Two hundred and fifty years after rejecting monarchy, America celebrates with deepfakes, palace justice, peeling pool liner, and a republic still trying to remember what independence means.
The self-imposed mad king wanna be, definitely needs to be impeached, removed, and convicted. I stand with Major Watson on that score.Then maybe, maybe we have some chance at restoring some semblance of sanity to America. We will never be what we were, but I hope we can be better.
We went to the Tall Ships parade for the Nation's 200th anniversary and it was wonderful. The ships were amazing and everyone was excited to celebrate the nation's birthday. It was an incredibly festive atmosphere. This 250th should be even better and yet I am filled with sadness and despair not only at what is happening to our country but also how many people seem not to notice.
Diane, I lived in New York at that time, and I too was so happy and proud to be an American, born in this Country of recent immigrants. I was hoping I would be alive to see the 250th celebration. Here I am.....I feel the very same sadness you describe. I also feel so ashamed of what this gop Congress has allowed to happen; from allowing such incompetent and vile individuals positions of power to not reigning in this monster that is president. God have mercy on us all.
HOW WILL ALL OF THIS INSANITY END, HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAN THIS SITUATION BE FIXED, SUPPOSE HE CHANGES THINGS SO THAT HE CAN REMAIN IN POWER, YOU CAN BET HE IS LOOKING FOR THAT LOOPHOLE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO STILL LOVE THEIR COUNTRY MUST BAND TOGEHER TO STOP THIS MISS-USE OF POWER, TO SAVE WHAT REMAINS, SAD,SAD, SAD.
You and Jack Smith are so right to sound the alarm at this pivotal juncture in our nation’s 250 year history.
Trump and his enablers have breathtaking wealth and power. They have also shown their intent, in both language and actions, to impose an authoritarian regime that is antithetical to our founders’ vision (see, for example, the Preamble to the Constitution).
Trump world’s government and private power is unprecedented. It extends to military and paramilitary forces, government surveillance and legal apparatus, social media platforms with advanced tools to micro-target voters with manipulative content, and control of major news outlets.
This 4th of July through January 19, 2027, will test whether “we the people” are up to the moment. These coming months could make the lead up to Trump’s attempted coup of January 6, 2021, seem like amateur hour.
As Mr. Smith says, we must first imagine, with clear eyes, how the coup masters might try to keep power before and in the weeks after the November 2026 elections.
In addition to supporting pro-democracy candidates, we must reach out to state and local agencies with authority to protect election processes, machines and ballots and support state and private legal defense and election protection teams prepared to defend the Republic (peacefully and legally). Let’s do it!
Beautifully put--- Central question is, as you put it: Not whether the current pretend King is nuts-- he is. But whether his all-enveloping corruption, felony rape and robbery of the entire government can be reversed or is it too permanently burned for a decent version to arise from the ashes.
Can a Democratic congress (if Trump's assault on midterm voting doesn't permanently destroy our system of government) reverse this disease, even though it seems to have gotten into the bone marrow of our country--Can all this deliberately injected poison be drained and something resembling the Constitution be reassembled?
It's a terrifying thought that Trump, et. al, has not just stolen, but has been handed the vital organs of the republic by the great, abiding ignorance, racism and fear of a majority of voters... How can I think, having seen various minor attacks on Democracy in my eight decades-- how can I even imagine the end of Democracy and the arrival of mere chaos and brutality. Is the 250th the last anniversary of our Democracy. We have plenty of enemies from without--is the country also going to destroy itself from within-- and from the top down?
You write about King George III: “ The Americans accused him of obstructing laws, interfering with colonial legislatures, keeping standing armies among them, cutting off trade, imposing taxes without consent, depriving them of trial by jury, and waging war against his own subjects. In the Declaration’s telling, the problem was not merely a bad policy here or a bad minister there. It was arbitrary power itself. One man’s will had become a system of government.” That’s what the colonialists accused him of, and that’s what has been taught in US schools ever since. In fact much of that is not true, and the King was, and is, subject to the will of Parliament. He theoretically had the power to veto, but it remains unused. The last British king to rule personally was Charles I.
Then perhaps the British Parliament will consider allowing us back into the UK? I’d love to see our political leaders navigate those Prime Ministers Questions debates each Wednesday!
The self-imposed mad king wanna be, definitely needs to be impeached, removed, and convicted. I stand with Major Watson on that score.Then maybe, maybe we have some chance at restoring some semblance of sanity to America. We will never be what we were, but I hope we can be better.
We went to the Tall Ships parade for the Nation's 200th anniversary and it was wonderful. The ships were amazing and everyone was excited to celebrate the nation's birthday. It was an incredibly festive atmosphere. This 250th should be even better and yet I am filled with sadness and despair not only at what is happening to our country but also how many people seem not to notice.
Diane, I lived in New York at that time, and I too was so happy and proud to be an American, born in this Country of recent immigrants. I was hoping I would be alive to see the 250th celebration. Here I am.....I feel the very same sadness you describe. I also feel so ashamed of what this gop Congress has allowed to happen; from allowing such incompetent and vile individuals positions of power to not reigning in this monster that is president. God have mercy on us all.
HOW WILL ALL OF THIS INSANITY END, HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAN THIS SITUATION BE FIXED, SUPPOSE HE CHANGES THINGS SO THAT HE CAN REMAIN IN POWER, YOU CAN BET HE IS LOOKING FOR THAT LOOPHOLE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO STILL LOVE THEIR COUNTRY MUST BAND TOGEHER TO STOP THIS MISS-USE OF POWER, TO SAVE WHAT REMAINS, SAD,SAD, SAD.
Um….the declaration wasn’t signed until the August. It was accepted on the fourth. My source is HCR.
You and Jack Smith are so right to sound the alarm at this pivotal juncture in our nation’s 250 year history.
Trump and his enablers have breathtaking wealth and power. They have also shown their intent, in both language and actions, to impose an authoritarian regime that is antithetical to our founders’ vision (see, for example, the Preamble to the Constitution).
Trump world’s government and private power is unprecedented. It extends to military and paramilitary forces, government surveillance and legal apparatus, social media platforms with advanced tools to micro-target voters with manipulative content, and control of major news outlets.
This 4th of July through January 19, 2027, will test whether “we the people” are up to the moment. These coming months could make the lead up to Trump’s attempted coup of January 6, 2021, seem like amateur hour.
As Mr. Smith says, we must first imagine, with clear eyes, how the coup masters might try to keep power before and in the weeks after the November 2026 elections.
In addition to supporting pro-democracy candidates, we must reach out to state and local agencies with authority to protect election processes, machines and ballots and support state and private legal defense and election protection teams prepared to defend the Republic (peacefully and legally). Let’s do it!
A truly excellent piece, as always. Just now I can only watch from the sidelines with dread in my heart...
Beautifully put--- Central question is, as you put it: Not whether the current pretend King is nuts-- he is. But whether his all-enveloping corruption, felony rape and robbery of the entire government can be reversed or is it too permanently burned for a decent version to arise from the ashes.
Can a Democratic congress (if Trump's assault on midterm voting doesn't permanently destroy our system of government) reverse this disease, even though it seems to have gotten into the bone marrow of our country--Can all this deliberately injected poison be drained and something resembling the Constitution be reassembled?
It's a terrifying thought that Trump, et. al, has not just stolen, but has been handed the vital organs of the republic by the great, abiding ignorance, racism and fear of a majority of voters... How can I think, having seen various minor attacks on Democracy in my eight decades-- how can I even imagine the end of Democracy and the arrival of mere chaos and brutality. Is the 250th the last anniversary of our Democracy. We have plenty of enemies from without--is the country also going to destroy itself from within-- and from the top down?
Department of Avoidable Flu Outbreaks…..well done LOL
Amazing accuracy, even in the humbling satire. General consensus calls concern that all may be lost.
Q: Are enough people aware how far we have been brought to ?
David Brooks said ,with his casual stoicism ,(paraphrase) ‘look where what the last 10 years [of Trump] now finds us’…Nutshell. Hello.
A: We’d best be!
Great post. Share.Do all you can.
Thanks, y’all Happy Fourth🇺🇸
Thanks Mary…this is the only place I’ve seen some of this. Who needs a fair with this clown show!
You write about King George III: “ The Americans accused him of obstructing laws, interfering with colonial legislatures, keeping standing armies among them, cutting off trade, imposing taxes without consent, depriving them of trial by jury, and waging war against his own subjects. In the Declaration’s telling, the problem was not merely a bad policy here or a bad minister there. It was arbitrary power itself. One man’s will had become a system of government.” That’s what the colonialists accused him of, and that’s what has been taught in US schools ever since. In fact much of that is not true, and the King was, and is, subject to the will of Parliament. He theoretically had the power to veto, but it remains unused. The last British king to rule personally was Charles I.
Then perhaps the British Parliament will consider allowing us back into the UK? I’d love to see our political leaders navigate those Prime Ministers Questions debates each Wednesday!