Trump's uber-wealthy administration reflects the culmination of a "master plan" by broligarchs, dark money, and corporate interests to control the government and tilt policies for the 1%.
It's a shame, really. These billionaires could solve hunger, build affordable housing, help others start small businesses and do so much more and still be insanely rich. Instead they are selfish and vain, hoarding money and power they don't need.
Oops - one correction. DOGE is NOT an agency. Agencies must be confirmed by Congress. It's an idea that has no power; although that doesn't mean it won't cause a lot of suffering because we have this Republican Party and this Supreme Court who are totally aligned with Trump and Musk.
Because we are grieving the loss of our small community news sources (neighborhood/town/papers), I wonder if folks are hungry/ready for the smaller, mid-sized independent media sources to replace what has been lost in our communities? Just thinking out loud. 🤔. Staying alert and not ever burying my head in the sand again!
Waj, this was a necessary conversation! You brought up a great points about the fact that folks are not phased by the recent vigilante-ism. This is a fresh, raw new and dangerous frontier we are entering. You are spot on with your observation that our institutions don’t mete out accountability.
Another awesome, engaging interview. David Sirota was on-point on so many things, especially the rage and want for "vigilante justice" re accountability and inequity.
You really have a knack for finding these great guests, Waj. Kudos! 👏🏼🙏🏼
The action which is demanded of America is for Department of Justice to stand up as the Enforcement Arm of the Constitution.
Demonic trump's Confession of what he will do once seated are Treasonous acts, by definition. It is the same as threatening to kill your boss, when you become boss. He promise to abolish the Constitution and the Presidency, in favor of a Dictatorship. Those are Treasonous statements to the highest degree of crime.
Joe Biden is the President who holds all the Jurisdictions from the Supreme Court Opinion, granting the Office of the Presidency, Absolute lmmunity, not Demonic trump.
Therefore, it made Joe Biden The King, and The President of the United States.
There is not any law and procedures of law that transfers Joe Biden, as King back, to any other Presidency. His Authority is out of and above the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and the Constitution.
Joe Biden must use this authority, as King, in the best interest of the Country and our partnerships international. Our NATO, Leadership is based upon World Democracy.
Joe Biden never has to obtain approval as King from both sides, as he's done faithful in the Interest of America, for 50 years. Demonic trump, as a Confessed Dic'tator, would use this power not as a King, but as a Dictator, for the destruction of America and NATO partnerships and more so, leadership. Acts of Treason, can not be sold upon a vote.
Treason, is always the highest crime under the Constitution, and the NATO Alliance. Never is the Surrender of Democracy, the Axiom of freedom, sold upon a vote. Democracy isn't optional, nor availability under the Constitution for sale.
This, is the Legacy of the President who became King, signed, sealed and delivered. It must be a Legacy in triumph over a legacy of Demonic trump, a Felon who Confess to assuming the title of Dic'tator over a Confederate of States.
Joe Biden, The President, and as America King, of the most powerful Country ever, and the World, it is demanding for you to Declaration Demonic trump, as being an unqualified criminal, unable to meet the terms of the Oath of the Presidency.
KING/President Joe Biden, as Commander-in Chief, with the endorsement of, and with the DOJ, must charge Demonic trump with Treason, in addition to his other outstanding charges, and jailed, because Democary here and abroad, matters. The World demand a cure, not a crowning, of the Beast of Revelation 13. His time and time ½, 42 months, has already been spent in 2016.
The President has honor the horrible ruling of the Supreme Court, in Dobbs, Therefore, you must honor this ruling, in trump., granting Joe Biden, as the only American King. It is demanded that you likewise, by doing as a true King would do, in the best interest and, in unity with the Presidency of the Country, and leader of the free World.
There is not a method removable, or transferable of the Authority granted to you, only.
The Good of the Country, and the Good of the World demands it today.
There are some inaccuracies in this comment. While I support the spirit of it, we need to be accurate in our descriptions and understanding. Treason as defined by the Constitution is a crime of collusion with an enemy of a country with which we are at war. Sedition is the attempt to overthrow the government of the United States of America, to collude with others to overthrow the government. There is a problem with assuming that now President Biden has absolute immunity because the final arbiter of that will be the Supreme Court which granted immunity to Donald Trump. There is no way of expecting that they would confer that same status on President Biden, or any Democratic President. Joe Biden is not a king, nor would he behave as one. Do not expect him to act like Donald Trump. We must be realistic in what we ask of officials. We must also understand that the old norms prior to Trump will for the most part cease on 1/20/25 - only those with power, e.g. in the House and Senate, judges, Cabinet members and other government officials can have an impact from within the government. We the People can have an impact through resistance from outside the government.
Thank you, Joyce. Your response succinctly clarified the matter addressed by Tony. May we find our way through all of this mess; a mess rooted in greed and inattention.
Wealth also has religious implications. Supposedly God makes good people wealthy.
"Don't Look Up" is in my top ten. Thanks for that one, David.
Kamala Harris did talk about health care. She also talked about helping people with tax breaks and incentives. But the message didn't get through, ostensibly smothered by the corporate and billionaire presence. So how is it that the billionaires on the right got a pass? They fooled the people.
Accumulation of wealth and power is their end game. They may make money on different turfs but they all strive to be at the panicle...the king of the mountain. We are their means to get there. I understand alphas are wired this way but they need to understand the social contract. Failure to do so will, as we're observing now, lead to further violence. Its their call how they play it and its our call how we play.
**Happy Holidays folks*
Unless you are on the deep states naughty list. Its genocide and sanctions in your stocking this Xmas.
Luigi Mangione is a 21st Century American Robin Hood. He brought attention to a long-ignored problem. He certainly got the attention of the health insurance companies. United Healthcare put up a fence around their headquarters, and other companies removed the photos and names of their executives from the websites. Fear is a great motivator. Maybe a few more claims will get paid now.
Biden and Harris and Walz did highlight improvements in medicare for seniors and protecting Medicare and Social Security for everyone, and their achievements like lowering prescription drug costs (starting with insulin)
Health care was not talked about at all. Not much of anything was talked about at all by Kamala. Not health care, not climate crisis, other than women's reproductive rights Kamala stood for nothing and fought for nothing. Accepting the blame for drastic inflation when the blame lies clearly with Insane Clown's clownish pandemic response. Accepting the blame for Afghanistan when Insane Clown effectively surrendered when he released 5000 Taliban prisoners and cut troop levels from 13,000 to 2,500 and would have done a mass exodus by year end but allowed himself to be talked out of that because he had more important things like seizing power. Insane Clown had his way with her while she stood there like a Barbie Doll waving her pom poms. That is why she lost. Democrats are still clueless. They think their campaign was flawless. The political environment sucked. Those damn headwinds. No assholes. You lost because you have a will to lose. You don't get it and never will.
I don't think you really listened to Kamala. And you seem pretty dismissive of women's reproductive rights as having any importance. I object to your calling Kamala a Barbie Doll as again, dismissive, ignorant, and a sign of the sexism that has gone against America electing a woman for President, in addition to the racial insensitivity in referring to her as a Barbie Doll whose origin was as a stereotype of white womanhood. In the name of women's equality, I dissent.
I apologize. But I voted for Kamala. Hillary as well. I am not at all dismissive of women's reproductive rights. But the fact is we lost to a fucking Insane Clown. Again. So yeah I am dismissive of Kamala's campaign. Failure was not an option. And the price of that failure will be off the charts. And they still don't get it they think their campaign was flawless. Do you think it was flawless?
It is certainly OK to criticize her on her actions and decisions, but when you resort to ad hominem attacks, you lose your argument and credibility. I thank you for your apology. Was the campaign flawless? Of course not, there's no such thing. I think it was an excellent campaign given the constraints she was under and I'm sure she learned some things as she is a brilliant woman. Study after study is showing that it was not problems in a campaign that sunk us, it was the deluge of disinformation on social media (all of it) that we have not learned how to effectively counter. Studies are showing that voters who had accurate information AND followed the news and politics overwhelmingly voted for Kamala. Those who did not, who got their news from the internet or right wing cable news overwhelmingly voted for Trump. The reasons we lost and Trump won do NOT lie on the shoulders of Kamala Harris. They are complex, myriad and we have got to figure out how to counter them. I think it is time for a changeover in the party leadership to younger people. The old guard does not have the knowledge and acuity with the digital world that younger people do -- we just don't. We also can't approach this with black or white and absolutist thinking, that approach won't work either and that's something I think your comment engaged in. We have to be open and flexible while being diligent and unrelenting in pursuing our goals.
The other problem we have is that the Right has spent decades and billions of dollars creating an information infrastructure that we just don't have. Our billionaires have NOT stepped up. The Right has bought up radio stations etc throughout the middle of the country so that there are vast areas across the middle where there are no liberal stations or networks. That is a huge problem for us. The bad people have almost all of the airwaves, which was their intention starting in the 1990's. Read Michael Tomasky's article in The New Republic where he covers this topic.
Well I'm very sorry but if you insist on blaming everything but the candidate herself, then you just don't get it. Hillary in 2016 also blamed everything and everyone but herself. Not to be sexist Biden in 2020 also ran a weak campaign but Insane Clown as the incumbent who everyone was sick of 4 years of clowning and his insults were falling flat and he knew he was dead meat so he just threw the election preferring a civil war be fought over him. And Walz was no prize package. Everyone said a star is born with his chorus line 123 kick and "weird", only to step in one pile of shit after another, letting JD have his way with him in the VP debate where he called himself a knucklehead and never to be seen or heard again.
I knew Kamala was toast after the debate. While everyone was rejoicing how she made him look silly, the CNN poll of debate watchers by a 2/3 majority said she won the debate, yet that same poll still favored Insane Clown on the economy by a 20 point margin (and border security also by 20 point margin). Kamala has no one to blame for that but herself as I said. Willingly accepting the blame for the economy is nothing short of political malpractice. Same for Afghanistan as I said above.
It is really not complicated at all. Politics as usual just won't work against an Insane Clown shitting all over you non-stop and you just grin and bear it. Insane Clown has so much surface area for attack. Just speaking those 4 unspeakable forbidden words YOU BELONG IN JAIL would drop him like a rock. Add to that why would he need immunity for his treasonous criminal acts when no other president before or since has needed immunity but him. Make him take ownership of Project 25. Cite it chapter and verse. Also cite chapter and verse all his 4 years of clowning where he never for a minute took being president seriously. And take a stand and defend it on the hard sell issues that inevitably fall to Democrats. Kamala preferred to twist herself into knots trying to explain her flip flop on fracking rather than speak the unspeakable forbidden words Climate Crisis. LGBTQ rights she let them amplify the edge cases of sports and bathrooms front and center when the real issue is making gender assignment illegal across the board, same as abortion. Gun control her attempt to portray herself as a gun enthusiast was nothing short of ludicrous. If you take a stand people will respect you even if they disagree. Trying to Move To The Middle when there is no middle to move to just makes you look silly. There is a reason why Insane Clown's own pollster Fabrizio says that Bernie Sanders would have kicked Insane Clown's ass into oblivion in 2016.
It's a shame, really. These billionaires could solve hunger, build affordable housing, help others start small businesses and do so much more and still be insanely rich. Instead they are selfish and vain, hoarding money and power they don't need.
Oops - one correction. DOGE is NOT an agency. Agencies must be confirmed by Congress. It's an idea that has no power; although that doesn't mean it won't cause a lot of suffering because we have this Republican Party and this Supreme Court who are totally aligned with Trump and Musk.
Because we are grieving the loss of our small community news sources (neighborhood/town/papers), I wonder if folks are hungry/ready for the smaller, mid-sized independent media sources to replace what has been lost in our communities? Just thinking out loud. 🤔. Staying alert and not ever burying my head in the sand again!
Waj, this was a necessary conversation! You brought up a great points about the fact that folks are not phased by the recent vigilante-ism. This is a fresh, raw new and dangerous frontier we are entering. You are spot on with your observation that our institutions don’t mete out accountability.
Another awesome, engaging interview. David Sirota was on-point on so many things, especially the rage and want for "vigilante justice" re accountability and inequity.
You really have a knack for finding these great guests, Waj. Kudos! 👏🏼🙏🏼
STAY LOCKED IN, AND LOADED
INFLECTION POINT RESOLUTION
The action which is demanded of America is for Department of Justice to stand up as the Enforcement Arm of the Constitution.
Demonic trump's Confession of what he will do once seated are Treasonous acts, by definition. It is the same as threatening to kill your boss, when you become boss. He promise to abolish the Constitution and the Presidency, in favor of a Dictatorship. Those are Treasonous statements to the highest degree of crime.
Joe Biden is the President who holds all the Jurisdictions from the Supreme Court Opinion, granting the Office of the Presidency, Absolute lmmunity, not Demonic trump.
Therefore, it made Joe Biden The King, and The President of the United States.
There is not any law and procedures of law that transfers Joe Biden, as King back, to any other Presidency. His Authority is out of and above the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and the Constitution.
Joe Biden must use this authority, as King, in the best interest of the Country and our partnerships international. Our NATO, Leadership is based upon World Democracy.
Joe Biden never has to obtain approval as King from both sides, as he's done faithful in the Interest of America, for 50 years. Demonic trump, as a Confessed Dic'tator, would use this power not as a King, but as a Dictator, for the destruction of America and NATO partnerships and more so, leadership. Acts of Treason, can not be sold upon a vote.
Treason, is always the highest crime under the Constitution, and the NATO Alliance. Never is the Surrender of Democracy, the Axiom of freedom, sold upon a vote. Democracy isn't optional, nor availability under the Constitution for sale.
This, is the Legacy of the President who became King, signed, sealed and delivered. It must be a Legacy in triumph over a legacy of Demonic trump, a Felon who Confess to assuming the title of Dic'tator over a Confederate of States.
Joe Biden, The President, and as America King, of the most powerful Country ever, and the World, it is demanding for you to Declaration Demonic trump, as being an unqualified criminal, unable to meet the terms of the Oath of the Presidency.
KING/President Joe Biden, as Commander-in Chief, with the endorsement of, and with the DOJ, must charge Demonic trump with Treason, in addition to his other outstanding charges, and jailed, because Democary here and abroad, matters. The World demand a cure, not a crowning, of the Beast of Revelation 13. His time and time ½, 42 months, has already been spent in 2016.
The President has honor the horrible ruling of the Supreme Court, in Dobbs, Therefore, you must honor this ruling, in trump., granting Joe Biden, as the only American King. It is demanded that you likewise, by doing as a true King would do, in the best interest and, in unity with the Presidency of the Country, and leader of the free World.
There is not a method removable, or transferable of the Authority granted to you, only.
The Good of the Country, and the Good of the World demands it today.
STAY LOCKED IN, AND LOADED
There are some inaccuracies in this comment. While I support the spirit of it, we need to be accurate in our descriptions and understanding. Treason as defined by the Constitution is a crime of collusion with an enemy of a country with which we are at war. Sedition is the attempt to overthrow the government of the United States of America, to collude with others to overthrow the government. There is a problem with assuming that now President Biden has absolute immunity because the final arbiter of that will be the Supreme Court which granted immunity to Donald Trump. There is no way of expecting that they would confer that same status on President Biden, or any Democratic President. Joe Biden is not a king, nor would he behave as one. Do not expect him to act like Donald Trump. We must be realistic in what we ask of officials. We must also understand that the old norms prior to Trump will for the most part cease on 1/20/25 - only those with power, e.g. in the House and Senate, judges, Cabinet members and other government officials can have an impact from within the government. We the People can have an impact through resistance from outside the government.
Thank you, Joyce. Your response succinctly clarified the matter addressed by Tony. May we find our way through all of this mess; a mess rooted in greed and inattention.
Thank you. Like Joyce Vance says on her Substack we are all in this together and that is the only way we can get through it.
Inspirational
Wealth also has religious implications. Supposedly God makes good people wealthy.
"Don't Look Up" is in my top ten. Thanks for that one, David.
Kamala Harris did talk about health care. She also talked about helping people with tax breaks and incentives. But the message didn't get through, ostensibly smothered by the corporate and billionaire presence. So how is it that the billionaires on the right got a pass? They fooled the people.
Accumulation of wealth and power is their end game. They may make money on different turfs but they all strive to be at the panicle...the king of the mountain. We are their means to get there. I understand alphas are wired this way but they need to understand the social contract. Failure to do so will, as we're observing now, lead to further violence. Its their call how they play it and its our call how we play.
**Happy Holidays folks*
Unless you are on the deep states naughty list. Its genocide and sanctions in your stocking this Xmas.
We voted to go back so…
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/we-are-going-back?r=3m1bs
Luigi Mangione is a 21st Century American Robin Hood. He brought attention to a long-ignored problem. He certainly got the attention of the health insurance companies. United Healthcare put up a fence around their headquarters, and other companies removed the photos and names of their executives from the websites. Fear is a great motivator. Maybe a few more claims will get paid now.
Biden and Harris and Walz did highlight improvements in medicare for seniors and protecting Medicare and Social Security for everyone, and their achievements like lowering prescription drug costs (starting with insulin)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/07/campaign-spending-crypto-tech-influence?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Health care was not talked about at all. Not much of anything was talked about at all by Kamala. Not health care, not climate crisis, other than women's reproductive rights Kamala stood for nothing and fought for nothing. Accepting the blame for drastic inflation when the blame lies clearly with Insane Clown's clownish pandemic response. Accepting the blame for Afghanistan when Insane Clown effectively surrendered when he released 5000 Taliban prisoners and cut troop levels from 13,000 to 2,500 and would have done a mass exodus by year end but allowed himself to be talked out of that because he had more important things like seizing power. Insane Clown had his way with her while she stood there like a Barbie Doll waving her pom poms. That is why she lost. Democrats are still clueless. They think their campaign was flawless. The political environment sucked. Those damn headwinds. No assholes. You lost because you have a will to lose. You don't get it and never will.
I don't think you really listened to Kamala. And you seem pretty dismissive of women's reproductive rights as having any importance. I object to your calling Kamala a Barbie Doll as again, dismissive, ignorant, and a sign of the sexism that has gone against America electing a woman for President, in addition to the racial insensitivity in referring to her as a Barbie Doll whose origin was as a stereotype of white womanhood. In the name of women's equality, I dissent.
I apologize. But I voted for Kamala. Hillary as well. I am not at all dismissive of women's reproductive rights. But the fact is we lost to a fucking Insane Clown. Again. So yeah I am dismissive of Kamala's campaign. Failure was not an option. And the price of that failure will be off the charts. And they still don't get it they think their campaign was flawless. Do you think it was flawless?
It is certainly OK to criticize her on her actions and decisions, but when you resort to ad hominem attacks, you lose your argument and credibility. I thank you for your apology. Was the campaign flawless? Of course not, there's no such thing. I think it was an excellent campaign given the constraints she was under and I'm sure she learned some things as she is a brilliant woman. Study after study is showing that it was not problems in a campaign that sunk us, it was the deluge of disinformation on social media (all of it) that we have not learned how to effectively counter. Studies are showing that voters who had accurate information AND followed the news and politics overwhelmingly voted for Kamala. Those who did not, who got their news from the internet or right wing cable news overwhelmingly voted for Trump. The reasons we lost and Trump won do NOT lie on the shoulders of Kamala Harris. They are complex, myriad and we have got to figure out how to counter them. I think it is time for a changeover in the party leadership to younger people. The old guard does not have the knowledge and acuity with the digital world that younger people do -- we just don't. We also can't approach this with black or white and absolutist thinking, that approach won't work either and that's something I think your comment engaged in. We have to be open and flexible while being diligent and unrelenting in pursuing our goals.
The other problem we have is that the Right has spent decades and billions of dollars creating an information infrastructure that we just don't have. Our billionaires have NOT stepped up. The Right has bought up radio stations etc throughout the middle of the country so that there are vast areas across the middle where there are no liberal stations or networks. That is a huge problem for us. The bad people have almost all of the airwaves, which was their intention starting in the 1990's. Read Michael Tomasky's article in The New Republic where he covers this topic.
Well I'm very sorry but if you insist on blaming everything but the candidate herself, then you just don't get it. Hillary in 2016 also blamed everything and everyone but herself. Not to be sexist Biden in 2020 also ran a weak campaign but Insane Clown as the incumbent who everyone was sick of 4 years of clowning and his insults were falling flat and he knew he was dead meat so he just threw the election preferring a civil war be fought over him. And Walz was no prize package. Everyone said a star is born with his chorus line 123 kick and "weird", only to step in one pile of shit after another, letting JD have his way with him in the VP debate where he called himself a knucklehead and never to be seen or heard again.
I knew Kamala was toast after the debate. While everyone was rejoicing how she made him look silly, the CNN poll of debate watchers by a 2/3 majority said she won the debate, yet that same poll still favored Insane Clown on the economy by a 20 point margin (and border security also by 20 point margin). Kamala has no one to blame for that but herself as I said. Willingly accepting the blame for the economy is nothing short of political malpractice. Same for Afghanistan as I said above.
It is really not complicated at all. Politics as usual just won't work against an Insane Clown shitting all over you non-stop and you just grin and bear it. Insane Clown has so much surface area for attack. Just speaking those 4 unspeakable forbidden words YOU BELONG IN JAIL would drop him like a rock. Add to that why would he need immunity for his treasonous criminal acts when no other president before or since has needed immunity but him. Make him take ownership of Project 25. Cite it chapter and verse. Also cite chapter and verse all his 4 years of clowning where he never for a minute took being president seriously. And take a stand and defend it on the hard sell issues that inevitably fall to Democrats. Kamala preferred to twist herself into knots trying to explain her flip flop on fracking rather than speak the unspeakable forbidden words Climate Crisis. LGBTQ rights she let them amplify the edge cases of sports and bathrooms front and center when the real issue is making gender assignment illegal across the board, same as abortion. Gun control her attempt to portray herself as a gun enthusiast was nothing short of ludicrous. If you take a stand people will respect you even if they disagree. Trying to Move To The Middle when there is no middle to move to just makes you look silly. There is a reason why Insane Clown's own pollster Fabrizio says that Bernie Sanders would have kicked Insane Clown's ass into oblivion in 2016.