Cory Booker: Leading The Democratic Party And The USA Into True Greatness?

 

Wikipedia 

2025 Senate Filibuster

Robert Reich and Heather Cox Richardson Chime In On The Trump/MAGA Abomination

 "Whether it’s universities, law firms, or entire countries, here are 10 basic rules for hitting back"

Friends,

On Tuesday, the Trump regime targeted Harvard University, threatening to withdraw about $9 billion in contracts and multiyear grants unless Harvard capitulates to unspecified demands.

Last week, Trump targeted major Washington law firms, threatening to cut off their access to government buildings and government contracts unless they capitulated to various demands.

Yesterday, the regime placed 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from all other nations. Some governments say they’ll retaliate. Others — Israel and Vietnam, for example — are responding by rolling back their own tariffs. Trump says he’ll continue to raise tariffs until other countries capitulate to various unspecified demands.

What do all these have in common? Trump’s unquenchable thirst for power, dominance, and intimidation.

Here are 10 rules for dealing with this.

1. Stop treating Trump’s excuses as his real concerns. He says, for example, that he’s motivated by antisemitism at various universities. He isn’t. He and his goons have attacked other universities for entirely different reasons — allowing transgender women to play in women’s sports, or maintaining programs that encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion. They’ll use whatever pretext they can find to issue demands and get universities to capitulate.

2. For the same reason, stop assuming that Trump is concerned about other nations’ “unfair” trade practices or illegal immigration. These, too, are pretexts. He is using tariffs, immigration, and every tool at his command to intimidate other nations, including our Canadian and Mexican allies and traditional allies in Europe, in order to get them to capitulate to various demands.

3. Trump’s major interest is capitulation itself. Surrender is the whole point. He and those under him who are managing these extortionate initiatives want headlines that say “they” have surrendered to him — whether “they” is a country, a major university, a large law firm, a big nonprofit, even a Democratic state like California. Surrender is the point. Domination is his goal. (It always has been.)

4. Each surrender feeds the public impression that Trump wants fed — that he is all-powerful, invincible, and able to get every person, institution, and country to cower to him. He knows intuitively that each capitulation feeds his power — because power is itself an impression; invincibility, the consequence of everyone’s capitulation.

5. Each capitulation encourages him and his goons to engage in even more bullying of more institutions and countries. Trump’s need for dominance is insatiable. Every time he succeeds in gaining capitulation, he and his goons look for other opportunities to enlarge the impression that he has boundless power.

6. Most of these institutions and countries will cave to Trump because their leaders are mainly concerned about their own institution’s or country’s survival. They are not concerned about the effects of their capitulations on other institutions or on the world as a whole. The costs of significant losses of funding, clients, or access are borne by them; the benefits of resistance are felt by all.

7. It’s vitally important, therefore, that institutions and countries join together to fight this systemic intimidation.

8. University faculties must join together under the umbrella of the American Association of University Professors to speak out against Trump’s assault on free speech and debate at universities, sue the Trump administration for violating their rights under the First Amendment, and develop a media strategy to alert the public to the dangers.

9. Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the European Union must join together to create a special trade zone that excludes the United States. They should threaten to limit American banks’ access to their public procurement markets, limit the huge sums their citizens invest in American companies annually, and increase tax and regulatory pressure on American digital platforms.

10. The media must not fan the flames of Trump’s madness. They should celebrate institutions that are standing up to Trump (such as the Jenner & Block law firm, Canada, and Mexico) and condemn those that are surrendering to him (such as Columbia University, the Paul Weiss law firm, and Israel and Vietnam on tariffs). They should help educate Americans about the costs of capitulating to Trump and its baleful consequences. This is all about power, and Trump’s thirst for power is all about converting the United States into a dictatorship.

Robert Reich

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Heather Cox Richardson also chimes in. 

DEFCON 3

4/2/2025: On this date, Donald J Trump enacted the worst tariffs since the 1930s, which were a significant factor in the Great Depression. Combine that with all that DOGE is doing, there is no doubt in this blogger's mind that we are in the worst existential crisis since the Civil War:

The Truth About Transgendered People

 In case anyone wants to share actual facts today.

In honor of Trans day of Visibility, I thought I'd offer actual facts about transgender people, rather than the misinformation people may spew

1. Being trans is not new. Around 5000-3000 BC, androgynous or trans priests, Gala, were recorded.

2. There aren't a ton of Trans people overtaking society. In fact, numbers show the percentage of trans people is about .01- .5 % of the population.

3. Trans people are not pedophiles or criminals. A UK study showed that trans people have a no higher criminality rate than cis (not transgender) people.

As a point of fact, sexual abuse allegations for Catholic priests as of 2024 reached into the thousands, the Boy Scouts of America estimate that nearly 7800 of their leaders were involved in sexual abuse, and 1/8 student athletes reports being sexually abused by their coaches, with that number jumping to 1/4 in college.

The fact is that transgender people are far more likely to become victims of sexual abuse than commit it.

4. The vast majority of transgender people do not regret transitioning. Regret numbers range from 1-3%. Of that small percentage, many say they regret it due to stigmatization. You are more likely to regret knee surgery than a trans person will regret gender affirming surgery. Any other surgery with a success rate of 96-99% would be considered a miracle.

5. Children are not being "mutilated" .

A study from JAMA pediatrics shows that, in a study of over 5 million patients, less than .1% of children 12-18 are receiving gender affirming meds. Those meds are puberty blockers, which do as they say. That means if they go off those blockers, they will then go through puberty.

It showed that NO children under 12 are receiving any medication, and they are certainly NOT having surgery. 0 children under 12 receive gender affirming surgery.

The rate from 13-14 is 2 per 100,000, and 5 per 100,000 ages 15-18. Of that tiny percentage (that's .000002%, and .00005% respectively), most were top surgeries. Their genitalia were not touched.

6. The big "student athlete" debate. Trans people make up less than 1% of athletes in college sports. Considering that tiny population, not all of them are trans women (they like to ignore that trans men exist in their fear mongering). On top of that, an even smaller percentage will be good enough to have any impact at all in their chosen sport. In 2023, there were a total of 5 Trans athletes in the NCAA. The chances that your daughter will be impacted by a trans athlete is absolutely minute. As a matter of fact, I'd be willing to bet that, without the use of a search engine, anyone can even name another trans athlete aside from Lia Thomas.

Please consider how your elected officials are spending MILLIONS of dollars on making laws that will influence. 01-.5% of the US population, and then tell me where the government waste really is.

Scott Orner

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Mon, Mar 31, 2025

Truth Is On Its Death Bed In The USA

It was bad enough for USAID to be attacked (link). VOA being shut down is a sign that the USA has bowed out of its leadership role in the world of truth, empathy and cooperation:

Voice of America journalists speak after Trump administration shuts down network

A Collage of Facebook Reels Pertinent To The Intent Of This Blog

Is the USA the greatest country?  https://www.facebook.com/reel/612897647841485

What would Heaven be like?  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=2863457223831381&rdid=MXqxZCIuOQdr3KOZ

How are people manipulated?  https://www.facebook.com/reel/988493846481564

Do you understand privilege?  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=635880572605857&rdid=rMypdcKHnz7USzf9

Do you understand peer pressure?  https://www.facebook.com/reel/483410001372828

Do you understand how intellectualism collapsed?  https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1LTKpMmLZs/

What is the greatest threat to humanity?  https://www.facebook.com/reel/1187752976688900

Traffic Congestion Pricing: It Works

"Public streets play a big role in our day-to-day lives.  And if you’ve visited any large metropolitan city, you’ve seen just how much traffic can fill up roadways. New York City became the first city in America to implement congestion pricing, a program aimed at generating revenue and making streets less crowded. But the initiative hasn’t been immune to opposition, including from the Trump administration, which has ordered the city to end the program. Janno Lieber is the chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. He joins WITHpod to discuss the effects of congestion pricing in NYC, legal fights ahead and more."

Click on the link below for a podcast presenting the findings that this controversial practice actually works to achieve its goals:

What's the Deal with Congestion Pricing?

Rockefeller: The Source Of The USA's Education Problems?

"The American educational system, a cornerstone of societal development, has undergone numerous transformations over the years. One influential figure in shaping the landscape of education was John D. Rockefeller, a name often associated with wealth and industrial prowess. However, as I delve into the annals of history, a disconcerting truth emerges — one that raises questions about the true motives behind Rockefeller’s educational endeavors."

Click here, and on the link below, for an enlightening view of a basic problem with USA education.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1412003936836149

If you think that there is no problem with US education after partaking of the above, the link below will help you to understand how sheepish humans are without critical thinking skills:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=630867306389189&rdid=ERcLkK6IRiEJmNYq

The Key To Personal Wealth

It's not working hard or getting a higher education: it's business ownership (sole proprietorship or stocks).

Click on the link below for an informative video on the above. And, NO, it is NOT a sales pitch:

The System Is Designed To Keep You Poor

Vaccines: History's GREATEST Success Story

Click on this link for a podcast episode that should bury the anti-vaccine bilge (but you know how THAT goes).

Oh, and this link puts Mr. Pseudoscience (RFKJr) in his place on the subject.

Oh, and this link shows how the USA is about to kill millions of children in other countries.

Unvaccinated Kids Are A Threat To All

 Click on this link for a podcast presenting the truth about vaccines: they are the success story of the century.

Trump, MAGA, and J Edgar Hoover

"J. Edgar Hoover is one of the most polarizing figures in U.S. history. And the seeds he planted as the decades long founding director of the FBI continue to shape much of today’s conservative political landscape. Kash Patel, who now leads the FBI, has openly vowed to find ways to punish Trump’s political enemies. While that’s appalling, it’s not the first time an FBI director has used abused institutional power. There’s a lot of historical precedent that we can compare and contrast with the current moment. Beverly Gage is a historian at Yale University and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century.” She joins WITHpod to discuss Hoover’s influence, the politicization of the FBI, the abuse of its power, the FBI in Trump 2.0 and more."

Click on the link below for a podcast relating J Edgar Hoover to today's US politics from the Far Right:

Weaponization of the FBI from Hoover to Trump

How The USA Became A Dictatorship

"A sobering message from a history teacher about America turning from democracy to authoritarianism:
I teach both American and international government. 

"For years, I’ve been going over 'case study' states, from mostly democratic (UK), to democratizing-but-corrupt (Mexico, Nigeria), to illiberal-authoritarian (Russia), to theocratic (Iran), to traditional authoritarian (China).

"When it comes to the difference between democracy and authoritarianism, one thing Americans need to understand is that there’s never one single moment when you become an authoritarian state; no leader will stand up and announce, 'I am now a dictator'.”

Click on the link below for examples that point to how the USA got into its present political state:

 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18GiL37LpF/

They Are Telling Us Who They Are

 

A Zoomed-Out Picture

 

A Snapshot Of The Issues Of The Day

"First: Now that USAID is gutted, we hear from frontline humanitarian David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee.

"Then: The Netflix hit sparking an important conversation: Adolescence—it’s about young minds, male rage, and the dangers of social media. Star of the show Stephen Graham joins me.

"Plus: Fear in the occupied West Bank as Israeli settlers, often violently expand their illegal outposts. CNN is there.

"Then: High stakes for Europe and the limits of Trump’s Ukraine-Russia diplomacy. Former Pentagon official Celeste Wallander joins me.

"And: From the archive—on World Water Day, a warning from Sarajevo: painful echoes of water as a weapon of war, from Bosnia back then to Gaza and Ukraine today."Click on the link below for a podcast summary of some of the news of the times that we are in:

USAID Cuts Imperiling Lives (and more)

It's Simple, Stupid

https://overcast.fm/+AAMzRnlXMU0

 

How To Know Your Media Is Trustworthy

"How can we determine which news sources are trustworthy?

"There's a general rubric I like to follow. Basically, it's a five-step system that the folks at the News Literacy Project came up with.

"First, you have to figure out what other (credible) sources say about the outlet or news source — you need to get off-platform to do this and check out sources like fact-checking websites.

"If the source seems to check out, second, you find out what their editorial standards are. Any credible media organization will have these and they should be easily discoverable somewhere on their website. If they don't have them, that's a red flag.

"Third, find out who funds and creates the content — again, at any legit outlet, this should be transparently stated somewhere on the website. There also shouldn't just be transparency around who funds the whole organization, but around which articles are sponsored and which aren't. If this isn't obvious, that's a problem.

"Fourth, look at how they handle errors. Seeing a "correction" appended to an article, for example, isn't a bad thing — everyone makes mistakes, and it's way more of a red flag when these aren't transparently corrected.

"Fifth, ask yourself about the quality of the coverage in general. For example, is the language inflammatory? Are headlines click-baity? Is the journalism original, or just parroting content from other sources? Is it clear when something is opinion, vs fact-based? And how does the coverage of a particular topic compare to that on other, legitimate sites?

"None of this is a guarantee of trustworthiness, but if a source fails to meet these standards, it's for sure a sign you SHOULDN'T trust that source."

Click on the link below for the rest of the interview:

Examining the Media: an interview with Amanda Ruggeri

The Underlying Problem With MAGA: Childish/Magical Thinking

One major trait of Trumpers/MAGA is childish/magical thinking. Everything is black and white. There is no room for understanding that reality can be much more than good or bad/right or wrong in many serious topics/circumstances. Unsupported certainty can be the enemy of nuance, humility, and understanding

There is a reason why fear works so well on them: they are easily blocked from considering that they may be incorrect in their opinions. The majority probably were raised within a religion and that religion poisoned their brains from challenging the dogma to which they were exposed.

Below is an emblematic of this problem: 

• "I am afraid of the 'other' that I was taught to hate. Those immigrants will harm me and take my job. I must support deporting them as fast as we can, to Hell with due process/the Rule of Law."

The More We Know About Our Origins, The More Awe-Inspiring It Is

"Did you know that many of us have up to 4% Neanderthal DNA? And that 100% of your DNA may come from outer space? No joke. The biochemistry that defined the coding system of your DNA may have happened off-world, and perhaps even long before Earth existed."

Click on the link below for a 18-minute video explaining the evidence:

Your DNA's Codes Are (Probably) From Outer Space