Polling and focus group data show voters across parties feel crushed by rising costs, even as Trump dismisses affordability concerns as a “hoax” that contradicts Americans’ lived reality.
They’ve caused so much damage already it will take decades to recover - the longer they’re in power, the worse it will get. We’re deep in the hole now, and who knows how long it will take to get those criminals out of power.
The United States enters 2026 in a state of compounding crisis across every dimension that matters. The political system is under systematic assault by an aspiring autocrat. Social cohesion has collapsed into tribal warfare over basic facts. Economic anxiety deepens as affordability becomes unattainable for millions. And America’s international standing—built over seventy years at enormous cost—is being squandered with stunning speed.
These crises are not unrelated. They radiate from a single source: a president attempting to transform American democracy into authoritarian rule, aided by institutional weakness, political cowardice, and a population too exhausted or divided to mount effective resistance.
the project 2025 gang has really been 'brilliant' in their efforts to change every aspect of governance (from oversight elimination to loyal committee chairpersons)...they have planned and executed in record time....and one wonders if any 'democratic' administration will actually take a sledge hammer to all the fascists have done? my complete lack of faith in the schumer/jeffries means they will probably take it slow and be nice and democratic about trying to change things, which will just give the fascists more time to entrench themselves for the long haul..... there has to be accountability for all repugnicans who have bent over backwards to appease this hideous 'unpatriotic, unamerican' regime of dictator trump. if argentina could do it in 1985 (check out the movie argentina 1985 on prime), then we certainly should be able to....
This isn’t the trumpster’s plan - he’s just the face of the machine that’s been building this regime for over 50 years. They find his malignant narcissistic personality useful to overwhelm everyone while they change the system from behind the scenes. Little by little, over decades, they’ve played the long game, getting their people in place in crucial positions, unseen by most of those just going about their lives not particularly concerned about the workings of politics. So this didn’t just spring up suddenly. And it’s bought & paid for by the billionaires who don’t want regulations, just absolute control over all resources & wealth.
IF we survive it. With The Dictator's gestapo everywhere.........well....remember what happened in Germany in the 1930's. (Dump is doing the same thing here--and very successfully.) Look what that led to. There must the a way to get rid of him. Well, we know there is, but his republiCRAPS puppets are too chicken to do it.
My parents lived in that time. You have to remember there was no information network the way there is now. My parents had no idea what was really going on whereas now we do. The people could not fight back at that time. We have so many sources of independent journalists reporting the truth. Also people here are not having it. They are fighting back and that is how we are going to win.
the fascist trump dictatorship is trying to get there - by eliminating free speech, blacklisting and making up false charges against journalist's, threatening the broadcast licenses of large media corporations, getting their wealthy oligarchs to take over competitors....etc....soon the landscape of america will be about trump controlled state media only. maybe he'll also do the chinese government thing of preventing access to international sites from the usa? anything and everything is possible with the fascist gang of project 2025 working full time at dismantling democracy and our constitution. we must not get complacent and believe we can easily get the better of this dictatorship. with so few democratic members of congress out on the streets organizing massive demonstrations right across the country, we'll never be like bulgaria and bring down the corrupt government. those bulgarians braved the cold, they focused on their country and not buying christmas gifts and holiday plans....is that possible in usa??????
I do not agree with you. I see rallies and people demonstrating all the time. I see a lot of organizations who are fighting. Yes, there are MAGA people who are just sitting on their hands but there is a majority of people who will not have it. Trump makes threats but the threats are changed on a daily basis.
great news about the demonstrations and rallies all the time....is this just where you live or right across the country? i don't see any of this reported on the substacks i subscribe to....hence my belief that democratic members of congress are NOT out on the streets and are NOT organizing anything other than the thermostat in their comfortable congressional office or home. i am thrilled to be wrong about this :)
Did you not see the No Kings Rallies? Do you not see the rallies held in Washington? In California? And all through America? Do you not see the town halls where people go out and try to question the republican reps? Do you not see what Bernie Sanders and AOC have been doing? I am in Buffalo, NY and every Saturday on Niagara Blvd. there are people demonstrating.
IT is not congress members.....It is organizations like Vote Vets, Sons Of Liberty, and MORE. And they are out there organizing, spreading the word, and recruiting MORE to participate.
Thank you! Suits them perfectly, if I do say so myself! I don't have it patented, so please feel free to use it!!!!!!!!! Just so you know, I can even get away with it on the sites that have those irritating "community guidelines." It seem like the republiCRAPS can say whatever they want to and get away with it, but Democrats can't....!
Here in Canada it’s not all poutine and maple martinis either…after working in a professional career for 30 years, I have been worried (we are talking 4am worried) about whether I can be creative enough to find away to pay my bills each month.
That’s a retired professional. I can only imagine the angst among those less fortunate or able, or just starting out.
We, up north, are fortunate to have a financiallly adept, warmly intelligent, continentally connected, leader whose actions give rise to not just hope but beneficial strategies and YET affordability is keeping us awake at night too!
Frankly, we care about you (the fine Americans who’ve been our neighbours and friends for as long as we’ve been here). We are worried. About ourselves yes, but also about you, the Ukraine, the whole world.
Good people are the magic that makes solutions - miracles if you like - small acts that change a history - kind words that lift a life. Thank God for good people in outrageous times. Thank you - for everything you do to restore decency, rule of law, education, and social responsibility, each day. We are in this together on all borders, in all nations.
Thank you for your largesse. Thank you for your compassion. I’m still living in shock. I’m always in true shock these days. I think the 6 republican members of our unsupreme court are worse than 🟧 tRUMP. The unsupreme court , along with tRUMP, are running our world. That’s the truth. They are running our world of hundreds of millions of citizens in the US and elsewhere. 7 people-🤬
I am so glad Canada is accepting the need to enhance its military might, although I deeply regret the need. Canada is showing such great ideas and making alliances and economic moves that are so wise and important. No country can trust the US as long as Trump and his minions are in power. TIt is essential to create a revised NATO without the US, but with added partners from the other democracies. Russians and Chinese are not our friends.
The damage Trump has already done is very grave and he is not done. We Americans have a long and painful road ahead to rebuild, and amend our laws to stop the horrible corruption both in our highest court and the Congress and in our businesses. We have to stop the oligarchs from buying our elections. And adopt a fair tax system. The fact that Trump got elected twice surely shows major problems with our country. We are admiring Canada’s good ideas and good leadership. Indeed, we are very envious.
I try to follow, at least peripherally, what's going on up there. I get that it could be better. And I think Carney was the right one for the moment. I always find myself saying, though, I hope he doesn't do something to screw up real bad. Having said this, I would go further and say that, for so much of the world, the problems started several decades ago when the shift in corporate culture created the massive gap in income and wealth between the rich and the poorer. We are in another gilded age. Will there be a movement to bust up the monopolies/oligopolies? Tax the rich? Legislate or amend to close loopholes? Have things gone too far for redemption?
I often think of the Bible verse that says "The first shall be last. And the last shall be first." Perhaps a nod to emerging nations in Africa and South America. And an indication that decline in the modern nations of the world is inevitable.
Under Trump North....traitor Poilliever Canada would be the 51st state right now.
PM Carney saved us from a bottomfeeding Taco loving traitor who had endorsments from Musk and Sandy Hook denier Alex Jones....for sure turncoat Kevin Oleary is on the Trump bitcoin scam train.
Donut Boy wants to buy his way into heaven........his fast-food fat ass will never get through the "eye of a needle".......find comfort that Bone Spurs place in the flames of hell are secure.
Christmas seems lackluster. I am glad that his actions are making us refocus. We know the true joy is our families and friends. It's forcing us to live more simply. The joy we will all experience once this empty person is out of the White House, along with each and every one of his appointed members. Preferably we can experience the joy of seeing all of them in prison.
A looming “war” on the horizon isn’t helping anyone.
This strongman fantasy of helpless citizens needing a “daddy figure” to save them is a really bad policy train heading towards a collapsed bridge (public support). Their ineptitude plus greedy, lawless behavior is heading towards a public drubbing they so deserve.
This is much deeper and broader than dumpy and his criminal cabal in the WH. We have been heading for this ever since Nixon. Each respective republican president has been worse and led to dumpy.....this is ingrained in every aspect of our society. IF we had had an independent media we may have stopped this, but since the MSM is owned by the wealthy oligarchs who want this we have had very little in the way of honest journalism since Reagan deregulated it and did away with the FAIR Act.
That chart is an eye-opener. Even relatively middle-class families are cutting back. It's not just those that live in tight circumstances.
No matter who I'm talking to, everyone I know is saying, "I'm cutting back on gifts," "Don't spend much on me -- it's okay!" as well as "I'm scared about how I'll manage next year." These are people making anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 a year. It's also retirees (like me) with SS, pension and a current job.
Republicans are clearly sucking the life out of the middle class.
For anyone who knows something of Project 2025 (which Dictator Trump apparently doesn't! Yeah, right!), they are already aware that the middle class is due to be eviscerated as part of the process of creating a two-tier American system: The Slaves - and the Überwealthy!
If you'd rather read George Orwell's "1984", you'll get an idea of how this nightmare scenario rolls out under Trump - but with 21st-century technology leading the way!
They trialed this with Pinochet and a super majority uber wealthy class that has veto authority over spending policies.
They are all seditious ideologues hell bent on dismantling our Constitutional foundations. There is no clearer “domestic enemy” working to overthrow from within the established - by Constitution - our government. 100% in violation to the oath they took to defend it.
I taught "1984" to 11th graders for years. I hated it, every year. But it's not a book you forget, and now is a great time to read it. Add it to Project 2025, and it's a roadmap.
This didn't just start 11 months ago. More like almost 50 years ago. But, yeah, I place blame mostly (not fully) on the Republican party. The party of Big Business.
I tend to also blame some democrats - the corporate and some centrist democrats. But then, I've been fighting for universal healthcare like every other developed country. So I'm a progressive and hated by corporate democrats and some centrists. These politicians make a lot of money off donations from corporations. Schumer, who did not help ACA subscribers a bit, got quite a bit of money from big insurance donors. He certainly does not want universal healthcare. I doubt Jeffries does either. Heck, it's been 50 years since ERA was introduced and we still don't have it. smdh Can't tell me democrats couldn't do anything to stop republicans, now magas, in 50 years. :(
100% agree. Women, especially, have been ignored, pushed away, and held back with the help of both parties. ERA not passing was a tragedy. Schlafly had way too much influence with that. Dems sat back and let it happen, even when they had all the power in Washington. We live in a patriarchal culture that caters to rich white men -- and their businesses.
You provided me with a huge gawf and lots of laughter this morning...thank you! It's laughable to read that people making $500,000/year are scared how they'll manage next year. lol
Depends on where you live and how large your family is. Dealing with devastating illness is costly. So is self-employment. I'm simply pointing out how far reaching this economic mess is. People are tightening their belts everywhere. Even those who seem to be comfortable.
Trump tried gaslighting everyone who watched the January 6th insurrection live on TV. We know what we saw. But he convinced 51% of the electorate that, it was a bunch of tourists or antifa or a false flag operation or whatever. They voted for him in November 2024. But now, they have less money but bigger bills. The spell has broken.
It was not a fair and honest election. Putin, Musk and local bosses absolutely rigged the vote. The statistical anomalies are very obvious. I hope we can ensure a fair election next time. I worry about that.
You have ushered in the ghost of Bush vs Gore 2000. We couldn't believe the SCOTUS decision but the Dems acquiesced. Now its feels like every election is an existential battle for our democracy.
Robyn, it “appears” to have been broken. Until, and unless, there is a blue tsunami in 2026, all of this talk of the dam breaking will have been for naught. We must not take our foot off the gas. Resistance must be fierce!!!
There is something seriously wrong with republicans that they can’t seem to grasp this concept. It’s like they’ve stuck their fingers in their ears, shouting, nahananah, you can’t tell me anything. Well, I’m fine with that. It will hurry their demise.
What a great edition from someone in the know!!!! And I hope encouragement for all or us to work harder to get the word out to all those feeling crushed by what the trump administration, including the GOP Congress has done. I encourage anyone who is able to attend local town halls or any kind of community meetings, even PTA meetings to gently tell their neighbors who have been trump supporters there is indeed a better way. We have to do this without insulting them but with facts and compassion and understanding. Faith based organizations that are indeed based on the faith in the word of Jesus can go a long way to helping by following the lead of Pope Leo and calling out the trump administration and GOP for the cruelty they embrace...you don't have to name names, but simply say what Pope Leo said....seems if you believe in what Jesus (and the old Testament) said about welcoming the stranger, you can't support the actions of the current administration. Likewise, if you support Jesus when he said feed the hungry, you can't support elected officials who choose to stop food programs that provide food for the hungry, including children and elderly. Now is the time for all of us to work harder in what ever ways we can.
add to that 'to-do' list the constant communication with your members of congress (through their website contact form) that you disapprove of everything trump's dictatorship and control over congress is doing. if you don't tell them how you actually are feeling, they won't believe anything but trump's lies. use your voice. imagine if millions upon millions contacted their congressional representatives and told them (both parties) to pull their heads out of the asses and work for WE THE PEOPLE.....
I live in an area where 95 to99% of the people think trump is the greatest president ever and the high prices for groceries are because of Biden. And they all go to church and love that we bomb innocent people. I do contact my members of congress but the reality st it will not matter. One time I did talk to a real person and asked him if the Congressman could post on his web page where there was gas for $1.98 a gallon like trump said was everywhere. He said they couldn't do that. So I asked him if he knew where I could find gas for that price and he told me he'd been to a meeting in another part of the state and it was around $2.00...but that was a 2 hour drive for me. I told him it would not make much sense for me to drive that far for cheaper gas, and he did agree and had no solution/ answer to why trump keeps saying that when it's not true in our state. This may have been the same person that when I called several times about medicaid cuts in the big beautiful bill proposal who assured me the congressman would not cut medicaid. But of course he did..... But there are tens of districts where the next election might be very close and I hope everyone there calls and calls and calls.
Democrats need to message better. Pound this message home. Inflation 2021 -7.0 /2022 6.5 / 2023 4.4 / 2024 2.9 / 2025 3.0. Coming out of the Covid Pandemic the Biden administration did the equivalent of a soft landing in a fully loaded Boeing 747 with only one of four engines running and that engine was on fire.....
great analogy - and something kamala and the dem party failed to get across, in simple language and short sentences, to the majority of voters..... though.....WE MUST ALSO KKEEP IN MIND, TRUMP AND HIS RADICAL VIEWS OF HOW TO RUN GOVERNMENT AND (HIS LIES) ABOUT DOING THINGS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HARD WORKING AMERICANS, IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKED AND VOTED FOR (no matter how misguided they were and how lobotomized they became by drinking the trump koolaid)....
What more can you say! THE CON is Trump! The SNAKE is Trump! The TOTAL BS rhetoric about GROCERIES, and you as an AMERICAN🇺🇲 can make it, with LESS! as he GRABS MORE! is Trump EATING UP anything, and everything he can get his SPOTTED diseased HANDS ON! even the children's FOOD! and saying it's HOAX!
When Trump says we’re in the golden age , that may be true for himself, his millionaire and billionaire friends but not us middle class and lower pay citizens who are the ones hurting.
When my son was young there was a lot of Christmas gift exchanges. I had a big box set aside and all year long, as I saw something that I thought someone would want and it was affordable, I would buy it and put it in the box. Usually by the end of the year I'd have all the presents.
When my son and I unwrapped presents I would do so carefully so the wrapping paper was hardly damaged. I would then use that paper and bows to wrap the current years presents.
Now, there is very little in the way of gift exchanges and I seldom do any Christmas shopping. If I see something that I think someone would like I get and give it to the person right away. I tell people that, for me, Christmas is all year round.
I never thought about using the comic book section of newspapers or I probably would have done that too.
The reason only 29% of Republicans think the country is going in the wrong direction is because the other 71% can't or won't admit they are the ones who created this problem.
The President is clueless about the cost of living. Between padding his pockets with millions in the past year and his dementia, his opinion of anything, particularly the cost of living, is worthless
Today I bought enough veg for a salad for 4 people, 1 inexpensive box of pasta, 1 store brand of diced tomatoes, and 4 small zucchini. It cost $21. Something is a hoax for sure.
The thing that's saving us is I spent the last year working on my shelf stable pantry. Since I grew up in the Great White North, I have a few skills. But fresh produce is still a thing.
I'd like folks who do this to also tell us where they are located and what kind of store they are shopping in. My cost for those items would be around $11. Indiana. Strack's.
Atlanta at Publix. Definitely a higher priced place, and I only went there because I feld like a dogs dinner yesterday and it was close and required less walking. Normally I shop at Aldi and stores where my immigrant neighbors do. There's no price gouging going on at those stores. You haven't lived till you've been at Nam Dae Moon and watched some Vietnamese granny dress down the butcher for the prices being stupid lol. Look up Buford Highway Farmers Market and Anthony Bourdain. That's my usual haunt. And US Chefstore for bulk, because I'm an old Midwestern farm girl at heart, and I keep a pantry stocked just out of habit.
We're moving cross country year, and I already scoped out where we'd like to live based on where the ethnic grocers are. Asian, Arab, and Slavic stores mostly. The Latin stores are further away, but I'll make a trek when I need to. I'm not finding aji paste and choclo at Kroger. 🙄
America will be much better once this regime is long gone to prison.
They’ve caused so much damage already it will take decades to recover - the longer they’re in power, the worse it will get. We’re deep in the hole now, and who knows how long it will take to get those criminals out of power.
Amen 🙌🏽🤙🏽🙌🏽
The United States enters 2026 in a state of compounding crisis across every dimension that matters. The political system is under systematic assault by an aspiring autocrat. Social cohesion has collapsed into tribal warfare over basic facts. Economic anxiety deepens as affordability becomes unattainable for millions. And America’s international standing—built over seventy years at enormous cost—is being squandered with stunning speed.
These crises are not unrelated. They radiate from a single source: a president attempting to transform American democracy into authoritarian rule, aided by institutional weakness, political cowardice, and a population too exhausted or divided to mount effective resistance.
https://marcusnunes.substack.com/p/the-sad-state-of-the-union
the project 2025 gang has really been 'brilliant' in their efforts to change every aspect of governance (from oversight elimination to loyal committee chairpersons)...they have planned and executed in record time....and one wonders if any 'democratic' administration will actually take a sledge hammer to all the fascists have done? my complete lack of faith in the schumer/jeffries means they will probably take it slow and be nice and democratic about trying to change things, which will just give the fascists more time to entrench themselves for the long haul..... there has to be accountability for all repugnicans who have bent over backwards to appease this hideous 'unpatriotic, unamerican' regime of dictator trump. if argentina could do it in 1985 (check out the movie argentina 1985 on prime), then we certainly should be able to....
This isn’t the trumpster’s plan - he’s just the face of the machine that’s been building this regime for over 50 years. They find his malignant narcissistic personality useful to overwhelm everyone while they change the system from behind the scenes. Little by little, over decades, they’ve played the long game, getting their people in place in crucial positions, unseen by most of those just going about their lives not particularly concerned about the workings of politics. So this didn’t just spring up suddenly. And it’s bought & paid for by the billionaires who don’t want regulations, just absolute control over all resources & wealth.
IF we survive it. With The Dictator's gestapo everywhere.........well....remember what happened in Germany in the 1930's. (Dump is doing the same thing here--and very successfully.) Look what that led to. There must the a way to get rid of him. Well, we know there is, but his republiCRAPS puppets are too chicken to do it.
My parents lived in that time. You have to remember there was no information network the way there is now. My parents had no idea what was really going on whereas now we do. The people could not fight back at that time. We have so many sources of independent journalists reporting the truth. Also people here are not having it. They are fighting back and that is how we are going to win.
the fascist trump dictatorship is trying to get there - by eliminating free speech, blacklisting and making up false charges against journalist's, threatening the broadcast licenses of large media corporations, getting their wealthy oligarchs to take over competitors....etc....soon the landscape of america will be about trump controlled state media only. maybe he'll also do the chinese government thing of preventing access to international sites from the usa? anything and everything is possible with the fascist gang of project 2025 working full time at dismantling democracy and our constitution. we must not get complacent and believe we can easily get the better of this dictatorship. with so few democratic members of congress out on the streets organizing massive demonstrations right across the country, we'll never be like bulgaria and bring down the corrupt government. those bulgarians braved the cold, they focused on their country and not buying christmas gifts and holiday plans....is that possible in usa??????
I do not agree with you. I see rallies and people demonstrating all the time. I see a lot of organizations who are fighting. Yes, there are MAGA people who are just sitting on their hands but there is a majority of people who will not have it. Trump makes threats but the threats are changed on a daily basis.
great news about the demonstrations and rallies all the time....is this just where you live or right across the country? i don't see any of this reported on the substacks i subscribe to....hence my belief that democratic members of congress are NOT out on the streets and are NOT organizing anything other than the thermostat in their comfortable congressional office or home. i am thrilled to be wrong about this :)
Did you not see the No Kings Rallies? Do you not see the rallies held in Washington? In California? And all through America? Do you not see the town halls where people go out and try to question the republican reps? Do you not see what Bernie Sanders and AOC have been doing? I am in Buffalo, NY and every Saturday on Niagara Blvd. there are people demonstrating.
IT is not congress members.....It is organizations like Vote Vets, Sons Of Liberty, and MORE. And they are out there organizing, spreading the word, and recruiting MORE to participate.
BINGO!
You're right. Thanks for your reply.
luv that term republicraps :)
Thank you! Suits them perfectly, if I do say so myself! I don't have it patented, so please feel free to use it!!!!!!!!! Just so you know, I can even get away with it on the sites that have those irritating "community guidelines." It seem like the republiCRAPS can say whatever they want to and get away with it, but Democrats can't....!
I use rethuglyingKKKons
Whoa! Now THAT is excellent! Good summary of those despicables....
Indeed
Here in Canada it’s not all poutine and maple martinis either…after working in a professional career for 30 years, I have been worried (we are talking 4am worried) about whether I can be creative enough to find away to pay my bills each month.
That’s a retired professional. I can only imagine the angst among those less fortunate or able, or just starting out.
We, up north, are fortunate to have a financiallly adept, warmly intelligent, continentally connected, leader whose actions give rise to not just hope but beneficial strategies and YET affordability is keeping us awake at night too!
Frankly, we care about you (the fine Americans who’ve been our neighbours and friends for as long as we’ve been here). We are worried. About ourselves yes, but also about you, the Ukraine, the whole world.
Good people are the magic that makes solutions - miracles if you like - small acts that change a history - kind words that lift a life. Thank God for good people in outrageous times. Thank you - for everything you do to restore decency, rule of law, education, and social responsibility, each day. We are in this together on all borders, in all nations.
Very nice post and much appreciated, neighbor! Blessings to you. And heaven help us all.
PM Carney is doing the best job ever...Donut Boy wants to take us over!!!! Let that sink in.
Cankles and his henchmen want to destroy democracy........let that sink in. Playing in the sandbox days are over.
PM Carney is on the right track and we need to continue on the track to expand our markets to the free world.
Thank you! Spend a week + on V.I for over 30 yrs. We love our northern neighbors! And so so sorry about the dickwad et al in Washington D.C.🇨🇦🇺🇸👍🇨🇦🇺🇸
Thank you for your largesse. Thank you for your compassion. I’m still living in shock. I’m always in true shock these days. I think the 6 republican members of our unsupreme court are worse than 🟧 tRUMP. The unsupreme court , along with tRUMP, are running our world. That’s the truth. They are running our world of hundreds of millions of citizens in the US and elsewhere. 7 people-🤬
I am so glad Canada is accepting the need to enhance its military might, although I deeply regret the need. Canada is showing such great ideas and making alliances and economic moves that are so wise and important. No country can trust the US as long as Trump and his minions are in power. TIt is essential to create a revised NATO without the US, but with added partners from the other democracies. Russians and Chinese are not our friends.
The damage Trump has already done is very grave and he is not done. We Americans have a long and painful road ahead to rebuild, and amend our laws to stop the horrible corruption both in our highest court and the Congress and in our businesses. We have to stop the oligarchs from buying our elections. And adopt a fair tax system. The fact that Trump got elected twice surely shows major problems with our country. We are admiring Canada’s good ideas and good leadership. Indeed, we are very envious.
I try to follow, at least peripherally, what's going on up there. I get that it could be better. And I think Carney was the right one for the moment. I always find myself saying, though, I hope he doesn't do something to screw up real bad. Having said this, I would go further and say that, for so much of the world, the problems started several decades ago when the shift in corporate culture created the massive gap in income and wealth between the rich and the poorer. We are in another gilded age. Will there be a movement to bust up the monopolies/oligopolies? Tax the rich? Legislate or amend to close loopholes? Have things gone too far for redemption?
I often think of the Bible verse that says "The first shall be last. And the last shall be first." Perhaps a nod to emerging nations in Africa and South America. And an indication that decline in the modern nations of the world is inevitable.
Under Trump North....traitor Poilliever Canada would be the 51st state right now.
PM Carney saved us from a bottomfeeding Taco loving traitor who had endorsments from Musk and Sandy Hook denier Alex Jones....for sure turncoat Kevin Oleary is on the Trump bitcoin scam train.
Donut Boy wants to buy his way into heaven........his fast-food fat ass will never get through the "eye of a needle".......find comfort that Bone Spurs place in the flames of hell are secure.
Where is a Teddy Roosevelt when you need him?
I don’t think he will. He’s a good goalie.🏒🥅
Christmas seems lackluster. I am glad that his actions are making us refocus. We know the true joy is our families and friends. It's forcing us to live more simply. The joy we will all experience once this empty person is out of the White House, along with each and every one of his appointed members. Preferably we can experience the joy of seeing all of them in prison.
A looming “war” on the horizon isn’t helping anyone.
This strongman fantasy of helpless citizens needing a “daddy figure” to save them is a really bad policy train heading towards a collapsed bridge (public support). Their ineptitude plus greedy, lawless behavior is heading towards a public drubbing they so deserve.
This is much deeper and broader than dumpy and his criminal cabal in the WH. We have been heading for this ever since Nixon. Each respective republican president has been worse and led to dumpy.....this is ingrained in every aspect of our society. IF we had had an independent media we may have stopped this, but since the MSM is owned by the wealthy oligarchs who want this we have had very little in the way of honest journalism since Reagan deregulated it and did away with the FAIR Act.
more gaslighting.
That’s all Trump does!
That chart is an eye-opener. Even relatively middle-class families are cutting back. It's not just those that live in tight circumstances.
No matter who I'm talking to, everyone I know is saying, "I'm cutting back on gifts," "Don't spend much on me -- it's okay!" as well as "I'm scared about how I'll manage next year." These are people making anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 a year. It's also retirees (like me) with SS, pension and a current job.
Republicans are clearly sucking the life out of the middle class.
Got it in one!
For anyone who knows something of Project 2025 (which Dictator Trump apparently doesn't! Yeah, right!), they are already aware that the middle class is due to be eviscerated as part of the process of creating a two-tier American system: The Slaves - and the Überwealthy!
If you'd rather read George Orwell's "1984", you'll get an idea of how this nightmare scenario rolls out under Trump - but with 21st-century technology leading the way!
Good luck, America! You're going to need it!
They trialed this with Pinochet and a super majority uber wealthy class that has veto authority over spending policies.
They are all seditious ideologues hell bent on dismantling our Constitutional foundations. There is no clearer “domestic enemy” working to overthrow from within the established - by Constitution - our government. 100% in violation to the oath they took to defend it.
And unfortunately, the rogue SCOTUS appears to go along with all of it with very few exceptions.
They write their own eulogy in their attempts to bridle progress of humans to some ancient ideas of caste.
I pray “We the people” ultimately prevail in protecting the experiment in rights for all by law over power by might.
rogue
Dumb spellcheck. 😩 I fixed it. Thanks. 😀
I taught "1984" to 11th graders for years. I hated it, every year. But it's not a book you forget, and now is a great time to read it. Add it to Project 2025, and it's a roadmap.
We’re going to need a BLUE WAVE… and fight to ensure we get a fair 2026 midterm election.
If that doesn’t happen—we go the warp mode and mobilize to take the Trumphukians out—one way or another!!
This didn't just start 11 months ago. More like almost 50 years ago. But, yeah, I place blame mostly (not fully) on the Republican party. The party of Big Business.
I tend to also blame some democrats - the corporate and some centrist democrats. But then, I've been fighting for universal healthcare like every other developed country. So I'm a progressive and hated by corporate democrats and some centrists. These politicians make a lot of money off donations from corporations. Schumer, who did not help ACA subscribers a bit, got quite a bit of money from big insurance donors. He certainly does not want universal healthcare. I doubt Jeffries does either. Heck, it's been 50 years since ERA was introduced and we still don't have it. smdh Can't tell me democrats couldn't do anything to stop republicans, now magas, in 50 years. :(
100% agree. Women, especially, have been ignored, pushed away, and held back with the help of both parties. ERA not passing was a tragedy. Schlafly had way too much influence with that. Dems sat back and let it happen, even when they had all the power in Washington. We live in a patriarchal culture that caters to rich white men -- and their businesses.
You provided me with a huge gawf and lots of laughter this morning...thank you! It's laughable to read that people making $500,000/year are scared how they'll manage next year. lol
Depends on where you live and how large your family is. Dealing with devastating illness is costly. So is self-employment. I'm simply pointing out how far reaching this economic mess is. People are tightening their belts everywhere. Even those who seem to be comfortable.
Trump tried gaslighting everyone who watched the January 6th insurrection live on TV. We know what we saw. But he convinced 51% of the electorate that, it was a bunch of tourists or antifa or a false flag operation or whatever. They voted for him in November 2024. But now, they have less money but bigger bills. The spell has broken.
It was not a fair and honest election. Putin, Musk and local bosses absolutely rigged the vote. The statistical anomalies are very obvious. I hope we can ensure a fair election next time. I worry about that.
Arne, you are 100% correct!! Can’t understand why the Dems didn’t demand a recount!!
I believe they wanted to model the appropriate behavior in accepting the people's decision. lmao It was definitely the wrong decision, imo.
You have ushered in the ghost of Bush vs Gore 2000. We couldn't believe the SCOTUS decision but the Dems acquiesced. Now its feels like every election is an existential battle for our democracy.
Robyn, it “appears” to have been broken. Until, and unless, there is a blue tsunami in 2026, all of this talk of the dam breaking will have been for naught. We must not take our foot off the gas. Resistance must be fierce!!!
Magots are souless bottomfeeders.......Donut Boys spell will never be broken.......They will drink the Orange Kool-Aid when the time comes.
There is something seriously wrong with republicans that they can’t seem to grasp this concept. It’s like they’ve stuck their fingers in their ears, shouting, nahananah, you can’t tell me anything. Well, I’m fine with that. It will hurry their demise.
What a great edition from someone in the know!!!! And I hope encouragement for all or us to work harder to get the word out to all those feeling crushed by what the trump administration, including the GOP Congress has done. I encourage anyone who is able to attend local town halls or any kind of community meetings, even PTA meetings to gently tell their neighbors who have been trump supporters there is indeed a better way. We have to do this without insulting them but with facts and compassion and understanding. Faith based organizations that are indeed based on the faith in the word of Jesus can go a long way to helping by following the lead of Pope Leo and calling out the trump administration and GOP for the cruelty they embrace...you don't have to name names, but simply say what Pope Leo said....seems if you believe in what Jesus (and the old Testament) said about welcoming the stranger, you can't support the actions of the current administration. Likewise, if you support Jesus when he said feed the hungry, you can't support elected officials who choose to stop food programs that provide food for the hungry, including children and elderly. Now is the time for all of us to work harder in what ever ways we can.
add to that 'to-do' list the constant communication with your members of congress (through their website contact form) that you disapprove of everything trump's dictatorship and control over congress is doing. if you don't tell them how you actually are feeling, they won't believe anything but trump's lies. use your voice. imagine if millions upon millions contacted their congressional representatives and told them (both parties) to pull their heads out of the asses and work for WE THE PEOPLE.....
I live in an area where 95 to99% of the people think trump is the greatest president ever and the high prices for groceries are because of Biden. And they all go to church and love that we bomb innocent people. I do contact my members of congress but the reality st it will not matter. One time I did talk to a real person and asked him if the Congressman could post on his web page where there was gas for $1.98 a gallon like trump said was everywhere. He said they couldn't do that. So I asked him if he knew where I could find gas for that price and he told me he'd been to a meeting in another part of the state and it was around $2.00...but that was a 2 hour drive for me. I told him it would not make much sense for me to drive that far for cheaper gas, and he did agree and had no solution/ answer to why trump keeps saying that when it's not true in our state. This may have been the same person that when I called several times about medicaid cuts in the big beautiful bill proposal who assured me the congressman would not cut medicaid. But of course he did..... But there are tens of districts where the next election might be very close and I hope everyone there calls and calls and calls.
Democrats need to message better. Pound this message home. Inflation 2021 -7.0 /2022 6.5 / 2023 4.4 / 2024 2.9 / 2025 3.0. Coming out of the Covid Pandemic the Biden administration did the equivalent of a soft landing in a fully loaded Boeing 747 with only one of four engines running and that engine was on fire.....
great analogy - and something kamala and the dem party failed to get across, in simple language and short sentences, to the majority of voters..... though.....WE MUST ALSO KKEEP IN MIND, TRUMP AND HIS RADICAL VIEWS OF HOW TO RUN GOVERNMENT AND (HIS LIES) ABOUT DOING THINGS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HARD WORKING AMERICANS, IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKED AND VOTED FOR (no matter how misguided they were and how lobotomized they became by drinking the trump koolaid)....
What more can you say! THE CON is Trump! The SNAKE is Trump! The TOTAL BS rhetoric about GROCERIES, and you as an AMERICAN🇺🇲 can make it, with LESS! as he GRABS MORE! is Trump EATING UP anything, and everything he can get his SPOTTED diseased HANDS ON! even the children's FOOD! and saying it's HOAX!
When Trump says we’re in the golden age , that may be true for himself, his millionaire and billionaire friends but not us middle class and lower pay citizens who are the ones hurting.
Just went to buy wrapping paper and it was $ 13.00 for a ten foot roll...! I walked away...no paper.!
Remember when we used to use the comic section of the paper for wrapping gifts. Can use paper sacks cut up or cloth to wrap 🤔
Or a brown paper bag. Draw your own decorations on it with crayons or markers.
Yes, have colored brown, grocery paper before to wrap before, also.
When my son was young there was a lot of Christmas gift exchanges. I had a big box set aside and all year long, as I saw something that I thought someone would want and it was affordable, I would buy it and put it in the box. Usually by the end of the year I'd have all the presents.
When my son and I unwrapped presents I would do so carefully so the wrapping paper was hardly damaged. I would then use that paper and bows to wrap the current years presents.
Now, there is very little in the way of gift exchanges and I seldom do any Christmas shopping. If I see something that I think someone would like I get and give it to the person right away. I tell people that, for me, Christmas is all year round.
I never thought about using the comic book section of newspapers or I probably would have done that too.
Trump: Still promoting the classic Nazi textbook propaganda of lies and deception.
Project 2025 is alive and well. Even if Trump, quote: "doesn't know anything about it"!
The reason only 29% of Republicans think the country is going in the wrong direction is because the other 71% can't or won't admit they are the ones who created this problem.
The President is clueless about the cost of living. Between padding his pockets with millions in the past year and his dementia, his opinion of anything, particularly the cost of living, is worthless
Today I bought enough veg for a salad for 4 people, 1 inexpensive box of pasta, 1 store brand of diced tomatoes, and 4 small zucchini. It cost $21. Something is a hoax for sure.
I paid three dollars for a head of iceberg lettuce. It's out of season, I know, but this is California and we have lettuce all year long. Shocking.
The thing that's saving us is I spent the last year working on my shelf stable pantry. Since I grew up in the Great White North, I have a few skills. But fresh produce is still a thing.
I'd like folks who do this to also tell us where they are located and what kind of store they are shopping in. My cost for those items would be around $11. Indiana. Strack's.
Atlanta at Publix. Definitely a higher priced place, and I only went there because I feld like a dogs dinner yesterday and it was close and required less walking. Normally I shop at Aldi and stores where my immigrant neighbors do. There's no price gouging going on at those stores. You haven't lived till you've been at Nam Dae Moon and watched some Vietnamese granny dress down the butcher for the prices being stupid lol. Look up Buford Highway Farmers Market and Anthony Bourdain. That's my usual haunt. And US Chefstore for bulk, because I'm an old Midwestern farm girl at heart, and I keep a pantry stocked just out of habit.
Loved the comment about the Vietnamese granny. I lived in Chicago for many years. We also had ethnic grocers. Some of the best stuff and good prices.
We're moving cross country year, and I already scoped out where we'd like to live based on where the ethnic grocers are. Asian, Arab, and Slavic stores mostly. The Latin stores are further away, but I'll make a trek when I need to. I'm not finding aji paste and choclo at Kroger. 🙄
Same old stuff just a different day from him