“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” - Thomas Paine
Thank you, Steven, for a bit of hope this morning in these dismal times in the USA for a democracy believer. IT IS NOW ALL IN THE HANDS OF ‘WE THE PEOPLE’. 🤞🙏🇺🇸🌎🌍🌏
I remember how we all handled Trump’s first term as President. After our initial and painful period of grief, we learned that he was “an empty barrel”, sounding loudly all his pitiful complaints, grievances and rage, as we waited for the sky to fall. It didn’t, partly because he had people around him to constrain him, as we all remember. Now, the sky is falling, and we have to dodge the pieces so that we are not crushed by them; pieces of vengeance and rage and devastatingly disruptive evil. Clouds aren’t shaped like animals and toys and other wisps of our collective imaginations. They are shaped like weaponized corruption. Don’t look up.
Here on earth we all see human suffering on an unimaginable scale, while the man sitting on top of the world gilds his inner sanctum and new getaway plane with gold and sleeps on a bed with crypto currency as his pillow. Nothing will reach his ears or his heart as long as he gets his way even if others suffer from the torment of underserved punishment. Don’t look down.
What remains is for us to try to engage, as my faith teaches, in acts of “Tikkun Olam”, repairing the world. In the 16th century, mystic rabbi Isaac Luria taught that the divine light, carried in vessels at the creation of the world, was too fragile and shattered into pieces, and that our role as humans going forward is to find the shattered fragments and put them back together. In other words, we have a role to play in putting our ‘cosmic’ order back together as we are all connected the world at large.
So as Trump’s second term advances and he steps over the shards, rendering the pieces smaller and almost unrecognizable, may we not lose sight of our responsibility to repair the world, even when it is hard and even when we are not sure that the pieces necessary are still there. It is the only way I can continue to put one foot in front of the other to make things better. I don’t really know if and when my efforts will make a difference, but I believe we as a country can come to recognize that there is a more elevated platform from which to operate. Revenge is not the answer. Not even a little bit. But justice IS…and will prevail, with help from each and every one of us, together.
Ellen, Excellent comment…I not only read your words…but felt them resonate within me!!! Then I read the HCR interview (8/14)with Governor Newsom! I feel encouraged for the first time in a while! I’m reminded the greatness of America is still there! I remembered reading something allegedly attributed to Japanese Admiral Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbor Attack, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping Giant and fill him with a terrible resolve!” Could it be the Giant is starting to stir?
Thank you so much, Bob! I truly feel that we are still there! As long as we can remember the ‘why’ of us, we can figure out the ‘what’…ie, the path forward. Remember “Yes, we Can!”? So do I…
Steven, one small correction. California is the world's fourth largest economy, not the nation's--we are just behind Germany and as of recently, ahead of Japan.
Every word here is the absolute truth. We CANNOT continue doing business as usual. We have got to play by their rules, which means, there are NO rules. Thanks, Steven. I hope our Democratic leaders are listening.
We can’t wait for ‘better angels’ to set it right. SCOTUS changed the rules on redistricting in 2024 making TX debacle somewhat predictable. TX did it when they took over from Dems saying Dems had severely gerrymandered the state. Otherwise, I don’t know of another case of mid-census redistricting.
— Chief Justice John Roberts’s cynical majority opinion declared partisan gerrymandering claims “nonjusticiable,” meaning federal judges were barred from deciding them no matter how egregious the gerrymander. —
Steven, you wrote "...that California is the nation’s fourth largest economy..."
In Heather Cox Richardson's Letter to Americans last night she wrote, Gov. Newsom said, "California has the population of 21 smaller states combined, he pointed out, and the fourth largest economy in the world."
Is CA the 4th largest in the "country" or "world"?
Governor Newsom is in a position where he can do something, due to California's political process, and I commend him and the state leadership for doing so. In other states, the governor's hands are tied, as it would not be possible to change the rules so quickly, or due to the fact that there are no seats to be had.
The lesson here is that we all need to look creatively at what we can do to derail the Republican effort to destroy democracy and do it. In the case of Governor Pritzker, it was welcoming the Texas representatives who broke quorum. Congressional representatives and senators have insisted on access to ICE facilities. The Attorney General of DC is now suing the Trump regime for its attempted takeover of the city's police department.
In other words, to quote from Measure for Measure, "Assay the power you have," and act accordingly.
Thank you , Steven, we all need some positivity in these dark times. The felon is growing weaker by the day, and since he is doing his corrupt work in plain sight, we can, and must, fight back with everything we have at our disposal.
I appreciate both your optimism that this house of cards will fall and your call for stronger and louder pushback. I think both will happen when the ineptitude (more than the cruelty) and the drive toward Lesser America (less educated, less innovative, less healthy, less prosperous) of causes a wider swath of the population to suffer.
Put dumpy pants 🩳 and his cabinet minions in the dungeon, rather than the attic. I look forward to seeing our democracy restored stronger, better, and healthier. Let's jettison voodoo economics! We can restore the path to citizenship for our immigrants, education for children and adults, trades training, and fix the USPS. Support PBS, which is intelligent programming, sometimes the only programming in rural areas.
Thank you, Mr. Beschloss, for voicing the exact words and thoughts I needed to hear today. When I heard Gov Newsom’s speech last night, my first thought was “finally!” As in, finally a Dem has emerged who is willing—and plenty able—to fight fire with fire. I realize Newsom is not well liked among some Dems, but screw that! He has the biggest balls of all and I wish more leaders would adopt his approach! Long live Newsome! And bless you for being an angel on Earth. Keep it up! 👍
If ever there was a need for deep, national introspection and reinvention it is now. I mean, what does it say about our values and psyche that as horrible a specimen of humanity as Trump would not only be elevated to prominence for personifying a facet of "the American dream," but be elected to the highest office in the land, and not just once, but twice?
What Tom said:
“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” - Thomas Paine
Thank you, Steven, for a bit of hope this morning in these dismal times in the USA for a democracy believer. IT IS NOW ALL IN THE HANDS OF ‘WE THE PEOPLE’. 🤞🙏🇺🇸🌎🌍🌏
I remember how we all handled Trump’s first term as President. After our initial and painful period of grief, we learned that he was “an empty barrel”, sounding loudly all his pitiful complaints, grievances and rage, as we waited for the sky to fall. It didn’t, partly because he had people around him to constrain him, as we all remember. Now, the sky is falling, and we have to dodge the pieces so that we are not crushed by them; pieces of vengeance and rage and devastatingly disruptive evil. Clouds aren’t shaped like animals and toys and other wisps of our collective imaginations. They are shaped like weaponized corruption. Don’t look up.
Here on earth we all see human suffering on an unimaginable scale, while the man sitting on top of the world gilds his inner sanctum and new getaway plane with gold and sleeps on a bed with crypto currency as his pillow. Nothing will reach his ears or his heart as long as he gets his way even if others suffer from the torment of underserved punishment. Don’t look down.
What remains is for us to try to engage, as my faith teaches, in acts of “Tikkun Olam”, repairing the world. In the 16th century, mystic rabbi Isaac Luria taught that the divine light, carried in vessels at the creation of the world, was too fragile and shattered into pieces, and that our role as humans going forward is to find the shattered fragments and put them back together. In other words, we have a role to play in putting our ‘cosmic’ order back together as we are all connected the world at large.
So as Trump’s second term advances and he steps over the shards, rendering the pieces smaller and almost unrecognizable, may we not lose sight of our responsibility to repair the world, even when it is hard and even when we are not sure that the pieces necessary are still there. It is the only way I can continue to put one foot in front of the other to make things better. I don’t really know if and when my efforts will make a difference, but I believe we as a country can come to recognize that there is a more elevated platform from which to operate. Revenge is not the answer. Not even a little bit. But justice IS…and will prevail, with help from each and every one of us, together.
Ellen, I too believe our task is to repair the world. Thanks for your stunning post today.
I am so humbled by your praise, Jill. Thank you!
Ellen, Excellent comment…I not only read your words…but felt them resonate within me!!! Then I read the HCR interview (8/14)with Governor Newsom! I feel encouraged for the first time in a while! I’m reminded the greatness of America is still there! I remembered reading something allegedly attributed to Japanese Admiral Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbor Attack, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping Giant and fill him with a terrible resolve!” Could it be the Giant is starting to stir?
Thank you so much, Bob! I truly feel that we are still there! As long as we can remember the ‘why’ of us, we can figure out the ‘what’…ie, the path forward. Remember “Yes, we Can!”? So do I…
Steven, one small correction. California is the world's fourth largest economy, not the nation's--we are just behind Germany and as of recently, ahead of Japan.
Thanks for flagging. Fixed.
Every word here is the absolute truth. We CANNOT continue doing business as usual. We have got to play by their rules, which means, there are NO rules. Thanks, Steven. I hope our Democratic leaders are listening.
We can’t wait for ‘better angels’ to set it right. SCOTUS changed the rules on redistricting in 2024 making TX debacle somewhat predictable. TX did it when they took over from Dems saying Dems had severely gerrymandered the state. Otherwise, I don’t know of another case of mid-census redistricting.
— Chief Justice John Roberts’s cynical majority opinion declared partisan gerrymandering claims “nonjusticiable,” meaning federal judges were barred from deciding them no matter how egregious the gerrymander. —
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/supreme-court-just-made-gerrymandering-even-easier
Honestly, SCOTUS & Chief Justice Robert’s needs to stop trying to write our laws.
We are stuck in the “Reality Show From Hell.”
Steven, you wrote "...that California is the nation’s fourth largest economy..."
In Heather Cox Richardson's Letter to Americans last night she wrote, Gov. Newsom said, "California has the population of 21 smaller states combined, he pointed out, and the fourth largest economy in the world."
Is CA the 4th largest in the "country" or "world"?
Thanks for flagging. Should be “world’s....” Fixed.
Happy to help!!
Governor Newsom is in a position where he can do something, due to California's political process, and I commend him and the state leadership for doing so. In other states, the governor's hands are tied, as it would not be possible to change the rules so quickly, or due to the fact that there are no seats to be had.
The lesson here is that we all need to look creatively at what we can do to derail the Republican effort to destroy democracy and do it. In the case of Governor Pritzker, it was welcoming the Texas representatives who broke quorum. Congressional representatives and senators have insisted on access to ICE facilities. The Attorney General of DC is now suing the Trump regime for its attempted takeover of the city's police department.
In other words, to quote from Measure for Measure, "Assay the power you have," and act accordingly.
The name of that Congresswoman is LaMonica McIver. See her interview with Marc Elias here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Bp4_JoacM
Thank you , Steven, we all need some positivity in these dark times. The felon is growing weaker by the day, and since he is doing his corrupt work in plain sight, we can, and must, fight back with everything we have at our disposal.
I appreciate both your optimism that this house of cards will fall and your call for stronger and louder pushback. I think both will happen when the ineptitude (more than the cruelty) and the drive toward Lesser America (less educated, less innovative, less healthy, less prosperous) of causes a wider swath of the population to suffer.
Put dumpy pants 🩳 and his cabinet minions in the dungeon, rather than the attic. I look forward to seeing our democracy restored stronger, better, and healthier. Let's jettison voodoo economics! We can restore the path to citizenship for our immigrants, education for children and adults, trades training, and fix the USPS. Support PBS, which is intelligent programming, sometimes the only programming in rural areas.
Thank you, Mr. Beschloss, for voicing the exact words and thoughts I needed to hear today. When I heard Gov Newsom’s speech last night, my first thought was “finally!” As in, finally a Dem has emerged who is willing—and plenty able—to fight fire with fire. I realize Newsom is not well liked among some Dems, but screw that! He has the biggest balls of all and I wish more leaders would adopt his approach! Long live Newsome! And bless you for being an angel on Earth. Keep it up! 👍
Thanks you Steven.
If ever there was a need for deep, national introspection and reinvention it is now. I mean, what does it say about our values and psyche that as horrible a specimen of humanity as Trump would not only be elevated to prominence for personifying a facet of "the American dream," but be elected to the highest office in the land, and not just once, but twice?
Terrific posting‼️ TY
California is the WORLD'S 4th largest economy, having recently surpassed Japan's.
Fixed. Thanks.