As I said on Occupy Democrat's post about this story, I'd like to see the press boycott the next conference. Trump is so fragile, that he could possibly freak out at having none of the legitimate news agencies in the room. So far 563 people have indicated they agree with my comment - how can we make this happen?
Susan, that's very similar to what I proposed earlier in The Contrarian.
Question is how to reach the press at the W H to let them know that they have our support so they feel encouraged to stage a no show for the next "press conference"?
I wish I had some way to make that happen! All I can offer is that there are now 615 folks who've liked the comment I made on FB. Wouldn't it be great if the press didn't need to be encouraged to do the right thing?
And today in the news: CheerSquad Weather Girl Caroline-with-a-K Leavitt adorably regurgitates any and all the talking points she has been fed, regardless of factual basis. Caroline-with-a-K is working hard to have an independent thought of her own since learning weeks ago she should not dot her ‘i’s with little hearts if she wants to be taken seriously and is currently considering which crucifix gives her the best credibility on camera. Ms Leavitt loves the word America, hates liars, her favorite color is transparent, and her favorite number is 45-47. Let’s give this wholesome young lady a big hand for all her efforts.
Thanks, Patric. I have to dig for humor somewhere, however deep, however little, to cope with it all these days. It recently feels we are living inside a Monty Python sketch.
In more than one way, the vaunted Fourth Estate has treated 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's current occupant like a Facebook Friend instead of speaking truth to power and taking him to task for the mendacious deception that he practices and that has been promulgated by the High Priestess of Alt. Fact.
Perhaps the media mavens might consider switching tactics and begin to comport themselves with him as the Gong Show had done with disliked contestants: Yank him off stage abruptly!
Sadly there will be no crook-yanking him off the stage (Pun intended) in fact, the opposite. I just read this today “Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) wants President Donald Trump’s birthday to be a federal holiday.” It’s become who can bow the lowest, who can out MGT Marge, who can sink to the lowest lack of dignity to get noticed in a cult. Like the rest of the world, I have lost all respect for those whose moral compass is shattered. I only pray there are still enough good people who can turn the tide on this assault against who we are becoming before it is too late. Mainstream media has failed us royally. Academically I understand why, morally I cannot forgive it. Still waiting for some hero to save us for ‘“Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” because I don’t know that I can take 2 more years of this.
I know Mel Brooks couldn't even have written this stuff, not even Mel Brooks, the master of parody. Remember, "Springtime for Hitler and Germany" All parody is exaggerated reality, and all reality is what once was hidden possibility, but nothing is impossible if we unite and push, push hard shoulder to shoulder, push back!
Donald Redux brings to mind Merry Monarch Chucky II's rakish, libertine Restoration reign. He turned his digs at Whitehall into a palace of promiscuity. So much so, that it inspired Hef's kitschy copy in Chicago.
One of his most notorious courtiers, that rake among rakes, John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester, literally fucked himself to death.
So many memes make it hard to choose, don’t they, Jan? With all the memes available, no one seems to have the time for the (‘busiest!!’) WH Press Secretary. I wanted first crack because IMO she might be the “meme”iest. Well, top 5 at least.
It’s pretty easy to find humor with the (“Busiest!!”) Press Secretary. She’s probably the least benign of the players and is only following orders. Curious to hear the take on the multi-posted NASCAR parade of power versus the unacknowledged disasters in Kentucky. Another day, another line crossed, another day of silence from the media.
KY bows to their King so will be pulled from the rushing waters and their dead found, with shelter to the survivors provided; all the while accepting without protest, other than a whimper of concern, his tax which will cost each household on average $1200. Ironically the whinny protests to the effects of tariffs on KY citizens coming from die hard Republicans in KY and in Congress relevant to the state of KY sound like they were taken straight from VP Harris's campaign warnings regarding Trump's agenda almost word for word!
It is time we think of ourselves as United States, not Red States or Blue States. That is our inherent problem. In my opinion, which is only one opinion. Trump tweeted (truth socialed, I don’t know, I’m not on it) 14 times about his Kim Jong Un-esque NASCAR power parade. How much did that cost us in government efficiency? How many times did Trump tweet about the Kentucky disaster. Zero. Not one word. We are a country divided into red and blue. And we all know the saying about a house divided against itself. I blame the media as much as anyone for presenting every single opinion as equal when they should have been making the truth their priority.
A quick response from Trump declaring Kentucky a disaster area and rushing aid to them which is only right; but also an example to all states as to the treatment coming from the WH based on red and blue as we head into a period of climate change disasters. It was always predicted there will come a time when we are all climate change migrants seeking livable geography but the cruelty of POTUS to dole out help based on politics is the lowest denominator. It is medieval but it cannot and will not be our fate.
Yes how can we encourage these organizations to resist to offer any and all actions they can take to fight this. While competitors I suggest they support something like a class action lawsuit
show up in large numbers and all will follow including those you wish to resist on a larger stage -- it takes one person speaking truth to power to topple kingdoms -- just one followed by many -- history repeats itself the good and the amazing
Let's be clear - the mainstream media, in particular the NY Times, The Washington Post and The LA Times, let Democracy down. These former stalwarts of Democracy failed to act as the fourth branch of government - normalizing what never was normal; applying moderation to what was radical; and criticizing a president and administration that had done more for the American People in 4 years than any administration in the preceding 60 years.
It is now up to us - the People, the 236M Americans who did NOT vote for Trump. We must support news organization that do not kiss Trump's ass. To name a few: NPR; The Guardian=, The Huffington Post; Politico. Please help others and add your favorite news organization to this list.
Lastly, we cannot rely on the Courts to protect the First Amendment and Democracy (see link below). The Fascist-in-Chief will simply defy the Court for, as he posted on his Trust Social and in X:
“He who saves the Country does not violate any Law.”
MeidasTouch is growing rapidly and surpassing FOX and Joe Rogan in subscribers. It has several updates a day and is key in fighting back. Trump hates them and is threatened by their popularity - all the more reason to subscribe. Also Scott Dworkin and Robert Reich have great news substacks.
I so agree about the NYT, the WaPo and the LA Times. I've kept my subscriptions to the NYT and the WaPo just to keep an eye on what kind of coverage they are doing. I have full admiration for Jim Acosta, Jen Rubin and others who have taken a principled stand.
I dropped my subscriptions to WaPo and NYT (although I kept a NYT Cooking subscription) but there is nothing that I find interesting in what they write. I follow Jim, Jen Rubin, Joyce Vance, Aaron Parnas, The Politics Girl, Alex Vindmin, Ruth Ben-Ghat, Heather Cox Richardson and about eight others. My reading time is full. No time for WaPo or NYT.
As a side note Ukraine just raised $60K to support journalism in their country after Trump removed USAID funding of news sources such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe inside Ukraine. Please consider subscribing to Kyiv Independent where journalists are now preparing and seeking legal counsel as Russia and Putin close in on them with permission of our country under Trump. www.kyivindependent.com
I just copied from your post the following which I will keep on file. I already support NPR and will add those you listed to those news sources I subscribe to. I dropped the NY Times and Washington Post. I subscribe to the Boston Globe my home paper; and I also subscribe to Kyiv Independent which is sincerely recommend to everyone. The reporting is informative and unbiased. The journalists are presently planning for the future, consulting with legal sources but staying amazingly calm and committed to their mission. An inspiring people and a beautiful culture rich with traditions and art and history. God save Ukraine, please God.
And, I made a donation to the AP. We must support news organizations and individuals who hold the line on our freedoms and tell the truth no matter what. And especially when they stand up in the face of pressure and adverse consequences. It is precisely when our rights under attack that those of us with character and integrity must be most steadfast—and inspire others to do the same.
And Vance was in Munich lecturing the Europeans about free speech because they have sense enough to regulate misinformation and hate speech on social media. And also explaining to them,including Zelensky, how bad war is. There is no longer any valid reason to support this administration.
Every day the wall between the real world and @realdonaldtrump or whatever it is goes up. He’s shut inside of an echo chamber where he can’t hear anything but the directives of his paymasters, Russ Vought & the authors of Project 2025. This is just another distraction.
The reality behind this name on a map charade is this-the reality of this. And right from the horse’s mouth:
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Kevin Roberts [one of the angry white man ‘heads’ of Project 2025] said in an interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast….July of 2024
These are the words of another angry white man-an ideological stick-up artist punk who likely thinks he’s ‘covered in the blood of Jesus’ & has the full faith and credit of a ‘government’ he by now thinks he has the right to loot and completely destroy in the name of Jesus Christ via a ‘mandate’ that anyone who can add one and one and come up with two knows was NO SUCH THING.
Send this quote to every single Democratic Senator who’s voted for ANY cabinet member of this fascist coup. Ask them A) why it is that they cannot, if they read these words, discern and then call out a threat. Then ask them B) who amongst them it’s going to be that will remind this little creep that if he is going to threaten violence that he had better not think he’s going to be hiding behind Trump in order to back it up, because that that sorry ‘Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free’ card carrying Project 2025 storefront paper moon coward could care less about him, that he is is only a means to an end….
In short, sad as it is, history has said and will say to vagrants like this one ‘Hey, if you’re gonna stick a gun in my face, brother, you’d better be ready to use it.’
Further, ask your ‘We the People’ representatives who are bellowing that ‘rules are being broken!’ and that there are protocols!’ for just how long will the ‘please, everyone-let’s be reasonable’, ‘there are ways of doing things’ evasions and going along to get along’ be the order of the day.
Remind them that it is as plain as day that any Senator or Congress member that goes along with this giving in is no better than a one if PT Barnum’s ‘suckers’. They’re being laughed at, fleeced, tossed aside and ultimately ignored.
Folks, Stockholm Syndrome is NOT an apt strategy for preserving Democracy.
It’s time to wake up.
I will close as I began:
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Kevin Roberts [one of the angry white man ‘heads’ of Project 2025] said in an interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast….July of 2024
Put it on your refrigerator. Send it to your senator and your congress person.
Then to paraphrase Peter Townsend’s words: ‘Get on your knees and pray to what or whoever it is that you pray to for balance and peace-for safety and freedom in a world that our children and grandchildren might survive and thrive in-that somehow this time it’s different). That we don’t get fooled again….’
How do the sanewashers explain his "right" to rename international waters. He can, as apparently the now hard to find EO said, rename that part of the Gulf that belongs to the US, but not the rest of it. So, how do they justify it? Because he's the Red Queen and we have to, or off with our heads?
Yay for the AP! Especially when compared to the cowardly, ass kissing tech companies and weak other news companies. The other news services should protest the treatment of AP. If they don't, it will increase the rate of their decline and trust by many Amerucans.
I do hope the AP sues and can get their press pass reinstated. We need their independent coverage.
As I said on Occupy Democrat's post about this story, I'd like to see the press boycott the next conference. Trump is so fragile, that he could possibly freak out at having none of the legitimate news agencies in the room. So far 563 people have indicated they agree with my comment - how can we make this happen?
I completely agree, Susan. Boycotts will get attention if it is done by the major agencies.
Susan, that's very similar to what I proposed earlier in The Contrarian.
Question is how to reach the press at the W H to let them know that they have our support so they feel encouraged to stage a no show for the next "press conference"?
I wish I had some way to make that happen! All I can offer is that there are now 615 folks who've liked the comment I made on FB. Wouldn't it be great if the press didn't need to be encouraged to do the right thing?
my thoughts exactly -- the news would be the boycott -- not Trump --
And today in the news: CheerSquad Weather Girl Caroline-with-a-K Leavitt adorably regurgitates any and all the talking points she has been fed, regardless of factual basis. Caroline-with-a-K is working hard to have an independent thought of her own since learning weeks ago she should not dot her ‘i’s with little hearts if she wants to be taken seriously and is currently considering which crucifix gives her the best credibility on camera. Ms Leavitt loves the word America, hates liars, her favorite color is transparent, and her favorite number is 45-47. Let’s give this wholesome young lady a big hand for all her efforts.
Hoping the ACLU sues for the AP ASAP!
Funny stuff. Thx.
Thanks, Patric. I have to dig for humor somewhere, however deep, however little, to cope with it all these days. It recently feels we are living inside a Monty Python sketch.
more like a Jerry Springer show loop
In more than one way, the vaunted Fourth Estate has treated 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's current occupant like a Facebook Friend instead of speaking truth to power and taking him to task for the mendacious deception that he practices and that has been promulgated by the High Priestess of Alt. Fact.
Perhaps the media mavens might consider switching tactics and begin to comport themselves with him as the Gong Show had done with disliked contestants: Yank him off stage abruptly!
Sadly there will be no crook-yanking him off the stage (Pun intended) in fact, the opposite. I just read this today “Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) wants President Donald Trump’s birthday to be a federal holiday.” It’s become who can bow the lowest, who can out MGT Marge, who can sink to the lowest lack of dignity to get noticed in a cult. Like the rest of the world, I have lost all respect for those whose moral compass is shattered. I only pray there are still enough good people who can turn the tide on this assault against who we are becoming before it is too late. Mainstream media has failed us royally. Academically I understand why, morally I cannot forgive it. Still waiting for some hero to save us for ‘“Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” because I don’t know that I can take 2 more years of this.
I know Mel Brooks couldn't even have written this stuff, not even Mel Brooks, the master of parody. Remember, "Springtime for Hitler and Germany" All parody is exaggerated reality, and all reality is what once was hidden possibility, but nothing is impossible if we unite and push, push hard shoulder to shoulder, push back!
Donald Redux brings to mind Merry Monarch Chucky II's rakish, libertine Restoration reign. He turned his digs at Whitehall into a palace of promiscuity. So much so, that it inspired Hef's kitschy copy in Chicago.
One of his most notorious courtiers, that rake among rakes, John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester, literally fucked himself to death.
Ah, DOLCE FAR NIENTE!!
Pretty hilarious and spot on! Well done! And yes, the ACLU needs to step in!
So many memes make it hard to choose, don’t they, Jan? With all the memes available, no one seems to have the time for the (‘busiest!!’) WH Press Secretary. I wanted first crack because IMO she might be the “meme”iest. Well, top 5 at least.
I think Musk's kid is a robot; and believe the WH Press Secretary may be one too!
It’s pretty easy to find humor with the (“Busiest!!”) Press Secretary. She’s probably the least benign of the players and is only following orders. Curious to hear the take on the multi-posted NASCAR parade of power versus the unacknowledged disasters in Kentucky. Another day, another line crossed, another day of silence from the media.
KY bows to their King so will be pulled from the rushing waters and their dead found, with shelter to the survivors provided; all the while accepting without protest, other than a whimper of concern, his tax which will cost each household on average $1200. Ironically the whinny protests to the effects of tariffs on KY citizens coming from die hard Republicans in KY and in Congress relevant to the state of KY sound like they were taken straight from VP Harris's campaign warnings regarding Trump's agenda almost word for word!
https://www.wlky.com/article/trump-tariffs-kentucky-bourbon-industry-impact/63656209
It is time we think of ourselves as United States, not Red States or Blue States. That is our inherent problem. In my opinion, which is only one opinion. Trump tweeted (truth socialed, I don’t know, I’m not on it) 14 times about his Kim Jong Un-esque NASCAR power parade. How much did that cost us in government efficiency? How many times did Trump tweet about the Kentucky disaster. Zero. Not one word. We are a country divided into red and blue. And we all know the saying about a house divided against itself. I blame the media as much as anyone for presenting every single opinion as equal when they should have been making the truth their priority.
A quick response from Trump declaring Kentucky a disaster area and rushing aid to them which is only right; but also an example to all states as to the treatment coming from the WH based on red and blue as we head into a period of climate change disasters. It was always predicted there will come a time when we are all climate change migrants seeking livable geography but the cruelty of POTUS to dole out help based on politics is the lowest denominator. It is medieval but it cannot and will not be our fate.
https://www.270towin.com/states/kentucky
Excellent!!!
It is vital that journalists and legitimate news outlets stand together. But I’m probably dreaming. Together everyone is stronger than separate.
dreams come true -- we can get there
Just think about which countries restrict or control news reporting. Is this a club the USA wants to join? 🤮
Well, no, USA (that’s us, we the people) doesn’t BUT it’s the fondest desire of DonOLD’s tiny black blood pump. Time to Resist!
It is actually past time -- to resist.
Well, it is a free membership with no dues so within Trump's downsized budgeting plans.
Give ’em hell, Jim!
Yes how can we encourage these organizations to resist to offer any and all actions they can take to fight this. While competitors I suggest they support something like a class action lawsuit
show up in large numbers and all will follow including those you wish to resist on a larger stage -- it takes one person speaking truth to power to topple kingdoms -- just one followed by many -- history repeats itself the good and the amazing
Let's be clear - the mainstream media, in particular the NY Times, The Washington Post and The LA Times, let Democracy down. These former stalwarts of Democracy failed to act as the fourth branch of government - normalizing what never was normal; applying moderation to what was radical; and criticizing a president and administration that had done more for the American People in 4 years than any administration in the preceding 60 years.
It is now up to us - the People, the 236M Americans who did NOT vote for Trump. We must support news organization that do not kiss Trump's ass. To name a few: NPR; The Guardian=, The Huffington Post; Politico. Please help others and add your favorite news organization to this list.
Lastly, we cannot rely on the Courts to protect the First Amendment and Democracy (see link below). The Fascist-in-Chief will simply defy the Court for, as he posted on his Trust Social and in X:
“He who saves the Country does not violate any Law.”
It is up to US to save our Democracy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/politics/trump-saves-country-quote.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xU4.NMKo.54XJ4JWsFnl2&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/opinion/what-if-trump-defies-courts.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
MeidasTouch is growing rapidly and surpassing FOX and Joe Rogan in subscribers. It has several updates a day and is key in fighting back. Trump hates them and is threatened by their popularity - all the more reason to subscribe. Also Scott Dworkin and Robert Reich have great news substacks.
Thank you for the referral to MeidasTouch. Just signed up. 👍
I so agree about the NYT, the WaPo and the LA Times. I've kept my subscriptions to the NYT and the WaPo just to keep an eye on what kind of coverage they are doing. I have full admiration for Jim Acosta, Jen Rubin and others who have taken a principled stand.
I dropped my subscriptions to WaPo and NYT (although I kept a NYT Cooking subscription) but there is nothing that I find interesting in what they write. I follow Jim, Jen Rubin, Joyce Vance, Aaron Parnas, The Politics Girl, Alex Vindmin, Ruth Ben-Ghat, Heather Cox Richardson and about eight others. My reading time is full. No time for WaPo or NYT.
As a side note Ukraine just raised $60K to support journalism in their country after Trump removed USAID funding of news sources such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe inside Ukraine. Please consider subscribing to Kyiv Independent where journalists are now preparing and seeking legal counsel as Russia and Putin close in on them with permission of our country under Trump. www.kyivindependent.com
I just copied from your post the following which I will keep on file. I already support NPR and will add those you listed to those news sources I subscribe to. I dropped the NY Times and Washington Post. I subscribe to the Boston Globe my home paper; and I also subscribe to Kyiv Independent which is sincerely recommend to everyone. The reporting is informative and unbiased. The journalists are presently planning for the future, consulting with legal sources but staying amazingly calm and committed to their mission. An inspiring people and a beautiful culture rich with traditions and art and history. God save Ukraine, please God.
www.kyivindependent.com
And, I made a donation to the AP. We must support news organizations and individuals who hold the line on our freedoms and tell the truth no matter what. And especially when they stand up in the face of pressure and adverse consequences. It is precisely when our rights under attack that those of us with character and integrity must be most steadfast—and inspire others to do the same.
And Vance was in Munich lecturing the Europeans about free speech because they have sense enough to regulate misinformation and hate speech on social media. And also explaining to them,including Zelensky, how bad war is. There is no longer any valid reason to support this administration.
Gina, for decent people it was never a valid reason to support this administration 😤.
When I heard that AP showed courage, I immediately donated and subscribed.
I hope other journalists and news outlets decide to join forces. Keeping my fingers crossed.
‘All in all-
It’s just another brick in the wall’….
Roger Waters/Pink Floyd
Every day the wall between the real world and @realdonaldtrump or whatever it is goes up. He’s shut inside of an echo chamber where he can’t hear anything but the directives of his paymasters, Russ Vought & the authors of Project 2025. This is just another distraction.
The reality behind this name on a map charade is this-the reality of this. And right from the horse’s mouth:
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Kevin Roberts [one of the angry white man ‘heads’ of Project 2025] said in an interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast….July of 2024
These are the words of another angry white man-an ideological stick-up artist punk who likely thinks he’s ‘covered in the blood of Jesus’ & has the full faith and credit of a ‘government’ he by now thinks he has the right to loot and completely destroy in the name of Jesus Christ via a ‘mandate’ that anyone who can add one and one and come up with two knows was NO SUCH THING.
Send this quote to every single Democratic Senator who’s voted for ANY cabinet member of this fascist coup. Ask them A) why it is that they cannot, if they read these words, discern and then call out a threat. Then ask them B) who amongst them it’s going to be that will remind this little creep that if he is going to threaten violence that he had better not think he’s going to be hiding behind Trump in order to back it up, because that that sorry ‘Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free’ card carrying Project 2025 storefront paper moon coward could care less about him, that he is is only a means to an end….
In short, sad as it is, history has said and will say to vagrants like this one ‘Hey, if you’re gonna stick a gun in my face, brother, you’d better be ready to use it.’
Further, ask your ‘We the People’ representatives who are bellowing that ‘rules are being broken!’ and that there are protocols!’ for just how long will the ‘please, everyone-let’s be reasonable’, ‘there are ways of doing things’ evasions and going along to get along’ be the order of the day.
Remind them that it is as plain as day that any Senator or Congress member that goes along with this giving in is no better than a one if PT Barnum’s ‘suckers’. They’re being laughed at, fleeced, tossed aside and ultimately ignored.
Folks, Stockholm Syndrome is NOT an apt strategy for preserving Democracy.
It’s time to wake up.
I will close as I began:
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Kevin Roberts [one of the angry white man ‘heads’ of Project 2025] said in an interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast….July of 2024
Put it on your refrigerator. Send it to your senator and your congress person.
Then to paraphrase Peter Townsend’s words: ‘Get on your knees and pray to what or whoever it is that you pray to for balance and peace-for safety and freedom in a world that our children and grandchildren might survive and thrive in-that somehow this time it’s different). That we don’t get fooled again….’
Maybe all Press should boycott the sessions with WH press secretary, who seems to be incompetent in any case.
How do the sanewashers explain his "right" to rename international waters. He can, as apparently the now hard to find EO said, rename that part of the Gulf that belongs to the US, but not the rest of it. So, how do they justify it? Because he's the Red Queen and we have to, or off with our heads?
Yay for the AP! Especially when compared to the cowardly, ass kissing tech companies and weak other news companies. The other news services should protest the treatment of AP. If they don't, it will increase the rate of their decline and trust by many Amerucans.