In a world in which there should be no barrier to opportunity, we have normalised misogyny, racism, homophobia, cruelty and division. That's what propaganda does.
‘Grind the country to a halt’: Democratic Senator urges national strike if Trump meddles in midterms.
From The Guardian
“The Democratic senator from Arizona ,Ruben Gallego has proposed that, should Donald Trump try to sabotage the midterm elections, Americans should respond with a general strike that would “grind the country to a halt”.
“If we have to destroy the stock market to save democracy, we need to accept that and, more importantly, the richest and the most powerful people in the world and in this country need to understand that that is a real possibility. There is no economic stability without democratic stability. If you take away our democratic stability, we will take away the economic stability.”
From The Peaceful Solution:
All praise to the Senator for proposing a meaningful method to oppose the fascist takeover of the country. We need people of his stature to lead this effort.
It is past time to escalate the resistance, and this proposal would certainly do that. But for many people, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And for how long could most people keep it up? And with AI coming for a lot of people’s jobs, this would be the perfect opportunity for businesses to fire a lot of people.
Here’s another proposal that will work as well, without the collateral damage:
The Peaceful Solution-Part 1
How much do you want to stop His Royal Heinous and the fascist takeover of the country?
Enough that you’re willing to make a small sacrifice? Like altering your spending habits for a month or two or three? That could be all it would take to get the attention of the oligarchs (formerly known as The Robber Barons in the first Gilded Age, also The Fat Cats, The Greedy Bastards).
A brief demonstration of We, the People’s, power of the purse could persuade them to quit supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
We quit spending, except on essentials, businesses lose money, stock market goes down, Greedy Bastards pay attention to our demands.
Greedy Bastards own most of the politicians of both major parties. GBs start losing money, tell politicians to change course and do what We, the People want.
We are running out of peaceful options. The legislature and Supreme Court are controlled by HRH. He controls the executive branch, including the Military, Justice Department, FBI, ICE, the IRS. He controls all levers of power.
We, the people, still have the power of the purse. No one can control our spending, or lack of spending. When all else fails we can go on a spending strike until the business community stops supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
Economic warfare is the only thing the oligarchs, the business community will understand and act on. Call it a Surreptitious General Strike (Quiet Quitting). Go to work, do as little as possible. Stop spending money except on essentials. Quit feeding the corporate beast that supports the HRH.
Stop participating. Nearly 70% of the U.S. economy is driven by consumer spending. All of us. Hobble the economy and the stock market. Mahatma Gandhi drove the British from India by peaceful civil disobedience and economic disruption. We can stop the fascist takeover in the same way.
We can keep rehashing past and present atrocities until our access to the internet is taken away by the regime, or we can DO something!
Hi Martin - I've got a much better solution; it's legal, and doesn't cost anything except time.
It is - to find and make sure every US Military Officer is made personally aware - that he or she is breaking not only the oath of Allegiance they swore when they received their commission as an Officer, but are also breaking their own regulations UCMJ (Uniform Code of Miitary Justice) Articles 90 and 92 -- in the following manner:
1.)
Their Oath of Allegiance - states that their allegiance is to the Constitution only;
not to any President; not to any Government; to to anything other that to fight and defend the Constitution from harm either a Foreign and / or DOMESTIC source - which we now are suffering from..
Furthermore -- there is nothing on their Oath - that states they have to obey any order or command -- from any civilian entity -- at any time.
They are doing so - breaking their Oath - because of a "tradition" they themselves have concocted -- believing that it protects them from having to adhere to their sworn Oath - and "clean-house" from a domestic located source of harm - as like HERE -- NOW.
2.)
UCMJ Articles 90 and 92 specifically state:
a.) it is illegal to issue an illegal order or command, and
b.) it is illegal to follow an illegal order or command.
the movie "...A Few Good Men..." - got it right - when at the end it showed the two non-coms that participated in the "ordered red flag / killing" -- being found guilty, and one asking the other "...what did I do wrong - I was only following orders...".
The two articles clearly state that it is the personal responsibility of each Service Member - to make up their own mind as to the legality of any order or command - from anyone.
Here's my point: -- if these identified US Military individuals do not immediately stop following the illegal orders coming from this President and this White House - they have placed themselves on the other side of their own Oath and Military Regulations -- as delineated above.
And "if" they stop -- and the Officer Corps complete their Oath to the Constitution - this could be stopped - by tomorrow.
You are so very kind Nancy, it’s taken a little time to find the confidence in myself to believe I can help to make a small difference in a world where marginal gains matter. - Martin
To add to your comments regarding targeted and ethical spending; let's not forget the circular economy. Sticking it to the corporations while saving the planet. That's got to be a win-win.
I agree with much of the content. I fear that my children will inherit the empty shell of a once great country if current trends continue and the rot festers.
I push back on the title. We are not born blank slates. Our adult tendencies are about 50% nature (inherited, genetic) and 50% nurture (environmental, cultural, upbringing). Plenty of scientific support for the notion that since 95-97% of our existence as a species was spent living in competing small bands of hunter-gatherers, environmental pressures selected for in-group preference (us & them) and similar attitudinal tendencies.
These tendencies are maladaptive to our current circumstances. We need to recognize these inherited tendencies as deficient, outdated hardware and then consciously act to superimpose updated software optimal for living in large diverse societies (i.e., tolerance and respect for individuals). It takes conscious effort to integrate a tendency of dealing with individuals as distinct people rather than on the basis of identification with an assigned group. If that practice ever becomes widespread I believe societal healing will benefit.
In 2011, social media helped citizens mobilize during the Arab Spring. A decade later, social media also amplified rage and misinformation around the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The same tool that can empower democratic voices can also destabilize democratic institutions.
Technology itself is neutral. But algorithms are not. They are engineered to maximize engagement, and outrage is the most reliable fuel for engagement. Anger spreads faster than nuance. Fear travels further than facts. When millions of citizens consume a steady diet of emotionally charged misinformation, a democracy does not collapse overnight—it erodes, pixel by pixel.
The Mechanics of Chaos
Social media creates chaos through four predictable mechanisms.
First, amplification without accountability. False narratives can reach millions before fact-checkers finish their morning coffee. The architecture rewards virality, not veracity.
Second, algorithmic echo chambers. People are shown more of what they already believe. Political identity hardens. Opponents become enemies. Compromise becomes betrayal.
Third, foreign interference and coordinated manipulation. Bots and troll farms can simulate public sentiment. A small, organized group can appear like a national movement.
Fourth, deepfakes and synthetic media. When citizens can no longer trust what they see or hear, the foundation of democratic discourse—shared reality—fractures.
Democracy depends on trust: trust in elections, courts, institutions, and even in disagreement itself. Social media, when weaponized, corrodes that trust at scale.
Chaos Is Not Always Organic
It is tempting to blame “the people.” But chaos online is often engineered.
Disinformation campaigns are cheap. Influence operations cost less than conventional warfare. A coordinated narrative can inflame ethnic tensions, delegitimize elections, or provoke street violence—all without crossing a physical border.
In that sense, social media is not merely a communication tool. It is a psychological battlefield.
Can Governments Defend Democracy Without Becoming Authoritarian?
This is the tightrope. A democracy that censors excessively becomes what it fears. But a democracy that does nothing risks paralysis.
Protection must rest on principles:
1. Transparency over censorship.
Platforms should be required to disclose how algorithms rank and amplify political content. Sunlight is a democratic disinfectant.
2. Traceability of influence.
Political ads and coordinated campaigns should carry clear disclosure of funding sources, including foreign entities.
3. Rapid-response digital literacy.
Civic education must evolve. Citizens should learn how algorithms work, how bots operate, and how deepfakes deceive. Media literacy is now national security.
4. Independent oversight.
Regulatory bodies must be independent from ruling parties to prevent abuse. Otherwise, anti-disinformation laws become tools to silence dissent.
5. Platform accountability.
Companies profiting from virality cannot evade responsibility for destabilization. They are no longer mere “tech companies”; they are infrastructure for democracy.
The Paradox of Free Speech
Free speech is not the freedom to destroy the conditions that make speech possible. Yet the cure for misinformation cannot be government-controlled truth.
The answer lies not in silencing voices but in strengthening resilience—strong institutions, transparent elections, independent courts, and informed citizens.
Democracy has survived world wars, depressions, and ideological revolutions. It can survive algorithms too—but only if it recognizes that information itself is now a domain of power.
The question is not whether social media can topple a democracy.
The real question is whether democracies will evolve fast enough to protect themselves—without losing their soul in the process.
Your next move should be to work with other "registered smart people with integrity" to create a NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM that shifts your 12Mil X followers away from that VILE HATE PROMOTING RACIST platform to something AUTHENTIC not owned by THAT VILE FASCIST.
It can be Done! Canada just introduced GANDER SOCIAL it's Canadian Owned, Built on Sovereign Technology. No dark patterns or BS algorithms. Free Expression Matters...So Do Boundaries.
I am so happy to hear of the reach you have been able to develop. I’ve never regretted my decision to support your substack. you make good points, and fair ones at that. We don’t see enough of that these days. Carry on, you’re doing what you were meant to do. There is No better man to do it.
“We are not born cruel, greedy and intolerant. It’s a learned behavior.” Psychopaths are born and die without empathy. Like Trump, they are the serpent in the garden. The metastatic cerebral tumor. Neither exorcism nor behavioral therapy can stop the scorpion from stinging the frog crossing the river.
‘Grind the country to a halt’: Democratic Senator urges national strike if Trump meddles in midterms.
From The Guardian
“The Democratic senator from Arizona ,Ruben Gallego has proposed that, should Donald Trump try to sabotage the midterm elections, Americans should respond with a general strike that would “grind the country to a halt”.
“If we have to destroy the stock market to save democracy, we need to accept that and, more importantly, the richest and the most powerful people in the world and in this country need to understand that that is a real possibility. There is no economic stability without democratic stability. If you take away our democratic stability, we will take away the economic stability.”
From The Peaceful Solution:
All praise to the Senator for proposing a meaningful method to oppose the fascist takeover of the country. We need people of his stature to lead this effort.
It is past time to escalate the resistance, and this proposal would certainly do that. But for many people, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And for how long could most people keep it up? And with AI coming for a lot of people’s jobs, this would be the perfect opportunity for businesses to fire a lot of people.
Here’s another proposal that will work as well, without the collateral damage:
The Peaceful Solution-Part 1
How much do you want to stop His Royal Heinous and the fascist takeover of the country?
Enough that you’re willing to make a small sacrifice? Like altering your spending habits for a month or two or three? That could be all it would take to get the attention of the oligarchs (formerly known as The Robber Barons in the first Gilded Age, also The Fat Cats, The Greedy Bastards).
A brief demonstration of We, the People’s, power of the purse could persuade them to quit supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
We quit spending, except on essentials, businesses lose money, stock market goes down, Greedy Bastards pay attention to our demands.
Greedy Bastards own most of the politicians of both major parties. GBs start losing money, tell politicians to change course and do what We, the People want.
We are running out of peaceful options. The legislature and Supreme Court are controlled by HRH. He controls the executive branch, including the Military, Justice Department, FBI, ICE, the IRS. He controls all levers of power.
We, the people, still have the power of the purse. No one can control our spending, or lack of spending. When all else fails we can go on a spending strike until the business community stops supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
Economic warfare is the only thing the oligarchs, the business community will understand and act on. Call it a Surreptitious General Strike (Quiet Quitting). Go to work, do as little as possible. Stop spending money except on essentials. Quit feeding the corporate beast that supports the HRH.
Stop participating. Nearly 70% of the U.S. economy is driven by consumer spending. All of us. Hobble the economy and the stock market. Mahatma Gandhi drove the British from India by peaceful civil disobedience and economic disruption. We can stop the fascist takeover in the same way.
We can keep rehashing past and present atrocities until our access to the internet is taken away by the regime, or we can DO something!
Now is the time for this Peaceful Solution.
Spot on.
Hi Martin - I've got a much better solution; it's legal, and doesn't cost anything except time.
It is - to find and make sure every US Military Officer is made personally aware - that he or she is breaking not only the oath of Allegiance they swore when they received their commission as an Officer, but are also breaking their own regulations UCMJ (Uniform Code of Miitary Justice) Articles 90 and 92 -- in the following manner:
1.)
Their Oath of Allegiance - states that their allegiance is to the Constitution only;
not to any President; not to any Government; to to anything other that to fight and defend the Constitution from harm either a Foreign and / or DOMESTIC source - which we now are suffering from..
Furthermore -- there is nothing on their Oath - that states they have to obey any order or command -- from any civilian entity -- at any time.
They are doing so - breaking their Oath - because of a "tradition" they themselves have concocted -- believing that it protects them from having to adhere to their sworn Oath - and "clean-house" from a domestic located source of harm - as like HERE -- NOW.
2.)
UCMJ Articles 90 and 92 specifically state:
a.) it is illegal to issue an illegal order or command, and
b.) it is illegal to follow an illegal order or command.
the movie "...A Few Good Men..." - got it right - when at the end it showed the two non-coms that participated in the "ordered red flag / killing" -- being found guilty, and one asking the other "...what did I do wrong - I was only following orders...".
The two articles clearly state that it is the personal responsibility of each Service Member - to make up their own mind as to the legality of any order or command - from anyone.
Here's my point: -- if these identified US Military individuals do not immediately stop following the illegal orders coming from this President and this White House - they have placed themselves on the other side of their own Oath and Military Regulations -- as delineated above.
And "if" they stop -- and the Officer Corps complete their Oath to the Constitution - this could be stopped - by tomorrow.
So Many Thanks for all that you do and all that you are!
You are so very kind Nancy, it’s taken a little time to find the confidence in myself to believe I can help to make a small difference in a world where marginal gains matter. - Martin
You are making a huge difference by speaking truth objectively so that people can actually see for themselves what is happening. Many Thanks!
To add to your comments regarding targeted and ethical spending; let's not forget the circular economy. Sticking it to the corporations while saving the planet. That's got to be a win-win.
I agree with much of the content. I fear that my children will inherit the empty shell of a once great country if current trends continue and the rot festers.
I push back on the title. We are not born blank slates. Our adult tendencies are about 50% nature (inherited, genetic) and 50% nurture (environmental, cultural, upbringing). Plenty of scientific support for the notion that since 95-97% of our existence as a species was spent living in competing small bands of hunter-gatherers, environmental pressures selected for in-group preference (us & them) and similar attitudinal tendencies.
These tendencies are maladaptive to our current circumstances. We need to recognize these inherited tendencies as deficient, outdated hardware and then consciously act to superimpose updated software optimal for living in large diverse societies (i.e., tolerance and respect for individuals). It takes conscious effort to integrate a tendency of dealing with individuals as distinct people rather than on the basis of identification with an assigned group. If that practice ever becomes widespread I believe societal healing will benefit.
I’m certainly listening my friend
I truly appreciate your words, cutting spending, concentrating on local..I REALLY need to get spouse on board!!
It is unfortunately the only viable solution in the absence of political will - Martin
When the Algorithm Becomes a Weapon
In 2011, social media helped citizens mobilize during the Arab Spring. A decade later, social media also amplified rage and misinformation around the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The same tool that can empower democratic voices can also destabilize democratic institutions.
Technology itself is neutral. But algorithms are not. They are engineered to maximize engagement, and outrage is the most reliable fuel for engagement. Anger spreads faster than nuance. Fear travels further than facts. When millions of citizens consume a steady diet of emotionally charged misinformation, a democracy does not collapse overnight—it erodes, pixel by pixel.
The Mechanics of Chaos
Social media creates chaos through four predictable mechanisms.
First, amplification without accountability. False narratives can reach millions before fact-checkers finish their morning coffee. The architecture rewards virality, not veracity.
Second, algorithmic echo chambers. People are shown more of what they already believe. Political identity hardens. Opponents become enemies. Compromise becomes betrayal.
Third, foreign interference and coordinated manipulation. Bots and troll farms can simulate public sentiment. A small, organized group can appear like a national movement.
Fourth, deepfakes and synthetic media. When citizens can no longer trust what they see or hear, the foundation of democratic discourse—shared reality—fractures.
Democracy depends on trust: trust in elections, courts, institutions, and even in disagreement itself. Social media, when weaponized, corrodes that trust at scale.
Chaos Is Not Always Organic
It is tempting to blame “the people.” But chaos online is often engineered.
Disinformation campaigns are cheap. Influence operations cost less than conventional warfare. A coordinated narrative can inflame ethnic tensions, delegitimize elections, or provoke street violence—all without crossing a physical border.
In that sense, social media is not merely a communication tool. It is a psychological battlefield.
Can Governments Defend Democracy Without Becoming Authoritarian?
This is the tightrope. A democracy that censors excessively becomes what it fears. But a democracy that does nothing risks paralysis.
Protection must rest on principles:
1. Transparency over censorship.
Platforms should be required to disclose how algorithms rank and amplify political content. Sunlight is a democratic disinfectant.
2. Traceability of influence.
Political ads and coordinated campaigns should carry clear disclosure of funding sources, including foreign entities.
3. Rapid-response digital literacy.
Civic education must evolve. Citizens should learn how algorithms work, how bots operate, and how deepfakes deceive. Media literacy is now national security.
4. Independent oversight.
Regulatory bodies must be independent from ruling parties to prevent abuse. Otherwise, anti-disinformation laws become tools to silence dissent.
5. Platform accountability.
Companies profiting from virality cannot evade responsibility for destabilization. They are no longer mere “tech companies”; they are infrastructure for democracy.
The Paradox of Free Speech
Free speech is not the freedom to destroy the conditions that make speech possible. Yet the cure for misinformation cannot be government-controlled truth.
The answer lies not in silencing voices but in strengthening resilience—strong institutions, transparent elections, independent courts, and informed citizens.
Democracy has survived world wars, depressions, and ideological revolutions. It can survive algorithms too—but only if it recognizes that information itself is now a domain of power.
The question is not whether social media can topple a democracy.
The real question is whether democracies will evolve fast enough to protect themselves—without losing their soul in the process.
Your next move should be to work with other "registered smart people with integrity" to create a NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM that shifts your 12Mil X followers away from that VILE HATE PROMOTING RACIST platform to something AUTHENTIC not owned by THAT VILE FASCIST.
It can be Done! Canada just introduced GANDER SOCIAL it's Canadian Owned, Built on Sovereign Technology. No dark patterns or BS algorithms. Free Expression Matters...So Do Boundaries.
I am so happy to hear of the reach you have been able to develop. I’ve never regretted my decision to support your substack. you make good points, and fair ones at that. We don’t see enough of that these days. Carry on, you’re doing what you were meant to do. There is No better man to do it.
Please help us to BOYCOTT the upcoming World Cup. This criminal administration doesn't deserve it
“We are not born cruel, greedy and intolerant. It’s a learned behavior.” Psychopaths are born and die without empathy. Like Trump, they are the serpent in the garden. The metastatic cerebral tumor. Neither exorcism nor behavioral therapy can stop the scorpion from stinging the frog crossing the river.