83 Comments

I wish I could say this is Tom on one of his “moments,” all worked up and spitting bile for the fun of it. Unfortunately, he’s as sober as he’s ever been here. I genuinely believe he is seeing clearly what’s in store. We need to pull together, keep a keen eye, not be silenced, and support one another as the brown shirts (well, I guess the red ties), start coming after us.

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The Red Hats.

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The drooling red hats

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EXCELLENT! the phrase pops. just like Black Shirts, Brown Shirts, Yellow Vests...and red is so perfect for them...blood, passion, choler, acting out...so it goes.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tom, This is precisely what I have foreseen happening and it is happening day by day. With every outrageous nimcompoop trump decides to place in office in office. I don't think wait and see, or stick our heads in the sand is going to do the trick. I read that a number of State Governments are making resistance plans. If that is true they'd bloody well inform at least some of their citizens what is needed of them to enact that resistence. The main problem in Nazi Germany, there was no organized informed risitance.

Why do you think the Department of Education is #1 on the chopping block? It's budget isn't that large. It's because according to Project 2025 they do not intend to educate, they intend to indoctrinate.

We need a plan that doesn't include wait and see. We have 224 days left and counting.

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I have been thinking about that. So many want to engage, but what can we do that matters and how do we organize? I live in NC, where there is now and will be a democratic governor, but otherwise just Republican "legislators" since this state is so gerrymandered.

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I am so genuinely sorry for you, Lisa. For States like NC I can think of nothing but staying alive as long as you can or moving to a liberal progressive State if possible.

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Boss Berger rules the budget since 2010 starving public education of necessary funds! His son, little Phil, has a seat on the State’s stench court guaranteeing Papa Boss gets his way!

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Brava Fay! 2 dem governors

so far have protection plans

for their states and I see Los

Angeles became a sanctuary

city today. But what about

our erstwhile reps we spent

mega bucks electing and

defending- looking at you

Jeffries and Schumer and

so many others!

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Substack's getting mentioned

in MSN more and more. Many

reporters, defenders of

freedom and democracy

publish here, like Tom. Many

of us subscribe or ride free

on their 'Stacks. Substack

was even mentioned in

Democracy Docket today.

How long before the evil eyes

of The Rulers find Substack a

threat? What do you think

Hamish and crew will do

when they come knocking?

Are there any guardrails here?

We need a plan and so far

there's NONE. Open to

suggestions and leaving the

country isn't feasible for most

of us.

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Meidas Touch says today that Chris Best, the CEO of Substack, revealed that Elmo attempted to buy his platform in April 2023 but he told Elmo he wasn’t interested in selling.

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That is scary as hell.

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switch. If you feel you have to change your name/moniker here in order to stay safely on the site, give us a clue before you swich. Although some of you will be recognizable even if you pick "Bozo." Thanks!

MaryPat Sercu Randall AKA "MP."

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I don't think Ally means "scary" that way, but rather scary that Elmo was thinking of grabbing it.

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TC is right; the thought of Musk getting this platform is scary.

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then everyone will move somewhere else, right?

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MP will really disguise you!!?? Not!

Worst part of tshitter was allowing anonymous posting! Freedom of speech they roared! Well put your damn name on what you ‘freely’ say or shut up!

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Was just thinking about the space Nazi lust to rule the world!

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I saw that in the NYT yesterday or was it this morning, which is now yesterday. The worry is the enormous wealth that muck has, I read that he made 20 billion the day after the election, think about that it’s 20 thousand million.

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Half possibly deposited in the secret documents bathroom in Mar a lardo!

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Right now, being a pain in the ass is the highest form of citizenship.

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Keep on being a pain in the ass. I applaud you!

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My first-grade teacher wrote on my final report card that I was "too critical of others." Lol.

I am surprised and disappointed in Mica and Joe. I'll continue to listen to Keith Olbermann while I prepare and eat breakfast and not watch "Morning Joe."

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I'm concerned as well, though I realize getting access to the Supreme Leader is supposed to be a step-up for journalists. Afterall, who else will have access to the throw-offs that make headlines or start a scandal the will be ravenously pursued in the 24/7 news cycle? I'd be careful of the front-door access given too freely by a leader who is looking for personal pets among MSM. A stunt to get access for the medium will, I expect, lead to a decline in the perspecasity of the reporting. How many investigative journalists rely upon the first-person confidences shared with a member of the 4th estate. As a public, elected, figure, their access is expected, but always suspect without confirmation. Every leader want friendly treatment and there is an expectation that such treatment comes with a cost. But, with the Supreme Leader, do these MSM stars really expect they will be treated or tricked or played or bought by the incoming administration? I suspect there are a heck of a lot of Republicans who learned how little they got in the deals they made to receive his blessing. Dancing with the devil only results in submission and debasement leaves the devil's partner forever bound to the wages of immorality they rendered in exchange for the thrill of a dance.

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They a empty talking heads!

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Don't forget Ali Velshi on MSNBC, who sits in for Lawrence O'Donnell on Friday nights and has a two one-hour shows on Saturdays and a two one-hour shows on Sundays. Over the months preceding the election, he vehemently opposed Project 2025 on each program. He also has featured a Banned Book Club for years.

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Right. Ali's also an "airplane person."

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????. Airplane?

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He's a pilot (so was I)

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I laid this current process directly on Dick Cheney and his arms oligarchy. I saw 9-11 as the excuse to establish "Homeland Security". Domestic spying. Sounded a bit Deutch to me. Am I a conspiracy nut job? The F-16s of the coastal response groups were told to stand down that morning, by the White House. ?? Ronnie Raygun and the end of the Fairness Doctrine. Roger Ailes and the expidited citizenship of Murdoch to enable him to buy up US media to establish an uncontested propaganda network.

Bit by bit by bit...... No one really noticed. The list is too long for this space.

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You can start with Truman and Vietnam. Or Ronnie Raygun for domestic agenda fuckery. And the Republicans got in line then, and here we are.

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I said "Current" 1939 was 1939, if you recall. Truman quashed the retrial in 1945. Not sure if he was in on it. The oligarchy is old and the 1776 thing interupted it. Might they want their power back?

The bit by bit by bit is different here/now than in 1920s/30s Germany. They have addapted to the times. They were not punished at Nuremberg. They have a new Face.

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Yes, I know. My view just begins with Raygun.

Cheney was an incredibly evil prez.

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Thanks Tom, I think... 🤔 Yes. The legacy media personalities are getting in line. I keep pondering however why, WHY, knowing what he intends, and who he intends to have decapitate this nation, ( rfk,Jr, gaetz, gabbard, hegspIg, etc...there's not one decent person in the bunch)...WHY aren't people on the streets in their state capitals saying DO NOT SIGN OFF ON CERTIFYING THE STATE VOTE? This thought sounds absolutely nuts, I'm sure. In 2020 he used lawyers to try to subvert the election. There were 20 nei-nazis marching in Columbus, OH today. Where are We the People? Decent governors must join together making defending the nation from fascism our common cause ? 4 weeks from today is December 10. Human Rights Day as per thecUN. So it seems now is the time to be protesting this fascist administration no matter what. December 10 is the date for states to sign off. Yes. He got the votes. Yes. Russia helped him amplified by Xitter's lies, Faux Notnews drumbeat of insults and lies and all the rest. At the least we who did not vote for him or his dictatorship should be protesting vigorously, not letting the days go by. Some of that money left in the coffers of the DNC should be used to put out huge ads, billboards, ads running online on every program that what is planned is clear and must be resisted. The people must speak. We must not wait for someone else.

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Certifying the state vote is no more a political act of resistance for us in 2024 than it was for Trump in 2020. A battle was literally fought over the point that is a "purely ministerial" function.

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I wanted recounts. I understand the outcome was a result of many overt cheats such as voter role purges, gerrymandering, bomb threats at polls, AI faked and targeted ads, as well as single issue stay at home voters, but I feel it was a combination of a thousand cuts. It is a very unpopular thing to ask for any recounts and is regarded as conspiracy minded, but with such slim margins in some places it couldn't have hurt.

For one thing, I feel like the real reason not to do so was that it's gospel - if you're a true De - that the elections are safe and fair so you violate tribal doctrine if you suggest otherwise, and for another that one picks up the taint of being an ignorant conspiracy theorist if you so much as suggest a recount should be done after the Rs successfully poisoned that tool in the same way they poisoned certain words in the last Trump presidency. While we're sharing what our teachers said about us, a personal feature I learned about myself in school was that I really did believe it when teachers said to go ahead and ask because if you aren't sure about something there are others who aren't and just won't say it. Mulishly - and to heck if it sounds foolishly - I wish they would have recounted.

Plus, I sent letters everywhere asking who will bring a court challenge to Trump taking a civil office when he gave aid and comfort to insurrectionists even if they can't prove he participated in the insurrection himself (oh how I wish the SS had allowed him to walk with the mob!). The legal group (LDAD) that brought the challenge to him being on ballots should have followed up with this challenge because the result of the ballot case was based on who could make the decision, not on whether Trump participated in an insurrection or gave aid and comfort. Has there been a direct court challenge addressing this and I missed it? If not, why are we sleep walking toward an inauguration?

I'm not a huge Jon Stewart fan in general but this clip from about 13:02 pretty much captures how I feel at this point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNcmo-K5Xsg .

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Last week in a rightwing pocket of MI a group of swastika flag bearing enemies of the people protested outside a community theater production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." The pigs haven't waited long to trundle into the mud.

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Yes. The brown shirts are everywhere, and confederate flags in the hands of nei-fascists fly in Germany and other European countries.

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" ... murders by vigilante groups will start happening ...". Hope not. We all know there is no statute of limitations for M1. But, right now I am more interested Florida state crimes. See, the accessible list of Florida crimes at FL Criminal Law Section 775.15.

Some Florida laws such as a violation of 787.06 (human trafficking) may be "commenced at any time". Right now I am focusing on Florida's "DONNA LAW' which appears to removes the statute of limitations for the statutory rape of a minor under the age of 18. Make that "any sexual battery" but, double check with a licensed Florida criminal lawyer -- actually I suggest a criminal DEFENSE lawyer.

Such a Florida attorney is likely to opine "I didn't know" is not a defense in court. These FL laws (plural) could open the 'gates' for prosecution.

Just sayin'

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Tom, earlier today I gave the analysis to Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein without any conditions; let's see if they do anything with it. BTW, the attorney for the Ethics Committee eye-witness has been all over MSM for 2 days.

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Yeah, he was on Lawrence tonight. Wow.

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Missed it but, thanks I got it on tape.

Wed Morning: Lawrence did not disappoint & moved the discussion to his conclusion. "Matt Gaetz cannot survive a Senate confirmation Hearing".

There are two (2) Witnesses who testified at length before the Ethics Committee under oath. Witness #1 & #2 have the receipts such as exactly how much the deviant paid & eyewitness testimony of Matty Boy's open for-anyone-to-see conduct poolside. The Ethics committee meets today but, the facts are out now regardless. It's ugly very ugly.

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Florida has laws????

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Yes Louis but, there is there is a severe shortage of competent FL prosecutors. But, I used to drop in on city of Oakland DA's (women & men) in their "after work" drinking Den. At least I hope the beverages were after work.

These folks can become fiercely dedicated over any sexual battery. Unfortunately, I have no contacts in the Cloudy State.

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Appears, no laws regulate governors power!

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Sadly well said Tom and all too possible.

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Probable

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I just read your essay Tom and while I think many are good this was one of your best. Your referencing that book where the author interviewed Germans that survived the war was very powerful and dead on point. Our entire democratic republic’s survival is hanging on a knife edge, those of us that can see it clearly are understandably alarmed. The German’s description of how it evolved felt like a mirror was being held up for all to see. As I have said many times “if you are not alarmed, you are not paying attention”, and a wake up call is going to be sounded in January. I have never felt so pessimistic about the future of our country, our institutions are about to be looted and destroyed and our system of laws is going to protect the looters. Thanks for being in the fight still, while it may not be survivable, it’s going to take all of to have any chance. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💥💥🙏

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“Fails to respond to properly-constituted authority.”

Still does.

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Regrettably, this is likely to be over very quickly - the Orange Rind is not wasting any time, no doubt being tutored in the governmental dark arts by Leonard Leo or perhaps the Project 2025 crowd. He is going to get all his "recess" appointments, right out of the gate and no one can stop him. He'll get Mike "Pharisee" Johnson to call for a recess of the House and then try to get the Senate to recess at the same time. If the Senate refuses, he invokes Article II, Section 3 and forces both houses to recess for as long as he wishes them to recess, while he rules alone as our dictator, governing by executive orders. If the Senate recesses to avoid the overt dictatorship, then he gets the recess and picks his menagerie of misfits and proceeds with the plan to "deconstruct the administrative state"..... Checkmate.

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And this is all in the bleepin' Constitution (Article II, Section 3) - which is why there does not seem to be anything anyone can do to stop this or even delay it. A rather surprising and most distressing failure of the founders to anticipate the US of today - but then this hasn't come up in 245 years, so they didn't do too badly I guess. Get me rewrite.....

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Tragic! Should have reworked US Constitution after end of civil war! Slave states had no say, had to ratify to rejoin the union!

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The worst thing is that Trump will have this power even if the Democrats retake the House and Senate in 2026 - he will be a dictator from day 1 all the way to day whatever in January 2029.....

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Great article Tom. I received a version of the same thing on my report cards; failure to conform to institutional standards. It only strengthened my resolve.

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from one classroom "pain in the ass" to another: you getting it exactly right. Joe and Mika aren't exactly on my morning dance card, on the rare occasions I'm up that early, but let them be one of the canary cages in the mine. whenever I see Joe, I immediately flash back to him mouthing some dismal Repug talking points back when he was in the House. fuck him anyone who thinks he's not too smarmy to live with. but again, they're not the point. I saw Disney cave this past week over an anti-TFF comment the girl playing Snow White made on her fucking Instagram account. she had to apologize and Iger made some conciliatory noises about "not so much political correctness" and going back to the good old days when all they cared about was Great Family Entertainment or some such horseshit. I remember back in the '70s when there was a rash of old Mousketeers coming clean about the obvious behind-the-scenes hanky panky.

but this is very serious and YES, the initial response is confusion. it's counterintuitive, but that's what happens.

in that way the people who call all the craziness about these cabinet picks out of Crazy Central Casting a "distraction" are onto something. what we shouldn't sop paying attention to is the slow, steady beat of the unacceptable becoming everyday. but it's happening so FAST.

right now, pretty much everybody I know is still checking all ball-in-socket joints for bruises and dislocations, but that's gonna have to stop pretty quickly, dontcha think?

but I have Authority Issues, so what do I know?

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