OUTLANDISH ATTACKS ON THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

By Ruth A. Sheets

Last Tuesday’s column by Heather Cox Richardson on Substack was difficult to read because it presented many false claims about the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History (NMAH), stated by Trump and his minions.  I worked 4 years at the Smithsonian, and found it to be a remarkable place, fairly trying to present an honest overview of our past.  I served as a volunteer weekend docent at the Museum of Natural History.  I guess Trumplandia hasn't gotten to that museum yet; they describe evolution there!  (OMG!  How can they stand knowing the truth!  Oh wait, they can’t!) 

It is clear the truth about American history is not what Trumplandia, in its ignorance and fear of reality wish to know.  If NMAH were telling the full truth about White America, and had enough space to do it, those whiny white boys and girls of Trumplandia would learn of some real horrors. 

• the tortures and murders committed from the beginning, against Native peoples because white men wanted their land and shaped the law to do whatever they could to get it, even driving whole communities from their land and holding massacres regularly. 

• The museum would show enslavement as a business proposition with torture chambers for any enslaved persons who didn't do exactly as their "masters/owners demanded, including amputations, beatings, and tortures that my brain just can't contemplate and my fingers can’t type here. 

• It would show the massive rapes committed by white men on enslaved women, Native women, and nearly any other women white men could get hold of without being accused of rape, even their own wives. 

• The museum would show the white male use of religion as a cudgel against women and poor folks to make them believe that being treated like slaves, like dirt or ignored altogether was god's will and tolerating it would get them into Heaven, along with their abusers, of course. 

• They would see how the people of Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and other locations were beaten into submission and white men put in charge of those people's lives.  Now Cuba is being blamed for American unrest?  Are you kidding me! 

• No, the United States was not where the beginnings of the end of slavery happened; it was Britain, then Spain.  Brazil kept enslavement after us, but we only had it "officially" dumped after a horrific war led by white men, half of whom thought slavery was god's will and doing massive harm to Black and Native people somehow drove out their savagery or something.    Whitelandia still can’t all agree that people of color are worthy American citizens.

• The museum would have the myriad of inventions by Black Americans, examples of the architecture designed and build by Black Americans, the foods that came from the creativity of Black women trying to figure out how to use everything they could to survive.  There would be the evidence that often white men claimed those inventions and innovations as their own.  It would also show the effective Native farmers’ use of the land in contrast to the ways white farmers along with drought caused the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. 

Some of this information is in the Museum of African-American History and the Museum of the American Indian.  I am guessing the Museum of American History for Trumplandia is supposed to be the white male museum.  Well, white male American history is incomplete, violent, sometimes has some courage, some invention, some creativity, but a whole lot of violence and dismissal of everyone who is not rich, white, and male, pretending that white men did everything by themselves; of course, they didn't and the "supporters" were not just enslaved persons, handmaids, and apprentices.  They were full actors in the history of America!

I thank Historian, Heather Cox Richardson for spotlighting this.  It took a long time for me to read the disgusting lies being told about NMAH’s curator/director who knows far more about America's history then the entire Klan of Trumplandia combined.  Then Republican Reps. Mace and Boebert had to prove their anti-woman Bonafides to please their master, Donald Trump.  The writers of the ridiculous anti-Smithsonian report got all the buzzwords in:  slavery, transgender, founders (about whom they know nothing), and demonstrated their racism, misogyny , xenophobia (all of which they protest the museum shows when it is they who exhibit them every day).  These are trigger words for the ignorant MAGAs who want so badly to believe they are superior to everyone else when they are just mediocre whiny white people who have privilege but can't stand anyone else having anything.      

Signs are being produced that will be posted outside the National Museum of American History.  They will tell everyone to go to other museums to get “the truth.”  I hope the employees and visitors to NMAH will look at those signs and be reminded of the utter ignorance, power-grubbing nature of those who forced them to be posted.  I hope people will just laugh out loud when they see them.  That might be the best way to handle this childish toddleresque sign-posting.  JUST LAUGH OUT LOUD IN FRONT OF THOSE SIGNS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!, EVERY DAY, then march right into the museum to learn about us, the American people! 

PURSUING A HERO

By Ruth A. Sheets

In the years since COVID, Trump, Senate Republicans, and others have been trying to prove some kind of criminal activity on the part of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the long-time head of the National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.  His service to our government spanned 54 years in both Democratic and Republican administrations.  It seems, just as one might expect from today’s Republicans, they would prefer to ignore science and truth in favor of their chosen beliefs in conspiracy theories while they perpetrate their own conspiracies.

Anthony Fauci is a true American hero, although he would not say that about himself.  In his half-century of service to this nation and the world, he helped to save hundreds of thousands of lives, probably far more than that.  I can't think of one Republican in office who is now trying so hard to smear Fauci's name who has saved even one life, and has most likely been assisting in the deaths of many: 

• allowing US-AID to be dismantled (by a troop of unelected DOGErs), an organization whose loss is probably responsible for 700,000+ lives lost in the past 18 months;
• supporting utterly unnecessary but destructive wars in the Middle East -at least 4 in the past 37 years;
• sitting back while our military blows up small boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, killing at least 200, claiming they were running drugs, with no proof;
• permitting a masked, heavily armed paramilitary force, ICE to terrorize our communities causing havoc, disruption, and murder, dragging off the streets, people who have lived here often for decades, and just gave that poorly trained bunch of thugs  a huge financial injection of money to do more;
• keeping concentration camp prisons operating in the United States where the imprisoned, nearly all innocent victims are being treated far worse than decent people would treat animals, where they die of torture, beatings, and lack of medical attention;
• permitting a bunch of sex traffickers who hung out with Jeffrey Epstein to have their names concealed while outing and dyssing their victims leading to more than one suicide;
• encouraging American families not to be vaccinated for horrific diseases because a total ignoramus RFK,Jr. was approved by Republicans in our Senate to be in charge of medical research and vaccines. 

Republicans, following the orders of an old fool with dementia should be ashamed of themselves for targeting Dr. Fauci.  I do know that one of the qualities necessary for anyone in this administration who has any authority is that they MUST do whatever their ignoramus of a leader, Donald Trump and his white house toddler pool of Vance, Vought, Miller, Musk, Bannon, and the rest tell them to do.  Actual logical thinking or rather thinking in general is not permitted.   

I had the honor of hearing Dr. Fauci speak about HIV/AIDS nearly 40 years ago at a conference and to briefly meet him.  He and his colleagues were working hard to understand the disease and find ways to fight it.  He listened to people living with HIV/AIDS and his team around the world worked with them to get a better idea of what the disease was and how to serve those living with HIV/AIDS.  Their efforts have led to medications that keep people with the disease living full lives, well, except in places where US-AID is no longer present and neither are the drugs the people need to live. 

We have medical men in Congress who are Republicans, yet they have done nothing to stop the white house assault on universities, medical research, and you know, the truth.

Last week, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky led a witch hunt trial against Fauci.  They called it a hearing, but the lies Paul and the other Republicans on the committee who have no clue, spewed,  were  about Fauci’s handling of the COVID pandemic and developing a vaccine, THE VACCINE THEY NOW SCORN WHILE SOME PEOPLE STILL GET SICK AND DIE.  The COVID vaccine was developed more quickly than anyone should have expected due to massive research on similar vaccines for 2 decades and Fauci was involved with that among many other TALENTED RESEARCHERS.  The utter ignorance AND HATE displayed by the Republicans at that “hearing” just proved that Trump and his fan Klub were trying to find someone they could use to distract the nation from Trump’s massive failures.  Those Repubs came off sounding like a bunch of bratty toddlers trying to bully someone they knew was better than they are. 

I have some advice to Senators and other Republicans who see Fauci as a worthy target of their ignorance and hate.  Drop your attacks!  Leave Anthony Fauci alone unless you plan to honor his incredible service to this nation and the world.   Then, work a teensy bit harder to become decent human beings yourselves.  That will take all the time you would otherwise use to pursue this ridiculous action against a real hero.  In the meantime, growing up would help too.

JOY IN THE MOMENT

By Ruth A. Sheets

Life is tough right now for so many and with little improvement on the horizon.  In this moment, it is critical that we all find moments, hours, events of joy where it occurs and not ignore it when it shows up for us.  I just finished the book "Joyful Anyway" by Kate Bowler.  She is a cancer survivor who has had numerous difficulties in her life and had to teach herself to take in joy where it is, often unexpected, unprepared for, and startling. 

I have been trying to do that and it truly helps since I plan to stay connected with what this ignorant, heartless, blustering, hateful, disgusting Trumplandia is doing to us, our communities, our nation, and the world and respond to it wherever I can.  I admit that sometimes I find joy in responding to their toddleresque behavior with comments about them being rich white toddler-men with a few toddler-women on the side.  They have nothing positive to offer anyone and seem to get their "joy" from hurting others, particularly vulnerable people, people of color and women.  That’s just what one should expect of whiny bratty rich white toddler-adults who somehow never had to grow up. 

The reality is that if people who don't pay attention hadn't given them far more power than they deserve, they would be nothing, just small men pushing people around locally and seen for what they are, nobodies who deserve no power. 

When I need a lift, I imagine Miller, Vought, Mullins, Musk, Vance, and the flavor of the moment in one of the concentration camp prisons they have cobbled together to destroy immigrants of color and our communities.  (I don’t imagine Trump there only because of his serious illnesses and dementia.)  Republicans' backbones have been melted down to create Trumplandia.  The Pathetic Republican members of Congress have no place there because they are just fodder for those whose goal in life is to use people and to gain as much of everything as they can, and at everyone else's expense, even Congressional and state legislature Republicans and the MAGAs.  They prove this every single day.

Working together to build better after we have removed these appalling examples of humanity from our government is a strong source of joy, hope, and well-being, as are the commentors I follow like Prof. Robert Reich on Substack.  A couple of years ago, I attended online each week Prof. Reich's "last class" at Berkley on the economy, and learned a lot to add to what I had already learned from an amazing economics professor back in undergrad days.  It gives me joy to remember Prof. Shirley Newton, an extraordinary woman who believed and taught that the government and our economy should work for the people not just for the lucky and the rich. 

In these difficult times, for the sake of our mental and physical health, let's all go find joy; it's out there just waiting for us!  Oh wait, we can help to create it for others too!

It is critical that we all find moments, hours, events of joy where it occurs and not ignore it when it shows up for us.  I just finished the book "Joyful Anyway" by Kate Bowler.  She is a cancer survivor who has had numerous difficulties in her life and had to teach herself to take in joy where it is, often unexpected, unprepared for, and startling. 

I have been trying to do that and it truly helps because I plan to stay connected with what this ignorant, heartless, blustering, hateful, disgusting Trumplandia is doing to us, our communities, our nation, and the world.  I admit that sometimes I find joy in responding to their toddleresque behavior with comments about them being rich white toddler-men with a few toddler-women on the side.  They have nothing positive to offer anyone and seem to get their "joy" from hurting others, particularly vulnerable people, people of color and women.  The reality is that if people who don't pay attention hadn't given them far more power than they deserve, they would be nothing, just small men pushing people around locally and seen for what they are, nobodies who deserve no power. 

When I need a lift, I imagine Miller, Vought, Mullins, Musk, Vance, and the flavor of the moment in one of the concentration camp prisons they have cobbled together because Republicans' backbones have been melted down to create Trumplandia.  That is where those pathetic Republican members of Congress have no place because they are just fodder for those whose goal in life is to use people and to gain as much of everything as they can, and at everyone else's expense, even the MAGAs.  They prove this every single day.

Working together to build better after we have removed these appalling examples of humanity from our government is a potential source of joy and well-being, as are the commentors I follow like Prof. Reich.  I attended online each week of Prof. Reich's "last class" at Berkley and learned a lot to add to what I had already learned from an amazing economics professor back in undergrad days.  It gives me joy to remember Prof. Shirley Newton, an extraordinary woman who believed and taught that the government and our economy should work for the people not just for the lucky and the rich. 

Let's all go find joy; it's out there waiting for us!  Oh wait, we can help to create it for others too!

WHITE HISTORY - WHY

By Ruth A. Sheets

Way back in the 1950s, I faced a challenge.  I started kindergarten and thought I was just like other kids until some of my classmates started calling me “Four Eyes.”  I had no idea what that meant until one of my friends told me “you know, your glasses.”  I still didn’t get it.  My parents explained that this was an insult.  I didn’t get it  because my glasses let me see stuff better.  Over time, though I got it.

I was carefully put in my place as inferior.  I was supposed to stay out of everyone else’s way because I couldn’t see as well as they could, so shouldn’t try for anything more than what I was given, sometimes sitting in front of the class to see the board.

History is filled with people being told covertly or brazenly that those doing the speaking were superior and that the receiver of the comments, insults, dismissal was inferior and worthy of what the superior chose to say or do to them.  The inferior is never supposed to object, try to escape the judgment, or go beyond what is expected/permitted as Black people, indigenous persons, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, WOMEN, and others HAVE DONE AT VARIOUS TIMES THROUGHOUT HISTORY.  All of our groups have been targeted at one point or other by those “conservative” white men, some white women and a very few token others.

There are a lot of markers in society to divide people:  race, gender, ethnicity, language, religion, education level, wealth, job, parentage, place of origin, height, weight, physical ability, disability, intelligence, and more.  There are supposed superiors and inferiors in each of these categories.  ?Who determines who is which?  In our society from the beginning, it has been mostly white men in power. They like having this power.  It has enabled them to decide who belongs here in the good old USA, who can live in certain parts of town, who can shop, and where, who can walk on this sidewalk, who can own a home or car, who can attend quality schools, who can serve in certain offices. 

Those “superior white guys” have made a lot of money, influenced a lot of people, and done enormous harm because of their supposed superiority.  They have used their wiles and privilege to gain control throughout our government.  They think it is what the American people want because no one has actually stopped them yet.   

Now, and for decades, those rich white boys think it is not enough to decide who is superior and inferior throughout the society and broadcast it everywhere, they want to “alter” our history with what they are calling “the Real American History.”  They want that history to be white and male, kind of what it was when I first started learning history in 3^rd grade, 65 years ago.  Their expressed reason, so white children won’t feel uncomfortable!

That of course is a lie.  It is not their kiddies they are worried about because it is likely they have already indoctrinated them into whatever stories of history their white dads want to push on them.  This is about the white men feeling uncomfortable and they just can’t stand it.  They might be related to those white men who perpetrated enormous crimes throughout our history.

I am reading two books right now that make this pretty clear.  The first is Mother Emmanuel, Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness in One Charleston Church by Kevin Sack.  The second is The Killing of Crazy Horse by Thomas Powers.  In the first book, a horrific crime was committed 11 years ago when a young white man killed parishioners in a Black church, Mother Emmanuel A.M.E. in Charlston, SC.  The author describes the history of the work and struggles of the church, its members, and the segregation, lynchings, and other violence perpetrated on Black residents of the city, until very recently with no accountability.  The murderer of the members, who had invited them into their Bible Study,  had no remorse, claiming those he killed deserved it.  This is not even ancient history.  Where did the killer’s intense hate come from?  Hmmm!

White male relations with the various indigenous populations of North America have been fraught at best. If white men wanted land the people inhabited, too bad for the people because they would be driven out, murdered, or imprisoned so those white men could get hold of the land and its resources, Again, no accountability, even today. 

People were horrified when Custer’s troops were killed at the Little Big Horn, but those troops were out to murder as many of the Lakota as they could, assuming their superiority would give them automatic victory. That was in 1876.  Fourteen years later, other white troops massacred some old men, women, and children at Wounded Knee, for nothing, just because they could.  They imprisoned Native children and people with disabilities in horrible schools where the children were used and abused which should have been shocking, well, maybe they wouldn’t.  For all the cruelties done over time, they made up excuses, and  still do, just check out ICE and its attacks on immigrants of color, again with impunity!    As has often  happened, the military leader who ordered the massacre at Wounded Knee has been made a hero.

Yep, that’s how it has gone throughout history.  White men have raped and murdered women while blaming those women for “making them do it.”  They shoot LGBTQ+ people, leaving them to die, not because the person did anything to them, just because they exist.

The problem for rich and other conservative white men is that they are scared everyone else will learn the truth that they are just scared children who have learned to use privilege, money, and power to keep themselves from the knowledge that they are not superior, in fact, like everyone else, just ordinary.  They can’t have that, so they must rewrite history to suit their desperate need to be superior and have everyone around them under their heel.

Yo Conservative white men, we know who and what you are!  You are only fooling yourselves.  You forget that we the vast majority, have had to live with you forever.  We know!  You don’t need to white wash history because there will always be people who know the truth no matter how much you try to escape it.

This is not a condemnation of white men in general, just a chance to let those white supremacists who want to do harm to everyone who is not them, know that we a are not going to take it anymore.  We will be calling you out on your childish narcissistic need for recognition you don’t deserve. 

And, women, teachers, mothers, aunts, and grandmothers of white boys, do your best to keep those boys from developing the ego that puts all of us at risk, even themselves.  Help them develop a strong positive moral compass and encourage them to ask questions, Listen to others, communicate with and respect people different from themselves, and read them all sorts of stories, poems, and articles about or written by members of those groups.  The earlier you begin, the better.

I did learn I was different, but my family and friends will say that I didn’t let it stop me and nor should our differences stop anyone else from being the person you need to be, doing the things you need to do.  Then, we need to find ways to, as often as possible, remind the “superior” white boys they aren’t superior to us, no matter how hard they wish it to be true. 

EMBARRASSED, HORRIFIED, DISGUSTED!

Ruth A. Sheets

July 9, 2026

I once thought I just had some differences with Republicans and things could be worked out THROUGH HONEST DISCUSSION.  That is no longer the case no matter what Republicans may plead.  I realized that I now have 3 basic responses to whatever Republicans come up with since Trumplandia absorbed the Republican Party:  embarrassment, Horror, and Disgust, sometimes all present in a single speech, action, or declaration of Trumplandia.

This morning, I learned that our dear Congressional Republicans and possibly some Democrats too are planning to lower safety REGULATIONS on toxic chemicals, putting all of us, even the bribed recipients from chemical lobbyists AT RISK.  In my note to Congress below, I indicate which of the 3 (E,H,D) is my response to the statements.

“Do you all realize, particularly my senators, that lowering chemical safety standards will impact you too (D).  I think Republicans have forgotten to reason clearly while blinded by Trump's "glory" or something.  The earth is a closed ecosystem for the most part and when bad chemicals are released somewhere, they will eventually do harm other than at their starting point (D).  Those chemicals are often released on unsuspecting people,usually folks who are poor, non-white, or women and children (H). 

In my begging mode, I ask you to please oppose any effort to roll back the health protections in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (E).  That is really the least you should be doing in this time of environmental destruction and global warming.  Alas, you might need to take things a tiny bit at a time, just not making things worse. 

As you would know if you cared, current proposals being pushed by the chemical industry would dramatically weaken our nation's chemical safety law, making it easier for dangerous chemicals to enter the market (H).  It would also be harder for EPA and states to protect people from toxic chemicals linked to cancer, Parkinson's disease, impaired brain development, and other serious health problems (H).

In some cases, these proposals would provide fewer safeguards than Americans had more than 50 years ago.  Yeah, it is just so superior to go backward!  Even children know that makes no sense, but alas . . . (D).

As I mentioned, We the people need stronger protections from toxic chemicals—not weaker ones. OK, here comes the  begging again, please oppose any legislation that rolls back TSCA's health protections and stand up for the health of our families, workers, and communities (E).  We will be paying attention because it may well be our lives you are putting at risk.” 

There are many other instances of E,H,D.  The E is ever-present when Donald Trump speaks these days; he has no clue what he is talking about and simply does not care:  calling Democrats Communists, saying the war is over or will be over or something, getting the president of FIFA to release a player from a red card penalty, representing the US at a NATO meeting in Turkey. 

The H relates to the regime’s violence perpetrated without congressional approval:  Trump’s vanity war with Iran that our Baby Donnie and his inept, incompetent “negotiators” can’t figure out how to end if they even want to end it:  bombing a girls’ school on Netanyahu’s orders, using missiles to destroy small boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific claiming they were drug smuggling but with no proof, setting masked ICE nuts on immigrants and peaceful protesters.

The wrecking of our 250^th Birthday celebration of the “Declaration of Independence” was a resounding “D,” along with his reflecting pool stupidity and blaming innocent people for the destruction caused by an incompetent pool company and Trump’s need to run a motorcade over unset materials, etc.  I thought these would be embarrassing, but when the person orchestrating the events is an ignoramus with dementia, surrounded by a pool of incompetents, disgust is the thing I feel.  There is also some anger that Republicans, Musk‘s AIers, and some judges, returned Trump, an insurrectionist, to office.

Identifying whether this regime’s actions are E, H, or D, is like keeping score.  It helps me remember, when one votes for incompetence and incompetents, that is what we get.  Keep that in mind as the primaries wind down and the November midterm elections near.  We must be aware that Trump and his white house toddler pool are scared they might lose, so will do anything, including wrecking or stopping our elections to keep their ignorant, undeserved power.  They are already actively pushing again, the lie that non-citizens are voting.  They are threatening members of Congress that they must vote for the SAVE Act which would keep many American citizens from voting.  Their desperation is embarrassing, but disgusting and could be horrific if they win in November.  Beware!

THE DEMOCRATIC BLAME GAME STILL GOING ON

By Ruth A. Sheets

Last month, I joined the 73 year-old-club.  I couldn’t imagine I would ever get to this age.  I hoped I would, but didn’t think it would happen, yet, here I am, and my age is a prime number!. I did hope the world would be a less violent, less greedy, less vengeful, more livable place by the time I reached this age.

I have been obsessed with American history from around age 10.  I am furious that We the People have permitted a bunch of whiny white toddler-men and a few toddler-women to work to worsen our nation and our relationships with the rest of the world even though those relationships have not been great for a while. 

Over the decades, when Democrats can't fix all the harms the previous Republicans have caused, and in a few weeks, getting folks everything they need, it is assumed the Democrats did a horrible job and must be replaced at the next election.  Unfortunately, to tackle the task, Biden never had more than a tiny majority in the House and Senate and then only for 2 years.  And, among the Democrats were saboteurs:  Joe Manchin and Kirstin Sinema.  I am amazed Biden and his crew were able to accomplish as much as they did with that kind of undermining.  Trump and his white house toddler pool are doing their best to eliminate even that progress. 

It seems Republicans are in it for the money and power and any Republican will vote for the sacred "R" even when that “R” represents incompetence, ignorance, and sycophancy.  Democrats, on the other hand, want perfection.  They want a candidate to agree with every teensy thing they stand for, or they won't vote for them, or at all, I believe, the reason Dems lose so often.    

In 2016, after two terms of an intelligent skilled President Obama, Republicans needed someone they and their oligarchic buddies could manipulate to do serious damage to this nation to get even more money for themselves and their yachts.  They settled on “reality TV” bully, Donald Trump.  He got into office by electoral college rather than popular vote.  The Liar-in-Chief  still needed a lot of Russian interference on his behalf and tons of that oligarchic money.  The misogyny and racism that are alive and well in this nation helped too.

Trump is not used to losing because of his family wealth, so he lied and claimed he won the 2020 election and got a lot of sycophants and media to go along with the BS.  That with his insurrection and stolen documents put Trump in the headlines nearly every day while Biden was president, so it was hard to get much out to the nation about what Biden and his highly-qualified team were up to. 

In 2024 the oligarchs needed something because Trump's dementia and other health problems were becoming more obvious so as a distraction, it is likely they staged the "assassination attempts" for the pity vote. (Interesting the supposed assassins were Trumpers!)  When Biden failed at one debate, he was written off.  Trump failed at every single debate, but no Republican demanded he drop out. 

As I look back over the 2024 election, it seems to me Trump was not as much elected as selected along with certain Republicans in other key offices.  That was likely done by AI algorithms and Musk's what I call "pre-DOGE" team attaching devices to tallying machines that would change just enough votes to make sure Trump won, but not by too large a margin in every single swing state and just over the amount required for a recount.  No recounts were done even though winning every swing state at nearly the same percentage is not likely without some kind of cheating, and AI fit the bill. 

So, the Democrats blame themselves for what happened in 2024 and that is partially true since so many wouldn't get off their butts to vote for a competent qualified woman of color.  In the parts of their “election autopsy” that I read, they neglect to mention the near-certain stolen votes.  Maybe they were scared that voters would lose faith in the system if they knew what really happened, then not vote again. 

I suspect Musk and his AIers were practicing in Texas and maybe Florida in 2022 and perhaps other elections until they could get their AI “intervention” perfected.  No one is going to check votes in red states, although they might now in Texas because of corrupt Paxton's win in the primary.

We have a lot of work to do and even we, the 70s club and older are going to have to jump in to support young candidates as they recognize and try to fix things.  Getting the congress back into the hands of people who believe in their oath of office is a priority, and putting the word out about the cheating, fraud, and general corruption of this Trumpian Regime is critical. The media won’t do that because they are owned by the oligarchs who chose to use our Baby Donnie for their own self-enrichment and cover him as some kind of savior; he isn’t.

Democrats need to dump the blame game where we blame ourselves for so much.  We need to get active and stand for and with our candidates, particularly the progressives.  The progressive position is really popular in this nation, yet we let the old guys at the “top” of the party dictate who should run and if they should be supported. 

New York’s primary has proven that people want better.  We have the talent to reach folks, so must do it, even if candidates call themselves “Social Democrats.”  The American people want action, not the status quo, a position that has kept Democrats from doing so much more for this nation for decades.  The old guard needs to wake up and listen to the newbies who have some powerful ideas and know tech and AI. 

These newbies can steer us into a place where we can put the blame where it belongs, on oligarchs who would steal everything we have if they could, Republicans who have allowed personal hatreds of people different from themselves to shape our lives while they target women, immigrants of color, people of color in general, trans persons, non-christians, and whoever they think will get in the way of their powermongering and greed. 

Trump has surrounded himself with fools, the greedy, the haters, the fearful of change, those who choose ignorance over reality, and would-be Medieval kings/dictators if we let them.  Our nation doesn’t need or want them in charge!

On the 250^th anniversary of the signing of our “Declaration of Independence,” we need to stop the navel-gazing and stand up to the oligarchic bullies, many of whom came to the US for what they could take from us for their own gain.  They aren’t worthy of being Americans, but they are citizens, so we need to employ our laws to stop their corruption, theft, disinformation, bullying, and the rest.  It’s time! 

A CASE FOR IMPEACHMENT

By Ruth A. Sheets       

June 21, 2026

Cheating and lying are wrong no matter who does it and when the president does it, it is especially BAD.  That person has taken an oath of office that requires them to stand with and for our Constitution.  in addition, they hold a high office, so people look to them as a model for integrity on behalf of this nation. 

Donald Trump has not been a positive example for this nation since the first minute after he swore that oath the first time.  He lied about the size of the crowd who attended.  That should have let everyone know just who he is and what to expect. 

He has not improved with time, in fact he has done far more to damage this country and

with the help of his Project 2025ers, the DOGErs and his white house toddler pool, has put many people's lives at risk here and around the world. 

• He planned and ordered an insurrection, and now is trying to, with the help of Acting Attorney General Blanche and the Sec. of Treasure Bessent, to steal nearly $2 billion from taxpayers to pay off the insurrectionists, keeping them on board so they can potentially commit another insurrection, and who knows who will be harmed or killed this time! 
• sued the IRS, the nation for a bogus release of his tax return which should have been released by himself as he promised;
• Trump has been convicted on 34 counts in a court of law, has been found to be an adjudicated rapist and defamer,  stole classified documents, and somehow just somehow, managed to be re-elected?
• Trump lies about nearly everything with little to no thought. 
• He damaged the white house that he doesn't own but thinks he does, then wrecked the DC Reflecting Pool, puts his name or image on many buildings around the city as though he owns them; he doesn’t. 
• He released an unelected, unapproved group of young computer geeks under the command of Elon Musk on the various departments of our government, stealing personal information and probably classified documents, firing people they knew nothing about and without cause, and closed agencies that were doing critical work around the world (UsAID) that puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, SOMETIMES including Americans at risk of serious disease, EVEN STARVATION.
• He started an illegal war with Iran for nothing but his own ego and put Americans' and Iranians' lives at risk for nothing.  His excuse changes regularly as do the reports of an end of the war coming soon, WELL, IF Israel cooperates.
• He attacks the press when they report on his bad behavior and that of his minions.
• He allows media monopolies by billionaires as long as they do not permit their platform to criticize him.  This includes getting some of the press fired, and calling any who don't agree with his foolish and harmful pronouncements "enemies of the people," which they are not. 
• Trump has set the FBI and other Dept. of Justice entities to raid the offices of voter registration groups and journalists for no recognizable reason.
• He nominated utterly incompetent people for every office for which he can make nominations, then threatened Republican senators that they must vote for them “or else.”  This includes nominees for Federal judgeships.

 

In short, I want members of Congress to introduce Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump.  They are long in coming.  A lot of people have been harmed because it has taken so long.  In addition, Trump has dementia and other serious medical problems that make him unfit for office. 

We witnessed on Sunday, June 7, 2026, an anger breakdown by Trump because he lost control of an interview with Kristen Welker and couldn't figure out what to do.  Trump’s dementia probably added to the childish angry behavior he exhibited.  He stood up, threw the microphone down, stomped on it, then walked off the set.

As you know, among other things, last month, the Trump administration "settled" a $10 billion frivolous lawsuit filed by Trump against his own IRS.  His acting A.G. Blanche put together a “deal” that creates a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" using American taxpayer dollars, designed to enrich him and court and support the January 6th insurrectionists who are traitors to this nation.  The “deal” they worked out, Of course because of its illegal nature, means this fund has no public disclosure requirements, no Congressional oversight, and is expected to pay out to Trump’s political allies (his white house toddler pool), and himself.  Some of the January 6^th insurrectionists are already contacting lawyers to file claims.  Yes, we should be paying traitors to this nation. No one who cares about this nation should approve of that and if they do, should be removed from office.    Just considering giving a huge amount of money to traitors is a kind of treason too.

 

As if that were not enough, as part of that “deal” the US IRS would be declared "forever barred and precluded" from auditing the President, his family members, or any of his businesses for all tax filings made prior to May 19, 2026 (one wonders if that is the date after completion of some kind of family theft from the IRS). Despite Trump thinking he is king or god or whatever, he is not entitled to anything like that ban on being audited.  We know he has failed to pay taxes in the past and probably his family has too.  That is giving a criminal a free pass to break the law whenever he wishes, and Trump and his crew have a lot of wishes! 

 

Trump needs Congress to impeach and convict him.  Then he can go home to Florida and play golf all day until his administration is gone and he can be held accountable unless his dementia has totally taken his mind the rest of the way to incomprehension.

 

This is not a partisan disagreement about policy. This is the President of the United States using the machinery of government to enrich himself, shield himself from legal accountability, and reward those who were willing to attack our democracy on his behalf. The Constitution provides Congress with the tools to respond to exactly this kind of conduct. I urge you to use them. 

 

Now we need to see Congress acting like the adults in the room, even the Republicans and stop this insanity, this destruction.

 

We the People need you to introduce Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump.  Then we need the Senate to act like adults and convict him of the many crimes he and his toddler pool have committed since taking office, and that includes those done with Musk and Theil.  Just because they are not in DC anymore does not mean they are not still messing with our nation's regulations, laws, and doing harm to the people who live here, you know, like stealing private information, messing with Social Security files, cutting US AID with permission from no one but Donald Trump, when Congress should have been involved.  We the people, including Congress, deserve better and demand that Congress gives that “better” to We the People of the United States.

SOME CHANGES I WANT TO SEE

By Ruth A. Sheets

June 11, 2026

When this Trumpian/oligarchical insanity has passed, I would like to see some serious changes to our current government.  Ahead are some of my suggestions.

1. Our full legal code needs to be thoroughly combed.  Laws that oppose human rights (the Comstock Act and others) voted down permanently and discarded.  Then a second combing to dump laws that are too vague and can be interpreted in ways to harm people a group like the Trumplicans can use as a weapon.  Our laws should acknowledge our wonderful diversity and that We the People are the most important factor in our democracy.

2. Immigrants who have lived in this nation for 10 or more years and have worked and contributed should have a path to citizenship that is quick and fair.  This should include the DACA young people.  ICE is abolished and rules set up or a Constitutional amendment that would outlaw the construction of a paramilitary such as ICE and the Border Patrol have become.  All concentration camp prisons are closed permanently and deportations to 3rd countries are totally stopped.  No one is imprisoned without due process.

3. Caring for our planet, cleaning up our environment, and developing renewable/clean energy with support to make it affordable and cheaper than fossil fuels are critical for our planet's survival.  Connections like the Paris Agreement are reinstated and seriously followed and other nations are encouraged to follow them too.

4. No top-level positions in our government can be filled with people who have no experience in the area they are nominated for:  HHS Sec. must be a medical expert and have medical experts under them who actually know what they are doing; a Sec. of Defense must have not only some military experience, but diplomatic and management skills too.

5. The Supreme Court will have 18-20 year term limits at which point they may choose to stay in a lower court.  They will have a code of ethics and be held to it on penalty of suspension, just as lower court judges do.  The Supreme Court will be expanded to 13 (I’ve also heard 15 suggested to expand the number of districts too) one justice for each district court.  A nominee must already be a judge on a lower court and will need approval from at least 3 non-partisan professional legal organizations like the ABA and have a record of fairness in any previous court position.

6. The Federal government and state governments will support elections and pass severe limits on how much money any person, including corporations can contribute to a campaign, less for the narrower the position in territory.  Every single penny donated to a PAC or campaign will be recorded with the name of the person that donated it and no foreign contributions and no “dark” money will be permitted on penalty of the candidate being removed from the ballot if there is evidence the campaign knew of the “donation.”  Automatic voter registration will take place for every American citizen upon reaching age 18.  Incentives will be given for people to vote, perhaps a small tax break that will increase after a significant number of elections.  Vote by mail would be available for everyone who wants it no questions asked.  

7. All gerrymandering for any reason, political, race, religion, etc. will be halted.  Agreed-upon independent groups will design the districts using fair computer algorithms, keeping towns intact when possible. 

8. The minimum wage around the country will be set to go with the cost of living average in each state where possible starting with $18 per hour and gradually moving up to reach $25 in 5 or 6 years.  There will be overtime pay increases too.

9. The entire tax code will be carefully examined by people who understand economics and taxes from both parties and independents, cleaning it up, making it more fair, dumping tax breaks for the very rich who do some shady practices to avoid paying taxes.  Millionaires and Billionaires will pay their fair share of taxes up to 50% for the folks at the very top.  Free online submission of tax forms will be available for anyone who wants to use them.  The tax code needs to be completely overhauled with citizen input at every stage.

10. Public Education is a common good that needs to be expanded and encouraged.  Charter schools should be reincorporated into the regular public school system to make funding fair.  Voucher programs would be gone since they only serve to give rich people more money they don't need to support private and religious schools.  Civics education should begin in Kindergarten and be age appropriate through grade 12.

11. End monopolies in nearly all areas with specific exceptions, some utilities, for example.  Then make sure that no billionaires can own more than 1 media platform and no more than 10 radio or TV stations or newspapers around the country.  Local news coverage should be encouraged with some assistance when needed.  We need good journalism not a pack of oligarchical lies, disinformation, and ignorance to rule our airwaves or computers/phones.

12. Above all, there must be universal healthcare!  No one should have to forgo treatment because they can't afford it.  We have the tech and the ability to make this happen.  Private insurance corporations can be assisted to cover areas other than healthcare.  There are several other nations that have such healthcare programs and we could learn from them how to do it well. 

Probably the first thing we will need to do, though, hard as it will be, we must hold accountable, the people who have caused this chaos, this harm to the people of our communities The targeted could begin with DOGE, the various department secretaries who chose to dismantle needed programs and services without permission, ICE guys on the streets who killed and otherwise harmed people, those who proposed and developed the concentration camp prisons which they allowed to treat people worse than one would treat animals (and no one should be treating animals that badly). 

Trump and his white house toddler pool and the Trump relatives should be first in line for investigation and indictment.  No blanket pardons for these people.  The country needs to know what they have done, to whom, and what they themselves gained financially and otherwise from their efforts. 

So, these are some things I and others have been thinking about and what we need to do.  We must get things started as soon as we can because Republicans have a way of sabotaging every positive thing that Democrats and independents do to make things better.  Repubs screw things up and Dems have to clean up their mess and if they take more than a couple of months to fix something Repubs have screwed up for 4+ years, people vote the party that made the messes back into office.  It is nuts, but just what happens.

We can do this if we have the will and the quality reps and senators in office.  Even if we have to wait until 2028, we can at least get started and let the American people know what we are up to, how they can help, and where they can share their ideas for what they would like to see happen.  As lawyer Joyce Vance always says, “We’re in this together.”

FEAR AND EVIL IN TRUMPLANDIA

 By Ruth A. Sheets

June 3, 2026

I like responding to comments on my several threads.  One commenter said that people are trying to be a bit better because of some of the ridiculous, even appalling things this current Trumpian regime (my term) has been doing.  This was my response.

 I do hope you are right about people wanting to do better, but it seems EVIL like that displayed by Trump and his white house toddler pool is not easy to stop.  They get their hooks into so many places and people who then feel they must be loyal to the hookers.

 They proceed by proving their moral compass doesn't exist or is in the shop being repaired  (maybe permanently).  Integrity is an unnecessary burden.  Kindness just gets in the way.

 Trump and his toddler pool can’t make their takeover on their own; they have to get media involved so they can pass the message on and forge the chain that ends up giving power to people who do not deserve it, people who promote fear in ways I consider evil.

 The target of Trump and his “friends is not what one might expect since he is a racist, misogynistic fool.  His target, white men.  He knew there are a lot of scared white people who have been groomed over time to believe they are the ones being treated badly by those people, the ones who don’t look like them.  They were and are angry and often afraid.  They needed to be seen by people in power as the put-upon guys being abused by the people who are just cheating; they’re “welfare queens” and “affirmative action hires.”

 Donald Trump was just the guy they wanted for their salvation.  Now they are desperately clinging to Trump, an ignoramus with dementia because they bought the message that Trump would save them from the libs, the woke who have “done them wrong,” that they are being replaced by those people, you know, the ones that don’t look like them. 

 I suspect those scared white folks don’t really have a clue what replacement would mean for them, but it doesn’t matter.  There is a whole cadre of folks out here, willing to plant seeds of something that sounds horrible, and the imaginations of the scared are off and running and there is no opportunity in their minds to stop and actually consider the implications, the fact that they are being used.  Why should they wonder about what that means?  Why would they want to know that for decades, Donald Trump has been one of the masters of the con, and he and his buddies are conning them, conning all of us. 

 Trump is a rich white man as are most members of the white house toddler pool (a bunch of whiny white people, mostly men who complain, blame, insult with the goal of intimidating and silencing their targets), afraid someone will find out that they might not be the brightest bulbs in any string.  Being rich, white, and male are the only requirements for those scared white folks to guarantee their superiority.  They have been convinced nothing can be worse than being “replaced” by those people!

 The real problem,  they don’t want to notice that they and all of us are already targets of the rich white males in power.  Those rich white men want us all to be replaced by AI machines on the job, rather than messy people/workers those rich corporate masters don’t want to deal with.  Those humans  might demand higher taxes on the rich, better wages, more caring behavior on the part of the corporations, more integrity, stopping their cheating.  The folks in power are not willing to give these up, so everyone suffers, including those scared white residents of Trumplandia.  The rich white men in power don't even think of them except when they need their votes and can lie their way into the hearts of Wwhiteland. 

 Black, Hispanic, native American, LGBTQ, and other groups are aware of how those in power feel about them and are working on ways to stop the onslaught.  Scared white folks think they are safe from this Trumpian/rich guy insanity, and will someday be those rich white guys themselves  (they won't).  Their dreams make them “work” to keep those who care for nothing and no one in power, hoping they will get rewarded for giving up any integrity they might have had. 

 For Trump, his toddler pool, and the oligarchs, those scared white people exist only in November every even year when they can be handily used to vote to keep the uncaring, money and power addicts in charge.  It would be great if we could get the scared white folks to look at their racism, misogyny, homo/transphobia, xenophobia to see the damage it is doing to them and their families, while they are being told they are keeping those people in their place.  The people they target have done nothing to harm them while the members of Trump’s toddler pool have done a lot of harm. 

 Right now,  scared white folks think they have truth on their side, sure everyone not like them is evil, trying to steal from them (getting a free ride), all the things the evil-rich in charge keep feeding them, their banquet of lies.  Unfortunately, their religious leaders often reinforce that, identifying Trump as “god’s messenger” (not likely).   

How do we reach people who are too scared to even begin to look at their lives and what they are doing and agreeing to?  I think any approach needs to be from many different angles depending who is being addressed.

• Listen more than speaking.  A lot of Trumplandia is used to being told what to do and not listened to
• Say things like (and mean them), I understand your position.  Have you thought that:  you are helping to pay for a war you did not agree to-  that is raising gas prices a lot; really, tariffs are taxes on us, you too, not the countries the products and services are from; immigrants are your neighbors and do a lot of the work you and I most likely wouldn’t do and are not skilled at. 
• Ask people, what is it within your faith that makes it acceptable to starve, abuse, and imprison innocent people, to pollute our air and water, allow the rich folks to dictate what happens to the rest of us;  ignore global warming when it is God who is the creator?  What role does love have in your life as a Christian or Jew?
• What do you think your taxes should pay for?  Who should decide?
• Are you familiar with our Constitution?  Would you like a copy (give them a pocket Constitution if they would like one.) 

I think you get the idea.  Accusing the scared folks will not make any points.  I suspect many of them know they are being used and feel the anger of knowing that.  Bringing them to a place where they can start to see how they “are being used” by their “heroes,” without saying those words can make a positive, maybe even freeing difference for them and for us all.

 This is complicated and will take effort on our part, but it can work.  It’s worth a try!

PATRIOTISM FOR ME IS . . .

By Ruth A. Sheets

Lucas Kunce of Missouri and his group Heartland Patriots asked people to comment on what we think patriotism is.  This is my response.  I am sure it is not complete because I wrote it in about 15 minutes and took another 20 minutes or so to edit, but I believe I got some of the main points I think are critical, at least for me.  I am hoping every American has a realistic sense of what it means to be patriotic, particularly in this 250^th anniversary of our “Declaration of Independence” and it’s only partly related to our military.

For me, a patriot:

-cares what happens to the people of this nation. 

• believes peace is what everyone should be working for and war should never be a personal choice by anyone, not a president who has proven he cares for no one and nothing but himself. 
• believes in equality/equity for all, not just for rich white men. 
• believes in basic human rights as well as the rights our Constitution gives us which include bodily autonomy for everyone, the right to a fair wage/salary, universal healthcare, respect for everyone no matter their gender or gender preference, the right for immigrants to be in this nation and a respect for the many contributions they have made here over the past 250+ years, appreciation for the indigenous peoples of this nation and their right to have their treaties and other agreements honored.
• acknowledges that racism, misogyny, homo/transphobia, classism, and xenophobia exist in this nation and need to be seriously addressed to try to avoid electing those who drink from the mug of hatred and dismissal of others to any significant offices. 
• Runs for office to serve, not to be served.  Is Aware that they need help and knows when to ask for it when in over their head with the complexities of a situation. 
• values public education and supports it at every opportunity. 
• values our children, all of our children and works to make their lives and those of their families successful. 
• acknowledges that global warming and environmental devastation are real and that all of us have a responsibility to do everything possible to slow their destruction, to limit using fossil fuels, work to re-forest and protect the many environments that we share with the plants and animals of this world, to conserve water and cut pollution. 
• believes in science and what it teaches us about how the world works, how to ease suffering, how to make life safer and more joyful for all of us, and that it is essential to update knowledge as new information comes to light.  
• appreciates the gifts and talents of others, particularly in the arts and supports them.
• demands honesty and integrity in our media and refuses to connect with media that choose to lie, dish out misinformation, and create disinformation.
• votes in every election once the age of 18 has been reached until they can't vote anymore due to age, illness, or death. 
• reveres the first Amendment of our Constitution and does not try to limit the rights of others while trying to say that their own rights are more important.  
• values, honors, and will stand up for our Constitution and those laws that support it, not counter it. more that support our rights as human beings and as Americans. 
• This all means that a patriot is a kind of hero that comes in all colors, religions,  genders, ages, education levels, cultures, and with many languages and practices, serves in our military if they choose, knowing the risks involved, and knows how to refuse an illegal order. 

Hail to our patriots all of the many millions of them, including those we remember this last week in May for their sacrifices, even death  in the name of this nation. 

 

LAYING IT OUT

By Ruth A. Sheets

May 20, 2026

I do believe our various media gave Donald Trump the tools he needed to become a national, then global menace.  Trump was "glib," a New Yorker with money and properties (didn't matter how he got them or what was being done with them), and he had friends. 

This trio of circumstances launched an ignorant, narcissistic, hateful charlatan onto a stage where he didn’t belong.  Unfortunately, the various media found a lot for themselves in what he was doing, and kept promoting him ("The Apprentice, Miss Universe, The Regis and Kathy Lee Show” ).  They enhanced Trump's actions and created a “star” who could travel in all sorts of circles plugging himself and his supposed greatness. 

However while Trump was being lauded by  the media, he was involved in let’s call them “crimes” that included theft, rape, fraud, rape of minors, lying, cheating contractors for his properties, red lining, and more, on to the present.  Some people knew about Trump’s behavior, but just considered him one of the “bad boys” who were to be tolerated.  There were rumors of his involvement with the New York Mafia, though people rarely talk about it. 

Developing a “connection” with New York’s media was critical to Trump’s rise.  From the day of Trump’s ride down the “golden escalator” in 2015, Trump or his actions were the first or second phrase or story in nearly every newscast.  That was true even when he wasn’t president or anything else official, and it is still happening.  That was primarily because he did or said things designed to direct attention to himself.

Trump’s dementia now makes it harder for him to even know what is going on, but that doesn't matter since he,  Toddler-Trump (as I refer to him), has an entire toddler pool of sycophants surrounding him that we pay for that includes a  traitorous white house staff (Miller, Vought, Wiles, Vance, etc.; 6 Supreme Court justices, Republicans in Congress; all cabinet heads; all whom Trumplandia nominated for any government position with Senate approval; Republicans throughout state legislatures; the Heritage Foundation, The Federalist Society, and other similar right-wing political organizations; many white evangelical fundamentalists; the oligarchs, including Musk, Theil, the Ellisons, and more, who use Trump as much as he uses them. 

That sounds like a lot, but in reality, it is a small minority of Americans.  However, they are in power and as they say, "have all the weapons."  It seems to me we are going to need a significant resistance group formed everywhere in this nation to stand up to these anti-American, anti-democratic thugs who have an ignoramus at their head and a lot of money in their pockets.  We need to be louder, broader, and more demanding in protest of Trumplandia.

This group of Conservative, Republican, amoral entities are doing their best to undermine our government.  They began in Trump’s first term with a huge tax cut that went nearly all to the super rich who already have far far too much.  Then in the second term, Trump released the illegal DOGErs (Department of Government Efficiency) young computer guys   under Elon Musk, to tear apart many of our government agencies and departments.  They are responsible for the deaths of at least 700,000 people around the world who depended on the food, medicines, and healthcare provided by US-AId.  We don’t have a count yet of the deaths here from programs cut and conspiracy theorists in important offices making false pronouncements. 

Trump and the Dept. of Homeland Security (Dhs) set ICE on innocent immigrants in our communities, while lying they were only going after serious criminals.  Alas, lies are Trumplandia’s coin of the realm, and Republicans these days must be able to lie with skill all the time if necessary (if Trump orders them to do it). 

Trump now owns the Republican Party and  our amoral Supreme Court Roberts 6. 

 

Each member of Trumplandia has their “job.”  Congressional Republicans push through every stupid, illegal bill Trump and his white house toddler pool give them.  The Roberts 6 rule on cases in ways that will give Republicans more seats in congress and enhance the racial, gender, and other differences among us.  Republicans in legislatures across the country must take their states to levels of racism and misogyny that haven’t been seen for decades.

 

Trump’s cabinet was nominated and approved because they will permit Trump to do as much damage to this nation as possible.  Trump ordered the start of a stupid deadly war for his own ego and he and Pete Hegseth of DOD have been playing it as though it were a video game, adding destroying small boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific as their bonus plays.  All of this is illegal internationally, but who is going to charge them or hold them accountable, particularly now that Trump is building a white house fortress as described by Heather Cox Richardson (and Trump himself, although not in those exact words).  Trump is also trying to reward the January 6^th insurrectionists for their something:  bravery, loyalty to Trump, willingness to “stand ready?”

 

I suspect everyone I write to knows all of this, so I want to provide some suggestions for things we can do to surround these thugs with a wall of disapproval created by the diversity that is America, something that really scares Trumplandia.

• Make a list of the issues most important to you.  Figure out who to contact regarding that issue, then write, call, sign petitions, etc. related to each issue.
• Find and support organizations with similar values to yours, read their publications, and support them financially if you can, even if it is only a tiny donation.
• Attend public protests, townhalls, and local actions related to the issues that concern you and your community most.  You can’t do everything, so do what you can when you can.
• Talk to young people about what is going on and encourage them to pay attention, to work hard to get a good education, even if they are a little bored.  Those in power now don’t want them to become educated at all, so do it to spite them.
• Read books from different cultures, particularly those the right-wing fearmongers want to ban, then share favorites with others.
• Use public transportation when possible.  Walk when it makes sense.  Use your car less often.  Encourage others to do this too.
• Stand with neighbors to stop ICE, using a warning system if you see them.  Protest them when you can.
• Attend school board meetings when possible to say your piece about what is happening in the schools in your area. 
• VOTE IN EVERY SINGLE ELECTION!!!  Don’t tell yourself “ah this election is just a primary; it doesn’t matter”; it does!  Those In power want us to stay home so their pathetic whiny white candidates can get into or stay in power; we don’t need them!

 

I bet you have lots more ideas.  When we pool them together, we can have a set of strategies to stand against the authoritarians, the would be kings.  We can stand strong in this 250^th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, and tell Trump and his toddler pool that We the People of the United States aren’t gonna take them and their anti-American bullying anymore”!

IT’S NOT JUST “THE ECONOMY, STUPID”

By Ruth A. Sheets

A member of the comment thread for Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack reminded us “It’s the economy, stupid.”  That phrase supposedly shot Bill Clinton into office in 1992 and will fix things for Democrats today.  I thought I should respond, so, here it is.

it is the economy, of course, but we need to make it far more than that!  The protection of our rights as Americans being taken away by Trumplandia, at every turn to make us totally subservient/enslaved to them is in the works.  That is more worrisome than what is happening to our economy and that is pretty bad.

Last week, the Supreme Court Roberts 6 gave the Confederate states the freedom to gerrymander to their heart’s content racially, of course, just don’t call it that.  In other words, bring back Jim Crow, but don’t call it that.  This is directly related to the economy.  It is also deeply tied up with the endemic racism that exists in this nation and only marginally dealt with from the time of the Civil War.  The Roberts 6 knew full well they were permitting a set of racial gerrymanders, but if states “pretend”/lie it isn’t, no problem.  Without proper representation, the people suffer.

I hope Democrats got the word that the old way of doing things, the monied elite in control of the Party will no longer work.  Dems need new, more powerful strategies than supporting the centrist malleable candidates ignoring progressives.  Democrats must jump in and tell those in gerrymandered southern districts that they are being used.  The manipulators are magnifying their positions toward others to assure their compliance with whatever foolish idea Republicans in power come up with.  Dems need to get out the word that once those Republicans get tired of harming the “hated” groups, they will come after the rural and suburban white folks as loafers, illegal landowners, or whatever comes into their addled fascist brains.  Donald Trump is at the center of what is going on even though his dementia won't let him remember any of it and he will lie to say it didn't happen.  

An effective basic Democratic platform must be universal, then added to in each district to meet specific needs of those folks.  Some points I believe should be on the basic platform: 

• universal healthcare
• full bodily autonomy for all
• a living wage for every job, workplace safety, and unions
• end of tariffs and Congress approving all money as the Constitution requires
• automatic voter registration upon citizens turning 18 and fair voting districts

independently drawn

• court and criminal justice reform at all levels
• fair taxation for all without loopholes for the rich
• Effective regulation of the economy with stronger guidelines for consumers
• properly administered Social Security and other retirement programs
• fair regulation of Artificial Intelligence, social media, and other tech
• significant funding for renewable energy and addressing global warming
• clean air and water, with a fully-functioning EPA and related government agencies
• protection of our public lands and National Parks, with very limited mining and logging with guidance from Native Americans and other experts
• strong support for our public schools, early childhood, child care, and free community colleges which care for and educate our precious children
• support programs for struggling Americans:  SNAP, WIC, housing support, etc.
• reinstatement of supports for diversity-equity-inclusion, plus full rights for all populations, immigrants, differently abled and LGBTQ persons 
• rebuilding strong relationships with the world particularly our allies including reinstating US Aid and other international service organizations and stronger ties with the UN
• improvement of public transportation
• and more based on what a committee of strong progressive Democrats see as essentials.  

Americans everywhere need to be encouraged to VOTE in every single election, not just those of high media interest.  We need people to make calls and texts, knock on doors of all sorts of people and actually listen to their issues, get folks registered to vote, put billboards up wherever possible that present parts of the Democratic platform, flood social media with the positives of the platform and the candidates who support it in the district, hold weekly press conferences to let people know what Democrats federal, state,  and local are doing for the people and what they are opposing and why.  Demand better, more honest media coverage of this regime.  Call out the tech bros who are only for themselves and what they can get their AI to do for money and power.  

That is a lot, but we could do it despite the forces arrayed against us.  We have nearly 6 months to get this going!  Skip the stupid infighting among Democrats and make this happen!  Yep, it’s the economy plus! 

CONSERVATIVE FEAR AND LOATHING

By Ruth A. Sheets

May 3, 2026

In Joyce Vance’s “Civil Discourse” Substack of April 30, 2026, she asked a couple of really important questions:  why are conservatives so afraid of democracy? Why are they afraid to let the voters decide elections? 

After this week’s appalling Supreme Court Roberts 6 decision to gut further the Voting Rights Act, this is my enhanced response to Joyce’s questions.  I have been an active political being since I was 14 or 15 years old.  I wrote to my governor, my senators and my Rep, even the president, and still do, concerning issues I see as important.  One thing I noticed is that conservatives than and now, are people who are scared of the future, although more recently, the fear is showing up in ways and intensities that have not been seen for a while.  Conservatives seem also to be scared of life.  They often hide in conservative religion which can trap them in a one-way-of-thinking scenario with "sin" at the center and that everyone is an evil sinner, or everyone but they themselves is (it varies). 

As I see it, conservatives think they got whatever position they have in life through their own unaided natural ability and skill, but possibly down deep, fear that isn't the truth.  Instead of realizing that most people have doubts like that, they put others down, wanting to keep them down, thinking that will somehow raise themselves up. 

Many conservatives don't want to "let voters decide elections" because those less-talented, lower-class voters would never pick the “right” people.  Believing that, those in charge of American conservatism must rig the election in favor of the "good" guys (usually men) or ultra compliant women, and with money, media, and some AI, they do. 

These days, maybe always, conservatives tend to get wealth in a variety of ways and will fight really hard to keep it and use it for themselves to get even more.  It seems wealth begets conservatism; conservatism often fosters wealth for those at the top too. 

Non-conservatives have a range of points of view, and rightly so.  Those often conflict, which can mean a lack of unity.  Each group may have its own goals, its own “critical” issues to fight for, its own style.  Often those non-conservatives don’t take the time to heed each others’ issues, certain theirs is the most important.  Conservatives have had decades, maybe centuries to shape their message, too often involving lying, blaming, deceit, name-calling, gaslighting, etc.  One might correctly think they need these tactics because their message is poor or unpopular.  Conservatives seem to listen to no one and nothing but money and their personal comfort, so they use whatever they can to undermine their opponents, their enemies. 

Our nation and planet are in trouble, all of us.  As far as I can tell, conservatives don’t really care as long as they get theirs.  It is critical that non-conservatives find many different ways to work together to defeat conservatism, or at least put it on a back shelf.  We truly don’t need its efforts to wreck our lives, our democracy.  We can’t stand by and just watch everything destroyed that this nation has worked for as it “progresses” toward forming “a more perfect union.”

We can decide on, as many have recommended, a set of positions, issues that non-conservatives can hold in common and can stand on no matter what is thrown at us, like: 

• valuing diversity and the histories of all groups;
• stopping divisions stoked by conservatives and others;
• ending violence against immigrants, closing concentration camp prisons, abolishing ICE and limiting Border Patrol to the borders;
• developing ethical requirements for our Supreme Court, term limits to 18 years and limiting the number of justices any one president can appoint, increasing the court to 13 justices to cover all districts with 1 justice each;
• ending gerrymandering of all kinds while making sure minority voters actually have proper representation;
• reforming our tax code to make taxation fair for everyone, everyone pays at least a bit and those who have more pay a whole lot more,  including corporations;
• limiting shareholder power in corporations;;
• bodily autonomy for all people, not just men;
• enhancing support programs for all Americans:  SNAP, WIC, FEMA, whatever is needed;
• universal healthcare;
• nominees for judgeships/justices approved by at least 3 independent legal organizations, with candidates who have  experience on the bench or quality legal cases they have handled;
• regulating AI while at the same time valuing and supporting science and research;
• working harder for renewable energy and restoring our environment as global warming is seriously addressed. 

I bet there are a few others, but those would be a start that all non-conservative candidates could support.  It's time to come together to stand against the scared white conservatives who would destroy everything we have so they can feel safe and in control of those scary others, rather than try to improve life for all.

LETTER TO OUR PA SENATORS

By Ruth A. Sheets

April 29, 2026

This is my most recent plea to our Pennsylvania senators concerning immigration.  

Dear Senators,

As your concerned constituent, I’m writing to ask you to vote YES on S.J. Res. 99.  Stop the cruelty directed at immigrants living and working hard in this country, harder than most citizens work, including the entire membership of this Trump regime!

As you know, Last October, the Trump administration eliminated automatic extensions for work permits of immigrants – a policy that had been in place for over a decade, and for no reason other than racism and simple cruelty!  They and any of you who go along with this should be ashamed, but it seems shame has no place in Trumplandia, which has permitted members of their Klan to do enormous harm to people who have not deserved it. 

Trump lied that he and his “team” only wanted to arrest and deport serious criminals who are immigrants,  but, that is not who they are going after.  They have ordered and Congress has approved with its inaction, separating families, arresting and imprisoning families with children, deporting parents from their American children and spouses, murdered American citizens as well as immigrants, allowed armed masked thugs loose on the streets of our communities.  There are no excuses that will make up for what has been done and it appears racism, fear of the other, and a drive for personal power have been at work. 

Huge amounts of  money have been paid from our taxes to rich corporations who run concentration camp prisons where the incarcerated people have been forced to live in conditions no one should want anyone to endure:  severe overcrowding, given garbage to eat they called food, been denied medical care, been beaten, tortured, and more, and for what!

Under this immigration work permit policy, workers who filed their renewal paperwork on time were protected from losing their jobs while they waited on government processing. It was straightforward: if you did your part, the government wouldn't punish you for its own delays.  Trump's/Musk's DOGE and Dept. of Homeland Security Noem fired so many people that of course, there were government-produced delays, so Trumplandia permitted ICE to start arresting those waiting-folks then imprisoning them, and more, and for what!

That protection is now gone, with no honest justification from this administration. An estimated 3.8 million immigrant workers can now be legally fired and deported through no fault of their own, simply because federal processing backlogs are slow, deliberately slow. These are people who followed every rule, filed every form on time, and built their lives here. They don't deserve to lose their livelihoods, their families, and their community because of a bureaucratic backlog they have no control over, but a group of men in charge who hate people of color do. It’s neither fair nor right and you should know that. 

Congress has done little to nothing to help these hard-working people who trusted this nation to help.  Congress has been participating in the evil being done mostly by doing nothing and just tacitly agreeing to whatever Trump and his clown car of evil demand.

S.J. Res. 99 would restore the protections those immigrants deserve. That’s why I’m asking you to vote yes, so that 3.8 million people’s lives are not needlessly harmed. We are watching to see whose side you are on, the evil and ignorance of this current regime or the side of human beings who are being brutalized so a bunch of scared white folks can practice their racism unimpeded.  Thanks for what I hope is your attention.   Sincerely, Ruth Sheets

Feel free to use this as a template for contacting your senators.

OPEN LETTER TO TRUMP’S SYCOPHANTS

By Ruth A. Sheets

April 9, 2026

Dear “Friends,”

I have decided it is imperative I finally write to you all.  It seems you have fallen off the path of true public service into the ditch filled with slime coming off the lie and disinformation factory up the road, owned and operated by rich white men for their benefit and that of Donald Trump. 

Do you realize you have chosen to follow a man who was never what he claimed to be.  For some reason our media just loved projecting him as a great businessman when he was not nearly that, you know, bankrupting 6 times.  I know he called those bankruptcies being “smart.”  Would you have considered yourself “smart” had you bankrupted even once, OK, twice?

In order to follow Trump a man with failing mental capacities for years, you chose to sacrifice whatever decency you may once have had, possibly for personal gain, possibly to get revenge on someone.  Neither of these is what one would think of as the action of a decent human being.

When I hear of your antics, it reminds me of a Toddler (Trump), playing with his toys, making them participate in his fantasy, being wherever told to stand, spouting whatever nonsense comes from Trump’s dementia-laden mouth.  You are expected to treat the beings around you as though not worthy of care, actually, worthy of abuse.  All of this on the command of your toddler-in-chief.  How does it feel to be a toy in the hands of someone unable to think clearly, has no compassion for you or anyone else, and feels no allegiance to our Constitution?  It can’t be fun!

I feel some sympathy for women in the sycophantic sphere because you have decided the Mar-a-Lago Barbie face is your best look and perfecting the perfect pout works well for you.  You insult everyone around you who recognizes you as the sycophant you are.  I thought you were proud of your role.  You should be telling everyone just how much you love being a toy in Trumplandia.  I feel your lack of pain when two of the best of you in your sycophancy, Pam Bondi (Trump’s Pseudomommy) and Kristi Noem (Trump’s Enforcer) were dumped, Pam in favor of someone Trump considers a better Pseudomommy and Noem tossed away because she got more attention than Trump himself.  Yo Ladies, consider what you are sacrificing for this particular honor as members of Trump’s Bimbo Squad.

Pete Hegseth, you know you are participating in criminal activities with that little war you and your toddler boss started, well, just because.  It didn’t work, you know.  Despite Trump’s words to the public, none of your goals were met and “destroying an entire civilization” is not a path to righteousness or Heaven, however you define them.  I bet your generals tried to tell you that.  Ooops, that’s probably why you tried to fire them.  And, your racism and misogyny are showing, not properly promoting women and men of color.  Shame Shame!!  You’re supposed to do it quietly and pretend you didn’t do it; they just resigned or chose not to be promoted, or something like that.

And, DOJ sycophants, you all are not supposed to push crimes under the rug, like the murders of Good and Pretty in Minneapolis, and the 26 or so people who died in your concentration camp prisons.  Oh I know, that is supposed to be under the Department of Homeland Security, but you have quickly tried to hide the facts on those cases, which is not your job.  Honesty no longer reigns in DOJ and that is sad, but expected when sycophants are in charge.

Then, you let your toddler-boss force you to claim global warming/climate change is not happening.  That is beyond stupid.  You, yes even you can see it is happening and that fossil fuels and poor farming practices are causing it.  You forget that you live on this planet too and will suffer along with the rest of us when the warming becomes too intense.  I suspect you are planning to be dead by then, but what about your children and grandchildren or don’t you care about them either?  We had a good program of renewable energy going before Trump’s rule, but alas, I know, sycophancy does not permit science or common sense, just obedience, even if the one to be obeyed is making pronouncements in the throes of dementia.

Trashing immigrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees makes you all look like hypocrites since you had parents or grandparents who immigrated here.  I know, I know, your people came here “the right way.”  You know that is BS.  They came here the same way everyone else who is not Native American came here.

So, I just want you to know that sycophancy is not a good career choice beyond the here and now.  Consider finding a new career, maybe in the private sector you all have been working so hard to protect, to finance, and to confiscate our hard earned tax money for.  Maybe they will be OK if you take the job of sycophant for them too.  Just sayin’.

Peace, Ruth Sheets