I am with you. I need you because I cannot watch his reality TV antics. I have another example to share about shame. Like so many of us, my parents and I came to this country for a better life. The shame I also feel is how this administration has people like my parents believing people who look like them and want better for their families are the enemy. My parents admitted to me they voted for these idiots because of border security. My retired parents split their between India and Long Island. When the hell would the border issues bother them? I wish I had time that day to call them out on the colorism and anti-Blackness we Indians are known for. Yes. I am ashamed that my parents were so comfortable with their racism. I can only imagine what other nonsense they are sharing as they hear about what is happening to our transgender friends in the military. Apologies for the dump.
I really just meant to say that I love your content and I find it helpful for my teaching and my dissertation. Then the words kept spilling out. I am a doctoral student and we tend to have a lot on our minds. Have an awesome caturday!
It’s happening in front of our eyes, we know and see the consequences, and can do nothing but watch Putin win. It will be hard to ever feel proud of our country again. No nation led by rational leaders should ever trust us again.
What is little discussed is that Trump has now removed all the top brass in the armed forces and replaced them with blindly loyal followers. This is something that happened not nearly so fast in Nazi Germany or Hussein's Iraq, but is key to a full autocratic takeover. It happened here in less than 2 months. Trump can give a command (like remove all transsexuals from the military) on X and immediately the military responds by doing this. He and Vance have no reason to be anything other than rude, there is no longer any pretense. There was an article in the NYT about how they are working to break down the post war international strategy of working together with democratic allies and are going back to the big powers model and reducing international politics to, in this case the three nuclear powers, USA, Russia and China. In that world there is no need to even consider Ukraine, it is now actually already part of Russia, just the formalities of military defeat need to be completed. Any pretense of the mechanics of democracy still working in this country is out the window. There is no way to enforce the constitution. Shame is hardly an issue. Shame might have some meaning if we were still on the same side as the president. That is pretty much gone. He is not speaking for us. He is speaking for MAGA-tocracy.
This is so important to highlight! There were four ex-Pentagon chiefs who jointly sent a letter to Congress telling it this firing of the Joint Chiefs Chair, as well as the head of the other military services was very dangerous! Why isn't that letter being re-printed and highlighted?!? This is all happening and we absolutely must stop hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. We have arrived at the abyss edge. We cannot give up this country!
Thank you for what you have said. I could not bring myself to watch this despicable event, but it was well covered by reputable sources. To add insult to injury, the rep from my area defended the Oval Office, a freshman rep that is clearly showing his ignorance and blind obedience. Most days are hard to take, but reputable sources as yourself and others on Substack are welcome voices.
People who only know Trump through the scripted "Apprentice" series and never bothered to read up on his background don't know that Trump's father, by necessity, was in business with New York's Italian Mafia crime syndicate. From childhood Trump grew up around mob guys, which is why he has the diplomatic skills of a guy that hijacks tobacco shipments and threatens to burn down bodegas if he doesn't get a monthly cut.
People think Trump is a real estate mogul, but in fact, after blowing through the $400+MUSD daddy left him, Trump's primary business has been money laundering, first for the Italian Mafia, then for the Russian Bratva. He got into the casino business for the same purpose. So I certainly was not surprised last week when he went all "John Gotti" on Zelensky in a planned performance that was clearly for Vladimir Putin's benefit. Why else was a Russian media reporter, supposedly barred from such events, allowed in the room?
This isn't one compromised mobster from Queens people. The Russian penetration of the GOP has been a project for decades, and it was already in full flower when Trump came down the golden elevator. Let's remember that congressional Republicans held up Ukraine funding for six months with no Donald Trump in office. The GOP lawmakers weren't in Moscow on July 4th, 2018 to criticize Putin's annexation of Crimea. They were there for a fundraiser and to offer their services.
This is not just the compromise of one man, but of an entire political party, a dozen conservative think tanks, multiple Kochtopus front organizations, multiple news organizations, and dozens upon dozens upon dozens of social "influencers" actually on the Kremlin payroll, haranguing our most gullible and meritless fellow citizens, in unison, with an endless stream of fascist propaganda, 24x7, to destroy from within and without. Lavrentiy Beria is looking up from Hell and beaming with pride.
Asha, thank you for helping me to interpret my feelings of the past couple of weeks.
Enjoy the wedding. A most memorable experience of my 81 years was a 2004 Indian wedding ceremony/ weekend in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala. The father of the bride was our host. The weekend included an afternoon and overnight stay on a houseboat. As an American visitor I was ask “to say a few words” at the reception. Fortunately I knew the bride from her and mom’s visits to Dubai.
I WATCHED THAT display by Trump and Vance in WH yesterday anf felt sick. It was disgusting. I never thought we as a country would stoop so low. Now I am afraid for what is to come to us. I am 86 , lived through WW2 WITH MY 9 uncles in the European countries. One was killed i Angio. So many things rationed and young people cannot imagine what might happen again with our leaders playing up to Putin. My Grandmother always worried about her sons and my mother worried about her brothers. My Dad working long ,long hours to make up for the fellows who got drafted. My mother filled in long hours also to keep factory going.
Dear Bonnie, your words move me. My father was in WWII having been motivated to volunteer after Pearl Harbor. He and I had our own share of issues, but when I think of him, and my own Uncles who served, i am even more embarrassed that our nation they proudly fought for, our nation’s Republican Party leadership thinks so little of who & what we are, they so easily turn on a dime away from the heroic leader of a nation attacked and bombed and shelled for three years & embraced the Russian dictator who brutally attacked them. I am Glad my father is not witnessing this betrayal.
Yes, the treatment of someone who has fought for his country's freedom was disgraceful, shameful, disgusting, and in my view, bordering on being treasonous. When has the Orange Fuhrer or VP Vance ever experienced the loss of any of our military heroes? Never. I feel the need to remind people that our Emperor is only a symptom of a deeper malignancy in our society. He was voted into the White House.
Shameful AND disgusted!!! So now Trump and MAGATS openly support Putin/Russia vs. our longtime allies in the EU and around the world. Zelensky is the bad guy who “started the war.” Putin now has the “green light” to continue his conquest of former Soviet Republics, backed by the POTUS!!! Meanwhile, ALL we hear from the cowardly, spineless Republican leaders are “crickets.”
Thank you for this digest. It helps. I already have nausea from meds I take, but the Oval office thing just tops it off. I am a resist-type poster on Bluesky, and always try to look for some rays of hope. I don’t have the stomach to read as much as you do, but I do follow thought leaders where I can. Well, thanks again. I can get to working on my weekly family finances and be glad I filed taxes early and received my refund. We donate when we can (retired-fixed income) but spread verbal appreciation and support generously. Have fun at the wedding! — Barbara Thomas
I am not the only one who felt shame. The hellacious event took place on my lunch break Friday. I have two dear Ukrainian friends living there, both born & raised in Ukraine so I instinctively took out my iphone and began filming. I thought it might be a 2 minute thing. I immediately felt embarrassed. Then i realized this is bigger than me. My country was revealing this new personality I had not seen. Ever. Rather than feeling proud of my country, I was disgusted at this horrific 2 on 1 jr high school attack. Later on Friday i learned that the white house excluded access for the press conference to the AP and Reuters but invited Russia Today. I remember a parallel even in the 1st trump admin after trump fired James Comey, he invited the Russian ambassador in to the white house and invited Russia Today in to the white house and in their self-satisfying gloating, trump showed them something the Israeli government entrusted only to the USA highly classified. Trump is sloppy and also eager to show Putin at every opportunity he gets, how grateful he is to Putin. I have not bounced back yet. Trump pissed away the 250 years of history in that eleven minute press event.
The felon needs to be impeached then sent to prison for treason, the VP also needs the same. They have within a month, turned all of our allies away from us, and allied with the enemies, it will take years if at all ever to Allie with them again. The felon took us from the 21st century to the 18th century.
I am with you. I need you because I cannot watch his reality TV antics. I have another example to share about shame. Like so many of us, my parents and I came to this country for a better life. The shame I also feel is how this administration has people like my parents believing people who look like them and want better for their families are the enemy. My parents admitted to me they voted for these idiots because of border security. My retired parents split their between India and Long Island. When the hell would the border issues bother them? I wish I had time that day to call them out on the colorism and anti-Blackness we Indians are known for. Yes. I am ashamed that my parents were so comfortable with their racism. I can only imagine what other nonsense they are sharing as they hear about what is happening to our transgender friends in the military. Apologies for the dump.
I really just meant to say that I love your content and I find it helpful for my teaching and my dissertation. Then the words kept spilling out. I am a doctoral student and we tend to have a lot on our minds. Have an awesome caturday!
Thank you! 🙏🏽
It’s happening in front of our eyes, we know and see the consequences, and can do nothing but watch Putin win. It will be hard to ever feel proud of our country again. No nation led by rational leaders should ever trust us again.
What is little discussed is that Trump has now removed all the top brass in the armed forces and replaced them with blindly loyal followers. This is something that happened not nearly so fast in Nazi Germany or Hussein's Iraq, but is key to a full autocratic takeover. It happened here in less than 2 months. Trump can give a command (like remove all transsexuals from the military) on X and immediately the military responds by doing this. He and Vance have no reason to be anything other than rude, there is no longer any pretense. There was an article in the NYT about how they are working to break down the post war international strategy of working together with democratic allies and are going back to the big powers model and reducing international politics to, in this case the three nuclear powers, USA, Russia and China. In that world there is no need to even consider Ukraine, it is now actually already part of Russia, just the formalities of military defeat need to be completed. Any pretense of the mechanics of democracy still working in this country is out the window. There is no way to enforce the constitution. Shame is hardly an issue. Shame might have some meaning if we were still on the same side as the president. That is pretty much gone. He is not speaking for us. He is speaking for MAGA-tocracy.
This is so important to highlight! There were four ex-Pentagon chiefs who jointly sent a letter to Congress telling it this firing of the Joint Chiefs Chair, as well as the head of the other military services was very dangerous! Why isn't that letter being re-printed and highlighted?!? This is all happening and we absolutely must stop hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. We have arrived at the abyss edge. We cannot give up this country!
Thank you, Asha, for all you do. And the final quote is definitely uplifting!
Thank you for what you have said. I could not bring myself to watch this despicable event, but it was well covered by reputable sources. To add insult to injury, the rep from my area defended the Oval Office, a freshman rep that is clearly showing his ignorance and blind obedience. Most days are hard to take, but reputable sources as yourself and others on Substack are welcome voices.
People who only know Trump through the scripted "Apprentice" series and never bothered to read up on his background don't know that Trump's father, by necessity, was in business with New York's Italian Mafia crime syndicate. From childhood Trump grew up around mob guys, which is why he has the diplomatic skills of a guy that hijacks tobacco shipments and threatens to burn down bodegas if he doesn't get a monthly cut.
People think Trump is a real estate mogul, but in fact, after blowing through the $400+MUSD daddy left him, Trump's primary business has been money laundering, first for the Italian Mafia, then for the Russian Bratva. He got into the casino business for the same purpose. So I certainly was not surprised last week when he went all "John Gotti" on Zelensky in a planned performance that was clearly for Vladimir Putin's benefit. Why else was a Russian media reporter, supposedly barred from such events, allowed in the room?
This isn't one compromised mobster from Queens people. The Russian penetration of the GOP has been a project for decades, and it was already in full flower when Trump came down the golden elevator. Let's remember that congressional Republicans held up Ukraine funding for six months with no Donald Trump in office. The GOP lawmakers weren't in Moscow on July 4th, 2018 to criticize Putin's annexation of Crimea. They were there for a fundraiser and to offer their services.
This is not just the compromise of one man, but of an entire political party, a dozen conservative think tanks, multiple Kochtopus front organizations, multiple news organizations, and dozens upon dozens upon dozens of social "influencers" actually on the Kremlin payroll, haranguing our most gullible and meritless fellow citizens, in unison, with an endless stream of fascist propaganda, 24x7, to destroy from within and without. Lavrentiy Beria is looking up from Hell and beaming with pride.
Superman..absolutely superman..
Asha, thank you for helping me to interpret my feelings of the past couple of weeks.
Enjoy the wedding. A most memorable experience of my 81 years was a 2004 Indian wedding ceremony/ weekend in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala. The father of the bride was our host. The weekend included an afternoon and overnight stay on a houseboat. As an American visitor I was ask “to say a few words” at the reception. Fortunately I knew the bride from her and mom’s visits to Dubai.
An amazing cultural experience.
I'm a Calm man myself. Rasberry!
I WATCHED THAT display by Trump and Vance in WH yesterday anf felt sick. It was disgusting. I never thought we as a country would stoop so low. Now I am afraid for what is to come to us. I am 86 , lived through WW2 WITH MY 9 uncles in the European countries. One was killed i Angio. So many things rationed and young people cannot imagine what might happen again with our leaders playing up to Putin. My Grandmother always worried about her sons and my mother worried about her brothers. My Dad working long ,long hours to make up for the fellows who got drafted. My mother filled in long hours also to keep factory going.
Dear Bonnie, your words move me. My father was in WWII having been motivated to volunteer after Pearl Harbor. He and I had our own share of issues, but when I think of him, and my own Uncles who served, i am even more embarrassed that our nation they proudly fought for, our nation’s Republican Party leadership thinks so little of who & what we are, they so easily turn on a dime away from the heroic leader of a nation attacked and bombed and shelled for three years & embraced the Russian dictator who brutally attacked them. I am Glad my father is not witnessing this betrayal.
Yes, the treatment of someone who has fought for his country's freedom was disgraceful, shameful, disgusting, and in my view, bordering on being treasonous. When has the Orange Fuhrer or VP Vance ever experienced the loss of any of our military heroes? Never. I feel the need to remind people that our Emperor is only a symptom of a deeper malignancy in our society. He was voted into the White House.
Shameful AND disgusted!!! So now Trump and MAGATS openly support Putin/Russia vs. our longtime allies in the EU and around the world. Zelensky is the bad guy who “started the war.” Putin now has the “green light” to continue his conquest of former Soviet Republics, backed by the POTUS!!! Meanwhile, ALL we hear from the cowardly, spineless Republican leaders are “crickets.”
Thank you for this digest. It helps. I already have nausea from meds I take, but the Oval office thing just tops it off. I am a resist-type poster on Bluesky, and always try to look for some rays of hope. I don’t have the stomach to read as much as you do, but I do follow thought leaders where I can. Well, thanks again. I can get to working on my weekly family finances and be glad I filed taxes early and received my refund. We donate when we can (retired-fixed income) but spread verbal appreciation and support generously. Have fun at the wedding! — Barbara Thomas
As of Friday afternoon,
America is a pyetukh, and it sleeps by the parasha.
That's exactly how Putin's gang sees things. And for once, barring monumental events, they are right.
I am not the only one who felt shame. The hellacious event took place on my lunch break Friday. I have two dear Ukrainian friends living there, both born & raised in Ukraine so I instinctively took out my iphone and began filming. I thought it might be a 2 minute thing. I immediately felt embarrassed. Then i realized this is bigger than me. My country was revealing this new personality I had not seen. Ever. Rather than feeling proud of my country, I was disgusted at this horrific 2 on 1 jr high school attack. Later on Friday i learned that the white house excluded access for the press conference to the AP and Reuters but invited Russia Today. I remember a parallel even in the 1st trump admin after trump fired James Comey, he invited the Russian ambassador in to the white house and invited Russia Today in to the white house and in their self-satisfying gloating, trump showed them something the Israeli government entrusted only to the USA highly classified. Trump is sloppy and also eager to show Putin at every opportunity he gets, how grateful he is to Putin. I have not bounced back yet. Trump pissed away the 250 years of history in that eleven minute press event.
The felon needs to be impeached then sent to prison for treason, the VP also needs the same. They have within a month, turned all of our allies away from us, and allied with the enemies, it will take years if at all ever to Allie with them again. The felon took us from the 21st century to the 18th century.