THE 50 YEAR PUSH TOWARD AUTOCRACY

 

By Ruth A. Sheets

I have been thinking about when this autocracy spectrum attempt to take over our democracy began.  I still think it was 50+ years in the making.  I have heard it started with George W. Bush,  but nah, he was just the guy chosen to begin this desperate, maybe final push.  He was chosen to set us up for what we have now, but I believe things were in process for more than 20 before that.  It started with Nixon and his corruption.  Ford pardoned Nixon, so people didn’t really get to see the scope of what he and members of his administration had done .  The Republican Party wanted to be certain that in the future no president would be treated so badly as Nixon had been, well, no Republican president.  Reagan was never held accountable for Iran-Contra or pushing “trickle-down economics plunging many into poverty.  Bush,Sr. became a hero for “saving Kwait with Operation Desert Storm, about which little was conveyed to the American people.  In the meantime, a cadre of rich white men began accumulating huge amounts of money with tax breaks and legal assistance, the new oligarchs.

Those oligarchs knew Bush,Jr. would be a good choice in 2000 since he is pliable and mostly ignorant of the way things work.  However, he was a great lead-in, truly appalling, getting thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of others killed in Afghanistan and Iraq with no real plan for how to end those conflicts.  He and his Cheyney had little positive to offer anyone, but somehow managed to get re-elected, interesting! 

Obama followed Bush,Jr. and brought out the deep racism in our country that a lot of folks thought no longer existed, but filled Republicana with a certainty that they had a force to stand against Democrats.  Obama tried to clean up the economic and war mess he inherited from Bush-Cheyney, but got very little help to do it, on purpose.  It took more than 60 days, so Congress went totally right, into Republicana, just as the oligarchic bullies hoped.  They didn’t care that people were suffering while the oligarchs weren’t, and complained about their losses that were nothing compared to millions losing their homes while the banks were bailed out.  Obama and Democrats tried to address the serious problems with healthcare in our country, but with little support.  They only managed a modest plan that helps about 20 million people.  Republicans have been attacking it from the beginning because the healthcare oligarchs didn’t want affordable healthcare; they prefer corporations deciding what kind of care lower-income people deserve, others too, that’s if they can afford it, and the oligarchs really don’t care about that either.

Hillary Clinton ran in 2016.  Despite being arguably the most qualified person ever to run  for president, she lost due to the slave states agreement, Electoral College or so it seems, even though she won the popular vote by nearly 3 million.  Misogyny was rife, and   Russia did interfere with the election and we aren't quite sure just how much, though it was significant, and with evidence.  Putin wanted Trump, so we got Trump. 

We have headed downhill with Trump constantly in the media, covered more than Obama while he was still president.  Trump rode his golden escalator into permanent media coverage/glory, a requirement that he be the first story  every day.  Trump was covered more than Biden who was President 4 years and Biden was usually the second or third story if covered in the news that day at all, just as planned. 

Trump got away with inciting an insurrection and stealing classified documents which the oligarchic media covered, often sympathetically.  The Supreme Roberts 6 gave Trump presidential immunity even though he was not yet re-elected, certainly not in our Constitution, but that was part of the plan too.

We were primed for Trump even before the 2024 election, but to make sure, Musk and his AIers and their algorithms and Star Link made sure just enough votes were switched in the swing states to ensure Trump's move back into office, dementia and all.  Democrats didn't have the guts to challenge anything, I'm guessing they wanted to see what would happen with Trump in power or to prove they weren’t whiners as Trump was after his 2020 definite loss.  Well, we found out!  It now, seems folks auditioning to get into Trumplandia, can’t acknowledge Trump’s 2020 loss, maybe proof that they will lie for their leader.  

Many people saw what was in the works over the past 50 years, but were not believed if heard at all.  A cadre of rich white-supremacist men with the desire to rule were undermining our government.  It was done primarily by getting Republicans elected who were easily manipulatable, then getting ignoramuses who knew nothing about this nation’s history or our constitution, to run on the Republican ticket, buying seats for them.  Those Republicans then undermined the Democrats in office, making sure the rich white guys got every benefit they could come up with for them:  bail-outs, tax cuts, monopolies, corruption, consorting with countries who are not our allies, etc.

The whole crew of Miller, Vought, and the cadre of oligarchs, once Trump was back in office, helped their Baby Donnie choose the most appalling inept nominees for every single government position and Senate Republicans and a few Democrats latched onto nearly every single first choice, knowing full well none were suited for their position, in fact totally unsuited.  Their purpose, to dismantle our government in favor of rule by folks like Musk, Bezos, the Ellisons, Theil, Vought, Miller, and a cluster of other fools who somehow got the idea that being born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth makes a person worthy of being in charge of anything.  They are at the point of destruction right now, with the help of the world’s autocrats like Putin and possibly Xi. 

Finally, Trump is breaking down mentally and physically.  So, if we as a nation finally realize that Trump isn’t running anything at all, just his big angry, fearful, resentful, hateful mouth, we can work harder to stop the takeover by those who are running Trump like a puppet.  It will be interesting to see who takes over when Trump is so out of it the media oligarchs can't pretend anymore.  Will it be Vance, the guy whom no one likes, but can be used since he is a skilled opportunist? 

Members of the white house toddler pool are calling for some kind of emergency to stop our elections.  Outside of nuclear war, there is nothing that should be able to do that since we have had elections even in our toughest times?  There is nothing normal about what is going on in Republicana/Trumplandia.  It will be interesting to see just what the American people will do next month.  What will our votes bring about?  Is there sufficient courage to stop this 50-year takeover by bratty rich white-supremacist males and their female enablers?  I sure hope so!  VOTE!

POLLUTION IS ABOUT TO RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE

By Ruth A. Sheets

I wrote and just sent a letter to my senators and representative for an environmental organization called “Oil Change International.”  With their help, this is the letter I sent, modified slightly to specifically fit the person I was writing to.  This is sort of the generic version.

What the heck is wrong with members of Congress?  There are even doctors among you, probably some who have had family members die of the effects of pollution!  The level of either utter ignorance or just plain EVIL is remarkable mostly within Republicana, but some Democrats or folks who claim to be Democrats are involved too.  That is a betrayal of the American people and of our planet.  There is no money gains or other benefits that would ever excuse such appalling legislation, yet it is being "fast-tracked in our Senate!  Again, what the heck is wrong with you all, even the staff members who refuse to let you know how We the People feel about such stupidity are involved.  I get it that Trump has a hold on Republicana, but people who know about health and have lived through the past pollution know better and can just say no as Nancy Reagan used to advise.

As you can see, I am writing to you to express my opposition to Congress’s negotiations on so-called “permitting reform.” This is not about real reform!  Like all the Republican-named bills, it is exactly opposite of its name, it is about "permitting return," return to the pollution and greed of the past.  Who wants that?  No one, but you all are either getting paid to go along with it or just don't care about the American people, even your constituents!  That is EVIL!  People of this nation don't want you to vote for any permitting deal under this Congress  or any other.  People want you to stop any deal that aids fossil fuel expansion (including subsidies for gas oil or coal), and weakens community engagement and public health analysis, Tribal consultation, transparency, or judicial review.

I get it that Republicana is trying hard to pretend that global warming is not real, but you/everyone knows it is and that we need to stop using fossil fuels really soon.  You all went to college and must have taken some basic science courses that would remind you that the earth is a closed environment; what happens here is shared everywhere.  It is so shameful to us that China is working harder than we are to stop polluting, particularly when we have the ability to catch up and pass them or actually work with them.

As you know, the “permitting reform” proposals that have been introduced this Congress don’t address the important challenges of reducing energy costs for American families, ending the $35 billion in annual fossil fuel subsidies, or deploying good public infrastructure, including safe and affordable housing, public transportation, and renewable energy or just about anything else.  They are designed to bring mor wealth to the already too wealthy.  That is unacceptable!   These actions weaken bedrock environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and National Historic Preservation Act that communities depend on, while reducing review processes for dangerous fossil fuel projects.  All of those acts were not passed under Democrats, some under Republicans too.  One would think even Republicans would have some loyalty to what those who came before them stood and worked for.  Republicans have plenty of loyalty to the hates  and resentments of the past, maybe instead it’s time to have some loyalty to the positive advances we have made.

You should know that efforts to weaken these safeguards are extremely problematic, given that the Trump Administration has already eroded environmental and public health regulations, and for no good reason but the wealth of the oligarchic buddies of Donald Trump and the donors for many in Congress, does that include you?  Such largess is no reason to put our lives at risk due to pollution, including rescinding 80% of NEPA regulations, limiting the waters protected under the Clean Water Act, allowing facilities to construct polluting infrastructure before Clean Air Act permits are granted, and more. Whose idea was this and why are you all, supposedly intelligent people going along with it?  Don't you care about your children and grandchildren's future!! 

Stripping these environmental and public health protections is already costing people’s lives. The Institute for Policy Integrity, reports Trump’s environmental and public health deregulation is costing 3,299 lives and $156.6 billion in benefits annually.  So much for getting rid of waste! 

Further deregulation will mean exposure to oil spills, gas leaks, air pollution, water pollution, and premature death in communities burdened by pollution. I get it that many there in Congress are OK with those communities suffering because it appears you think those folks are expendable!  Such attitudes are EVIL!  Trump’s policies are designed to not support an equitable transition to renewable energy.  Trump doesn’t want such a transition because it will mean his oil buddies won’t have the funds to keep him in the cash he craves.

I am guessing you all think you live in your gated neighborhoods and mansions, so won't be impacted by the pollution; that is truly insane.  Of course you will, at a lesser risk, but certainly at a higher risk than with those regulations in place.  I keep hearing that gutting these environmental protections in this proposal will reduce rising energy costs, it won’t. Recent analysis from Oil Change International shows U.S. wholesale fossil gas prices will likely double by the 2030s if the Trump administration’s energy and AI policies succeed in pushing gas demand to levels that can only be met with more expensive gas production, clearly something that would be bad for everyone, well, except the fossil fuelers.

At this time, when communities across the country are facing environmental and public health rollbacks, loss of healthcare funding, and increasing climate disasters, we must protect and develop stronger environmental and public health protections, not weaken them.  It does not take a doctorate in public health and disaster management to understand that.  OK, there probably aren’t any holders of such Doctorates in Trumplandia!

I don't expect you to pay any attention to this communication, which is why I am hoping my Republican senators will be voted out of office as soon as possible.  You have done nothing for Pennsylvania and as far as I can see, plan to do nothing but work for Donald Trump, an old man with dementia who lives for his vengeance and resentments, displaying his ignorance daily.

Thank you Representative Scanlon for your efforts to stop global warming and have our nation produce more renewable energy.  I regret you, My senators, Fetterman and McCormick will not because of your inability to stand with the people and our planet instead of with Donald Trump who cares for no one and nothing but himself.  How sad for all of us.

Sincerely,

Rev. Ruth A. Sheets

 

RFK JR. - ONE SYMBOL OF UTTER IGNORANCE AND CRUELTY

 

by Ruth A. Sheets

I didn’t know until recently that Dolly Parton had donated significant money to Vanderbilt University toward development and testing of a vaccine for COVID 19.  I wasn’t surprised because it fit with her  philanthropic practices, but it was special that she had offered her gift to my alma mater.  I believe her support helped a lot of people to be willing to get the vaccine, particularly in Parton's neck of the woods, where people can be skeptical of medicine, and not without cause. 

It's too bad so many ignoramuses, people who should know better,  think it's clever or holy or something, to undermine the use of vaccines.  Thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people died because those folks in power lied about masks, hand-washing, being in groups, and of course, vaccines DURING THE covid 19 PANDEMIC.  

Humans have known of vaccines for around 230 years and inoculation (which is related) for far longer than that.  Despite that knowledge, we have a bunch of rich white men in positions of some authority who know nothing of vaccines, but lie about them, which puts people's lives at risk. Clearly their memories are poor enough that they don't remember what those diseases were like. The discomfort and itching of measles and chicken pox, and the agony of mumps are definitely in my memory and I never want anyone to have to go through that. A professor of mine had polio as a kid and at age 58 some of the symptoms were coming back to the point that she often needed to use a wheelchair. Who wants that?

I guess the rich guys who are blurting out the lies and disinformation think they are invulnerable to diseases because, well, they're mostly rich white men, and probably have all been vaccinated for the really bad diseases when they were kids, while telling others not to bother having their kids vaccinated.  The ignorance, hypocrisy,  and cruelty of these folks is beyond comprehension!

What are they doing, trying to create a world of preventable diseases?  Maybe they think it will permit them to control people more effectively, a common goal of such men. Why are we permitting them, in their government roles, to send their lies out so others will suffer? We the People need to curb this insanity!  One way is to heavily promote vaccination everywhere we go and explain why it is critical that as many people as possible are vaccinated, following a tried and trusted schedule.

Then, there’s Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in the way, A GUY WITH A FAMOUS NAME, who has no business being in charge of anything; he can't even manage himself.  He gets to make pronouncements from his position as Secretary of Health and Human Services, about vaccines, something he knows little to nothing about.  He read some stuff online and listens to the folks more ignorant about vaccines than he is for their take.  That is not a recipe for health.  Of course, they lie that vaccines cause autism and other conditions, as though autism is a horror to be stopped at all costs.  OK, there is no evidence that autism is caused by vaccines.  The guy who claimed that it was, found himself having his medical license revoked for making up the study he cited.  He lied, but many scared parents believed him.   

Donald Trump and his sycophantic white house toddler pool are not good judges of people; they only recognize those they can use, RFK,Jr. was and is useful to them, but why? 

Donald Trump is not smart enough to understand the value of vaccines; he just sees disinforming folks about vaccines as another way to sow chaos, his favorite activity next to insulting and blaming folks, but that’s another blog.  

Trump assumes he will be just fine, with or without vaccines, what’s the difference, after all, he is king, right?  When trump got COVID, he was given the newest drugs and treated immediately because he was president.  Most people didn't have access too those treatments and many died. Trump has no clue about that because he was and still is wrapped up in his pathetic personal world due to his dementia and lack of empathy for anyone.

RFK,Jr. and the rest of the ignoramuses in Trump’s regime definitely are useful to Trump. Their lies and chaos have been responsible for over a million deaths!  Lying about vaccines is part of their death count.  The far larger counts include:  destroying US AID which exposed millions of poor people around the world to a range of deadly diseases and removed vaccines and treatments from them; left millions with polluted water; stopped the desperately-needed food deliveries that eased starvation; participated with Israel by providing weapons used to kill close to 100,000 people in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, started a war with Iran where so far, thousands have been killed. 

As if that were not enough, immigrants of color have been rounded up and sent to concentration camp prisons (as Jewish, Roma, gay, and other people were by the Nazis before and during WWII).  Conditions in ICE concentration camp prisons are deadly (as intended).  Innocent hard-working immigrants who have been important members of our communities are, in addition to the concentration camps,  deported into dangerous situations from which they had fled, or into “third countries” where they have been imprisoned and threatened with deporting to the countries they originally fled.  Some have already died in this process, and diseases have sprung up among those who are imprisoned.

RFK,Jr., ignoramus that he is, symbolizes the utter depravity of the Trumpian regime.  I am disgusted that the regime proudly proclaims and wants to force on others their brand of Christianity while they do and espouse acts of appalling non-Christlike cruelty.  Yes, Hypocrisy is strong with these Trumplandians! 

Right now, voting is one thing We the People can do, every American citizen over age 18, to stop this hoard of EVIL.  Another is to get vaccinated for flu, COVID, and other preventable diseases.  There are signs that the Trumpian cult is stirring, maybe able to see that their Baby Donnie is no longer functioning and is probably not the person they vowed their loyalty to.  We’ll see if they are willing to remove the scales from their eyes for the sake of their children and others by having them properly vaccinated.  Could happen!  

COURAGE IS EVERYWHERE IF WE PAY ATTENTION

 

By Ruth A. Sheets

We do not effectively honor those who are courageous, but we cover the cowards with incredible fanfare.  We give attention nearly every day to those breaking the law and sometimes the consequences.  Trump's cowardly, illegal actions make the news, but somehow, can't publicly be called illegal, unconstitutional, or well, cowardly. 

We give a day here and there to honor courage as with the nation’s 9/11 commemorations earlier this month.  The media, though, just had to present Trump's lies about himself being at Ground Zero that day.  Because he couldn’t speak at the New York City commemoration, Trump spoke at the Pentagon’s where he rambled on with nothing of value to contribute to the event.  He just had to be front and center anyway.  That is not courage!

We are learning some lessons during Trumplandia II that we do need to act on/respond to. 

First:  there are many heroes in our nation, people willing to stand up for what is right, for our Constitution, for our people.  We should appreciate them and celebrate them more often.

Second:  Some people who faced with a disaster, will jump in to save others with no thought or expectation of honors, acknowledgement, even survival.  At the very least, those heroes should be honored for their courage, but not presented as though such heroic actions are so rare that they are hardly ever seen.

Third:  Many people have opportunities to be courageous, but choose not to be, because their current position is lucrative for themselves and taking a courageous position might interfere with that.  Others act anyway; that’s courage!

Fourth:  Heros and cowards both are examples for others.  It behooves us as a nation to promote the heroes as valuable neighbors, then lessen the influence of the cowards who can’t act for the good of anyone beyond themselves, the cowardice only mentioned in passing.  Each day, every newscast, radio, TV, and online, should present at least one positive/courageous action of someone or group in the community, doing something that has helped others, made the community better, stood up for people’s rights.

Fifth:  Being a judge with integrity in the age of Trump is difficult.  Having one's decisions mocked, constantly appealed, and threatened is stressful, and for no reason other than that a bunch of Trumpian lawyers have been hired by someone, probably the American people, to help make their Donald Trump a king and those cowardly lawyers wealthier and more powerful.  Those judges’ courage is amazing!

Sixth:  despite what many think, courage is not just for men in the military and sports.  Anyone can be courageous, even in small ways.  Nonviolent courage in standing against those who would do harm to others, take away people’s rights, and protest wrong actions of those in leadership is especially powerful. 

We really can do better.  We can work together, stand together today, to slow the cowardly actions of too many who capitulate to Trump's whining threats to harm anyone who does not bow to him and kiss whatever he offers to their smooch-prepared lips.  Here's to courage like that of Judge Talwani and the many others who have said "no" to an old man with dementia whose god complex has caused harm to far too many people here and abroad.

We all have within us the seeds of courage.  We the People must water those seeds and provide them with a nourishing soil in which to grow.  Significant coverage of our heroic people today and in our past can increase the chances for those precious seeds of courage to germinate in all of us, but particularly in our young people.  We need this courage now at least as much as at any time in our past, so let’s promote and nourish it and direct it toward peace, caring, love, and service.

THE AMERICAN GOD-KING

By Ruth A. Sheets

A commenter on Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack thread, Joel, talked about his many family connections between Canada and the US.  It is amazing and I am guessing he is not alone with such a tale.  The following is my response to his comment.  

Stories like your family's are the reason the US and Canada have been such strong friends, allies, and trade partners for so long.  Unfortunately, somehow some people of this nation were bamboozled into believing an ignorant toddler-man should be president of this nation and do it twice. 

Donald Trump, possibly enhanced by his dementia,  has a god complex and thinks whatever he wants he should get, and immediately!  Unfortunately, there are many who will respond and try to serve his wants, even if illegal.  They think what their god-king wants he should get. 

• If Trump doesn't like the path of a hurricane, get a Sharpie and change it on the map. 
• If he doesn't like the reflecting pool, destroy it and lie about who did it. 
• If he wants Greenland, just say it belongs to the United States. 
• If he wants Canada as the 51st state, just say it is and, well, it is. 
• If there are boats in waters off of South and Central America, assume they are carrying drugs and blow them out of the water, killing everyone on board. 
• If he wants foreign oil to be Trumpian oil, just send in a force to kill a bunch of people and kidnap the country's president and his wife. 
• If he wants to prove his manhood, attack Iran with his buddy BB Netanyahu and bomb a girl's school and whatever else his military minions can manage to bomb. 
• If he wants to change the names of major waters, just order it and he gets, Lake America and the Gulf of America and major map services, Google and Apple go right along with it.  Oh yes, he is working on getting New Mexico to become New America (Mexico and America must have a place next to each other in his brain, so he needs Mexico on every map to be “America.”.    
• If he wants ignoramuses to fill his cabinet and other posts, just threaten Republican members of the Senate and they will approve them  for him no matter what that does to the American people or to our nation. 
• IF he wants to pretend he didn't conduct an insurrection against this nation, give pardons to those who attacked the Capitol, injured over a hundred police officers, and threatened to kill the vice president and members of Congress if they could be found, he can, and call it “a love fest.” 
• If he wants to prove that he is totally in charge of the entire government, set a bunch of adolescent boys led by an adolescent man, Elon Musk, loose on our departments and agencies and let them as "DOGE" steal private information, fire people at will, leave people around the world DEFENSELESS against the diseases and hunger that are part of their lives, and call it anti-waste and fraud.
• If he wants to cause havoc, set tariffs against all the countries of the world to let them know who is god while lying  to the American people that those countries will pay the tariffs. 
• IF he is scared that his party might lose an election, just rig it in every way his minions can think of:  the SAVE Act which requires documents at the polling place that many Americans don't have and can't afford; make an illegal executive order that tells the Post Office that they should not allow to be mailed any ballots that states haven't given them Americans' private information for; get the Supreme Court to allow racial gerrymandering while claiming it isn't racial at all; tell the Supreme Roberts 6 to allow as much money into elections as anyone wants to "donate, particularly the richest oligarchs like Musk."
• If he decides his  racist misogynistic pig assistant, Steve Miller wants to deport immigrants of color   in large numbers, he can enhance a completely unnecessary intimidation tactical group, ICE and send them into communities to terrorize immigrants who have lived peacefully in this nation for decades and put them in concentration camp prisons or deport them to wherever they can be dumped off, even in countries where they are at risk or know nothing and don't speak the language, and do it on the taxpayer’s money, no problem. 

The question is, what are we Americans going to do about this god-king and his worshippers?  We have to decide pretty soon because the election is just around the corner, and he has every intention to rig the election, and told his worshippers so at his Trump-you-a-luza convention last week, even having them swear allegiance to himself.  All this sounds a lot like “treason” to me!

 

MAXIMUM INCOMPETENCE

By Ruth A. Sheets

In case we wanted to know what a few whiny bratty toddler-men could do to this nation if they got power, we got it!  I am thinking Trump and Hegseth see the war they started together as a video game war, where they say what they want to happen and it is supposed to happen.  They are both clinically narcissistic and either sociopathic or psychopathic, it is unclear which, because they show symptoms of both.

They fear women, people of color, LGBTQ persons, and anyone who doesn't agree with their utter stupidity.  They can't stand it that anyone thinks someone is smarter, more popular (at least well-known), getting more attention, or more attractive than they are.  Both have an enemies list rife with the names of heroes, innovators, journalists (mostly women), immigrants of color, Democrats, and actually, most of the rest of us too.  How anyone can see this as acceptable is beyond comprehension.  Yet, Republican Senators and some Democrats voted for every single fool that Trump and his nuts nominated for every government position the Senate must approve.  This is sabotage of our government. 

Democrats must get the word out in every speech at least briefly, describing the fools approved by their opponents and the harm that nominee has caused the American people.  There are lots to choose from.  The Senators all knew better and approved them anyway! 

Why would anyone vote for that?  They will if they are MAGAs who want desperately to believe whatever Donald Trump says.  He is their hero for reasons they can’t even verbalize; they just know he is.  Trump’s sycophantic gathering, Trumplandia works hard every day to keep those MAGA believers on board and as ignorant as possible of the truth.

The masters of Trumplandia hope the MAGA believers:

• will still repeat the nonsense that Trump was a good businessman; 
• Will believe the economic situation they are in now was Biden’s or Obama’s fault when it is purely Trump’s; 
• will keep working to figure out how the Iran war fiasco could be someone’s fault other than Trump’s and Hegseth’s; no luck so far, but they are trying; 
• will blame immigrants of color for most crimes and will ignore the fact that immigrants commit far fewer crimes than American citizens – racism rules;
• Will be on board with whatever ICE and Department of Homeland Security’s Markwayne Mullins can come up with to make life hell for innocent men, women, and children in the name of “making America safe again;.
• Will Display adoring fascination with the ability of Trump and his buddies to get away with outrageous lies and cheats , even when no lies should be necessary;

The Trumpian leadership (the cadre of Trump’s handlers):

• holds Republicans hostage to the supposed will of an old man who has no clue and treats the “president’s cabinet” like a bunch of toddlers who are learning how to lie and clap on cue;
• pretends Donald Trump is extremely healthy even though everyone can see his mental and physical decline:  Trump needs gilded signs around the white house and people whose job it is to see that Trump doesn’t get lost;
• treats the media and journalism as their private domain where they can get just the right kind of white boys and girls to say what they are told even if everyone involved in that media knows it is a lie;
• will act in ways that are clearly illegal or unconstitutional or both assuming they can get away with whatever they do, whomever they cheat, and they usually do;
• will court the autocrats around the world expecting them to help keep Trump and his incompetents in power.

Democrats need to look no further than the above to show voters what this nation is experiencing.  It will be hard because Trumplandia owns most of the well-known media and has learned that carefully worded little threats and insults can get those media to ignore events or interpret them in “just the right way.”

This Trumplandia crew is highly incompetent which is really a blessing because if they had more skill or gave a damn beyond the money and power they have been able to accumulate, we would be far worse off now than we actually are.  That doesn’t mean we should leave the ballfield to Trumplandia; it just means we have reason not to lose hope!

WAKE UP DEMOCRATS

 

By Ruth A. Sheets

I have noticed the Democratic Party’s current candidates are willing to acknowledge their Democratic opponents even if they lose to them in the primaries.  That is critical!  A lot of negativity has been coming from Republicans who think they can widen divisions among Democrats.  They want to make breaks between some of the Dems in leadership and the younger, but also, more progressive candidates.  The line is that those leaders are too scared of those coming along with new, powerful ideas. 

It seems though, money for some leaders is a major factor rather than an honest disparity among messages.  Minority Leaders Jeffries and Schumer filled a gap in the party after remarkable leaders stepped down.  The Party now needs something new, people who will lead into the challenges of stopping Trumplandia’s encroachment on our rights and most other aspects of our lives, even if the huge corporate money isn’t there for them. 

We need Democratic leaders to stand up with candidates who don't necessarily connect with the old Democratic agenda.  Maybe everyone can learn something from the newcomers and progressives, as well as support them in their campaigns, not undermine them, call names, and generally take on the Republican role.  Republican oligarchic money is doing a great job of undermining Democrats so Democrats don’t have to participate in it. 

We need a Democratic platform that all candidates can connect with and then add to as appropriate.  Here are a few planks for the platform I like:: 

• universal healthcare that everyone pays into and can use as needed;
• strong well-supported public schools, including Head Start;
• affordable housing for all;
• corporate, foreign,  and PAC money out of elections and every penny of every donation accounted for as to who donated it and how much;
• immigration reform which encourages a streamlined path to citizenship for DACA young people and anyone living in this country for 8 years or longer who has no criminal record and wants citizenship;
• abolish ICE and its cruel unjust, racist deportations (without American citizen family members, often to places where the deported folks don’t know the language and find themselves in war zones), and end concentration camp prisons (where innocent immigrants of color are held in appalling conditions, suffer and even die because the “guards’” and prison corporations’ cruelty has been unchecked);
• Absolutely no wars without strong congressional approval (at least 60 votes in the Senate and 250 in the House).  Acting alone by a president and cabinet is grounds for impeachment for the whole bunch at once;
• strong efforts to halt global warming with an extreme emphasis on renewable energy and  environmental restoration, including subsidies for EVs, solar panels, and other energy savers;
• bodily autonomy for all;
• severe limitations on executive privilege:  no firing government employees without just, non political cause; penalties for executive branch overreach as in destroying public properties without congressional permission and for good reason; no presidential gifts from foreign or domestic sources, nominees for all government positions with experience in the area of their nomination;
• judicial reform with justices having say, an 18 year term limit, a strong code of ethics at all judicial levels with consequences if broken, and increasing the number of justices on the Supreme Court with specific qualifications and approvals for nomination to all courts;
• protection for our public lands, national parks, and monuments;
• end tariffs and work to reestablish good relations with our allies and potential allies;
• restore aid programs around the world with support for effective medical research projects. 

These are a start.  I believe all Democrats can go along with them.  Each candidate should emphasize those that connect best for their town, district, or state and add to them.  Of course candidates must point out how the current administration has chosen cruelty and chooses to ignore our Constitution, rather than working for the American people, using specific examples, but emphasis should be on the above issues. 

Democrats must go on the offense rather than always trying to defend themselves from the lies and cuts of their Republican opponents.  These ideas could get Democratic candidates more attention and win us more victories.  Putting Democratic and Independent candidates in office at all levels who actually want something better for this nation can bring us closer toward establishing a "more perfect union."