I assume that others who believe Trump should be incarcerated or locked in a psych ward, were heartened by the news that talent took the high road, packed up their instruments, tore up their contracts, and while muttering, “Wow, that was close..” raced past each other to get the hell out of the upcoming festivities.
Steven, you described our current leadership as “unbelievably mediocre and incompetent people controlling the White House and Congress.”
Sir, “mediocre and incompetent” is as gentle as claiming “Hitler was a good fellow, but steered by the wrong crowd.”
I appreciate that you are using this Substack to clap for the musical acts who picked up their instruments, and to the tune of “God Bless America” ran for the exits.
Not surprisingly, Trump has nary an ounce of sadness at the departure of the musical acts. The pitchman that he is, claims a new “Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America” will be held instead.
“Wild” I will allow. “Beautiful” has been erased from our vocabulary ever since this vile, vulgar, and venomous monster has reappeared in public.
“Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of the government. The history of government is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is the history of the limitation of government, not the increase of it.” - Woodrow Wilson
Good O’l Wilson had a rather conflicted administration on limiting government & liberty. Segregation was reimposed in federal agencies. He had low opinion of women and their abilities but caved & pushed for the 19th amendment which is under attack by extremists these days. For a small government guy it’s weird that he brought about the Federal Trade Commission & proposed the League of Nations both are the type of things “conservatives” gripe about these days. Also two other things under attack - anti-child labor law (made it interstate transportation of products made with child labor illegal) & the graduated income tax.
He had many personal “shortcomings,” for sure. It’s difficult to put someone in an ideological box based on today’s distorted lenses and the differences of several generations.
I agree. All of us one way or another are a product of our time. On the other hand, his aggressive deliberate reversal of decades of integration in federal jobs was inexcusable and the duplicitous excuse that it helped Blacks was pukeable. He chose a Cabinet that was in lockstep with it and it spread throughout the country. The Klan got the boost it needed for its big resurgence.
You’re so right that July 4 will be a perverse day, with Trump’s social media posts foreshadowing its patriotic deformity. “Only great patriots” are code words for the nazification of this administration. I have, of late, been reading about Peter Thiel and those of like mind, who think that democracy is, at the very least, inconvenient and at most, a barrier to the encroachment of the aspiration of billionaire control of just about everything. We are our only hope against fascism. I believe what General Mark Milley said about Trump…that he is “fascist to the core and a dangerous person to this country.” It’s a dark day in America, and getting darker. Somebody please turn on a light. Congress, I’m looking at YOU. One thing is certain…it will NOT be a happy Fourth of July for many of us. We will be in mourning for the celebration it might have been.
Well said and so totally sad. What he has done and continues to do to the United States is criminal. He needs to be impeached and prosecuted for his crimes, destruction of the democracy, and historical sites in Washington.
Oh, Steven, what a wonderful idea to celebrate our 250th anniversary as a free nation on November 3rd. Regarding whatever happens this June under the aegis of Mr. Trump, I hope the mainstream media declines to treat it as newsworthy and fails to show up in any form.
Agreed! I will celebrate the 250th on Nov 3rd! I will even wear red, white, and blue--something I have avoided doing since trumpism reared its ugly head.
Wonderful. Another good idea - to wear red white and blue on the 3rd. Thank you, I'm in. We're voting in California tomorrow and I'm wearing my VOTE shirt which happens to be pink. I'll gather my red, white, and blue for November thanks to your idea.
Steven well said and it's how we all feel. Hopefully some republicans are feeling sick as well. In the meantime, we have 154 days until Nov. 3rd. and more craziness abounds, hang on.
If only the congressional Republicans had one iota of courage and saw this dire situation as you and I do, Steven! They could end this entire nightmare in a few weeks. Hopefully, brave Democrats will step forward in November, take control of Congress, and impeach and CONVICT this disgusting blot on American history.
His talk about having "Great Patriots" come to his "wild" rally in DC, carries chilling echoes of his call to his supporters to come to DC on January 6th, 2021 - "It will be wild!" Is it just me, or is this yet another call to the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers to wreak yet more havoc in DC?
Thanks Steven: So much to consider. I must be weak, but sometimes I feel sorry for Donald Trump. He actually feels his is special. He has the ability and skill to be the number one patient in a mental facility. This 250th celebration its not about American it about Trump and the MAGA cult. The highlight will be the speech of the century given by Donald , with a possible followup from Bibi Netanyahu and Putin. Maybe a cage match with Don Jr. and Eric Trump. I'm sure ICE will be in attendance masked up marauding through the stands looking for illegal, brown or black citizens. The audience will consist of his highly unqualified cabinet and the spineless members of the house and senate. The state media sources will be covering all the events... I'm not sure if JD Vance will attend, it seem Donald and JD are on the outs with each other. Trump did say JD doesn't have what it takes to lead the party.
I hope it has the same attendance as the ‘big’ military parade (which was also dampened by rain). He’s afraid of that too or the Pentagon wouldn’t be scurrying to find young men with the proper height - weight fitness ratio who will pay their own way & attend in dress their short sleeve uniforms. 🙃
Sadly it will be official dress short sleeved uniforms of our military. I garbled it. Maybe because it makes me so agitated. Just like other families — I have a grandson in the Navy; my dad was in the Navy as well as an uncle; my g-grandfather who was 1st generation American was in the Army; my g-uncle who hadn’t received his citizenship yet was in the Army & taken prisoner at Normandy etc. I can’t imagine anyone but Drumpf desecrating their uniforms or the country’s celebration of the 250th like this.
I'm relieved to hear Morris Day and The Time pulled out of this sham. One wonders why they were booked in the first place, given their highly critical, satirical song about Trump on the 'Pandemonium' album way back in 1990!
As long as the incompetents in the Cabinet refuse to invoke the 25th, I’ll be on the sidelines on July 4th. How can I celebrate my country when 77 million installed this perverse creep in our Oval Office?
I hope Springsteen’s concert will be broadcast 😉 Altough the big one isn’t until Oct 3rd. “The one-day festival is set for Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, and is billed as celebrating “freedom, justice, equality and rock ’n’ roll.”
We can make July 4th a huge celebration/resistance/democracy-focused event. Think No Kings. Let his suck ups faint in the heat, let the cameras show the world the demolished White House that so perfectly makes visible all this regime is destroying. Meanwhile millions of Americans will be in the streets, in community, showing the heart and strength and joy of who we are, where we have come from, and how we will frame the work ahead.
I assume that others who believe Trump should be incarcerated or locked in a psych ward, were heartened by the news that talent took the high road, packed up their instruments, tore up their contracts, and while muttering, “Wow, that was close..” raced past each other to get the hell out of the upcoming festivities.
Steven, you described our current leadership as “unbelievably mediocre and incompetent people controlling the White House and Congress.”
Sir, “mediocre and incompetent” is as gentle as claiming “Hitler was a good fellow, but steered by the wrong crowd.”
I appreciate that you are using this Substack to clap for the musical acts who picked up their instruments, and to the tune of “God Bless America” ran for the exits.
Not surprisingly, Trump has nary an ounce of sadness at the departure of the musical acts. The pitchman that he is, claims a new “Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America” will be held instead.
“Wild” I will allow. “Beautiful” has been erased from our vocabulary ever since this vile, vulgar, and venomous monster has reappeared in public.
Yes, mediocre and incompetent is just the beginning.
“Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of the government. The history of government is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is the history of the limitation of government, not the increase of it.” - Woodrow Wilson
Good old Racist Woodrow Wilson. Small government and to hell with those who need a hand up!
Misogynist too.
Good O’l Wilson had a rather conflicted administration on limiting government & liberty. Segregation was reimposed in federal agencies. He had low opinion of women and their abilities but caved & pushed for the 19th amendment which is under attack by extremists these days. For a small government guy it’s weird that he brought about the Federal Trade Commission & proposed the League of Nations both are the type of things “conservatives” gripe about these days. Also two other things under attack - anti-child labor law (made it interstate transportation of products made with child labor illegal) & the graduated income tax.
He had many personal “shortcomings,” for sure. It’s difficult to put someone in an ideological box based on today’s distorted lenses and the differences of several generations.
I agree. All of us one way or another are a product of our time. On the other hand, his aggressive deliberate reversal of decades of integration in federal jobs was inexcusable and the duplicitous excuse that it helped Blacks was pukeable. He chose a Cabinet that was in lockstep with it and it spread throughout the country. The Klan got the boost it needed for its big resurgence.
Yes. Agreed.
To this Republican I say Yes. Woodrow Wilson Burris.
You’re so right that July 4 will be a perverse day, with Trump’s social media posts foreshadowing its patriotic deformity. “Only great patriots” are code words for the nazification of this administration. I have, of late, been reading about Peter Thiel and those of like mind, who think that democracy is, at the very least, inconvenient and at most, a barrier to the encroachment of the aspiration of billionaire control of just about everything. We are our only hope against fascism. I believe what General Mark Milley said about Trump…that he is “fascist to the core and a dangerous person to this country.” It’s a dark day in America, and getting darker. Somebody please turn on a light. Congress, I’m looking at YOU. One thing is certain…it will NOT be a happy Fourth of July for many of us. We will be in mourning for the celebration it might have been.
I will be wearing black on July 4th.
Well said and so totally sad. What he has done and continues to do to the United States is criminal. He needs to be impeached and prosecuted for his crimes, destruction of the democracy, and historical sites in Washington.
Oh, Steven, what a wonderful idea to celebrate our 250th anniversary as a free nation on November 3rd. Regarding whatever happens this June under the aegis of Mr. Trump, I hope the mainstream media declines to treat it as newsworthy and fails to show up in any form.
Agreed! I will celebrate the 250th on Nov 3rd! I will even wear red, white, and blue--something I have avoided doing since trumpism reared its ugly head.
Wonderful. Another good idea - to wear red white and blue on the 3rd. Thank you, I'm in. We're voting in California tomorrow and I'm wearing my VOTE shirt which happens to be pink. I'll gather my red, white, and blue for November thanks to your idea.
Thank you--maybe RWB on the 3rd will catch on! Fingers crossed for California tomorrow!
"Frankly, it turns my stomach."
Steven well said and it's how we all feel. Hopefully some republicans are feeling sick as well. In the meantime, we have 154 days until Nov. 3rd. and more craziness abounds, hang on.
If only the congressional Republicans had one iota of courage and saw this dire situation as you and I do, Steven! They could end this entire nightmare in a few weeks. Hopefully, brave Democrats will step forward in November, take control of Congress, and impeach and CONVICT this disgusting blot on American history.
Great essay. You speak for me. The destruction and dismantling of a once great country into tin pot kakistocracy.
Thx, JBR.
His talk about having "Great Patriots" come to his "wild" rally in DC, carries chilling echoes of his call to his supporters to come to DC on January 6th, 2021 - "It will be wild!" Is it just me, or is this yet another call to the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers to wreak yet more havoc in DC?
Very dark echo...
Grippingly concisely accurate
Thanks Steven: So much to consider. I must be weak, but sometimes I feel sorry for Donald Trump. He actually feels his is special. He has the ability and skill to be the number one patient in a mental facility. This 250th celebration its not about American it about Trump and the MAGA cult. The highlight will be the speech of the century given by Donald , with a possible followup from Bibi Netanyahu and Putin. Maybe a cage match with Don Jr. and Eric Trump. I'm sure ICE will be in attendance masked up marauding through the stands looking for illegal, brown or black citizens. The audience will consist of his highly unqualified cabinet and the spineless members of the house and senate. The state media sources will be covering all the events... I'm not sure if JD Vance will attend, it seem Donald and JD are on the outs with each other. Trump did say JD doesn't have what it takes to lead the party.
I hope it has the same attendance as the ‘big’ military parade (which was also dampened by rain). He’s afraid of that too or the Pentagon wouldn’t be scurrying to find young men with the proper height - weight fitness ratio who will pay their own way & attend in dress their short sleeve uniforms. 🙃
Will they wear Nazi armbands like the Hitler Youth?
Sadly it will be official dress short sleeved uniforms of our military. I garbled it. Maybe because it makes me so agitated. Just like other families — I have a grandson in the Navy; my dad was in the Navy as well as an uncle; my g-grandfather who was 1st generation American was in the Army; my g-uncle who hadn’t received his citizenship yet was in the Army & taken prisoner at Normandy etc. I can’t imagine anyone but Drumpf desecrating their uniforms or the country’s celebration of the 250th like this.
I'm relieved to hear Morris Day and The Time pulled out of this sham. One wonders why they were booked in the first place, given their highly critical, satirical song about Trump on the 'Pandemonium' album way back in 1990!
Yes, and the Commodores too! I surely didn’t understand them being invited.
What were the odds that America's 250th anniversary would fall on "his" watch? Cringe.
As long as the incompetents in the Cabinet refuse to invoke the 25th, I’ll be on the sidelines on July 4th. How can I celebrate my country when 77 million installed this perverse creep in our Oval Office?
I hope Springsteen’s concert will be broadcast 😉 Altough the big one isn’t until Oct 3rd. “The one-day festival is set for Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, and is billed as celebrating “freedom, justice, equality and rock ’n’ roll.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/artists-withdraw-america-250-festival-012212357.html
For Flag Day I’m going to be posting the Betsy Ross flag. Seems more appropriate for the times in which we are living. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_Ross_flag#/media/File:Betsy_Ross_flag.svg
Invoking the 25th would be appealed by Drumpf to Congress. 2/3 vote in each chamber is required to remove him.
A sing out is being planned for June 14th by No Kings. https://www.nokings.org/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Thanks. I hadn’t seen it. 👍
We can make July 4th a huge celebration/resistance/democracy-focused event. Think No Kings. Let his suck ups faint in the heat, let the cameras show the world the demolished White House that so perfectly makes visible all this regime is destroying. Meanwhile millions of Americans will be in the streets, in community, showing the heart and strength and joy of who we are, where we have come from, and how we will frame the work ahead.
Steven, you authored this piece brilliantly. What a gift. Each example came crashing one after another. It is time and I thought Nixon had issues.
Thanks so much, Cynthia.