72 Comments
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Janet Currie's avatar

Heather, as ever another excellent post. I can't pretend to understand the conditions around the 25th Amendment but surely the Dumpkof's mental deterioration is enough? A nearly 80 year old man can't spend his time posting all those tweets during the early hours of the morning and expect to be fresh the next day. And his mental state can only get worse over the next six months.

Here in the UK we've just celebrated the 100th birthday of a wonderful man, Sir David Attenborough. He's made so many contributions to raising awareness about our planet as well as all his wonderful wild life series. He'll be remembered long after he's gone. Trump's contribution to the world will be like Hitler's, one of destruction and division.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Attenborough is a giant!

Elizabeth Newberry's avatar

Sir David certainly has raised awareness around the world about wildlife and the importance of taking care of our planet. What a treasure!

You are right - Trump's contribution will always be remembered as destruction, chaos and division. I pray the Vice President and the cabinet step up and remove him ASAP!

Tracey Queripel's avatar

A new beginning can happen IF the midterms aren’t rigged. We not only have to overcome the gerrymandering, we must also make sure the voting and counting machines cannot be hacked and votes manipulated as they so glaringly obviously were in 2024. Why is no one discussing this? Why is no one building the cybersecurity we need to protect our elections?

Shelly Rellim M.'s avatar

Agreed! But we also have to prepare for an uprising, dog whistles to his ICE Gestapo/J6’ers, civil discourse which has already begun with the kidnapping, EXECUTIONS by ICE Gestapo, Concentration Camps, Six Corrupt Supreme Court Ruling in gerrymandering, Jim Crow 2.0., and/or some other FALSE Flag domestic terrorism so he/they can Declare a state of Emergency and Invoke Martial Law and Cancel Elections altogether.

Lance Rosen also wrote a great piece..https://lancefrosen.substack.com/p/they-are-planning-a-nationwide-j?r=71veyx&utm_medium=ios

Protect The Midterms 2026's avatar

Thank you for reminding everyone that this will NOT be like any election ever in the history of this country. Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst.

Shelly Rellim M.'s avatar

Exactly…but we have to get there first.

What they’re doing now with gerrymandering and Jim Crow 2.0 and inciting more civil action. We have to be careful to NOT allow them to pull us into their violence and hatred revenge…I feel that is also what they’re waiting for to Declare a State of Emergency and Invoke Martial Law.

I’m just going off many things I have read from various sources and also the ever expanding EPSTEIN Files Class and criminal Web of decades long continuing cover-ups.

It’s ALWAYS FOLLOW THE BLOOD MONEY 🩸💰

gpm414's avatar

You’re asking the hard questions that need answers now. It must start with every city, county, and state, preparing and securing their voting systems now. Be assured, those in power are planning to win no matter no matter what.

Kayo's avatar

Each supervisor of elections, and their staff must be vigilant about the security of their voting systems. Don't send voter rolls to the Feds.

Every voter should check their registration status NOW, and repeatedly until the elections. Verify that it's current, and that your personal info is accurate; i believe this can be done easily online in most states.

Remind your family & friends to get registered if they aren't, and to keep checking registration status. Help them if they arent sure of the process, especially if they are new voters or elderly.

gpm414's avatar

Thanks for adding these guidelines. This election likely will have long lasting effects on the future of our Democracy. This is not the time to be silent

Barnsey44's avatar

The election should be the Democrats #1 one priority. They can’t do anything else. Ethics violations all over the place. They can’t stop the war. They can’t stop spending and crazy nonsense reconciliations that blow $1 billion on the ballroom. But what they can do is make that election their #1 one priority and ensure that other than the gerrymandering, things are on the up and up. Republicans are doing everything they can to fix them and I just hope that the Democrats and the independents do everything they can to not allow allowed to happen.

Elizabeth Newberry's avatar

i AGREE! His "win" was totally rigged, but he is still saying he won in 2020. He cannot stand to lose anything, and has no scruples about rigging things so he does not.

How we are going to have fair elections I do not know, and am very worried about!

John O Pastore's avatar

Heather, I am informing you and my fellow readers of your excellent daily essays

that on April 30, 35 medical expert colleagues and I published in the Congressional Record (Vol. 172, No. 76) thanks to Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, a statement titled, "Medical Concerns About President Donald J Trump and His Fitness for Office". It is a medical, not a political, statement by experts in behavioral abnormalities, and it emphasizes the link between manifestly bizarre behavior and a President's sole authority to launch nuclear weapons without those orders being overruled, by anyone. We signed our names and included our institutional affiliations.

Gwenny's avatar

I hope and pray sanity comes back to the United States of America. She is loved and she deserves better! We all deserve better than what's happened to our country.

Charlotte Firth's avatar

Heather

Thank you as ever for your post. Good luck with the house move, always terrifying as belongings in different places until you find your house and then there is all the remodelling and finding places for lived items that don’t fit. I have done it many times and actually in the end it’s a rather fun adventure. So really good luck.

I really believe that the one way forward to defeat Trump is with connection with the other side. If you have republicans neighbour or friends who you avoid talking to politically. Bring it up, have a debate. (Without heat!)

Money did not get Petar Magyar to win the election, meeting people face to face, touring around and having the conversation did.

The republicans will play dirty. You guys have to be open honest and so chatty and it will win the day I hope x

MVAvery's avatar

I love this! Opposing parties CAN work together.

Jacobs-Meadway Roberta's avatar

It used to happen. It was not wholly unheard of.

Charlie Andrew's avatar

I want to celebrate in November like Hungary is celebrating today.

George McCully's avatar

One of the benefits of this historic national ordeal is our civic education—teaching citizens how our government is designed to work and how we can participate more effectively in our democracy. Heather you are doing a terrific job in this as a distinguished member of the faculty. Congratulations and deep thanks!

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Only if the students pay attention

Anne Fletcher-Jones's avatar

Maybe they’ll pay more attention if civics education starts earlier (i.e. before they get dragged into all the social media stuff) in ways that it will become part of their lives. I remember learning things about (for instance) money and the lack of it when I was a child. Even some politics as my mother was quite conservative and lectured me if my opinion differed from hers. I never did become a conservative.

ernestodelaserna's avatar

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have articulated my thoughts and feelings better than I could have myself. I’m sure there are many millions of other people across the country who, if they had had the privilege of reading your article, would say the same thing.

As I look at this shamelessly corrupt, heartless and increasingly insane administration I feel as though we are living in the final days of the most vile Roman emperor, corrupt colonial imperialist or brutish communist leader (think Pol Pot). Only worse because we still have the vestiges of a democracy; if only a few Republican senators and congress folk would open their eyes. I’m not even asking them to show integrity or courage. Don’t they see that the ship is sinking, and it’s on fire, and there’s a massive amount of gunpowder below deck.

Mike Hammer's avatar

J.B Pritzker may have a weight problem but Trump’s problems are about to get much, much worse.

Bridget's avatar

You are awesome!

Tamie Swain 🌊✌🏻🖇️'s avatar

Wondering about the overlap of the joy in Hungary with the serial-posting of an angry and scared narcissist - seeing this happen may have interrupted his view of the world.

We are getting to him. The regime continues to build fascist structures to push their project and getting some wins. We cannot stop fighting back - I want the Hungarian joy to happen here - and to include everyone in the American 2nd Revolution to achieve what the founders started.

And yes, I want to wake up without that simmering concern of what the next emergency is. Maybe that’s why I’m so tired.

And more than anything else - the Hungarian story is making me hopeful.

Jennifer Eory's avatar

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

ernestodelaserna's avatar

Sorry Jennifer. I unconsciously “plagiarized” your “thank you, thank you, thank you” before noticing your comment. See below.

Bruce Travis's avatar

“Use your voice. Share it loudly…” Thank you Heather. I am a voice calling from the mountaintop. Those who have an ear will hear.

www.TheCenterForWorldPeace.Love

Ken Stavlund's avatar

You are so gifted at telling so many aspects of life around the world. So great to hear the revival of Hungary. Your insights and the weaving of it into your post is so encouraging. Blessings on your move.

Paula Mutzel's avatar

Another excellent and extremely comprehensive and informative post that should be read by the entire country. Thank you ! Everyone who reads it please share it.

Information is tantamount to understanding and too many in this country are either misinformed or not informed at all…we must do everything we can to get the truth out there.

We must remember our history..the words of Benjamin Franklin always come back to haunt me when I think about what we’re experiencing and what we’re facing and they give me purpose and determination.

In Philadelphia 250 years ago as our new nation was being formed after many years of bloody battles to free us from a king ..a group of Patriots were in meetings for days trying to hash out the backbones of the new concept they had fought for and won.

Benjamin Franklin was part of that group..an architect of what was to be this new nation that they had all sacrificed so much for.

When their meetings were over and the plan had been finalized ..Franklin came out ..exhausted but satisfied..he was asked by the assembled crowd anxiously awaiting the results…

”Mr. Franklin…what do we have??”

He answered with the words that are more meaningful..more important today than EVER….

” A Republic…..IF you can KEEP it”

Those 3 words…Republic….If…..Keep….are 3 that have not been tested since the Civil War…no one alive today or from the past 3 generations has had to be concerned about KEEPING our Republic…it has not been challenged .

It IS today…we are being tested today..we are being challenged today. We are being tasked to KEEP the Republic…we MUST be able to rise up to the job.

In less than 6 months one of the most important elections in this Republic’s history is going to determine whether we KEEP IT or let it go. We must do whatever it takes to make sure the IF is answered with a resounding YES….we WILL KEEP IT and make sure we never have to worry about losing IT again.

THAT is our duty to those who will follow us…it’s not a sacrifice..it’s not a battle…it’s not a difficult choice..it’s a challenge that was given to us 250 years ago …we better fulfill it.

Diana's avatar

Thank you Paula ‼️

MVAvery's avatar

“Compliance is safer than conscience”. I do not understand that. It makes no sense. What does “safer” mean?

Also, I don’t believe all Republicans are bad anymore than I believe all Democrats are good. I feel that in the future we can have a decent Republican president. I’m sure this will be an extremely unpopular post. Oh well. President Obama said we are not Republicans or Democrat, Red or Blue, but Americans. I’ve seen Obama and Bush get along, despite their differences. That is what I hope for the future.

Shelly Rellim M.'s avatar

Unfortunately we are dealing with a Nazi fascist, narcissist, sociopath, serial pedophile and rapist, sex trafficker and conman criminal with dementia. He is the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and cult leaders like Jim Jones-People’s Temple and Jonestown Maasacre, David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, Scientology, Louis Farrakhan, NXIVM, etc. Trump is a useful idiot, puppet, conman KKKult leader…MAGA/MAWA.

He is placed and backed by Russia, Putin, EPSTEIN Class and Technofascists, Elon Musk, Palantir’s Thiel and Karp, The Heritage Foundation and their Project 2025-26…all helped rig and steal, most likely, both elections. We are 1930’s Germany on A.I. Steroids complete with KKKabinet, Six corrupt SCOTUS, RepubliKKKans and Benedict Fetterman, ICE Gestapo/J6’ers.

They are gutting our government from the inside out with their power, control, money, government contracts with trump and family owned weapons and technology companies and “BORED of Peace” members ALL profiteering off these illegal wars and chaos through stock market manipulation, Polymarket, money laundering, extortion, “real estate “ investments.

trump, his family and technofascists are Nazi, Eugenics practicing criminals imbedded deeply in our governments highest and most vulnerable agencies while they have cut and disabled and placed loyalists in places that are supposed to be the checks and Balances.

Congress is useless and RepubliKKKans and Benedict Fetterman are sycophantic and complicit and too busy filling the pockets with BLOOD Money. Dems are too busy TALKING about things. We NEED an UPRISING with Dems and Independents in Congress to start DOING and leading the way…November is a LONG ways away.

Jan.6, 2021 showed us they he/they have NO intentions to leave (Building the militarized Bunker fully equipped with hospital and everything needed). Jan6 also showed us exactly who the RepubliKKKans are…

MVAvery's avatar

Wow! Ok. You pretty much confirmed my belief that life is no longer worth living.

Shelly Rellim M.'s avatar

Not quite!

I’m saying that our Congress is Useless, but they are still the checks and balances. We NEED to get Democrats and Independents to DO SOMETHING.

WE the PEOPLE NEED to Do Something.

There are still a lot more of US than them.

Right now being apathetic and in denial of ALL the atrocities going on is NOT an option. Unless you are willing to uncover and face the truths, we don’t know what we’re fighting.

But we really DO NOT have a choice.

Somehow we NEED to be Minneapolis.

I am saying…UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE FALL❤️‍🩹

Lance Rosen writes this and many other useful pieces. I’ll try and find other relevant ones.

https://substack.com/@lancefrosen/note/c-248115689?r=71veyx&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

https://lancefrosen.substack.com/p/our-role-is-indispensable?r=71veyx&utm_medium=ios

Diana's avatar

Long ago, people from both sides of the aisle got along- went to dinner together after a long day at work- they had opposing views and opinions but they were all equally working for the people- not making memes but talking face to face. Times have changed - but the core should be the Constitution for all.

MVAvery's avatar

One can hope. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Lezlie McKenzie's avatar

Compliance is following the rules, following the directions. The reason it is said to be safe is because it doesn't require any real thinking. There are a lot of rats out there.... rats can be compliant if they are capable of learning the requirements of being compliant. No conscience because they believe they can hide their lack of conscience with a smile, but be thinking about the most heinous of plans.

To have a conscience, one utilizes right from wrong.

I am a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and believe me, it is possible to develop the art of spotting a rat with enough practice.

Try this- Close your eyes and picture Stephen Miller. This man is rotten and has no conscience. He wants to destroy our democracy and will try to and have no trouble sleeping when he's through.

I hope this helped.

MVAvery's avatar

Thank you. And thank you for being a psychiatrist nurse. I know how difficult your job is.

Lezlie McKenzie's avatar

Thank you so much! I retired 4 years ago but I loved doing psychiatry and it was so rewarding.