My family on both sides of the aisle dumped me when I entered into a gay marriage. So, there is that!
Your letter idea is wonderful and I am going to pass it along to friends. I have no idea if they are interested in reconciling with those "on the other side" but it's worth sending to them.
As always, thank you for this informative post. It is invaluable.
Gloria, I’m so sorry that your family made that choice. No one should have to sacrifice their dignity or their right to love freely just to maintain relationships with people who refuse to accept them. That’s their loss, not yours. I admire your strength, and I’m grateful for your readership and engagement.
Thank you for your kind words and for being part of this fight. You are seen, you are valued, and you are not alone. ❤️
I do not know you yet I know your heart from the words that pour out of you. That is the greatest gift you can give someone. Words. Thank you for your compassionate note. It means more than you can ever know.
I echo what Mersault said. I want to add that "both sides of the aisle" clearly shows that trumpists don't have a monopoly on assholery. It's further evidence that we should trust what people do, not what they say.
Mersault, I agree with your breakdown, and let’s follow the money—who specifically profits from all these measures?
Because behind every economic disaster, there are winners who planned for it.
Take real estate: Hedge funds like Blackstone and Starwood Capital are buying up distressed properties at record speed, turning once-affordable housing into high-rent investments. Trump’s tariffs on Canadian lumber and Mexican drywall didn’t just “hurt” the housing market—they made construction more expensive, pricing out small developers while consolidating power in the hands of institutional investors.
Look at defense: Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are profiting off political chaos and militarization, as Trump funnels money into defense contracts while gutting diplomatic efforts. His unpredictable foreign policy isn’t a liability for them—it’s a feature.
Privatization? UnitedHealth Group, CVS/Aetna, and Centene are gobbling up Medicare Advantage plans, exploiting Trump’s push to dismantle public healthcare. Every cut to Medicaid, every hospital closure, drives desperate patients into for-profit systems with worse coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs.
And media? Murdoch’s empire, Sinclair Broadcasting, and billionaire-backed propaganda networks thrive when fear drives engagement. Chaos isn’t just good for ratings—it ensures that political power stays in the hands of those who benefit most from economic instability.
None of this is accidental. The economy isn’t collapsing under Trump’s watch—it’s being restructured to benefit those who knew exactly when and where to invest. The same billionaires funding his campaign have already secured their wealth. Everyone else is left holding the bag.
So yes, the “Selfish Profiteers” thought they could play the game.
But they weren’t the real players—just disposable pieces on the board.
Exactly, Jay. This isn’t just corruption—it’s a controlled demolition of economic stability for everyone except the insiders. The patterns are clear: artificial scarcity, consolidation, and deregulation all serve the same class of profiteers who move the goalposts while the rest scramble to keep up. The so-called “invisible hand” isn’t guiding the market; it’s picking pockets.
Perfecto! You always hit the nail on the head and put into words what we all can't. About Elmo and friends their language is still too complicated for some readers. Thank you
The saddest thing about living in America today is that millions of people were told to work hard, pay your taxes, follow the law, get an education and a good job, buy a house, raise children and save for retirement. We were told if we did these things, our government would take care of us and ensure the best quality of life the modern world could offer. We were told wealth and freedom were not just achievable, but virtually guaranteed if we followed that roadmap. We knew it was true because we saw it happen for our parents and grandparents. Now we're watching that promise, not just be broken, but torn completely to shreds by a narcissistic, nepo baby grifter who has never been burdened by any of the above sacrifices. And you know what? We let it happen. Not once, but twice, we believed his bullshit and gave him the keys to the kingdom and he's opened up the gates to jackles and thieves to pick the bones of this country clean for a cheap windfall. It's so goddamn pathetic and tragic.
Your articles are making a great contribution by virtue of their analysis and articulateness. The key as you obviously realize by your letter-writing initiative is reaching the people who really need to read them. Maybe you can think of additional initiatives to reach these folks in a way that they can hear the message. Keep up the good work.
Hi Patrice, thank you so much for these missives, would they were Epistles teaching sinners to heed the Word. Anyway, you’re getting a cup of coffee so at least one of your posts can be caffeine fuelled. Herbal tea if you prefer, lemon balm is a nice relaxing cuppa
If only these words could reach sinners the way Epistles once did—though I suspect many of them would need a burning bush level of intervention at this point. But I appreciate the thought, and the coffee! Caffeine-fueled resistance is the best kind.
I’ll raise a mug to you—whether it’s full of coffee or a calming herbal tea will depend on how much chaos unfolds before my next post.
I hope you are going to address the impact of following or implementing illegal orders on Trumps appointees or enablers below them.
Trump has been granted immunity by SCOTuS - he can order what he wants and who he wants however he wants without comeback.
However, without legislative change, many of his orders break existing laws or regulations and Trump does not have the numbers for such changes.
So if an illegal order is given, the recipient needs to get legal advice confirming this fact, and slow walk it or ignore it until that is available.
OTHERWISE, they are committing a crime and can be prosecuted for it when Trump is out of office. Everyone of Trumps political appointees is liable for prosecution. How many will get pardoned?
If a civil servant has confirmation an order is legal, they should share it with direct reports and ensure nothing is done. They need to demonstrate that.
If pushed from above the civil servant should show the legal advice and ask for a version of the order that does comply legally.
At this point the civil servant is likely to be told to comply or resign. They should not resign and state that they cannot comply with an illegal order and their hands are tied.
Let’s face it they will be summarily dismissed, but most know it’s coming sooner or later.However the cause of the dismissal is clearly refusing to follow an illegal order.
They can therefore sue for dismissal without cause and tie the department up in legal issues forever.
I’m waiting for such pathways to start coming out. Particularly if legal actions are not constrained confidentiality wise.
Btw any underlying who says they are just following orders needs to understand that is no excuse for breaking the law and with legal advise they cannot use ignorance. Their only hope is a pardon and look how slow Trump is to do that. Btw pardons also gave a required that they provide full and truthful accounting and testimony for their actions. These guys couldn’t lie straight in bed so their pardons can be revoked!
The sample letter is wonderfully logical and that is why I don’t think they’ll convince many MAGA’s. The majority of them are driven by emotion rather than logic. As long as they have someone or something to despise, they won’t be turned.
If logic mattered, why would any person in the middle class believe that a billionaire would care about any life other than his own? Especially one who cheated on three wives and had six bankruptcies to his credit? A guy who buried his first wife on a golf course so he could get tax breaks?
Understood and agree, Frank. But in terms of the service described at the bottom of my post, I’m looking to forge understanding rather than simply scorn them. Perhaps I’ll have a second service: rather than Breakthrough Letters, maybe Break Bones Letters. (That’s a joke.)
You’re absolutely right that logic alone won’t move most MAGA followers—emotion is their driving force, and resentment is their fuel. That’s why the approach has to blend reason with the right emotional resonance. The goal isn’t just to present airtight arguments but to frame them in ways that disrupt the narratives they cling to, whether through empathy, irony, or strategic confrontation.
If I were writing to move a MAGA supporter rather than dissect the absurdity of their positions for an audience that already sees through them, I’d focus less on facts they’ll dismiss and more on personal stories, moral dissonance, and their own disillusionment. That’s the real pressure point—not logic, but the creeping feeling that they’ve been conned and that their anger has been weaponized against them.
My family on both sides of the aisle dumped me when I entered into a gay marriage. So, there is that!
Your letter idea is wonderful and I am going to pass it along to friends. I have no idea if they are interested in reconciling with those "on the other side" but it's worth sending to them.
As always, thank you for this informative post. It is invaluable.
Gloria, I’m so sorry that your family made that choice. No one should have to sacrifice their dignity or their right to love freely just to maintain relationships with people who refuse to accept them. That’s their loss, not yours. I admire your strength, and I’m grateful for your readership and engagement.
Thank you for your kind words and for being part of this fight. You are seen, you are valued, and you are not alone. ❤️
I do not know you yet I know your heart from the words that pour out of you. That is the greatest gift you can give someone. Words. Thank you for your compassionate note. It means more than you can ever know.
🤗
I echo what Mersault said. I want to add that "both sides of the aisle" clearly shows that trumpists don't have a monopoly on assholery. It's further evidence that we should trust what people do, not what they say.
Truth!
Mersault, I agree with your breakdown, and let’s follow the money—who specifically profits from all these measures?
Because behind every economic disaster, there are winners who planned for it.
Take real estate: Hedge funds like Blackstone and Starwood Capital are buying up distressed properties at record speed, turning once-affordable housing into high-rent investments. Trump’s tariffs on Canadian lumber and Mexican drywall didn’t just “hurt” the housing market—they made construction more expensive, pricing out small developers while consolidating power in the hands of institutional investors.
Look at defense: Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are profiting off political chaos and militarization, as Trump funnels money into defense contracts while gutting diplomatic efforts. His unpredictable foreign policy isn’t a liability for them—it’s a feature.
Privatization? UnitedHealth Group, CVS/Aetna, and Centene are gobbling up Medicare Advantage plans, exploiting Trump’s push to dismantle public healthcare. Every cut to Medicaid, every hospital closure, drives desperate patients into for-profit systems with worse coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs.
And media? Murdoch’s empire, Sinclair Broadcasting, and billionaire-backed propaganda networks thrive when fear drives engagement. Chaos isn’t just good for ratings—it ensures that political power stays in the hands of those who benefit most from economic instability.
None of this is accidental. The economy isn’t collapsing under Trump’s watch—it’s being restructured to benefit those who knew exactly when and where to invest. The same billionaires funding his campaign have already secured their wealth. Everyone else is left holding the bag.
So yes, the “Selfish Profiteers” thought they could play the game.
But they weren’t the real players—just disposable pieces on the board.
—Jay
Exactly, Jay. This isn’t just corruption—it’s a controlled demolition of economic stability for everyone except the insiders. The patterns are clear: artificial scarcity, consolidation, and deregulation all serve the same class of profiteers who move the goalposts while the rest scramble to keep up. The so-called “invisible hand” isn’t guiding the market; it’s picking pockets.
Money is a way of creating scarcity.
~ Peter Coyote
Yes, that’s exactly it.
brilliant article and what a great idea for the personalised letters
I’m really looking forward to the third installment of this series!
👍🏼
Perfecto! You always hit the nail on the head and put into words what we all can't. About Elmo and friends their language is still too complicated for some readers. Thank you
The saddest thing about living in America today is that millions of people were told to work hard, pay your taxes, follow the law, get an education and a good job, buy a house, raise children and save for retirement. We were told if we did these things, our government would take care of us and ensure the best quality of life the modern world could offer. We were told wealth and freedom were not just achievable, but virtually guaranteed if we followed that roadmap. We knew it was true because we saw it happen for our parents and grandparents. Now we're watching that promise, not just be broken, but torn completely to shreds by a narcissistic, nepo baby grifter who has never been burdened by any of the above sacrifices. And you know what? We let it happen. Not once, but twice, we believed his bullshit and gave him the keys to the kingdom and he's opened up the gates to jackles and thieves to pick the bones of this country clean for a cheap windfall. It's so goddamn pathetic and tragic.
And still, millions cheer for him—because cruelty feels like justice when you’ve mistaken privilege for persecution.
Your articles are making a great contribution by virtue of their analysis and articulateness. The key as you obviously realize by your letter-writing initiative is reaching the people who really need to read them. Maybe you can think of additional initiatives to reach these folks in a way that they can hear the message. Keep up the good work.
Hey blue collar maga, your fucked! Stew in that self made gravy. Deny that your stewing. Dumb fucks!
A wonderful way to touch all those who willingly got us to this point.
It is almost certainly correct that the Orange Lizard is purposefully trashing the country so he can impose martial law and achieve dictatorship.
Hi Patrice, thank you so much for these missives, would they were Epistles teaching sinners to heed the Word. Anyway, you’re getting a cup of coffee so at least one of your posts can be caffeine fuelled. Herbal tea if you prefer, lemon balm is a nice relaxing cuppa
❤️🇨🇦
Aocm,
If only these words could reach sinners the way Epistles once did—though I suspect many of them would need a burning bush level of intervention at this point. But I appreciate the thought, and the coffee! Caffeine-fueled resistance is the best kind.
I’ll raise a mug to you—whether it’s full of coffee or a calming herbal tea will depend on how much chaos unfolds before my next post.
Cheers.
burning bush+golden calf …
Hi Mersault
I hope you are going to address the impact of following or implementing illegal orders on Trumps appointees or enablers below them.
Trump has been granted immunity by SCOTuS - he can order what he wants and who he wants however he wants without comeback.
However, without legislative change, many of his orders break existing laws or regulations and Trump does not have the numbers for such changes.
So if an illegal order is given, the recipient needs to get legal advice confirming this fact, and slow walk it or ignore it until that is available.
OTHERWISE, they are committing a crime and can be prosecuted for it when Trump is out of office. Everyone of Trumps political appointees is liable for prosecution. How many will get pardoned?
If a civil servant has confirmation an order is legal, they should share it with direct reports and ensure nothing is done. They need to demonstrate that.
If pushed from above the civil servant should show the legal advice and ask for a version of the order that does comply legally.
At this point the civil servant is likely to be told to comply or resign. They should not resign and state that they cannot comply with an illegal order and their hands are tied.
Let’s face it they will be summarily dismissed, but most know it’s coming sooner or later.However the cause of the dismissal is clearly refusing to follow an illegal order.
They can therefore sue for dismissal without cause and tie the department up in legal issues forever.
I’m waiting for such pathways to start coming out. Particularly if legal actions are not constrained confidentiality wise.
Btw any underlying who says they are just following orders needs to understand that is no excuse for breaking the law and with legal advise they cannot use ignorance. Their only hope is a pardon and look how slow Trump is to do that. Btw pardons also gave a required that they provide full and truthful accounting and testimony for their actions. These guys couldn’t lie straight in bed so their pardons can be revoked!
Heart first, then logic (maybe). Brilliant again Mersault.
🙏🏻
Thanks Mersault!
The sample letter is wonderfully logical and that is why I don’t think they’ll convince many MAGA’s. The majority of them are driven by emotion rather than logic. As long as they have someone or something to despise, they won’t be turned.
If logic mattered, why would any person in the middle class believe that a billionaire would care about any life other than his own? Especially one who cheated on three wives and had six bankruptcies to his credit? A guy who buried his first wife on a golf course so he could get tax breaks?
Understood and agree, Frank. But in terms of the service described at the bottom of my post, I’m looking to forge understanding rather than simply scorn them. Perhaps I’ll have a second service: rather than Breakthrough Letters, maybe Break Bones Letters. (That’s a joke.)
You’re absolutely right that logic alone won’t move most MAGA followers—emotion is their driving force, and resentment is their fuel. That’s why the approach has to blend reason with the right emotional resonance. The goal isn’t just to present airtight arguments but to frame them in ways that disrupt the narratives they cling to, whether through empathy, irony, or strategic confrontation.
If I were writing to move a MAGA supporter rather than dissect the absurdity of their positions for an audience that already sees through them, I’d focus less on facts they’ll dismiss and more on personal stories, moral dissonance, and their own disillusionment. That’s the real pressure point—not logic, but the creeping feeling that they’ve been conned and that their anger has been weaponized against them.