Well reported Mary. To answer the question, the world has judged. Now they weigh options as must. The death of Renee Good continues to galvanize, more so by a government throwing fuel on the fire. Your commentary inspires my comment.
The greatness of our Country is not the power we can wield; rather, it is voluntary constraint of power we impose upon ourselves by the Constitution and international institutions and treaties.
Trump’s strategic view is unfettered sovereignty. Unilateral action whose soul purpose is zero sum dismissing the nobility of America. We see it from Venezuela to Minneapolis. We see it in seized oil from Venezuela to the illegal tariffs. We saw it in his “grab’em” boast, and most likely in the Epstein imbroglio. He seeks power without morality.
The world understands better than us. In Davos, the bullshit met reality. The speech to listen to and understand was Canadian PM Carney’s: America’s benign hegemony of self constraint is no more. In history’s recurring theme the weakness of individual nations integrates into strength as new economic, political, and—perhaps—military relationships emerge.
Have we crossed the Rubicon? Is the rupture irreversible? Hard to say, but we are certainly dipping our toe if that historic river. Our allies are getting insurance if we should continue.
We certainly do. And it will get worse — probably much worse — before it gets better. Cornered rats never become more reasonable. Trump and his henchmen will not relinquish power peacefully or easily.
Trump has always threatened martial law. J6 was a dress rehearsal where Trump learned he simply needed MORE agents, weapons, and brutality to get his way. The question now is how do we prepare for it.
There’s no Nobel prize for appeasement. Trump only responds to being outwitted AND outgunned. Our only hope for a peaceful transition of power is such a united show of strength that he’ll chicken out and seek a face-saving retreat.
Well, of course we have a long battle ahead of us and sadly it is largely of our own making. We got comfortable and lazy with regard to our civic responsibilities and we stopped paying attention...that's someone else's job. If you are boss, you check in on progress or lack thereof and correct the direction of things. We are the bosses and we gave up that position! Last year, it was said by several really wise, informed people...people who did try to sound the alarms early on, that now, we are making progress, but this new year was gonna be a bitch and we were needed to work our tails off to keep the momentum going.
There are a couple of quotes that I like: 'Hesitation kills, Momentum wins the day' and 'Momentum begets Momentum'
So, I am tired, sad, depressed sometimes, angry AND still harboring HOPE! And because of all that I am calling EVERY DAY...Senators need to vote on the January 30th spending appropriations bills which otherwise expires at the end of this month and the government shuts down again. This includes funding for DHS, CBP, and the Nazi militia, ICE. I am demanding they filibuster the bill OR vote to Abolish ICE and Impeach Noem! The taxpayer's money is paying for these likely J6ers and off-the-street-thugs to become this lawless militia who's goal is to cause harm and even death to those who PAY them!! And it is a BIG paycheck. Unbelievable!
Schumer: 1-202-224-6542; Jeffries: 1-202-225-5936; Schiff (CA): 1-202-224-3841; Padilla (CA): 1-202-224-3553...Please make calls to your senators...It is up to us! In solidarity we will be VICTORIOUS! Thank You All.
I think trump is acting on the premise or the orders: WWPD. What would Putin do? I just found out Denmark is doing a wonderful job of getting weapons to Ukraine to help them defend themselves. And trump has been threatening Greenland, which is owned by Denmark. This is just one example. Weakening NATO, turning America into a military state, alienating all our allies, ruining our economy, etc…What more could Putin want?
Trump is remarkably simple to understand. His worldview has the emotional sophistication of a six-year-old: every interaction, large or small, is filtered through a single question — how does this benefit me? It always comes down to ATTENTION or MONEY...
How can we get him to accept exile and relative anonymity?
Napoleon had to be defeated by armed forces, but Trump is no military genius. Trump has a tendency to chicken out after a show of bluster and relatively hollow military threats.
His advancing age and dementia, like Napoleon’s stomach cancer, suggest that exiling him to an tropical island “prison” with a golf course might be a workable, short term solution. Nature will take care of the rest.
Mark Carney’s statement that Canada’s relationship with the US is not in a transition, it is ruptured.
Carney’s premise is simple: the cozy post-war order isn’t coming back, and Canada should stop expecting the U.S. to behave like a benevolent big brother. Accept that, and the next question writes itself: who helps Canada keep its sovereignty intact now? In one hypothetical future, Ottawa might conclude that inviting Chinese “defensive partnerships” would politely remind its southern neighbor to behave.
It would have sounded absurd a decade ago — which, on Carney’s reading, may be exactly why it can’t be dismissed outright today.
Trump was happy to waste our time. Greenland certainly distracted us from Ukraine, our faltering economy, the crimes of ICE, and whatever horrible secrets are buried in the Epstein files. I suspect he thinks he came out ahead.
I think we have to accept that the US has a chronic reactionary minority.
They were monarchists in the 1700s, segregationists and Confederates in the 1800s, and fascists in the 1900s. Today you can call them neofascists, authoritarians, oligarchs, or technocrats — the bottom line is that they believe in minority rule by a privileged elite. They have always opposed democracy and equality.
They are why the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The lesson to be learned is that no generation can become complacent and take our democracy and the rule of law for granted.
If we realize they are always lying in wait for another opportunity to seize power, we’re much less likely to allow them the chance in the future.
The Trump enablers are a problem that won’t easily go away, even if he does. The oligarchs (here and abroad) buy corrupt politicians to do their bidding, so law and policy bend to their wishes; we now know the private sector collaborates. The Electoral College, mass propaganda tools and an ignorant, easily manipulated public make controlling outcomes simpler.
We the people have large numbers of clear eyed resisters, persistence, and unbending truth tellers like Mary, who keeps us informed and armed with reality.
Badgering elected officials, boycotting complicit businesses (let them know), showing up at local government forums and peaceful protests, spreading truth among friends … it all matters.
Armies of Minnesotans are doing it all and more. Let them know they’re not alone. Contact information for Minnesota elected officials who are standing tall (Frey, Walz, others) is available online.
Well reported Mary. To answer the question, the world has judged. Now they weigh options as must. The death of Renee Good continues to galvanize, more so by a government throwing fuel on the fire. Your commentary inspires my comment.
The greatness of our Country is not the power we can wield; rather, it is voluntary constraint of power we impose upon ourselves by the Constitution and international institutions and treaties.
Trump’s strategic view is unfettered sovereignty. Unilateral action whose soul purpose is zero sum dismissing the nobility of America. We see it from Venezuela to Minneapolis. We see it in seized oil from Venezuela to the illegal tariffs. We saw it in his “grab’em” boast, and most likely in the Epstein imbroglio. He seeks power without morality.
The world understands better than us. In Davos, the bullshit met reality. The speech to listen to and understand was Canadian PM Carney’s: America’s benign hegemony of self constraint is no more. In history’s recurring theme the weakness of individual nations integrates into strength as new economic, political, and—perhaps—military relationships emerge.
Have we crossed the Rubicon? Is the rupture irreversible? Hard to say, but we are certainly dipping our toe if that historic river. Our allies are getting insurance if we should continue.
I fear we have a long battle ahead of us.
Certainly not the time for “sunshine patriots.”
We certainly do. And it will get worse — probably much worse — before it gets better. Cornered rats never become more reasonable. Trump and his henchmen will not relinquish power peacefully or easily.
I believe Trump is baiting Minneapolis. If the people fight back physically they will all be Domestic terrorists. Martial law is coming.
Trump has always threatened martial law. J6 was a dress rehearsal where Trump learned he simply needed MORE agents, weapons, and brutality to get his way. The question now is how do we prepare for it.
There’s no Nobel prize for appeasement. Trump only responds to being outwitted AND outgunned. Our only hope for a peaceful transition of power is such a united show of strength that he’ll chicken out and seek a face-saving retreat.
Is Elba still available?
Well, of course we have a long battle ahead of us and sadly it is largely of our own making. We got comfortable and lazy with regard to our civic responsibilities and we stopped paying attention...that's someone else's job. If you are boss, you check in on progress or lack thereof and correct the direction of things. We are the bosses and we gave up that position! Last year, it was said by several really wise, informed people...people who did try to sound the alarms early on, that now, we are making progress, but this new year was gonna be a bitch and we were needed to work our tails off to keep the momentum going.
There are a couple of quotes that I like: 'Hesitation kills, Momentum wins the day' and 'Momentum begets Momentum'
So, I am tired, sad, depressed sometimes, angry AND still harboring HOPE! And because of all that I am calling EVERY DAY...Senators need to vote on the January 30th spending appropriations bills which otherwise expires at the end of this month and the government shuts down again. This includes funding for DHS, CBP, and the Nazi militia, ICE. I am demanding they filibuster the bill OR vote to Abolish ICE and Impeach Noem! The taxpayer's money is paying for these likely J6ers and off-the-street-thugs to become this lawless militia who's goal is to cause harm and even death to those who PAY them!! And it is a BIG paycheck. Unbelievable!
Schumer: 1-202-224-6542; Jeffries: 1-202-225-5936; Schiff (CA): 1-202-224-3841; Padilla (CA): 1-202-224-3553...Please make calls to your senators...It is up to us! In solidarity we will be VICTORIOUS! Thank You All.
I think trump is acting on the premise or the orders: WWPD. What would Putin do? I just found out Denmark is doing a wonderful job of getting weapons to Ukraine to help them defend themselves. And trump has been threatening Greenland, which is owned by Denmark. This is just one example. Weakening NATO, turning America into a military state, alienating all our allies, ruining our economy, etc…What more could Putin want?
The picture suddenly shifts into sharp focus if you analyze everything Trump has done from the standpoint of its benefit to Putin.
Trump is remarkably simple to understand. His worldview has the emotional sophistication of a six-year-old: every interaction, large or small, is filtered through a single question — how does this benefit me? It always comes down to ATTENTION or MONEY...
The Greenland episode happened to deliver both
How can we get him to accept exile and relative anonymity?
Napoleon had to be defeated by armed forces, but Trump is no military genius. Trump has a tendency to chicken out after a show of bluster and relatively hollow military threats.
His advancing age and dementia, like Napoleon’s stomach cancer, suggest that exiling him to an tropical island “prison” with a golf course might be a workable, short term solution. Nature will take care of the rest.
I understand that the Epstein Island is available ;-)
Poetic justice!
Mark Carney’s statement that Canada’s relationship with the US is not in a transition, it is ruptured.
Carney’s premise is simple: the cozy post-war order isn’t coming back, and Canada should stop expecting the U.S. to behave like a benevolent big brother. Accept that, and the next question writes itself: who helps Canada keep its sovereignty intact now? In one hypothetical future, Ottawa might conclude that inviting Chinese “defensive partnerships” would politely remind its southern neighbor to behave.
It would have sounded absurd a decade ago — which, on Carney’s reading, may be exactly why it can’t be dismissed outright today.
So all this buzz about Greenland was a lot of hoopla for nothin. What a waste of time!
Trump was happy to waste our time. Greenland certainly distracted us from Ukraine, our faltering economy, the crimes of ICE, and whatever horrible secrets are buried in the Epstein files. I suspect he thinks he came out ahead.
We need to look into who is getting rich whenever his TACO truck turns around!
Excellent writing 🙏
I think we have to accept that the US has a chronic reactionary minority.
They were monarchists in the 1700s, segregationists and Confederates in the 1800s, and fascists in the 1900s. Today you can call them neofascists, authoritarians, oligarchs, or technocrats — the bottom line is that they believe in minority rule by a privileged elite. They have always opposed democracy and equality.
They are why the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The lesson to be learned is that no generation can become complacent and take our democracy and the rule of law for granted.
If we realize they are always lying in wait for another opportunity to seize power, we’re much less likely to allow them the chance in the future.
The Trump enablers are a problem that won’t easily go away, even if he does. The oligarchs (here and abroad) buy corrupt politicians to do their bidding, so law and policy bend to their wishes; we now know the private sector collaborates. The Electoral College, mass propaganda tools and an ignorant, easily manipulated public make controlling outcomes simpler.
We the people have large numbers of clear eyed resisters, persistence, and unbending truth tellers like Mary, who keeps us informed and armed with reality.
Badgering elected officials, boycotting complicit businesses (let them know), showing up at local government forums and peaceful protests, spreading truth among friends … it all matters.
Armies of Minnesotans are doing it all and more. Let them know they’re not alone. Contact information for Minnesota elected officials who are standing tall (Frey, Walz, others) is available online.