A thorough and comprehensive explanation. But what bothers me still is that since Day One the doggy-boys were laying cable. Metaphorically, maybe, but often not. Miles of it, as they ripped out our wiring to replace it with their own. And for months, unchallenged. This seemed so bizarre no one could imagine let alone comprehend what they were doing. Are doing. And maybe it’s naive, or too conspiratorial, whatever, but trump was and is the useful idiot, though not for much longer.
Now that our former government has been completely rewired, they just need to hit the “on” switch. Trump’s irrelevant because he’s irrelevant, the real actors are still in the shadows. Maybe I’m overthinking it, and not to throw shade on a beautiful piece, but I do not believe we’ve even seen the real start of it.
You’re not overthinking it, Randy—you’re just not distracted by the puppet show. Trump was the decoy, the chaos agent. The real work—the rewiring—happened while everyone was staring at the circus.
I forgot to mention that part, which was glaringly obvious to some, but to some remained the main event. I read everything I could for as long as I could, and there was the full spectrum of “the sky falling” to “he’s just a doddering fool”. I think the reality of it is far more terrifying than I could have imagined. And I read a lot of Stephen King. (I’ve heard even he is stunned.)
Your excellent and prescient piece from Feb 7 made it painfully clear. “This isn’t a warning. The coup is already here.” Hard to get more graphic than that, I am still stunned people haven’t gotten the memo. I have a hard time with media of any kind, the reality of this should be the only thing on the air, in print, online. I stopped screaming at the radio awhile back. I suppose when one is actually living at a time the likes of which has never been seen, it’s harder to get traction. A whole lot of people seem to be realizing this perhaps only now.
And a Bob Dylan verse comes to mind-
“Well, the last thing I remember before I stripped and kneeled
Was that train load of fools bogged down in a magnetic field
A gypsy with a broken flag and a flashing ring
Said,"Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing"
The alarms have been wailing for years. It's not that they couldn’t hear it. It’s that it was easier not to. Comfort makes a potent anesthetic.
The challenge now isn’t just broadcasting the truth—it’s cutting through the numbness. People weren’t waiting for proof. They were waiting for permission to believe what was right in front of them.
Your invocation of Dylan feels especially apt. Not because it captures our confusion, but because it reminds us: the surreal is now operational. We’re in it. And the cost of delay is no longer theoretical.
Glad you felt so. I don’t even know how that came to mind, actually the whole tune works. I still don’t really know what it’s “about”, but it conveys, as you mention, “the surreal is now operational.”
The question of the day is, turn away and go - where?
The last regime, we’re finding out, was bad even beyond what anyone knew; who was running things while the prez was incapacitated (and was it even age? or chemo brain from long-hidden cancer? And *now* Jake Tapper admits they knew, they all knew.)
Let’s all turn away. OK. Where? It’s not like the other party has any answers or can be trusted with a houseplant, much less a country.
Yeah, all those "smart," "honest" people who lied to everyone for 4 years about whether or not Joe Biden had dementia. THAT'S what we need! That'll win elections!
If you were a critical thinker, you would learn to play devils advocate. There are strong arguments against your position, and you should learn what they are.
Biden had dementia? Are you serious? He accomplished more in his first two years than any President since FDR. His last SOTU was a classic which will stand the test of time. The two day Hur interview. Did you listen to it or are you taking Tapper’s word for it? Listen to it. It’s available. The only time he stumbled was when he was a grieving father talking about his dead son but that’s the only part they released. The rest of the time he was lucid remembering dates, events and people. Take the time to listen and don’t take the right’s
version of events or people trying sell books. It will change your perception.
The only thing I know about Tapper's book is that he is certainly doing a lot of self promotion.
NPR conducted an interview with Tapper on May 20. I can't speak to the truthfulness/accuracy of the book's content but I have to comment on a statement made by Tapper (I assume):
"The news media is in a crisis. … Reporters in general, CNN, NPR, ABC, CBS, all of us, people don't trust us. One of the reasons they don't trust us is what just happened with Joe Biden and his acuity and the fact that we in the media were pretty late to the story. "
I'd find this humorous if it weren't so digusting a statement. Agent orange started calling the media 'fake news' during his first term. He shouted it every chance he could get. He berated journalists to their faces when they asked questions he did not like. To say one of the reasons they don't trust the news media is because of what happened with Former President Biden is a joke. The damage was done long before Biden was in office. The unbalanced reporting didn't do much for our trust, either.
The news media should be laser focused on the criminal in the WH, on the sanity of the man in the WH, on the question of who's actually running the country, on the administration thumbing its nose repeatedly at the courts, on the shady if not illegal ways the man in the WH is lining his pockets, on the administration's stomping on the Constitution, on the amount of time and taxpayer money he is spending on his golf outings, on accepting exorbitant gifts from foreigners, etc.
IMHO, Former President Biden was a decent human being, a person with empathy. He surrounded himself with intelligent people, not lap dogs. I believe he did a lot of good for this country. Good that seemed to be understated by MSM.
Thank you Bud. Loyalty is a very rare commodity these days,and empathy is almost impossible to find. Gaslighting, cruelty, and cynicism all seem to be celebrated and even considered normal in ways I find incomprehensible. Joe Biden is one of the finest ,most honorable human beings to ever hold office and way too many American citizens reacted or behaved like the worst of humanity currently immersed deeply in the moronic Maga cult of repetive mud slinging ,and it all steamrolled to a point so shameful that I can never understand or forgive the Mob mentality of aggression and gut-kicking the best of us when they falter or fall prey to human weaknesses. I am Still ashamed by all the small minded gossiping, judging and even Diagnosing respected and devoted leader,humanitarian and above all a Patriot who served this country above and beyond most of the former phonies who were much too comfortable lying and looking out for themselves instead of truly committing to building up our country to become stronger ,more prosperous and progressive in every avenue as Joe promised he could with bi-partisan coperation ,and instead facing the unending and malevelolent attacks on his integrity, his family members, his vice president and even the first lady. How have we become so jaded and hateful in ways that are so atrocious, sometimes I believe Trump is the Karmic reflection of all the vileness and vitriol that seems so easy to publicly trigger it stops me in my tracks ,until I have a hopeful,positive interaction with an actual adult who can apply logic and reason on their own and do not absorb everything that others are spewing in their toxic ignorant redundancy without a clue to the damage it does to others, and also assasinate their own characters
It's like a massive national competition to see who can shred to pieces another human being's dignity and honor. What they don't seem to realize is How Small minded and cowardly it reveals Their own character to be.
All those invasive diragatory remarks,not even made as expressed opinions,but Dead-on sure they knew exactly what was transpiring in regards to our President at a time when it became rather obvious their own bottom line was about their status and their Wealth being threatened because an elderly man May have appeared sickly on stage while being bulldozed unfairly in a planned sabotage. They Ended him right then and there no matter what came after. An ongoing Coup of immense and powerful proportions was never going to allow another Biden presidency to take place.
Both sides operate out of dynamics around Greed and Power. The Democrats seem much less insatiable and appear to hold higher moral standards, but they were Not at all supportive or loyal to a man who was outside their realm because hes never been greedy or powerhungry of attention seeking in the manners that Trump, who's history of diagnosed mental and cognitive challenges, along with having a long criminal history are downplayed and even ignored. Is it because Money is what they all place above Service and loyalty to their jobs,the Constitution,and The People who are supposed to protected from criminals such as the one we currently have laying waste to everything Biden promoted or repaired during his much too maligned time in office. It's no wonder his body developed a cancerous reaction from the never ending battle he had to defend himself against while he was telling us exactly what would happen, if we couldn't unite ourselves against this bad actor who is
nothing but a Putin puppet with a traitorous bunch of ass kissers that refused to work With Biden to help this country heal itself. They chose destruction and Trump instead. When I see someone slander Biden ,I don't care what side he or she claims they are on because it's not about that. They make it personal, they punch Down ,and denigrate our country by disrespecting the Presidency,not just the elected person at the time.
We have spiraled to a low and dark place in our current society where kindness and tolerance is judged as weakness. It makes me soul sick and concerned about a mental health crisis brewing from the constant and insidious fear mongering, racial hatred, Misogyny and selfishness that is displayed on social platforms 24/7
There seems to be no boundaries left to cross, no decency left and showing respect towards another human being is laughed at.
In my world, people still behave and treat each other with kindness ,manners,and attacking or ganging up on another human being is unthinkable and repugnant. I often wonder what kind of parents raised children to become so embittered and mistrustful of other human beings, but I have not been given any clarity or answer to sufficiently satisfy me. Bi do know the childhood history of Donald Trump and it explains a lot about his ego. What I do know for certain us that we will never survive or thrive by operating out of anger ,ignorance and cruelty for cruelty sake.
We were once a great and also humane pillar of diverse and tolerant people who all loved this country as one nation ,no matter what religious or political affiliate we aligned ourselves with. I never ever thought of asking what someone's belief system was before deciding whether it was safe to have a simple conversation with them. I monitor my words and watch for reactions that might be warnings to back away politely before it becomes an argument I don't care to engage in. We are all just human beings trying to live our lives the beat way possible. I refuse to surrender my values and moral code in order to fit in with a tribe of Malcontents who have bought the victim lie and are out for revenge and to do harm when they have the ability to grow up and spend their time building a better world instead of knocking down the ones who have already spent theirs committed to doing just that with others by their side.
We are at a point where up is the only direction we can take as human beings together or face the dire consequences of our cruelty and denial that evil is winning this battle over how the future will manifest If we can't alter our course together away from what is being enforced upon us in 2025
To beat this Regime, we need to show a majority on petitions. Citizens Categorises ppl into Congressional Districts then approaches the Representative. Please have faith that this Entire Administration will be Removed.
I think the realization is going to come first from the bottom 20% of earners. The poor and disabled can’t fight for themselves, and they don’t have power. I’m not seeing any shift from my well-to-do friends, one of whom I am not. But I do hope you’re right.
You're right to be wary. Those with comfort and status often have the luxury of denial—and little incentive to question the system that benefits them. Real change rarely starts with the cocktail crowd. But history shows something else too: when the suffering below becomes undeniable, even the insulated can start to squirm. Not out of conscience, necessarily—but out of fear, or shame, or pressure. And that can be enough to tip the balance. The powerful don’t lead revolutions. But they do retreat when enough people rise.
💀 THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL SLAUGHTER: TRUMP’S BUDGET IS A MURDER-SUICIDE PACT
Excellent piece thank you. Keep up with Great writing and factual input I'll keep going with the petitions. Neremberg Style Global Petition.. Anyone from any country can sign,.
This administration has and is attempting to disrupt the peace. global economics and political stability of the World.
Many voted along Republicans lines as they aways do for the tax breaks. They're really aren't that many Maggots. It will hit the poor, particularly in rural areas, but many are blissfully ignorant. Not aware what's actually going on. Limited or no TV coverage, spotty Internet service and only word of mouth or gossip dialogues. God Help America, because the New and Not Improved Orange Jesus Doesn't Give a Damn.
Thank you so much, Pamela. Truly grateful for your support—and for helping these pieces reach more people. Every share is a small act of resistance. Appreciate you deeply.
I'm perhaps not as confident as you are urging us to be, but my Greatest Generation parents taught me that the reward is in fighting for what you believe in your heart is right -- especially when the outcome is uncertain.
Thank you. I’m not asking for blind confidence. What I’m holding onto isn’t certainty, but commitment. The outcome may be unclear, but our clarity of purpose doesn’t have to be. Your parents passed down something powerful—not just a belief in right and wrong, but the resolve to act on it when it matters most. That spirit is what we need now more than ever.
Thank you, my friend. A New Hope is the perfect choice—after all, every empire has its Vader. Cloaked in menace, breathing fear, once a man but now a hollow vessel of rage and control. But even he was undone—by conscience, by the light he tried to bury. The Death Star always has a flaw. Onward.
Great article, and all of this may happen eventually, but I don’t think we are there yet. If you add up the people who are with Trump and the people who don’t care, that’s more than half of the country. And MAGA is a cult. What have we seen with cults? People will drink cool aid or light themselves on fire before they give up their crazy beliefs. It would be great if MAGA would just fade away, but the racism and bigotry in this country run deep. I just don’t see MAGA going quietly or peacefully.
Totally fair—and I don’t expect MAGA to go quietly either. Cults rarely do. But the goal isn’t to wait for them to wake up. It’s to outnumber, out-organize, and outlast them.
They have fury. We need discipline. They have blind loyalty. We need moral clarity. And yes, the rot runs deep—but it’s also exposed now, in ways it wasn’t before. That gives us leverage.
" [When,] in that drive to power, they will commit so many high crimes and unutterable treasons, to add to those already committed, that simple self-preservation demands they can never allow a transfer of power to anyone who might hold them accountable. "
Until you take money out of politics, until you stop the rich and powerful buying the people who are supposed to represent you, the USA will not change, it will still be driven by vested interests and greed.
Yes—and what’s especially insidious is how the illusion of choice is maintained. Every few years we’re invited to vote, but the menu is already written by lobbyists, billionaires, and corporate PACs. The candidates who might actually challenge that system rarely make it past the primaries—because money filters who gets seen, heard, and taken seriously.
It’s not just that the rich influence politics. It’s that they curate the entire conversation. They set the boundaries of what’s considered “realistic” or “electable.” And the media—most of it owned by the same interests—amplifies that frame. So even reform feels like a product they’re selling us.
Until that cycle is shattered, elections aren’t about change—they’re about management. And we’re the ones being managed.
The floodgates for money in politics were opened by the Supreme Court in Citizens United based on two assumptions. First, that small corporations (with assets under a million dollars) would offset the paid access to politicians that large corporations had. And second, that the public would not see the flood of corporate money into politics as corrupting the process. Both were poor predictors.
Appreciate you reading it. And yes, that’s exactly why resistance has to be proactive, not reactive. By the time the chains are visible, they’re already locked. If you’re interested in that theme, you might enjoy My Debate with Satan—a piece I wrote about confronting authoritarianism without losing your soul in the process.
My Debate With Satan, Part II: The Final Conflict
A Diabolical Confrontation On Inferno Politics: Standing Against Trumpism Without Losing Your Soul
Very beautifully written. I will continue to have hope that enough will turn away in time.🙏🏽🙏🏽
Thank you—that means a lot. I’ll keep holding that hope with you. We just need enough to turn. 🙏🏽
A thorough and comprehensive explanation. But what bothers me still is that since Day One the doggy-boys were laying cable. Metaphorically, maybe, but often not. Miles of it, as they ripped out our wiring to replace it with their own. And for months, unchallenged. This seemed so bizarre no one could imagine let alone comprehend what they were doing. Are doing. And maybe it’s naive, or too conspiratorial, whatever, but trump was and is the useful idiot, though not for much longer.
Now that our former government has been completely rewired, they just need to hit the “on” switch. Trump’s irrelevant because he’s irrelevant, the real actors are still in the shadows. Maybe I’m overthinking it, and not to throw shade on a beautiful piece, but I do not believe we’ve even seen the real start of it.
You’re not overthinking it, Randy—you’re just not distracted by the puppet show. Trump was the decoy, the chaos agent. The real work—the rewiring—happened while everyone was staring at the circus.
TRUMP IS JUST THE PUPPET
https://patricemersault.substack.com/p/trump-is-just-the-puppetthe-murderous?r=4d7sow&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=audio-player
I forgot to mention that part, which was glaringly obvious to some, but to some remained the main event. I read everything I could for as long as I could, and there was the full spectrum of “the sky falling” to “he’s just a doddering fool”. I think the reality of it is far more terrifying than I could have imagined. And I read a lot of Stephen King. (I’ve heard even he is stunned.)
Your excellent and prescient piece from Feb 7 made it painfully clear. “This isn’t a warning. The coup is already here.” Hard to get more graphic than that, I am still stunned people haven’t gotten the memo. I have a hard time with media of any kind, the reality of this should be the only thing on the air, in print, online. I stopped screaming at the radio awhile back. I suppose when one is actually living at a time the likes of which has never been seen, it’s harder to get traction. A whole lot of people seem to be realizing this perhaps only now.
And a Bob Dylan verse comes to mind-
“Well, the last thing I remember before I stripped and kneeled
Was that train load of fools bogged down in a magnetic field
A gypsy with a broken flag and a flashing ring
Said,"Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing"
The alarms have been wailing for years. It's not that they couldn’t hear it. It’s that it was easier not to. Comfort makes a potent anesthetic.
The challenge now isn’t just broadcasting the truth—it’s cutting through the numbness. People weren’t waiting for proof. They were waiting for permission to believe what was right in front of them.
Your invocation of Dylan feels especially apt. Not because it captures our confusion, but because it reminds us: the surreal is now operational. We’re in it. And the cost of delay is no longer theoretical.
Glad you felt so. I don’t even know how that came to mind, actually the whole tune works. I still don’t really know what it’s “about”, but it conveys, as you mention, “the surreal is now operational.”
https://youtu.be/ct6UjYeR9uc?si=m2CkMRck-Ko9DsOe
The dog who won’t hunt caught the bus, and he can’t drive
I pray the world will come together to see this administration for what it really is. Neremberg Style Petition. Global Petition. Please. SHARE,
This Petition just started and states WHY they must follow our Laws and Judges Rulings. Please Sign, share, anything! https://chng.it/qBPjktQYTt
The question of the day is, turn away and go - where?
The last regime, we’re finding out, was bad even beyond what anyone knew; who was running things while the prez was incapacitated (and was it even age? or chemo brain from long-hidden cancer? And *now* Jake Tapper admits they knew, they all knew.)
Let’s all turn away. OK. Where? It’s not like the other party has any answers or can be trusted with a houseplant, much less a country.
I’ll vote for a sleepwalking Joe Biden over the Monstrosity in the White House.
Joe was smart enough to surround himself with smart, honest people with integrity.
Trump surrounds himself with idiots who are purposely destroying our country.
Yeah, all those "smart," "honest" people who lied to everyone for 4 years about whether or not Joe Biden had dementia. THAT'S what we need! That'll win elections!
If you were a critical thinker, you would learn to play devils advocate. There are strong arguments against your position, and you should learn what they are.
Biden had dementia? Are you serious? He accomplished more in his first two years than any President since FDR. His last SOTU was a classic which will stand the test of time. The two day Hur interview. Did you listen to it or are you taking Tapper’s word for it? Listen to it. It’s available. The only time he stumbled was when he was a grieving father talking about his dead son but that’s the only part they released. The rest of the time he was lucid remembering dates, events and people. Take the time to listen and don’t take the right’s
version of events or people trying sell books. It will change your perception.
The only thing I know about Tapper's book is that he is certainly doing a lot of self promotion.
NPR conducted an interview with Tapper on May 20. I can't speak to the truthfulness/accuracy of the book's content but I have to comment on a statement made by Tapper (I assume):
"The news media is in a crisis. … Reporters in general, CNN, NPR, ABC, CBS, all of us, people don't trust us. One of the reasons they don't trust us is what just happened with Joe Biden and his acuity and the fact that we in the media were pretty late to the story. "
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/20/nx-s1-5398050/joe-bidens-decline-jake-tapper-original-sin
I'd find this humorous if it weren't so digusting a statement. Agent orange started calling the media 'fake news' during his first term. He shouted it every chance he could get. He berated journalists to their faces when they asked questions he did not like. To say one of the reasons they don't trust the news media is because of what happened with Former President Biden is a joke. The damage was done long before Biden was in office. The unbalanced reporting didn't do much for our trust, either.
The news media should be laser focused on the criminal in the WH, on the sanity of the man in the WH, on the question of who's actually running the country, on the administration thumbing its nose repeatedly at the courts, on the shady if not illegal ways the man in the WH is lining his pockets, on the administration's stomping on the Constitution, on the amount of time and taxpayer money he is spending on his golf outings, on accepting exorbitant gifts from foreigners, etc.
IMHO, Former President Biden was a decent human being, a person with empathy. He surrounded himself with intelligent people, not lap dogs. I believe he did a lot of good for this country. Good that seemed to be understated by MSM.
I spent 52 years in television news as a reporter and anchor.
You are spot on.
That is a great compliment. Thank you!
Understated? Try SUPPRESSED. Like the current protests are being suppressed from view by those who can't be arsed to find out for themselves.
Thank you Bud. Loyalty is a very rare commodity these days,and empathy is almost impossible to find. Gaslighting, cruelty, and cynicism all seem to be celebrated and even considered normal in ways I find incomprehensible. Joe Biden is one of the finest ,most honorable human beings to ever hold office and way too many American citizens reacted or behaved like the worst of humanity currently immersed deeply in the moronic Maga cult of repetive mud slinging ,and it all steamrolled to a point so shameful that I can never understand or forgive the Mob mentality of aggression and gut-kicking the best of us when they falter or fall prey to human weaknesses. I am Still ashamed by all the small minded gossiping, judging and even Diagnosing respected and devoted leader,humanitarian and above all a Patriot who served this country above and beyond most of the former phonies who were much too comfortable lying and looking out for themselves instead of truly committing to building up our country to become stronger ,more prosperous and progressive in every avenue as Joe promised he could with bi-partisan coperation ,and instead facing the unending and malevelolent attacks on his integrity, his family members, his vice president and even the first lady. How have we become so jaded and hateful in ways that are so atrocious, sometimes I believe Trump is the Karmic reflection of all the vileness and vitriol that seems so easy to publicly trigger it stops me in my tracks ,until I have a hopeful,positive interaction with an actual adult who can apply logic and reason on their own and do not absorb everything that others are spewing in their toxic ignorant redundancy without a clue to the damage it does to others, and also assasinate their own characters
It's like a massive national competition to see who can shred to pieces another human being's dignity and honor. What they don't seem to realize is How Small minded and cowardly it reveals Their own character to be.
All those invasive diragatory remarks,not even made as expressed opinions,but Dead-on sure they knew exactly what was transpiring in regards to our President at a time when it became rather obvious their own bottom line was about their status and their Wealth being threatened because an elderly man May have appeared sickly on stage while being bulldozed unfairly in a planned sabotage. They Ended him right then and there no matter what came after. An ongoing Coup of immense and powerful proportions was never going to allow another Biden presidency to take place.
Both sides operate out of dynamics around Greed and Power. The Democrats seem much less insatiable and appear to hold higher moral standards, but they were Not at all supportive or loyal to a man who was outside their realm because hes never been greedy or powerhungry of attention seeking in the manners that Trump, who's history of diagnosed mental and cognitive challenges, along with having a long criminal history are downplayed and even ignored. Is it because Money is what they all place above Service and loyalty to their jobs,the Constitution,and The People who are supposed to protected from criminals such as the one we currently have laying waste to everything Biden promoted or repaired during his much too maligned time in office. It's no wonder his body developed a cancerous reaction from the never ending battle he had to defend himself against while he was telling us exactly what would happen, if we couldn't unite ourselves against this bad actor who is
nothing but a Putin puppet with a traitorous bunch of ass kissers that refused to work With Biden to help this country heal itself. They chose destruction and Trump instead. When I see someone slander Biden ,I don't care what side he or she claims they are on because it's not about that. They make it personal, they punch Down ,and denigrate our country by disrespecting the Presidency,not just the elected person at the time.
We have spiraled to a low and dark place in our current society where kindness and tolerance is judged as weakness. It makes me soul sick and concerned about a mental health crisis brewing from the constant and insidious fear mongering, racial hatred, Misogyny and selfishness that is displayed on social platforms 24/7
There seems to be no boundaries left to cross, no decency left and showing respect towards another human being is laughed at.
In my world, people still behave and treat each other with kindness ,manners,and attacking or ganging up on another human being is unthinkable and repugnant. I often wonder what kind of parents raised children to become so embittered and mistrustful of other human beings, but I have not been given any clarity or answer to sufficiently satisfy me. Bi do know the childhood history of Donald Trump and it explains a lot about his ego. What I do know for certain us that we will never survive or thrive by operating out of anger ,ignorance and cruelty for cruelty sake.
We were once a great and also humane pillar of diverse and tolerant people who all loved this country as one nation ,no matter what religious or political affiliate we aligned ourselves with. I never ever thought of asking what someone's belief system was before deciding whether it was safe to have a simple conversation with them. I monitor my words and watch for reactions that might be warnings to back away politely before it becomes an argument I don't care to engage in. We are all just human beings trying to live our lives the beat way possible. I refuse to surrender my values and moral code in order to fit in with a tribe of Malcontents who have bought the victim lie and are out for revenge and to do harm when they have the ability to grow up and spend their time building a better world instead of knocking down the ones who have already spent theirs committed to doing just that with others by their side.
We are at a point where up is the only direction we can take as human beings together or face the dire consequences of our cruelty and denial that evil is winning this battle over how the future will manifest If we can't alter our course together away from what is being enforced upon us in 2025
Another devastatingly fierce essay, thank you!
"Authoritarian movements don’t collapse when everyone turns. They collapse when enough people stop clapping."
It's a slow boil, but it's heating up. Thank you for your incredible insights and fortitude, so valuable.
Thank you for your readership and engagement, Beth!
My honor. Thank you Mersault XO
oops--didn't see this before saying the same thing!
Like minds!
To beat this Regime, we need to show a majority on petitions. Citizens Categorises ppl into Congressional Districts then approaches the Representative. Please have faith that this Entire Administration will be Removed.
Citizensimpeachment.com Impeachtrumpagain.org
MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION
I think the realization is going to come first from the bottom 20% of earners. The poor and disabled can’t fight for themselves, and they don’t have power. I’m not seeing any shift from my well-to-do friends, one of whom I am not. But I do hope you’re right.
You're right to be wary. Those with comfort and status often have the luxury of denial—and little incentive to question the system that benefits them. Real change rarely starts with the cocktail crowd. But history shows something else too: when the suffering below becomes undeniable, even the insulated can start to squirm. Not out of conscience, necessarily—but out of fear, or shame, or pressure. And that can be enough to tip the balance. The powerful don’t lead revolutions. But they do retreat when enough people rise.
💀 THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL SLAUGHTER: TRUMP’S BUDGET IS A MURDER-SUICIDE PACT
https://substack.com/@patricemersault/note/c-119107228
Excellent piece thank you. Keep up with Great writing and factual input I'll keep going with the petitions. Neremberg Style Global Petition.. Anyone from any country can sign,.
This administration has and is attempting to disrupt the peace. global economics and political stability of the World.
Please join me in holding this bunch of scum accountable. Thank you. https://chng.it/84RcQmjtvF
Neremberg Style Petition.
Please share Globally. Please SHARE,
This Petition just started and states WHY they must follow our Laws and Judges Rulings. Please Sign, share, anything! https://chng.it/qBPjktQYTt
Many voted along Republicans lines as they aways do for the tax breaks. They're really aren't that many Maggots. It will hit the poor, particularly in rural areas, but many are blissfully ignorant. Not aware what's actually going on. Limited or no TV coverage, spotty Internet service and only word of mouth or gossip dialogues. God Help America, because the New and Not Improved Orange Jesus Doesn't Give a Damn.
Citizensimpeachment.com Impeachtrumpagain.org
Excellent piece. Thank you.
Thank you so much, dro_nana—I’m really glad it resonated with you. Appreciate you reading.
Wow! Another outstanding piece, Mersault. I'm restacking it and posting it on Bluesky.
You are an amazing writer.
Thank you so much, Pamela. Truly grateful for your support—and for helping these pieces reach more people. Every share is a small act of resistance. Appreciate you deeply.
I hope you're right.
🤞🏽
Thank you Patrice, thank you.
I'm perhaps not as confident as you are urging us to be, but my Greatest Generation parents taught me that the reward is in fighting for what you believe in your heart is right -- especially when the outcome is uncertain.
Thank you. I’m not asking for blind confidence. What I’m holding onto isn’t certainty, but commitment. The outcome may be unclear, but our clarity of purpose doesn’t have to be. Your parents passed down something powerful—not just a belief in right and wrong, but the resolve to act on it when it matters most. That spirit is what we need now more than ever.
Thank you, Mersault! I am currently rewatching the first Starwars movie - the sub-title is "A New Hope". We shall overcome!
Thank you, my friend. A New Hope is the perfect choice—after all, every empire has its Vader. Cloaked in menace, breathing fear, once a man but now a hollow vessel of rage and control. But even he was undone—by conscience, by the light he tried to bury. The Death Star always has a flaw. Onward.
Best line: "Authoritarian movements don’t collapse when everyone turns. They collapse when enough people stop clapping."
Great article, and all of this may happen eventually, but I don’t think we are there yet. If you add up the people who are with Trump and the people who don’t care, that’s more than half of the country. And MAGA is a cult. What have we seen with cults? People will drink cool aid or light themselves on fire before they give up their crazy beliefs. It would be great if MAGA would just fade away, but the racism and bigotry in this country run deep. I just don’t see MAGA going quietly or peacefully.
Totally fair—and I don’t expect MAGA to go quietly either. Cults rarely do. But the goal isn’t to wait for them to wake up. It’s to outnumber, out-organize, and outlast them.
They have fury. We need discipline. They have blind loyalty. We need moral clarity. And yes, the rot runs deep—but it’s also exposed now, in ways it wasn’t before. That gives us leverage.
BRILLIANT COLUMN. LONG, BUT THE DETAIL AND LENGTH IS WHAT MAKES IT POWERFUL.
READ THIS.
ABSORB THIS.
THEN ACT ON IT.
Thank you so much, Kiwiwriter47. That’s exactly the hope: not just to inform, but to compel.
" [When,] in that drive to power, they will commit so many high crimes and unutterable treasons, to add to those already committed, that simple self-preservation demands they can never allow a transfer of power to anyone who might hold them accountable. "
Until you take money out of politics, until you stop the rich and powerful buying the people who are supposed to represent you, the USA will not change, it will still be driven by vested interests and greed.
Yes—and what’s especially insidious is how the illusion of choice is maintained. Every few years we’re invited to vote, but the menu is already written by lobbyists, billionaires, and corporate PACs. The candidates who might actually challenge that system rarely make it past the primaries—because money filters who gets seen, heard, and taken seriously.
It’s not just that the rich influence politics. It’s that they curate the entire conversation. They set the boundaries of what’s considered “realistic” or “electable.” And the media—most of it owned by the same interests—amplifies that frame. So even reform feels like a product they’re selling us.
Until that cycle is shattered, elections aren’t about change—they’re about management. And we’re the ones being managed.
I agree totally.
The floodgates for money in politics were opened by the Supreme Court in Citizens United based on two assumptions. First, that small corporations (with assets under a million dollars) would offset the paid access to politicians that large corporations had. And second, that the public would not see the flood of corporate money into politics as corrupting the process. Both were poor predictors.
I only have to look at the behaviour of the Republican party in the last few days to see how that panned out.
Beautifully written. Just a thought. Don’t forget the fact that dictators never leave quietly. They enslave their countries first.
Appreciate you reading it. And yes, that’s exactly why resistance has to be proactive, not reactive. By the time the chains are visible, they’re already locked. If you’re interested in that theme, you might enjoy My Debate with Satan—a piece I wrote about confronting authoritarianism without losing your soul in the process.
My Debate With Satan, Part II: The Final Conflict
A Diabolical Confrontation On Inferno Politics: Standing Against Trumpism Without Losing Your Soul
https://open.substack.com/pub/patricemersault/p/my-debate-with-satan-part-ii-the?r=4d7sow&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Yes, Albin. Wounded animals are the most dangerous.
Outstanding essay. And hopeful. And we need to keep hope alive—without it we are lost. Thank you.
Thank you, Paula!
be the light you wish to see in the dark.