Yes, on those increasingly rare occasions when SCROTUS does rule in favor of goodness, it's because two of the four marginally less racist and religiously corrupt ruled with the three liberals. Alito and Thomas are never on the side of probity and history.
They should never have taken up the case for birthright citizenship in the first place. That would’ve been enough to send a message that it’s untouchable. I am also very worried because they probably think we’re stupid enough to believe that they are fair minded by throwing us these three little bones. We already know they give two shits about the constitution and precedent.
There was a lot of skepticism on that during oral arguments, even from the conservatives. Other than Alito, of course.
My guess is that they're going to drop it at the very last second and hightail it out of town so they can avoid the nuclear diaper detonation once Dear Leader finds out about it.
There needs to be spacing of the news of the deaths of certain slime-mold jackasses in DC, or I'm going to get alcohol poisoning from all the champagne I'll be popping.
If only there were enforceable ethics rules for the Supreme Court, like there are for every other court. Here in Cleveland, a judge just went to jail for pushing divorcing couples to use her boyfriend as mediator. That's kind of small potatoes, compared to taking away women's bodily autonomy and people's voting rights, especially Black people's. And it has an upside: this judge's domestic court seat was the dream job of a lawyer I know so she's running for it and with the Democratic Party endorsement she's got a good chance to win.
Alito and Thomas — the dufus twins — take us (once again) on a wild trip of predictability. Why do they even bother to show up to vote on the cases? Why don’t they just phone it in from their billionaire grifting vacations…maybe that is what they’re doing while sending A.I. representations of themselves to court.
And we all still have to try to remember to breathe while we wait to find out if the Six Nazis of the Apocalypse will strip everybody in the US of birthright citizenship. You know--in order to celebrate the 250th birthday.
Like your style Joyce — “six nazis of the apocalypse” — priceless! (Although, little miss prim and proper and the “I like beer” guy are trying hard to keep one toe in the pool of respectability…and it’s hard work for little kitties). (Goo boy: here’s a kibble)
Of course not. And, we have immigrants rights taken away by this same court, so Trump gets to send them to any country he wants to without due process, and if they happen to accidentally be US citizens, Whoops! Too bad so sad. Evil, evil court.
I'd SO hope people would listen when I practically screamed that we needed to expand the court BACK to 13 (yes, where it once was). Having 13 justices made for lively debates by far more intellectual and deeply legal minds who DID respect our Constitution and wouldn't have dreamed of trashing it (or allowing a toddler presidunce to do so). It also made it much more difficult for a majority to rule badly or to overturn established precedent. Oh, that we had 13 members now. For me, I didn't mind having 'some' not so liberal or democratically-leaning minds as long as they thought - and talked issues through WITH each other instead of these sanctimonious right-wing pronouncements which seem to catch the more liberal judges off guard.
Under Biden we could say this, although he did not listen because he had a different plan, and lacked understanding of the Trump voter and the kind of crazy they became being online during Covid. Now, under Trump, I do not want him to expand the court with his picks. That is a scary prospect indeed.
Good one Linda. Wouldn’t you like to see a Twilight Zone episode where they suddenly turn into immigrants who are rounded up and sent off to gulags to await their fate? I’d supply the popcorn
Forty-five thousand. Sure, sweetheart. The photos his own press secretary posted show her standing in front of a lawn so empty you could film a Western on it. The Daily Beast called the fair "virtually deserted"; The Atlantic ran the headline that it "isn't very great." The aging strongman is still litigating his 2017 inauguration crowd, still demanding the cameras lie for him, and the cameras — bless them — keep refusing. But the gawking at empty chairs nearly buried the genuinely grotesque part. Inside North Carolina's privately sponsored pavilion, video displays were found showing the current state flag alongside the Confederate battle flag.
The CONFEDERATE FUCKING BATTLE FLAG? Really. What in the absolute fuck? This is ok now?
"A few thousand people packed the Midway Plaisance Thursday to watch the festive inauguration of the Obama Presidential Center. Staffers distributed complimentary 'Conchairto' lawn chairs to those watching livestreams on the Midway’s green lawns."
I've got tickets in August to go to the center itself, but I was by there this weekend, and the grounds were packed! It was my first good look at it with the construction fence down. It looks really great, and the green roof on the Forum is going to look fantastic once the plants fill in.
Yes. I watched that. It is in my Chicago neighborhood. It had quite different associations. Watching nice people be nice is such a relief. I want more of that.
Yes, Anastasia. I would too. Watching the Obama Center celebrations reminded me of what it was like to have a presidential adult as a president, not some whinny sick, emotional little boy, buffoon.
Just a note here about that fucking flag at the NC booth-NC did not set an official state booth up. It was co-opted by what we ended up seeing there. We’re a gerrymandered maga state so most of us haven’t completely lost our minds.
A good friend moved there because that is where her husband got a job. A job he likes very much. She also got a teaching job that she likes very much. They and their cats are happy in NC. They go hiking and to craft fairs. She is a beader, so she appreciates craftmanship. So, while they think they live in a community of MAGA, because that is where they could afford to buy a house, they are not MAGA. They are progressives.
Except for the ones who voted for Trump, who are only superficially nice. Deep in their hearts they harbor hatred and pleasure in misery of others. Schadenfreude!
The Coast Guard sent us to a small city in northeastern North Carolina in 1989. We lived there for 3 1/2 years. We bought a house NOT in the creepy developments outside of town, but on the ‘Champs-D’Elysees’ of that small town. My dream house! An old, beautiful home with a large yard full of dogwood trees and hydrangeas. However, we were observed by neighbors and strangers. A woman I’d never met confronted me in [the only] gym to tell me that she saw me talking to a black man on my front porch. We were questioned and criticized by passing pedestrians for pulling up the rose bushes in the front yard…and then had to hear their alarmed reactions when we put a vegetable garden in place where the roses were. All this to say…there were nice people in our little southern town. There were also nosy, mean and judgemental people who could never get past our California plates. But man! It’s a lovely state with varied environments and an interesting history. I did have to ask more than one visitor to leave after they joyfully used the N word 🙁
My GF and I were browsing for greeting cards in a Safeway in Fort Worth several years ago- when an older woman passing by heard us discussing the various cards in our "noahthan" accent.
She looked at us and with eyes narrowed as she asked, "What are y'all DOIN' heah?"
Forgive NC, we have a Republican super-majority State Legislature that overrides Gov. Stein and some courts. Elect Gov. Cooper to Senate, Legislature's first efforts to take away as many Governor's powers before he even took office. But he still managed to be a Good Governor.
Thanks Wendy — I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Yes, those cameras don’t lie but just wait — trump, the baby moron, will get his A.I. buddies to develop an A.I. camera that will insert large fake crowds at his events and we’ll be spending hours searching for people floating with no legs or perhaps an additional leg or two.
A.I. and mega assholes seem to be converging at the same time in history for a big show I suppose. Doesn’t it seem like the horrendous pricks of the past have decided to get the band back together and reincarnate themselves now just for fun. That “Mein Kampf” on Tump’s night stand is maybe laying there as a refresher
A festering wound since 1865. It was a terrible mistake not to have strung up the Confederate leadership and to not have seized the big plantations. Will we be so stupid as to fall for the reconciliation trap once again? I am not sanguine about the possibility.
The Supremes would rather deal with the big stuff, like destroying the Voting Rights Act. They don't want to ALWAYS be Trump's private law firm, hence the law suit turn-down. And since white people vote by mail, no need to get rid of that. And the Federal Reserve is sacrosanct, for some reason. Too bad the Voting Rights Act wasn't. But Roberts was bound and determined to get rid of it, so he got his wish. I hope when he dies, he burns in Hell.
They won’t mess with the federal reserve because it involves their money and all those bastards care about is their money. To quote them all: “That’s MY money!” “MINE!” “DON’TYOU MESS WITH MY MONEY!” “EVER!” “People? — FUCK THE PEOPLE — I GOT MINE —GO GET YOUR OWN!” (If only you’d let us)
The opinions were a little for you and a LOT for Dumpty. Dog-and-pony puppet show. How brave to confirm the plain language of the 14th Amendment.
As Rick Wilson observed, "In Trump v. Slaughter, the Court overturned Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, the 1935 precedent that for ninety-one years let Congress shield the heads of independent agencies from being fired at the president’s whim. The vote was 6-3..."
When the Grim Reaper finally comes for Preznit Fuckwit, the Mall and streets across the nation (heck, the world) will be full of people popping champagne and dancing in celebration. The GOP and it's wingnut media will wring their hands and tell us we need to be respectful of not-so-dear departed leader but f*ck that nonsense. Just hope President Biden lives long enough to join the party.
I want to say THANK you for all the wonderful pictures of Ms. Spouse and you. It's truly heartwarming at a time where there doesn't seem to be much heartwarming in the news.
It also brought a thought to mind which I REALLY HOPE people will read and think about: you have a WEALTH of photos. Truly. As my kids grew to adults, and phones replaced our film and then digital cameras, I've taken less and less photos. I don't ever want to think I'm taking my wonderful husband for granted! I'm going to take more random days; not just the Father's Day and birthday photos. Outliving him might happen and is my greatest fear. I have much sympathy for you, and I am grateful that you didn't take her for granted, continuing to document your beautiful relationship!
It wasn’t fuck you enough. Roberts still managed to shit all over the separation of powers by allowing Donny to fire members of independent no more agencies. I loved, as usual, Our Daily Claudia. And my rage matches yours today in your newsletter. Jon Lovett told Joanna Coles on The Daily Beast podcast that he isn’t a “hope” person during this rancid era. He is an “anger person”. So am I. All of this is outrageous. And the guy who is going to prison in TX for MOVING A BOX OF “ZINES”??? But for not as long as his wife, who protested at the Prairie Land detention center. She is sentenced to FIFTY YEARS. Donny’s executive bullshit calls us all “antifa” now and classifies us as terrorists. Fuck this regime.
That's all good, but the Court's decision to allow Trump to fire members of Congressionally established independent commissions, other than the Fed, at will is a disaster. Agencies like the FTC, SEC, and FCC will be gutted by the regime to put corruption and cronyism on steroids.
I will once again remind folks that a very sizable chunk of what looks like Congress not doing anything to push back against the president is in fact a consequence of the Court disabling/destroying all the ways Congress has tried to push back.
I will once again remind folks that a very sizable chunk of what looks like Congress not doing anything to push back against the president is in fact a consequence of the Court disabling/destroying all the ways Congress has tried to push back.
And a lot of what looks like inaction on gun control is in fact the Court disabling/destroying/striking down state efforts to do something about guns. See the recent decision on Hawaii's law allowing private businesses to ban guns.
In AZ mail-in ballots have been around since Republicans pushed their legality in the 1990s. A lot of their voters are in rural areas, so mailing in a ballot actually helps those individuals vote. Now, A LOT of us vote by mail. There are so many people to vote for (when you include judges), and, more importantly, ballot initiatives made complicated to understand on purpose, that being able to understand all of it takes way more time than a few minutes in a voting room. They even send out thick booklets to help understand what each ballot initiative is about and who supports/doesn't support them followed by lengthy paragraphs defending those views. I don't know anyone who doesn't vote by mail here.
Yes, but the part about Cook was a carve-out. They went along with Rump's hitherto not-allowed power to fire independent regulators for any reason. So, a small victory at best.
Jeff, as usual your writings are accurate and to the point. Can I add that I love the ‘Daily Claudia’, she had a great face and eyes that seem to say no bill$it here. It must be hard for you but thank you so much for sharing.
Trump’s mini arch…looks exactly like what he is doing to our country…cracking at the seams, needing support from others, bumpy cheap paint like his cheap shots at everyone…Hopefully it will fall down soon and America will get back to DEMOCRACY! Have a nice week everyone .
A sneak peek at the quality of the real one, to be built in order to block the view of Arlington Cemetery--which, of course, is full of "suckers and losers" and "nobody wants to see that."
Something that struck me this weekend -- that ferris wheel on the National Mall looks pretty tall, huh? It's 110 feet tall, so yeah, pretty tall. But that proposed arch he's pushing is supposed to be 250 feet tall -- that's two ferris wheels plus 30 additional feet. That is <checking notes> okay, according to Black's Legal Dictionary, the term for that is "absurdly obsene". Res ipsa loquitur.
Trump recently boasted "I build things. It's what I do best." Substitute "wreck" for "build" and he would have had it right. When he's done, the D.C. in our capitol's name will stand for "Desolation Corridor."
The contract for that arch will be given to someone who once built an out house at Mar a Largo. The first contract will be for $1 million, the final one $50 million. The guy who runs the company will talk like a character from a Damon Runyan story, and never be seen without a fedora. . .
The Arch will collapse within three days - and the rubble, with luck, will land on trump's car just passing through.
Those still stuck in the mindset of the Confederacy want to block the view of Arlington National Cemetery to avenge the disgraceful Robert E. Lee, who once resided there. Per Wikipedia: " Arlington National Cemetery was established on 13 May 1864, during the American Civil War after Arlington Estate, the land on which the cemetery was built, was confiscated by the U.S. federal government from the private ownership of Confederate States Army general Robert E. Lee's family following a tax dispute over the property. The cemetery is managed by the U.S. Department of the Army. As of 2024, it conducts approximately 27 to 30 funerals each weekday and between six and eight services on Saturday, or 141 to 158 per week.[2"
When I visited Arlington National Cemetery, the park ranger or docent did tell us that the appropriation of Gen. Lee's estate was in retribution for his being a traitor to the United States. Ouch.
You’re right Joyce — everything trump touches dies, breaks, is sued out of existence, and/or looks like shit. Are there any exceptions…hmmmm…give me a minute…hmmmm…
I was in HS for the bicentennial, and remember what a big deal it was. How sad for our country that this POS made it into office AT ALL, let alone twice. But the fact that he’s the one who landed there for our 250th is almost tragic. I don’t feel the least bit patriotic right now. I don’t even want to put a flag out for what should have been a huge celebration. I feel I like sitting shiva.
He's ruined all the good things that are happening during his term (providing he manages to finish it out)—hosting the World Cup (which he's made difficult, to say the least, for a lot of teams and their fans), the USA's 250 birthday (I, too, fortunately remember the Bicentennial and those memories comfort me these days), and the Olympics at the end (again, if he's still above ground by then and we're all pretty secure in the knowledge he's gonna fuck that up, too).
Just imagine what fun these things would have been under ANY other president!
He was partially correct in his typically self-aggrandizing put down: Presidents Obama and Biden "could" not have made the national celebration of the 250th anniversary of rejecting authoritarianism about themselves. They would not have. No other president would have done what he has done.
My husband and I were just talking about that over lunch! The celebrations would be classy and for everyone- not a cage match on the WH lawn! I’m sorry … but ruining historic buildings and trying to build the ballroom… never mind the arch … it’s just unacceptable the list goes on! Can’t wait till it’s over Dina, it’s been a nightmare !
It is tragic Diana. Hard to understand how people are still buying into this abomination of a human. What do they see in him that’s of any value. Can’t believe he hasn’t been tar and feathered by now…several times over.
I live at the crimson red Jersey shore and my neighbors’ houses are draped in red, white and blue. It’s sickening to think that people are celebrating.
Yes, Asbury Park is one of the few blue parts of the Jersey Shore. I love it there! We’re further south, in Ocean County, and it’s MAGAville down here.
Being down on USA 250 to me is tantamount to capitulating to the Drumph Dynasty. Handing ownership of “patriotism’ to riders of the clown car is surrender. I will meditate on the good that our hard won freedoms have brought us.
There is a very Trumpy person whose house I pass fairly often. They had all kinds of patrtiotic type regalia out for the 4th, which is not new, but something looked a bit different. Yup, it was all Freedom 250 merch.
At our local rally against The Orange Pedophile this past Saturday (6/27/26), one of my friends showed up wearing a t shirt saying "Waiting for the Big Beautiful Obituary." Dancing in the streets? YOU FUCKIN' BET!!!
I suspect even if Trump actually tried to do something reasonable that celebrated America’s 250th instead of himself, people still wouldn’t go. I do believe Obama or Biden would put the planning into the hands of experts which would be an event that would be attractive and enticing, not some weirdly constructed fake granite buildings with confederate flags and $22 burgers.
Obama and Bush and their wives were the honorary co-chairs of the event. Congress established a bipartisan commission to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. So now we know Trump scuttled those plans and concocted his own for-profit celebration.
Trump probably shitcanned the Smithsonian event out of spite for the Obamas and Bushes--but probably more the Obamas for being a far superior President and First Lady (while being Black).
You just want to say "Dude, everybody HATES you so much they won't even go to a fuckin' FAIR!" But to call somebody "dude" you have to be their friend, and this motherfucker hasn't EVER had a friend. He is the loneliest most bitter piece of shit in history. I've seen roadside carnivals run by Butler Amusements with more people than this bullshit.
I remember when I was in my 20s I worked for a catering company that specialized in these big surprise events in the middle of the Sonoran desert. It was for CEOs, university presidents, legacy wealth assholes, etc. The special Jeeps would pick them up at their foothills resort and drive them to places where vehicles weren't supposed to go to they could see the sights, etc. Then they would pretend to get lost, the people would begin to get irritated, they'd roll over a ridge and SURPRISE! There we'd be, black tie, tents, jazz bands, fantastic food and top-shelf liquor.
Of course, all of us had been working setting this shit up in the hot sun for hours and hours, and then we had to change into our black-and-whites to serve these people. It was my first exposure to the very rich, and I learned some things.
One, they were BORING. I didn't hear a single conversation that was even remotely interesting. They talked about money, golf, and other shit they were into. The women paired off with the women, the men with the men. There were a significant portion of Epsteinian prunefaces with Barbie Doll escorts.
Two, they were MISERABLE. Grim and hopeless as the people you see in a casino. Nothing pleased them. They were assholes, They were vulgar. Many of them got really drunk. Most of them had the sort of ugliness that arises from a poison soul. No amount of clothing or plastic surgery can disguise human beings who have rotted from within. They kissed the asses of people they wanted something from, and treated their underlings with cruel contempt (I know this first hand, and when I saw Logan Roy on Succession I recognized his type immediately).
These are our rulers, I thought to myself. These horrible, wretched, awful people.
As someone who has provided sound services for a multitude of events, I can say the most miserable were always the corporate, ultrarich inhumane asswipes who were boring, yes, never tipped, and treated everyone not them with sheer contempt as if we lived in a lower caste. The best events were always the non-profit, community-based events where everyone was excited and exciting! Yes, WOKE!
Real human beings who aren’t isolated from the consequences of being an asshole. Once people think they are above common civility and kindness, they lose something important and rarely get it back. Scrooge is a fictional character because the redemption rarely occurs in real life.
The experiences you two have related are telling. I will never know the blandishments and also corrosiveness of enormous wealth, so I can only guess how it can turn people into the shallow, narcissistic assholes you had to be around. It must be interesting to have such wealth that it dominates one's psyche to conceive of new ways to indulge themselves. There are rare examples of those who remain pretty normal. Warren Buffett and his son Howard come to mind. I remember seeing a 60 Minutes story on Howard years ago before the Ellison/Weiss debacle about how Howard drove a tractor and worked with scientists to develop specific food crops for the underdeveloped world's starving populations. Imagine that. Actually doing something for others.
Very glad SCOTUS found in favor of E. Jean Carroll. Her book, "Not My Type," telling the story of the civil trials, is an excellent read. Highly recommend.
I took the American flag down when the traitor first entered the White House, returned it to it's place of pride when Biden entered, and took it down again when the traitor returned.
This year, I hang a black mourning banner on the Fourth. I find there is nothing to celebrate.
Robert Reich wrote that he's wearing a black arm band to show he's mourning on the 4th. On my street the only two houses displaying July 4th regalia are owned by a woman from Finland and a guy from England -- both naturalized citizens who are rabid MAGA and Fox News consumers. They also fly American flags year-round on their front porches to convey they're more patriotic than the rest of us. Impressive.
I'm imagining a new national holiday: When this nightmare is over and these fascists are removed from office, and we start over. Moonshots to tackle healthcare, education, and climate change. Working closely with other countries of the world. Rehiring all of the experts and scientists. Billionaires paying their fair share in federal taxes. etc. I'll be there for that.
I think the real crime they're being purged for is the insurrection he's planning at the end of this term when he declares himself President for Life. They need all the competent, experienced military leaders out so that there's no military pushback on the planned coup. That's also why the ballroom is being built to be a bomb shelter / impenetrable center of operations.
He won't be doing that. He won't be in any state to be President for a month, let alone life. We need to be careful about venting our most dystopian fantasies (cancelled elections, martial law etc).
Spot on. I don't think anyone here fits into this group, but there are many trolls and bots in social media that are essentially asking people to give up. This regime would love that, which is why there's a lot of trolling on the topic.
He thinks he's immortal and he's being enabled by a very savvy team of billionaires and others who certainly have the contingency plan. I disagree that staying abreast of the logical progression leads to complacency. I think we need to stop normalizing his corruption and fraud, and building a bunker is itself pretty damn dystopian.
Jane, I'm with you. This is a major crisis. Still, we don't know that "all" competent military leaders will be purged. We don't know that there will be "no" military pushback. We don't know that the bunker will be "impenetrable."
So if our goal, as you suggest, is to stay informed, it's my belief that we need to avoid certain absolute statements. We can still express our concern without them. I like to think in terms of, "What would need to happen to stop this madness?" One thing is the belief that we can.
So much depends on the worship of one single man. What would happen if he is gone or incapacitated is hard to say. This "very savvy team of billionaires" is nothing without their figurehead. And JD Vance has not of the charisma and strength MAGAs imagine they see in Trump. They view him as weak, awkward and unappealing as we do. But Trump is clearly failing now. It's hard to say where he will be at the end of this year, let alone 2028.
Many won't come back – they've found other jobs, moved away or simply won't trust the instability. Anyone who comes back should be given back pay for four years.
It would. But it would probably have to start with making them whole, and then rewriting the entire system so we restore civil service in a way that can't be destroyed by presidential whim, returning it to being competence-based.
Yes, we will need moonshots and lots of them. Unfortunately the magat traitors are squandering every dollar on destruction, deliberately making the climb back out of the hole almost impossible. One way to claw back money for the “common good” is to return to the Eisenhower era tax rates along with new laws to rein in the oligarchs.
When Jabba the Dump gained national prominence and I heard that his mentor was Roy Cohn, that was all I needed to know about what kind of "person" trump was. Cohn was a miserable, hateful, vindictive, mendacious piece of shit. trump is the same.
Send it to all your elected folks, most especially if they’re Republicans. The Democrats will love it too…make sure they get a copy. I send these to mine all the time!!!!!
I say, fuck the 4th this year and let’s hold off on celebrating and save it for the “drop dead” day. Then shoot off fireworks 24/7. That day will go down in the history books as one monumental moment. I live for the moment!
The Golden Bordello... The East Wing... The Rose Garden... the Reflecting Fool, er, Pool, The UFC tear-up of the front lawn, the Kennedy Center... and on and on. What a metaphor for his entire shit show of a presidency*...
The hijacking of what was supposed to be a non-partisan, apolitical national celebration by the grabby predator shows that there is an unbridgable dichotomy between America and MAGA. Never the twain shall meet.
today in Shit That Happened While I Was Busy Writing This Shit—
wow, the Supreme Court issued three consecutive fuck-yous to Dear Leader this morning.
"Supreme Court Lets $5 Million Sex Abuse Verdict Against Trump Stand"
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/29/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-sexual-assault.html
"Supreme Court rules mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/06/29/supreme-court-rules-mail-in-ballots-arriving-after-election-day-can-be-counted/
"US supreme court rules Trump’s firing of Lisa Cook from Fed was unconstitutional"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/29/supreme-court-trump-lisa-cook-ruling?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Can’t believe the SC did something right (but it wasn’t unanimous)..of course…geesh
Alito and Thomas are all Trump all the time
Yes, on those increasingly rare occasions when SCROTUS does rule in favor of goodness, it's because two of the four marginally less racist and religiously corrupt ruled with the three liberals. Alito and Thomas are never on the side of probity and history.
Throwing’ us a bone… but I guess we should just take it :/
Yes, because we are still waiting on the birthright decision.
They should never have taken up the case for birthright citizenship in the first place. That would’ve been enough to send a message that it’s untouchable. I am also very worried because they probably think we’re stupid enough to believe that they are fair minded by throwing us these three little bones. We already know they give two shits about the constitution and precedent.
There was a lot of skepticism on that during oral arguments, even from the conservatives. Other than Alito, of course.
My guess is that they're going to drop it at the very last second and hightail it out of town so they can avoid the nuclear diaper detonation once Dear Leader finds out about it.
And I'm very worried about that one, as I really would prefer they not shred the Constitution.
That’s why we got the bone - so we can go fvck ourselves when they overturn the automatic citizenship birthright for babies born in the USA
There needs to be spacing of the news of the deaths of certain slime-mold jackasses in DC, or I'm going to get alcohol poisoning from all the champagne I'll be popping.
Alito and Thomas, bless their hearts, are loyal to the oligarchs that bought them.
Alito and Thomas are stuck in this loop of “Nyah Nyah Nyah! Look what I get to do, because I’m the boss , and you’re not!”
If only there were enforceable ethics rules for the Supreme Court, like there are for every other court. Here in Cleveland, a judge just went to jail for pushing divorcing couples to use her boyfriend as mediator. That's kind of small potatoes, compared to taking away women's bodily autonomy and people's voting rights, especially Black people's. And it has an upside: this judge's domestic court seat was the dream job of a lawyer I know so she's running for it and with the Democratic Party endorsement she's got a good chance to win.
ethics needed esp since most are chosen based on their lies to congress
Alito and Thomas are old bitter men. It's all they've got. Ugh
they should both be in prison
Bought and paid for. Ka-Ching!
Alito and Thomas — the dufus twins — take us (once again) on a wild trip of predictability. Why do they even bother to show up to vote on the cases? Why don’t they just phone it in from their billionaire grifting vacations…maybe that is what they’re doing while sending A.I. representations of themselves to court.
And we all still have to try to remember to breathe while we wait to find out if the Six Nazis of the Apocalypse will strip everybody in the US of birthright citizenship. You know--in order to celebrate the 250th birthday.
Since they voted against Trump 3x I assume they are definitely going to strip the US of birthright citizenship.
😧
Scary to imagine, right?
Like your style Joyce — “six nazis of the apocalypse” — priceless! (Although, little miss prim and proper and the “I like beer” guy are trying hard to keep one toe in the pool of respectability…and it’s hard work for little kitties). (Goo boy: here’s a kibble)
There are only 3 to possibly 4 decent members Tess , SCOTUS need a complete overhauling with guidelines that every other court is required to follow…
3
Of course not. And, we have immigrants rights taken away by this same court, so Trump gets to send them to any country he wants to without due process, and if they happen to accidentally be US citizens, Whoops! Too bad so sad. Evil, evil court.
I'd SO hope people would listen when I practically screamed that we needed to expand the court BACK to 13 (yes, where it once was). Having 13 justices made for lively debates by far more intellectual and deeply legal minds who DID respect our Constitution and wouldn't have dreamed of trashing it (or allowing a toddler presidunce to do so). It also made it much more difficult for a majority to rule badly or to overturn established precedent. Oh, that we had 13 members now. For me, I didn't mind having 'some' not so liberal or democratically-leaning minds as long as they thought - and talked issues through WITH each other instead of these sanctimonious right-wing pronouncements which seem to catch the more liberal judges off guard.
Under Biden we could say this, although he did not listen because he had a different plan, and lacked understanding of the Trump voter and the kind of crazy they became being online during Covid. Now, under Trump, I do not want him to expand the court with his picks. That is a scary prospect indeed.
YES, of course I meant under a Democratic President. Thanks for catching that, Linda. Perish the thought of even more such as Alito or Thomas. Ugh.
Yes, Elizabeth. I am also for term limits. We have to have an end to bad ones and replace good ones before they die in the chair.
Good one Linda. Wouldn’t you like to see a Twilight Zone episode where they suddenly turn into immigrants who are rounded up and sent off to gulags to await their fate? I’d supply the popcorn
Yup Frank! I'd supply the parmesan cheese powder to put on the popcorn.
I think they smell the shit coming and it's going to fly in their faces and choke them all.
Jeff, you knew that the festival was going to be a shitter.
Let me point out something a little more unsettling.
https://thistleandmoss.com/p/what-survives-the-morning-the-heat-comes-for-everybody-the-cruelty-comes-for-us-first
Forty-five thousand. Sure, sweetheart. The photos his own press secretary posted show her standing in front of a lawn so empty you could film a Western on it. The Daily Beast called the fair "virtually deserted"; The Atlantic ran the headline that it "isn't very great." The aging strongman is still litigating his 2017 inauguration crowd, still demanding the cameras lie for him, and the cameras — bless them — keep refusing. But the gawking at empty chairs nearly buried the genuinely grotesque part. Inside North Carolina's privately sponsored pavilion, video displays were found showing the current state flag alongside the Confederate battle flag.
The CONFEDERATE FUCKING BATTLE FLAG? Really. What in the absolute fuck? This is ok now?
Why display a flag of traitors that attempted to overthrow our Democracy?
From May:
Those slave-owning racist fucks
Would now be driving oversized trucks
Flying yooge trump banners
Buying testicle tanners
And T1 phones with diminishing bucks
Because some of them are still alive?
'... would now be... ' fixes the timeline for the poetry.
Remember that in the south, education takes a back seat to those deep southern racism, bigotry, ignorance and extreme religious idiocy roots Fastball…
Plenty of racism and classism in the north, too.
no, it's not.
I'm curious to see the turnout for Trump's "rally" on the 4th.
Are there fireworks scheduled? 💥💥💥💥💥 God, I hope not.
Oh yes, 11pm and about 95 degrees. Swell-tering.
Ditto!
Koko, the line of paid volunteers will be massive…like nothing anyone has ever seen ever. I put the over/under at three
Nothing screams America like the flag of secessionists.
"A few thousand people packed the Midway Plaisance Thursday to watch the festive inauguration of the Obama Presidential Center. Staffers distributed complimentary 'Conchairto' lawn chairs to those watching livestreams on the Midway’s green lawns."
https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/at-obama-center-watch-party-chicagoans-recall-encounters-with-obama-and-look-ahead/article_5977ef80-4a50-49e6-a79b-e9553113e2db.html
I've got tickets in August to go to the center itself, but I was by there this weekend, and the grounds were packed! It was my first good look at it with the construction fence down. It looks really great, and the green roof on the Forum is going to look fantastic once the plants fill in.
Yes. I watched that. It is in my Chicago neighborhood. It had quite different associations. Watching nice people be nice is such a relief. I want more of that.
I'd like a nice president back again.
Yes, Anastasia. I would too. Watching the Obama Center celebrations reminded me of what it was like to have a presidential adult as a president, not some whinny sick, emotional little boy, buffoon.
And a big bag of peanuts representing Alabama.
And a box of saltines for Georgia?
Woooo, sassy!
Now, now, I said "Georgia", not "George". :-)
Just a note here about that fucking flag at the NC booth-NC did not set an official state booth up. It was co-opted by what we ended up seeing there. We’re a gerrymandered maga state so most of us haven’t completely lost our minds.
A good friend moved there because that is where her husband got a job. A job he likes very much. She also got a teaching job that she likes very much. They and their cats are happy in NC. They go hiking and to craft fairs. She is a beader, so she appreciates craftmanship. So, while they think they live in a community of MAGA, because that is where they could afford to buy a house, they are not MAGA. They are progressives.
North Carolina breaks my heart on the regular. It’s such a beautiful state, and holds such promise. Then: this type of shit.
I know. The people there are so nice.
Except for the ones who voted for Trump, who are only superficially nice. Deep in their hearts they harbor hatred and pleasure in misery of others. Schadenfreude!
It's the evangelical way now. No empathy, self, self, self.
The Coast Guard sent us to a small city in northeastern North Carolina in 1989. We lived there for 3 1/2 years. We bought a house NOT in the creepy developments outside of town, but on the ‘Champs-D’Elysees’ of that small town. My dream house! An old, beautiful home with a large yard full of dogwood trees and hydrangeas. However, we were observed by neighbors and strangers. A woman I’d never met confronted me in [the only] gym to tell me that she saw me talking to a black man on my front porch. We were questioned and criticized by passing pedestrians for pulling up the rose bushes in the front yard…and then had to hear their alarmed reactions when we put a vegetable garden in place where the roses were. All this to say…there were nice people in our little southern town. There were also nosy, mean and judgemental people who could never get past our California plates. But man! It’s a lovely state with varied environments and an interesting history. I did have to ask more than one visitor to leave after they joyfully used the N word 🙁
My GF and I were browsing for greeting cards in a Safeway in Fort Worth several years ago- when an older woman passing by heard us discussing the various cards in our "noahthan" accent.
She looked at us and with eyes narrowed as she asked, "What are y'all DOIN' heah?"
It’s crazy! People say things that a 5 year old Californian would know were rude.
Forgive NC, we have a Republican super-majority State Legislature that overrides Gov. Stein and some courts. Elect Gov. Cooper to Senate, Legislature's first efforts to take away as many Governor's powers before he even took office. But he still managed to be a Good Governor.
Thanks Wendy — I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Yes, those cameras don’t lie but just wait — trump, the baby moron, will get his A.I. buddies to develop an A.I. camera that will insert large fake crowds at his events and we’ll be spending hours searching for people floating with no legs or perhaps an additional leg or two.
A.I. and mega assholes seem to be converging at the same time in history for a big show I suppose. Doesn’t it seem like the horrendous pricks of the past have decided to get the band back together and reincarnate themselves now just for fun. That “Mein Kampf” on Tump’s night stand is maybe laying there as a refresher
It was an older version of the state flag that incorporated the Southern Cross as several ex-Confederate states did for a while.
I sometimes think that the civil war was a mistake.
Just let 'em go. "Buh-Bye."
A festering wound since 1865. It was a terrible mistake not to have strung up the Confederate leadership and to not have seized the big plantations. Will we be so stupid as to fall for the reconciliation trap once again? I am not sanguine about the possibility.
The Supremes would rather deal with the big stuff, like destroying the Voting Rights Act. They don't want to ALWAYS be Trump's private law firm, hence the law suit turn-down. And since white people vote by mail, no need to get rid of that. And the Federal Reserve is sacrosanct, for some reason. Too bad the Voting Rights Act wasn't. But Roberts was bound and determined to get rid of it, so he got his wish. I hope when he dies, he burns in Hell.
I hope he doesn’t have to wait til he gets to hell.
Satan is saving a bag of marshmallows for that sure-fire day.
Nice post Ruth! On the money!
They won’t mess with the federal reserve because it involves their money and all those bastards care about is their money. To quote them all: “That’s MY money!” “MINE!” “DON’TYOU MESS WITH MY MONEY!” “EVER!” “People? — FUCK THE PEOPLE — I GOT MINE —GO GET YOUR OWN!” (If only you’d let us)
The opinions were a little for you and a LOT for Dumpty. Dog-and-pony puppet show. How brave to confirm the plain language of the 14th Amendment.
As Rick Wilson observed, "In Trump v. Slaughter, the Court overturned Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, the 1935 precedent that for ninety-one years let Congress shield the heads of independent agencies from being fired at the president’s whim. The vote was 6-3..."
The FTC was flushed down the toilet.
Well, as they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
When the Grim Reaper finally comes for Preznit Fuckwit, the Mall and streets across the nation (heck, the world) will be full of people popping champagne and dancing in celebration. The GOP and it's wingnut media will wring their hands and tell us we need to be respectful of not-so-dear departed leader but f*ck that nonsense. Just hope President Biden lives long enough to join the party.
Wow 3 fuck yous to us and now 3 fuck you to Trump. It’s a tie. What will the tie-breaker be?
Ours seem ‘minor’? Change my mind
Perhaps, but any fuck you to Trump is a winner in my book.
Crumbs.
Birthright Citizenship - for the win, hopefully!
Jeff,
I want to say THANK you for all the wonderful pictures of Ms. Spouse and you. It's truly heartwarming at a time where there doesn't seem to be much heartwarming in the news.
It also brought a thought to mind which I REALLY HOPE people will read and think about: you have a WEALTH of photos. Truly. As my kids grew to adults, and phones replaced our film and then digital cameras, I've taken less and less photos. I don't ever want to think I'm taking my wonderful husband for granted! I'm going to take more random days; not just the Father's Day and birthday photos. Outliving him might happen and is my greatest fear. I have much sympathy for you, and I am grateful that you didn't take her for granted, continuing to document your beautiful relationship!
It wasn’t fuck you enough. Roberts still managed to shit all over the separation of powers by allowing Donny to fire members of independent no more agencies. I loved, as usual, Our Daily Claudia. And my rage matches yours today in your newsletter. Jon Lovett told Joanna Coles on The Daily Beast podcast that he isn’t a “hope” person during this rancid era. He is an “anger person”. So am I. All of this is outrageous. And the guy who is going to prison in TX for MOVING A BOX OF “ZINES”??? But for not as long as his wife, who protested at the Prairie Land detention center. She is sentenced to FIFTY YEARS. Donny’s executive bullshit calls us all “antifa” now and classifies us as terrorists. Fuck this regime.
My dad was a B-26 pilot in the 8th Antifa Air Force in 1943-1944. Two silver stars, three bronze. Flew 76 sorties in France.
That's how I feel about Nazis, too.
That's all good, but the Court's decision to allow Trump to fire members of Congressionally established independent commissions, other than the Fed, at will is a disaster. Agencies like the FTC, SEC, and FCC will be gutted by the regime to put corruption and cronyism on steroids.
We need a Walter White as the next President for awhile. One who knocks.
I will once again remind folks that a very sizable chunk of what looks like Congress not doing anything to push back against the president is in fact a consequence of the Court disabling/destroying all the ways Congress has tried to push back.
I will once again remind folks that a very sizable chunk of what looks like Congress not doing anything to push back against the president is in fact a consequence of the Court disabling/destroying all the ways Congress has tried to push back.
- @joshchafetz.bsky.social
And a lot of what looks like inaction on gun control is in fact the Court disabling/destroying/striking down state efforts to do something about guns. See the recent decision on Hawaii's law allowing private businesses to ban guns.
Phooey, Mitch McConnel could have stopped all of this. Merrick Garland sat on his hands and did nothing after 1/6.
Horse feathers.
Thanks for posting the 3 rulings the Supreme Court got right this am…
omg! i thought for sure the mail ballot deadline would be a loss.
In AZ mail-in ballots have been around since Republicans pushed their legality in the 1990s. A lot of their voters are in rural areas, so mailing in a ballot actually helps those individuals vote. Now, A LOT of us vote by mail. There are so many people to vote for (when you include judges), and, more importantly, ballot initiatives made complicated to understand on purpose, that being able to understand all of it takes way more time than a few minutes in a voting room. They even send out thick booklets to help understand what each ballot initiative is about and who supports/doesn't support them followed by lengthy paragraphs defending those views. I don't know anyone who doesn't vote by mail here.
Yes, but the part about Cook was a carve-out. They went along with Rump's hitherto not-allowed power to fire independent regulators for any reason. So, a small victory at best.
🥳
Yay for the eff yous. Very very happy about Lisa Cook. Thanks Jeff for the lovely photos too.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/maga-fanatic-accused-twisted-sex-005018889.html
Jeff, as usual your writings are accurate and to the point. Can I add that I love the ‘Daily Claudia’, she had a great face and eyes that seem to say no bill$it here. It must be hard for you but thank you so much for sharing.
Yes, I love the Daily Claudia! It’s a gift to us all.
Jeff, you give me hope, Claudia gives me joy! Please stay with us!
Me too!
Deborah N— couldn’t have said it better.
I also love the photos that have Jeff in them, there's just so much love pouring out of those photos
Love Daily Claudia! Never stop!
Wonderfully said Deborah
Trump’s mini arch…looks exactly like what he is doing to our country…cracking at the seams, needing support from others, bumpy cheap paint like his cheap shots at everyone…Hopefully it will fall down soon and America will get back to DEMOCRACY! Have a nice week everyone .
A sneak peek at the quality of the real one, to be built in order to block the view of Arlington Cemetery--which, of course, is full of "suckers and losers" and "nobody wants to see that."
Something that struck me this weekend -- that ferris wheel on the National Mall looks pretty tall, huh? It's 110 feet tall, so yeah, pretty tall. But that proposed arch he's pushing is supposed to be 250 feet tall -- that's two ferris wheels plus 30 additional feet. That is <checking notes> okay, according to Black's Legal Dictionary, the term for that is "absurdly obsene". Res ipsa loquitur.
Trump recently boasted "I build things. It's what I do best." Substitute "wreck" for "build" and he would have had it right. When he's done, the D.C. in our capitol's name will stand for "Desolation Corridor."
Thanks for putting the arch in perspective.
According to Mr. Google, 250 feet = about 16 stories in an office building, 20 stories in a hotel, 25 stories in a residential building.
No wonder people in DC (and everyone with good taste) is freaking out. What a waste of materials.
Does it remind anyone else of the 'Stonehenge' prop in This Is Spinal Tap?
The contract for that arch will be given to someone who once built an out house at Mar a Largo. The first contract will be for $1 million, the final one $50 million. The guy who runs the company will talk like a character from a Damon Runyan story, and never be seen without a fedora. . .
The Arch will collapse within three days - and the rubble, with luck, will land on trump's car just passing through.
🤣😂🤣perfect!
Those still stuck in the mindset of the Confederacy want to block the view of Arlington National Cemetery to avenge the disgraceful Robert E. Lee, who once resided there. Per Wikipedia: " Arlington National Cemetery was established on 13 May 1864, during the American Civil War after Arlington Estate, the land on which the cemetery was built, was confiscated by the U.S. federal government from the private ownership of Confederate States Army general Robert E. Lee's family following a tax dispute over the property. The cemetery is managed by the U.S. Department of the Army. As of 2024, it conducts approximately 27 to 30 funerals each weekday and between six and eight services on Saturday, or 141 to 158 per week.[2"
When I visited Arlington National Cemetery, the park ranger or docent did tell us that the appropriation of Gen. Lee's estate was in retribution for his being a traitor to the United States. Ouch.
And the hideous arch is in retribution to that appropriation!
You’re right Joyce — everything trump touches dies, breaks, is sued out of existence, and/or looks like shit. Are there any exceptions…hmmmm…give me a minute…hmmmm…
Hope it doesn't collapse: because then a bunch more people would get arrested as Antifa saboteurs
You’re right Robert — anything is a good excuse to round people up. Ask Adolf.
I was in HS for the bicentennial, and remember what a big deal it was. How sad for our country that this POS made it into office AT ALL, let alone twice. But the fact that he’s the one who landed there for our 250th is almost tragic. I don’t feel the least bit patriotic right now. I don’t even want to put a flag out for what should have been a huge celebration. I feel I like sitting shiva.
He's ruined all the good things that are happening during his term (providing he manages to finish it out)—hosting the World Cup (which he's made difficult, to say the least, for a lot of teams and their fans), the USA's 250 birthday (I, too, fortunately remember the Bicentennial and those memories comfort me these days), and the Olympics at the end (again, if he's still above ground by then and we're all pretty secure in the knowledge he's gonna fuck that up, too).
Just imagine what fun these things would have been under ANY other president!
He was partially correct in his typically self-aggrandizing put down: Presidents Obama and Biden "could" not have made the national celebration of the 250th anniversary of rejecting authoritarianism about themselves. They would not have. No other president would have done what he has done.
So true Doc. Sad but true
My husband and I were just talking about that over lunch! The celebrations would be classy and for everyone- not a cage match on the WH lawn! I’m sorry … but ruining historic buildings and trying to build the ballroom… never mind the arch … it’s just unacceptable the list goes on! Can’t wait till it’s over Dina, it’s been a nightmare !
It is tragic Diana. Hard to understand how people are still buying into this abomination of a human. What do they see in him that’s of any value. Can’t believe he hasn’t been tar and feathered by now…several times over.
I know it’s mind boggling 🤔
I see no one getting excited about it. There's a small display of merch at Target, but the display of bachelorette party merch is almost as big.
I live at the crimson red Jersey shore and my neighbors’ houses are draped in red, white and blue. It’s sickening to think that people are celebrating.
What part of the Jersey Shore? We go to Asbury Park/Ocean Grove which definitely isn't all red. In fact, it's very gay!
Yes, Asbury Park is one of the few blue parts of the Jersey Shore. I love it there! We’re further south, in Ocean County, and it’s MAGAville down here.
I'll remember to avoid it! I live in a suburb of Cleveland that votes at least 80% Democrat in every election.
I have MAGA in my extended family- it’s not a hoot that’s for sure!
Being down on USA 250 to me is tantamount to capitulating to the Drumph Dynasty. Handing ownership of “patriotism’ to riders of the clown car is surrender. I will meditate on the good that our hard won freedoms have brought us.
There is a very Trumpy person whose house I pass fairly often. They had all kinds of patrtiotic type regalia out for the 4th, which is not new, but something looked a bit different. Yup, it was all Freedom 250 merch.
Check out Steven Beschloss' America America. He interviewed Lara Downes. It is a reason to not embrace Pessimism.
I think I was in 4th or 5th grade and I'll never forget my red long dress and white bonnet my mom sewed for my Bicentennial costume for school.
I don't remember a lot of those years but for some reason, I really remember the occasion and learning that Carter was President.
Do what I do: watch "1776."
I’m with you 💯
The sad truth Stephanie. The sad truth
At our local rally against The Orange Pedophile this past Saturday (6/27/26), one of my friends showed up wearing a t shirt saying "Waiting for the Big Beautiful Obituary." Dancing in the streets? YOU FUCKIN' BET!!!
He’s gonna outlive us all.
Not if his cardiovascular system has anything to say about it
Idea for new children's book: The Little Clot That Could!
And, once again, “Everything he touches….” And I’m in no mood to celebrate ANYTHING that this fucking criminal sponsors.
I suspect even if Trump actually tried to do something reasonable that celebrated America’s 250th instead of himself, people still wouldn’t go. I do believe Obama or Biden would put the planning into the hands of experts which would be an event that would be attractive and enticing, not some weirdly constructed fake granite buildings with confederate flags and $22 burgers.
Obama and Bush and their wives were the honorary co-chairs of the event. Congress established a bipartisan commission to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. So now we know Trump scuttled those plans and concocted his own for-profit celebration.
https://america250.org/news/america250-announces-presidents-bush-obama-first-ladies-as-honorary-national-co-chairs/
Trump probably shitcanned the Smithsonian event out of spite for the Obamas and Bushes--but probably more the Obamas for being a far superior President and First Lady (while being Black).
And that ridiculous, phony falling-apart arch with the Nazi eagle on top. His lack of taste makes Cartel-gaudy look respectable.
You just want to say "Dude, everybody HATES you so much they won't even go to a fuckin' FAIR!" But to call somebody "dude" you have to be their friend, and this motherfucker hasn't EVER had a friend. He is the loneliest most bitter piece of shit in history. I've seen roadside carnivals run by Butler Amusements with more people than this bullshit.
I remember when I was in my 20s I worked for a catering company that specialized in these big surprise events in the middle of the Sonoran desert. It was for CEOs, university presidents, legacy wealth assholes, etc. The special Jeeps would pick them up at their foothills resort and drive them to places where vehicles weren't supposed to go to they could see the sights, etc. Then they would pretend to get lost, the people would begin to get irritated, they'd roll over a ridge and SURPRISE! There we'd be, black tie, tents, jazz bands, fantastic food and top-shelf liquor.
Of course, all of us had been working setting this shit up in the hot sun for hours and hours, and then we had to change into our black-and-whites to serve these people. It was my first exposure to the very rich, and I learned some things.
One, they were BORING. I didn't hear a single conversation that was even remotely interesting. They talked about money, golf, and other shit they were into. The women paired off with the women, the men with the men. There were a significant portion of Epsteinian prunefaces with Barbie Doll escorts.
Two, they were MISERABLE. Grim and hopeless as the people you see in a casino. Nothing pleased them. They were assholes, They were vulgar. Many of them got really drunk. Most of them had the sort of ugliness that arises from a poison soul. No amount of clothing or plastic surgery can disguise human beings who have rotted from within. They kissed the asses of people they wanted something from, and treated their underlings with cruel contempt (I know this first hand, and when I saw Logan Roy on Succession I recognized his type immediately).
These are our rulers, I thought to myself. These horrible, wretched, awful people.
As someone who has provided sound services for a multitude of events, I can say the most miserable were always the corporate, ultrarich inhumane asswipes who were boring, yes, never tipped, and treated everyone not them with sheer contempt as if we lived in a lower caste. The best events were always the non-profit, community-based events where everyone was excited and exciting! Yes, WOKE!
Real human beings who aren’t isolated from the consequences of being an asshole. Once people think they are above common civility and kindness, they lose something important and rarely get it back. Scrooge is a fictional character because the redemption rarely occurs in real life.
The experiences you two have related are telling. I will never know the blandishments and also corrosiveness of enormous wealth, so I can only guess how it can turn people into the shallow, narcissistic assholes you had to be around. It must be interesting to have such wealth that it dominates one's psyche to conceive of new ways to indulge themselves. There are rare examples of those who remain pretty normal. Warren Buffett and his son Howard come to mind. I remember seeing a 60 Minutes story on Howard years ago before the Ellison/Weiss debacle about how Howard drove a tractor and worked with scientists to develop specific food crops for the underdeveloped world's starving populations. Imagine that. Actually doing something for others.
I have seen that also. Well said.
This answers the age old question of what if Trump gave a party and nobody came
🎶It's my party and I can lie if I want to. . .🎶
Very glad SCOTUS found in favor of E. Jean Carroll. Her book, "Not My Type," telling the story of the civil trials, is an excellent read. Highly recommend.
I took the American flag down when the traitor first entered the White House, returned it to it's place of pride when Biden entered, and took it down again when the traitor returned.
This year, I hang a black mourning banner on the Fourth. I find there is nothing to celebrate.
I think I will fly my pirate flag on the 4th. It annoys my neighbore. And, yes, he is boring.
Robert Reich wrote that he's wearing a black arm band to show he's mourning on the 4th. On my street the only two houses displaying July 4th regalia are owned by a woman from Finland and a guy from England -- both naturalized citizens who are rabid MAGA and Fox News consumers. They also fly American flags year-round on their front porches to convey they're more patriotic than the rest of us. Impressive.
Always suspect the ultra patriots. They are hiding something.
Hmmm. A thoughtful idea. 🤔
Your wife was so lovely, Jeff. Blessings 🙏
I'm imagining a new national holiday: When this nightmare is over and these fascists are removed from office, and we start over. Moonshots to tackle healthcare, education, and climate change. Working closely with other countries of the world. Rehiring all of the experts and scientists. Billionaires paying their fair share in federal taxes. etc. I'll be there for that.
And re-hiring all the high ranking brass in the military who were booted out by Hegseth for the crime of being black or female or black and female
I think the real crime they're being purged for is the insurrection he's planning at the end of this term when he declares himself President for Life. They need all the competent, experienced military leaders out so that there's no military pushback on the planned coup. That's also why the ballroom is being built to be a bomb shelter / impenetrable center of operations.
He won't be doing that. He won't be in any state to be President for a month, let alone life. We need to be careful about venting our most dystopian fantasies (cancelled elections, martial law etc).
Spot on. I don't think anyone here fits into this group, but there are many trolls and bots in social media that are essentially asking people to give up. This regime would love that, which is why there's a lot of trolling on the topic.
He thinks he's immortal and he's being enabled by a very savvy team of billionaires and others who certainly have the contingency plan. I disagree that staying abreast of the logical progression leads to complacency. I think we need to stop normalizing his corruption and fraud, and building a bunker is itself pretty damn dystopian.
Jane, I'm with you. This is a major crisis. Still, we don't know that "all" competent military leaders will be purged. We don't know that there will be "no" military pushback. We don't know that the bunker will be "impenetrable."
So if our goal, as you suggest, is to stay informed, it's my belief that we need to avoid certain absolute statements. We can still express our concern without them. I like to think in terms of, "What would need to happen to stop this madness?" One thing is the belief that we can.
So much depends on the worship of one single man. What would happen if he is gone or incapacitated is hard to say. This "very savvy team of billionaires" is nothing without their figurehead. And JD Vance has not of the charisma and strength MAGAs imagine they see in Trump. They view him as weak, awkward and unappealing as we do. But Trump is clearly failing now. It's hard to say where he will be at the end of this year, let alone 2028.
Indeed, this is why I said "I think" in both of my comments.
Anyway, here's a partial list of the military leaders sacked by this administration (The Hill has said that more than 2 dozen have been fired):
Gen. CQ Brown: Fired from his role as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti: Removed as the Navy's Chief of Naval Operations.
Gen. Randy George: Fired as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff.
Gen. James Mingus: Removed as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.
Gen. Chris Donahue: Ousted as a prominent Army commander following operational clashes with leadership.
Gen. David Hodne: Fired from his post leading the Army's Transformation and Training Command.
Maj. Gen. William Green: Dismissed as the head of the Army's Chaplain Corps.
John Phelan: Removed from his position as U.S. Navy Secretary.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse: Fired from his position heading the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Let's put our efforts first into hiring everyone fired by DOGE.
Many won't come back – they've found other jobs, moved away or simply won't trust the instability. Anyone who comes back should be given back pay for four years.
I know, but wouldn't it be great to undo that damage?
It would. But it would probably have to start with making them whole, and then rewriting the entire system so we restore civil service in a way that can't be destroyed by presidential whim, returning it to being competence-based.
Supreme Court must be first.
Yes, we will need moonshots and lots of them. Unfortunately the magat traitors are squandering every dollar on destruction, deliberately making the climb back out of the hole almost impossible. One way to claw back money for the “common good” is to return to the Eisenhower era tax rates along with new laws to rein in the oligarchs.
I like the cut of your jib.
For sure the Donnie Death Day anniversary will be big around here. Aloha, shalom, AMF.
does anybody know DJT's personal email address so I can forward this straight to his inbox?
He apparently doesn’t use email. Roy Cohn taught him to avoid some forms of incrimination.
When Jabba the Dump gained national prominence and I heard that his mentor was Roy Cohn, that was all I needed to know about what kind of "person" trump was. Cohn was a miserable, hateful, vindictive, mendacious piece of shit. trump is the same.
Send it to all your elected folks, most especially if they’re Republicans. The Democrats will love it too…make sure they get a copy. I send these to mine all the time!!!!!
I say, fuck the 4th this year and let’s hold off on celebrating and save it for the “drop dead” day. Then shoot off fireworks 24/7. That day will go down in the history books as one monumental moment. I live for the moment!
Flags flown upside down everywhere.
The Golden Bordello... The East Wing... The Rose Garden... the Reflecting Fool, er, Pool, The UFC tear-up of the front lawn, the Kennedy Center... and on and on. What a metaphor for his entire shit show of a presidency*...
Don’t forget the Offal Office in all its faux gold crap 😖
... that's the "Golden Bordello"... ;-)
Talk about trashy… yikes 😳
The pardons for sale 🤬
The hijacking of what was supposed to be a non-partisan, apolitical national celebration by the grabby predator shows that there is an unbridgable dichotomy between America and MAGA. Never the twain shall meet.
America loves simple peace and quiet
MAGA loves a capitol riot
America believes in the greater good
MAGA reveres a white Klan hood
America seeks a more perfect union
MAGA craves their racist communion
America has our icon Uncle Sam
MAGA has Uncle Slam the Ham
America loves to be unoppressed and free
MAGA applauds ETTD
Damn good one, Doc.