One of the things that REALLY annoys me about the whole situation is how deliberately divisive opinions about Mr. Trump have become.
If you point out that while his actions are illegal, he's NOT going to be punished for them because Congress won't act, then you're an apologist and condoning his actions.
If you point out that his actions are illegal, and action NEEDS to be taken, but you call out for impossible punishments (arrest and imprisonment), then you're a fool.
There is no short term and quick solution to this mess.
And who, exactly, is going to enforce the judges' rulings? The AG? Don't make me laugh. Congress? Oh, no...my sides are hurting from laughing so hard.
There is no authority that can step in and stop him before the mid-term elections, unless Congress finally decides 'enough is enough' and takes action.
Don't hold your breath.
Instead, start working for 2026 and the mid-terms. And unless you go out and work the doors, make public speeches whenever possible, and find candidates you CAN and WILL work hard to support, you're not going to win. You also need to present a UNIFIED front. None of this 'socially correct purity' nonsense. Be happy with a candidate that you can agree with 70% of the time.
It beats having someone you disagree with 90% of the time. And who is committing illegal acts even as I type this, with the full knowledge that he is pretty much untouchable, LEGALLY.
And for the love of God...don't start wishing Le Grande Orange was dead. That's a very short road to disaster. We're NOT a third world nation, where leaders are disposed of on a moderately regular basis.
its true the courts don't have an army or device to impose physical compliance. but you may be short selling the value to trump of appearing to follow scotus. the business community, CEOs, coal and fossil fuel directors, and his entire donor base require legal stability for their profits to flow. no one will invest in an illegal system bc there's no protection for their investments. no one will build, hire, relocate, etc, but worse than that, trump would lose face. he's already defying the courts, but only to a small and (at least on fox) debatable degree. we'll see what happens when the contempt rulings are issued.
The courts may issue contempt of court rulings, but who will enforce them?
Again, unless some of Mr. Trump's backers take the Elon Musk superhighway, when they realize that their ally is not as reliable as they would wish, and then bring pressure on to Congress, nothing can be done.
No Federal Court can cite the President of the United States for contempt of court, because there is no penalty that they can legally issue or expect to have enforced.
They CAN turn the information over to Congress, and they can even suggest to Congress that an investigation into wrongdoing is needed. But Congress is the only body that can do anything.
You have no idea how much I appreciate a forum where civil discussion can take place.
The useful idiot continues to burn bridges. Tossing grenades behind him at almost every one he builds. Which seems to be part of the point. If he can discredit any of these principled judges... the rest will fall. No matter if he made the appointment. If they vote against him, speak against his ideas, accidentally bump into him at a deli counter... they are grenade targets. This includes the richest man on earth to whom he gave a giant gold key to the world and all of our data. Unless and until we take away this idiot's grenades, we will all end up under rubble. I am so grateful there are still a few freedom fighters left on the bench. And a few willing to speak truth to idiotic power. Thanks again Sabrina for sharing your brave clarity.
Since the role of the Office of the President is primarily administrative it makes sense that all candidates for the office be non-partisan and focused on the Administration of Laws as they exist, rather than be some befuddled radical trying to run a nation as if they were just another failing and flailing CEO. Until then, Sir can take that 'fiat' and park it up his...
I think we have an interesting situation here where Trump found that the courts, the judges, who he had hoped would be toadies for him didn't roll over for him as he expected them to do. He basically ignored the many major rulings that went against him. Then we had another intsitution, an institution of one person, who went against him and now he has gone berserk fighting back. That person is, of course, Elon Musk. "Trump and Musk's feud escalated, turns explosive online" is the chyron on MSNBC right now. Just saying...
that bit of fun exploded after I was halfway through these essays. was so hard not to look away and indulge! I'm guessing they'll lower the temperature soon bc both men have more to lose than gain from the breakup.
Check out my post from Daily Kos (I put a link on your Facebook page and below) about homosociality and also look at the comment section. (This got me a warning from Kos, I assume because someone flagged it as homophobic and Kos people were to lazy to read it or too ignorant to understand it). This relates to the Musk and Trump feud. Thom Hartmann began his Substack today "The alpha-male dick-measuring contest between Trump and Musk isn’t entertainment: it’s the inevitable outcome of America’s complete surrender to oligarchy." What happens when men like this fight it out to see who has the biggest, baddest, most boldacious dick? I am not so certain they will kiss and make up. Trump and Putin haven't been able to do it. Stay tuned... https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/7/21/1782293/-The-Term-Homosocial-Describes-Autocrat-Admiring-Misogynist-in-Chief-Trump-to-a-T
I know this is way off topic as far as your Substack goes but I ended up writing my Substack for tomorrow on the subject. It will be online Saturday morning and I'll put a link here when it is. I often wake up with no idea what I'm going to write about, though sometimes I think of something and write it the day before. That's what happened with my Substack today. Of course the Trump vs Musk feud is all over the news so I had to think of an original way to look at it. Here's a preview for special friends here and on BlueSky of what the top of the page will look like. I have an even better AI illustration at conclusion. https://bsky.app/profile/halmbrown.bsky.social/post/3lqxc4muw2s2r
Thanks for this factual update Sabrina. It seems that the courts are the sole bulwark to stand against his onslaught, with the added frosting of other world leaders who are not impressed by his bravado, and a few frills and thrills from internal quarrels. Ultimately, only the mid-term elections will do the job.
The quote from Leonard Leo is very revealing, Sabrina. It suggests that Trump really is just a useful idiot for many, which is why so many don't seem to care about his behaviour. They have got what they want from him. Many commentators on Russia warn that Putin is a moderate compared to some behind the scenes who could take over if Putin was assassinated or removed. Trump looks like he's running out of energy fast so just like Russia, you have to keep focused on who would take power if he was gone. Sounds crazy, but it could be worse.
I didn't put his exact quote, but my own interpretation. it's been consistent- they know trump's an idiot, but he's THEIR idiot. With Chevron and Dobbs they got more than anyone on the right could have hoped for. the only thing left is for the Roberts court to outlaw climate change mitigation, and there's a fair chance they will.
With tariffs Trump can be the center of attention, force concerned parties to pay Trump or his family some form of tribute, and, equally important, allow Trump to claim tariffs will pay for cutting taxes when all it will do is become more regressive taxation. All that and Trump will be able to be mean to people and countries he hates and profit from his hate.
my sense is that the tariffs are just another distraction while he plunders the till. I really think he's trying to devalue the US dollar to plump his bitcoin thievery. he'll be richer than Elon when he's done, and don jr. knows there's no paper trail for virtual money.
Data, anecdotes, personal biases: regrettably, too many MAGA (and sadly too many self-styled “progressives”) have reversed the order of evidentiary value.
It’s the Unscientific Method, aka the exalt of “lived experience”: a complete abandonment of Enlightenment values in favour of narcissism as political philosophy.
And it’s threatening to destroy centuries of progress based knowledge & intellectual integrity — neither equal progress for all, or even unequal but unexploitative progress, but progress that nonetheless led to a time at which a world-spanning collective consciousness held the promise of equitable progress.
Turns out a significant proportion of people in rich countries don’t like the downside of such equity, namely the perceived loss of power/privilege/opportunity, even if such progress were to come at no direct cost to themselves.
Wrecking the country isn’t the half of it! For 10 years he has deliberately worked to divide the American people through lying, calling names, deception and corruption like we’ve never witnessed here. With his name calling, belittling and atrocious behavior he has lowered the standards of professionalism. He is making criminality a norm - even treason! Confident the SCOTUS will cover him, he runs to them when the lower courts have done their job that he doesn’t agree with. Why is he not in jail? What are we to do - don’t give up, keep up protesting.
this won't last forever. if trump's tariffs are allowed to prevail, there will be enough economic pain to wake people the hell up. but frankly, a nation stupid enough to elect someone who tried to violently overthrow the government because he lost an election is probably not long for democracy anyway. stupid people have the same vote as everyone else, w no idea how the oligarchs are manipulating them through propaganda. I think it may be quite a while before we return to liberal order and the rule of law.
Cannot believe anything coming from Trump, Trumpian apologists, or the Trump Administration. AND if anyone thinks there will be a midterm election and NOT martial law can join me on Planet TommyN for a seance with the Ghost of Democracy PAST.
I'm glad to see judges begin exerting their legal knowledge and personal dignity. If Americans allow the Constitution to be the guiding light, this Trump experience will dissolve and come to an end. With a change in leadership, the mess Trump and his minions have created will be cleaned up, and sanity in governing will return. This is no time to celebrate Trump with a military parade. It would be a display of his bullying force to intimidate his opponents. Every democrat, from small-town officials to U.S. senators, should assemble in the path of the parade and stop it. It will be a moment for real leadership, and the people will follow. To do nothing would establish Trump as king by default to the joy of his followers. Remember, we're dealing with a demented narcissist. It will be an act of peaceful resistance.
No gratitude from the wicked. And, one cannot believe he's "learning" that he's a "useful idiot... from both Putin and Xi..." There must be something scandalous behind his enthrallment to Russia, and his appointment of so many with ties to and fondness for Putin. Nothing else makes any sense!
One of the things that REALLY annoys me about the whole situation is how deliberately divisive opinions about Mr. Trump have become.
If you point out that while his actions are illegal, he's NOT going to be punished for them because Congress won't act, then you're an apologist and condoning his actions.
If you point out that his actions are illegal, and action NEEDS to be taken, but you call out for impossible punishments (arrest and imprisonment), then you're a fool.
There is no short term and quick solution to this mess.
And who, exactly, is going to enforce the judges' rulings? The AG? Don't make me laugh. Congress? Oh, no...my sides are hurting from laughing so hard.
There is no authority that can step in and stop him before the mid-term elections, unless Congress finally decides 'enough is enough' and takes action.
Don't hold your breath.
Instead, start working for 2026 and the mid-terms. And unless you go out and work the doors, make public speeches whenever possible, and find candidates you CAN and WILL work hard to support, you're not going to win. You also need to present a UNIFIED front. None of this 'socially correct purity' nonsense. Be happy with a candidate that you can agree with 70% of the time.
It beats having someone you disagree with 90% of the time. And who is committing illegal acts even as I type this, with the full knowledge that he is pretty much untouchable, LEGALLY.
And for the love of God...don't start wishing Le Grande Orange was dead. That's a very short road to disaster. We're NOT a third world nation, where leaders are disposed of on a moderately regular basis.
its true the courts don't have an army or device to impose physical compliance. but you may be short selling the value to trump of appearing to follow scotus. the business community, CEOs, coal and fossil fuel directors, and his entire donor base require legal stability for their profits to flow. no one will invest in an illegal system bc there's no protection for their investments. no one will build, hire, relocate, etc, but worse than that, trump would lose face. he's already defying the courts, but only to a small and (at least on fox) debatable degree. we'll see what happens when the contempt rulings are issued.
The courts may issue contempt of court rulings, but who will enforce them?
Again, unless some of Mr. Trump's backers take the Elon Musk superhighway, when they realize that their ally is not as reliable as they would wish, and then bring pressure on to Congress, nothing can be done.
No Federal Court can cite the President of the United States for contempt of court, because there is no penalty that they can legally issue or expect to have enforced.
They CAN turn the information over to Congress, and they can even suggest to Congress that an investigation into wrongdoing is needed. But Congress is the only body that can do anything.
You have no idea how much I appreciate a forum where civil discussion can take place.
The useful idiot continues to burn bridges. Tossing grenades behind him at almost every one he builds. Which seems to be part of the point. If he can discredit any of these principled judges... the rest will fall. No matter if he made the appointment. If they vote against him, speak against his ideas, accidentally bump into him at a deli counter... they are grenade targets. This includes the richest man on earth to whom he gave a giant gold key to the world and all of our data. Unless and until we take away this idiot's grenades, we will all end up under rubble. I am so grateful there are still a few freedom fighters left on the bench. And a few willing to speak truth to idiotic power. Thanks again Sabrina for sharing your brave clarity.
Since the role of the Office of the President is primarily administrative it makes sense that all candidates for the office be non-partisan and focused on the Administration of Laws as they exist, rather than be some befuddled radical trying to run a nation as if they were just another failing and flailing CEO. Until then, Sir can take that 'fiat' and park it up his...
I think we have an interesting situation here where Trump found that the courts, the judges, who he had hoped would be toadies for him didn't roll over for him as he expected them to do. He basically ignored the many major rulings that went against him. Then we had another intsitution, an institution of one person, who went against him and now he has gone berserk fighting back. That person is, of course, Elon Musk. "Trump and Musk's feud escalated, turns explosive online" is the chyron on MSNBC right now. Just saying...
that bit of fun exploded after I was halfway through these essays. was so hard not to look away and indulge! I'm guessing they'll lower the temperature soon bc both men have more to lose than gain from the breakup.
Check out my post from Daily Kos (I put a link on your Facebook page and below) about homosociality and also look at the comment section. (This got me a warning from Kos, I assume because someone flagged it as homophobic and Kos people were to lazy to read it or too ignorant to understand it). This relates to the Musk and Trump feud. Thom Hartmann began his Substack today "The alpha-male dick-measuring contest between Trump and Musk isn’t entertainment: it’s the inevitable outcome of America’s complete surrender to oligarchy." What happens when men like this fight it out to see who has the biggest, baddest, most boldacious dick? I am not so certain they will kiss and make up. Trump and Putin haven't been able to do it. Stay tuned... https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/7/21/1782293/-The-Term-Homosocial-Describes-Autocrat-Admiring-Misogynist-in-Chief-Trump-to-a-T
I know this is way off topic as far as your Substack goes but I ended up writing my Substack for tomorrow on the subject. It will be online Saturday morning and I'll put a link here when it is. I often wake up with no idea what I'm going to write about, though sometimes I think of something and write it the day before. That's what happened with my Substack today. Of course the Trump vs Musk feud is all over the news so I had to think of an original way to look at it. Here's a preview for special friends here and on BlueSky of what the top of the page will look like. I have an even better AI illustration at conclusion. https://bsky.app/profile/halmbrown.bsky.social/post/3lqxc4muw2s2r
Thanks for this factual update Sabrina. It seems that the courts are the sole bulwark to stand against his onslaught, with the added frosting of other world leaders who are not impressed by his bravado, and a few frills and thrills from internal quarrels. Ultimately, only the mid-term elections will do the job.
There are a number of devils with whom trump and his base have chosen to dance. The match is being lit. Let's see what and who catches fire.
The quote from Leonard Leo is very revealing, Sabrina. It suggests that Trump really is just a useful idiot for many, which is why so many don't seem to care about his behaviour. They have got what they want from him. Many commentators on Russia warn that Putin is a moderate compared to some behind the scenes who could take over if Putin was assassinated or removed. Trump looks like he's running out of energy fast so just like Russia, you have to keep focused on who would take power if he was gone. Sounds crazy, but it could be worse.
I didn't put his exact quote, but my own interpretation. it's been consistent- they know trump's an idiot, but he's THEIR idiot. With Chevron and Dobbs they got more than anyone on the right could have hoped for. the only thing left is for the Roberts court to outlaw climate change mitigation, and there's a fair chance they will.
Then we will be doomed and don't forget the open slather on AI.
With tariffs Trump can be the center of attention, force concerned parties to pay Trump or his family some form of tribute, and, equally important, allow Trump to claim tariffs will pay for cutting taxes when all it will do is become more regressive taxation. All that and Trump will be able to be mean to people and countries he hates and profit from his hate.
my sense is that the tariffs are just another distraction while he plunders the till. I really think he's trying to devalue the US dollar to plump his bitcoin thievery. he'll be richer than Elon when he's done, and don jr. knows there's no paper trail for virtual money.
Data, anecdotes, personal biases: regrettably, too many MAGA (and sadly too many self-styled “progressives”) have reversed the order of evidentiary value.
It’s the Unscientific Method, aka the exalt of “lived experience”: a complete abandonment of Enlightenment values in favour of narcissism as political philosophy.
And it’s threatening to destroy centuries of progress based knowledge & intellectual integrity — neither equal progress for all, or even unequal but unexploitative progress, but progress that nonetheless led to a time at which a world-spanning collective consciousness held the promise of equitable progress.
Turns out a significant proportion of people in rich countries don’t like the downside of such equity, namely the perceived loss of power/privilege/opportunity, even if such progress were to come at no direct cost to themselves.
agreed and of course. if all men were altruistic we wouldn't need any laws.
Second time today Bruce Schneier’s Liars & Outliers seem apt …
Wrecking the country isn’t the half of it! For 10 years he has deliberately worked to divide the American people through lying, calling names, deception and corruption like we’ve never witnessed here. With his name calling, belittling and atrocious behavior he has lowered the standards of professionalism. He is making criminality a norm - even treason! Confident the SCOTUS will cover him, he runs to them when the lower courts have done their job that he doesn’t agree with. Why is he not in jail? What are we to do - don’t give up, keep up protesting.
this won't last forever. if trump's tariffs are allowed to prevail, there will be enough economic pain to wake people the hell up. but frankly, a nation stupid enough to elect someone who tried to violently overthrow the government because he lost an election is probably not long for democracy anyway. stupid people have the same vote as everyone else, w no idea how the oligarchs are manipulating them through propaganda. I think it may be quite a while before we return to liberal order and the rule of law.
🙏 Join with me in Intercessory Prayer that soon the Tertiary Syphilis will claim the Tippy Tip of Sir's already compromised nose. 🙏
Cannot believe anything coming from Trump, Trumpian apologists, or the Trump Administration. AND if anyone thinks there will be a midterm election and NOT martial law can join me on Planet TommyN for a seance with the Ghost of Democracy PAST.
TN
Thank you for laying it out in plain terms. That helps when there is a flurry of bad deeds, a new one or more every day.
I'm glad to see judges begin exerting their legal knowledge and personal dignity. If Americans allow the Constitution to be the guiding light, this Trump experience will dissolve and come to an end. With a change in leadership, the mess Trump and his minions have created will be cleaned up, and sanity in governing will return. This is no time to celebrate Trump with a military parade. It would be a display of his bullying force to intimidate his opponents. Every democrat, from small-town officials to U.S. senators, should assemble in the path of the parade and stop it. It will be a moment for real leadership, and the people will follow. To do nothing would establish Trump as king by default to the joy of his followers. Remember, we're dealing with a demented narcissist. It will be an act of peaceful resistance.
No gratitude from the wicked. And, one cannot believe he's "learning" that he's a "useful idiot... from both Putin and Xi..." There must be something scandalous behind his enthrallment to Russia, and his appointment of so many with ties to and fondness for Putin. Nothing else makes any sense!
agreed. he even attacked Zelensky for last week's brilliant drone attack wiping out 40 Russian bombers. its treason.