Punchbowl News is reporting that top domestic policy adviser Stephen Miller briefed House and Senate GOP leadership Sunday afternoon about the executive orders the incoming maladministration plans to issue this coming week.
You know, any law you see in the books these days might as well be written in disappearing ink. Statutes? Erased. Ignored. Rendered moot by a wave of the wrong pen. My wife and I? We’re not playing roulette with our lives. We’re paying attention to the red flags, particularly the official manual of red flags: Project 2025. Spoiler alert—it’s not light bedtime reading.
Right now, we’re headed to Canada. Not for the maple syrup or the polite conversation, though both are delightful. No, we’re scouting out the area we might soon call home. It’s where we’ll live if the United States, our United States, becomes too dangerous for two women in love. We’re meeting with an immigration attorney, sorting out the details of my potential citizenship. I can already hear the voices of certain people saying, “Oh, you’re overreacting.” To those people: I’m married to a woman, and we’re both gay. Do I need to paint a bigger bullseye on us, or can you already see it from space?
And no, I don’t trust this new regime to just run the country poorly. I trust them to raze it to the ground. I trust them to take a wrecking ball to democracy with the same gusto the Germans had for destroying Europe.
Now, here’s the thing: please don’t give me the resistance lecture. Don’t tell me to stay and fight. Don’t tell me I’m overreacting, hysterical, melodramatic—oh, I know the script. I’ve read it before. What I haven’t seen, though, is what you’re doing. Yes, you, the one who keeps saying “we should be doing something.” What exactly is it that you’re doing? Because I’ll tell you what we’re doing: we’re staying alive.
I hear you. My husband and I donated more to Democrats than we ever have. We are senior citizens, not rich. I called my state senators and local representative every week. They are Maga Republicans. I sent email after email to Nancy Pelosi when she was speaker of the House. I finally got an email that said you need to talk to your representative. I sent hundreds of emails to the WH. Friendships ended. Our world is very, very small. It was devastating when Kamala lost. But in quick succession those in authority folded - media, billionaires, Democrats. I could set myself on fire to protest but nothing would come of it. So fuck it. Gloria, do what is best for you.
Same here, Rita. I gave more than ever this year, despite being a senior citizen and not wealthy. I contacted my representatives, senators, and even the White House.
My wife is feeling discouraged and is ready to leave depending on what happens.
Part of me sees no way for the people in charge to do their jobs without everything falling apart. I just don’t see how they can run a country—what a group of clowns.
I genuinely believe everything is going to fall apart. The GOP is nothing but "yes" men to Trump. If they're talking, they're lying. The cruelty is going to be bad. Democrats seem unable to rise to being the opposition party. There's a source that says Trump is going to do an executive order ending birthright citizenship. This is the 14th ammendment. Legally he can't do that. Legally he couldn't magically say Tik Tok can stay. But who is going to stop him??? Seriously. The SCOTUS gave him immunity. The GOP will support him in anything. If this needs to happen for Trump and Maga to finally implode and for people to wake up, then so be it. I understand how your wife feels.
I’m never going to tell you that you’re overreacting!
My partner and I, two women in love who share a house we bought and where her sister and my mother all live together in, are stuck here until and unless Canada agrees that queer people are no longer safe in the entire USA. Until then, Canada has said that if there are safe states, queer people cannot be refugees. I’m grateful we live in Minnesota, but also sigh.
I literally cannot simply immigrate to any country in the world otherwise, because I’m Disabled, and severely so. So our entire family has to wait and see and watch warily.
Please please don’t feel like you need to apologize. I think plenty of people do understand. Use every privilege and every opportunity to get to safety that you can use.
My family rented an upstairs apartment from a man who was a stowaway to reach America. His wife had an Auschwitz-Birkenau tattoo. I recognize the clear and present danger.
When I grew up it was not uncommon to see those tattoos. We also had classmates who had shriveled limbs from polio. Is this what we want to go back to?
You need to do what YOU need to do. If that is the way this sh*tshow is making you feel - then take care of yourself and your wife. And yeah, anyone who is able to make headway against this crew of selfish, greedy, uninformed misanthropes (not sure that actually fits-but sounds really good) sure, those that can should. But there are many of us here who comment on these posts that are, shall we say, upwards of 80 years old, senior citizens, and I imagine, many like myself, dependent upon social security and medicaid.
In other words, I agree completely with Rita! Especially her last sentence.
Do you really think you will be safe in Canada, the apparently soon to be 51st state of the USA of this thug? For whoever is reading this: we are very fortunate to have EU residency (writing this from Rome), properties in two European cities, and in SF, comfortable amount of fund in European bank account but we know very well, if these executive orders do not get stalled in courts none of us are safe anywhere in the world. Not even in a remote nation like Sao Tome. I have known TC from our Facebook days. He, Jeff Triedrich, Scott Dworkin, Simon Rosenburg, HCR, Joyce Vance, Robert Hubble and quite a few others are in the enemies list of these thugs. They tell truth to the power. With less than 49.6% of the less than 70% registered voters' vote, it is not possible to dismantle 250 year old messy democracy like ours. You should do what makes you feel comfortable but for those who can not or will not leave our dear nation, we will survive these 4 years. My dear aunt Ruth at the age of 102 went to vote in person and November 7th she told me, "I have lost relatives in holocaust, I have relatives who survived holocaust. We are not Germany. We will go through this." My Italian friends remind me everyday that Mussolini could not become Hitler because Italians did not listen to him or anyone else. They still do not. Because they are Italians.
no, I get it. I just can't go anywhere. not really. I depend on a few very close friends to keep myself sane, and they're HERE. I'm also ALONE. and, without this place, essentially dirt poor.
so it looks like I'm dying here, much as I'd prefer living and dying someplace else.
but I don't see these fuckups being especially successful at anything but making noise. but it's gonna be a LOT of noise.
They're trying to snow us, before they show themselves to be snowflakes.
Schedule F won't wash; there are statutes on the books protecting civil service. What they can do is to make life difficult for career employees, hoping they'll find it too difficult to keep working.
Yeah - in regard to the much-used phrase of shock and awe -I read an opinion piece by a high ranking former military - I believe General - he provided the actual meaning of that phrase & was quite forthright in his feelings about the current users.
I saw a report from a Chicago station, showing ICE personnel gearing up to begin deportation raids after the inauguration tomorrow. The weather forecast for Chicago on Monday is a high of 12 F, wind chill -6 F. If they actually do begin to arrest people, I expect to hear about weather-related injuries -- which is to say that they appear to be preparing to proceed with their plans, regardless.
Thanks, Tom, but unfortunately nothing in this post brings any degree of surprise. Project 2025 and the trumpster/dumpster himself already told us this is their intention. trumpster/dumpster even said - loudly and boldly that he intended to be dictator on Day One. Those of you who chose to disbelieve the possibility of a reality are doomed to sit and watch.
We are watching the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler in the persons of elon musk and donald trump. The concentration camps and the invasion of our neighbors come next.
And Vladimir Putin gets his lifelong dream, America will self destruct.
If we had an ounce of sense, we, the Constitution abiding States of America would pull ourselves together and withdraw from Magaland. But I'm not holding my breath.
I'm going to be dead very soon, anyway, JD, of natural causes, that's the way of life. But, to be honest, I hate leaving this world much worse than I found it 92 years ago.
Dear Fay, we will drag you to the finish line of 2028, I promise my dear. No, you or my husband will not leave us during the next 4 years. I have been reading all your replies for a while now and I won't let you go yet.
With apologies for no credit, from HCR comments: "Shock and awe! Sturm und drang! We are gonna march and take the country by the throat! There will be no mercy! We will battle through fire and bullets and fight and claim VICTORY!. . . .unless, of course, it is raining or there's a promise of snow. . . "
Work by stealth until we can assess just what level of implementation they're at. Form allegiances with the trusted. Have a plan that includes making life a living hell for local elected magas, ones who are true believers rather than true Americans.
Thank-you for all that you do to keep us in the loop.I am relying on you and a few others to assist me daily in my own resistance. We will continue to stand for truth and fairness and to try each day to do something no matter how miniscule ( even just reading this and other Substacks) to prop up our ailing democracy.
Tom, I think you once said that no matter how bad we think it’s going to be, it will be worse. That’s my expectation. I’m too old to leave but I can and shall resist for as long as it takes, for as long as I have.
To Whom It May Concern, Which Is Probably Nobody:
You know, any law you see in the books these days might as well be written in disappearing ink. Statutes? Erased. Ignored. Rendered moot by a wave of the wrong pen. My wife and I? We’re not playing roulette with our lives. We’re paying attention to the red flags, particularly the official manual of red flags: Project 2025. Spoiler alert—it’s not light bedtime reading.
Right now, we’re headed to Canada. Not for the maple syrup or the polite conversation, though both are delightful. No, we’re scouting out the area we might soon call home. It’s where we’ll live if the United States, our United States, becomes too dangerous for two women in love. We’re meeting with an immigration attorney, sorting out the details of my potential citizenship. I can already hear the voices of certain people saying, “Oh, you’re overreacting.” To those people: I’m married to a woman, and we’re both gay. Do I need to paint a bigger bullseye on us, or can you already see it from space?
And no, I don’t trust this new regime to just run the country poorly. I trust them to raze it to the ground. I trust them to take a wrecking ball to democracy with the same gusto the Germans had for destroying Europe.
Now, here’s the thing: please don’t give me the resistance lecture. Don’t tell me to stay and fight. Don’t tell me I’m overreacting, hysterical, melodramatic—oh, I know the script. I’ve read it before. What I haven’t seen, though, is what you’re doing. Yes, you, the one who keeps saying “we should be doing something.” What exactly is it that you’re doing? Because I’ll tell you what we’re doing: we’re staying alive.
End of memo.
I hear you. My husband and I donated more to Democrats than we ever have. We are senior citizens, not rich. I called my state senators and local representative every week. They are Maga Republicans. I sent email after email to Nancy Pelosi when she was speaker of the House. I finally got an email that said you need to talk to your representative. I sent hundreds of emails to the WH. Friendships ended. Our world is very, very small. It was devastating when Kamala lost. But in quick succession those in authority folded - media, billionaires, Democrats. I could set myself on fire to protest but nothing would come of it. So fuck it. Gloria, do what is best for you.
Thank you.🙏 We are trying to save our lives. I will never stop fighting.
Did all the same things you did. It’s heartbreaking.
Same here, Rita. I gave more than ever this year, despite being a senior citizen and not wealthy. I contacted my representatives, senators, and even the White House.
My wife is feeling discouraged and is ready to leave depending on what happens.
Part of me sees no way for the people in charge to do their jobs without everything falling apart. I just don’t see how they can run a country—what a group of clowns.
I genuinely believe everything is going to fall apart. The GOP is nothing but "yes" men to Trump. If they're talking, they're lying. The cruelty is going to be bad. Democrats seem unable to rise to being the opposition party. There's a source that says Trump is going to do an executive order ending birthright citizenship. This is the 14th ammendment. Legally he can't do that. Legally he couldn't magically say Tik Tok can stay. But who is going to stop him??? Seriously. The SCOTUS gave him immunity. The GOP will support him in anything. If this needs to happen for Trump and Maga to finally implode and for people to wake up, then so be it. I understand how your wife feels.
You’re not overreacting. Many Jews wished they had “overreacted” in the 1930’s.
I hope I’m wrong, I really hope I’m wrong, but we gotta be prepared for anything.
You’re not wrong
I’m never going to tell you that you’re overreacting!
My partner and I, two women in love who share a house we bought and where her sister and my mother all live together in, are stuck here until and unless Canada agrees that queer people are no longer safe in the entire USA. Until then, Canada has said that if there are safe states, queer people cannot be refugees. I’m grateful we live in Minnesota, but also sigh.
I literally cannot simply immigrate to any country in the world otherwise, because I’m Disabled, and severely so. So our entire family has to wait and see and watch warily.
Please please don’t feel like you need to apologize. I think plenty of people do understand. Use every privilege and every opportunity to get to safety that you can use.
Do what you have to do and good luck.
Thank you. 🙏
My family rented an upstairs apartment from a man who was a stowaway to reach America. His wife had an Auschwitz-Birkenau tattoo. I recognize the clear and present danger.
When I grew up it was not uncommon to see those tattoos. We also had classmates who had shriveled limbs from polio. Is this what we want to go back to?
You need to do what YOU need to do. If that is the way this sh*tshow is making you feel - then take care of yourself and your wife. And yeah, anyone who is able to make headway against this crew of selfish, greedy, uninformed misanthropes (not sure that actually fits-but sounds really good) sure, those that can should. But there are many of us here who comment on these posts that are, shall we say, upwards of 80 years old, senior citizens, and I imagine, many like myself, dependent upon social security and medicaid.
In other words, I agree completely with Rita! Especially her last sentence.
Move to California. I know lots of married people, gay and straight. We really don't care who loves whom.
Gloria: Do what is best for you.
I respect that you are looking at
your safety.
Did you ever in a million years think that this great country
could ever become what it is
today?
Do you really think you will be safe in Canada, the apparently soon to be 51st state of the USA of this thug? For whoever is reading this: we are very fortunate to have EU residency (writing this from Rome), properties in two European cities, and in SF, comfortable amount of fund in European bank account but we know very well, if these executive orders do not get stalled in courts none of us are safe anywhere in the world. Not even in a remote nation like Sao Tome. I have known TC from our Facebook days. He, Jeff Triedrich, Scott Dworkin, Simon Rosenburg, HCR, Joyce Vance, Robert Hubble and quite a few others are in the enemies list of these thugs. They tell truth to the power. With less than 49.6% of the less than 70% registered voters' vote, it is not possible to dismantle 250 year old messy democracy like ours. You should do what makes you feel comfortable but for those who can not or will not leave our dear nation, we will survive these 4 years. My dear aunt Ruth at the age of 102 went to vote in person and November 7th she told me, "I have lost relatives in holocaust, I have relatives who survived holocaust. We are not Germany. We will go through this." My Italian friends remind me everyday that Mussolini could not become Hitler because Italians did not listen to him or anyone else. They still do not. Because they are Italians.
Though I’m in no position to relocate I support your decision. Good luck!
no, I get it. I just can't go anywhere. not really. I depend on a few very close friends to keep myself sane, and they're HERE. I'm also ALONE. and, without this place, essentially dirt poor.
so it looks like I'm dying here, much as I'd prefer living and dying someplace else.
but I don't see these fuckups being especially successful at anything but making noise. but it's gonna be a LOT of noise.
as I keep saying, fuck 'em.
They're trying to snow us, before they show themselves to be snowflakes.
Schedule F won't wash; there are statutes on the books protecting civil service. What they can do is to make life difficult for career employees, hoping they'll find it too difficult to keep working.
Civil service employees have a 5th Amendment due process right to their employment. They can sue for their jobs after the trumpists fire them.
I bet Marc Elias is already prepared.
And they have the knowledge and experience to send a flood of regrets to the party of death to America on their way out the door.
Shock and awe my butt!
There are law firms and
attorneys just waiting in line
to start hammering all these
executive orders. We knew
things were going to get
rough. Stand together or fall
for Trumpism. Resist! Every
little thing will count. There
are thousands in the
government who will work
quietly to do whatever they
can to gum up 2025 works.
Yeah - in regard to the much-used phrase of shock and awe -I read an opinion piece by a high ranking former military - I believe General - he provided the actual meaning of that phrase & was quite forthright in his feelings about the current users.
Thank you. We are ready. President Biden did appoint 235 Federal judges.
Damn them all to hell
Jen Rubin, from The Contrarian, says to call "executive orders", "executive decrees". And change "climate change" to "climate crisis". Words matter.
"Executive demands," maybe? Demands might make folks bristle a little more.
The footrace to file injunctions will be really interesting.
I saw a report from a Chicago station, showing ICE personnel gearing up to begin deportation raids after the inauguration tomorrow. The weather forecast for Chicago on Monday is a high of 12 F, wind chill -6 F. If they actually do begin to arrest people, I expect to hear about weather-related injuries -- which is to say that they appear to be preparing to proceed with their plans, regardless.
Thanks, Tom, but unfortunately nothing in this post brings any degree of surprise. Project 2025 and the trumpster/dumpster himself already told us this is their intention. trumpster/dumpster even said - loudly and boldly that he intended to be dictator on Day One. Those of you who chose to disbelieve the possibility of a reality are doomed to sit and watch.
We are watching the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler in the persons of elon musk and donald trump. The concentration camps and the invasion of our neighbors come next.
And Vladimir Putin gets his lifelong dream, America will self destruct.
If we had an ounce of sense, we, the Constitution abiding States of America would pull ourselves together and withdraw from Magaland. But I'm not holding my breath.
Good because you would die. They told us.
I'm going to be dead very soon, anyway, JD, of natural causes, that's the way of life. But, to be honest, I hate leaving this world much worse than I found it 92 years ago.
I’m old too so others will suffer worse. Your last sentence in spades. And for what, a moronic cult
Yep
Dear Fay, we will drag you to the finish line of 2028, I promise my dear. No, you or my husband will not leave us during the next 4 years. I have been reading all your replies for a while now and I won't let you go yet.
Don't worry Purobi, I'll go out kicking and ranting all the way!
Shock and Awe. B.S.
With apologies for no credit, from HCR comments: "Shock and awe! Sturm und drang! We are gonna march and take the country by the throat! There will be no mercy! We will battle through fire and bullets and fight and claim VICTORY!. . . .unless, of course, it is raining or there's a promise of snow. . . "
Work by stealth until we can assess just what level of implementation they're at. Form allegiances with the trusted. Have a plan that includes making life a living hell for local elected magas, ones who are true believers rather than true Americans.
Holy shit. If they get away with half of what they attempt, we're in deep trouble.
I feel for you, Kent, because your county is soooooo red.
Can’t Donny just fire anybody that tries to enforce Biden’s safeguards? With him there’s no such thing as ‘the law’.
Fire or threaten.
Big man without the power he thinks he has.
Fasten your seat belts.
Thank-you for all that you do to keep us in the loop.I am relying on you and a few others to assist me daily in my own resistance. We will continue to stand for truth and fairness and to try each day to do something no matter how miniscule ( even just reading this and other Substacks) to prop up our ailing democracy.
Tom, I think you once said that no matter how bad we think it’s going to be, it will be worse. That’s my expectation. I’m too old to leave but I can and shall resist for as long as it takes, for as long as I have.