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Mike Hammer's avatar

I remember seeing Trump supports at rallies prior to the 2016 election wearing tee shirts “I’d rather be in Russia than with liberals.” Anyone remember that?

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Janet Haagenstad's avatar

They are free to move to Russia. I’ll help them pack.

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Rose Cassie's avatar

Republicans are war mongers under their vile felon pediphile’s grip. 🏴‍☠️💸

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JOHN SMITH's avatar

One republican family did and now who want their lives back.

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Oaktown's avatar

Really? Details, please! Are they still in Russia?

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Sylvia Arrowood's avatar

Well, we could have offered them free rides to Russia. I had relatives who lived in Russian territories. I wonder why so many tried to escape.

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Patric Martin's avatar

I remember “Better Red Than Dem”

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Mike Van's avatar

Yes, I remember that very well. Repugnicans who prefer murderous Russians over their fellow Americans. It is one of the reasons why I intensely hate the MAGA scum.

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Cyn B's avatar

Instead they decided to bring Russia here.

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Oaktown's avatar

Absolutely. Still waiting for the hypocrites to deport themselves to Russia. Liars.

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The Peaceful Solution-Plan B's avatar

Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue?

Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!

If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.

So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.

From Mark Mansour:

Sacrifice has always been the price of renewal. Democracy, if it is to survive, cannot be the cheap luxury item of a populace too comfortable to fight for it. The Trump regime can be resisted through civic courage, legal challenge, and organization. But it can also be starved—one deliberate, withheld dollar at a time.

https://open.substack.com/pub/mmansour/p/its-time-to-recognize-that-this-ordeal?r=5f62tm&utm_medium=ios

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Ken Smith's avatar

We Canadians cheer for your resistance, as we do the same against the maple-maga infecting our government as well.

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The Peaceful Solution-Plan B's avatar

Thanks. Please Spread the Word!, far, wide, and quickly, before the fascists takedown our means of communication.

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olderwoman's avatar

Chilling.

Thank you Medias + for publishing this first hand accounting.

Russian Wolves, yeah.

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Diane Schuler's avatar

Wolves are better than the Russian leaders.

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Claire's avatar

I pray for the Ukraine every day.

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Eleanor's avatar

What an amazing report! Congratulations to the author and gratitude to Meidas Ttouch for publishing this masterpiece of journalism.

Thanks!

Eleanor in DC.

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Linda Baldassare's avatar

Btw can’t wait for the 2nd installment !

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Janet Haagenstad's avatar

I’ve been wondering if those Russian soldiers are feeling the effects of stirring up the radioactive dirt around the nuclear plant.

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Edward mead's avatar

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route from Scotland, Britain, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 29, 2025. REUTERS Evelyn Hockstein

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route from Scotland, Britain, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 29, 2025. REUTERS Evelyn Hockstein

© provided by AlterNet

We are just a few days removed from the most toxic, anti-American speech ever given by a sitting President of the United States, and I am not letting it go.

And neither should you.

While addressing a gathering of military leadership from across the globe at Marine Corp Base Quantico in Northern Virginia Tuesday, the vile, America-attacking Donald Trump called on our generals and admirals to “… use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military,” so that he can attack us again.

There’s no sense being cute about it, or trying to sanitize it. The President of the United States is intent on using our military against us. And because I am one of the few in media — or the Democratic or Republican Party for that matter — who refuse to just merrily skip to the next Trump-made catastrophe, I want to repeat this again, until everybody hears it and understands it:

NOTHING Trump does with our military will be to protect the citizens of the United States of America. EVERYTHING Trump does with our military will be to protect himself from the citizens of the United States of America.

By words and by deed it is clear as day that Trump has absolutely no respect for the country he violently assaulted, nor our men and women who wear the uniform, because like any authoritarian leader he sees them as servants to him, and not our country.

And just so there was no misunderstanding about his objectives, Trump went on to say that the people who protest against him in America and disagree with his policies are, “The enemy within.”

Can you please read that again?

Look, while these words might pour out of his dirty mouth like contaminated water from an overflowing toilet because he is such a dreadful public speaker, they are nevertheless scripted and tested for affect before he ever harrumphs upon some poor, unsuspecting stage to use them.

Related video: President Trump weighs in on Jay Jones' 'two bullets to the head' text message (WTVR Richmond, VA)

>> CBS, 6 NEWS AT 6.30, STARTS

NOW. PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK TO

SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY TO CALL FOR

THE RESIGNATION OF JADE JONES.

President Trump weighs in on Jay Jones' 'two bullets to the head' text message

The President of the United States was very intentionally telling us he will use our military against any American he doesn't like, which we all know is a very long list.

I suggest we take this very seriously.

Just a decade ago, if you heard the leader of any country say these things, you would have rightfully said, “Thank God I live in the United States where these kinds of terrible things never happen.”

Trump’s vile speech should have triggered a national discussion that would be reaching a fever pitch right now. Instead, we’ve just moved on to more drama: the predictable Trump/Republican shutdown of our United States Government that they so clearly hate.

We have dealt with shutdowns before, but never a president who is so intent on using our military to attack us.

All pressure should be brought to bear on these military leaders that this kind of thing is not remotely OK in America. As a veteran and journalist who worked closely with military leadership during my professional career, I would like to think that the vast majority of these men and women understand this.

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Oaktown's avatar

As a veteran, can you please explain to me why those commanders didn't get up and walk out or resign en masse after Kegseth and Bone Spurs told them to resign if they were not behind him waging war on American cities and anyone who spoke out against his lawless fascism? He can't take down our government without them, yet they just sat there and even laughed when Bone Spurs said they'd lose their retirement pensions, etc.

THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THAT. THIS IS DEADLY SERIOUS. We've lost the Supreme Court and the Congress to fascists; the military is our last bulwark against tyranny, but what are they doing to uphold their sacred oath to defend and protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC.

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Rob Jonas's avatar

Putin carries on the tradition of other Russian leaders. None of the Russian leaders from the Czar until now, really give a damn about the people. This is evident in every action the Russian government commits. Bottom line: humanity has no place in the Russian government.

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Tasha Green's avatar

This is such an interesting read and also so dark. I’ve always been fascinated with Chernobyl and would love someday to visit if it survives and is not directly attacked by the Russians. I read that when those Russians did dig trenches they thought it was hilarious that they would glow in the night.. I also read those same men who occupied the trenches died. They obviously did not do their homework on radioactive material when it spreads and goes into the ground. That was a horrible even that happened in 86. The animals that roam are also radioactive and because of that there have been deformities. Again it’s a fascinating place since nature took back over.

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Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

Wolves and Russians. One hunts by instinct, the other by propaganda.

The forest remembers both.

Harbaugh’s piece reads like scripture for a fallen empire—ashes preaching louder than medals.

You can feel the ghosts of Pripyat whispering: the reactor wasn’t the only thing that melted down. The myth of control did too.

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Ellen Franzen's avatar

Thank you, Ken, for this story.

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Robert Sandera for president's avatar

Ken, if you ever get back to chagrin Falls and you need a place to come camp on the weekend this place used to be called the Hemlock Valley in Northwest PA about 80 miles from there and belong to the mailman for chagrin Falls. You're welcome to come and stay here anytime you want with any of your group

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

I hear there are conflicts at the front today…anyone hear anything please let me know, thank you.

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Margaret Troche's avatar

If anyone is interested in the continuing war in Ukraine, Ken and Steve Schmidt did a segment on The Warning. EXCELLENT reporting and nothing like it in mainstream media.

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B. Calbeau's avatar

Medias Mighty,

Careful out there. I was targeted by a Trump Troll/ICE perhaps. Anyone following Ben or @ MTN will be sought after: Report impersonators and block!

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Oaktown's avatar

Can you elaborate on how you were targeted?

I've received two suspicious emails purportedly from Substack, but threw them out and didn't click on any of the links. One was a weird, long multi-syllable handle that made no sense inviting me to a supposedly "exclusive" meeting. The links were either "Accept" or "Decline."

The other claimed to be from Ron Filipkowski, saying he "followed" me and asking me to follow back. Instead of the clear picture of him that you see in his little Substack ID circle, it showed a very blurry picture of someone who could have been Ron, but it showed a different shot and the man was wearing a blue polo shirt. The face was too blurry to identify. I threw that one away also and DM'd Ron to let him know, but never got any reply.

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B. Calbeau's avatar

Just via Substack messaging but they are definitely interested in taking MTN down-

Thanks for your information!

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Joan MacLeod's avatar

How horrific!

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Oaktown's avatar

And expected.

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