It's a simple enough question, yet just as jews walked into the gas chambers during the holocaust, Americans appear to be walking into subjugation and economic slavery in 2025.
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. 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.
Why a Spending Strike is the Best Option
TINA: There Is No Alternative. There is no peaceful alternative.
Other peaceful options:
Soft Secession
Federal funds make up 35% of California’s state budget, with $173 billion in federal grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2021 alone, making up a significant portion of state and local budgets for programs like health, education, and infrastructure.
Are they really going to pissoff HRH to the extent that he cuts off their federal funding?
Soft secession? Only to the point when HRH feels threatened.
He will move in with all his resources and stop it.
This soft secession idea is a political ploy by state officials to get their constituents to believe the officials are doing something to stop the takeover.
It’s also another distraction to the resistance in that it keeps us from organizing and uniting around what must be done and what will work. It’s another example of hoping for an easy fix, one that will not take any sacrifice.
In addition, soft secession is divisive, pitting blue states against red states, playing into the narrative of the Rat, who wants to start a civil war. MAGA not only wants to “own the libs”, they’d like to kill as many as possible, to eliminate the opposition.
Targeted boycotts
Why targeted boycotts are ineffective
Boycotts often fail because they require massive, sustained participation to create meaningful financial pressure, lack clear alternatives for consumers, generate insufficient negative media attention, and are easily weathered by companies waiting for the protest to fade. Additionally, the complex nature of modern capitalism and the proliferation of corporate conglomerates can make it difficult for boycotters to effectively target and impact a company's bottom line or reputation, especially when companies have multiple revenue streams, like real estate, that aren't affected by consumer boycotts.
In 2020, Goya Foods praised President Donald Trump on social media, which caused those in opposition to Trump to boycott their products. Trump loyalists simultaneously initated a counter-boycott, where consumers bought mass quantities of their products, in response. The boycott caused Goya profits to increase dramatically because Trump supporters started an opposing campaign.
The midterm election
Will it be free and fair? It won’t be. Will it occur at all? HRH has already said that if we’re at war there’ll be no election. Guess what? If it’s looking bad for him, we’ll be at war to stop the election. The election is important to him because having the majority in the legislature gives the fascist regime the look of legitimacy.
People are putting too much faith in what the midterms will do. They may have a beneficial psychologic effect but in reality the outcome will have little or no practical effect, unless the Dems can get 2/3 majority in the house and senate, which they won’t. They will not be able to undo anything HRH has done or pass new legislation because of his veto power.
SCOTUS members Roberts and Barrett may have an epiphany and save the country from civil war, but it’s doubtful. It’s going to be up to us to stop this.
Time is running out for a Peaceful Solution. Please spread the word.
How to accomplish a Spending Strike
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
I agree with you completely. I was responding to someone who said that boycott are ineffective, but you are basically advocating and I am 100%. I'm behind you ,an economy -wide boycott .so how do we get this thing organized? Lets go!
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
I am happy to stop spending on non-Rx and supplements and groceries. I might buy a new pair of bluejeans but that is all - and only because I do not own a pair that does not currently fall off me - food insecurity has consequences...
Partially - a charity here in southern FL provides 10 meals per week so I buy salad/fresh fruit & vegetables; low sodium cheese; yogurt; and coffee/milk and tea; and occasionally a can or two of tuna. But yes, I have lost weight & hope to maintain where I am at...
From what I'm experiencing, the regime is bringing consumer spending cuts into being with there policies. I have spent the last couple of days looking at what's essential and what I can cut. I agree, there are no other viable forms of peaceful protest left to us. I think it's clear that taking to the streets in peaceful protestis going to be met with violence from them. I don't think giving them made for streaming moments undercut with lies us going to get us anywhere. Money and power is all they understand.
You gave the example of the Goya backlash of Trumper's spending so why do you continue with this economic boyc"ottidea? it sounds doomed. What am I missing?
His Royal Highness and the oligarchs are still in control of the country. The boycott may have changed the behavior of two companies. It will take an attack on the entire economy to stop the fascist takeover.
I’m not advocating targeted boycotts. They are ineffective. I’m advocating a spending strike/economic disengagement.
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. 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!
We have few means to combat the anti constitutional take over of the US government. The constitutional mechanisms of separation of powers had flaws. Madison said no form of government would work without virtue ( broader definition), George Mason pointed out the flaw in the wording of execution power, while its meanings limitations were noted in the debates at that time, the fact that Washington was to be president helped get the poor wording passed. Trump is not Washington.
But a diminution of spending is also a blunt tool with unintended consequences. The people of substantial wealth will remain in their banquet halls playing deities, while those that live on day to day wages will suffer most and first. The middle class may have the ability to cut spending, but their marginal non essential spending has been pared back over the last few decades. The fraction of spending on products introduced recently in household incomes that could be cut and targeted at the uber rich, cable, streaming services, Amazon would perhaps put a little pressure on the measure of stock markets, but an analysis of impact v damage to support for the regime and life of the populace needs to be considered.
Regaining control of the media, with its influence on people’s actions is the only path forward that seems to be a possible path forward in the short and possibly long term that might avoid terrible hardship and perhaps violence to people beyond the physical and mental violence this regime has wrought. But the path to that goal seems impossible. Instilling reason, empathy understand in the few who are on the front line (people indentified ) Murdoch, Ellison, Musk, seems unlikely. Wresting power from these people would require greater wealth and a desire to pursue the purpose from others of greater wealth that have it now. Yet they may not exist.
Taking the power from the
wealthy would be a rerun of the Progressive Movement, but the regimen already bent the word progressive, like it did freedom, into a dystopian meaning to distort it beyond benefit to a tool for their use. We have no Teddy Roosevelt, no FDR, and they have even turned a common enemy, Russia (a role now defined as Putin in the game of Autocrats) into a friend.
Perhaps only persistent visible, non violent protest and appeal to any uber rich to bring forward a leadership able to capture the collective imagination and soul of the people, over the storm of the regime’s propaganda can save the American Experiment in its attempt to reach an empathetic, fair and livable civilization from the chaos and cruelty the regime is bringing
For me, this weekend’s news was the final straw. We’re preparing for the worst. Looking for leadership both nationally and locally. So far, locally just ain’t there. I’m too old to be that guy, but still able to assist.
I’m feeling for you Bill. Physical resistance is in my opinion nothing more than symbolic. Important yes, but there is a better less risky way to do this I promise you. - Martin
Didn’t mean “physical”, as in fighting - at least not yet (and that would be a terrible last resort, anyhow).
No, what I want is to be part of a huge mass movement that disrupts American life via sheer strength of numbers, as mentioned: a National nonviolent Strike. Most people are not going to join “anything” violent. A rolling series of regional efforts - IMO - is what folks would actually DO.
While I appreciate your posts, recommendations, advice, & analysis of America I need to push back on some of what you've said. American here, frightened, horrified & terribly sad, probably depressed at this point in seeing the country I love falling. With that said, I'm in this fight for the long hall as millions of fellow Americans, whom I'm proud of. No kings...Yes there could & maybe should be more frequent massive protests. But what media isnt showing is all the protests happening EVERY WEEK in every state. So I disagree with your analysis. We've had to change the word protest to "music festival" because oligarchs remove it otherwise. Yes, Survielance is happening. There's also many pop up last minute protests everywhere. 1 example is in NYC this week in front of the UN building! Since corporate media refuses to show Americans resisting, than more independent media voices like you could pick up that slack. Dont you think? I also disagree with your over all opinion of the democratic party. There's plenty of rising stars & voices doing great work. Yes, some are stuck in the 1990's way of governing but there's plenty that are not. Professor Heather Cox Richardson reminds us of this frequently on her daily politics chat on you tube. While we the people, the citizens of America get slammed for not resisting enough or correctly, I suppose a reminder is needed that while we bust our asses in many different ways of resisting we also have to push back on Law firms, universities, billionaire CEOs, NETWORKS, entire republican congress, far right 6 SCOTUS JUSTICES, etc etc that have capitulated & chose to kiss the ring while state run media & Russian paid podcasters spew hate, lies, & division. I'd also add if country leaders don't stand up & tell this regime NO instead of having a Disney prince like parade like King Charles & the PM did in London we are NOT gonna get out of this.
The white Christian nationalism & the desire to have a Christian KING like back in the crusaders era is part of heritage foundation, project 2025 & frightening as hell. You're absolutely correct about this. These people have hijacked Christianity for at least 3 decades & turned it into a weapon. It's a cult which brainwashed millions. This white Christian nationalism is happening in many places around the world. I'm seeing more people speaking up, educating about this finally in past several months.
Anyway, like I said, I appreciate your posts. I Just needed to speak what I'm feeling in my heart. It's difficult living here in this mess.
Hey, thank you so much for your heartfelt contribution to the conversation. I appreciate your frankness and I of course respect your pushback on my observations.
However, I think you make my point for me really. If corporate media and social media has been taken hostage, then you can protest on the streets as much as you like, nobody is hearing about it other than those who are part of it or those that witness it first hand.
My point was that this is not a traditional political fight, because the other side are three steps ahead and they are extremely good at it.
My point is that there is no traditional political solution to the problem. I did mark the point that political protests have a positive psychological impact and that they are valuable in that respect. Also think it helps people see they are in this together. You will see my view on this in the second part of this piece.
On the Royal visit I did a whole piece on this, I and many others were not in favour of the visit and I made my position very clear.
In conclusion I would simply say what I’ve said all along, the only solution is mass economic disengagement and I’ll talk about that in more detail in my next post. - Martin
I'm all in favor of Black Out the System! The problem, as to Martin's point is that this, too, is not a sustained effort. The blackouts are for one week. I believe the last one was earlier this month and the next one isn't scheduled until the end of November. Thats not enough to make the corporations really "bleed." People stop buying for one week and when its over they run out and buy all the things they didn't buy during the blackout week, pouring money right back into the tiny economic wound the one week of non-spending made. If we don't stop this soon, we will all be living under a constant economic blackout because all our money, the little bit of wealth we've been able to accumulate and retain, will have been drained off, siphoned upward to the top 1%. Since the beginning of the year, I have cut my monthly spending by 2/3. Truthfully, I could do better even now. We need to ALL pledge to stop all unnecessary spending. ALL of it. We need to teach our children how to make-do with much less. If we win this fight, it will only be for a little while. If we don't win this fight, it will become our new way if life because we'll be unable to accumulate wealth, get loans, etc
Leslie I agree. There's been many from black out the system & others that are saying to keep our wallets closed all the time! Starve the beast (oligarchs,corporations). Delete all subscriptions. Don't eat out or order from chain restaurants. Only shop local & eat at family owned small restaurants. Only buy necessary items. Stop traveling etc etc. It's up to all of us to shut it down. Asking people not to work for weeks isn't feasible. People need paychecks.
Pretty accurate I'd say. We're well past the point of this being about politics, and it's depressing, frustrating, and infuriating watching democrats act like it's still about elections and politics. We need to do something different at this point. We need to unite like never before, and regain control of our nation.
American here. We're sorry. We're trying to get it together. Meanwhile, we understand whatever actions other Nations take against the US are necessary right now and the sane Americans that are left here support whatever your country must do to stem the tide. Maybe when this is all over we can share a meal and a laugh across the border. For now, just know we're deeply sorry for the actions of the evil men running the show right now. Elbows Up! 🙂👍
I truly appreciate your response. Of course not everyone supports him and my heart breaks for you because defeating him will be extremely difficult. Stay strong and thank you for the offer of a meal!! 🇨🇦
Agreed that our Democratic leaders are mostly useless. But how do we get them to change? Seems like our cries of DO MORE go unheard and people like Schumer issue “strongly worded letters”. The people that need to do more and be ruthless are sleeping.
It was correctly stated later in the article. I’m a fan, not a critic, I just want to help make sure people get correct info, and hope they’ll show up…
I love this article, but at the same time, the reason why people aren't smart enough to bite on the bait of the fish to like open their eyes of what's going on is because it's not bad enough. Do you think the Germans back in the day really thought it was going to get as bad as it did even though they voted for it? No, it took 11 bucking years for to go from ohh. My God, this is so great. Everybody has a radio and a bathroom and dinner on the table to oh my God, there's no f****** city left, okay in America. It is only just Begun, but I keep saying it no. But everybody that talks to me says that would never happen America. Yeah, that's what the Germans said. Okay. It takes time and we're doing it a lot faster than they did it. Which is crazier than s*** I hope. Hope everything works out and I hope everybody can prove me wrong.Give it a couple more years.And if people think their minds are blown, right now, we're not even going to have any sanity left
You are spot on. If you have read my work, you will see my position evolve as I assess the development. Can I suggest you read the second part of this post later today when it drops as it should bring a little clarity to my proposition.
I'm wondering if it could be helpful to the Dems in Congress to work with an historian on authoritarian regimes and/or the fall of democracy or even one who has great knowledge of past resistance movements. It seems like the congressional Dems are like lost little puppy dogs. We need to play catch up and FAST.
Two prominent people who are experts on history and authoritarianism are Rachel Maddow and Heather Cox Richardson. Rachel has books and podcasts on the subject; Richardson is on YouTube and probably podcasts.
We value the dedication of independent journalists who collect, analyze, and disseminate news free from government or corporate influence. Journalistic integrity is essential for a thriving democracy. However, many articles from independent journalists conclude with a call for Americans to "wake up." Unfortunately, this phrase often lacks specific, actionable details. Given the urgency of the situation, it's crucial to provide clear steps on what "waking up" looks like within a fascist government.
I can barely breathe reading this. I am firmly planted in what we-the-people can do in the face of a government that will kill us all -- you outside the U.S, too. Martin, please send people to me. I'm the only person here on Substack rabble-rousing for action we can take. And it's not just to prevent further erosion of all the principles and practices we hold dear, but in the face of nature bearing down on us that threatens to send everyone, the rich as well as the poor, back to the Stone Age.
I’ve been throwing out ideas for more than two years, and top of my list now are one I've been trying to catalyze for a long time, to create a U.S. coalition of many millions that would massively respond to boycotts and marches and whatever else can use massive response, and a newer idea to get all the experts about collapse talking to each other to come up with the very best thing to get behind, which I suggest is an educational campaign so all of humanity becomes aware of the life or death struggle overshoot has us in so we get working on what the best thing would be to do.
Here’s my latest, where I’ve put a lot of money on the table to support things I could work with that can get us on a life-giving path:
Funding for a Future
Using my savings and how a special billionaire could do so much more
Sue, I know how passionate you are about this, and I know you are willing to invest in a solution. I’m sure there will be lots of people that are more than happy to offer their suggestions, because it’s easy to take action when you’re doing it with someone else’s money. I would just urge caution because political philanthropy can be a black hole that delivers nothing. - Martin
Thanks, Martin. Hopefully I won't get taken by strangers as I have by friends I've helped over the years, who have a peculiar pattern of making me a villain when they duck paying me back.
However, this is a basic switch, where it's not money for what helps people do their thing but for what would help me do mine. Things I'd work on with them are the only items I would fund. Not infallible, but I hope not foolish.
They will not allow it, Trump will send troops to occupy the capitals and arrest people. He already did it for no reason, that was the exercise.
We can protest by cutting the money, all of it. No federal taxes for Washington, no shopping, except food, utilities, strict what we cannot survive without. Cut cable TV, use antennas, it’s free. General strike, no work, dead cities. If they come to occupy, no one gets out, homes, schools, streets, empty. Like abandoned cities, ghosts.
If we can do that for as long as we can, we beat them. If we cut the money they have nothing to go on. I hope the democrats shut down the government this time, let’s blow up the bubble.
Think about Gandhi in India. They manage to throw out the British from India just by strike, no violence, no weapons, just general strike and peaceful protest. We are not Indians and no Gandhi either to follow but maybe someone takes the flag and become our version of Gandhi, a peaceful, respected man that was able to bring an empire on its knees.
We only have to do it for Trump, a stupid clown! 🤡
I read through enough of these posts to realize that YOUR NOT MAD ENOUGH!!!! And delaying in moving into the streets by the millions because there’s no LEADERSHIP
Please get it through your head, If everyone waits too long we’ll have to face gunfire in order to do it. It all comes down to a Central/ Regional organization to call out strikes and get the public enraged about this farce of a government. They are moving as quickly as possible to keep this from happening. They know the path we have to take to stop them. The weak will be rolled over, so, figure it out. Until the Public collectively gets in the streets with torches and starts demanding a stop to this nonsense they will continue their plan. I have said numerous times that the supreme court is enabling this madness and that’s where the fight must start, if we don’t…. Well they’re going keep doing his bidding. They need the fear of a really pissed off crowd ready to burn the house down to get in line. Politics work when there’s a will to work together , however that’s obviously not the case. These people are openly trying to use fear and intimidation to subdue the public. Nobody’s hungry enough, mad enough or organized enough….. yet and I believe many are waiting to see the figure head step up and move to mobilize us
You are totally missing the point I’m sorry to say. You can bring this government to its knees without stepping a foot on the streets and Trump sanctioning troops to shoot protesters as is the hint in his last Trutb Social post.
Be in no doubt he’s up for a fight, so why play straight into his hands?
I don’t think you know the kind of people we’re dealing with here. A bully that wants a fight won’t be denied , his accomplices hovering, a police state being formed day by day. I don’t want a fight, and yet when do you draw the line. They have no choice but to play for keeps, the laws broken by them and more to come…. B B here , WW 2 was freshly ended, in laws and outlaws fought a “ master race “ very similar to those in Washington right now who profess the same “Ideal “ . Wait and see what sec/ def has to say to the military then get back to me. Seen the play book before and wish it wasn’t so obvious
Trump is now senile, unhinged and a facade for what is going on behind his back. They keep him there because the Bible Belt believes him, obviously they do not read anything, just watch Fox News! It is amazing how two people can control a whole country: Vought and Miller. It is amazing that these two thugs while educated in this country can hate it so much. There is no evangelical right, there is an extreme white right but has nothing to do with Christianity, I would say is the opposite of it. Nothing they do is Christian from the hello, they just used it to keep the Bible Belt on their side, nothing else. Even the memorial for Kirk was a show of hate, not a Christian wake.
“I suspect that this is exactly what Russell Vought, who no doubt drafted this along with Stephen Miller, intended. They will want to appeal it once again to the Supreme Court. It’s a typical pattern of behaviour, placing Democrats under constant pressure and fear of donors withdrawing their support. It’s all part of a carefully crafted strategy.”
I agree, they want us scared, no doubt, and their SCOTUS is compromised, bought by them.
Next step is to buy the military too, they suppose to defend us not them. Will they? I doubt it.
I agree that Comey cost Hillary the election, and that is not forgivable, guilty or not of whatever Trump accuses him.
There is a movie they made after the election about him - The Comey Rule, 2020.
A blackout would be a short term solution and combined with the shutdown of the government may only infuriate the yellow man and his thugs, and possible make them to declare marshal law, although will be no law anymore.
We are stuck in a twilight zone and kept prisoners by godless monsters!
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. 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.
Why a Spending Strike is the Best Option
TINA: There Is No Alternative. There is no peaceful alternative.
Other peaceful options:
Soft Secession
Federal funds make up 35% of California’s state budget, with $173 billion in federal grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2021 alone, making up a significant portion of state and local budgets for programs like health, education, and infrastructure.
Are they really going to pissoff HRH to the extent that he cuts off their federal funding?
Soft secession? Only to the point when HRH feels threatened.
He will move in with all his resources and stop it.
This soft secession idea is a political ploy by state officials to get their constituents to believe the officials are doing something to stop the takeover.
It’s also another distraction to the resistance in that it keeps us from organizing and uniting around what must be done and what will work. It’s another example of hoping for an easy fix, one that will not take any sacrifice.
In addition, soft secession is divisive, pitting blue states against red states, playing into the narrative of the Rat, who wants to start a civil war. MAGA not only wants to “own the libs”, they’d like to kill as many as possible, to eliminate the opposition.
Targeted boycotts
Why targeted boycotts are ineffective
Boycotts often fail because they require massive, sustained participation to create meaningful financial pressure, lack clear alternatives for consumers, generate insufficient negative media attention, and are easily weathered by companies waiting for the protest to fade. Additionally, the complex nature of modern capitalism and the proliferation of corporate conglomerates can make it difficult for boycotters to effectively target and impact a company's bottom line or reputation, especially when companies have multiple revenue streams, like real estate, that aren't affected by consumer boycotts.
In 2020, Goya Foods praised President Donald Trump on social media, which caused those in opposition to Trump to boycott their products. Trump loyalists simultaneously initated a counter-boycott, where consumers bought mass quantities of their products, in response. The boycott caused Goya profits to increase dramatically because Trump supporters started an opposing campaign.
The midterm election
Will it be free and fair? It won’t be. Will it occur at all? HRH has already said that if we’re at war there’ll be no election. Guess what? If it’s looking bad for him, we’ll be at war to stop the election. The election is important to him because having the majority in the legislature gives the fascist regime the look of legitimacy.
People are putting too much faith in what the midterms will do. They may have a beneficial psychologic effect but in reality the outcome will have little or no practical effect, unless the Dems can get 2/3 majority in the house and senate, which they won’t. They will not be able to undo anything HRH has done or pass new legislation because of his veto power.
SCOTUS members Roberts and Barrett may have an epiphany and save the country from civil war, but it’s doubtful. It’s going to be up to us to stop this.
Time is running out for a Peaceful Solution. Please spread the word.
How to accomplish a Spending Strike
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
Totally agree. We must spread the word on a spending strike widely and quickly.
I agree with you completely. I was responding to someone who said that boycott are ineffective, but you are basically advocating and I am 100%. I'm behind you ,an economy -wide boycott .so how do we get this thing organized? Lets go!
I am starting today and sending to friends.
How to accomplish a Spending Strike
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
I am happy to stop spending on non-Rx and supplements and groceries. I might buy a new pair of bluejeans but that is all - and only because I do not own a pair that does not currently fall off me - food insecurity has consequences...
Are you seriously losing weight because you don't have enough to eat that's horrible
Partially - a charity here in southern FL provides 10 meals per week so I buy salad/fresh fruit & vegetables; low sodium cheese; yogurt; and coffee/milk and tea; and occasionally a can or two of tuna. But yes, I have lost weight & hope to maintain where I am at...
From what I'm experiencing, the regime is bringing consumer spending cuts into being with there policies. I have spent the last couple of days looking at what's essential and what I can cut. I agree, there are no other viable forms of peaceful protest left to us. I think it's clear that taking to the streets in peaceful protestis going to be met with violence from them. I don't think giving them made for streaming moments undercut with lies us going to get us anywhere. Money and power is all they understand.
From what I am experiencing, the regimevusbfircingb
You got me there?
You gave the example of the Goya backlash of Trumper's spending so why do you continue with this economic boyc"ottidea? it sounds doomed. What am I missing?
It means attacking the overall economy, not individual companies.
Sorry, but I have to disagree. It's one company at a time the boycott against Disney and Sinclair worked. Did you not notice that?
I did, that was about reinstating a comedian. The wider campaign is against the economy.
His Royal Highness and the oligarchs are still in control of the country. The boycott may have changed the behavior of two companies. It will take an attack on the entire economy to stop the fascist takeover.
I’m not advocating targeted boycotts. They are ineffective. I’m advocating a spending strike/economic disengagement.
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. 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.
We have few means to combat the anti constitutional take over of the US government. The constitutional mechanisms of separation of powers had flaws. Madison said no form of government would work without virtue ( broader definition), George Mason pointed out the flaw in the wording of execution power, while its meanings limitations were noted in the debates at that time, the fact that Washington was to be president helped get the poor wording passed. Trump is not Washington.
But a diminution of spending is also a blunt tool with unintended consequences. The people of substantial wealth will remain in their banquet halls playing deities, while those that live on day to day wages will suffer most and first. The middle class may have the ability to cut spending, but their marginal non essential spending has been pared back over the last few decades. The fraction of spending on products introduced recently in household incomes that could be cut and targeted at the uber rich, cable, streaming services, Amazon would perhaps put a little pressure on the measure of stock markets, but an analysis of impact v damage to support for the regime and life of the populace needs to be considered.
Regaining control of the media, with its influence on people’s actions is the only path forward that seems to be a possible path forward in the short and possibly long term that might avoid terrible hardship and perhaps violence to people beyond the physical and mental violence this regime has wrought. But the path to that goal seems impossible. Instilling reason, empathy understand in the few who are on the front line (people indentified ) Murdoch, Ellison, Musk, seems unlikely. Wresting power from these people would require greater wealth and a desire to pursue the purpose from others of greater wealth that have it now. Yet they may not exist.
Taking the power from the
wealthy would be a rerun of the Progressive Movement, but the regimen already bent the word progressive, like it did freedom, into a dystopian meaning to distort it beyond benefit to a tool for their use. We have no Teddy Roosevelt, no FDR, and they have even turned a common enemy, Russia (a role now defined as Putin in the game of Autocrats) into a friend.
Perhaps only persistent visible, non violent protest and appeal to any uber rich to bring forward a leadership able to capture the collective imagination and soul of the people, over the storm of the regime’s propaganda can save the American Experiment in its attempt to reach an empathetic, fair and livable civilization from the chaos and cruelty the regime is bringing
For me, this weekend’s news was the final straw. We’re preparing for the worst. Looking for leadership both nationally and locally. So far, locally just ain’t there. I’m too old to be that guy, but still able to assist.
I’m feeling for you Bill. Physical resistance is in my opinion nothing more than symbolic. Important yes, but there is a better less risky way to do this I promise you. - Martin
Didn’t mean “physical”, as in fighting - at least not yet (and that would be a terrible last resort, anyhow).
No, what I want is to be part of a huge mass movement that disrupts American life via sheer strength of numbers, as mentioned: a National nonviolent Strike. Most people are not going to join “anything” violent. A rolling series of regional efforts - IMO - is what folks would actually DO.
While I appreciate your posts, recommendations, advice, & analysis of America I need to push back on some of what you've said. American here, frightened, horrified & terribly sad, probably depressed at this point in seeing the country I love falling. With that said, I'm in this fight for the long hall as millions of fellow Americans, whom I'm proud of. No kings...Yes there could & maybe should be more frequent massive protests. But what media isnt showing is all the protests happening EVERY WEEK in every state. So I disagree with your analysis. We've had to change the word protest to "music festival" because oligarchs remove it otherwise. Yes, Survielance is happening. There's also many pop up last minute protests everywhere. 1 example is in NYC this week in front of the UN building! Since corporate media refuses to show Americans resisting, than more independent media voices like you could pick up that slack. Dont you think? I also disagree with your over all opinion of the democratic party. There's plenty of rising stars & voices doing great work. Yes, some are stuck in the 1990's way of governing but there's plenty that are not. Professor Heather Cox Richardson reminds us of this frequently on her daily politics chat on you tube. While we the people, the citizens of America get slammed for not resisting enough or correctly, I suppose a reminder is needed that while we bust our asses in many different ways of resisting we also have to push back on Law firms, universities, billionaire CEOs, NETWORKS, entire republican congress, far right 6 SCOTUS JUSTICES, etc etc that have capitulated & chose to kiss the ring while state run media & Russian paid podcasters spew hate, lies, & division. I'd also add if country leaders don't stand up & tell this regime NO instead of having a Disney prince like parade like King Charles & the PM did in London we are NOT gonna get out of this.
The white Christian nationalism & the desire to have a Christian KING like back in the crusaders era is part of heritage foundation, project 2025 & frightening as hell. You're absolutely correct about this. These people have hijacked Christianity for at least 3 decades & turned it into a weapon. It's a cult which brainwashed millions. This white Christian nationalism is happening in many places around the world. I'm seeing more people speaking up, educating about this finally in past several months.
Anyway, like I said, I appreciate your posts. I Just needed to speak what I'm feeling in my heart. It's difficult living here in this mess.
Hey, thank you so much for your heartfelt contribution to the conversation. I appreciate your frankness and I of course respect your pushback on my observations.
However, I think you make my point for me really. If corporate media and social media has been taken hostage, then you can protest on the streets as much as you like, nobody is hearing about it other than those who are part of it or those that witness it first hand.
My point was that this is not a traditional political fight, because the other side are three steps ahead and they are extremely good at it.
My point is that there is no traditional political solution to the problem. I did mark the point that political protests have a positive psychological impact and that they are valuable in that respect. Also think it helps people see they are in this together. You will see my view on this in the second part of this piece.
On the Royal visit I did a whole piece on this, I and many others were not in favour of the visit and I made my position very clear.
In conclusion I would simply say what I’ve said all along, the only solution is mass economic disengagement and I’ll talk about that in more detail in my next post. - Martin
Hi Martin, thanks for your conversation. I see your point. Black out the system started & hoping it gets bigger! More info at BLACKOUTTHESYSTEM.COM
I'm all in favor of Black Out the System! The problem, as to Martin's point is that this, too, is not a sustained effort. The blackouts are for one week. I believe the last one was earlier this month and the next one isn't scheduled until the end of November. Thats not enough to make the corporations really "bleed." People stop buying for one week and when its over they run out and buy all the things they didn't buy during the blackout week, pouring money right back into the tiny economic wound the one week of non-spending made. If we don't stop this soon, we will all be living under a constant economic blackout because all our money, the little bit of wealth we've been able to accumulate and retain, will have been drained off, siphoned upward to the top 1%. Since the beginning of the year, I have cut my monthly spending by 2/3. Truthfully, I could do better even now. We need to ALL pledge to stop all unnecessary spending. ALL of it. We need to teach our children how to make-do with much less. If we win this fight, it will only be for a little while. If we don't win this fight, it will become our new way if life because we'll be unable to accumulate wealth, get loans, etc
Leslie I agree. There's been many from black out the system & others that are saying to keep our wallets closed all the time! Starve the beast (oligarchs,corporations). Delete all subscriptions. Don't eat out or order from chain restaurants. Only shop local & eat at family owned small restaurants. Only buy necessary items. Stop traveling etc etc. It's up to all of us to shut it down. Asking people not to work for weeks isn't feasible. People need paychecks.
Amen to that!
I've been saying general strike for the last 6 months
I think it’s a little more complicated than that as you will see in the second part of the post which is up next, hopefully tomorrow
Pretty accurate I'd say. We're well past the point of this being about politics, and it's depressing, frustrating, and infuriating watching democrats act like it's still about elections and politics. We need to do something different at this point. We need to unite like never before, and regain control of our nation.
Correct
Great insight. I share your sentiments exactly. No matter where we live this regime is affecting us all. 🇨🇦
American here. We're sorry. We're trying to get it together. Meanwhile, we understand whatever actions other Nations take against the US are necessary right now and the sane Americans that are left here support whatever your country must do to stem the tide. Maybe when this is all over we can share a meal and a laugh across the border. For now, just know we're deeply sorry for the actions of the evil men running the show right now. Elbows Up! 🙂👍
I truly appreciate your response. Of course not everyone supports him and my heart breaks for you because defeating him will be extremely difficult. Stay strong and thank you for the offer of a meal!! 🇨🇦
Agreed that our Democratic leaders are mostly useless. But how do we get them to change? Seems like our cries of DO MORE go unheard and people like Schumer issue “strongly worded letters”. The people that need to do more and be ruthless are sleeping.
I hear you Kristen let’s talk after my next post. I didn’t want to make the current post too long.
Martin, do not listen to imbeciles, we are here to sustain you and all your work.
We appreciate the efforts, time and money you spend to write honest and informed articles.
We know that you have no horse in this race, you just help us to stay sane and the truth to shine, and we love you for that!
Stay well and healthy, maybe one day we’ll meet for a coffee in Manhattan! 🤗❤️🍀
My friend I look forward to your contributions to the conversation each day and I’d love to have a coffee when this nightmare is over.
The next protest is Oct 18...
Already corrected, apologies for that
It was correctly stated later in the article. I’m a fan, not a critic, I just want to help make sure people get correct info, and hope they’ll show up…
Thanks Kevin, it’s on me and sometimes things skip through the net. Proves I’m not AI
I love this article, but at the same time, the reason why people aren't smart enough to bite on the bait of the fish to like open their eyes of what's going on is because it's not bad enough. Do you think the Germans back in the day really thought it was going to get as bad as it did even though they voted for it? No, it took 11 bucking years for to go from ohh. My God, this is so great. Everybody has a radio and a bathroom and dinner on the table to oh my God, there's no f****** city left, okay in America. It is only just Begun, but I keep saying it no. But everybody that talks to me says that would never happen America. Yeah, that's what the Germans said. Okay. It takes time and we're doing it a lot faster than they did it. Which is crazier than s*** I hope. Hope everything works out and I hope everybody can prove me wrong.Give it a couple more years.And if people think their minds are blown, right now, we're not even going to have any sanity left
You are spot on. If you have read my work, you will see my position evolve as I assess the development. Can I suggest you read the second part of this post later today when it drops as it should bring a little clarity to my proposition.
I'm wondering if it could be helpful to the Dems in Congress to work with an historian on authoritarian regimes and/or the fall of democracy or even one who has great knowledge of past resistance movements. It seems like the congressional Dems are like lost little puppy dogs. We need to play catch up and FAST.
Good point.
Two prominent people who are experts on history and authoritarianism are Rachel Maddow and Heather Cox Richardson. Rachel has books and podcasts on the subject; Richardson is on YouTube and probably podcasts.
We value the dedication of independent journalists who collect, analyze, and disseminate news free from government or corporate influence. Journalistic integrity is essential for a thriving democracy. However, many articles from independent journalists conclude with a call for Americans to "wake up." Unfortunately, this phrase often lacks specific, actionable details. Given the urgency of the situation, it's crucial to provide clear steps on what "waking up" looks like within a fascist government.
I think you’ll see in my work I provide plenty of actionable advice. I suggest you circle back after reading part two of this post later today.
I can barely breathe reading this. I am firmly planted in what we-the-people can do in the face of a government that will kill us all -- you outside the U.S, too. Martin, please send people to me. I'm the only person here on Substack rabble-rousing for action we can take. And it's not just to prevent further erosion of all the principles and practices we hold dear, but in the face of nature bearing down on us that threatens to send everyone, the rich as well as the poor, back to the Stone Age.
I’ve been throwing out ideas for more than two years, and top of my list now are one I've been trying to catalyze for a long time, to create a U.S. coalition of many millions that would massively respond to boycotts and marches and whatever else can use massive response, and a newer idea to get all the experts about collapse talking to each other to come up with the very best thing to get behind, which I suggest is an educational campaign so all of humanity becomes aware of the life or death struggle overshoot has us in so we get working on what the best thing would be to do.
Here’s my latest, where I’ve put a lot of money on the table to support things I could work with that can get us on a life-giving path:
Funding for a Future
Using my savings and how a special billionaire could do so much more
https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/p/funding-for-a-future
Sue, I know how passionate you are about this, and I know you are willing to invest in a solution. I’m sure there will be lots of people that are more than happy to offer their suggestions, because it’s easy to take action when you’re doing it with someone else’s money. I would just urge caution because political philanthropy can be a black hole that delivers nothing. - Martin
Thanks, Martin. Hopefully I won't get taken by strangers as I have by friends I've helped over the years, who have a peculiar pattern of making me a villain when they duck paying me back.
However, this is a basic switch, where it's not money for what helps people do their thing but for what would help me do mine. Things I'd work on with them are the only items I would fund. Not infallible, but I hope not foolish.
Only solution is for the Democratic "donor " states to revolt and form their own country.
But drastic though. But I do have some sympathy for the argument.
They will not allow it, Trump will send troops to occupy the capitals and arrest people. He already did it for no reason, that was the exercise.
We can protest by cutting the money, all of it. No federal taxes for Washington, no shopping, except food, utilities, strict what we cannot survive without. Cut cable TV, use antennas, it’s free. General strike, no work, dead cities. If they come to occupy, no one gets out, homes, schools, streets, empty. Like abandoned cities, ghosts.
If we can do that for as long as we can, we beat them. If we cut the money they have nothing to go on. I hope the democrats shut down the government this time, let’s blow up the bubble.
Think about Gandhi in India. They manage to throw out the British from India just by strike, no violence, no weapons, just general strike and peaceful protest. We are not Indians and no Gandhi either to follow but maybe someone takes the flag and become our version of Gandhi, a peaceful, respected man that was able to bring an empire on its knees.
We only have to do it for Trump, a stupid clown! 🤡
I read through enough of these posts to realize that YOUR NOT MAD ENOUGH!!!! And delaying in moving into the streets by the millions because there’s no LEADERSHIP
Please get it through your head, If everyone waits too long we’ll have to face gunfire in order to do it. It all comes down to a Central/ Regional organization to call out strikes and get the public enraged about this farce of a government. They are moving as quickly as possible to keep this from happening. They know the path we have to take to stop them. The weak will be rolled over, so, figure it out. Until the Public collectively gets in the streets with torches and starts demanding a stop to this nonsense they will continue their plan. I have said numerous times that the supreme court is enabling this madness and that’s where the fight must start, if we don’t…. Well they’re going keep doing his bidding. They need the fear of a really pissed off crowd ready to burn the house down to get in line. Politics work when there’s a will to work together , however that’s obviously not the case. These people are openly trying to use fear and intimidation to subdue the public. Nobody’s hungry enough, mad enough or organized enough….. yet and I believe many are waiting to see the figure head step up and move to mobilize us
You are totally missing the point I’m sorry to say. You can bring this government to its knees without stepping a foot on the streets and Trump sanctioning troops to shoot protesters as is the hint in his last Trutb Social post.
Be in no doubt he’s up for a fight, so why play straight into his hands?
I don’t think you know the kind of people we’re dealing with here. A bully that wants a fight won’t be denied , his accomplices hovering, a police state being formed day by day. I don’t want a fight, and yet when do you draw the line. They have no choice but to play for keeps, the laws broken by them and more to come…. B B here , WW 2 was freshly ended, in laws and outlaws fought a “ master race “ very similar to those in Washington right now who profess the same “Ideal “ . Wait and see what sec/ def has to say to the military then get back to me. Seen the play book before and wish it wasn’t so obvious
Trump is now senile, unhinged and a facade for what is going on behind his back. They keep him there because the Bible Belt believes him, obviously they do not read anything, just watch Fox News! It is amazing how two people can control a whole country: Vought and Miller. It is amazing that these two thugs while educated in this country can hate it so much. There is no evangelical right, there is an extreme white right but has nothing to do with Christianity, I would say is the opposite of it. Nothing they do is Christian from the hello, they just used it to keep the Bible Belt on their side, nothing else. Even the memorial for Kirk was a show of hate, not a Christian wake.
“I suspect that this is exactly what Russell Vought, who no doubt drafted this along with Stephen Miller, intended. They will want to appeal it once again to the Supreme Court. It’s a typical pattern of behaviour, placing Democrats under constant pressure and fear of donors withdrawing their support. It’s all part of a carefully crafted strategy.”
I agree, they want us scared, no doubt, and their SCOTUS is compromised, bought by them.
Next step is to buy the military too, they suppose to defend us not them. Will they? I doubt it.
I agree that Comey cost Hillary the election, and that is not forgivable, guilty or not of whatever Trump accuses him.
There is a movie they made after the election about him - The Comey Rule, 2020.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9174536/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_comey
A blackout would be a short term solution and combined with the shutdown of the government may only infuriate the yellow man and his thugs, and possible make them to declare marshal law, although will be no law anymore.
We are stuck in a twilight zone and kept prisoners by godless monsters!