The centralization of power and the destruction of liberal democracy was underway well before the election, unleashing Trump's corruption and crime. Have Americans learned the cost of this mistake?
The quiet man who stands at the back of the room is often the most dangerous. That is Russell Vought. He is the definition of an ideologue who is blinded by the white supremacist, Christian Nationalist ideology of the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. He is about as anti-American as they come.
Article II, Section 4 should be invoked for "... High Crimes and Misdemeanors." The entire regime is guilty of failure to uphold their oath to the Constitution and attempting to overthrow our government and the Rule of Law.
The same should also be said for the blatant violation of the Constitution by the six radical members of the Supreme Court. If Impeachment is possible, then it should be done.
Thanks Steve. Including yourself, there are many more who have warned the American people for Trumps plans but somehow these messages did not really land clearly with the majority of people.......they could not translate for themselves how that would affect their personal lives and lets not forget....most Americans did and still do very well on a global scale... for them this was merely political talk to win power.......Even more importantly, the GOP/MAGA/Trump strategy was to simply deny all of these allegations, which even strengthened the people's feeling this was all political smoke....... and most astonishingly, now it is quite clear that they have been mislead and lied to by GOP, MAGA and Trump; there is hardly any outrage, not even at the continuous misleading of the American people by for example the Speaker of the House.... because it has not affected the large majority that much so far.... yeah the fuel prices....well that is Iran to blame for ... It is not until a large part of the American people start to become uncomfortable in their daily life because of Trump policies and actions that much wider resistance will grow into a big force......
I cannot help but think that SCOTUS is compromised by Heritage Foundation. May our voices be heard loudly this November election and that the voices will hold fast.
“The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims, have been born of earnest struggle….It must do this or it does nothing. If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters." - Frederick Douglass
Attempts to destroy or undermine liberal democracy were underway well before Trump was elected the first time. What you may be underestimating is the role of economic power -- Big Money, corporations, billionaires, etc. -- in all this. Consider the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United (2010), basically saying that corporations are people too. That was a 5–4 decision, and it came down six years before Trump was elected the first time, and before Trump (with a huge assist from Mitch McConnell) added Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett to the Court.
Economic power isn't one of the three branches of government, so it works hard to control them. At the moment it has a trifecta, but it's not working out well because Trump is a frail vessel and the congressional Republicans are as hapless a crew as any ever elected to public office. Far-right ideologues never had the votes to elect anyone to anything, so for decades they've harnessed the power of white racism, fear of "modernity," and whatever else they could. Even that is starting to fall away.
How do we get out of this mess? Good question, but I wouldn't dismiss "centralization of power" as one of the tools at hand. The FDR administration's centralizing of power got us out of the Depression -- and economic power *hated it* every step of the way. They got their own back with Reagan, and whaddya know, they've crashed the economy again and taken a sledgehammer to democratic institutions.
Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote in the opinion of the “United States v. Nixon”, 418 U.S. 683 (1974) case that involved the Nixon tapes.
“Neither the doctrine of separation of powers nor the generalized need for confidentiality of high-level communications, without more, can sustain an absolute, unqualified Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances.”
Burger concluded that "when the ground for asserting privilege as to subpoenaed materials sought for use in a criminal trial is based only on the generalized interest in confidentiality, it cannot prevail over the fundamental demands of due process of law in the fair administration of criminal justice."
A long way has come from 1974 to this time in our history.
Find Lord Acton and Arsistotle words are so much more relevant in these times…
“Despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.” ~ Lord Acton.
“For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all." - Aristotle.
As with you, see that our task is never to look away, and that we will never comply. Yes, in 126 days, on November 3, we have such an incredible ability to do so much. When we vote, we all have an opportunity of a Plebiscite. A decree of the people, to emphasize a sweeping show of our national will that this regime will change be annexed. What comes next is the righting of laws in our nations history and to show the world that as Americans we recall our history. That no one is above the law and this country will never have a King or his loyal court of players….
How are we going to bring attention to all of this when almost half the country is not getting the facts or believes that this is not true or, worse still, thinks that it would be ‘fun’ to have a dictator. Why be bothered by all those pesky decisions of war and peace when you can have someone at the helm who can make them with or without your consent? It would make Congress’ job SO much easier if it didn’t have to fret over details like laws and statutes and confirmations. The Supreme Court just needs a nod from the White House to make up stuff that sounds like decisions based on the Constitution, but really isn’t. Bend the law, just this once and call yourself an “Originalist’. Let Trump and Steven Miller, the shadow president, decide whether or not to hold elections and if so, who can vote and how. Easy-peasy.
We can wave our flags and eat our hot dogs this Fourth of July…and in future, close our windows and doors and computer screens against 1984-style “anti-patriot” surveillance from our neighbors and the government. We can easily accommodate the new American programming on all streaming networks. Reminds me of a line from “Citizen Kane”…”I think it would be fun to run a newspaper.” We can hide our religious preferences if they are not Christian in nature. We will not be afforded the luxury of wincing every time we see Trump’s image plastered on everything in the public eye, created as a tribute to his glory. What does it matter that our taxes are being misused and that our fellow Americans are suffering?
What kind of country will remain? Certainly not a democratic one, but again, a large portion of the country thinks that’s just fine. They don’t want to get their hands dirty with a democratic process. But we’ll see what actually happens when our elections are cancelled and democracy closes up shop. I guarantee that the reality will not match the fantasy, but for a few extremists like Russell Voigt and Peter Thiel. If you’re a naturalized citizen like my husband, you’d better run for cover. It won’t be pretty. If you’re gay or not ‘white’, you’re on borrowed time. If you’re a woman, have your tubes tied before it is too late and you have a miscarriage and are prosecuted for it.
Bleak picture? Too bleak? Maybe so. But this Fourth of July, I will be in mourning for what we could have had…and thinking about how we hold the line against the encroaching Orwellian nightmare. I will not be celebrating like a trained seal. I’m turning my attention to all the history I may have forgotten and figuring out how to develop a spirit of independence. The crack in the silent Liberty Bell is speaking to me, loud and clear.
Part of me wishes you were still teaching Ethical Journalism- as if you had time, but you would be offering important ethical shaping of young journalists’s minds. You have a gift.
…
This should have a flashing banner:
“WARNING HERITAGE FOUNDATION”
As frightening and painful as it is to read about this, again, Steven, I am deeply deeply grateful you again succinctly and thoroughly addressed the “brazen” actions perpetrated by the villainous collection of anti Democracy and - yes racially biased Heritage Foundation - funded also by many unknown entities - in fact - perhaps also by foreign interests bent on forever altering our systems to benefit only their existence and their selfish philosophies.
I’ve been looking: The numbers of systems altered already are staggering.
The Supreme Court decision an invitation to “Come on presidents, commit crime” decision devastating
It was your article then (2023) that introduced me to the Heritage Foundation. And I’ve since spent time learning more and more about it - soulfully and intellectually stunned it is not a constant topic in the news or from on our officials.
I too am horrified the legacy media is basically mute when in fact as you say this should be consistent topic of warning.
Recently, at a long social gathering politics eventually was discussed and zi gently just asked if anyone knew what the Heritage Foundation is and is doing.
My little group of educated working professionals knew nothing. It was a party. Perhaps I was remiss in not delineating the disastrous dismantling underway. I do write about it.
I’m uncertain of the most effective way of thwarting the Heritage Foundation’s progress - unless we can unmask who funds them, but of course more crucial is taking back our country - in as you remind us, in 126 days.
The quiet man who stands at the back of the room is often the most dangerous. That is Russell Vought. He is the definition of an ideologue who is blinded by the white supremacist, Christian Nationalist ideology of the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. He is about as anti-American as they come.
Article II, Section 4 should be invoked for "... High Crimes and Misdemeanors." The entire regime is guilty of failure to uphold their oath to the Constitution and attempting to overthrow our government and the Rule of Law.
The same should also be said for the blatant violation of the Constitution by the six radical members of the Supreme Court. If Impeachment is possible, then it should be done.
Thanks Steve. Including yourself, there are many more who have warned the American people for Trumps plans but somehow these messages did not really land clearly with the majority of people.......they could not translate for themselves how that would affect their personal lives and lets not forget....most Americans did and still do very well on a global scale... for them this was merely political talk to win power.......Even more importantly, the GOP/MAGA/Trump strategy was to simply deny all of these allegations, which even strengthened the people's feeling this was all political smoke....... and most astonishingly, now it is quite clear that they have been mislead and lied to by GOP, MAGA and Trump; there is hardly any outrage, not even at the continuous misleading of the American people by for example the Speaker of the House.... because it has not affected the large majority that much so far.... yeah the fuel prices....well that is Iran to blame for ... It is not until a large part of the American people start to become uncomfortable in their daily life because of Trump policies and actions that much wider resistance will grow into a big force......
I cannot help but think that SCOTUS is compromised by Heritage Foundation. May our voices be heard loudly this November election and that the voices will hold fast.
“The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims, have been born of earnest struggle….It must do this or it does nothing. If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters." - Frederick Douglass
Attempts to destroy or undermine liberal democracy were underway well before Trump was elected the first time. What you may be underestimating is the role of economic power -- Big Money, corporations, billionaires, etc. -- in all this. Consider the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United (2010), basically saying that corporations are people too. That was a 5–4 decision, and it came down six years before Trump was elected the first time, and before Trump (with a huge assist from Mitch McConnell) added Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett to the Court.
Economic power isn't one of the three branches of government, so it works hard to control them. At the moment it has a trifecta, but it's not working out well because Trump is a frail vessel and the congressional Republicans are as hapless a crew as any ever elected to public office. Far-right ideologues never had the votes to elect anyone to anything, so for decades they've harnessed the power of white racism, fear of "modernity," and whatever else they could. Even that is starting to fall away.
How do we get out of this mess? Good question, but I wouldn't dismiss "centralization of power" as one of the tools at hand. The FDR administration's centralizing of power got us out of the Depression -- and economic power *hated it* every step of the way. They got their own back with Reagan, and whaddya know, they've crashed the economy again and taken a sledgehammer to democratic institutions.
Yup, plenty of others who contributed to this.
Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote in the opinion of the “United States v. Nixon”, 418 U.S. 683 (1974) case that involved the Nixon tapes.
“Neither the doctrine of separation of powers nor the generalized need for confidentiality of high-level communications, without more, can sustain an absolute, unqualified Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances.”
Burger concluded that "when the ground for asserting privilege as to subpoenaed materials sought for use in a criminal trial is based only on the generalized interest in confidentiality, it cannot prevail over the fundamental demands of due process of law in the fair administration of criminal justice."
A long way has come from 1974 to this time in our history.
Find Lord Acton and Arsistotle words are so much more relevant in these times…
“Despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.” ~ Lord Acton.
“For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all." - Aristotle.
As with you, see that our task is never to look away, and that we will never comply. Yes, in 126 days, on November 3, we have such an incredible ability to do so much. When we vote, we all have an opportunity of a Plebiscite. A decree of the people, to emphasize a sweeping show of our national will that this regime will change be annexed. What comes next is the righting of laws in our nations history and to show the world that as Americans we recall our history. That no one is above the law and this country will never have a King or his loyal court of players….
How are we going to bring attention to all of this when almost half the country is not getting the facts or believes that this is not true or, worse still, thinks that it would be ‘fun’ to have a dictator. Why be bothered by all those pesky decisions of war and peace when you can have someone at the helm who can make them with or without your consent? It would make Congress’ job SO much easier if it didn’t have to fret over details like laws and statutes and confirmations. The Supreme Court just needs a nod from the White House to make up stuff that sounds like decisions based on the Constitution, but really isn’t. Bend the law, just this once and call yourself an “Originalist’. Let Trump and Steven Miller, the shadow president, decide whether or not to hold elections and if so, who can vote and how. Easy-peasy.
We can wave our flags and eat our hot dogs this Fourth of July…and in future, close our windows and doors and computer screens against 1984-style “anti-patriot” surveillance from our neighbors and the government. We can easily accommodate the new American programming on all streaming networks. Reminds me of a line from “Citizen Kane”…”I think it would be fun to run a newspaper.” We can hide our religious preferences if they are not Christian in nature. We will not be afforded the luxury of wincing every time we see Trump’s image plastered on everything in the public eye, created as a tribute to his glory. What does it matter that our taxes are being misused and that our fellow Americans are suffering?
What kind of country will remain? Certainly not a democratic one, but again, a large portion of the country thinks that’s just fine. They don’t want to get their hands dirty with a democratic process. But we’ll see what actually happens when our elections are cancelled and democracy closes up shop. I guarantee that the reality will not match the fantasy, but for a few extremists like Russell Voigt and Peter Thiel. If you’re a naturalized citizen like my husband, you’d better run for cover. It won’t be pretty. If you’re gay or not ‘white’, you’re on borrowed time. If you’re a woman, have your tubes tied before it is too late and you have a miscarriage and are prosecuted for it.
Bleak picture? Too bleak? Maybe so. But this Fourth of July, I will be in mourning for what we could have had…and thinking about how we hold the line against the encroaching Orwellian nightmare. I will not be celebrating like a trained seal. I’m turning my attention to all the history I may have forgotten and figuring out how to develop a spirit of independence. The crack in the silent Liberty Bell is speaking to me, loud and clear.
I study your articles.
I copy excerpts to study later too.
Part of me wishes you were still teaching Ethical Journalism- as if you had time, but you would be offering important ethical shaping of young journalists’s minds. You have a gift.
…
This should have a flashing banner:
“WARNING HERITAGE FOUNDATION”
As frightening and painful as it is to read about this, again, Steven, I am deeply deeply grateful you again succinctly and thoroughly addressed the “brazen” actions perpetrated by the villainous collection of anti Democracy and - yes racially biased Heritage Foundation - funded also by many unknown entities - in fact - perhaps also by foreign interests bent on forever altering our systems to benefit only their existence and their selfish philosophies.
I’ve been looking: The numbers of systems altered already are staggering.
The Supreme Court decision an invitation to “Come on presidents, commit crime” decision devastating
It was your article then (2023) that introduced me to the Heritage Foundation. And I’ve since spent time learning more and more about it - soulfully and intellectually stunned it is not a constant topic in the news or from on our officials.
I too am horrified the legacy media is basically mute when in fact as you say this should be consistent topic of warning.
Recently, at a long social gathering politics eventually was discussed and zi gently just asked if anyone knew what the Heritage Foundation is and is doing.
My little group of educated working professionals knew nothing. It was a party. Perhaps I was remiss in not delineating the disastrous dismantling underway. I do write about it.
I’m uncertain of the most effective way of thwarting the Heritage Foundation’s progress - unless we can unmask who funds them, but of course more crucial is taking back our country - in as you remind us, in 126 days.
Thank you for your dedication
💙🇺🇸💙
Have you considered that the elections will be targeted if in fact there will even be elections.
There will be elections. They are run by the states. But we can expect interference.