the old manure hit the fan. 67 million older people with time on their hands could humble even a wannabe autocrat as clumsy as DonOld.

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That’s right William-I’m 70 and have been paying into the system since I was 18-I only started collecting SS 3 yrs ago. I’ll fight that bas turd in court if I have to. I’ll put my size eight foot right up Elon’s a$$ if I have to. And I’m not the only one-damn straight old folks will rise up…bet they’re hoping we die early.

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I agree that the GOP fears losing re-election. For all of their posturing about the "Swamp", these people love their salaries, pensions and federal government healthcare.

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Oh, I have no doubt of that.

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Susan Collins does NOT have a spine. She refused to vote to impeach trump saying “I think he learned his lesson.”

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I believe she said something similar about Kavanaugh too. Way past time for her to go.

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Don’t give Collins and murkowski too much credit. They are huge disappointments. N

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Murkowski voted for Bondi, Gabbard, Kennedy & Vought. Her spine is weak

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Susan Collins is only a concerned nincompoop. And Murkowski also obviously voted for most of the egregious cabinet picks.

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Maybe being spineless isn’t a manly thing. Unfortunately Susan and Lisa cannot be counted on to subvert the theft of our (and their) democracy.

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they don't have much spine at all, they knew their votes would not trash this nomination.

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Mitch McConnell showed one backbone when he voted against RFK. I have been thanking Republicans for their no votes on Trump's nominees as a way to encourage their no votes in the future. It's one way to step across the aisle.

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McConnell knew his vote was covered - don’t give him one shred of praise when Trump 2.0 and the demise of Democracy is entirely his fault. He deserves nothing but scorn.

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not a smidge of a backbone. He's not running again. He had polio. If he'd had a backbone he would have voted for impeachment and not scuttled the nomination of Merrick Garland and rushed through Barrett -- contradicting his reasoning on Garland.

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McConnell voted against RFK Jr. because he had polio as a child, and was aware of the importance of the vaccine.

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So it was somewhat personal for him? As for all the absolutely other times when he voted for his own interests/party against the good of his constituents and country. I hope history treats his craven legacy for the black hole of decency it has always been.

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more like "black hole of indecency"...it does roll off the tongue well, though!

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that’s a good idea-attract more bees with honey than vinegar

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All have been castrated

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...or should be!

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Yesterday Senator Josh Hawley stood with Senator Susan Collins in opposition to the rest of Republican senators & voted against cuts to Medicare

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Hawley has his constituents breathing down his neck which is a good thing. All of the Repub congress members should be having town halls. Every one of them would fail to convince their voters that what they’re doing is a good thing. They are complicit by only protecting themselves and not the people of the country. None of them are like the governor of Maine who went toe-to-toe against Trump who threatened her. She said “I’ll see you in court.”!

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I just love Maine’s governor for standing up to the orange baboon-she has chutzpah!

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Like many states, MO democrats have been flooding his office with calls, letters, etc reminding him that he barely won his senate seat back after a great fight from democrat Lucas Kunce. He likely could give a rat’s patoot about the elderly-but he wants to remain a senator!

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Well, as for Susan Collins, she grew a spine BUT ONLY for Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth. She voted for Gabbard, Bondi and Kennedy. 4 of the 5 are unqualified for there positions and Bondi is unfit (by means of that $25K that was made to her political committee by Trump) It's so sad as Susan Collins should have voted "NO" for all of them.

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Why don't some of them quit to "spend time with family"? And, if their state governor is a D, even better.

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No, not a single one in any meaningful and consistent way.

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Think Rosa Parks...RBG, Eleanor Roosevelt. Susan Collins is on again off again... Think Michell Obama leading our legal battles...she's strength in our wings!

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I understant that Tillis was informed by the FBI of serious death threats if he did not conform and vote for Hegseth.

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I don’t understand why Congress doesn’t stand together as a group and refuse to be bullied by this monster of a President. There’s power in numbers and if they all stood together, being the coward he is, I think he’d back down.

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Why? Because Republicans in Congress support Trump/Bannon/Vought/musk autocracy and destruction of government? They reject the tax code put in place by Teddy Roosevelt, social net put in place by FDR and anti-discriminatory laws put in place in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s. Oh and let’s not forget, they oppose women’s choice, LGBTQ rights, the right to vote etc.

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This kind of bully doesn't threaten to hurt you. He goes for an innocent family member. He isn't direct in the attack, but implies and then uses thugs as enforcers. Public killing and private torture, with people left to see the results of that torture come next. All of this is a page taken from MAFIA stories to slavers here, to NAZIs in Germany, to dictators and terrorists around the world. The key, rather than hand-wringing is to stop it in its early stages. We also need to remember the large numbers who are still on the Trump Trolley. The following showed up in my feed this morning from a woman in my community: I am GONNA VENT HERE. I am 74 years old, I have lived through a bunch of Presidents and NEVER, in my lifetime have I ever seen or heard of a President or his cabinet members being scrutinized over every word he speaks, every hand gesture, humiliated by the public to the point of wanting to hurt someone, slander, ridicule, insulted, lied to, threatened to murder him, threatened to rape our Beautiful First Lady, and have his children also insulted and humiliated. I know he does not do everything right, he is just a man like every other President. But he IS keeping his campaign promises unlike many of the others. I am truly ashamed of the people of this country. I am ashamed of the ruthless, hating, cruel, Trump-phobia people that have no morals, and feel they have the right to say and do the things they are. Every other President after they were elected and took the oath of office were left alone, they weren’t on the news 24/7 being dissected by every word out of their mouth, DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON'T PRESSURE to do this or that and NEVER being given the support to do anything. Being complete hypocrites, with the opposite response, when their president, cabinet member or fav celebrity does the exact same thing! ENOUGH is ENOUGH is ENOUGH, LEAVE THE MAN ALONE AND LET HIM DO HIS JOB FOR GOD’S SAKE...

The liberal media is relentless with fake news stories. Every single day trying to continually hurt president Trump, his family & his administration. How much pain did you truly go through, when he was in office last time? Out of touch Hollywood liberal actors are attacking & slandering our president daily. They threaten to leave our country. Good. Don't ever work here or vote here again either.

We finally have a president who loves our country, our military & our police forces. He's following through on more campaign promises than any president in history. He truly does want to make AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!!

If anyone had done these things to Barack Hussein Obama, the 100's of fake allegations, the name calling, the threats to his life, the fake dossier, etc., they would be facing criminal charges themselves!

No, instead American voters who greatly disliked Barack Hussein Obama stated our opinions then simply voted and made changes.

Even if we believed him to be a traitor, we pulled for America and did everything we could to make America better, even if it meant supporting things he proposed. Unity doesn't mean you have to agree with EVERYTHING, it means we work together to do what is best for ALL Americans, not just yourself and certainly not for those indoctrinating this and the next generations to hate themselves or others. That's the opposite of inclusive!!!

We are Americans. We are loyal. We want what's best for America.

Tammy Jones

James Barger

Sammy Murel Brown,

Bebe Coe Bertino

Lori Williams

Carla Boyd

Glenda Taylor

Janet Scherdin

Kim Bengtson-Jones

Christy Stewart Wehmeyer

Gina Ellis

Christa E. Lewis

Cindy Plunkett French-Walker

Cindy Hammond- Licklider

Annette Torres Hamlyn

Melody Williams

Maria Kiser

Loretta Bronstein

Sherry Gavlik

Donna Owens

Mary Perez Bird

Janice Bird

Gene Gassaway

Kathy Camp

Dennis Camp

Ron Oliphant

Vicki Howison

Mark Webb

Carol Garner

Kathy Klein

Kim Notias

Melissa Harris Shepherd

Sherry Kirkpatrick Rhodes

Kim Conway Bright.

Debi Stypinski

Marsha Stellmon

Beth Brewer

Sheila LeBrun Knauf

Karla Jacobson Cheek

Gary Purdy

Bobbie Bittle West

Jill Brandt Blankenship

Brenda Haller

Beckey Dumas

Missy Rose-Hume

Nora Prater

Scott N Sheila Foster

Michelle M Miller

Arthur Johnson

Delilah Easom

Donnie Adkins

Dana Kapuanani Watson-Adkins

Donald Adkins

Brenda Pennington Harris

Gloria Morgan

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Russell Sparks

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Randall Stockdale

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Mike Rita Pope

Dot Rains Ashinhurst

Nancy Helms

Gary W Sanders

Sherry L Sanders.

Randy McCafferty.

Sheila Jones

Bradley Crumpton

Ken Roe

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Phil Van Blaricom

Reggie Lord

Barbara Carraway

Tony Rosbough

D.C. Fresch

Eliot Fisher

Chuck Weber

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Ronald Johns

Laurie McDonald

F. Mark Funk

LaQuita Hutchason Bolognini

Larry W Roberts

Paul Beavers

Kevin Brown

Randy Heep

Keith Skaggs

Willie J. Matthews Jr.

Joyce Cole Gentry

Charlotte Stubbs

Robin Clopp

Juanita Ennis

Joseph J Johnson

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Ann Haarmeyer

Ann Stone

Portia Amason

Martie Powell

Debbie Hooks

Joanne Reitz

Terry Neilson

Mike Baxter

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Pat Smith

John & Mary Brand

Toni Seward

Jeanene Milanak and Jadell McPherson

Barbara Jones

Theresa Hassett

JEANINE PIRO

Brenda Mock

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WILLIAM IVAN SWAIN

Yovania Gonzalez-Monzon

Ruthie Capraro

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Frances Summers

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Geraldine Jeffres

Jan Worthen

Lisa Ruedel

Mary Messenger

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Chris Jones

Marilyn Lambert Byrd

Sally Flavell

John Golden

Chris Davis

Julia Ballard-Crumley

Margaret Dowdy

Roni McLeod

Veronica McLeod

Kimberly Maynard

Jada Depenbrock

Betty Collins

Edith Whitecrow

Stephen Cooper

Julia Martin

Sharon Sharp

Rita Jackson

Mary Lefor

Olivia Bohannon

Linda Mareschal Hoenig

Jean Davis

Donna Brewster

Elizabeth Legorburu

Michele Strickman-Miller

Judy Grant-Reynolds

Jackie Chambers

Becky Smith

Regina Sutton Smith

Kenny Anderson

Marion Mccloskey

Ruth Ann George

Karen Shea

Arnie Eaton

Sharryn Pratt

Helen Nawrocki

Janneen Piper

Mike Piper

Peggy Rannick

Betty O'Guynn

Richard Klauser

Melinda Jones-Hatchett

Patricia Joiner

Carolyn B. Burnett

Terry Seibold and Mike Hunt

Diana Soldano Bubb

Mary Jarvis

Freida and Loyd Tipton

Jody Schach

Nancy Juanita

Simpson Sharpe

Robert Ritchie

Dot Overton

Billie Henry

Joanie Caseman

Jeff Brill

Barbara Kapise Streit

Norm Sealander

Patricia Greenfield

Allean Stewart

Jason Reaves

Kristen Erickson

Sandy Jensen

Jan Ludo

Carol Alonardo

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Linda Sims Campbell

Cathy Davis

Connie Swaim

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Kristin Sharpe

Robert Ritchie

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George Kuusela

Debra Davey

Debra Perrin

Barbara Vinciguerra

Albert Defalco

Judy Kuntz

Spearer Heidi

Phyllis Van Winkle

Nancy Stahl

Fred Griffin

Robert Ritchie

Robert L Gilbert

Lynda Lemmon

Norm Sealander

Clay Williams

Chuck Paschen

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Jerry Louttit

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Teresa Fronapel:)

Brenda Coley

Bobb Breck

Susan Fitzgerald Wagaman

Bob Wagaman

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Chrissy Kamisol

Jeanine Kamisol Jones

Sharon Hart

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Debbie Lee

Diane Stancil

Helen Best

Becky Jackson

Misty L Drew

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Pamela Halstead

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Rita Eddy

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Carl Appel

Jim Tucker

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April Murray

Jim woelfel

Marty Short.

Glenn Vetter

Diane Vincent

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Tammy Egerton

Dixie Waddle

Erica Mitchell

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Sherri Bogeart

David Bogeart

Ronnie Hayes

Kathy Kauffman

Sandra Miller

Linda Linda Harvey Hewlett

Brenna Brown Hall

Mary Beth Gillis If you agree copy and paste this to your time line and put your name under the last name listed.

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They have forgotten all the abuse that Obama got-- she can't even refer to him without mentioning that his middle name is Hussein; that's a tell. Oh no, our little lamb has been abused like nobody else... also forgetting that Lincoln was compared to an ape and had to evade at least one assassination attempt before he even got to DC.

The "Christian" Republicans claimed that Bill Clinton couldn't be a good or effective president because he had an affair with a willing young woman. Now they worship a golden calf who cheated on each wife with the next one, paid hush money to a porn actress he had sex with while his third wife was home with the new baby, bragged about grabbing women by the genitals, is an adjudicated sexual assaulter, among other crimes including stealing classified documents, refusing to return them, and lying about having returned them; urging the "finding" of enough votes to give him Georgia; and inciting an armed mob to attack the Capitol and halt the peaceful transfer of power, then watching the rioters on TV for hours as they assaulted police and threatened to kill his vice-president while aides and family begged him to call them off....

Seems like a serious deterioration in Republican moral standards.

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How can so many people be so ignorant? The man practices all the "seven deadly sins" without remorse, and said publicly he has never asked God for forgiveness. And so-called Christians adore him while ignoring Jesus' call to welcome the stranger and love your neighbor. Compassion is a value that is not limited to one religion - Muhammad was trying to make peace between the tribes and between the "peoples of the book" - ie. Christians and Jews. He is no more being followed by many who claim his name than is Jesus of Nazareth.

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Dear God, is that letter authenticated??

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I have seen similar diatribes, so I would guess one of them wrote it and they all "copy/paste" the gaslighting.

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Well, that is just sad. I hope you all will be all right when Trump's actions start affecting your families and communities.

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It's a list of cult followers who apparently don't care about the U.S. Constitution. It's not what anyone says about Trump. It's what he does. But you are right about one thing if I read you rightly--Trump is extremely thin-skinned. (Politics is tough for anyone.) And have a look at what the AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION has to say about Trump TODAY.

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Help me, Jesus..." We finally have a president who loves our country, our military & our police forces" Would that be the guy who just pardoned 1500 rioters against the Capital, the same one who is firing top officials in the military, FBI, Justice Department for "performance" when their employment records are full of accolades? Oh, the pity...we're in a true life episode of the Walking Dead. The walkers sing his praises...

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And what about the impact to the economy?

* rising unemployment from federal layoffs;

* leading to less consumer spending;

* leading to wage deflation;

* leading to lower production;

* leading to more layoffs and higher unemployment;

And so forth.

Not to mention the impacts to the stock and bond markets and the resulting reduction of available income for retirees.

And, the increased cost of food due to the unavailability of farm workers.

And so forth...

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Mark "April 4" on your calendar - that's when the March job numbers will be released - and the full impact of El Presidente's...... er, DOGE's wholescale decimation of federal employment will be felt.

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Assuming we get the real data and not something completely made up to make Trump/Musk look good.

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You’re spot on. We can no longer rely on the government reports.

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Tump and Musk will simple have the data fudged. Putin and China have done it for years. These letter signers are eating up whatever Fox and such serve and will gleefully accepted dirtied data.

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there's a reason trump was bankrupt 6 times

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He even bankrupted a casino, for God's sake! Those are licenses to print money.

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And launder cash.

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It may be thought " rude", Richard...however would you please write your list again in capital letters...and flashing neon? Concise...and a great start, sir!

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Tesla, had 400,000 cars recalled today...apparently the power steering does not work creating danger in that you can't steer All TESLA cars or trucks. So drivers, stay away from parked Armoured CARS and anything engineered by Elon MUSK, Tesla, Space X, Twitter, X , StarLink, Neuralink, did I miss anything?

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You missed DOGE.

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Another recall? Lovely.

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Trump’s continuing freak out (and absurd lawsuit) over Kamala Harris’ interview having been edited is nuts. Is it really possible that they’re unaware that news programming which isn’t *live* involves editing of interviews, for time as much as clarity, i.e. eliminating repetition?

CBS actually released the transcript of the entire thing on Feb 5. It’s now Feb 21, with still not a peep from TrumpWorld about it; and the lawsuit is still happening, AFAIK. Here’s CBS’ post of full transcript and video:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-publishes-transcripts-video-requested-by-fcc/

I’d love to see Musk and Trump demand that all their own future interviews be UNEDITED.

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Yet since 2015 I still can't know what Trump and PUTIN speak about or agree upon in private conversations...

POTUS =

Putin of the United States

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oh, that is GOOD. I mean EVIL, of course, but GOOD!

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Maria..

If djt i s ever publically recognized as the " king" of anything.. filing .frivolous law suits would capture the prize surely! What a guy!

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So, answer me this: why aren't they all behind bars for the rampant tyranny and espionage going on, right in front of our faces? The entire Congress deserves to be put behind bars, too, for sitting with their thumbs up their asses and letting this all happen, in real time. This is not a horror film, people! This is our lives!! I don't know about you but I don't wish to live in the USSR (United States of Stupid Russia)!!!

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I think it's pretty obvious why they're not behind bars -- because they now control all aspects of the judicial system and law enforcement who would have the power to put them behind bars.

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Why not simply USSR = United States of Stupid Republicans ?

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Well, although I sort of like it, we do have to recognize that there are some Republicans who did not vote for him and are just as angry and ashamed as we are. Angry at drumpf and ashamed to admit to being an American because of what he is doing to our reputation and our country.

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please, show me one...

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1) Adam Kinzinger

2) Liz Cheney

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Who or what body can officially declare Trump a traitor and move forward with charges of treason? Is this yet another impotent attempt at impeachment? Is the citizenry powerless to hold him accountable within established institutions?

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As long as the Repubs hold the Senate.

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I see all of what you are describing and I worry that it is not enough for our representatives to act on our behalf - and I do not think Trump cares about that. I really believe we need more than a 2/28 economic protest. WE need massive national demonstrations. Trump, Vance, Musk, Hegseth are giving Putin Ukraine - like Chamberlain gave Czechoslovakia to Hitler. This is the beginning of the end of Europe and US if there is not a huge massive pushback. We need leaders to call for massive demonstrations every Sunday in March and onward until Project 2025 is stopped and rolled back....we need an Opposition Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet to stand up for the REAL USA....what do you recommend???

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Opposition Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet to stand up for the REAL USA

THIS! YES THIS!!!

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Love this idea, and I would make Pete Buttigieg our spokesman to hold daily pressers about what is really going on!

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Unfortunately these morons have no sense of history. Putin must still have something on T===p from when he was attempting to build a T===p property in Moscow. Maybe there’s a video of him in some compromising act. Oh, wait, Access Hollywood didn’t change anything in 2016 so why would something from Putin make any difference?

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Joyce

I fear many people are missing one very important point regarding Trump's use of the quote, “He who saves his country does not violate any Law.” Usually, there is a longer term purpose when Trump rolls out statements such as this.

My expectation is we will start to hear this concept raised more and more, that Trump is "saving" America. And then, we will be told that because so many people are happy that Trump is "saving" America, he should be allowed to continue on as President even after his term ends. He is envious of Putin and Xi, and the other 'strongmen' leader, because they can continue to be leaders of their countries, and he wants to see himself as strong as those leaders. His reference to "Long Live the King" fits the same mold.

Trump has no plans to leave the Presidency until he dies, and his team is setting up the workings of the Government to support him in this objective.

We should be viewing everything which is going on through this lens to fully understand what and why Trump is doing the things he is doing, and the way he acts.

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As I noted before, his most ominous words were "You'll never have to vote again". What an intro to an authoritarian takeover!

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“ People who are afraid of books are really afraid of the ideas in them. People who burn books are trying to keep other people from thinking.”

Those who begin by burning books, will eventually be burning people because it is the only way to stop them from thinking. As Mark Twain so pungently observed, “This is the country of those three great rights: freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and the wisdom never to exercise either of them."

We must never forget that Trump is stuffing his regime with Christian Nationalists whose ultimate goal is to make their religious ideology the only game in town. Like all such zealots in history, they will not tolerate opposition and when given sufficient power will become a 21st century Inquisition. They are already sharpening stakes and gathering firewood.

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Donald Trump is fading. He reads what Stephen Miller puts in front of him, then switches to "word salad" He signs what is put in front of him then asks what it was he just signed. Project 2025 is in ascendancy. (sp)

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Miller, Vought, JDV, whoever. My doctor siblings insist that DonOld has significant Deemontia.

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I'm a nurse. I worked in nursing homes. He has all the symptoms. Also his father had dementia. Trump tried to get his father to sign a new will that Trump got all his father's millions , and that his siblings got nothing. Big law suit on that.

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"...asks what it was he just signed...." That's why the sticky notes on each folder

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Trump et al apparently just erased the FBI data base for all police in the country who have been involved with illegal activities or been fired, etc. The suggestion is that Maga is gathering their jackbooted Nazis and brown shirts to be loyal to him--for what should not be a question at this point. They also are overwhelming the courts with filings against anyone who complains or calls out a truth and the judges with extortion, intimidation, and death threats and probably bribes. It's a whirlwind where apparently the planning has been going on for a long time; and now they have almost endless funding. "Absurd lawsuits" are just more ways to keep everyone afraid and on their heels.

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Good point. But think of this: Fatso could easily pardon them all and there would be no need for such a list.

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All the people who voted for Trump refused over and over to realize that he is a liar, a thief, a vindictive, jealous megalomaniac with extreme, extreme, extreme delusions of grandeur. They will reap what they sow. Unfortunately, those of us who recognized the severe illness of this 'leader' will also have to suffer.

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OK, so what can ordinary citizens (and I'm very ordinary) do in the face of this besides donate money? I have more time than money, and I'd be glad to offer it.

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Subscribe to Chop Wood Carry Water by Jess Craven. She sends a daily newsletter with actionable items for everyday folks that don't cost money. The newsletter covers things we can do, and they publish a handful of state-specific newsletters.

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-221-965

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Kendall, agreed. Peter also - call your representatives every day especially if they are rethugs. I also subscribe to Jessica Piper and joined Blue Missouri because of her. So many of us standing together!

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Re Jess Piper: Me too. She is a NEVER-GIVE-UP indomitable spirit with an unyielding attitude. A treasure to us Blue Missourians in Red Trumpland and throughout the nation reading Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson et al.

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I’m a MO Democrat but somehow haven’t heard of Jess Piper-how do I join Blue Missourians?

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Good idea - I"m just looking at it now

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Same here. And, at 80, I'm done with travel.

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This writeup is great so far but over time it will be hard to track specific topics through time and those involved.

Will this Democracy Index be put together into some sort of index or spreadsheet so we can zoom in on the attacks on specific themes?

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Yes, thank you for clarifying. That's what I was trying to say. I'd envisioned a list that could be sorted by date or topic with links.

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