Important notice: Due to the cold, the rally today has been moved to Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E 29th St, Indianapolis. Indoors.
Today, to our great national shame, America will inaugurate our first felon President.
The fact that he’s a felon isn’t even the worst part of this disaster. Trump lacks a single redeeming characteristic–he’s ignorant, intellectually stunted, deeply disturbed and descending visibly into senility. That a (bare) majority of voters chose to place this specimen in the Oval Office may be the all-time saddest commentary on America’s current descent into White Christian Nationalism.
So what can we expect from the collection of grifters, racists and sycophants who will fill the upcoming administration?
I know my posts lately are rarely optimistic, but I think there may be cause–not for optimism, exactly, but reasons to moderate our pessimism. Because MAGA is more likely than not to eat its own. It isn’t just the nutcases in the House of Representatives, who will make it difficult for the GOP’s very thin majority (a majority that owes its status to gerrymandering, not voter sentiment) to pass anything. It’s the fault-lines between Trump’s White Nationalist MAGA base and the uber-wealthy grifters who see him as a tool to evade pesky regulations and fair taxes.
That fight has already started. As Jonathan Last reported in the Daily Beast, Steve Bannon has unleashed on Elon Musk:
“I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day,” Bannon told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera this week. “He will not have a blue pass to the White House, he will not have full access to the White House, he will be like any other person.”
“He is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down,” Bannon added.
Bannon focused on the recent fight over H-1B visas, and an immigration system he claimed is “gamed by the tech overlords.” He claimed that 76 percent of engineers working in Silicon Valley are non-Americans.
Bannon went on to accuse Musk of being self-serving, insisting that his “sole objective is to become a trillionaire.”
“He will do anything to make sure that any one of his companies is protected or has a better deal or he makes more money. His aggregation of wealth, and then—through wealth—power: that’s what he’s focused on,” Bannon said.
Bannon went on to describe Musk’s preferred objective as “techno-feudalism.”
Bannon is not the only MAGA person issuing broadsides against the tech bros:
This isn’t a one-off. Bannon has hated Musk for a long time. And the fight between OG MAGA and Elon MAGA started with Laura Loomer, who launched her own jihad against Musk over the holidays. You can listen to Loomer here but if you don’t want to click, after calling Musk a “welfare queen,” she went on to indict the entire MAGA oligarch class:
“If you have a bunch of tech bros with billions of dollars and direct unfettered access to the vice president and the president of the United States, and then they are also very cordial with our adversaries as in China and Iran—we see that Elon Musk is having these meetings off the books with Iranian officials, with Chinese officials—what does that mean for us?”
If the split among Trumpers was limited to the anger over H-1B visas, that would be one thing, but it isn’t. It’s relatively easy for a party to seem united when it’s in opposition, but once in power, conflicting interests collide and political realities exert pressure, and Trump supporters have distinctly conflicting interests.
Here’s my almost-rosy analysis.
Today’s Republican Party is a White Nationalist cult. What keeps them (barely) cohesive is the cult leader. Donald Trump is the Jim Jones of today’s GOP. Unlike most cult leaders, who rule with iron hands, his obvious disinterest in actual governing means he is less able to exert dominance over factions quarrelling over policy.
The greater danger to Republican power is that Trump is old, unhealthy and in obvious mental and physical decline. His belligerence has masked the extent of that decline, but it is statistically unlikely that he will live to “serve” a full four-year term–and when he’s gone (either drooling in a senility too obvious for even MAGA to ignore, or dead), the MAGA cult will implode.
If JD Vance becomes President, sharp knives will come out; even most Republicans detest him. More to the point, Trump is already demonstrating that he’s unable to exercise total control, and there is no new Jim Jones in the wings.
Until then, sane Americans need to do whatever we can to obstruct and delay MAGA’s efforts to undermine ethics, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I like the part about drooling … I picture drip stains on the long, red necktie. Perfect.
Shameful is too kind a word for what our voters exhibited in November. Small margin or not, tens of millions of responsible people DIDN’T VOTE! Why not? They saw this shit storm coming for years. And they still couldn’t get off their fat asses to do their civic duty. And here we are.
Have fun at the rally. Bring throat lozengers and kleenex.
Is J D Vance the National Republican version of Todd Rokita?
When I comes before we, success rarely follows. Most often, as evidenced by Trump’s six bankruptcies and convictions, failure comes soon enough.
The watchword of the complex civilization of here and now is collaboration, and there is now a vacuum of it in DC which, over time, will suck the air out of red state governments and, in fact, all of the infrastructure we depend on every day for almost everything.
It will be excruciating and harrowing to watch. Among the pains will be hearing MTV and company blame the innocent for every failure.
Vernon – and a mask? I want to go, but am waffling… partially because I think I should wear a mask (C19 etc., is around), and partially because I feel so vulnerable gathering with politically like-minded people in this political climate. And that is a very sad statement on where we are. :/
Peg. I live in Denver, and it will be + 7 degrees today and -7 tonight. Bundle up. Wear a mask. Scream your lungs out. You’ll feel better … also you won’t be watching President Vomit on TV. Resist. Protest. It’s the only way to purge our individual demons.
I’m not just old. I have hobbies. Paint by numbers is making a roaring comeback. Cheers.
Peg. I’m 81 and handicapped. Put on your mask and join us. Their method is intimidation. Our response must be courage
The rally will be INDOORS–BROADWAY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH on 29th Street.
If you do go to a rally, or find some other way to ignore the show of the inauguration of the MAGADOGE oligarchy today, remember to leave your television set on to a channel that will not broadcast it. I recommend PBS (channel 20.2 for those of us who do not have cable tv) so it diminishes that tv ratings. Even small actions can be a burr under the t*ump saddle.
What annoys me the most about today is that the orange one is making so much money from exploiting tax-payer dollars. Much of the cost of the inauguration is being paid for with our tax dollars, and the money that he makes from the tech bros will all go to his library, that is code for to the t*ump family business.
Why is that not being discussed in the mainstream media?
There needs to be a concerted effort at calling Todd Young who is redeemable. Write to him. His recently announced support of Hegseth is very disappointing and he needs to be reassured he does not need Trump’s support or the money of MAGA Republicans to win an election. I want to see some real strategy on the local level of Democrats educating MAGA voters in the rural areas. They brought Braun/Trump into office even though they get nothing back. How do we remind them?
I agree with Shiela. Donny Boy is ignorant of the complexity of governing from the Oval Office and/or Mar a Lago. However, he is connected and very Wall Street smart. He can outplay Wackamo resistance if that is all we have.
To be effective with strategic resistance requires flooding the system with 50 something specific, something immediate and something that involves people into action to counter the current shower of 50 executive orders.
For example, a fresh wave of young staffers of all partisan persuasion will be reporting to offices of elected and fresh appointed officials. Urge the Congressional Network (office connected with all Congressional office personnel) to send out a strong advisory
that newcomers secure maximum personal liability insurance that provides legal defense. The tidal waves stirred by a Second Trump Administration will certainly motivate more investigative hearings with a flood of subpoenas. Doesn’t matter how baseless claims entrap innocent bright eyed bushy tailed aides. The risk of loss to family finances are very real in a felonious Trump World where young meat is necessary collateral damage.
This is an example of specific, immediate involving initiative. I have already initiated this message to aides working for House and Senate representation of my district from here in North Carolina. I also sent message to the Office of the Congressional Network.
Don’t just play Wackamo online. Do something while the iron is hot. Share your initiative with others.
Thank you for what you have written. Haven’t decided for sure if I am going to watch the “coronation” today or not. My heart is hurting for our country, and especially for our young people. Trump cares not about either. Biden wasn’t perfect, but surely did care (does) about America and the younger people, and did what he could to help all. These are frightening times – so glad we have people like you and Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Reich to walk with us. Blessings on you.
My blog the past week has consistently been on this topic. I’ll post a link here. If everyone will please forward the link. I’ll also copy & waste the text. thx
http://civildiscoursenow.com/profiles/blogs/trump-s-bragging-about-it
People often inaccurately quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” Consistency is critical to mathematics (e.g., values of 1 & 0 are constant), languages (words have consistent meanings) & other things vital to society. That includes laws. 1/8
There still is time for Pres Biden to invoke emergency powers and stop the inauguration today of a person who was part of an insurrection (Jan 6) & who took office in 2017 as s/he gave “aid or comfort to” an enemy of this country, the dictator Vladimir Putin of Russia. 2/8
Yesterday, trump bragged 3 times about how he rigged the 2024 election w/Elon Musk’s help. A very few categories of people (e.g., brain-dead idiots a/k/a hosts of WIBC morning radio shows in Indy; white evangelicals some of whom hold office) might think this is okay. 3/8
trump was a beneficiary of treason, w/which he was complicit, in 2016. Putin, not American voters, gave trump that office. trump lost in 2020 and has whined about that loss. Now trump is telling the world he stole the 2024 election. (Follow Cassie Jackson on FB) 4/8
Then there were those corrupt and lying justices (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barret) he was able to put on SCOTUS. Remember consistency? Sen McConnell FOR ONE YEAR refused to allow Pres Obama’s nominee, Garland, to have a Senate vote because the next Pres 5/8
should name that nominee. But wait! They rushed the nominee of a “Handmaiden,” Amy Barrett to rob the next Pres – Biden – from making that nomination. Today we’ll have a dictator shortly after 11 am. Pres biden must act. He can invoke the same emergency powers that 6/8
Putin’s punk bitch (a/k/a) trump has said he’d use. That’s the only way to save this country. If you don’t like it, you can go (SCOTUS case, 403 U.S. 15 held this four-letter transitive verb is protected political speech) fuck yourself. I approve of this blog. Hell, I wrote it. 7/8
Footnotes:
FN1. Emerson, Ralph Waldo, “Self-Reliance,” 1841. 8/8
The media did state that besides receiving mega billions fir hus re-party today (funds not restricted by any law as to usage) he released His Crypto Currency Line just before he is becoming President, and it garnered lots of subscribers. Everyone seems to be “caving”.
I will not be at the Indy Gathering today, but will be following up with others who will be in attendance.
I hope you, Sheila, and others will share an overview soon.
Sickness will rule the day, until Trump proves his inability to even put on his damned red tie!
I will not be watching the imploderation.
Bannon, of course, is right about Musk, but I doubt he will have Musk’s behind in a sling by the end of the day. He is, mostly, about bluster.
I believe that Sheila is right about Trump, and MAGA’s inability to become cohesive, and it may just be popcorn and butter time!
If only today’s rally could be live-streamed!
We have neither network tv nor cable (went to streaming services a couple years ago) so whatever I might watch wouldn’t show up in ratings stats.
Stay warm, y’all, and happy rallying!
looks like today is that cold day in hell..anyone whos taking sides on the right wing never peeped until now. it was obvious to any fog shrouded mind what the outcome was. the right wingers who squeal now didnt fall asleep they to were paid hefty adware to shutter thier mouths during this 8 year storm. its seems they maybe only scared of what AI as a tool,against them may bring about,or distroy any sense of being aware of this mumph admin will take them. i shead no tears for any social media gods or its facility to disrupt and use our democracy for greed against the people and its monitary gain to the wall street fuhrers. it was obvious what they intended to do,and now how they succeeded.
never a word about a living wage,equal treatment of,a health care system that bennifits those wall street barons by keeping America healthy and working. as i say to these NoDaks, your only worried about what someone looks like and smells like,enjoy your new found America as we build concentration camps for anyone who is damned by you. there will be no words to express,that your work place will be your concentration camp. economic slavery starts today..get in line..
We aren’t just talking about a civil war here, there is a global war brewing. Not so much against specific governments, but against religious factions supporting different sides of conflicts within the entire global realm of politics. Historically speaking, it’s as plain as the nose on your face, as long as you have that nose anyway. The powerful have always used religion as a wedge, or as an ally to control global opinion and divide populations. Religion goes by its own dash line that is not on maps unlike China. And what they do, is Mark their territories which usually are specific enigmatic dogmas and convoluted money flows. It doesn’t follow a specific border, because many of these religions are multi-national and have done the bidding of governments and powerful rulers for millennia. How do you fight a belief? How do you fight a specific dogma, or dogmatic enigma. A dogmatic enigma that has no clear border or no clear cut staunch beliefs. This is what controls the global realm, no borders, not on any map anyway, with enigmatic beliefs and convoluted conflicts, nationalistic, religiously dogmatic, and merciless influential control!
With global information and communication being basically instantaneous, there are these things that come to light that never would have before. There is more of an understanding, more of a knowledge concerning the broad range of religious control over secular government. This goes dead against what scripture mentions in Romans the 13th chapter. That there is a separation, there is supposed to be a separation, although that separation has all but disappeared. There is no secular government on this planet anymore. It’s all controlled by that dogmatic enigma that lurks in the shadows and controls everything. Over the millennia, the churches have managed to acquire more than half of the gold standard on this planet. This immense wealth is used to keep its influence rock solid over government. But I think, that’s about to change. Because that convoluted Boogeyman in the shadows is being exposed as the real power behind global movements and pitched battles among global neighbors.
You would think that these enigmatic and convoluted organizations would actually believe what they preach, but they don’t. They know convoluted and enigmatic dogma isn’t real, they know that they are based on lying, cheating, abuse, and stoking conflict on a massive scale. They tell people it’s a mystery, that way, they don’t have to explain anything, just keep sniping from the shadows dipping their hands into global treasuries to enhance their own.
This is going to be where the conflict is going to end up. Between those who become self-aware to what is actually happening, and those who want to keep that awareness busy with convoluted and enigmatic rules and beliefs.
This will happen, because, it will get to the point of who controls it all! And that will be a really conniving, subversive, knives out time in the history of humanity, Hedgemonic authoritarian fascism.
Orange Jesus (OJ) received 49.9 percent of the total vote almost, but not a majority and definitely not a mandate.
I can hardly wait to see the EDs he signs and to see if SCOTUS will adhere to the Constitution or to OJ. It seems likely that he will declare a national emergency at the border. Everyone with a brain knows there’s no emergency, but national emergencies give inordinate power to the executive branch. Combine that with the immunity granted to the office by SCOTUS and we will have a nightmare on our hands.
The thing to remember is that OJ is not the one coming up with ideas. The Heritage Foundation (Koch and friends) are behind the curtain pulling the strings.