With “Project 2025” now in effect during the Donald Trump Presidency in his second, nonconsecutive term, the term “Unitary Executive” is now officially the rationale for Trump asserting himself in an authoritarian manner!
This is a direct attack on the history of the Presidency, and if not challenged effectively, it means we are under a dictatorship and plutocracy, with billionaires, led by Elon Musk, but also most of the Cabinet members and other advisers around Trump, being in total control of domestic and foreign policy.
The federal courts, so far, are challenging this reality, but the question is whether the Supreme Court will assert itself with its present membership, when cases arrive at the Court in the future.
The News Media also is, courageously, making clear the threats to all Americans by this new “GILDED AGE” mentality.
And the Democrats in state governments and many in Congress are also making clear they will not sit on the sidelines as the basic concepts of American democracy are under attack.
But with growing public demonstrations developing across the nation by average citizens, the question is will the Trump Administration abuse the rights under the First Amendment—Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly—and use violence to suppress popular opinion and outrage at the revolutionary changes being brought about against our entire constitutional history!
Trump’s recent statement–“He who saves his country does not violate any laws”–is an alarm bell in the night, and must be resisted, as America does not have or need a King or dictator!
America has a system of “checks and balances”, and Donald Trump must be controlled in his powers for the good of the nation and its future!
Musk’s DOGE goons are seeking access to data from the Internal Revenue Service that includes sensitive financial information about taxpayers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/16/doge-irs-access-taxpayer-data/
CNN says he appears to be channeling Napoleon.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/politics/trump-executive-authority-napoleon-post/index.html
Trump is causing tension in sports. USA and Canada faced each other in a hockey game. Several fights broke out between players.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/15/sport/usa-canada-4-nations-face-off-spt/index.html
Education Department letter threatens federal funding of any school that considers race in most aspects of student life.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/politics/education-department-race-federal-funding/index.html
Hundreds of FAA probationary workers have been fired by Trump administration.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/politics/faa-employees-fired-trump-administration/index.html
Don Lemon wrote an opinion article on MSNBC, stressing that Democrats need to make appearances on nontraditional media.
https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/don-lemon-democrats-jen-psaki-rcna192382
First Test of Trump’s Power to Fire Officials Reaches Supreme Court
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/us/trump-supreme-court-special-counsel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xk4.bmzU.gFt639ebs-La&smid=url-share
Anthony Romero, the A.C.L.U.’s executive director, talks about what he thinks could happen if the Trump Administration defies the authority of the courts.
https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/the-aclu-vs-trump-20
Musk’s DOGE seeking access to taxpayer data is WILDLY unacceptable!
DOGE Worker Says He Was Radicalized by Reading Writer Who Later Denied Holocaust
In a since-deleted Substack post, a member of Elon Musk’s team praised an essay by Ron Unz—who has called the Holocaust potentially a “hoax” and said Trayvon Martin was “a violent young thug.”
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/doge-elon-musk-ron-unz-holocaust-substack-post-sailer-vdare-trump/
‘Border Czar’ Doubles Down on Asking if DOJ Should Prosecute AOC for Informing Immigrants of Their Rights
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/border-czar-prosecute-aoc-immigrants-rights-1235269988/
I’m pissed off at the Democrats. They aren’t fighting back hard enough. Digby sums that up.
https://digbysblog.net/2025/02/16/get-in-the-game/
Speaking of the media, I’m pissed at a lot of the media as well.
They do things like this –
The Washington Post refused to run an anti-Elon Musk ad.
https://thehill.com/media/5148497-washington-post-backs-out-of-fire-elon-musk-ad-order/
Another post by Digby that explains my anger with the Democrats.
https://digbysblog.net/2025/02/10/a-prophecy-of-passivity/
Republicans want to make Trump’s birthday a federal holiday.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/republican-bill-make-trumps-birthday-federal-holiday-rcna192443
That’s one holiday I refuse to celebrate!
I second how you feel, Rustbelt.
Yet another plane crash. The plane arrived in Toronto from Minneapolis. It wound up upside down on the runway. Some injuries, but no deaths reported.
https://www.msnbc.com/katy-tur/watch/breaking-delta-flight-arriving-in-toronto-from-minneapolis-upside-down-on-runway-232205381698
Robert Hubbell explains on Substack, “We must do everything, everywhere, all at once” – “Leadership and coordination are welcome and desperately needed—but we must stop waiting for Democratic leaders to tell us what to do. Continue to do whatever you are doing. Do more, if possible, but do not exhaust your physical, emotional, or mental reserves. We are in a marathon and the winner will be the group that is still running four years from now. Endure. Abide. Outlast. Persist.”
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/we-must-do-everything-everywhere
Margaret Sullivan writes, “Big Journalism’s leaders need to think hard — and fast — about whether they are just presenting facts — the latest developments — or actually getting the nightmarish reality across.”
https://margaretsullivan.substack.com/p/four-essentials-for-the-press-right
Robert Hubbell nails it!
A persistent disconnect separates the Democratic base and its leaders. Grassroots activists feel a sense of urgency and immediacy that seems to escape the leadership of the Democratic party. That disconnect has left Democratic faithful feeling leaderless and a bit lost.
Rustbelt, I second your anger at the media as well.
One of the issues with the media is their terrible headlines – Saying something like “Trump flexes authority” is such a vague, whitewashed way of saying that Trump goes 100% lawless, unconstitutional, authoritarian, etc.
For Presidents Day, people are protesting against Trump and Musk all across the US.
A lot of media companies are trying to appease Trump. ABC settled a Trump defamation lawsuit. CBS is trying to settle with Trump’s team over the 60 Minutes brouhaha.
CNN tries to be Fox News lite. They put pro-Trump Republicans on their panels, which then devolves into shouting matches.
UVA Professor/ director of the Center for Politics Larry Sabato nails it on Trump claiming, “He who saves his country does not violate any law.”
He also talks about Dems dong “a terrible job, so far at least, of mobilizing opposition to Trump”.
https://bluevirginia.us/2025/02/video-uva-prof-larry-sabato-talks-about-one-of-the-most-disturbing-posts-that-trump-has-ever-made-dems-doing-a-terrible-job-so-far-at-least-of-mobilizing-opposition-to-trump