We are in a world of trouble when democrats capitulate to the republicans. You cannot capitulate to fascism, yet that is exactly what they are doing. I am beginning to think all our politicians are working together.
Actually, Sally, there are quite a few Democrats who are out speaking against this regime and naming what they are clearly and pulling no punches. The challenge for all of us, Trump and ther adical Right have control of most of our media and are about to grab more witht he changes in the FCC Mr. Carr watns. It is disgusting, but they care nothing for our Constitutin, spaghetti people that they are. Throw it against the wall and something is sure to stick. We the People need to be there to clean off the wall so they can't get any traction with any of the spaghetti that stuck.
Jean, the hard part is that our media can't even use the word Fascist, and pretend NTIFA is an organization, and hardly respond at all to the stupidities that Donald Trump, in his dementia tosses out. It is truly shameful and we are going to need courage on the part of our leaders as well as the rest of us, to make any changes in this.
I don't believe he ever actually won any election without providing fake ballots in a pre-determined number. He had the stop the steal group in place in 2016, before anybody voted, so he had this strategy of falsely accusing Democrats of stealing in place even then. Somehow that provides him some sort of armor against being credibly accused of stealing elections. He was told in 2020 that he would need 65 million, and that's how many appeared, even when his support was dramatically diminished after the economic failure and bungling COVID response. This was an increase from 2016, when realistically the number would have been much lower. It seems when he knows the number, he can make it appear, and that has to be a contrivance, not actual people voting for him. I won't trust election security as long as it is in the hands of an F.B.I. headed by a Republican, and it has never been headed by a Democrat.
Jean, I agree with everything you say about the election being stolen. It makes no sense that a convicted felon who has spent his life lying and cheating would win an election "freely and fairly" when he spent the months before telling his supporters that he didn't really need their votes and when he wins "you'll never have to vote again."
The idea that he won all seven swing states-the first presidential candidate in history to do this-and that those same 7 states all had a disproportionate number of bullet ballots compared to the rest of the states, is just one huge piece of the cheating puzzle. The person occupying the WH is an illegitimate president. Election Truth Alliance https://electiontruthalliance.org/ explains in great detail about what's been and is still being discovered since the 2024 election. I still don't understand why Kamala Harris didn't ask for a recount in at least Pennsylvania with all the blatant shenanigans that went on there. Another good resource about the nefarious things Republicans have been doing since the 2000 election is right here on Substack: https://thiswillhold.substack.com/p/hacked-democracy-elections-havent
I think Kamala figured all roads to contesting it would end at the Supreme Court, so better to pretend we trust election results to create some kind of stability and some hope for a future vote to overturn things. Plus the media didn't help, even pre-paved the way with answers to questions they knew would be asked in advance, by publishing an opinion post in the NYT saying high turnout is now good for Republicans because new immigrants were voting for Trump. I couldn't see their face when they wrote this, but I'm assuming they thought what they just said was somehow remotely plausible. High turnout is good for Democrats, except for right after the towers fell 9/11. Nothing like that has happened to turn the tide that way again. Then immediately after the election, they already had a term coined for those of us who saw through the fakery, "Blue-Anon," like anybody who questions election results are the same as the Trump's Q-Anon supporters and their fake stop the steal group. Democrats should have expanded the Supreme Court, the moderates held us back again because they didn't want to look as if they were as bad as Republicans with stacking the Court. But expanding it made sense, to match the number of circuits, so it couldn't be just expanded out of the blue, it would have to match the number of circuits. Plus Merrick Garland should have brought criminal charges against Trump for inciting a riot on January 6. The evidence was clear. The Senate failed to convict because they said he was leaving office, not because the evidence wasn't there. It should have happened immediately.
Yes, Annie, the Pennsylvania results are especially suspicious, not only wrt to the Presidential election, but also the Senate. Personally, I do not believe McCormick beat Bob Casey, either. ETA has uncovered clear statistical irregularities in at least 3 counties, including Philadelphia that warrant hand recounts and forensic audits.
However, a word of caution: the "bullet ballots" are controversial and have not been able to be verified, at least not yet. But problems have been identified with "drop-off" votes, i.e., that there are less votes for the top of the ticket presidential race than with other down ballot races for democratic candidates in democratic-majority precincts, which is highly unusual. Investigations are ongoing.
Kamala didn't... couldn't... contest the election (or even request a recount) because the laws require PROOF of fraudulent activity. She had none. They STILL have none - nothing but suspicious activity, based on normal voting patterns. In short, they have a theory that's only backed up by statistical probability, which offers no PROOF of anything.
Bomb scares in churches in Georgia where people were voting. Also I saw a reporter standing by a long line of women voters and all he could talk about were the red hats everywhere
So? Georgia counties reportedly determined that everyone was able to cast a ballot. Red hats are not illegal, but you'd have to check Georgia Sec'y of State website or the individual counties for laws on voting attire. It's not like Georgia didn't support trump, either.
Very good points, Jean. I agree. And now we are beginning to understand how the 2024 election was compromised; as well as, the 2020 election, but to a lesser extent, which was not enough to give him that "number" that he needed. Watch Smartelections.us and electiontruthalliance.org and their lawsuits as we move forward and get involved in raising awareness and helping out in any way that you can.
Very well said. I’ve just read Rosie the Resisters Substack saying that there is no budget to pass. It’s part of Project 2025 to destroy government and civil society. She suggests people ring their Democratic representatives and ask what they plan to do. I feel that this level of evil is unthinkable and so people are in denial. Thanks for your article.
Hate and division grow when we tolerate what’s unacceptable. But courage isn’t just in big acts—it’s in daily choices to reject hate and stand for justice. Every small act of resistance and kindness pushes back the darkness. Saying “not in my house” means taking back our power to build a future of dignity and hope. Together, we’ll get through this and create a better home for all.
No one should be surprised at the daily atrocities committed by the Criminal-in-Chief. One of the more disappointing aspects of this year has been the feckless opposition of the Democrats. There have been a few who have been actively engaged in the fight, but overall, they have seemed weak and confused. You said it best, Mary - “never make common cause with fascists”. I’m not pretending to have all the answers, but I’m pretty sure appeasing the Criminal and his cultists is not the way to go.
I agree with your first sentence. It's my rather brutal opinion that Lincoln was far too lenient with the southern leadership after the war ended. I'll leave it there.
Thank you for speaking truth with courage and compassion every day. I can relate, sadly, to being complicit with certain kinds of white supremacy in my background that no longer seem subtle to me.
I want to say no to death dealers, and yes to those working to build others up and find life and healing.
I hear and see you doing that, and I continue to be grateful.
I agree completely. The only bill Democrats should vote yes on is articles of impeachment. The Democratic leaders who talk about compromise, bipartisanship, can’t see what’s plainly in front of their faces. Trump has just bulldozed every part of the current budget that he disagrees with—the Democrat parts. He’s ripped up legislation that long preceded this budget. Watch him agree with a token part of what they want now, to get their votes, and then bulldoze that after it becomes law.
I’ll take ANY democrat over the spineless cult of republicans in the congress and senate. They kiss his a.. and should quit if they can’t do the job and that would show integrity. NONE in the Republican Party. The constant bashing of democrats is crazy while the republicans rip our country to shreds as THEY are the ones in POWER! Making sure no one wants to vote from fear, making sure no one votes by making them jump through hurdles. And making sure people think their vote doesn’t count.. so ENOUGH vote the republicans out or reap what you sow as the many trump voters will see he could care less about them!! rant over..
After a quarter of a century on July 11, 2025 I received a Pardon from the Executive Clemency Board of Florida.
I never thought DeSantis would give it to me because I am a known outspoken critic of the Orange Menace (OM)
I live about 5 miles away in PB from Mar-a-Lago in a sweet jungle house; quite different from most homes around me.
I would go there as a child way before your Uncle owned it. My parents would go often when Marjorie Meriweather Post owned it.
My bet is that even though most government agencies have been cut due to OM and countless people wanting a Pardon and gun rights back they have super staffed Executive Clemency Boards in Red States.
You cannot compromise with fascists. Before you can resist malevolent authority, you have to recognize that it is malevolent. Call fascism what it is.
You said it so well Jean!
Yes: NAME IT.
We are in a world of trouble when democrats capitulate to the republicans. You cannot capitulate to fascism, yet that is exactly what they are doing. I am beginning to think all our politicians are working together.
Actually, Sally, there are quite a few Democrats who are out speaking against this regime and naming what they are clearly and pulling no punches. The challenge for all of us, Trump and ther adical Right have control of most of our media and are about to grab more witht he changes in the FCC Mr. Carr watns. It is disgusting, but they care nothing for our Constitutin, spaghetti people that they are. Throw it against the wall and something is sure to stick. We the People need to be there to clean off the wall so they can't get any traction with any of the spaghetti that stuck.
Jean, the hard part is that our media can't even use the word Fascist, and pretend NTIFA is an organization, and hardly respond at all to the stupidities that Donald Trump, in his dementia tosses out. It is truly shameful and we are going to need courage on the part of our leaders as well as the rest of us, to make any changes in this.
Thank you so much for this very important warning!!!
Mary H, Madison Wisconsin
I don't believe he ever actually won any election without providing fake ballots in a pre-determined number. He had the stop the steal group in place in 2016, before anybody voted, so he had this strategy of falsely accusing Democrats of stealing in place even then. Somehow that provides him some sort of armor against being credibly accused of stealing elections. He was told in 2020 that he would need 65 million, and that's how many appeared, even when his support was dramatically diminished after the economic failure and bungling COVID response. This was an increase from 2016, when realistically the number would have been much lower. It seems when he knows the number, he can make it appear, and that has to be a contrivance, not actual people voting for him. I won't trust election security as long as it is in the hands of an F.B.I. headed by a Republican, and it has never been headed by a Democrat.
Jean, I agree with everything you say about the election being stolen. It makes no sense that a convicted felon who has spent his life lying and cheating would win an election "freely and fairly" when he spent the months before telling his supporters that he didn't really need their votes and when he wins "you'll never have to vote again."
The idea that he won all seven swing states-the first presidential candidate in history to do this-and that those same 7 states all had a disproportionate number of bullet ballots compared to the rest of the states, is just one huge piece of the cheating puzzle. The person occupying the WH is an illegitimate president. Election Truth Alliance https://electiontruthalliance.org/ explains in great detail about what's been and is still being discovered since the 2024 election. I still don't understand why Kamala Harris didn't ask for a recount in at least Pennsylvania with all the blatant shenanigans that went on there. Another good resource about the nefarious things Republicans have been doing since the 2000 election is right here on Substack: https://thiswillhold.substack.com/p/hacked-democracy-elections-havent
I think Kamala figured all roads to contesting it would end at the Supreme Court, so better to pretend we trust election results to create some kind of stability and some hope for a future vote to overturn things. Plus the media didn't help, even pre-paved the way with answers to questions they knew would be asked in advance, by publishing an opinion post in the NYT saying high turnout is now good for Republicans because new immigrants were voting for Trump. I couldn't see their face when they wrote this, but I'm assuming they thought what they just said was somehow remotely plausible. High turnout is good for Democrats, except for right after the towers fell 9/11. Nothing like that has happened to turn the tide that way again. Then immediately after the election, they already had a term coined for those of us who saw through the fakery, "Blue-Anon," like anybody who questions election results are the same as the Trump's Q-Anon supporters and their fake stop the steal group. Democrats should have expanded the Supreme Court, the moderates held us back again because they didn't want to look as if they were as bad as Republicans with stacking the Court. But expanding it made sense, to match the number of circuits, so it couldn't be just expanded out of the blue, it would have to match the number of circuits. Plus Merrick Garland should have brought criminal charges against Trump for inciting a riot on January 6. The evidence was clear. The Senate failed to convict because they said he was leaving office, not because the evidence wasn't there. It should have happened immediately.
The FIX was in..all over the place.
Yes Merrick really screwed up
I'm
Yes, Annie, the Pennsylvania results are especially suspicious, not only wrt to the Presidential election, but also the Senate. Personally, I do not believe McCormick beat Bob Casey, either. ETA has uncovered clear statistical irregularities in at least 3 counties, including Philadelphia that warrant hand recounts and forensic audits.
However, a word of caution: the "bullet ballots" are controversial and have not been able to be verified, at least not yet. But problems have been identified with "drop-off" votes, i.e., that there are less votes for the top of the ticket presidential race than with other down ballot races for democratic candidates in democratic-majority precincts, which is highly unusual. Investigations are ongoing.
Kamala didn't... couldn't... contest the election (or even request a recount) because the laws require PROOF of fraudulent activity. She had none. They STILL have none - nothing but suspicious activity, based on normal voting patterns. In short, they have a theory that's only backed up by statistical probability, which offers no PROOF of anything.
Bomb scares in churches in Georgia where people were voting. Also I saw a reporter standing by a long line of women voters and all he could talk about were the red hats everywhere
So? Georgia counties reportedly determined that everyone was able to cast a ballot. Red hats are not illegal, but you'd have to check Georgia Sec'y of State website or the individual counties for laws on voting attire. It's not like Georgia didn't support trump, either.
Very good points, Jean. I agree. And now we are beginning to understand how the 2024 election was compromised; as well as, the 2020 election, but to a lesser extent, which was not enough to give him that "number" that he needed. Watch Smartelections.us and electiontruthalliance.org and their lawsuits as we move forward and get involved in raising awareness and helping out in any way that you can.
The Democrats should have demanded a RECOUNT.
If Trump’s niece can see and tell the truth, why can’t the rest of us?
We see it and cannot do a thing about it. No Institutions are left in the American Government anymore that care to do the LEGAL thing.
Very well said. I’ve just read Rosie the Resisters Substack saying that there is no budget to pass. It’s part of Project 2025 to destroy government and civil society. She suggests people ring their Democratic representatives and ask what they plan to do. I feel that this level of evil is unthinkable and so people are in denial. Thanks for your article.
The lauding of Charlie Kirk says it all.
Charlie Kirk demanded the release of the EPSTEIN FILES on Monday!
On Wednesday he was murdered!
Think any maga politician will demand the release of the EPSTEIN FILES NOW???
THAT was the whole point of THIS!
Correlation is not causation.
Hate and division grow when we tolerate what’s unacceptable. But courage isn’t just in big acts—it’s in daily choices to reject hate and stand for justice. Every small act of resistance and kindness pushes back the darkness. Saying “not in my house” means taking back our power to build a future of dignity and hope. Together, we’ll get through this and create a better home for all.
No one should be surprised at the daily atrocities committed by the Criminal-in-Chief. One of the more disappointing aspects of this year has been the feckless opposition of the Democrats. There have been a few who have been actively engaged in the fight, but overall, they have seemed weak and confused. You said it best, Mary - “never make common cause with fascists”. I’m not pretending to have all the answers, but I’m pretty sure appeasing the Criminal and his cultists is not the way to go.
The Democrats are OLD and set in their ways. They refuse to let the young blood in.
Dems shouldn't bend the knee to a fascist regime. Shut it down!
Does Chuckie look as though he will do anything other than send FIRM LETTERS?
First, the American Civil War never ended.
Secondly, the Democrats should let the government shut down, let the Republicans take the fast route to hell rather than the slow route.
Earlier today I thought that if Trump should agree in the meeting to the Democrats demands, then they should require him to state it publicly.
But, Trump could do just that and then destroy everything anyway.
He would lie as usual and do what he wants, because he can.
Finally, thank you, Mary for your excellent essay.
I agree with your first sentence. It's my rather brutal opinion that Lincoln was far too lenient with the southern leadership after the war ended. I'll leave it there.
100%!
Agree
YOU know Dear Leader ..too bad Chuckie, etc., doesn’t.
Thank you for speaking truth with courage and compassion every day. I can relate, sadly, to being complicit with certain kinds of white supremacy in my background that no longer seem subtle to me.
I want to say no to death dealers, and yes to those working to build others up and find life and healing.
I hear and see you doing that, and I continue to be grateful.
I agree completely. The only bill Democrats should vote yes on is articles of impeachment. The Democratic leaders who talk about compromise, bipartisanship, can’t see what’s plainly in front of their faces. Trump has just bulldozed every part of the current budget that he disagrees with—the Democrat parts. He’s ripped up legislation that long preceded this budget. Watch him agree with a token part of what they want now, to get their votes, and then bulldoze that after it becomes law.
Democrats always get bulldozed
Great insight. The Democratic leaders are weak. The Democratic Party needs to be led by young progressives.
Yes, but not fake "Progressive" posers like Sen. John Fetterman.
Something happened to him..big change..and not a good one.
I’ll take ANY democrat over the spineless cult of republicans in the congress and senate. They kiss his a.. and should quit if they can’t do the job and that would show integrity. NONE in the Republican Party. The constant bashing of democrats is crazy while the republicans rip our country to shreds as THEY are the ones in POWER! Making sure no one wants to vote from fear, making sure no one votes by making them jump through hurdles. And making sure people think their vote doesn’t count.. so ENOUGH vote the republicans out or reap what you sow as the many trump voters will see he could care less about them!! rant over..
Desperately need new young blood…
After a quarter of a century on July 11, 2025 I received a Pardon from the Executive Clemency Board of Florida.
I never thought DeSantis would give it to me because I am a known outspoken critic of the Orange Menace (OM)
I live about 5 miles away in PB from Mar-a-Lago in a sweet jungle house; quite different from most homes around me.
I would go there as a child way before your Uncle owned it. My parents would go often when Marjorie Meriweather Post owned it.
My bet is that even though most government agencies have been cut due to OM and countless people wanting a Pardon and gun rights back they have super staffed Executive Clemency Boards in Red States.
I love your writing and your fearlessness.
Thank you.
Exactly Mary Well Said Thank You. I Have Lost Respect For Them Trump Is Loving This.
Excellent essay! Thank you.