I think it’s great for Noem to see Portland herself. I want Fox News to run video of her visiting to show Portland is NOT “burning to the ground” every day.
How do the people working for ICE and CBP see Portland? What do they write home on Telegram about their work? My friend Cliff Schecter intercepted one of their messages about beingtrapped in “War Ravaged” Portland
Dearest Ophelia,
I write to you from the gangrenous environs of “war-ravaged” Portland. I thought I had seen it all during my early days of service—Bosnia, Rwanda, Eric Trump’s gum line.
But, I am a trifle discomfited by the many challenges we face on this Monday, 29th of September, anno Domini nosti Jesus Christi, 2025.
There are the shortages of gluten-free curry at Elephant’s Delicatessen the likes of which no-tarot reading could’ve predicted. So I must exist solely on a diet of artisanal nut cheeses, plant-based collagen and vegan honey.
Jack has disappeared again, no doubt training with the ghost regimen known as Antifa.
Check out the piece, it’s funny and then subscribe to BlueAmp, I’ve been staying up to date on what is happening then suggesting methods, strategies and tactics to fight back behind the scenes, but it’s important to keep getting our stories and messages out there publicly and Cliff is doing a great job with posts and videos.
Last week I learned how the right wing has been flooding social media, YouTube and Google AI search with disinformation. One way to combat that is for us to share our work and our experts in as many places as possible. Yes, liking, sharing and commenting matters!
Lately I’ve been sharing fun images from Portland like The Anti-Fascist Frog.
How we fight in #Portland.Ridicule is working! #ICE & #CBP backed up! The frog finally jumped out of the slow heating pot!Thank you #AntiFascistFrog on TikTokwww.tiktok.com/@theantifasc… @thefarce.org @emptywheel.bsky.social @gottalaff.bsky.social @jim-stewartson.bsky.social
On Good Trouble day, I’m been thinking about communities and talking to my friend Cliff Schecter about ways we can work together to boost the voices on our side and share the “Good Trouble” we have done. He has set up a new program, The Soundcheck Fund (TSF) to boost and distribute independent media. I’m working on a a bunch of ways to help. Here’s the deal.
Blue Amp just launched The Soundcheck Fund (TSF) to elevate independent media voices—by donating five figures out of our own pockets. We ask that you help us grow the fund by simply getting a paid subscription to Blue Amp for .26 per day.
We’ve waited for liberal billionaires. ENOUGH. We’ll build an ecosystem of bold, truth-tellers—commentators, journalists, etc—with grants and promotion.
There’s a link to the app on our main page. Tired of being gaslit, silenced, misinformed? Get A Paid Subscription, join a movement that won’t be stopped.
🎤 The Soundcheck Fund – Micro Grants for Independent Creators
Welcome to the Soundcheck Fund by Blue Amp Action, where we’re giving creators early-stage support to test the mic and fine-tune your message.
The Soundcheck Fund is offering $500-$1,000 micro grants to creators, storytellers, and digital voices who are pushing back against extremism, disinformation, and corporate media failure. If you’re producing original content that informs, agitates, or inspires—especially on the issues that define our democracy—we want to help amplify your voice!
This fund is built for people creating TikToks, Reels, Substacks, memes, podcasts, rants, essays, animations, or any format that breaks through the noise and speaks directly to the moment.
We’re not here to direct the message—we just want to turn up the volume. You’ll retain full creative control. All we ask is that you:
Include a short “Funded by Blue Amp” disclosure + link to this grant application for 6 weeks
Let us feature your work on our Substack (if selected for amplification)
No strings. No scripts. Just support.
If you’re ready to speak up, we’re ready to back you!
Right now Substack is hot and they want to grow, so we use that. But Cliff and I both know they will get enshittified, especially when there is money to be made and algorithms to exploit. I’m working with some people to figure out how to use Substack’s live video events to boost our people as a rapid response on news events.
I’ve also learned that the second a platform or method to reach people works, the right will want to take over. They’ll use AI tools, bots and collaborations with anyone, including Russian propagandists.
If I was talking to some rich people on the left who want to help, I’d say, “We HAVE the content. Help us with distribution!” Because I saw RW funders dump millions on the YouTube algorithm to feed us Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Jordan Peterson, Stephen Crowder and “The Manosphere.”
Whatever we create, we need to do it from the grass roots by boosting and supporting each other. Communities carry on, even when other platforms become distorted by greed and power. My Eschaton community recently lost a beloved member, I mourn him. Facebook still exists, but they have purposefully worked to suppress “political” content. We have to think about how to share stuff created in one area with another platform, but most platforms want to lock people in. Bluesky has grown but I remain a HUGE fan of Mastodon. I love dances on TikTok, but did you know people get their news there? People in the media still use Twitter (X) but also email exists! Blogs exist! Live protests outside Tesla dealerships and at town halls happen. I’ve met people on Signal.
The right uses social media for their rapid spread of disinformation. I’ve been reading and following Jim Stewartson and have learned how it’s done. In the process I’ve met some AMAZING people in his community. We talk everyday about what we can do. Our efforts to boost our voices are small now, but I’ve found just being in community helps with the feeling of being overwhelmed.
So sign up. I know what communities I want to be part of.
By now you’ve seen the best of the Trump Musk fight. I know I have. The folks at MSNBC and the Late Night TV hosts, (Meyers, Colbert, Kimmel & Fallon) have had a great time with the feud. My favorite is A Closer Look written by Sal Gentile and produced by Emily Erotas
One of my favorite tactics is the classic, “Let’s you and him fight!” This is an especially good time to use it, for the reason that David Schuster talks about on my friend Cliff Schecter’s YouTube channel Both Trump and Musk retaliate against anyone who comes after them.
Musk brings up Epstein to attack Trump? Cool. When you talk about it on social media, repeat the details mentioned in this video that have been vetted and ask for more from official sources. Also, you should totally subscribe to Cliff Schecter’s YouTube channel ,
if you are still there, post on X, “Musk raises an interesting question about Trump and Epstein. What’s the deal with…. “Hey, ELON MUSK brought this up, I’d like to know more!”
You could post on Truth Social, “Trump raises an interesting question about Musk, what’s the deal with…” “Hey, DONALD TRUMP brought this up, I’d like to know more!”
Then if you really want to push the story forward , talk about this on Mastodon and Bluesky, What I shared on on Mastodon and Bluesky was Marcy Wheeler talking to Nicole Sandler wondering why is Bill Balls still at DOGE and the national security risk of a drug addled Musk having this much power.
After the Trump/Musk fight, the focus needs to be separating Musk from SpaceX & Starlink. It's a HUGE national security issue. @emptywheel.bsky.social is live 5ET/2PT youtu.be/G-soP-sr8y0 or nicolesandler.com, emptywheel.net, nicolesandler.substack.comAlso why is Big Balls still at #DOGE?
The point is that we have ways to give this story “legs” as they used to say in the news business. Look for ways to make their feud hurt each other, using there own grievances and vindictiveness against each other. For example, Trump brought up cancelling Musk’s contracts. Musk threated to decommission the Dragon spacecraft. BOOM. Use that.
My friend Fred had prepared for that by creating a petition at Change.org
Sign it. WE have to do this. The media don’t see it as their job to take down Musk or Trump. But this talk of nationalizing SpaceX gives them the opportunity to talk again about the security threat that a drug addled Musk, whose company controls the launching of 2/3 of our satellites, poses to America.
You will notice how David Shuster discusses Epstein, he choses his words carefully. That’s because of how Trump attacks everyone and sues everyone. We need to be careful, but Musk doesn’t, Trump doesn’t. So use their attacks on each other to drive the stories we want.
The online feud between Elon Musk & Donald Trump impacts perceptions of the Jeffrey Epstein grand jury materials. We can help shape that narrative by talking, tooting, tweeting and skeeting about it. It’s part of how we do politics these days.
“They drew their swords and shot each other. The deaf policeman heard the noise and came and shot the two dead boys. If you don’t believe this story is true, ask the blind man, he saw it too.” -Rhyme I learned in Boy’s Life Magazine circa 1967.
I’m not in charge of media or social media strategy on the left, but if I was, I’d suggest that we learn to use the people we have, and to drive the feud where WE want it to go.
This week there were LOTS of examples of Trump’s rapid mental decline. On my friend Cliff Schecter’s YouTube channel (which you should totally subscribe to) David Shuster discusses concerns from anonymous Trump White House staff regarding President Trump’s worsening irritability, confusion & memory loss, pointing to cognitive decline.
The video includes multiple examples, like the Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, where Trump made crazy statements. Then there is the time he claimed, without evidence, that Qatar was giving the United States 1.2 trillion or six times GDP, which is preposterous. And he didn’t back down, he’s now claiming $5.1 trillion worth of investment!
Watch the video. It’s short. Like. Subscribe. Then pick your favorite story to share with everyone.
This video single handedly demonstrates beyond any shadow of a doubt that he has got to GO!! This is reaching all new heights of absurdity.
Make a comment, like someone else’s comment and share on Bluesky,Mastodon, Facebook, WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, Reddit, VK, OK or even LinkedIn.
For example, on LinkedIn someone could post “As a professional who cares for people with dementia, I’m really concerned for the health of Donald Trump. I see all the same signs in his behavior as I do in my clients.” (Several people commented about seeing the same signs in their parents and relatives. )
You could share on Facebook, “When I saw this video of Trump, with the repeating phrases, the loss of words, and the making up of numbers that aren’t grounded in reality, it reminded me of when Uncle Dave in his last days of his dementia. Someone needs to get Trump help.”
We can share with others our serious concerns. Like @R.Rigsby5319 did when he asked: “Does this president have direct individual authority to initiate nuclear weapon strikes? Are there fail safe protocols in place if he makes any dementia associated “impulsive” launch orders?”
The point is to keep talking about this to multiple people in a way you feel comfortable with.
I don’t make jokes about my father-in-law’s short term memory loss and mental decline, but I can and will with Trump. Maybe share your favorite nickname for him. My friend Jeff Tiedrich has a bunch of them from his newsletter, Everyone is entitled to my own opinion.
Sundowning Grandpa Fuckface, Boy King or Mad King Donny.
We share our concerns and it gives the media a chance to bring it up to Trump’s cabinet. Then we watch them squirm, trying not to acknowledge reality.
As Jeff wrote, the first reporter to stand up and ask “what the fuck is wrong with you” should get a lifetime Pulitzer. I wonder if S.V Date got one?
The Food for Progress program sends U.S. commodities abroad for agricultural and economic development projects, providing an important foreign market for farmers and enhancing food security in poorer countries.
Russell Vought Photoshopped on a 30 foot tall Banner at USDA
30 foot banner of Trump hung at USDA on the day after Vought canceled all grants in the Food For Progress food aid program
Last week i talked to someone who knew about this program, he told me how canceling all these grants was going to hurt American farmers. I had called him trying to quantify the economic hit to farmers in Nebraska following shutting down USAID.
When I heard about the canceling of all the grants. I started thinking about how the Republicans in Nebraska, like Rep Mike Flood, will spin the contract cancelations. He supported DOGE cutting USAID.
I wondered why the media hasn’t covered this yet. Why aren’t we hearing from the farmers about this? Why aren’t the two big wholesalers, Cargill and The Andersons talking about this? What do the experts, like Dalton Henry, the Vice President of Policy at U.S. Wheat Associates, have to say about this?
Today it became more clear to me, companies know the new model. “DON’T complain about what Trump does! He will attack you!” Look at what he did with Walmart!
Does Cargill have DEI policies? Do the Andersons sell to countries that Trump has tariffs on?
They are afraid to lose other contracts so they are working behind the scenes calling lobbyists to get the money turned back on. They are calling their lawyers to see if what just happened is legal. They are asking, “What do we need to do to get old contracts completed and WHAT do they have to do to conform to Vought & Trump’s new policies?”
We won’t see it, but I expect that some $Trump Coins will be purchased. (As an investment of course!)
Midwest farmers will be hurt. Trump Won’t Be Blamed. So Blame Vought.
I wish I had some farmers, like Kowalski in Nebraska , who could stand up at a Town Hall and say, “This is costing Nebraska farmers millions of dollars. It is hurting our markets AND our reputation. What are you going to do about it?”
Flood would attack Kowalski, “You aren’t even from my district!” Then he would go on Fox News and complain about outside agitators.
If you recall, Flood supported Musk and DOGE, he said it was necessary to cut “waste, fraud and abuse” as the ONLY way to deal with the deficit. He asked people in his district at the Town Hall, “What do you want us to do, tax the rich?” To his surprise the audience started chanting “Tax the Rich! Tax the Rich!”
This would be a good time to make Vought the face of canceling the Food for Progress grants. He makes a good villain. Rep. Mike Flood would have to support Russ Vought, like he did Musk, who is now one of the most hated men in America.
I was thinking about how to get on the local news the story of how shutting down the grants for USDA Food for Progress program hurts American farmers, but I don’t have any contacts in the Midwest anymore.
Sadly, I suspect when the story breaks Vought will use the same lying tactics he used with shutting off USAID. He’ll lie about who is really hurt, he’ll lie about the impact of the shut down, he’ll lie about the old contracts and the timing of restarting new contracts. If a lawsuit forces the USDA to turn the money back on, he’ll wait until the Supreme Court rules they have to follow the law. Meanwhile , like the USAID shut down, food will rot. Kids will die.
Vought wants to control the money. If asked, “Isn’t this impoundment? He’ll say “No, just a restructuring of the agency with new contracts, ” like he did last time.
We now know that DOGE has LOST multiple cases in court, but for Vought the TRAMA to the PEOPLE in the federal agencies is showing them who is in charge.
Vought wants the American people to hate the USDA, like he does. He will tell farmers in Nebraska that the USDA hates them and that it is GOOD that they aren’t sending their food to feed kids in Africa. But the farmers know “no money for crops because of Russ Vought” is NOT good.
I’m not joking about Vought’s view, THIS is exactly what he said to Tucker Carlson about the EPA. he lied about the EPA and the 77 year old Vet” story. I looked it up. The Vet was polluting federal land for years, he was told to stop but didn’t. Vought tells this to FOX and on Rumble, where nobody questions him. But local news could talk to farmers and the wholesalers in Nebraska who bought crops from farmers to sell to the USDA Food for Progress program. This is a real story about the terrible impact to the Nebraska farmers and the Nebraska economy.
I believe that the activists in the Midwest have learned the Trump/DOGE/Vought method of destruction with the support of RW media. They won’t be able to cut through to Fox, but the target is LOCAL media, THEY can get the message.
Canceling the food for Progress Program is canceling all of these exports of US commodities. all that money was supposed to go to US farmers. Canceling that program is not saving money. It’s hurting the US economy.
Food Policy Expert (Who I won’t identify because of the sick way Trump attacks people giving facts he doesn’t like.)
I just saw Thunderbolts*, the new Marvel movie written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo . I recommend that people see it. It’s exciting, funny and shows how many of us non-super heroes are feeling these days. It also shows how we can fight the darkness, in a world where the bad guys don’t fold when you stand up to them, they punch back, again and again until you feel your efforts are useless.
I use science fiction in general, Star Trek specifically, to provide as an underlying theme for my activism and writing. It’s a way to show the broader issues, possible actions to take and how to prepare for the reactions. Right now I’d like to use some Star Trek stories to talk about problems with artificial intelligence
But sometimes, when things get specific, the metaphors or analogies break down. “ACKSHULLY, M5 wasn’t a pure artificial intelligence because it’s based on the engrams of a human, Dr. Daystrom.”
I think showing people the metaphors I use are important, but then what? My question is always, what should people DO with that understanding? I think it’s because I’m an activist and I want something to change. I’m not creating “content” just for clicks. I’m doing it to reach someone to change their behavior.
Sometimes I want people to stop doing a horrible thing. If they don’t, I want to cost them money, because in America losing money, or not making as much money as you did before, will drive people to change their behavior.
What I’ve also learned is that if you succeed, and cost them money, they come after you. I’ve taught others to prepare for that, because their retaliation is real.
Lately I’ve been suggesting that activists learn who, and what stops Trump, Musk and DOGE from their destruction of the federal government.
Powerful people act when they realize that Trump or Musk, or DOGE is costing them money and will keep costing them money, unless they can convince someone in power to change their behavior. They ALSO should be thinking about WHAT will happen next if they do change someone’s behavior (people in corporations need to be educated about the best next steps, like rehiring people who were fired, and NOT turning the computer system over to a contractor who says they will use AI to “fix” the system that DOGE broke. )
We can use the people in corporations, with their goal of making money and not LOSING money, to help us prevent deaths. For a current example, I think it’s terrible that Air Traffic Controllers have been fired by DOGE. I think people dying in plane and helicopter crashes is a BAD thing.
Right now activists can suggest that pilot’s flight attendant unions refuse to fly until fired Air Traffic Controllers are rehired, their numbers are INCREASED, and not just more white males.
“The NTSB is with you, we’re not going back on safety. Together it’s the only way, the only way we remain the gold standard for safety.”
Activists could be looking at the corporations that make the air traffic control equipment and suggest they explain how Elon Musk’s interference with the FAA is deadly, and will be terrible for business.
The companies that provide fiber for upgrades airline communications, like Verizon, could explain at a quarterly conference call that Musk’s attempt to insert the unvetted, unreliable Starlink into the system is a National Security risk (not to mention a cash grab for Musk and Starlink.) And more IMPORTANTLY for them, their quarterly profits will be down for the next 3 years if they don’t get the contract for upgraded fiber.
Musk’s insertion of SpaceX and GrokAI engineers into the system is to get data to train his shitty AI. Who will lose enough money to care to stop this? I’m thinking the airlines, like UNITED, should NOT be counting on the people who blow up rockets, to write the software to keep the flights running safely and on time. If the airlines don’t want to do it to protect the humans flying, they should do it to protect their YEAR over YEAR profits.
The computer experts know that just getting the flight control system data is NOT a innocuous thing, but they aren’t all over the media explaining why.
Why do I want the corporations to tell these stories? Because their audiences have power for force a behavior change. But they are afraid to do it publicly. Because of fear of retaliation. Why would a multibillion dollar industry be afraid? Look at how Bezos and Amazon was told to shut up about the cost of tariffs. Law firms, universities, federal agencies are all afraid of speaking up.
What the powerful won’t tell you is that they NEED the protests against DOGE and Musk to be the face of how it will hurt them. Right now they are existing in a world of extortion and political pay offs. The media need the faces of the people being harmed to tell a story.
A plane crash makes the local and national news, talking about reduction of quarterly profits because of Musk and DOGE’s interference, doesn’t. But when their stock price drops because of plane crashes, the CEO and big investors make “THE calls.” to the people who can stop the interference.
The media needs whistleblowers to reveal to the general public what is happening inside, because public corporations won’t talk about it because of their Investor Relations rule about guidance.
Right now Elon Musk and people like Russ Vought (Architect of Project 2025 & current director of the Office of Management and Budget) are applying their warped view of the world to the Federal government. They are firing people and shutting down programs that are beneficial to millions of Americans. We in the left AND the center see that as a bad things. But to Vought and the DOGE boys, it’s a GOOD thing! They are the heroes! They say on RW media that “the bureaucracies hate the American people. “
Sometimes powerful people do make the call to someone in the administration and the money restarts. Rachel Maddow reports “Headstart has restarted! Pushback works!” But we are learning the money doesn’t REALLY restart. Or DOGE finds a new way to cripple the agencies mission.
SMASH The Coup!
I’ve reached the, ” I’m repeating myself, ” point of my writing. Sorry. But as my friend, Anat Shenker-Osorio says, “Repetition is your friend. Also, repetition is your friend.” I envision someone reading this, saying, “Duh, stop telling US what to do, YOU should go out and do it!” Okay, below is what I and some friends have been doing, I’m sharing this because I know other smart people are also doing work like this AND I want to encourage them and get others to help us. I’ve been working with a couple of groups to counter Musk & DOGE. One is S.M.A.S.H, Separate Musk And State Halt the coup.
Workers SMASH!#MayDay protest in San Jose to stop Musk & DOGE's actions within the government.Separate Musk And State Halt The Coup #SmashHere's a clip of them & their sign in San Jose. For more info on what to do next to stop #DOGE & #MUSK, scan the QR code or go here: smashthecoup.xyz/stc/
Right now I’m hoping to learn who the big investors are who are calling Lutnick and Bessent, and learn what they are saying to them, so that they will get heat from Trump on Truth Social.
Right now, if I wanted to reveal stories about the harm DOGE is doing, I’d figure out a way to put big corporations and their lobbyists in the picture. Show the media what they are saying behind the scenes. Let THEM take the heat from Trump, not some poor Air Traffic Controller on trauma leave.
When creating stories about the harm that DOGE is doing, we need to prepare for a world of fear of retaliation that even the most powerful experience. But I believe others will stand with us, because bottom line, saving lives is good for business.
SMASH Separate Musk And State Halt the Coup. https://smashthecoup.xyz/stc/
a missed check for some people is a death sentence, a missed check for some people is going to mean that they are out on the street. So we have to come together. And understand that when this catastrophic failure happens, and I believe it will, there’s no indication that they’re trying to fix things, just accelerate it. 73 Million people rely on Social Security. Imagine the chaos that will come when those checks don’t go out. Rachel, it is going to be a scenario that’s hard to imagine how catastrophic it will be.
Alex Lawson, ED Social Security Works on The Rachel Maddow Show, Friday April 12, 2025
I put the date of the warning in here, because it’s important. Here’s how America currently works:
Someone on the left says something bad is going to happen and we need to stop it before it happens. Nobody listens. The thing happens. Then, the people who were warned, who also knew it would likely happen but didn’t want to stop the thing, say, “Nobody could have anticipated…”
“Because a missed check for some people is a death sentence… when this catastrophic failure happens, and I believe it will, there’s no indication that they’re trying to fix things, just accelerate it.” @alaw202.bsky.social on #Maddow
Stop #DOGE save #SocialSecurity
digbysblog.net/2025/03/26/m…
We have an old saying over at Eschaton, Atrios’ place, “We were right, but nobody listens to the Dirty Funny Hippies.”
So while it’s great to be able to say, “I told you so.” We do need to prepare for the bad thing, and then when it happens, don’t accept the excuses, prepare for them, RUB THEM in their FACES, and make your demands.
5 Steps to Stop #DOGE and save #SocialSecurity
1) Act. Alex tells people to get their Social Security info on paper. DO it. It’s easy. Go to ssa.gov
@jeaniebop My idiotic senator is Ted Cruz. I called and called his office and finally got in touch with a young woman who was like Karoline Leavett. She was extremely condescending and had no compassion. She just told me not to worry! ??
My response, “Thank you for making the call! You know how Rachel says that ‘push back works’? You are part of that push back. When a bunch of normal constituents people call, it’s noticed. But warnings from the normals never count enough, BUT when his constituents DIE because of missed checks, it’s HIS fault for not stopping DOGE. The deaths are on HIS hands, because HE had power to stop it, and didn’t.”
3) Demand all DOGE people be KICKED OUT, NOW. You can talk about your concerns to the Constituent services person NOW, since DOGE has already screwed up the Social Security Administration website that you need to access to confirm your earned benefits. You might think, “What’s the point, they don’t care. They’ll never go against Musk.” However, I want people to say it politely to them NOW, so when the BIG f’up happens and you call them later to do their job to get your benefits, you have their info and a history of concern.
Also include a comment about what you want in your remedy. This is as much for YOU as for them. You should know that before DOGE, a WORKING system for Social Security payments existed with competent people in the government who knew and STILL know how to run it. So, BRING THEM BACK.
4) The people who were FIRED have to be reinstated to return the system to where it was before DOGE touched it.
Here’s the thing, in America the people Republicans listen to are CEOs of companies. Those companies will be destroyed if DOGE is not stopped. They need to demand that DOGE be KICKED OUT NOW. But those CEOs are afraid of saying it publicly. Our protests at Tesla, Hands Off rallies, calls to the Reps and requests to constituent services all give the CEOs and Republicans cover from Trump wrath. ‘It’s not me, it’s the SHAREHOLDERS and constituents who want DOGE out of Social Security computer systems.”
As my sign at the #HandsOff Rally in SF read, “DOGE Boys, HANDS OFF all computer systems.”
I say this about Social Security Administration but it applies to all the agencies where people who managed the computer systems were fired by DOGE. They have to be reinstated so they can return the system to where it was before they touched it.
This is important, because DOGE’s whole point was NOT to make the systems better, but to TAKE information FROM the systems, and then USE those computer systems to control the agencies.
(BTW, this control of the computer systems is the primary goal of Russ Vought, architect of Project 2025 and now head of the Office of Management and Budget.)
As Digby said DOGE people are playing very fast and loose with all of our personal information and nobody knows exactly what they are up to except that they are intent upon getting to it and won’t take no for an answer.
And here is her question that I want to answer.
And apparently there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them.
5) Trump’s OTHER crony companies can NOT be allowed to “Fix” it. Because they will want to use AI and privatize, as Rep John Larson said.
Marcy Wheeler said it very clearly on the Nicole Sandler show “Elon Musk is a very easy target. The richest man in the world fked up Medicaid for everyone in the country.”
And even if Musk, “pulls back” from Washington, Lisa Graves pointed out on the Nicole Sandler show that DOGE will still be there. Also, the Silicon Valley, break-things-for-profit, approach to computer systems will remain, unless they are removed ENTIRELY.
For people with empathy, like you and I, people dying should be enough to get the DOGE boys removed, but sadly we will have to wait until a massive financial crisis–for people in power–accompanies the deaths. Only that will stop Musk & DOGE.
Later I’ll post some thoughts on how to help activists talk to the media about the financial and human costs of DOGE’s disastrous access to government computers.
Now’s the time to help make the media and Republicans see that these cuts are deadly to their constituents, and make touching them metaphorically deadly to Musk and Trump.
What to do until then? Take some action! I’ve already left messages for my Dem Senators and Congressperson about Elon Musk & DOGE. Yesterday I used a modified 5 Calls script on Protect Social Security Benefits Here’s the audio from my call to Pelosi’s office.
But what about your friends who are Blue Dots in Red States? I’ve got friends and relatives in Texas, Nebraska, Arizona and Florida who are all in MAGA Republican districts. They call and are told “We will never touch your Social Security Benefits” and the MAGA politicians won’t admit that DOGE is shutting down offices, firing staff and stopping phone service. They don’t think they are listened to, so I’ve got a new action THEY can take to be heard. It can also be used by their Republican friends and neighbors.
Yesterday I contacted both my senators & rep in the House, on the constituent services side to prepare for a disruption to my #SocialSecurity.This prepared ME AND let my congressperson know I'll be demanding they help me, since this is their job. @alaw202.bsky.social @gottalaff.bsky.social
I contacted Senators Schiff, Padilla and my representative, Nancy Pelosi, on the constituent services side to prepare for a disruption to my Social Security. What was interesting was that the Padilla staff member said they are getting overwhelmed with requests for help because of all the OTHER DOGE cuts in so many areas. If my social security is disrupted I’m to call back and ask to fill out a privacy release form. (NOTE THE PHRASE THAT PAYS!!)
This call prepared ME AND let my representatives know I’ll be demanding they help me, since this is their job.
I’m calling the Representative on behalf of my mom
Like a lot of people, we are responsible for elderly parents who depend on Social Security. They live in another district, and since we are legally and financially responsible for them, I’m calling their Representative to get the same info on their behalf from their Rep’s constituent services.
Now, our parents are Democrats and have a Democrat representative, but I have friends with elderly parents who are MAGA Republicans. They only watch Fox. They believe their MAGA Rep who said at a Town Hall that “Your Social Security benefits will never be touched.”
Their parents won’t call until something happens to their Social Security check. Then they’d call the social security office and expect it to be fixed. If necessary, they’d go to their local social security office to get their benefits restored.
But do they know Elon Musk and DOGE is stopping phone service to social security? No. Have they seen on Fox News that their local social security office might be closed? No.
Will they act now BEFORE something terrible happens? Again, NO.
So, if THEY won’t call, you can call their MAGA Rep on behalf of your MAGA parents to make sure their earned benefits keep coming.
These steps, preparing for a disruption of social security benefits, is a NON-PARTISIAN act. EVERYONE should do it. But, like preparing your will, or setting up your earthquake kit, most people don’t do it until it happens to them or they have a close call. A near death experience.
Why alert the constituent services people now about how Musk is making the department malfunction? Because it sets them up for the first BIG F-UP. And it puts the blame on the person who is doing it, not the victims who voted for Trump.
WE can act with empathy to help our parents, even those who have been brainwashed by decades of right wing propaganda.
“Look, I don’t care who you voted for, but I’m not a billionaire like Howard Lutnick, and I can’t support you if the money you EARNED is disrupted for a couple of months. You looked after me when I was a kid and I didn’t understand what was happening. So now I’m looking after you. ”
I got into a conversation with some friend’s about the Dem’s failure to prepare for the nomination hearings. I KNEW that there were multiple weaknesses in them, but I also knew that the Trump team had a strategy to push them through.
I saw lots of complaints about Dem Senators questions at the hearings. It is hard, especially when Team Trump uses these tactics:
1) Withholding evidence
2) No background checks by FBI AND the FBI doesn’t share the info with all committee members
3) Coach candidates to give non-answers and to give technically correct, but misleading answers
“It wasn’t an NDA, It was a “non- disparagement clause in the divorce proceedings” Come on man! GIVE ME A BREAK!
4) Threaten people who have legit questions about their qualifications, or have issues about their character. See what they did to Sen. Joni Ernst.
I learned a lot. There are multiple weakness that could be exploited if someone was in charge of a PR campaign to derail her nomination. I don’t know if anyone is, but I do know the people in charge of pushing nominees are ON THE JOB! They are busy, pre-emptively shutting down lines of attack on Tulsi.
In Howie’s piece he points to an Atlantic article, “Elaine Godfrey managed to do what few reporters have managed to do— a journey to the heart of Gabbardism. She started at just the right place too: the Chris Butler Hare Krishna cult Tulsi built her life around.”
That leader is Chris Butler, the founder of an offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement in Hinduism, called the Science of Identity Foundation. Butler’s followers know him as Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa, and Gabbard, who identifies as Hindu, has called him her “guru-dev,” or spiritual master.
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Tulsi Gabbard Other than raw ambition, only one through line is perceptible in a switchbacking political career The Atlantic, January 21, 2025
Howie talks about meeting her:
When I first came across Tulsi Gabbard, she was two things to me: a right-wing Hare Krishna and a fanatic intent on persecuting the LGBTQ community in Hawaii. From the very beginning I saw her as, first and foremost, an enemy— and then as a brainwashed cultist moron.
Long before her sudden transformation into a Berniecrat— so still a right-wing, faux-Dem— she called me to ask for a Blue America endorsement. She didn’t really try to paint herself as a progressive and she came across as a garden variety careerist Democrat, not especially bad and not especially good. At the end of the interview, I asked her about the process by which she had come to change her position on LGBT equality. She immediately said she’d call back and then hung up abruptly and… never called back.
Howie Klein
Now, it might be interesting if some Dem senators asked her ask questions about her involvement with her Guru Butler. But if they did, she is prepared to take umbrage at it. Hegseth pre-emptively dismissed any concerns about his Christian Nationalism and nobody dug into it because it would require educating the public about its dangers.
The group in question, The Science of Identity Foundation, got ahead of any questions and put out a press release attacking the Media for how they are covered. They also got multiple groups to sign a letter to basically say, “Any attack on Butler & his group is an attack on all Hindus.”
So, if any media WANTS to talk about the group & her connection to them will need experts or groups not on that list who can say, “Look, don’t lump all Hindus together. This is what Butler has said on homosexuality, gay marriage, transgender, and abortions. This is what these 3 main Hindu groups have said on these topics, But Tulsi is her own person, ask her what her views are right now about these topics. What will come out is that she has “evolved” then “devolved” and “revolved.” They could even go back to 1998, when here father Mike Gabbard put out a TV ad featuring a teenage Tulsi and her siblings that likened marrying someone of the same sex to marrying your dog.
(YouTube link, I’ll but a copy of the video below in case it gets removed.)
Now, in my attempt to find those experts, I got this excellent comment, her Hinduism isn’t the issue here; it’s her hate campaign against gay and trans people.
That should be the focus, but it won’t come up during her hearings because it won’t be deemed relevant. But it is, because her position of power would give her the ability to persecute and gather information on groups here in the U.S. who she hates, for whatever reason.
Jim Stewardson and my friends at Mind War suggested that I look up what Tulsi Gabbard had to say on Rumble (funded by Peter Thiel & now a publicly traded company) where she got big bucks for a few videos. I’m sure the Dems can ask her about how much she got when they get her TAX returns (if the FBI will provide it to them.) And seeing that Thiel companies (Palantir Technologies) is one of the big vendors to the intelligence community & Rumble is big in the misinformation & disinformation community, it wouldn’t be like a conflict of interest or anything… especially in the Trump admin.
Marcy Wheeler @emptywheel.bsky.social made a great point about the strategy behind Sen Kaine’s questions to Hegseth on the Nicole Sandler show last week.
Rather than saying, “Did you rape that woman?” he said “Did you cheat on your wife?” The more important question is, “Why didn’t you tell Donald Trump?”
This is, in my opinion, how Democrats should be approaching these hearings, How can I describe the danger you pose to Donald Trump? How can I describe the danger you pose to the Republican project of, for example, really taking on China?
My point is It SHOULD be the job of the Dems who are going to talk to the media before, during and after these confirmation hearings to find weaknesses in these nominees that can be used to protect the American people.
I’m doing the best I can to help in advance. I’ve found a lot of damming videos of her on Rumble but the ones that won’t show up in the Senate hearings will be her anti-trans views because that’s been normalized on the right.
What MIGHT show up are ways that her flip flopping views might come back to hurt Trump, Trump cabinet members, rich gay donors, or Republican money making projects.
Instead of following the news, I’ve been watching The Equalizer. I like when complex problems are wrapped up in under an hour! I loved Leverage more, less killing. Leverage PREPARED for what the bad guys would likely say and do, then busted them harder when they did. The reveal at the end showed our heroes knew their mark and used it against them. They often got the mark in trouble in ways the legal systems wouldn’t.
Today my friend Cliff Schecter talked about Pam Bondi’s hearing and how Adam Schiff prepared for her hearing and busted her. Cliff points out she was a lobbyist for Qatar in 2019, ( you know, Qatar where it’s illegal to be gay.) There were paying her a fee of $115,000 a month. Listen to Cliff point out all the problems with Bondi here.
The exchange reminded me of a joke I wrote during the 1st Impeachment hearing. Pam Bondi says “Do you expect me to tell the truth.?” Adam Schiff, “No Ms. Bondi, I expect you to lie!”
I posted this and someone said, “Goldfinger, right?” Correct! Here is the scene.
Last week I my friends Marcy Wheeler and Lisa Graves talked about the confirmation hearings of Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi on the Nicole Sandler show. See them all under LIVE on Nicole’s YouTube channel
Here is a 5 minute segment talking about questions that the Dems should have asked Pam Bondi, and the strategy of questions that Dems need to use during confirmation hearings.
I ran the show through a transcription program and added subtitles to this segment.\
@emptywheel made a great point about Sen Kaine’s questions to #Hegseth.
Rather than saying, “Did you rape that woman?” he said “Did you cheat on your wife?” The more important question is, “Why didn’t you tell Donald Trump?”
This is, in my opinion, how Democrats should be approaching these hearings, How can I describe the danger you pose to Donald Trump? How can I describe the danger you pose to the Republican project of, for example, really taking on China?
On Tuesday I was on the show taking about how Sen. Tim Kaine asked some questions about domestic violence to Pete Hegseth that I think will be paying off soon.
I have a lot more to say about the confirmation hearings. Later this week I’ll be talking specifically how to use the nomination hearing to set traps for Tulsi Gabbard & other nominees.
