A DICTATOR DICTATES - WE DO NOT HAVE TO COMPLY!

by Ruth A. Sheets

Yesterday was World AIDS Day.  You probably didn’t know that and were not reminded because Donald Trump decided the United States was not going to commemorate it, as though it doesn’t exist.  I was surprised Trump even knew there was such a thing as World AIDS Day (he probably didn’t).  The cadre of hateful folks around him, Trump’s Toddler Pool spends their time finding ways to get their “boss” to demonstrate their hatreds and his.  Folks like Steve Miller, Russell Vought, JD Vance, mostly rich white men want us to think of AIDS as the gay disease that was around in the 1980s and nothing more. 

Donald Trump and the Pool also want to rewrite American history, science, and medicine to place white men at the center of everything, to dismiss everyone else as just burdens white men have to bear.  They decide which laws they will follow and ignore the rest.  They threaten to “hang” Democrats who remind our military and intelligence communities they are required not to follow illegal orders.  They blast small boats out of the water in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific supposedly because they are transporting drugs (with no proof), even killing survivors, all of which are against American and international law.  The Pool and its “leader” desperately want to be seen as powerful enough to dictate everything to the people of this nation, even what is truth.

Their super rich “friends” like Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, and a few others have bought up our media, online, in print, and on air and have been working hard to shape it to whatever story Trump and the Pool want told and with the language they will approve.  Clearly these media owners are getting something for sacrificing their integrity (if they ever had any).  I think it is being “in the room where it happens,” or rather making sure they have a hand in what happens in that room.  For that “presence, they will cover only what Trump (and the Pool want covered, a win-win for them and a lose-lose for the rest of the American people. 

They have dictated that climate change (global warming) is a hoax and threatened Republican members of Congress that they must vote for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” even though there is nothing positive in it for their constituents.  They told Republicans in Congress to cut funding for public broadcasting, libraries, museums, infrastructure programs, mitigation of climate change, and more, whose funding congress had already approved.  In short, I can’t think of a single thing Trump and the Toddler Pool have done since gaining office nearly a year ago.

We the People are not helpless.  We can communicate our opposition to our representatives at all levels and vote for those who have our interests in mind.  We have participated in significant protests, the most recent “No Kings” event brought 7 million people out to say “no” to the dictator would-be-king.  Conservative school boards around the country have been replaced with boards that do not want their curricula and practices dictated by people who are ignorant of nearly everything.  The uninvolved have stepped up to protest cuts in SNAP, Medicaid, unaffordable healthcare, issues which have touched them personally. 

People in our cities have been standing in the way of ICE as the illegal law-enforcement troop drags people from their homes, cars, and off the street  and disappears them into appalling prisons and concentration camps.  People are standing with and for neighbors they didn’t know before.

Workers are demanding unions and not accepting the treatment that current bosses are dishing out.  Young people are demanding better on the job and off.

People of many faiths, ages,  and backgrounds voted for a young mayor, Mamdani,  for NYC, and plan to work for the issues he stands on.  The idea that there could be housing, child care, and public transportation for everyone is spreading.

We must find ways to reach out to people who see the world differently from us and hear about their needs, their dreams, and what keeps them supporting a group of folks who care nothing for them and prove it on a daily basis.  We can’t impact the world view of people if we don’t  understand them, and with understanding, we can encourage them to fight with us for things we have in common, our nation for example!

FOR WHAT AM I GRATEFUL?

By Ruth A. Sheets

Thanksgiving is less than 2 days from now.  It comes every year, but as I grow older, I find myself contemplating Thanksgiving’s meaning for our nation (that has made Thanksgiving a national holiday), and for me. 

It is hard to get a sense of what our nation is grateful for because there are so many different understandings of what is worthy of gratitude.  Here are a few I think with which most would agree.

• We have made it nearly 250 years from the time we declared our Independence from Britain and despite some flaws and moves in the direction of authoritarianism, we are still here.
• Our nation is strong and can defend itself from any foreign invaders.  We are not so sure, though about domestic ones.
• Social Security is still available to those who have earned it as is Medicare, although there are efforts to subvert both and hand them over to private entities, not the intent of those who founded them.
• Freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and to petition for redress of grievances are still mostly honored, even though some in power or who want to be in power are working hard to trample those First Amendment rights for everyone, except for themselves, of course.  
• We have the right to vote, although some are trying to deny the vote to all but rich white men.  Not happening!
• Most of us have clean drinking water, safe food, and some kind of shelter, although the government agencies that supervise those things are being gutted to benefit rich corporations.

You get the idea.  We are grateful for many things, but jumping in to stifle that gratitude are forces that want that gratitude turned toward themselves, the ones who will render those “blessings” if we comply and do whatever they tell us to do.  Americans don’t seem to want that.  Many participate in protests and push for legal interventions on behalf of the American people.

What we individuals are grateful for is quite a different set of items because each of us lives life in a much narrower setting, more specific to ourselves.  I suspect though, that We the People share many of those points of thanksgiving.

• I am grateful for an incredible family that has lots of challenges, even flaws, but individually and collectively we have tried to make the world a better place, even if only in small ways.  I have musical sisters and other family members who share their music with audiences where they live, for churches, for historical events, at school, or just for fun at home.  Every member works over and above whatever is required on the job, respects co-workers, and values skill and competence.  Remarkable right? 
• I am grateful I have held so many different jobs in my life, most of them interesting and where I could be creative even within the bounds of the job’s requirements, with friends to share the work.
• I am about to complete 30 years living in my apartment complex, more than half the time the complex has been in existence, and I have no plans to move.
• I am able to contribute financially to organizations I value and to family members and others in need now, something I couldn’t do when I was younger.
• I have remarkable sisters who will help me to get where I need to go and only complain on occasion, when they should complain every time (it can be boring).
• I love to read and appreciate that I have people I can share those books with.   
• I have friends who have been part of my life for decades, special folks who have helped me to become who I am.

So you see, I have a lot to be grateful for as part of our nation and individually.  I hope you will find a time to consider the gratitudes in your life too.  It’s a great balm for the day’s news.

INTO THE FUTURE?

By Ruth A. Sheets

Recently when I was reading comments on Robert Reich’s Substack, I read a note from someone I often respond to, I just  had to jump in.  Below is her comment and my response.  I think I commented as I did because I am so frustrated with Democrats these days going after other Democrats, whining that Dems are doing nothing, are weak, and on and on.  It is rather disgusting and very Republican, but I suspect as human beings, those attributes can be present no matter the political party.  The difference, Democrats even in squabbling and blaming have more ideas for the benefit of this nation and world than Republicans have had in more than a century and that is not an exaggeration! 

Comment:

“My MAGA family says that "it was Democrats winning only Blue States last Tuesday. Haha! Big deal." I told them that I hope they keep thinking that way. And I do. That way, they won't be ready when we have even more forward momentum. This win has to be something that gives us more courage and strength. We can't use it as an excuse to sit back and put up our feet.”

Here's my response. 

Donna, you are so right.  Because Democrats have not acted like major bullies, wrecking balls, and terrorists as Republicans have, we are seen to be weak, while it is we who are holding things together in communities, states, and beyond.  It is we who will do our best to see that even Republicans on SNAP and Medicaid get their funds restarted.  It is we Democrats that will stand by our schools and the education even of Republican children when their religious voucher school kicks their child out because he/she is just not the right kind of person.  We will stand by science and research that will make life better for many, in the face of manufactured fear.  We will push local governments to step up when the Republicans that were elected betray those who elected them. 

In conclusion:

We will have to call out the lies that come from the Repubs in power every single day, over and over.  We need to be energized so we can stand the fallout from scared Republicans and others who have no clue what is really going on because their faces and brains have been stuck to Fox and the rest of the right-wing media whose mission is to wreck our democracy in favor of who knows what.  They do know what Trump and his handlers are, so, it is anti-American that they keep pumping out the lies on their behalf.  We need to be on this case all the time and not let the ignorance/ignorants win.

LOOKING AT MONEY, LIES, AND GOD

By Ruth A. Sheets

November 6, 2025

I just finished reading an important book by Katherine Stewart, Money, Lies, and God.  The author describes 4 Key steps necessary to indoctrinate a population of disempowered and aggrieved people into believing the “Big Lie.”  The “Lie” has several parts including:  America is being run by anti-God left-wingers out to take away their rights to worship as they wish; forcing women to “kill babies in their mommy’s tummy;” and whatever threat the “Christian Nationalists” come up with to blame “the godless.  Stewart says that without such indoctrination, no “lie” can take hold.  Lies, it seems, are the coin of the realm for those rich mostly white men in charge, who want to energize the group of desperate angry white people, often not more than a paycheck away from disaster.  

1. “Build an information bubble within which supporters can be maintained in a state of ‘fact-denial,’” a safe, comfortable  space for conservatives.  “Right-wing media” are easily co-opted and skew data and coverage to those in the bubble.  For example, they ignored Trump’s “problems” which should have been seen as unacceptable behavior, while emphasizing Hillary Clinton’s emails, Biden’s age, and Kamala Harris’s supposed “left-wing” positions.  Christian ministers spew those ideas from their pulpits.  Other right-wing organizations target specific groups:  mothers, Latinas, and faith leaders.   
2.  The message must push the idea that the people should expect an “imminent cataclysmic event that will threaten its identity and everything it values.”  The message must blame someone for this upcoming event, in this case, “the bad guys look like liberals.”
3. “Transfer the perceived source of political legitimacy from democratic processes like elections and law-enforcement mechanisms to ‘higher’ authorities that allegedly represent the true spirit of the nation.”  This approach lets people come to believe that a minority (those rich white guys pushing the message) has “a providential role in ruling the whole.”  That coalition they build “will govern for 100 years,” as Steve Bannon bragged in a Virginia rally in 2021.  
4. “Undermine at every opportunity, public confidence in the democratic process.  Trump got his part of the process going when in 2016 and in a debate in 2020, he indicated he would not necessarily accept the result  of the election.  He continues to claim with no evidence, the election results in 2020 were corrupted.  Lying is Trump’s modus operandi. 

 

Stewart says the worst part of the sewing of distrust by Trump and his team is that it  is “aimed squarely at those parts of the population that already have some reason to distrust the system.” 

 

Since the January 6^th coup attempt, the “christian nationalists” have been reworking their response related to those who went to the capital, were peaceful, were good guys standing for our democracy,  were victims of a Democrat plot to keep the National Guard away letting ANTIFA rioters get out of control.  There seems to be no stopping this swarm of Jan. 6^th lies from the “right,” hoping to rewrite history here.  As  with their other attempts, it is failing so far because the truth of what happened is in the world, at least for now, for all to read/view, if those caught up in the big lie  choose to check it out.   The problem, “christian nationalist leaders “continue to prime the base for the next ‘Big Lie,’” and they want to be sure those folks are ready. 

 

Rich Catholics and evangelicals, as well as others want to get in on the “power” game.  They have a lot at risk - their wealth.

 

Stewart believes there is room for hope.  She points out this is not the first time America has faced this “pro-authoritarian rodeo.”  In the past, justice has prevailed against the robber barons, the Jim Crow domination, and others, although imperfectly.  She hopes, as I do, these anti-American movers and shakers will disappear into the pages of history as the “religious” pro-fascists have done in the past.  She points out some important facts we can respond to.

1. We are still the majority. – the “christian nationalists are not, and do not speak for us.  We must work to keep our “Big Tent” together and mobilize.
2. They are divided.  A group of unlike-minded people are wrapped in a bundle of incompatible beliefs, relying on the money of a few rich folks who have power and privilege, who prey on those they are courting.  This set of weaknesses must be exploited by the rest of us!  Keep in mind that the “have nothings” are not leading this set of actions; it is the “have everythings.”  
3. Separation of church and state is a good idea that should be tried.  The religious leaders involved in the anti-democracy movement (whatever they choose to call it) are getting benefits from our government as it ignores the money they take in, without taxes, while espousing anti-American language through political campaigns in their “houses of worship.”  That is not “freedom of religion!”  
4. Extreme levels of material inequality are eroding democracy. The tax system is letting the already-too-rich continue to accumulate over everyone else.  This does not make them smarter, just able to exploit a flawed system.
5. Knowledge is power.  The pro-democracy movement must promote and support public education that is “accountable to the public and truth.”  The anti-democratic movement wants to keep people from questioning them and their allegiance to the idea that “market forces will solve all their problems.”  Those in power in that movement are scared by a student body educated to think for themselves.  They prefer us to think ignorance is preferable to having a “free people.”  The media wants to believe it is being “balanced” when in reality, it is “breathing air into the bellows of anti-democratic propaganda,” and sharing lies and misinformation, free of charge!           
6. Organization matters.  The success of the theocrats and other anti-democracy groups is a product of their ability to organize and invest their money in “the people and infrastructure of an anti-democratic shadow party.” To counter, we need to use some of their strategies:

1. Think long-term – we cannot correct this in one election, so plan ahead too.
2. Invest in organizations and people who can get things done.
3. Build coalitions – skip the “purity cliques and connect across previously held lines even if all beliefs are not shared.
4. Go Local.  This is beginning, but must be expanded.  Support local schools, community-improvement groups.  Bring your faith community to stand on the side of justice and democracy.  Join with others working on local causes:  voting, reaching out to non-voters to get them involved; run for office; work for improved conditions in the community. 

 

We all must be active standing for the common good, not for the good of those who would prefer us to be their minions, their subjects with no power.  

The Art of the Con

By Ruth A. Sheets

I support several threads on the Substack platform and regularly respond to people’s comments.  I responded to a recent comment by Mary Trump on her Substack thread “The Good In Us,” about people being conned into supporting Donald Trump, who has no clue.  I wrote the following (with a few updates).

It is truly sad so many Americans would prefer to blindly follow an old man with dementia than stop to think  then ask, why.  Trump has been a con artist all his life, nothing new. 

I suppose the conning art has been with us from the beginnings of humanity.  We learn about it over time through actions we would consider ridiculous.  But, the cons got more sophisticated over the centuries, or rather  the artists procured more assistants who can modify the message to suit the tastes of whoever is being targeted.  Right now, Trump’s targets are vulnerable people being used by corporations, men of wealth, and a political system that promotes grift that catches people in its nets set out here to snare those who have grievances. 

The “catch” happens often when power resides in the hands of totally unqualified folks who have been supported and popularized by men who have an agenda that includes power for themselves.  Those folks want an ignorant con artist, Donald Trump, to procure what they want.  Today's actors include the members of Trump's "cabinet," none of whom is qualified for the job they hold and none have the interests of the American people in mind.  Joined with them are the Steves, Miller and Bannon, JD Vance, and the rich fools:  Theil, Vought, Musk, and a bunch of other billionaires who believe themselves entitled because of some kind of brilliance they believe they have, also wanting a gigantic slice of the American pie. 

With so much control of our media held by wealthy corporate America, that vulnerable crowd can be courted hour after hour, with lies, disinformation, and gaslit to the Con's heart's content.  Those folks have been permitted to gain far too much wealth for their own good and ours.  They buy seats in Congress often for ignorant or inexperienced white folks who will do the bidding of the far too rich.  They have even gotten their supporters on our courts since there are no real qualifications for seats in our critical judiciary system or anything else related to our government.  Heck, they don't even have to know our Constitution, something we see proven daily.  

I wrote this response, wondering if there were anything we could do to cut the reach and power of the wealth being used against the American people for the benefit of some kind of oligarchic system that lets rich white men rule.  Such a system should be acceptable to no one!  However, over time, we have been courted with a host of programs glorifying rich folks, even their criminal behavior as though it were an entertainment in real life as in our media. We are not amused! (or entertained) 

Happy Halloween!  We certainly do have “evil” ghouls and goblins haunting our congress and nearly every part of our government right now.  It’s too bad we can’t just exorcize them!

MESSING WITH OUR HIGHER EDUCATION

 

By Ruth  A. Sheets

You have probably heard that the Trump Regime is asking nine U.S. universities to sign an agreement pledging to uphold the regime’s higher education priorities, or risk losing out on a range of grants and other financial assistance for the university’s research and other programs, and it is likely those are just the first.  That is a kind of blackmail and totally unacceptable. 

So far, 5 universities have said “”NO,” but 4 still have not responded.  I just learned Vanderbilt, my alma mater,  is one of those universities being “offered” this compact and has not responded.

The major stipulations are not items any government should be demanding of any educational institution at any level.

According to Wikipedia, Key Demands of the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education include:

• Capping international undergraduate students at 15% of the total student body.

• Freezing tuition rates for five years. (the only one that could be good)

• Adopting policies that prevent the belittling of conservative ideas and ensure First Amendment rights are upheld on campus.

• Implementing admissions practices that do not consider sex, ethnicity, race, nationality, political views, or other similar factors.

View source at wikipedia.org …

I had heard, but not been able to confirm that Vanderbilt was talking about ditching their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in student acceptance.  I received an email from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier this evening.  Here is the final paragraph of that email.

Vanderbilt believes deeply in the power of constructive dialogue, particularly among people of differing views and perspectives. This is often how the greatest progress is made.  We look forward to continuing the conversation—on our campus and with leaders in government and higher education—as we work toward our shared goal of restoring public trust in higher education and ensuring that America’s universities remain the best in the world.  

It sounds to me as though compliance is in the offing.  The following is my response to the email.  
 

Hello Vanderbilt Administration” 

I noticed in this email that students were only mentioned at the very end along with parents and alumni as commenters.  It seems to me that there should be some students involved in the compact discussion.  I am sure you are aware that this is not a compact at all, but a desire of those who have no idea what they are doing, to force colleges and Universities to do the bidding of those who have no clue but want power over and compliance in advance from those institutions. 

I am sure you know this, so I don’t understand this talk about sharing different points of view.  When, in a democracy, one side wants to take over the universities, media, education in general and pretty much everything else, that is not differing points of view, that is “Truth” in the face of autocracy which is made up of lies, cheating, fraud, and dismissal of the thoughts, needs, and beliefs of others.  In this case, for this regime pumping out something as appalling as this “compact” the only folks worth listening to are rich, white, pseudochristian, “straight” men.  To the regime, the rest of us are irrelevant, worthy of only being bossed around by and made subservient to those rich white etc. men.  If you are not sure of that, this Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies and marches should have let you know. 

 I admit I will be very disappointed, perhaps even quite angry if Vanderbilt submits to this undemocratic, unamerican nonsense by Trump and his project 2025ers, all done for their own gains and the gains of their billionaire sponsors, and election buyers. 

Signed, Ruth Sheets, Vanderbilt 1975 & 1988         

 I don’t know if this will have an impact, I’m guessing not because it seems only the Administration and a few department heads will be making the decision.  I hope enough students, parents, and alums have told them we do not want compliance; We want defiance!

WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE UP AGAINST AND CAN DO!

By Ruth A. Sheets

Have you noticed that Trump is pumping up hatred even beyond what he has done in the past?  I suspect it is because he and his crew are recognizing that people are not supporting him 100%, even mocking him. 

Trump’s toddler pool of some of the worst of America: Steve Miller, Russell Vought, the incompetent cabinet, congressional AND STATE Republican LEGISLATORS, and the Supreme Court Roberts 6, are trying to steer this ship to fascism with them in charge. That way, they and their billionaire string-pullers can get even more power and money.  Unfortunately, they are proving they’ll do whatever it takes to get it (except actual work on their part).  One of their current weapons is using Trump's known hatreds to do actual harm to our nation’s Democratically run cities and states.

Trump’s “crew” is a cesspool of whiny white boys who must not have had enough bullying in their lives already and at a high enough level that they have to make sure they get a lot of practice for their Baby Donnie, a bully who like many bullies is a coward.

For the toddler pool, it's like playing a war video game with no actual risk to themselves. However as anyone who is paying attention can tell you, if it were a real video game, their character would be dead from incompetence.

In real life, the REGIME KEEPS on keeping on because they have a lot of MAGA sympathizers, people who choose ignorance, compliance, and subservience, to thinking, considering, and principles. OK, a moral compass is also missing and that is pretty important for navigating politics and well, life itself.

The old Democratic structure and practices will not work in the face of this onslaught.  We need a strong different, positive  approach with ideas and practices that will catch the attention of people who don’t like what is going on AND KNOW THEY DESERVE BETTER. 

• We will benefit from a shadow government with those “fired” federal experts, keeping track of what the Trump Klan does not want known.  These are enormously talented people who  could step in to monitor what is HAPPENING, with systems they previously USED.
• Follow court cases and provide information to those standing for clients against the regime. 
• There must be young people and some older folks too who know computer systems and can counter some of the damage being done to our government systems.  Get them involved!, 
• We will benefit from a powerful media online and over the airwaves who will get the truth out to people across the country, countering the constant lying of this regime.  We can use some catchy tunes promoting our democracy and scorning/MOCKING the regime. 
• We need more anti-MAGA artwork everywhere with a clear purpose.
• More people need to visit museums and historical sites that celebrate the people Trump and his Klan hate.   
• Teachers must tell students the truth carefully while encouraging the students to research and think for themselves when they hear something said then recognize the students’ efforts.
• Push civics lessons from kindergarten onward that teach about rights and responsibilities in a democracy using cartoons, movies, graphic and other novels, plays, books, art, and more, culminating in a high school course that ties together what has been learned throughout the public school years, MAKING IT INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT.
• Buy “banned” books and get reviews out everywhere of those books
• Show up next Saturday for the “No Kings” rally #2 wherever you are or are willing to go!  It is important.  Help others to get out there too.
• Keep going with the petitions, phone calls, in-person connections with representatives, and anything else that comes to mind to let folks know how we feel and what we think should be done.  Maybe post this list asking for additional ideas for things we can do.

We can do this if we have the will and choose to find people to provide the leadership (or step UP ourselves), and look for support at all levels.  The leaders are out here and they are of all ages and backgrounds!  We need you, “Come out come out wherever you are!”