He is such a small man a coward a loser. A mentally disturbed man who hasn’t any decency or empathy to whatsoever lead such a global society of people. The speed at which he’s destroying our country is astounding, staggering beyond comprehension. We the people will have a long path ahead to heal our nation. Standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters is essential in these times.
This is the key question! How do we make this happen? How do we raise a chorus big enough and loud enough—and with some semblance of harmony—to change the music, if not drown out the cacophony? What makes the most sense to me is expanding my community (including Substack!); doing even the smallest thing—a donation, a letter; researching our past and present, and protecting ourselves emotionally. I find the first two help with the third, sometimes anyway.
I have committed personally to continue to call out this administration’s lies. There are not misrepresentations, they are lies and he does this as naturally as he breathes. I blame the people who voted for him. He was clear about who he is. They don’t care.
I'm still hoping that reaching out to my Senators might have an effect on these cabinet votes (I've no hope for anything having an effect on Trump, Musk, etc.) But in case any of you have a Senator who just might vote no, here's what I wrote, reproduced here as encouragement to make our voices heard (old fashioned, I know):Senator Tillis:
I don't know where our realities converge, yours and mine, but I've seen enough of your thoughtfulness and practical nature over the years, first in state government and then as our Senator, to conclude that you would never hire the current nominations (including Pete Hegseth, for whom you voted) to do the jobs that they are nominated for if you were responsible for filling those cabinet positions. I know you can see that none of them are qualified to run large agencies and they are all in opposition to or have other deficiencies or biases that are counter to the requirements of their particular nominations. The American Airlines - Blackhawk crash is a warning, perhaps a harbinger of the four years ahead. You can't understaff and break the government without consequences. Reform, if that is your goal or your party's goal, must be done soberly and with expertise. Please demand those qualifications of all who serve us, the people, for whom you have a responsibility to advise and consent upon. Take back your power and represent your constituents. Thank you for your time.
Great letter. Letters are a start. Then what? The Republicans have shown again and again they will fall right into line--otherwise we wouldn’t be in this mess. So trying to change their minds will only go so far. Meanwhile do we wring our hands while calling out the indignities and watch the country go down in flames?
Check the Roll Call votes in the Senate and you will see DEMOCRATS are also voting AYE along with the Repubs to put unqualified nominees into important positions. Although ALL Democrats refused to vote in committee for OMB Chair Vaught, Democrats in the Senate will confirm him.
A thoughtful interesting approach to get the door open to a “no”.
McConnell most likely won’t be around after this term so I wrote him about his legacy. I did at one point refer to the nominees as a rogues gallery.
He did vote against one nominee. Not that it influenced him but those who voted against nominees need the justification. For once I actually received an appropriate on topic response - noncommital of course. It also took a couple weeks not the 45 days the site advises responses may take.
Lest we forget, he said the quiet part out loud, “too white”, in reference to the hiring practices…meaning that people who are white were not being hired. Blatant racism. It’s now out in the open. I still can’t believe he said it. Next it will be, “too Christian”…or “too male”. Wait and see.
The man is brimful of hate. He would walk on top of dead bodies if he believed that would help to quench his sinister and evil appetite. He blames Biden AND Obama? Wow. How sad. The man is obsessed. He possesses no sense of kindness, no care, no compassion, no remorse. It is alsmost like robotic evil. Insensitive and indifferent. Cold. Callous.
Yes, of course! The air tragedy would never have happened if (straight) white people were in charge. Like Trump? Responsible, caring, wanting to help—like that?
The writing is on the wall. We knew who he was and Trump is proving to be nothing less. Resist or watch the country go up in flames. The flight attendants who went out on strike pretty much got instant results. We need to organize a strike across the board--federal workers, farm workers, teachers, nurses, auto workers. We the people have to seize our power. Otherwise we have obeyed in advance.
Thank you for your writings, the truth and the encouragement Steven.
From your article is just one of the excerpts I appreciated:
—-
“Our opposition won’t stop all the damage, but it will make clear that there are still sentient Americans who grasp the difference between right and wrong, between competence and recklessness, between real leadership and hate-driven authoritarianism. This is our fight, no matter how treacherous it will be to return to sanity.”
Thanks Steven for the Sunday reminder that all people, situations and countries deserve humane treatment and also deserve to be treated with dignity. Boundaries & Borders should also be respected.
Sentient is a word that accurately describes Trump. He is incapable of perceiving or feeling anything more than his primal instincts. It's what we see in the daily productions from the White House. The lies will not stop, but our ability to resist them and see the truth that they attempt to hide, will grow stronger every day. We will get beyond this together!
Protest. Resist. History is watching. And taking notes.
“…constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.” - Hannah Arendt
https://open.substack.com/pub/albellenchia/p/everyday-heroes?r=7wk5d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
He is such a small man a coward a loser. A mentally disturbed man who hasn’t any decency or empathy to whatsoever lead such a global society of people. The speed at which he’s destroying our country is astounding, staggering beyond comprehension. We the people will have a long path ahead to heal our nation. Standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters is essential in these times.
What does that look like, standing in solidarity? What do you suggest?
Like minded like hearted. Friendships and community are the antidote to hate. We stand together with vision and use our voices wherever possible.
This is the key question! How do we make this happen? How do we raise a chorus big enough and loud enough—and with some semblance of harmony—to change the music, if not drown out the cacophony? What makes the most sense to me is expanding my community (including Substack!); doing even the smallest thing—a donation, a letter; researching our past and present, and protecting ourselves emotionally. I find the first two help with the third, sometimes anyway.
Oops, wordy me. The three help with the fourth.
I have committed personally to continue to call out this administration’s lies. There are not misrepresentations, they are lies and he does this as naturally as he breathes. I blame the people who voted for him. He was clear about who he is. They don’t care.
A full time job
They don't care and/or don't know better because if they only watch Fox News (and similar), they live in an alternative reality. Very scary.
Trump wants to be king … King Bedlam.
“Today’s events prove that America is respected again.” By whom? Even Trump does not respect America.
I’m sure the world also thought that after Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia.
And Poland. And Austria. And Hungary. And …
I'm still hoping that reaching out to my Senators might have an effect on these cabinet votes (I've no hope for anything having an effect on Trump, Musk, etc.) But in case any of you have a Senator who just might vote no, here's what I wrote, reproduced here as encouragement to make our voices heard (old fashioned, I know):Senator Tillis:
I don't know where our realities converge, yours and mine, but I've seen enough of your thoughtfulness and practical nature over the years, first in state government and then as our Senator, to conclude that you would never hire the current nominations (including Pete Hegseth, for whom you voted) to do the jobs that they are nominated for if you were responsible for filling those cabinet positions. I know you can see that none of them are qualified to run large agencies and they are all in opposition to or have other deficiencies or biases that are counter to the requirements of their particular nominations. The American Airlines - Blackhawk crash is a warning, perhaps a harbinger of the four years ahead. You can't understaff and break the government without consequences. Reform, if that is your goal or your party's goal, must be done soberly and with expertise. Please demand those qualifications of all who serve us, the people, for whom you have a responsibility to advise and consent upon. Take back your power and represent your constituents. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Thomas F. Roberts, Jr.
Born and educated in North Carolina
Great letter. Letters are a start. Then what? The Republicans have shown again and again they will fall right into line--otherwise we wouldn’t be in this mess. So trying to change their minds will only go so far. Meanwhile do we wring our hands while calling out the indignities and watch the country go down in flames?
Check the Roll Call votes in the Senate and you will see DEMOCRATS are also voting AYE along with the Repubs to put unqualified nominees into important positions. Although ALL Democrats refused to vote in committee for OMB Chair Vaught, Democrats in the Senate will confirm him.
A thoughtful interesting approach to get the door open to a “no”.
McConnell most likely won’t be around after this term so I wrote him about his legacy. I did at one point refer to the nominees as a rogues gallery.
He did vote against one nominee. Not that it influenced him but those who voted against nominees need the justification. For once I actually received an appropriate on topic response - noncommital of course. It also took a couple weeks not the 45 days the site advises responses may take.
Lest we forget, he said the quiet part out loud, “too white”, in reference to the hiring practices…meaning that people who are white were not being hired. Blatant racism. It’s now out in the open. I still can’t believe he said it. Next it will be, “too Christian”…or “too male”. Wait and see.
The same guy throwing paper towels in Puerto Rico...
The man is brimful of hate. He would walk on top of dead bodies if he believed that would help to quench his sinister and evil appetite. He blames Biden AND Obama? Wow. How sad. The man is obsessed. He possesses no sense of kindness, no care, no compassion, no remorse. It is alsmost like robotic evil. Insensitive and indifferent. Cold. Callous.
Act, don’t react. Do not allow Trump’s lies and despicable behavior control the conversation. That is exactly what he’s banking on.
And it is working.
There’s a word for this, Steven. It’s called Evil.
Yes, of course! The air tragedy would never have happened if (straight) white people were in charge. Like Trump? Responsible, caring, wanting to help—like that?
The writing is on the wall. We knew who he was and Trump is proving to be nothing less. Resist or watch the country go up in flames. The flight attendants who went out on strike pretty much got instant results. We need to organize a strike across the board--federal workers, farm workers, teachers, nurses, auto workers. We the people have to seize our power. Otherwise we have obeyed in advance.
Thank you for your writings, the truth and the encouragement Steven.
From your article is just one of the excerpts I appreciated:
—-
“Our opposition won’t stop all the damage, but it will make clear that there are still sentient Americans who grasp the difference between right and wrong, between competence and recklessness, between real leadership and hate-driven authoritarianism. This is our fight, no matter how treacherous it will be to return to sanity.”
Thanks Steven for the Sunday reminder that all people, situations and countries deserve humane treatment and also deserve to be treated with dignity. Boundaries & Borders should also be respected.
Sentient is a word that accurately describes Trump. He is incapable of perceiving or feeling anything more than his primal instincts. It's what we see in the daily productions from the White House. The lies will not stop, but our ability to resist them and see the truth that they attempt to hide, will grow stronger every day. We will get beyond this together!