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Robbie Roberts's avatar

Earl, some ass-kicking is way overdue. But the follks to look out for is not the diaper-dementia donald, it’s Vought and Federalists and that Supreme Court that I can’t figure out at all, by that I mean their motivation. who they serve. Peter Thiel, perhaps? Truly nazis or nazi-adjacent. But surely they’re smart enough to know that always comes crashing down. From Reagan (when the oligarchical push began, the great dismantling of the New Deal), enough was always left so that a person could dream American and perhaps make it to the “middle” class, though the middle got lower and lower as these 45 years have passed. But this bunch is glad to wake us all up in mid-dream. “Forget it, buddy, no sleeping here, even if you were born here. I don’t care what the Constitution says in plain English, what it says is what our court says it says. “ They’ve finally got their blinders fully pulled down, because when there’s no room for dreaming, all the space is taken up by anger and protest. It always ends badly for the greedy bullies — we just have to make that happens sooner, sooner, sooner. Later is, like you say, too late.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Exactly. We are NOT a goddam monarchy, Robbie.

Simple as that.

I don't give a fuck what some bought-off court says.

-Cheers

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Russ's avatar

Apparently we do have a monarchy. Only a matter of time before a crown will be used instead of a Bible.

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Megan Ross's avatar

Hear hear. Something's gotta give and soon...

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Megan Ross's avatar

In all honesty, I was absolutely gobsmacked when I read the SCOTUS ruling yesterday. I'm stunned that the bought and paid for, so-called "conservative" justices have once again handed TRump the unfettered power he craves. Why I'm stunned is a mystery. It's pretty clear that we're sliding into perilous terrain with TRump being crowned right before our very eyes. Welcome to the Fascist States of America.😡😞

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

There was no surprise in this abhorrent ruling, but Jackson's ringing dissent should be the words we feed off of to take action.

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Gundy Walton's avatar

Your statement here along with Judge Jackson’s dissent need to be amplified. Over and over.

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Carlye Hooten's avatar

YES! I agree with every single thing you said. I too am so pissed I can hardly see straight.

And I too have been warning people that there WILL be a RECKONING at the first opportunity, in the Party and the DNC.

THOSE fuckers have put us where we are, and the fact that they seem, overall, to be content with burying us in corruption and chaos, has signed their resignation slips.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

They are completely irrelevant to me.

People, not parties.

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Steven Dundas's avatar

Earl,

You absolutely nailed this. The Court handed Trump absolute power with no way to stop him. Congress is basically a rubber stamp, and too many Democrats are spineless and afraid to tell the truth. The Court is full of fascist theocrats in the hand of the wealthiest people in the world, and they have completely undermined the Judicial Branch. They committed Judicial suicide.

Like you, I will fight.

Steve Dundas

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Right on, Steve.

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Sam Ray's avatar

Malignant narcissists, sociopaths & psychopaths only give you two choices: Submit or rebel.

https://samray.substack.com/p/a-narcissists-conscienceless-brain

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Sylvia Rahner's avatar

There will be no mid-terms. I expect we'll be under martial law by Christmas, and by this time next year they will have started to haul off those seniors who rely on their SS for survival to Sunset Valley Retirement Camps where they will be allowed to manufacture electronics and ammo for the war industry for their meager room and board.

And yes, I DO read a lot of dystopian fiction, LOL. That said, everything I've predicted since T's first run for office has come true, including both his wins.

We all know what needs to be done, but who will do it? Because all of this will happen unless...

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Judy Robinson's avatar

One of the greatest bizarre, pitiful, mysteries of our time: how Donald Trump has managed to break almost every law and every human dignity, and get away with it for decades. ‘Something about this man…is it money, underworld connections, conspiracy with authoritarian regimes, threats, bribes..?? THE LAW and even the ‘free press’ are AFRAID. This man has used his favorite weapon: FEAR. True facts about this President’s past were never, are never reported . It seems we’re all in a trance, reading the horror story of our own burial of the once great United States of America.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

We need to be more worried about the enablers: Judges, the press, and mostly billionaires.

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Laura Reich's avatar

At 70 years old and someone who has been fighting for civil rights for decades I absolutely cannot believe this is our country. I grew up in NYC where Trump was always a clown. How on earth did over 70 million people think it was a good idea to put him back in office???

I want this country to be better for my grandchildren not worse.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Amen to all that, Laura.

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Marthe du Sud-Ouest's avatar

And how on earth did he win the FIRST time? We are apparently a pretty stupid country.

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SeekingReason's avatar

We aren’t. Trump never won the popular vote. He sure as hell didn’t win it as a convicted felon and seditionist.Greg Palast studied this! Voter suppression won, the electoral college chose him. Not THE PEOPLE!

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Stacy's avatar

I completely agree!

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

They are looking to divide. Resist that vigorously. Individually, communally, institutionally, we must all hang together. Support those who fight, in any way you can.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

YES

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SeekingReason's avatar

Voice support for Mamdani. He’s being threatened for winning! This tells you what Cuomo and the rest of the Dems are…let them know we will get them out..forever.

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John P Grundowski's avatar

AGREE - GNP was 3.5%(end of 2024)

NOW 0.5%(and projected to drop)rich will weather a ressesion. Thanks,respectfully

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Russ's avatar

With massive layoffs, bankruptcies, 3 million unsold new vehicles... exactly what is the basis for growth... oh yes inflation and kleptocoin. The coke that cost $2 is now $2.50, so that 50 cents is the real growth? Seriously. The stock market is phony, tricking everyone to think everything is up when it is down. Tesla cannot sell their crap, yet their stock is still going up anyway. This is the modern day version of the emperors new clothes. Wonder who is behind the scenes propping it all up...with stock buybacks and moving to cash.

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John P Grundowski's avatar

Americia's credit rating

is TANKING(also our housing market).

Symptoms do not=

the underlying disease.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

I could not believe that the in Supreme Court stepped that far into the sh$t. Thank god for the 3 women on our side. Although I wonder if “they” are going to try a get them removed from the Supreme Court. It has crossed my mind. It is scary times but I will never bend the knee and I agree we have to keep fighting as “we the people” have during every period in our history has done. I agree with everything you said Earl

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thanks, Teri.

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Terry's avatar

Three things in your post struck me.

1/ "Corporate Elite."

To me, it's the same as Corporate Democrat. IOW, not someone looking out for us.

2/ "... there’s really not much difference in America’s two major parties these days ..."

Most Democratic politicians over 65 look/act like all the Republicans over 65.

3/ "I am done looking for leaders where they are supposed to be, and perfectly happy to find ‘em right here in this space."

With the exception of a select few, Warren, AOC, Crockett and Buttigieg, et al., I'm looking for my leaders in places like Substack.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

We the people, Terry.

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Fred's avatar

Everyday it seems like the country is going down an authoritarian path and no one speaks out about it. This is the greatest threat to our democracy. Executive orders, Republicans in Congress and the Supreme Court have made a mockery of the rule of law and how we’ve kept our country running since 1776. But my big worry is that Trump will come up with some BS reason to declare martial law before next year’s election and delay or stop that election. And if you think I’m being paranoid, I wouldn’t put anything past him. Think of all the things you can’t believe he’s done and you’ll believe he can get away with anything. Don’t give up faith. We have to stay strong but it’s not going to be easy.

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Deborah Dashow Ruth's avatar

Earl, you're shouting the truth. How can we get your truth to more people than your followers? Do you ever send your columns to newspapers, as "guest editorials," or doesn't anybody other than your followers still read newspapers? I joined a large "No Kings" demonstration in Oakland recently, and will join one on July 4th. Will these humongous nationwide demonstrations make any difference? Or will the Repubuglicans keep insisting all the demonstrators were "paid by Biden"? Good grief! You couldn't make this stuff up!

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thanks for your activism, Deborah. It is exactly what is needed.

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Terry's avatar

You can find Earl on Rawstory.com and Alternet.com.

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Bill John's avatar

yes, but unfortunately only us people in the "choir" read Rawstory and Alternet. The people who NEED to hear this messaging either don't read much at all or if they do, they surely are not reading those two.

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Linda Morway's avatar

People are busy with their jobs and kids and are not paying attention. MAGA is too fucking stupid. The Bros are listening to Charlie Kirk while hanging in their mom's basement. Boomers watch Fox ( not me!) I am fighting with you!

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

We are going to win. Because we have to.

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TracyK's avatar

No one wins because they have to. They win with a concrete plan for creating the country we envision. What do we do when elections are cancelled? That WILL happen.

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Ann Anderson's avatar

What do the monarchists on SCOTUS think will happen when Trump is no longer on the scene? They're accommodating him, but life goes on. There will be other presidents who might not align with their vision of a unitary executive. (Also known as a king.) Why are privileged people often so shitty? Alito was a well-known jagoff when he was at Yale. Neil Gorsuch grew up 5 blocks from me. He went to a Catholic high school known for turning out smug little jerks. Nature? Nurture? I dunno, but we're up to our asses in sociopaths.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

These reprehensible slobs are having their day, Ann.

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