Revisiting nine facts that show what Trump can’t take from us. We are still Americans. We are still human. And we must not allow his deranged, dictatorial regime to decide our collective fate.
I don't know about all of you, the Substack Faithful, but I'm "feeling", after almost 2 years of pulling our collective hair out, we've reached a wonderful tipping point in Trump's reign of terror.
The man is finished. The man is TOAST. He's Trump Toast, the greatest toast. And he's bringing MAGA and the indistinguishable GOP with him. RIP MAGA GOP.
The polls are insurmountably against you.
Voter registration is wildly against you.
Hispanics and young voters are against you.
The odds makers say you're facing historic losses.
Even mild mannered Charlie Cook says "you're Cooked".
The Courts keep stopping your blatant efforts to subvert mail in voting.
Every day the media reports your lies about the economy, affordability, deportations and healthcare.
The Sword of Damocles is pointing right at your head.
We the People are speaking loud and clear. We love our country, as defined by our Constitution, not as defined by a cabal of Uber rich oligarchs and their snake oil salesman lying leader who's motto is "the buck stops anywhere but here".
We will persist right through Nov 6 and beyond until our current pestilence is "history".
They can rest in Hell, in a planet far, far away or under the rocks they slithered out of. As long as they stay away from our democratic government and our march towards a more just society for all Americans.
Believing that Trump is becoming powerless is powerful in and of itself. I’m not talking about self-delusion. I’m talking about acting in concrete ways to further democratic aims that will benefit each of us individually and all of us collectively. People talk a lot these days about having ‘faith’. Faith is action, which is why it can be so powerful when harnessed in positive ways. My rabbi says, when I tell her I am attending a protest, “You’re praying with your feet.” Let’s continue to pray with our feet and our minds and hearts and souls. Let’s relight the flame of freedom no matter the outward circumstance. One candle is enough, because one candle is one light more. The hour may be late, but this I cannot ignore nor forget. “Yes, We Can…Let’s Go.”
Thanks, Steven: I was one who took things for granted, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. The one and only thing Trump did for me was to wake me out of my slumber. He has awoken the masses, and if all goes well, it will show up at the midterms. It's like he has prodded a sleeping giant, and that giant is going to crush him. Thanks God for independent media. I often wonder what it would be like without these sources of truth.
He can’t steal our joy. We need to laugh and enjoy special things in our lives. Births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and events that give us joy are still around, we don’t have to look far to find them.
A beautiful sunrise or sunset, the children learning to walk, family, music; all of these things can cushion the excesses of the regime, but he does not “rule” me!
“Are we really going to let this pathetic guy decide our fate? I don’t think so.”
Steven, I love the fact that you don’t mince words, but this sums it up. Trump is a pathetic excuse for a human being and the less we acquiesce to his loser regime the better.
Thank you, Steven Beschloss for again and always writing and showing us that all is not lost. I get more depressed by the day seeing what this madman is doing to America and to our friends, allies who are not laughing at us, but tuning us out. The harm and evil he's done will outlive him by decades. But as you say, we DO have to look at what we CAN and MUST do to get over this crime wave of haters - I have never felt hate at anyone like I do at these criminals. But we must keep on living in the present, knowing that we have a better future. If we don't believe that, HE and his pals win. We CANNOT let them win!
While the tide across the US appears to be turning back toward democracy, there are outside influences in our country and in our elections that none of us can control and most do not acknowledge.
Russian operatives reportedly began cultivating Donald Trump three to four decades ago. It began in 1987. After developing a detailed personality profile, the KGB allegedly identified his fixation on wealth and vulnerability to attention from attractive women before investing in the relationship. They dangled the possibility of Trump building a Trump Tower in Moscow and set him up with KGB-trained prostitutes. Every hotel room in Russia where a foreigner stays has cameras. Every driver of a foreigner in Moscow speaks English and often record conversations in their back seats. He was taken to the Beverly Hills nightclub and casino, where underage prostitution was offered. Photos were taken. They discovered that Trump was easily trapped and then bribed.
More than 30 years ago, the Russians recognized Trump as an ideal U.S. president to advance their plan to weaken their enemy from within – and he has. Trump’s personal wealth has increased by $2.2 Billion in the last 18 months. He did not do this alone. At the same time, many Americans can no longer afford groceries or gas.
Putin knew that USAID gathered political and government information from 130 countries through quarterly contractor reports. I led these programs and oversaw the reports. Closing USAID also weakened the ICA while a genocide, reportedly responsible for more than 22 million deaths in Africa, was being carried out.
Trump continues the Iran War at a daily cost of $2 billion to U.S. taxpayers, while the latest peace agreement requires the United States to spend more than $300 billion rebuilding Iran’s infrastructure. During the war, he lifted sanctions on Russian oil and gas and, at Putin’s request, agreed to remove Venezuela’s president—a move that increased Trump’s personal wealth. He also acceded to Putin’s demands to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, Libya, and Germany and halted military exercises after Putin called for removing U.S. troops and weapons from South Korea. Putin seeks NATO’s dissolution, and Trump has opposed the alliance since early 2016; the United States has also stopped providing weapons and funding to Ukraine. And Russian Organized Crime in the United States generates over $3 Billion annually from Russian drug distribution and gambling. This black cash is then “legalized” through cash sales of Trump condos worldwide, with Trump receiving a fee.
Putin’s strategies are quietly reshaping American politics, and he is succeeding. Ultimately, Putin wants Trump in the White House so he can influence events both globally and within the United States. This powerful network will do whatever it takes to help Trump keep winning elections and remain influential in U.S. politics.
This critical, overlooked threat continues to unfold in the United States, largely unnotices by the media and the public.
We need to stop tax money from getting into his destructive grip. Congress should pass a statute making sure he has no power of the purse. They also should declare means of no entanglements with other countries without Congressional approval. Congress also needs to set a schedule for the people and remain in D.C. for accountability. Because their income is over the limit of free and reduced lunch guidelines, they should not get a food or any other additional allowance to do their job.
Steven…In regards to, “Our fate not being up to trump”! I’ve always considered you a generally positive, sensible, forward thinking individual.* That said, today’s Piece seems “desperate” in its message…”What Dump can or can’t do”! What I’m truly concerned with is what the “dump” can do…is doing! Which is basically demoralizing Americans impacting a very large majority of us! What do you think will happen if he actually is allowed to disrupt the Midterm elections? To say absolutely nothing of what’s going to happen to Americans trying to deal with increasing costs for the fundamental essentials, Food, Shelter, Heat and Gasoline? For example, here in the Northeast my Home Heating Oil dealer is all ready charging 40+% more a gallon…that’s from Summer to early September! At my last Gasoline fill-up I paid $4.19 for a Gallon…same thing at the Food Market…one item that was $1.79 is now $3.00! I put it back!!! The SS checks can’t stretch that far…another sore spot as “dump” is threatening to cut back there as well!
I get your thinking. FYI...this was written two months after inauguration when people were feeling terribly powerless. The point of view was a response to that.
Above all, may we remember that Trump didn't come out of nowhere. The U.S., aka "we," have been headed in this direction at least since the Reagan administration, for which the groundwork was laid by Nixon's "Southern Strategy." But the history-conscious among us can see much deeper roots, for instance, the "America First" movement between the two world wars (look up Charles Lindbergh for some background), and the run-amok capitalism of the 1920s that crashed the world economy and started the Great Depression. Then go back to the late 19th century, when run-amok capitalism caused crash after crash, depression after depression, before Congress got its act together and passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890.
Short version (aka "rinse and repeat"!): Democracy needs to rein in capitalism and keep it under control or Bad Things Happen.
Trump is done for, you say. I'm grateful you didn't ask us to select one of your "What Trump Can't Do" assurances. Even if we were able to select "All of the above" it wouldn't match the feelings of disgust, anger, and disappointment we feel about Trump, his enablers, and our own Democratic party. Why shouldn't Trump be gone now? Are there an landmarks he hasn't mauled? Any countries he hasn't threatened? Any desparate immigrants he hasn't sent to prison camps? What will it take for all human beings to agree Trump is deranged, dangerous, and deadly for any future we hope to inhabit. Steven, while I appreciate your optimism, wake me when he's truly gone.
This:,”He can’t steal what is making us Human.”👏💙🇺🇸
Beautifully beautifully articulated… the whole list… inspiring..needed..
Excerpt:
“At the top of my list:
Accountability for the widespread corruption and criminality—that means investigations and prosecutions—as a necessary step to re-establishing ethics and the rule of law, rebuilding our democracy and reawakening our confidence in our shared future”
I don't know about all of you, the Substack Faithful, but I'm "feeling", after almost 2 years of pulling our collective hair out, we've reached a wonderful tipping point in Trump's reign of terror.
The man is finished. The man is TOAST. He's Trump Toast, the greatest toast. And he's bringing MAGA and the indistinguishable GOP with him. RIP MAGA GOP.
The polls are insurmountably against you.
Voter registration is wildly against you.
Hispanics and young voters are against you.
The odds makers say you're facing historic losses.
Even mild mannered Charlie Cook says "you're Cooked".
The Courts keep stopping your blatant efforts to subvert mail in voting.
Every day the media reports your lies about the economy, affordability, deportations and healthcare.
The Sword of Damocles is pointing right at your head.
We the People are speaking loud and clear. We love our country, as defined by our Constitution, not as defined by a cabal of Uber rich oligarchs and their snake oil salesman lying leader who's motto is "the buck stops anywhere but here".
We will persist right through Nov 6 and beyond until our current pestilence is "history".
Nothing will so cleansing as a LANDSLIDE!
Go America.
Yes. And we need the landslide to make our point ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’
No distractions; no hopelessness or fear.
Our job is bigger than that. We will place our votes & put some brakes on this runaway bunch of despicable - well, we know who they are.
I don’t think they should R.I.P. but in HELL
They can rest in Hell, in a planet far, far away or under the rocks they slithered out of. As long as they stay away from our democratic government and our march towards a more just society for all Americans.
I dont think so. Democrats need coordinated response.
There’s joy in reading the numerous court decisions going against Trump every day…they bring me faith each morning!
Believing that Trump is becoming powerless is powerful in and of itself. I’m not talking about self-delusion. I’m talking about acting in concrete ways to further democratic aims that will benefit each of us individually and all of us collectively. People talk a lot these days about having ‘faith’. Faith is action, which is why it can be so powerful when harnessed in positive ways. My rabbi says, when I tell her I am attending a protest, “You’re praying with your feet.” Let’s continue to pray with our feet and our minds and hearts and souls. Let’s relight the flame of freedom no matter the outward circumstance. One candle is enough, because one candle is one light more. The hour may be late, but this I cannot ignore nor forget. “Yes, We Can…Let’s Go.”
Thanks, Steven: I was one who took things for granted, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. The one and only thing Trump did for me was to wake me out of my slumber. He has awoken the masses, and if all goes well, it will show up at the midterms. It's like he has prodded a sleeping giant, and that giant is going to crush him. Thanks God for independent media. I often wonder what it would be like without these sources of truth.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." - Aldous Huxley
The facts are that the majority people are fed up with FelonPOTUS and his corrupt cronies.
He can’t steal our joy. We need to laugh and enjoy special things in our lives. Births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and events that give us joy are still around, we don’t have to look far to find them.
A beautiful sunrise or sunset, the children learning to walk, family, music; all of these things can cushion the excesses of the regime, but he does not “rule” me!
Thank you.
Everyone needs to turn their anger and despair into action. Just do whatever you can. Let’s do this America! 💪🏽💙
“Are we really going to let this pathetic guy decide our fate? I don’t think so.”
Steven, I love the fact that you don’t mince words, but this sums it up. Trump is a pathetic excuse for a human being and the less we acquiesce to his loser regime the better.
Thanks, Marina.
Thank you, Steven Beschloss for again and always writing and showing us that all is not lost. I get more depressed by the day seeing what this madman is doing to America and to our friends, allies who are not laughing at us, but tuning us out. The harm and evil he's done will outlive him by decades. But as you say, we DO have to look at what we CAN and MUST do to get over this crime wave of haters - I have never felt hate at anyone like I do at these criminals. But we must keep on living in the present, knowing that we have a better future. If we don't believe that, HE and his pals win. We CANNOT let them win!
Eight weeks to ensure his power is reined in.
While the tide across the US appears to be turning back toward democracy, there are outside influences in our country and in our elections that none of us can control and most do not acknowledge.
Russian operatives reportedly began cultivating Donald Trump three to four decades ago. It began in 1987. After developing a detailed personality profile, the KGB allegedly identified his fixation on wealth and vulnerability to attention from attractive women before investing in the relationship. They dangled the possibility of Trump building a Trump Tower in Moscow and set him up with KGB-trained prostitutes. Every hotel room in Russia where a foreigner stays has cameras. Every driver of a foreigner in Moscow speaks English and often record conversations in their back seats. He was taken to the Beverly Hills nightclub and casino, where underage prostitution was offered. Photos were taken. They discovered that Trump was easily trapped and then bribed.
More than 30 years ago, the Russians recognized Trump as an ideal U.S. president to advance their plan to weaken their enemy from within – and he has. Trump’s personal wealth has increased by $2.2 Billion in the last 18 months. He did not do this alone. At the same time, many Americans can no longer afford groceries or gas.
Putin knew that USAID gathered political and government information from 130 countries through quarterly contractor reports. I led these programs and oversaw the reports. Closing USAID also weakened the ICA while a genocide, reportedly responsible for more than 22 million deaths in Africa, was being carried out.
Trump continues the Iran War at a daily cost of $2 billion to U.S. taxpayers, while the latest peace agreement requires the United States to spend more than $300 billion rebuilding Iran’s infrastructure. During the war, he lifted sanctions on Russian oil and gas and, at Putin’s request, agreed to remove Venezuela’s president—a move that increased Trump’s personal wealth. He also acceded to Putin’s demands to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, Libya, and Germany and halted military exercises after Putin called for removing U.S. troops and weapons from South Korea. Putin seeks NATO’s dissolution, and Trump has opposed the alliance since early 2016; the United States has also stopped providing weapons and funding to Ukraine. And Russian Organized Crime in the United States generates over $3 Billion annually from Russian drug distribution and gambling. This black cash is then “legalized” through cash sales of Trump condos worldwide, with Trump receiving a fee.
Putin’s strategies are quietly reshaping American politics, and he is succeeding. Ultimately, Putin wants Trump in the White House so he can influence events both globally and within the United States. This powerful network will do whatever it takes to help Trump keep winning elections and remain influential in U.S. politics.
This critical, overlooked threat continues to unfold in the United States, largely unnotices by the media and the public.
We need to stop tax money from getting into his destructive grip. Congress should pass a statute making sure he has no power of the purse. They also should declare means of no entanglements with other countries without Congressional approval. Congress also needs to set a schedule for the people and remain in D.C. for accountability. Because their income is over the limit of free and reduced lunch guidelines, they should not get a food or any other additional allowance to do their job.
Steven…In regards to, “Our fate not being up to trump”! I’ve always considered you a generally positive, sensible, forward thinking individual.* That said, today’s Piece seems “desperate” in its message…”What Dump can or can’t do”! What I’m truly concerned with is what the “dump” can do…is doing! Which is basically demoralizing Americans impacting a very large majority of us! What do you think will happen if he actually is allowed to disrupt the Midterm elections? To say absolutely nothing of what’s going to happen to Americans trying to deal with increasing costs for the fundamental essentials, Food, Shelter, Heat and Gasoline? For example, here in the Northeast my Home Heating Oil dealer is all ready charging 40+% more a gallon…that’s from Summer to early September! At my last Gasoline fill-up I paid $4.19 for a Gallon…same thing at the Food Market…one item that was $1.79 is now $3.00! I put it back!!! The SS checks can’t stretch that far…another sore spot as “dump” is threatening to cut back there as well!
*Still DO!
I get your thinking. FYI...this was written two months after inauguration when people were feeling terribly powerless. The point of view was a response to that.
Above all, may we remember that Trump didn't come out of nowhere. The U.S., aka "we," have been headed in this direction at least since the Reagan administration, for which the groundwork was laid by Nixon's "Southern Strategy." But the history-conscious among us can see much deeper roots, for instance, the "America First" movement between the two world wars (look up Charles Lindbergh for some background), and the run-amok capitalism of the 1920s that crashed the world economy and started the Great Depression. Then go back to the late 19th century, when run-amok capitalism caused crash after crash, depression after depression, before Congress got its act together and passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890.
Short version (aka "rinse and repeat"!): Democracy needs to rein in capitalism and keep it under control or Bad Things Happen.
Trump is done for, you say. I'm grateful you didn't ask us to select one of your "What Trump Can't Do" assurances. Even if we were able to select "All of the above" it wouldn't match the feelings of disgust, anger, and disappointment we feel about Trump, his enablers, and our own Democratic party. Why shouldn't Trump be gone now? Are there an landmarks he hasn't mauled? Any countries he hasn't threatened? Any desparate immigrants he hasn't sent to prison camps? What will it take for all human beings to agree Trump is deranged, dangerous, and deadly for any future we hope to inhabit. Steven, while I appreciate your optimism, wake me when he's truly gone.
This:,”He can’t steal what is making us Human.”👏💙🇺🇸
Beautifully beautifully articulated… the whole list… inspiring..needed..
Excerpt:
“At the top of my list:
Accountability for the widespread corruption and criminality—that means investigations and prosecutions—as a necessary step to re-establishing ethics and the rule of law, rebuilding our democracy and reawakening our confidence in our shared future”
In all his machinations to avoid doing prison time, he has placed himself into a prison of his own making.