America: Wake up everybody. We are facing a coup and they fully intend to use Trump to implement Project 2025. We are going to vote for Democrats up and down the line, we are going to ignore the attempt to oust Biden, get in line to vote, donate and talk to people so we can take out Trump and every Republican for House or Senate. There can be no doubt this is way worse than Nixon, way worse than Reagan. Democracy may well die if we fail to pull together and stop the Republicans this time!
It's time to wear this "VOTE removes stubborn orange stains" t-shirt 👇
Yep, as a fellow Brit it feels good to have something go right for a change. I think there’s something in the adage about having to hit rock bottom before things turn around.
You remind me of my mum telling me stories about the Blitz! My dad, a “Yank” stationed in London, the rest was history! So glad for England. Say some prayers for us for Nov.
YAY!!! It reminded me of the time Thatcher got ousted as leader of the Tories. I was living in London then and it was amazing! I'm disappointed in The Economist this week though, "Why Biden Must Step Away" was one of their articles.
Yeah good work Brits. You did well. I smashed me a pint of Newcastle Brown to celebrate that. (Hey, I'm an aussie, thats how we roll lol) Bit disappointing to see the SNP do poorly. But I'm sure they'll recover. Sinn Fein did great so I guess that makes up for it.
Also Gandhi: “Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”
History has shown that in the end they do fall but not before causing mayhem and tragedy. So far trump has unleashed enough mayhem to last us a lifetime. I now fervently pray he would go gentle into that good night.
Sorry Al Bellenchia but however noble a phrase Ghandi never say that. It’s been misattributed to him more than a few times. However there’s no record of him ever saying it. Even Trump used it (and attributed it to Ghandi) during his presidential run in 2016
Many others including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have used it, also attributing it to Ghandi.
Please think of us in Canada. We have a trump wannabe waiting to be elected by fools like the magas. PP (Pierre Poillievre) is a right-wing disaster. If he does get in then everything wonderfully Canadian will go down the toilet. I’m terrified for our beautiful country. 🇨🇦❤️
Nina, do you have activist groups working to get out the vote? We have many fine ones that work! Experience shows that this is critical and does make a difference.
Paula, I was very active in my youth but I’m now way past in my late 70’s and burnt out. I try to reach as many as possible on social platforms. Although Mary Trump’s article was praising France (vive la France! 🇫🇷) and my birthplace, the UK 🇬🇧 ❤️ I now am focusing on Canada and what’s possibly facing us. But please reach out to those you know who can help 🙏🙏
Hey Paula.......Check out the Leadnow site. They are starting to organize the fight against Poillievre. The Left has won big in Europe. Orange is taking big hits from Project 2025 finally being exposed. Poilieve could be left sitting in a corner all alone vomiting out 3rd rate Trumptrash.
Linda McQuaig has done good work helpint to exposee his ties to rich corporationis.
Alex Jones has been endorsing him.........he got thrown out of the house.........
Don't forget to backtradk. US right wing fountations were helping to fund the Ottawa truckers..........the Frasiser Institute gets funding from US think tanks and foundations.
I'm Canadian, also, Nina, and am also in my early 70's - small world, eh? LOL (the 'eh' made me laugh because, as you know, it's a Canadian thing :) With Harris now designated by Trump as the next President of the US (well, if she beats the dirty rotten liar, and she will !!). there is more hope in the election, now, for the Democrats and I think Trump is very worried, because they had an elaborate plan to beat Biden, but not Harris. I loved reading that!! Last night was so uplifting as hundreds of delegations also endorsed Harris (a really good thing!) and almost $80 million dollars have been raised in just 24 hours, as well. Whoo Hhoo!
Oh, and by the way, in Canada they have six week election campaigns. Isn't that wild - compared to two years in U.S. (or however long it is - it's too damn looooong!)
I have always thought that six weeks of campaigning and only between the hours of 7:00pm and 8:00pm on week nights for political ads. Sounds like it would be heavenly. Sorry Jeopardy fans.
I find that confusing. The sitting president has only two years to get whatever is on their agenda done then spends the next two years defending the first two years and fighting off the opposition who are trying to undo the first two years to get their own agenda on the next two-year ticket 🤪
I tried to reply to your post today about the Kamala Harris endorsement and wrote a long reply but was sent to a subscription page and then my post was lost. I’ll follow you directly on Substack I think Mary Trump’s original article had nothing to go with Canada and I screwed it up. Sorry!!!!
I’m Canadian, too, Nina, and share your fear of PeePee. Trumpism has seeped into our beautiful country, and the rather tired Liberal governing party with their virtually invisible supporting party (NDP), combined with the hate campaign so successfully orchestrated against Prime Minister Trudeau, is not galvanizing any opposition to the threat.
And here I was, thinking that if trump were to win here in the US, we could go to Canada. What a bummer! I hope that we and the Canadians can get our acts together. I've always seen Trudeau in a good light.
Nope. There will be no place to go. Trump plans to take us out of NATO, so kiss most of Europe goodbye. Australia? They won’t want us. Not sure if there’s anywhere else in the southern hemisphere or Asia that would allow us or not be worse than trump’s US. There is no option other than to kick his ass big time and turn both houses of Congress seriously blue.
The only other possible place, which is decent, is New Zealand. They have their act together better than most. But my preference is to win big here, so I can stay where I'm comfortable, and within somewhat reasonable distance to family. I've done three cross country moves in my lifetime, and I really don't want to have to get used to a new place.
Trudeau has done much good for Canada but I think it’s time for new blood for the sake of our country and also for him to step down leaving behind a great legacy rather than that of losing to PP. The party needs a new leader to win the next election. We can’t rely on weak coalitions to run the country. I had hope for the NDP but that’s not going to happen either.
Then what to do? I quite dislike Poillievre (sp?). And, yes, Trudeau seems so uninspired, and looks like a very tired and out of gas Prime Minister. Are you suggesting that they might have an election for a new Leader of the Liberals? I wonder who that might turn out to be...hmmm. I look forward to your reply. Regards, Maddy
The problem is not as dire in Canada as it is in the US, but as both a Canadian and American citizen I can say that Canadians tend to vote a party out - Trudeau has been in power since 2015, and like most western leaders he’s bearing the brunt of people’s dissatisfaction with the cost of living and inflation, and his adversaries have been pretty successful in stoking that frustration and anger so that he and his closest ministers are unable to get the message out, even when they do something good (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). He does not have to call an election until late next year, but it’s not looking good. Poilievre doesn’t have to articulate a platform, he just gets to lob rocks at leadership - not sure he has what it takes to actually lead when he’s just used to acting like a middle school mean girl.
Exactly right. There are a couple of interesting facts about PeePee.
1. He refuses to undergo a security clearance. Recently he came up with a cockamamie reason, but his refusal goes back before this recent convenient excuse, to whit: He wants to be free to say whatever he wants and not be bound by national security secrecy, or some such thing. How can a prime minister be without a security clearance? And what is he really hiding?
2. He used to anglicize the pronunciation of his surname to “Pollaver.” But no one can be prime minister of Canada without winning Québec, so now he pronounces it “pwa-lee-ev-re.”
3. He was one of the much-reviled former prime minister’s members of parliament and was known as “Harper’s attack dog.” This modus operandi is all he knows and is still his go-to tactic, which helps to explain why, like Herr Orangeshitzenpants, he has no policy platform, as Lois says.
Too true, sadly. Although I don’t vote for Justin Trudeau--I see him as a corporate-captured Liberal along the lines of an Adam Schiff and dozens of others in the US congress, and my politics are more aligned with AOC’s and in Canada with the NDP, (which IMHO is not nearly as left as it needs to be)--I do sympathize with him. The hate campaign against him, orchestrated in large part by PeePee, is sickening and not merited by his performance.
I also think he may still be in a mourning/healing period from the break-up of his marriage. So he and his party have over a year to refocus and re-energize. What the NDP need to do is another problem, as their poll numbers are falling drastically too.
Interesting times, as the old curse goes, in Canada and in the USA.
Get vocal in every way possible. My father was a French Canadian who moved to Detroit to marry my Ma. If we fail and Canada fails my dad will be rolling over in his grave twice and in anguish.
Without surrendering our citizenship, all freedom-loving people across the globe are in this fight together. Strength, patience, humor and perseverance, friend. You are not alone.
I can’t wait until your uncle disappears from our collective consciousness. Getting the “free pass “ that he seems to, comes across that there are unspoken threats and harassment against the media by his minions.
I agree about our older “cousins “ in the UK and France that winning is possible. Instead of whining and hand wringing, we have to become angry at him and start doing everything possible to send him to becoming inconsequential.
Organize and get some energy going. Its hard work but worth it when the price of losing your freedom is so high. I love Canada and have worked and traveled there extensively. Freedom and democracy are worth fighting for!
I like your take on this, Mary. It’s going to be a grueling four months until the election and we absolutely need to keep focused on the prize and counteract the opposition whenever possible. With strength and gusto.
Today the Republican agenda also caused anger among the pro lifers who are angered and stomped out. Rubio the little weasel flipped and I’m now thinking with Project 2025 us Dems have the ammunition we need to destroy Republicans up and down the ballot if we get to work and scream this from the stratosphere. It’s time all of us pledge to get to work so we leave 0 doubt as to our nation not wanting an authoritarian regime as our Government. Let’s do like GB and France did by sending these extremists and their insane agenda right up the the hole where the sun does not shine. Cmon people let’s do this. Let’s goooo!!!!!
My thoughts exactly. Project 2025 is the Dems silver bullet. Tie EVERY MAGA loving repug up for election to Project 2025. My congressman in NY-04 endorsed Trump. The seat was a Dem stronghold for decades. Anthony D'Esposito my do nothing repug congressman won on a fluke because of Lee Zeldin's coattails. That's not happening in 2024. I'm working diligently to elect Laura Gillen and rid NY-04 of #OneTermTony.
How about changing that to women’s rights? As I said before, before every fascist takeover they start with attacking women’s rights, starting with that f’ing « Handmaiden of the Lord » on the Supreme Court. Yuck. If you don’t know what that is just ask me,
And if anyone has seen Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tales, you know what that would be like! A Christo-fascist state. Another streaming documentary is Bad Faith. A must-see documentary that tells it all.
I have no problem with that change. I have for some time been learning more and more, over all history, about men suppressing women and taking credit for so much brilliant math and science done by women. It is a very long list including Nobel prizes to men founded on the work and ideas of women.
The one and only truthful fact from Oranges debate performance is that he is the most chronic, pathological,habitual, permanently streaming liar in our lifetime.
Wes, some folks who are really good at dissecting "Project 2025" should match certain portions in basic English, Spanish, or whatever language is spoken in the communities, to certain communities that will be harmed if that part of the "Project" were unleashed on them. Maybe even some of the Trumpers and Trumpettes would not want that to happen to them and might support Biden-Harris as insurance against that..
The polls show that a majority has regretted our leaving for a long time. Rejoining is different- we wouldn’t have the same highly advantageous terms we had before and they might require us to join the Eurozone. And the Eu itself is rightfully concerned that we might change our minds again. But we will never give up trying.
I recognize that it would be very difficult. However, with threat from Putin and the fascist, I believe a case could be made that it is in European interests to be a little more flexible and less like a jilted lover. However, I do believe that the UK must publicly admit their error and possibly negotiate terms to make a repeat less probable. Not boot on the head terms but something reasonable and with compassion. With France, Poland, Germany flirting with Fascism and Hungry and Turkey dating fascism, this needs to be well thought out and not knee jerk.
Ann, one thing that could help would be that it would require a larger percent of the population to agree to leave. 52% is such a small number to make such a huge decision and the people, according to the news reports were being lied to about the benefits of leaving, the whole time,
The general public started to get upset on the subject of the EU because they saw an influx of Polish & other people they assumed were 'taking their jobs'. My own family in UK was quite vocal on the subject. They are in Norfolk & they felt extremely exposed to 'foreigners', altho Great Yarmouth - a seaport - has always had a lot of foreigners arriving to work. They tend to fill home nursing positions & other lower paid slots that go unfilled by the English.
vcragain, immigrants serve that role here too and so many companies and farmers cannot find sufficient help to do the jobs they have as immigrants get deported imprisoned or sent back to Mexico. People have learned to fear and despise immigrants, so they suffer for want of workers instead of demanding better immigration policies and more of the kinds of workers we need. For immigrants, those jobs can be a start to building some financial success here.
Can we change “have learned to” to “have been led to”? This wasn’t a big issue until the financial crisis of 2008, but rather than blame the bankers, the Powers That Be in politics (and their Paymasters) started stirring up latent resentments and xenophobia to misdirect the general public.
It was a real opportunity to improve wealth inequalities that was missed there, thanks to the lobbyists and think tanks.
Kathlyn, it seems that every time we get an opportunity to make some positive changes that could lead to more economic equity, the lobbyists and the "think tanks" (which don't seem to involve much positive thinking) jump in and somehow their enormous amounts of money sway the people we elect and pay to consider our interests as important, to do whatever the rich guys want. The problem, we just keep re-electing them over and over expecting something different. I get it that people have busy lives, but so busy they can't look out for the honest interests of their kids, their friends, and neighbors? Maybe We the People need to demand more, stop the desire that our reps be perfect, but that they do most of the time take the needs of constituents other than rich donors into account. Right now, even poor Republicans are voting only for people who will do nothing for them except make it OK for them to express their racism and xenophobia while the people get nothing. I can't help but wonder if being racist and hateful of immigrants is worth the pain of not having medical coverage, decent schools for their kids, help when their paycheck doesn't cover everything they need each month, etc. Maybe it is, and if so, they deserve the people they elect just because there is an "R" by the name.
As someone who has tirelessly campaigned against Brexit for 8-years I agree. Brexit is the elephant in the room - nobody dare discuss it. Our new government is going for growth but is not going to undo the trade sanctions that the country imposed on itself - Brexit stifles growth.
But one step at a time - we booted the wannabe fascists out.
Today is the day I came to the conclusion that I don’t have an iota of worry about Biden being our candidate. (He’s been the best president of my lifetime and I have complete confidence in his appointees, staff, and Kamala Harris to do a terrific job if something happens. The constitution will continue!). My fear and worry has been that other voters in this country won’t see what is clearly true—that a vote for Trump equals chaos and fascism.. The idea that potential Biden voters would choose Trump because of their worry about Biden’s speech and cognitive glitches—seeing Trump as more fit is crazy.).
I’m going to put my effort into getting some young people that I know to vote and help them to understand the stakes. I had seen some coverage in the press that in the end, the D-Day commemorations in France had a positive effect on these French elections. It seems that knowledge of history is often lacking these days. Easier for me because members of my family growing up were WWII vets.)
Somehow, recently I started receiving AOC’s constituent newsletters. I don’t know how. I’m not from New York and I’ve never donated to her. But I wanted to share an excerpt from today’s AOC email. Actually, the whole email was excellent.
“ Alot of people, especially given the recent SCOTUS rulings, ask me about hope. I shared some thoughts during a Q&A when someone asked me, “Are we screwed?”:
My honest view is that things are likely going to get harder before they get better, and we will need to stick together.
What is important in moments like these is not to think in binaries. Good/bad, screwed/not screwed. There is no doubt that things are bad. Some things, really bad. And they may likely get worse.
But that does not preclude the fact that, slowly but surely, some good can be growing as other things fall apart. This is not some syrupy-sweet, silver-lining case for optimism. Rather, it is about a choice all of us will have to make, consciously or unconsciously: will I be a person who is safe and creates good for others?
Will I be a person who stands up? Will I be a person who primarily minds my business and serves myself? Or try to be part of something bigger?
What I sometimes tell my staff is that the world we are fighting for is already here. It exists in small spaces, places, and communities. We don’t have to deal with the insurmountable burden of coming up with novel solutions to the world’s problems.
Much of our work is about scaling existing solutions — many created by small, committed groups of people — that others haven’t seen or don’t even know are around the corner. While we can’t change the world in a day, we do have the power to make our own world within our own four walls, or on our own blocks.
We can grow from there with the faith that somewhere out there, everywhere, others are doing the same. And we will come together.
That’s why if you’re a parent, how you parent matters. If you’re a neighbor, how you are a neighbor matters. Many of our biggest problems are results of massively scaled up isolation from others — that means many of our solutions can be found in creating community.
Ultimately, we live in this world and in this time. We have no choice but to engage in it while we’re here. Even running away is a form of engagement.
So: will your engagement hurt or heal? Build, or bring down?
There is no neutral choice. We can do our best to make good ones, and learn, and do better the next day.
You are allowed to be scared. To grieve. To be angry. But you are also allowed to create good, to be soft, and enjoy the small reprieves. Struggle lasts as long as we do.”
I so appreciate your optimism and I share it! I am doing my own version of "resistance" by turning off MSNBC when they start trashing Biden or when a guest does the same and then I immediately email them to tell them what I have done and why. BTW, I always share your pieces on my FB page!
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my New York Times subscription. Today there are THREE editorials telling Joe he should step down from being the Democratic candidate. You have to wonder whose side they are on.
And okay -- four Democratic congressmen have asked Biden to step down. What about the other 98 percent that are sticking with him?
I'm SO damn tired of this nonsense with the media.
HOORAY FOR MY COUNTRY! (Blimey, haven't said that in a while.)
Now, friends across the Atlantic: please show us how it's *really* done in November.
*UPDATE*: from a British perspective, it is also absolutely shocking that Trump's lies and incoherent nonsenses are being under-reported by so much of the US media right now, as this on-point Guardian piece says: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/09/biden-media-attacks-trump-felon Absolutely baffling.
And congrats back to Great Britain!
Congrats Mike!
America: Wake up everybody. We are facing a coup and they fully intend to use Trump to implement Project 2025. We are going to vote for Democrats up and down the line, we are going to ignore the attempt to oust Biden, get in line to vote, donate and talk to people so we can take out Trump and every Republican for House or Senate. There can be no doubt this is way worse than Nixon, way worse than Reagan. Democracy may well die if we fail to pull together and stop the Republicans this time!
It's time to wear this "VOTE removes stubborn orange stains" t-shirt 👇
libtees-2.creator-spring.com/listing/vote24
Vote Blue up & down the ballot!
I inserted, “SHIT” In between “Orange” & “Stains.”
Tempted, but I still say it’s more important to buy Biden swag from President Biden’s campaign.
No. He'd want you to buy more food, for you and your family! Vote blue!
Bought one. The first one that really “got” me!!
Good, now go to https://shop.joebiden.com/ and buy some official campaign swag!
Don't forget the orange puke's ,very own," PROJECT 47", Y'ALL!😟
I 🤮 on your cheezy $22 T-shirt.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A13usaonutL._CLa%7C2140%2C2000%7C81PZb8UbWgL.png%7C0%2C0%2C2140%2C2000%2B0.0%2C0.0%2C2140.0%2C2000.0_AC_SX679_.png
Great job! You were putting the dire predictions of the mainstream press to shame. I haven't felt this good in quite a while.
They are gaslighting us. Don't fall for it. Joe Biden is the only thing standing between our democracy and fascism.
And I haven’t heard blimey in forever. Thanks, Mike
Bollocks!
THAT'S THE SPIRIT.
Brilliant!
Yep, as a fellow Brit it feels good to have something go right for a change. I think there’s something in the adage about having to hit rock bottom before things turn around.
You remind me of my mum telling me stories about the Blitz! My dad, a “Yank” stationed in London, the rest was history! So glad for England. Say some prayers for us for Nov.
YAY!!! It reminded me of the time Thatcher got ousted as leader of the Tories. I was living in London then and it was amazing! I'm disappointed in The Economist this week though, "Why Biden Must Step Away" was one of their articles.
Hope you were able to see John Oliver's show about the UK elections. It was spot on:
https://youtu.be/tkAqwHiAR-g?si=2X7soEyJa7nO1f_v
Here's to Larry the Cat! Cheers!
Hell yeah, John Oliver is awesome. ;)
Yeah good work Brits. You did well. I smashed me a pint of Newcastle Brown to celebrate that. (Hey, I'm an aussie, thats how we roll lol) Bit disappointing to see the SNP do poorly. But I'm sure they'll recover. Sinn Fein did great so I guess that makes up for it.
You may see an influx of Yankees if we don’t!
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win“ - Gandhi. Vote=Win.
They’re certainly fighting us right now
Thank goodness Democracy Docket is keeping track of how and when
https://x.com/marceelias/status/1810448402796159351?t=k-VtQ7NlCf6FqiaaFo6LGQ&s=19
Please subscribe and support them
Also Gandhi: “Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”
Old boxing term: the bigger they are, the harder they fall!…..
May that be true, this time!
History has shown that in the end they do fall but not before causing mayhem and tragedy. So far trump has unleashed enough mayhem to last us a lifetime. I now fervently pray he would go gentle into that good night.
Yes!
Yes, there really is no other choice this time around,If we want to keep what we have.
Hopefully, in the future we won’t take this gift for granted.
This wull be only the first step. Then we have to go after the court.!
Sorry Al Bellenchia but however noble a phrase Ghandi never say that. It’s been misattributed to him more than a few times. However there’s no record of him ever saying it. Even Trump used it (and attributed it to Ghandi) during his presidential run in 2016
Many others including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have used it, also attributing it to Ghandi.
Please think of us in Canada. We have a trump wannabe waiting to be elected by fools like the magas. PP (Pierre Poillievre) is a right-wing disaster. If he does get in then everything wonderfully Canadian will go down the toilet. I’m terrified for our beautiful country. 🇨🇦❤️
Nina, do you have activist groups working to get out the vote? We have many fine ones that work! Experience shows that this is critical and does make a difference.
Paula, I was very active in my youth but I’m now way past in my late 70’s and burnt out. I try to reach as many as possible on social platforms. Although Mary Trump’s article was praising France (vive la France! 🇫🇷) and my birthplace, the UK 🇬🇧 ❤️ I now am focusing on Canada and what’s possibly facing us. But please reach out to those you know who can help 🙏🙏
Hey Paula.......Check out the Leadnow site. They are starting to organize the fight against Poillievre. The Left has won big in Europe. Orange is taking big hits from Project 2025 finally being exposed. Poilieve could be left sitting in a corner all alone vomiting out 3rd rate Trumptrash.
Thank you for the tip! When I finish all my postcards I will start on this.
Linda McQuaig has done good work helpint to exposee his ties to rich corporationis.
Alex Jones has been endorsing him.........he got thrown out of the house.........
Don't forget to backtradk. US right wing fountations were helping to fund the Ottawa truckers..........the Frasiser Institute gets funding from US think tanks and foundations.
Thank you!!
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Nina, there is hope! Working online for me at 74 has replaced holding signs up at major intersections and going door to door, for MOVE-ON.
I'm Canadian, also, Nina, and am also in my early 70's - small world, eh? LOL (the 'eh' made me laugh because, as you know, it's a Canadian thing :) With Harris now designated by Trump as the next President of the US (well, if she beats the dirty rotten liar, and she will !!). there is more hope in the election, now, for the Democrats and I think Trump is very worried, because they had an elaborate plan to beat Biden, but not Harris. I loved reading that!! Last night was so uplifting as hundreds of delegations also endorsed Harris (a really good thing!) and almost $80 million dollars have been raised in just 24 hours, as well. Whoo Hhoo!
P.S. I can't stand Pollievre!! And sadly I live in Alberta, where they vote for the right every time. Sigh...
A group I belong to is sending out postcards to every polling center in the country to thank them for their commitment to the democratic process.
Oh, dear! May what makes the best of Canada and the US prevail.
Thank you, Nina, for the heads up. I’ve been so focused here I didn’t know what could be afoot in Canada. I still have relatives there.
And I have very close family and friends in the US so I’m trying to fight on both sides of the border. What a mess!
Oh, and by the way, in Canada they have six week election campaigns. Isn't that wild - compared to two years in U.S. (or however long it is - it's too damn looooong!)
I have always thought that six weeks of campaigning and only between the hours of 7:00pm and 8:00pm on week nights for political ads. Sounds like it would be heavenly. Sorry Jeopardy fans.
That’s what we have here in UK. It’s an utterly manic 6 weeks, but at least that’s all it is!
I find that confusing. The sitting president has only two years to get whatever is on their agenda done then spends the next two years defending the first two years and fighting off the opposition who are trying to undo the first two years to get their own agenda on the next two-year ticket 🤪
I tried to reply to your post today about the Kamala Harris endorsement and wrote a long reply but was sent to a subscription page and then my post was lost. I’ll follow you directly on Substack I think Mary Trump’s original article had nothing to go with Canada and I screwed it up. Sorry!!!!
I’m Canadian, too, Nina, and share your fear of PeePee. Trumpism has seeped into our beautiful country, and the rather tired Liberal governing party with their virtually invisible supporting party (NDP), combined with the hate campaign so successfully orchestrated against Prime Minister Trudeau, is not galvanizing any opposition to the threat.
And here I was, thinking that if trump were to win here in the US, we could go to Canada. What a bummer! I hope that we and the Canadians can get our acts together. I've always seen Trudeau in a good light.
Nope. There will be no place to go. Trump plans to take us out of NATO, so kiss most of Europe goodbye. Australia? They won’t want us. Not sure if there’s anywhere else in the southern hemisphere or Asia that would allow us or not be worse than trump’s US. There is no option other than to kick his ass big time and turn both houses of Congress seriously blue.
The only other possible place, which is decent, is New Zealand. They have their act together better than most. But my preference is to win big here, so I can stay where I'm comfortable, and within somewhat reasonable distance to family. I've done three cross country moves in my lifetime, and I really don't want to have to get used to a new place.
Trudeau has done much good for Canada but I think it’s time for new blood for the sake of our country and also for him to step down leaving behind a great legacy rather than that of losing to PP. The party needs a new leader to win the next election. We can’t rely on weak coalitions to run the country. I had hope for the NDP but that’s not going to happen either.
Then what to do? I quite dislike Poillievre (sp?). And, yes, Trudeau seems so uninspired, and looks like a very tired and out of gas Prime Minister. Are you suggesting that they might have an election for a new Leader of the Liberals? I wonder who that might turn out to be...hmmm. I look forward to your reply. Regards, Maddy
I feel your fear. I'm terrified for our beautiful country, too.
I didn't realize you neighbors to the north were having the same kind of threats as your southern neighbor. When is your election?
The problem is not as dire in Canada as it is in the US, but as both a Canadian and American citizen I can say that Canadians tend to vote a party out - Trudeau has been in power since 2015, and like most western leaders he’s bearing the brunt of people’s dissatisfaction with the cost of living and inflation, and his adversaries have been pretty successful in stoking that frustration and anger so that he and his closest ministers are unable to get the message out, even when they do something good (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). He does not have to call an election until late next year, but it’s not looking good. Poilievre doesn’t have to articulate a platform, he just gets to lob rocks at leadership - not sure he has what it takes to actually lead when he’s just used to acting like a middle school mean girl.
Exactly right. There are a couple of interesting facts about PeePee.
1. He refuses to undergo a security clearance. Recently he came up with a cockamamie reason, but his refusal goes back before this recent convenient excuse, to whit: He wants to be free to say whatever he wants and not be bound by national security secrecy, or some such thing. How can a prime minister be without a security clearance? And what is he really hiding?
2. He used to anglicize the pronunciation of his surname to “Pollaver.” But no one can be prime minister of Canada without winning Québec, so now he pronounces it “pwa-lee-ev-re.”
3. He was one of the much-reviled former prime minister’s members of parliament and was known as “Harper’s attack dog.” This modus operandi is all he knows and is still his go-to tactic, which helps to explain why, like Herr Orangeshitzenpants, he has no policy platform, as Lois says.
And let’s be honest, the man has a face you just want to smack. Cannot stand his sneering condescending faces and attitude, it’s revolting.
LOL. His style makeover doesn’t quite cut it, does it?
October 2025 so we still do have some time but Trudeau is losing traction and PP is gaining.
Too true, sadly. Although I don’t vote for Justin Trudeau--I see him as a corporate-captured Liberal along the lines of an Adam Schiff and dozens of others in the US congress, and my politics are more aligned with AOC’s and in Canada with the NDP, (which IMHO is not nearly as left as it needs to be)--I do sympathize with him. The hate campaign against him, orchestrated in large part by PeePee, is sickening and not merited by his performance.
I also think he may still be in a mourning/healing period from the break-up of his marriage. So he and his party have over a year to refocus and re-energize. What the NDP need to do is another problem, as their poll numbers are falling drastically too.
Interesting times, as the old curse goes, in Canada and in the USA.
Get vocal in every way possible. My father was a French Canadian who moved to Detroit to marry my Ma. If we fail and Canada fails my dad will be rolling over in his grave twice and in anguish.
I had no idea that this is going on in Canada. Thanks for sharing.
Without surrendering our citizenship, all freedom-loving people across the globe are in this fight together. Strength, patience, humor and perseverance, friend. You are not alone.
I can’t wait until your uncle disappears from our collective consciousness. Getting the “free pass “ that he seems to, comes across that there are unspoken threats and harassment against the media by his minions.
I agree about our older “cousins “ in the UK and France that winning is possible. Instead of whining and hand wringing, we have to become angry at him and start doing everything possible to send him to becoming inconsequential.
Organize and get some energy going. Its hard work but worth it when the price of losing your freedom is so high. I love Canada and have worked and traveled there extensively. Freedom and democracy are worth fighting for!
Oh I'm plenty angry!!
So relieved when I saw the French results. I'd been quite worried. Le Pen is awful.
Sort of like the French version of Marjorie Taylor Greene. Ugh.
Is there a French version of a "Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Body" rap, jazz or soul take off song?
I like your take on this, Mary. It’s going to be a grueling four months until the election and we absolutely need to keep focused on the prize and counteract the opposition whenever possible. With strength and gusto.
Exactly right. We all just have to actually get out and vote. Easy peasy. Just blue down the ticket. Thank you too much.
Today the Republican agenda also caused anger among the pro lifers who are angered and stomped out. Rubio the little weasel flipped and I’m now thinking with Project 2025 us Dems have the ammunition we need to destroy Republicans up and down the ballot if we get to work and scream this from the stratosphere. It’s time all of us pledge to get to work so we leave 0 doubt as to our nation not wanting an authoritarian regime as our Government. Let’s do like GB and France did by sending these extremists and their insane agenda right up the the hole where the sun does not shine. Cmon people let’s do this. Let’s goooo!!!!!
My thoughts exactly. Project 2025 is the Dems silver bullet. Tie EVERY MAGA loving repug up for election to Project 2025. My congressman in NY-04 endorsed Trump. The seat was a Dem stronghold for decades. Anthony D'Esposito my do nothing repug congressman won on a fluke because of Lee Zeldin's coattails. That's not happening in 2024. I'm working diligently to elect Laura Gillen and rid NY-04 of #OneTermTony.
I agree about Project 2025 but with abortion rights the Dems have two silver bullets. Maybe one for the heart and another for the head.
How about changing that to women’s rights? As I said before, before every fascist takeover they start with attacking women’s rights, starting with that f’ing « Handmaiden of the Lord » on the Supreme Court. Yuck. If you don’t know what that is just ask me,
I know!
And if anyone has seen Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tales, you know what that would be like! A Christo-fascist state. Another streaming documentary is Bad Faith. A must-see documentary that tells it all.
I have no problem with that change. I have for some time been learning more and more, over all history, about men suppressing women and taking credit for so much brilliant math and science done by women. It is a very long list including Nobel prizes to men founded on the work and ideas of women.
I made a mistake. I forgot for a moment that Repugnates have no heart.
Didn’t you hear that Donald knows nothing about Project 2025 (and doesn’t understand it)? :)
Yes—I heard that too…it’s BS🙄 Donald is a pathetic liar. He totally knows about it. What a joke he is…it’s exhausting to say the least. :(
The one and only truthful fact from Oranges debate performance is that he is the most chronic, pathological,habitual, permanently streaming liar in our lifetime.
So he says, but who believes anything a prolific liar says??
Take anything he says , and reverse it = Truth. Never Fails. Cause everything he spouts 1st is a big, fat lie.
Ha!
“Decoding Fox News”
noted that Trumps name shows up on 190
pages of the project 2025 playbook. It seems Trump lied.
As usual. He is incapable of uttering truth. It would turn him into a pile of ashes.
Yeah right…
trump is mentioned 312 times in a project 2025. That’s a tough one to deny even for him. He can try to lie through that one but it won’t work.
Well, surprise !!! He lied !!
“Decoding Fox News”
noted that Trumps name shows up on 190 pages of the Project 2025 playbook.
I guess he’s lying.
That's why he (probably) plagiarized it for his Agenda 47.
Wes, some folks who are really good at dissecting "Project 2025" should match certain portions in basic English, Spanish, or whatever language is spoken in the communities, to certain communities that will be harmed if that part of the "Project" were unleashed on them. Maybe even some of the Trumpers and Trumpettes would not want that to happen to them and might support Biden-Harris as insurance against that..
I agree with everything you’ve said, Wes, but please don’t dignify the anti-abortion, anti-choicers with the appellation “pro-lifers.”
If the UK is smart they will negotiate reversing Brexit. Just my opinion.
The polls show that a majority has regretted our leaving for a long time. Rejoining is different- we wouldn’t have the same highly advantageous terms we had before and they might require us to join the Eurozone. And the Eu itself is rightfully concerned that we might change our minds again. But we will never give up trying.
I recognize that it would be very difficult. However, with threat from Putin and the fascist, I believe a case could be made that it is in European interests to be a little more flexible and less like a jilted lover. However, I do believe that the UK must publicly admit their error and possibly negotiate terms to make a repeat less probable. Not boot on the head terms but something reasonable and with compassion. With France, Poland, Germany flirting with Fascism and Hungry and Turkey dating fascism, this needs to be well thought out and not knee jerk.
Agreed. It will need give and take on both sides. And yes Putin does alter the narrative for both sides.
Ann, one thing that could help would be that it would require a larger percent of the population to agree to leave. 52% is such a small number to make such a huge decision and the people, according to the news reports were being lied to about the benefits of leaving, the whole time,
It wasn’t even that - it was 52% of the votes, so more like 35% of the population!
That was my thought, too, Jim. I always felt it was a big mistake.
Big, big, big mistake. 👎 An example of fascist wanting to destroy democracy and using wedge issues to divide a country.
The general public started to get upset on the subject of the EU because they saw an influx of Polish & other people they assumed were 'taking their jobs'. My own family in UK was quite vocal on the subject. They are in Norfolk & they felt extremely exposed to 'foreigners', altho Great Yarmouth - a seaport - has always had a lot of foreigners arriving to work. They tend to fill home nursing positions & other lower paid slots that go unfilled by the English.
vcragain, immigrants serve that role here too and so many companies and farmers cannot find sufficient help to do the jobs they have as immigrants get deported imprisoned or sent back to Mexico. People have learned to fear and despise immigrants, so they suffer for want of workers instead of demanding better immigration policies and more of the kinds of workers we need. For immigrants, those jobs can be a start to building some financial success here.
Can we change “have learned to” to “have been led to”? This wasn’t a big issue until the financial crisis of 2008, but rather than blame the bankers, the Powers That Be in politics (and their Paymasters) started stirring up latent resentments and xenophobia to misdirect the general public.
It was a real opportunity to improve wealth inequalities that was missed there, thanks to the lobbyists and think tanks.
Kathlyn, it seems that every time we get an opportunity to make some positive changes that could lead to more economic equity, the lobbyists and the "think tanks" (which don't seem to involve much positive thinking) jump in and somehow their enormous amounts of money sway the people we elect and pay to consider our interests as important, to do whatever the rich guys want. The problem, we just keep re-electing them over and over expecting something different. I get it that people have busy lives, but so busy they can't look out for the honest interests of their kids, their friends, and neighbors? Maybe We the People need to demand more, stop the desire that our reps be perfect, but that they do most of the time take the needs of constituents other than rich donors into account. Right now, even poor Republicans are voting only for people who will do nothing for them except make it OK for them to express their racism and xenophobia while the people get nothing. I can't help but wonder if being racist and hateful of immigrants is worth the pain of not having medical coverage, decent schools for their kids, help when their paycheck doesn't cover everything they need each month, etc. Maybe it is, and if so, they deserve the people they elect just because there is an "R" by the name.
As someone who has tirelessly campaigned against Brexit for 8-years I agree. Brexit is the elephant in the room - nobody dare discuss it. Our new government is going for growth but is not going to undo the trade sanctions that the country imposed on itself - Brexit stifles growth.
But one step at a time - we booted the wannabe fascists out.
It was a Russian Op. They fell for it.
I agree.
I had been thinking the same thing. Great minds…
Oh yes Let's 💯 I'm with you all the way,Mary 👍 I like the picture you painted here. Biden/Harris 2024💙
The best part is the French were speedy and organized a group 3 weeks before the election 🗳️ to defeat LePen and her fascist friends!! So amazing 🤩
Today is the day I came to the conclusion that I don’t have an iota of worry about Biden being our candidate. (He’s been the best president of my lifetime and I have complete confidence in his appointees, staff, and Kamala Harris to do a terrific job if something happens. The constitution will continue!). My fear and worry has been that other voters in this country won’t see what is clearly true—that a vote for Trump equals chaos and fascism.. The idea that potential Biden voters would choose Trump because of their worry about Biden’s speech and cognitive glitches—seeing Trump as more fit is crazy.).
I’m going to put my effort into getting some young people that I know to vote and help them to understand the stakes. I had seen some coverage in the press that in the end, the D-Day commemorations in France had a positive effect on these French elections. It seems that knowledge of history is often lacking these days. Easier for me because members of my family growing up were WWII vets.)
Somehow, recently I started receiving AOC’s constituent newsletters. I don’t know how. I’m not from New York and I’ve never donated to her. But I wanted to share an excerpt from today’s AOC email. Actually, the whole email was excellent.
“ Alot of people, especially given the recent SCOTUS rulings, ask me about hope. I shared some thoughts during a Q&A when someone asked me, “Are we screwed?”:
My honest view is that things are likely going to get harder before they get better, and we will need to stick together.
What is important in moments like these is not to think in binaries. Good/bad, screwed/not screwed. There is no doubt that things are bad. Some things, really bad. And they may likely get worse.
But that does not preclude the fact that, slowly but surely, some good can be growing as other things fall apart. This is not some syrupy-sweet, silver-lining case for optimism. Rather, it is about a choice all of us will have to make, consciously or unconsciously: will I be a person who is safe and creates good for others?
Will I be a person who stands up? Will I be a person who primarily minds my business and serves myself? Or try to be part of something bigger?
What I sometimes tell my staff is that the world we are fighting for is already here. It exists in small spaces, places, and communities. We don’t have to deal with the insurmountable burden of coming up with novel solutions to the world’s problems.
Much of our work is about scaling existing solutions — many created by small, committed groups of people — that others haven’t seen or don’t even know are around the corner. While we can’t change the world in a day, we do have the power to make our own world within our own four walls, or on our own blocks.
We can grow from there with the faith that somewhere out there, everywhere, others are doing the same. And we will come together.
That’s why if you’re a parent, how you parent matters. If you’re a neighbor, how you are a neighbor matters. Many of our biggest problems are results of massively scaled up isolation from others — that means many of our solutions can be found in creating community.
Ultimately, we live in this world and in this time. We have no choice but to engage in it while we’re here. Even running away is a form of engagement.
So: will your engagement hurt or heal? Build, or bring down?
There is no neutral choice. We can do our best to make good ones, and learn, and do better the next day.
You are allowed to be scared. To grieve. To be angry. But you are also allowed to create good, to be soft, and enjoy the small reprieves. Struggle lasts as long as we do.”
Well done. Thank you.
I so appreciate your optimism and I share it! I am doing my own version of "resistance" by turning off MSNBC when they start trashing Biden or when a guest does the same and then I immediately email them to tell them what I have done and why. BTW, I always share your pieces on my FB page!
All the way to victory with Biden! We’ll celebrate our victory in November. Meanwhile, we’re so very proud of our friends in U.K. and France!
NOW LET'S DO THE US!!!!!!!
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my New York Times subscription. Today there are THREE editorials telling Joe he should step down from being the Democratic candidate. You have to wonder whose side they are on.
And okay -- four Democratic congressmen have asked Biden to step down. What about the other 98 percent that are sticking with him?
I'm SO damn tired of this nonsense with the media.
I cancelled my NYT subscription and about to deep six Politico. What idiots.
Yes… I agree. Idiots and totally unprofessional.
Cancelled mine after they sabotaged Hillary relentlessly in 2016. They are exactly the same as they were then.